WINCO

Eighth Sheet Pan

A typical home baking sheet is called a "half sheet" (because it's half the size of a commercial baking sheet). Halve that again and you get the unsung hero known as a "quarter sheet". Then, a couple years ago, some genius decided to cut those in half to make these eighth sheets, and I just can't get enough of em.

One of these is on the counter as a spoon rest every time I cook, but a spoon rest I can pull a used bouquet garni onto, transfer my next ingredient to the pot, or mise a dish onto.

A particular design feature I like is the open bead that helps prevent water from getting stuck inside the rim. Very clever and still just as rigid.

Steelport

Bernal Cutlery

210mm Heavy Cleaver

220mm Chukka Bocho

210mm Gyuto

8" Chef's Knife

180mm Santoku

When we walked into my favorite knife shop, I spotted this on the wall and immediately let out an audible "Oh, wow...". I still feel that way every time I see it. Steelport have made what has to be the most beautiful chef's knife on the market with tons of thoughtful features, a stunning blackened finish, and a price tag to match.

First, this is made of 52100 steel, which is a high-carbon "ball bearing" steel. It's medium-hard and super durable — especially at this thickness. It's a lovely steel to sharpen and maintain and 3 of my 5 favorite knives are made of it.

Really, the only thing stopping this from being my favorite knife is the geometry — it gets just a little too thick at the spine — and I'm at a loss for anything else I don't love about this knife. It's got a hell of a price tag on it, but I've never really met a knife that I thought justified its price better with its materials and design.

I just wish that spine were a *tiny* bit thinner.

Update: I had it thinned by a pro sharpener with a belt and it's now my favorite knife. Pity it takes the extra work, but now I genuinely adore this thing.



It's too heavy for me to enjoy using more than I have to. But it is absolutely stunning.

Chef's Knives

Meiji 10" Chef's Knife

Classic 210mm Chef's Knife

Spartan Ghost Chef's Knife 8"

The 8" Knife

Professional Series 8" Chef's Knife (MTH-80)

Premier Chef's 8"

Everyday Chef's Knife

Classic Ikon 8" Chef's Knife

Förslag 3-pc Knife Set

Rosewood 8" Chef's Knife

French Chef's Knife

Classic Chef's 8"

Vardagen Chef's Knife 8"

Briljera Chef's Knife 8"

Vörda Chef's Knife 8"

365+ Chef's Knife 8"

Pro Le Blanc 8" Chef's Knife

365+ 6" Utility Knife

Birchwood SG2 8" Chef's Knife

Black 5000MCD67 8" Gyuto

G-56 7" Santoku

G-2 8" Chef's Knife

GU-02 8" Asian Chef's Knife

210mm Ginsan Gyuto

Chef's Knife

Graphite 8" Chef's Knife (+ 13-pc set)

8” Brad Leone Signature Series Chinese Santoku Cleaver

7.25" Chef Series

8" Chef Knife

Koh 8" Gyuto

Kanso 8" Chef's Knife

Fibrox 8" Chef's Knife

Classic 6" Chef's Knife

Momofuku

Xtra Hot Chili Oil

Chili Crunch

Great mix of toasty, spicy and nutty flavors, but leans heavily on garlic as the primary flavor profile. 

It's definitely got a little heat, but it won't blow your taste buds to smithereens. 

The downside for me is just how much you need to use to get any real flavor out of it.

On a spoon? It's great. But it takes a lot to hold up to food.

Hestan

Amazon

NanoBond Titanium Skillet

D3 10" Fry Pan

Premier 10" Space Saving Fry Pan

10-Inch Skillet

Deep Cut

10" Stainless Steel Frying Pan

Fry Pan

Titanium Series Fry Pan

Eater Series Frying Pan

This is the smaller version of my favorite skillet on earth and for those who need a small skillet for things like eggs... I think this is the best all-around performance money can buy.

While it's definitely not fully nonstick, it does react less-strongly with protein which offers home cooks a little bit more wiggle room on initial temperature. That means more control to cook the way you want to cook rather than the pan forcing you to cook a certain way. 

On that note, it's also extremely responsive to heat changes due to its super thick internal layer of aluminum. That's something I value very highly and I think gets overlooked by many home cooks.

8.5"

Skillets

Mineral B Carbon Steel 12.5" Fry Pan 

CRS12 Carbon Steel 12" Skillet

Black Carbon Steel Fry Pan 12"

Covered Ceramic 12" Fry Pan

Ceramic Fry Pan (Set of 2)

Fry Pan (10.5")

Nonstick Frying Pan (10")

Large Fry

Reserve 12" Frying Skillet

ProBond Nonstick Skillet (11")

Quick-Release Fry Pan (9.5”)

Hybrid Nonstick Pan (10")

Toughened Nonstick PRO Fry Pan (10")

Blue Carbon Steel Frying Pan (12")

M'steel Carbon Fry Pan (9.5")

NeverStick Premium Fry Pan (10.25")

Cast Iron Always Pan

Always Pan

Always Pan 2.0

Obsidian Carbon Steel Skillet

Good Grips Pro Frying Pan (10")

Professional Frying Pan (10.25”)

Carbon Steel Farmhouse Skillet

No. 10 Chef Skillet

#8 Cast Iron Skillet

Professional 10" Fry Pan

Unlimited 10" Fry Pan

Professional Nonstick Fry Pan

Wear-Ever Nonstick Fry Pan

Hitohira

If you have the money, go buy one of these today. This thing is a hidden gem and more people should have them.

