Milk Street Precision Peeler
Most peelers do a lousy job. The blades are made of inferior steel so they do not peel easily and the peel itself is often too thick. The blades dull over time so you have to throw it out. Many designs have uncomfortable handles or the handles are awkward since they are not aligned properly with the blade. And when it comes to thick, tough skins such as butternut squash, you might as well give up before you start. That is why we just redesigned the peeler, using top-grade 420 stainless steel for the replaceable blade (why don’t all peelers have replaceable blades?) and a handle that is big enough for a firm, easy grip. Try it just once and you will find that it peels like cutting through butter. It’s that good!
Milk Street Nakiri & Peeler Set
Milk Street Nakiri
What if we told you there is a Japanese knife specifically designed for vegetable prep that will make your cooking safer, easier and faster? It is vastly better than the all-purpose European chef’s knife, which is clunky, heavy and too thick to precisely slice and dice onions, cut carrots into perfect coins or reduce chard into feathery ribbons. The solution is the Milk Street Nakiri. It’s light, thin and sharp, with a design that resembles a mini cleaver—2 inches deep with a squared-off tip. A very thin blade, just 1.6 millimeters at the top, tapers down even thinner toward the end so it slices through even tough ingredients effortlessly without bending. The broad blade shields your fingers when you chop and works as a bench scraper to transfer chopped veggies to the simmering pot. With the help of veteran industrial designer David Lewin, we added a few special touches. The blade is embossed with a nonstick file pattern that replicates the kourochi (blacksmith) or tshuchime (pear skin) finish to traditional nakiris, so sliced ingredients fall right off. A gentle curve accommodates fingers when choking up tight for control, and the handle has been designed to provide a nonslip grip.
Milk Street Precision Rolling Pin
Unless you are a pastry chef, getting pie and cookie dough (even pasta dough) rolled out evenly to an exact thickness is perhaps the hardest skill to master in the kitchen. The Milk Street Precision Rolling Pin solves this problem so that even novice bakers can get it right the first time, every time. How does it work? Simply screw in the end caps for the desired height and roll out your crust or dough. (The ends are thicker than the middle by the thickness you want for the dough.) This system is extra-sturdy and easy to use and the pin is plenty long, 23 inches, to handle any width of dough. Plus, we added a laster-etched ruler to the length of the beechwood pin for measuring pans and ensuring your dough is just the right width. You can also use this pin without the end caps - it is 18-inches long and perfect for smaller, more delicate tasks.
Christopher Kimball for Kuhn Rikon Ratchet Grinder
Most pepper mills (this model also grinds spices) take forever to grind just one tablespoon. This new design—which we developed with Kuhn Rikon—is easy to use and produces all the spice you can use quickly and easily. Its innovative back-and-forth ratchet action is easier than a twist-style mill, especially for those with hand issues. The precision ceramic grinder is effective and durable, and the front-loading hopper is far easier than top-loading grinders, where half the spices inevitably spill during filling. Perhaps our favorite feature is the removable bottom container, which makes it easy to measure and transport spices to a stovetop pot or mixing bowl.
Milk Street: Precision Peeler
Most peelers do a lousy job. The blades are made of inferior steel so they do not peel easily and the peel itself is often too thick. The blades dull over time so you have to throw it out. Many designs have uncomfortable handles or the handles are awkward since they are not aligned properly with the blade. And when it comes to thick, tough skins such as butternut squash, you might as well give up before you start. That is why we just redesigned the peeler, using top-grade 420 stainless steel for the replaceable blade (why don’t all peelers have replaceable blades?) and a handle that is big enough for a firm, easy grip. Try it just once and you will find that it peels like cutting through butter. It’s that good!