I sat down with Zwilling J.A. Henckels to produce three everyday knives that meet the needs of every home cook. Manufactured in Albacete, Spain—where Henckels has been making knives since the 18th century—these knives feature comfortable, midsize polymer handles and tough high-carbon stainless steel that will hold an edge and resist rust. They are constructed from German stainless steel with a forged one-piece design and triple-rivets in the handle. The set includes a 7-Inch Chef's Knife inspired by the lightweight Japanese santoku knife; 5-Inch Utility Knife with a microserrated edge; and 4-Inch Paring Knife with a Japanese-style, acutely pointed kiritsuke tip. — Christopher Kimball

A unique cross between a Japanese vegetable knife and a Chinese cleaver, the Kitchin-to™ will replace your chef’s knife. Preorder this Milk Street-designed knife to save 20% on your order. Knives ship January 1st.

The knife's overall design borrows elements from our two favorite knives: the Japanese vegetable knife (nakiri) and the Chinese cleaver (cai dao). The 7-inch-long blade is nearly as tall as a cleaver—almost 2.5 inches at the butt—and 1.5 millimeters thick, much thinner than most Western-style knives and sharpened to an acute 15-17 degrees per side. The Kitchin-to™ can mince, chop, slice and push-cut, and it's broad enough to use as a bench scraper for transferring chopped foods from the cutting board. And similar to a Japanese santoku, the gently arced blade design can be used for both Western- and Japanese-style cutting methods. Its blunt tip keeps fingers safe, and the butt of the bolsterless blade is curved inward to make it easy to grip for fine control. A filework pattern machined into the blade near the handle acts as a grippy, tactile point for the thumb and index finger to grasp securely.

The knife’s ergonomic handle is made from micarta, a nearly indestructible composite created from layers of linen tightly compacted in phenolic resin. The material feels smooth and secure in the hand and becomes subtly grippier when wet. The handle is flattened on top to securely fill the palm, then tapers downward toward the butt of the knife to accommodate a secure grip. 

The gritty texture of Skeppshult's hand-held grinder makes it easier to coarsely grind spices and is designed so ingredients stay in a concentrated area for efficient crushing. The softly radiused iron base fits the hand well, and the walnut-wood top provides a better grip and looks beautiful. Weighing just over two pounds, it feels great, looks great and is a pleasure to use.

Oregon-based Work Sharp’s newest electric knife sharpener is small enough to fit in a drawer and more economical than other systems, designed for home cooks who want the best for their knives without a learning curve. Using flexible abrasive disks that sharpen knives gently yet produce a fine edge, the E2 is excellent for everyday kitchen knives. Precisely angled guides and automated timing ensure complete and accurate sharpening with no guesswork—simply turn it on and run your knife through. Choose the upgraded model for an additional angle guide for pocket knives, two speed options, and an upgraded motor for thicker blades.

These shears have a heavy-duty build and comfortable rubber-edged handles, so they are a pleasure to use—I can spatchcock a chicken in mere seconds and don’t feel as if I just had my hand put through the wringer! The 3.5-inch cutting edge is relatively short compared to the weight and length of the rest of the scissors, which means you can exert a lot of force without a lot of effort (much like having a long, heavy crowbar to turn over a rock). And they easily come apart for cleaning but will not fall apart during use, unlike some models. You can also use these shears for cutting up a chicken or trimming off fat or bones. Hands down, this is my favorite pair of poultry shears. — Christopher Kimball

Inspired by Korean stoneware dolsot bowls, traditionally used for bibimbap, these warmly colored, matte-grey porcelain bowls are just the right size for a bowl of rice, miso soup or even late-night ice cream. The snugly fitting bamboo cover keeps food warm and prevents spills during transport, as well as providing elegant visual contrast. We especially love how the lid’s simple handle serves double duty a chopstick rest when placed on the table (it’s considered rude in Chinese culture to stick chopsticks upright into your bowl). The Kkini bowls and chopstick set are produced by JIA, an importer of fine Chinese ceramics and tableware. The company, whose name means “home”, works with international designers to put a modern spin on classic Chinese designs. Try this set for your next dinner for two, with dishes like our Taiwanese Five-Spice Pork with Rice or Chicken Teriyaki Donburi.