Feels like a fucking razor and holds an edge like nothing I've used before.

I love the shape. I love the size. I love the feel. It's not the prettiest knife, but it sure ain't bad. It's simple, useful, and probably a great first carbon steel knife if that's something you're interested in.

Update: The problem is — as with many Japanese knives — they're unique and so they sell out quickly. The link is already dead and it's sold out the manufacturer's site too. Looks like a couple other knife shops have stock and they'll probably change over time. Good luck!

This little baddie is my carbon steel go-to for daily use. 

I love how light this knife is, and the shorter blade and razor edge  gives me the extra confidence I need when tackling a new knife skill.

The only down side is how brittle this knife is, and being that it's carbon steel it does need dried off immediately.

Horl

Horl 2

Diamond Rolling Knife Sharpener Set

Ha No Kuromaku #5000 Ceramic Water Stone

Ha No Kuromaku #1000 Ceramic Water Stone

Gouken Fuji #8000 Ceramic Finishing Stone

Professional #3000 Ceramic Water Stone

Professional #800 Ceramic Water Stone

Gouken Kurouto #1000 Ceramic Water Stone

71671 Sharpening Stone Sink Bridge

71013 Sharpening Stone Holder

Sharpening Stone Holder

Glass #1000 Ceramic Water Stone

Rubberized Cork Strop

Sink Bridge

Flattening Stone

While it's easy to use, it's not easy to get a *good* edge with. For many knives it'll have issues reaching both the tip and the heel of the blade. The super-coarse diamond grinding wheel that it ships with really depends on the pro sharpening kit (another $140) to impart any real sharpness too.

As much as I wish it were a good sharpener for beginners... unfortunately, it's just not.

Boon Sauce

From what their vendors tell us, Boon changes their recipe with every batch... We've tried a good chunk of those batches and while they don't seem to be identical, they're all pretty similar.

This is the chili oil I reach for most because it kicks ass. Even though it's hot, it's a nice even, neutral heat with a dash of umami on top — an extremely practical condiment overall.

Prima Taste

Spicy Soy Noodles

Aromatic Scallion Noodles

Soy & Scallion Noodles

Tingly Chili Wavy Noodles

Sichuan Pepper Noodles

Spicy Ramyun

Spicy "Beef" Flavor Ramen Soup

Tom Yum "Shrimp" Flavor Ramen Soup

Shrimp Creamy Tom Yum  Noodles

Black Garlic "Chicken" Flavor Ramen Soup

Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu Flavor

Soy Garlic Noodles

Coconut Lemongrass Curry

Garlic Black Pepper Noodles

Chili Sesame Noodles

Mi Goreng 

Spicy Sesame Paste Noodles

Penang White Curry Noodles

Laksa La Mian

Shrimp and coconut are the primary flavors in this instant noodle. The noodles are nothing special. My only hangup is the lingering smell of shrimp paste that permeated the house for hours after I was done cooking.

Shin

Cheap. Delicious. Filling. Infinite hacks.

Really can't go wrong with Shin Ramyun...

I grew up on Maruchan ramen. Shin has the same vibe, but higher quality, and comes in a much larger serving size. It's salty and spicy with excellent balance and good quality vegetables. This is my go-to for a late night or post drinks snack.

IndoMie

Spicy, slightly sweet and garlicky! These noodles aren't as wet as some of the others but the flavor is balanced and the noodles are a nice texture.

MAMA

Salty and spice with hints of lemongrass and coconut. The broth was complex and well balanced. My biggest hangup with MAMA's noodles are their texture. They're a little too delicate, and they bubble and dissolve quickly. I like the broth, but wish they would upgrade their noodles.

Great aroma, but only decent flavor. Old-school fried noodles have a slightly foamy texture and these are a perfect example.

Would be way better if they were air-dried...

I've been eating Mama noodles for decades and they're still delicious and affordable!

MyKuali

So. Many. Warming. Spices! The noodles aren't the best I've ever had, but the flavor of the broth made up for it.

Kiki

My go-to instant noodle. I absolutely adore these on their own, but a little bit of pickled veg and some scallions puts it over the top.

Can't recommend highly enough.

Salty, spicy, and the sichuan pepper hits you with a little numbing flavor perfectly. The noodle quality could be improved but the flavor makes up for it. As usual with Kiki the instructions aren't written in english, but if you know your way around instant noodles you'll easily figure it out using their handy icon guide.

Tramontina

I don't see what The Wirecutter sees in this pan. It's objectively one of the lowest-quality pans on the market and there are better, more versatile pans below its price point.

As usual, OXO has a decently comfy handle, but it’s not really an outlier in this category. It’s also not induction-compatible which is going to be a problem for some folks.

Ninja Foodi

Honestly, I"m surprised that this infomercial-y bullshit isn't awful, but it's a lovely surprise. It's definitely not pretty, but it takes one of the worst challenges of nonstick largely out of the equation at a reasonable price.

First things first... I believe this pan is overpriced for nonstick, period. It's pretty fucking great though. Its texture does require some fat to be truly nonstick (but I mean, you were gonna use that anyway, right?) and it's shockingly difficult to damage.

Guacamole

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