The Palmpress is an ingenious new device that is essentially a collapsible French press. The durable plastic device looks like an over-sized hockey puck, but unscrew the lid and it pops open to reveal a silicone funnel. Add coarsely ground coffee to the marked line, pour in water that is just shy of boiling, give a stir and wait 4 to 6 minutes before inverting the press over a mug and pressing to extract. The flavor is bright and strong--just the way we like it. Perhaps best of all, clean up is a breeze: just scrape out the grounds and then give it all a rinse. There are no paper filters or pods to dispose of and no fragile parts to disassemble. Note: it produces 1 cup of coffee at a go.

It is a standing joke around the office that I LOVE this rice washer. It is just the right size, so storing it is not a pain (it’s small enough to keep it on my drain board at all times), it’s lightweight, it’s well-designed, and—if you like—it also washes rice. Why do we all have huge colanders, anyway? This 2.5-quart colander is the perfect size for 95 percent of your kitchen draining jobs. With rice, the device allows one to cover the rice with water and swish it around; there are tiny drain holes in the bottom and larger holes near the spout. You can use this simple bowl for washing any sort of produce, including berries—a simple but brilliant concept. As for cooking rice, I use a ceramic Japanese rice cooker (the Kamado-San Double-Lid Donabe Rice Cooker—available in our store) and use slightly less water than rice.

If you’re sick of struggling to remove stuck food from your pans, skillets and Dutch ovens, Knapp's patented Chainmail Dishcloth is the tool for you. The tightly woven stainless steel “fabric” has a rough enough texture to take on the most stubborn stuck-on bits but also won't damage cast-iron seasoning. Knapp's product features a larger chainmail link in one corner so you can hang it up to dry and keep it in top condition. Note that this scrubber is intended for Pyrex, cast iron, carbon steel and stainless steel pans; it will damage non-stick pans or other delicate surfaces. Try it on your grill as well—it works wonders on the grubbiest grate.

This durable steak frypan from French company de Buyer's Mineral B line is thicker than other brands and can be used in the oven as well as on the stove. We like the neat, effective design of the triple-riveted handles, which are the perfect length for easy maneuvering. And with each use, the carbon steel develops more of a protective surface coating that has nonstick properties. De Buyer even coats its pieces with a layer of beeswax to resist rust and provide a foundation for seasoning the pan. Choose between a 9.5-inch diameter—the perfect size for one steak—or an 11-inch diameter pan to make steaks for two. Both are perfect for everything from scrambled eggs and seared steak to grilled cheese or stir-fry.

Historic French company's Choc Intense line of nonstick pans use the latest generation of nonstick coating—designed to have a 50% longer lifetime than other models—so they release food easily and are a breeze to clean with a soft sponge. These Round Frypans also feature robust forged aluminum walls and induction-friendly stainless steel bottoms, so they are fast-heating and provide even heat distribution when sautéing and searing. The attractive matte black pans are weighty but not cumbersome, with sturdy triple-riveted stainless steel handles. De Buyer even includes a cloth bag with each pan to protect the nonstick surfaces during storage, so you can stack Choc Intense cookware without worrying about scratching the material.

• Dimensions: 8, 9.5, 11, or 12.5-inch diameters available
• Materials: Nonstick: Ultra-resistant and reinforced inner and outer black coating, guaranteed PFOA- and particles-free | Walls: 4-millimeter forged aluminum | Bottom: Induction-friendly AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel | Handle: Stainless steel
• Use: Suitable for all heat sources including induction. Oven-safe for 10 minutes at 445°F maximum. Do not use metal objects on cookware. Do not heat when empty or overheat. Avoid temperature shocks.
• Care: Hand-wash only, with a non-abrasive sponge.
• Place of Origin: France

In Japan, cooks have a clever tool for ensuring that simmering foods stay below the liquid instead of bobbing along the surface. They use an otoshibuta, or drop lid. Though drop lids are traditionally made of wood, we like this new and adjustable stainless steel version, designed to fit a variety of pot sizes. It also doesn’t absorb flavors the way wood can. To use, simply set the otoshibuta over food in simmering liquid, which weighs those items down just enough to keep them below the surface. The drop lid also forces liquid to circulate (so food is evenly covered with no stirring required), holds ingredients in place to prevent breakage and promotes faster cooking. We like to use them when blanching kale or chard, which can puff above boiling water, or when simmering black-eyed peas, lentils and other legumes to keep them fully submerged.

