Latest tools…
Stela
I thought this was the most promising scale when I bought it, but... it just couldn't pull its weight.
Nutro
I'm torn. In a lot of ways this scale is great, but there are enough issues that I can't wholeheartedly recommend it.
KQ908
Despite my lack of love for KitchenAid and their over-reliance on old patents, I'm super impressed with this scale design.
3817
This scale is super inaccurate, feels bad to use, ugly, and you shouldn't buy it.
KD-8000
This was the unit that started this whole review process. The review unit is actually my second — and I loved the first right up until it started failing.
11lb Scale
Sleek, friendly design. A little lacking in accuracy.
Pronto
This device is clearly made to be inexpensive and it's successful at that. Unfortunately, it's also just extremely slow in-use.
1250
Nicer to look at than its brand-mates, but still too inaccurate to recommend.
LB-3000
An excellent secondary scale for super fine measurements. It's really not versatile enough to be your primary scale, but it's very effective at smaller measurements.
Primo
I now understand why so many home cooks love this scale: it really is great for a $20 scale.
5lb Scale
I've had a number of OXO scales over the years and this was the first one that was accurate and reliable.
Enfinigy
Aesthetically pleasing despite some confusing design decisions.
KQ909
I think this model is genius and I wish more manufacturers would take this approach to add versatility without requiring a completely separate unit.
Ultra-Stick
I'd seen this blender around TikTok, so I was excited to give it a shot but immediately on picking it up I knew that it would be disappointing. It's that feeling of when a tool is *too* lightweight — which makes sense for a blender made of super thin aluminum and plastic. But those are notoriously soft materials that I wouldn't expect to survive long in frequent use.
Commercial Quik Stik
I've got a huge commercial blender from Waring for producing big batches of condiments that I love. It's an absolute beast that quickly works through anything I put in front of it. This is its polar opposite. Basically useless.
MultiQuick 5 Vario Hand Blender
I miss the old Braun — the one that made pretty, useful home products.
Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender
In many ways, this is the quintessential hand blender. Despite all the flashy colors it comes in, this is very much a minimalist blender design.
Cordless Hand Blender
A great blender for the price, but there's one thing that keeps me on the fence: the charger design.
ProMix Hand Blender
This is the blender that started this whole search due to a piece of plastic panel coming off the top. It's still in production, but it's been out of stock for over a year — otherwise I probably would've just bought another one.
Control Grip Immersion Blender
I've had a number of Breville kitchen tools over the years and generally I think they feel really cheap and are lacking in the performance department. This is an outlier for me — my second-favorite corded blender. It does a lot with its fairly low wattage and its dome design is one of my favorites. On the other hand, its plastic body doesn't feel very resilient and I expect it to have a shorter lifespan than many of its counterparts.
Immersion Blender
Vitamix upholds their reputation as the best in the blitz biz with their new, stunningly powerful hand blender. Vroom vroom.
Cordless Hand Blender
In a category full of ugly tools, this one is probably the sleekest.
Graphite 8" Chef's Knife (+ 13-pc set)
Don't buy knife sets. Please.
8" Chef's Knife
Honestly, I expected this to be a very expensive gimmick. I was wrong; it kicks ass. An absolute unit that glides through anything in its path.
8" Chef Knife
I hate using this knife. It's unbalanced, heavy, and the blade profile is super awkward. On top of that — in a market full of overconfident hyperbole about what a steel is capable of, they take the cake. Pass.
Classic 6" Chef's Knife
Mediocre generally, but terrible for the price. Bolster is super annoying when sharpening.
180mm Santoku
What an absolute gem: the combination of a short-bladed santoku with shirogami steel makes for an absolutely fantastic starter knife (or backup).
365+ 6" Utility Knife
Despite having the worst grind I've ever seen on a knife out of the box, it's still maybe a good deal for the price? It's not good, but it's better than some more expensive knives.
GU-02 8" Asian Chef's Knife
Chunky version of my longtime favorite: the G-2. Not bad, but not better than the G-2.
8" Chef's Knife
A perfect everyday knife. Heavy, but well-designed and rock solid. Is it my favorite to use? Not even close, but an excellent cost/value ratio.
7.25" Chef Series
The easiest knife I've ever used out of the box. Doesn't hold an edge for very long, but super easy to sharpen.
8" Chef's Knife
Every detail of this knife is gorgeous. With that said, the thick spine is super frustrating for common tasks like cutting onions. A slight geometry change would make this a category killer.
210mm Gyuto
A "chaotic neutral" knife in every way. Hard to get one with good alignment. Probably will require sharpening once you get it home.
8" Chef's Knife
The internet loves this knife for its low price. That is the only good thing about it.
G-56 7" Santoku
I think this knife is fine, but I wouldn't buy it as my main knife. Just not practical enough due to the curved tip and the hollow grind adds no value.
G-2 8" Chef's Knife
Not great, but damn good. My road dog for most of the last 2 decades and the standard by which I judge all other knives.
210mm Ginsan Gyuto
Friends have described this knife to me as both "like a scalpel" and "a fucking lightsaber" after using it. More brittle than I'd like, but still my favorite knife ever.
Koh 8" Gyuto
A great entry-level knife modeled after classic Japanese gyutos. If you're curious, you could do worse. Great edge durability for the price.
Kanso 8" Chef's Knife
I have bought 3 of these: 1 for myself and 1 for each of my siblings. Pretty, comfortable, solid steel, easy to sharpen. Nothing game-changing, but well worth the price.
Hybrid Nonstick Frying Pan (10")
Big infomercial energy and SUPER expensive for a PTFE pan of any kind.
10" Ceramic Frying Pan
Both pans scuffed around the rim within a day of arrival and there are rumors that olive oil completely ruins the finish?
Professional 10" Fry Pan
The traditional recommendation from the old guard. This is my 3rd and it's nearing the end of its lifespan. I hid some of the scuffs with cilantro.
M'steel Carbon Fry Pan (9.5")
A classic pro pick. The beeswax it comes in is a pain, but taking the time to remove it is well worth it.
Hybrid Stainless Steel (9.5")
An almost exact clone of the HexClad (or vice-versa). Surprisingly comfy handle!
No. 10 Chef Skillet
Stunner. This is my favorite skillet I own now (bonus points for being a perfect backdrop for twee food photos).
Always Pan
Fuckin sucks, man. I wanted to like it so badly. Knew the "7-pans-in-1" marketing had to be false, but not like this... Not like this.
10" Nonstick Frying Pan
Super lightweight, very slippery, and lowkey pretty. Seems like a solid deal to me.
#8 Cast Iron Skillet
Absolute unit. LOVE the fine-milled finish. This is my grilling skillet and it gets a ton of use and abuse.
Carbon Steel Skillet (10")
The same design we loved in our first review of the Misen 10" Nonstick Pan, but without the fragile PTFE coating.
Nonstick Frying Pan (10")
Best branding glow-up of 2020 and goddamn, I kinda dig that blue finish.
Toughened Nonstick PRO Fry Pan (11")
The marketing for this pan makes SOME CLAIMS. So far, it does seem to be compatible with metal utensils, as claimed.
Professional Nonstick (10")
I don't know how absolute garbage like this keeps getting a pass from The Wirecutter, but this pan is trash and no one should own it.
Large Fry
Such a stunner. Would love a riveted handle, but can't win 'em all.
Fry Pan (10.5")
Instagram seems to think this is prettier than I do. Just looks and feels super cheap to me.