Aux Co. Ltd. Gassiri Tongs
Though upon first glance Aux Co. Ltd’s Gassiri Tongs seem just like any other pair, our kitchen team was blown away after testing them. The rounded shape makes it easy to pick up spherical items like meatballs, eggs or potatoes that may run away using a normal pair of tongs. But the sides of these tongs are what really set them apart—one is designed with slits and the other with a scoop that can hold about a tablespoon of liquid. Use the slotted side to strain out unwanted liquid, like when rendering bacon, or use the scoop side to add pasta water to your sauce. Sturdy stainless steel construction—complete with a sufficient handle length—also makes these tongs strong and safe so you can pick up heavy, hot ingredients without any problems. However, they can still be used delicately—they work just as well picking up a strand of spaghetti or a soft boiled egg.
GIR Silicone Spatulas
GIR's silicone spatulas are beautiful, durable and heat-resistant up to a whopping 550 degrees Fahrenheit, so they won't warp or melt when you're cooking. They have a unibody design, with a layer of pharmaceutical-grade, BPA-free silicone wrapped around a heat-resistant polymer core, so they will never break. We like that the nonporous material is easy to clean and antimicrobial—it also won't pick up any odors or flavors, unlike wood. The thin blade is sturdy yet flexible, perfect for scraping food from the edges of your containers. GIR offers these spatulas in both an Ultimate and Skinny size, so you can use them with your largest mixing bowls or narrowest jam jars.
Aux Co. Ltd. Japan Sukueru Knife
This unique serving spoon-knife combo tool is a must-have for serving. Right at the table (or the picnic blanket or the potluck), you can use the serrated edge to cut out your perfect portion of food and then use the dipped bowl of the spoon to easily scoop it into your plate. The concave shape and wider width actually lifts up the food and holds it there—it won’t go tumbling back onto the platter like it would with a classic narrow, triangular server. The blade is sharp enough to cut through pizza crust and it’s ideal for slicing through gooey lasagna without lopping off that top layer of chewy cheese trying to slice and serve. Plus, it’s made from durable, dishwasher safe stainless steel with a satin finish, which is great for camouflaging scratches after frequent use. (And we promise you’ll be using this tool quite a bit.)
Aux Co. Ltd. Oroshi Spoon
Made in Japan, this unique tool is designed to grate and zest easily without clogging up, thanks to its sharp blades set at a 60-degree angle. It cuts through ginger and other tougher foods well, while preventing waste thanks to its spoon shape. Simply grate directly onto the spoon and use it to stir your ingredient directly into whatever you’re making—the solid bottom also ensures all of the gratings are kept on the spoon. And the angle of the blades make it easy to clean.
Aux Co. Moritsuke Tong
Roughly translating to “the Japanese art of presenting food,” moritsuke is a beloved tradition and delicate art. It’s a fitting name for Aux Co. Ltd’s Moritsuke Tongs, which are precise like kitchen tweezers, but still sturdy, making them the perfect multiuse tool for anything from frying to plating to serving. Sleek, with a long handle and slight offset angle, these tongs are great for twirling pasta, flipping over food in a pan, deep-frying and tossing salads. The cupped head of the tongs is ideal for picking up food without crushing it and is also strong enough to pick up heavier ingredients, like meatballs, and place them on a nest of spaghetti. Plus, the narrow head of the tongs come together to a fine point, allowing for precision and ease while plating, even for smaller ingredients like thinly sliced pieces of meat. And when they’re not in use, they can be flipped upside down to keep any food residue off your table.
Dreamfarm Brizzle Basting Brush
This ingenious silicone tool won a Good Design Award because it makes basting with pan juices, drizzling oil or brushing egg wash much easier, more efficient and less messy. The flexible brush head of the Brizzle by Dreamfarm includes a cup that bends to scoop up 1 tablespoon of liquid—the equivalent of 15 dips of a regular basting brush—from hard-to-reach corners without having to tilt a heavy baking dish or tray. Four holes hidden among the 100 bristles let the liquid drizzle through, making it easy to spread quickly over the surface. And a weighted curved handle keeps the brush head off the counter so it creates less mess. We especially love using it to baste pastries with melted butter or egg wash or to apply a thin layer of barbecue sauce to grilled meats. It’s also nonstick, won’t trap bacteria, dishwasher safe and heat resistant to 500°F. Choose from red or black to complement your kitchen decor.