​

Add farmhouse charm to your cookware with these oven-safe, stainless steel lid handles, available in cow, pig and rooster designs. Iconic French company Staub designed these knobs to fit any of their cocottes with a diameter of between 18 centimeters and 41 centimeters. They're a great way to add individuality to your cookware or distinguish your pots from others in a crowd.

Field's cast-iron skillets work just as well as other brands but are so much more lightweight—the 10-inch model weighs just 4 pounds, at least 20% less than other models. The inside of the pans are also well burnished so they're smooth, not rough, for low-stick cooking, especially if you've seasoned your skillet properly. The Field skillets come pre-seasoned and are available in a range of sizes to suit the needs of any home cook. Choose between the No. 4, a compact 6-inch pan that's perfect for morning eggs and personal grilled cheese; the medium-sized 10-inch No. 8 or 12-inch No. 10; or the No. 12, a generous 14-inch skillet that is our favorite for big batches and campfire cooking. You can purchase the custom Field Company cast iron lids here.

Our five-ply cookware has three layers of aluminum sandwiched between two layers of nonreactive stainless steel. The aluminum core heats evenly and retains that heat well, eliminating hot spots, while the magnetic stainless steel exterior makes this premium cookware ideal for any cooking surface, including induction cooktops. The skillet's heavy-duty construction also ensures that it won't warp over time, unlike thin metal pans that become raised in the center. And the rounded, oven-safe handle feels comfortable and well-balanced in the hand, even when handling a full pan of food; plus, the handle's hollow core is lightweight and stays cool during stovetop cooking. We use an 8-inch skillet for a wide range of kitchen tasks from toasting nuts and spices, to breakfast duty, to omelets, to smaller jobs such as steak for one.

Unlike nonstick pans that need to be replaced every year or two as their coating wears off, carbon-steel pans are designed for the long haul and actually become more nonstick over time. This durable egg pan from French company de Buyer's Mineral B line is thicker than other brands and can be used in the oven as well as on the stove. This compact pan is the perfect size for everyday use, when you want the benefits of carbon steel but don't want to deal with cleaning a large pan; it's also great for toasting small amounts of spices or blooming spices in fat to make infused oils. And with each use, the pan develops more of a protective surface coating that has nonstick properties.

If you only purchase one saucepan, this is it. Made from 5-ply professional grade stainless steel sandwiched around a pure aluminum core that provides superior heat conductivity, this saucepan produces professional chef results. No burning. No hot spots. Even heat conductivity. (If you answer a phone call, your oatmeal or onions won’t burn.) The magnetic stainless steel exterior makes this premium cookware ideal for any cooking surface, including induction cooktops. The brushed stainless steel finish also makes cleaning easier and keeps the saucepan looking new longer. Oven safe up to 500 degrees and made from 18/10 stainless steel.

This small, gorgeous cast-iron griddle set from Japan is just the pan to sear scallops, a few jumbo shrimp, filet mignon or asparagus. The thin yet sturdy construction heats up quickly—over any burner or grill--and holds its heat well. The textured surface prevents foodstuffs from sticking. With its hardwood base, the griddle can easily be brought to the table and used as much as a hot plate as a cooking pan.We’ll heat it and fill it with appetizers like warm, spiced nuts or baked feta drizzled with fruity olive oil, herbs and pepper flakes. The ingenious handle removes easily for serving and storage.

If you’re sick of struggling to remove stuck food from your pans, Knapp's chainmail dish scrubber is the tool for you. Knapp's intricate chain mail is tough enough to take on the most stubborn stuck-on bits, and the links are just the right size: large enough that food doesn't get stuck in them but small enough to easily reach the corners of pans. The food-grade stainless steel will last a lifetime, though it needs to be hung up to dry; Knapp's design features a larger chainmail link in one corner for hanging. Note that this scrubber is intended for Pyrex, cast iron, carbon steel and stainless steel pans; it will damage non-stick pans or other delicate surfaces. Try it on your grill as well—it works wonders on the grubbiest grate.