If you’ve only ever used small, Western-style paring knives, Kikuichi’s 5-inch petty knife will feel revelatory. Japanese knives are lean, durable, and more precise than their Western counterparts. The extra length and taller blade on this knife makes it more adept than shorter knives for a broader range of tasks, yet it is still incredibly lightweight for better control. This is the ideal picnic or camping knife; it is also great for everything from dicing small vegetables to breaking down roasts for stew meat or making sandwiches for school lunches.

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.

• Slim - .5" H x 9.5" L x 5" W
• Standard - .6" H X 9.6" L X 6" W
• Made in Japan
• Cast iron grill pan, detachable cast iron handle and a cedar trivet included

Here at Milk Street, we love crushing spices or herbs by hand to create more variation in texture and extract more flavor, and a mortar and pestle allow us to blend them more precisely. The molcajete is a traditional Mexican variation of a mortar and pestle for grinding dried chilies to use in salsas or for making perfect guacamole. It has a shallower, wider bowl than a typical mortar—about 6 inches in diameter—which helps for closer control and more surface area to break down tough textures, like the skins of guajillo or ancho chilies. Plus, the molcajete is made of coarse and incredibly durable volcanic stone that creates plenty of natural friction. Its accompanying pestle is called a tejolote; at 3 inches long, it's perfectly proportional to the shallow bowl of the molcajete. Our food editor, Matt Card, says this tool is worth owning for guacamole if nothing else—the texture it yields is the ideal balance of creamy and chunky. Try our recipe for Central Mexican Guacamole, picked up from Mexican cooking doyenne Diana Kennedy.

Each molcajete comes in a one-of-a-kind, hand-woven and vibrantly colored basket made from palm leaves. It's meant to hold tortillas and has a lid to keep them warm, but we also like to use the basket to keep fruits and vegetables on the counter, such as tomatoes, onions or avocados for the guacamole you'll be making. It even makes an attractive container to store kitchen clutter—loose change, receipts and the like.

Hand-forged in Ohio, this set of 6 smartly designed steel skewers is as useful as it is beautiful. The looped handles make the skewers easy to turn on the grill and add an elegant decorative touch for serving. At 15 inches long, they can fit several pieces of food with a decent length left over. Plus, the square profiles keeps food in place as you rotate it on the grill to ensure even cooking, and the durable steel never bends or twists.

Whether you buy oil in bottles that are too large to pour from or simply want an attractive vessel to keep on your countertop, these classic French cruets are the ideal solution. The handcrafted ceramic bottles offer light protection for oil, vinegar or any other liquid, thereby extending its shelf life. The snug-fitting cork stoppers and plastic caps on the metal spouts are highly effective, won't leak and allow for more precision and control when pouring. Plus, the beauty of the bottles is not to be understated: They exude effortless elegance, with a neat silhouette and striking contrast of colors and textures. The bottom half of each two-toned piece is left unglazed to display the cool tones of the natural earthenware, while the top has a glossy finish of either white and navy blue that gives the cruets a clean, polished look overall.

In restaurant kitchens, the mise en place is a chef's work station, where all of the ingredients are laid out before cooking; Professional Secrets' stainless steel set recreates this efficient setup at home. The four containers stack compactly for fridge storage, so you can prepare and store ingredients in advance. We like how the silicone lids not only provide an airtight seal but also create a nonslip surface for stacking. Along with the containers, the set includes a brushed stainless steel tray so you can keep ingredients together and transport them all at once—no more going back and forth or fumbling with bowls. And of course, they're great for storing leftovers!

Different cheeses have different cutting needs, and this beautiful leather-bound set covers the full spectrum. The Soft Cheese Knife has a long, ultrathin blade to cut narrow wedges from wheels of brie or Camembert, with a fine edge and minimal surface area so the creamy cheese doesn't lose its shape under the pressure of the knife. The Cheesy Cheese Knife, which has holes reminiscent of Swiss cheese, is a middle-of-the-line knife that can slice anything from soft to semihard cheeses. And the holes aren't just decorative—they maintain airflow between the cheese and knife for a smoother cutting motion. For hard cheeses like Parmesan—which should be cracked, not cut—the Hard Cheese Knife in Boska's set has a subtly wedged blade that tapers from a thick spine to a fine cutting edge. This shape is ideal for piercing hard rinds and breaking off chunks of cheese, while the long weighted handle ensures a firm grip as you use the knife. All of the Monaco+ knives are made of a durable matte-finished stainless steel and feature a patented quilted texture that allows airflow and prevents cheese from sticking as you cut. This nonstick property makes all the difference for getting a clean slice every time. And unlike cheese slicers that have flimsy wooden handles, these knives are sturdier and more comfortable in the hand as well as dishwasher-safe.