Suncraft Wood Cooking Chopsticks
Streamline your cooking with cooking chopsticks—replace your spatula, tongs, whisk and spoon as you turn, flip, mix and stir with one sleek tool. Longer than chopsticks designed for dining, cooking chopsticks keep your hands far from heat and flames, which makes them safer for risky jobs like deep-frying. And they’re more precise than tongs or spatulas: Gripping food with the pointed ends means you can target even pieces or parts of a single ingredient with extra dexterity, for specific control and even cooking. Suncraft’s are simultaneously fine enough to pick up a single noodle to test doneness or an herb sprig while plating, while also being sturdy enough to toss a whole stir-fry with speed and confidence.
What sets these apart from other cooking chopsticks is a small scoop for seasoning at the thicker end, perfectly sized to add a pinch of salt, pepper or spice while cooking, and a textured point on the narrow end, which provides traction and helps grip food better. Made from handsome dark wood, which won’t scratch up your pans, these chopsticks are resistant to high temperatures.
Christopher Kimball for Kuhn Rikon Comfort Balloon Whisk
This sturdy, fine-wired balloon whisk is broad enough for whipping eggs, yet small enough to fit into any utensil drawer. It’ll easily whip stiff peaks and the thickest pancake batter.
triangle Tools Fine Skimmer 1946
With its soft diamond shape and finer holes, the Fine Skimmer 1946 from triangle Tools is designed for finer tasks than its larger cousin. While it will also drain liquids with zero clogs, this fine skimmer spans the gap between a larger spider and a mesh skimmer. We love it for the in-between tasks, like blanching finely chopped vegetables and skimming small particles from boiling liquid (without having to break out a hard-to-clean mesh option). Like all of triangle Tools’ designs, the skimmer is sturdy enough to withstand the wear and tear of the busiest kitchen: It’s constructed with brushed 18/10 stainless steel, the industry gold standard for strength and quality. Use the hooked end of the handle to store the skimmer easily or hang it from the edge of the pot.
GIR Ladle
The GIR Ladle simplifies cooking by combining the scoop of a ladle with the flexibility of a silicone spatula into one tool. The sides of the deep, pliable bowl bend so you can reach into the corners of a pan or pot to scoop up every bit of liquid without scratching even nonstick surfaces. Unlike other flimsier ladles on the market, this utensil won’t flop under pressure when filled to the brim. Handy measurement markings on the inside of the cup make it easier to portion out quantities of things like batter, so your pancakes or muffins will always be consistent. Plus, the ladles are made with pharmaceutical-grade, BPA-free silicone that is heat-resistant up to a whopping 550℉, so they won't melt or warp over time. Choose between the Ultimate, which holds ¾ of a cup of liquid and is perfect for all-purpose cooking, or the Skinny, which holds a ¼ cup and is great for smaller saucepans or canning. Both are available in red or slate.
Suncraft Silicone Cooking Chopsticks
Streamline your cooking with cooking chopsticks—replace your spatula, tongs, whisk and spoon as you turn, flip, mix and stir with one sleek tool. Longer than chopsticks designed for dining, cooking chopsticks keep your hands far from heat and flames, which makes them safer for risky jobs like deep-frying. And they’re more precise than tongs or spatulas: Gripping food with the pointed ends means you can target even pieces or parts of a single ingredient with extra dexterity, for specific control and even cooking. Suncraft’s are simultaneously fine enough to pick up a single noodle to test doneness or an herb sprig while plating, while also being sturdy enough to toss a whole stir-fry with speed and confidence.
What sets these apart from other cooking chopsticks is a small scoop for seasoning at the thicker end, perfectly sized to add a pinch of salt, pepper or spice while cooking, and a textured point on the narrow end, which provides traction and helps grip food better. Made from durable silicone—which won’t scratch up your pans—these chopsticks are heat resistant up to 446°F and dishwasher-safe.
Aux Co. Ltd. Mizukiri Ladle
Typical colanders can be too large and unwieldy for quick draining jobs. That’s why we keep this ladle close by. Made in Japan, it’s ideal for draining small amounts of pasta, boiled/blanched veggies and any other application where you need to drain foods out of liquid. Simply scoop and tilt the ladle back to allow liquid to drain through the slots. Plus, it’s compact enough to be used for tableside serving.
