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!

The Garlic Slicer Mincer Set from Microplane perfectly marries form and function—with a shape that fits snugly in your hand and two different blades for mincing, grating and slicing notoriously unruly garlic into uniform pieces. Along with an integrated removable scraper and transparent collection chamber, it also features two different blades specially made for slicing and mincing. This tool can tackle three or more cloves at a time efficiently and safely without needing to contend with a heavy chef’s knife, precarious mandolin or even a cutting board, keeping your fingers away from danger (and that ever-lingering garlic odor).

And it’s not just efficient—thanks to Microplane’s thoughtful design, it’s also incredibly user-friendly: Simply attach the chute to your cutting plate of choice, then position both in the clear bottom cup. Add the peeled cloves to the chute and insert the plunger on the top handle into the shoot and then press gently with the lid and slide it back and forth along the cutting plate, watching as expertly-sliced garlic cascades into the cup—ready to be bloomed in butter to toss with pasta or pan-fried into savory garlic chips. When you’re done, use the scraper to sweep your fresh garlic from the cup and into your pan. Thanks to its stainless steel blades, the tool is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup—simply dismantle and toss in the top rack. You won’t have to worry about it’s pieces getting lost in your kitchen drawer either: Nestle the scraper back into the lid and click onto the base with the blades inside to compactly package the parts together.

We found the most effective garlic press on the market. From Australian company Dreamfarm, the Garject is designed for unpeeled garlic cloves so you don't need to get your hands dirty. A spring-loaded button ejects peels out of the device and straight into the trash, while a built-in scraper automatically pushes minced garlic into your dish once you open the press. We love the Garject's streamlined design, and the handles are slightly longer than other models for added leverage and easier pressing. It feels sturdy and balanced in the hand, not flimsy like some garlic presses, and the hopper fits multiple smaller cloves so it's more efficient. With the self-cleaning scraper and peel-eject button, the Garject needs very little additional cleaning—we find a quick rinse to be sufficient. But as an added bonus, it's also completely dishwasher-safe.

Squeezing fresh citrus can be painful and often shoots more juice across your counter and clothes than into your dish. But Dreamfarm’s “Fluicer,” cleverly named to combine “flat” and “juicer,” solves these citrus-squeezing problems. The handheld flat-folding juicer is smartly designed to squeeze citrus from side to side, not top to bottom like most manual juice presses. And it combines a clever hinge and two sturdy handles for an easy squeeze that requires much less force than other juicers we’ve tried (and still gets out all the juice).

The Fluicer can handle citrus of multiple sizes ranging from limes to grapefruits, a built-in strainer catches seeds and the dishwasher-safe squeezer folds completely flat for efficient storage—no more getting your drawer caught on rounded cups.

For most types of tofu, pressing it to extract excess liquid is key to maintaining its shape when cooked and to helping it get crispy and brown every time. The Tofudee Tofu Press excels at this—and does it in about half the time while making less mess. No more wrapping tofu in paper towels, weighing it down, straining and draining. Instead, with the Tofudee, tofu is placed in a plastic box with an inner plastic liner with holes on the bottom. The top presses down with the turn of a screw handle, squeezing the tofu while water is drawn away from the block. Tofu is ready to use 15 minutes later and good for up to 24 hours stored in the refrigerator. We love the nonslip silicone handle, tension-absorbent legs and easy-latch lid; together they make easy work of pressing and straining your tofu. It’s also great for making fresh cheeses, like labneh or paneer.

This Good Design Award-winning gadget does double duty as both a colander and a salad spinner, so you won’t waste space storing both in your kitchen! Here’s how it works: This tool begins as a colander with a long handle. With a twist of the wrist, the handle is able to be lifted over the top of the colander bowl, snapped into place and now it’s ready to spin. It features a suction cup on the bottom that keeps the Spina sturdy in your sink basin (which is where you should use this, not your counter!) and high, slightly inwardly curved walls that keep food in the bowl without contending with a bulky lid. When you’re done, the handle can even fold back inside the bowl, so it won’t take up any more room than a standard colander and can nestle neatly into your existing mixing bowls.

Lightweight and multi-functional, the Primo Digital Scale is the best we've used at such a compact size. Many small kitchen scales are cheaply made, so their weight sensors are unreliable and give different readings depending on how your food is positioned. Escali's product gives consistent, accurate readings, with a two-button operation and straightforward tare function to subtract the weight of your container by resetting the scale to zero. It can handle up to 11 pounds and detect even the slightest weight change, down to a single gram. The buttons have a protective shield against splatter and are easy to clean; plus, the scale automatically shuts off after 4 minutes to conserve battery life.

This two-in-one manual juicer is the top choice of our kitchen team. Its lever-style design is much easier on the hands than a typical reamer style, which requires difficult pressing and twisting, and it’s more efficient than other similar juicers, which require you to buy and store multiple to get every size you need. Made from durable, industrial-grade aluminum, the Zulay’s unique dual-cup design can easily accommodate both lemons and limes. It also inverts the citrus as it juices, accessing spots inside the fruit that other juicers can’t quite reach and catching large pulp pieces and stray seeds along the way. Plus, it directs the juice stream downward, so no more splatter on countertops and clothing.

Better baking begins with weighing, not measuring, ingredients, and the Escali 136DK Alimento Scale is the best we’ve found for the task. Many kitchen scales are cheaply made, so their weight sensors are unreliable, but Escali's scale gives consistent, accurate readings. Lightweight yet sturdy, it's designed with an easy to clean, removable stainless steel platform so you can read the weight without a bowl blocking it. A sealed control panel prevents food from getting inside during inevitable spills, and a straightforward tare function allows you measure multiple items quickly. Combined with an easy to read, backlit display, these features make the Escali the best in class. While most scales only handle up to 11 pounds, Escali's manages up to 13 pounds for larger baking projects and detects even the slightest weight change, down to 0.1 ounces or 1 gram. Plus, it automatically shuts off after 10 minutes to preserve battery life.

Escali’s DH7 Infrared Thermometer is one of the best dual-purpose thermometers we’ve tested, with an ergonomic design and extra-long probe for quicker, more accurate measurements. Developed to switch seamlessly between infrared and probe mode, it can take surface temperatures up to 700℉ degrees Fahrenheit and measure internal temperatures up to 570℉. The infrared is perfect for gauging the heat of a grill or getting an accurate read on oil, and the probe helps cook anything from meat to caramel with restaurant-level precision.

Temperature is key when cooking, which is why an accurate thermometer is so important in the kitchen. Escali’s DH1 Thermometer is one of the best we’ve used, with an ergonomic design and extra-long probe for better accuracy. Developed with a smooth comfort-grip handle and a protective stainless steel probe sheath, you can cook poultry, pork, beef, lamb and veal with restaurant-level precision. Plus, the probe sheath also features a temperature guide, so you’ll have every target temperature right at your fingertips.

Italian designer Raffaello Galiotto launched his Blim Plus line to infuse great versions of everyday objects with aesthetic design. This juicer and carafe combination, aptly named “UFO,” looks like a flying saucer: a manual juicer sits atop a half-liter jug with graduated measurements in milliliters. The juicer can accommodate citrus of various sizes, and the carafe, complete with a drip spout, provides a stable base. The Blim Plus line is made of polypropylene, a durable, nontoxic plastic that maintains temperature well, has antibacterial properties and is 100% recyclable.