This convenient and attractive casserole tote from San Francisco-based company àplat makes it easy to maneuver food and keeps dishes horizontal and upright during transport. It is made of 100% organic cotton canvas that is incredibly strong, with a double-layer construction that can accommodate even heavy cast-iron dishes. We love the crisp edges and the neat, clean look of the canvas, which is machine-washable so it's easy to maintain. For longer durability, the handles are attached in load-bearing positions, and the tote's opening is reinforced with bar-tack stitching. The casserole tote is also very compact despite its generous capacity; it folds perfectly flat when empty and can be stored in a kitchen drawer but is large enough to accommodate a 9-inch by 13-inch rectangular baking dish or 13-inch round pan. The wide handles are also shorter than those on a reusable grocery bag, which keeps your dish from swinging around or tipping over. And as a bonus, the casserole totes are made from sustainably sourced cotton and, oftentimes, local surplus fabric that might otherwise go to a landfill. Plus, àplat implements an origami-inspired design that results in virtually no fabric remnants. Any scraps leftover from production go to a local partner company for upcycling, eventually becoming insulation or packing material.

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. This Crepe Pan has shallow sides and a wide surface area that make it easy to slip a spatula under large, flat foods—not only crepes but also sandwiches, quesadillas and pancakes. We also like it for caramelizing onions, especially since the low sides prevent steam from gathering. Plus, the robust forged aluminum walls and induction-friendly stainless steel bottoms are fast-heating and provide even heat distribution, while the sturdy triple-riveted stainless steel handles and matte black finish look neat and attractive. 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: 10.25 or 12 inches 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 Morocco, you can't go two steps without seeing—and smelling—tagine, which refers to both a broad variety of flavorful, slow-simmered stews and the conical cooking vessel in which they are prepared. While you don't need the pot to make the stew, the cookware's pyramid-shaped lid does most of the work for you and produces consistently moist results, condensing and redirecting steam back into food. We love these beautiful unglazed tagines from Casablanca Market: Each one-of-a-kind piece is made of terra cotta, which is porous so it absorbs flavors from every batch and infuses it into food, much like seasoned cast iron. Some tagines will have color variations or small indents in the sides. These aren't defects but rather a result of their traditional production method: Multiple pots in the kiln side by side that are then separated by hand, so each tagine is unique in character. To season before first use, submerge both the pot and lid in water for six hours and let them air-dry completely. Rub the interior of the base and lid with a few tablespoons of cooking oil, then place the tagine in a cold oven. Set the oven to 350°F, bake for 2 hours, and leave the tagine to cool completely in the turned-off oven. As with all clay cookware, your tagine should not be exposed to extreme temperature shock. Rinsing a hot pot under cold water, for instance, may cause it to crack.

These carbonized ash kitchen utensils aren’t just beautiful—they’re also more durable and longer-lasting because the material is resistant to stains, water and odor-causing bacteria. The wood-carbonization process requires an expert hand and produces the beautiful near-black finish of these tools. This five-piece set includes two large spoons that are deeper-bowled than standard wooden spoons, making them more useful for scooping; two large flat-paddled spatulas with squared-off edges for scraping the bottoms and sides of your pans; and one tapered spatula similar in shape to a pie server, which works both as a stirrer in small pots or for serving slices of cake.

• Net Weight: 310 grams
• Length: 12.2 inches
• Material: Carbonized ash
• Care: Hand-wash only

Hand-blown by Moroccan artisans using recycled glass, these drinking glasses have a convex ridge near the rim that make them easier to handle when drinking hot mint tea—but we love the ergonomic shape for everything from water to wine. The word beldi means “traditional” in Arabic; likewise, these tumblers add an authentic Moroccan touch to any table.