Goyon St. Vincent Wine Opener
Made entirely by hand in Goyon-Chazeau’s knife workshop in Thiers, France, this beautiful tool is part wine opener, part pocket knife. It comes with a full-cutting, 4.5-inch blade. It’s designed by Robert Beillonnet, a renowned French cutlery expert synonymous with beautiful, functional knives. The blade, notched lever and thin corkscrew are made from sturdy, hardened steel that will stand up to a lifetime of heavy use. And it makes an elevated gift (especially for the person who has everything)—every wine opener comes in a leather pouch and cork gift box.
Escali 136DK Alimento Scale
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.
Miya Company Pacific Forest Matte Bowls - set of 4
Made from Japanese stoneware, this set of four minimalist bowls are deep enough for a side of rice, noodles or soup. Finished with a matte glaze, the bowls come in four complementary tones of green and brown; hints of the stoneware’s brown color peek pleasantly through the glaze.
Vermicular 10.2 inch Oven Safe Skillet with Lid
Our kitchen team was, quite frankly, stunned by the Vermicular 10-inch skillet. Weighing in at 2.4 pounds, it is at least 50% thinner than other cast-iron skillets, making it the lightest skillet we’ve tried. Durably designed and nonreactive, it features a heat-resistant enameled surface and an oven-safe aluminum handle. The pan cooks more like stainless steel than cast iron thanks to its thinness, which makes it heat more quickly, but it offers the nonstick and cleaning advantages of enameled cast iron. And it still retains heat well and evenly like cast iron. It’s the perfect skillet for searing or stir-frying. The skillet also comes with a stainless steel lid with an attached cast-iron handle that’s designed to be stood upright to avoid touching a dirty counter. Use to sauté veggies, fry an egg, sear a steak or make the perfect crispy grilled cheese.
Ttyokzk Pomme (Apple) Sugar Jar
Handmade in small batches, this porcelain and wood apple-shaped sugar pot is made in Japan by ceramic designer Tatsuya Okazaki. Designed to store sugar, spices or salt on your kitchen counter or on the table, it has a “stem” that looks like a lid handle but is actually a built-in wooden spoon. The spoon handle fits through the center of the lid for easy scooping. Available in three colors in limited quantities, each pot is slightly different due to its handmade nature.
Genicook 10-Piece Set
Never go rummaging around for a matching lid again with 10-piece set of nesting glass bowls and snap-on lids. Genicook’s bowls are made of sturdy borosilicate glass, the same material as science beakers, which makes them less likely to crack, chip or scratch. They are safe for the oven, microwave and dishwasher, and when not in use, simply stack the bowls with the lids on and cover with the largest lid. It’s equipped with a carry handle for easy transferring from cabinet to counter.
Garcima Pata Negra 15-Inch Paella Pan
Andree Jardin Hand Brush & Dustpan
Handcrafted in France, Andreé Jardin’s Handbrush and Dustpan is the perfect handheld, compact set to sweep up crumbs and minor messes with ease. The beechwood handled brush is made using centuries-old techniques from horsehair and synthetic fibers, accompanied by a metal lacquered dustpan. Simple, durable and stylish, you’ll love this addition to your home for quick clean ups. Available in gray and red.
Ttyokzk Poire (Pear) Sugar Jar
Handmade in small batches, this porcelain and wood pear-shaped sugar pot is made in Japan by ceramic designer Tatsuya Okazaki. Designed to store sugar, spices or salt on your kitchen counter or on the table, it has a “stem” that looks like a lid handle but is actually a built-in wooden spoon. The spoon handle fits through the center of the lid for easy scooping. Available in two colors in limited quantities, each pot is slightly different due to its handmade nature.
Maron Bouillie Bags for Bulk - Carrot, Onion, Tomato - Set of 3
Designed and handcrafted in Paris, Maron Bouillie’s Reusable Storage Bags are an environmentally conscious choice for storing smaller produce while shopping. Made from recycled material, these bags come in a set of three, and are equipped with a draw string to keep produce secure. Plus, the printed designs are on theme, featuring carrots, onions and tomatoes. An added bonus? These bags are machine washable, so they can be thrown in the wash at your convenience.
Serrv Sari Wine Bags - Set of 3
Made from upcycled cotton sari fabric, these reusable patterned wine bags are perfect for sustainable gift-giving. Each bag features a drawstring to cinch around the neck of a standard-sized bottle of wine. These colorful, one-of-a-kind pieces come directly from artisans in India who curate and produce them in small batches. Sold as a set of three wine bags; due to the unique nature of Serrv’s handicrafts, colors and patterns may vary from what is pictured.
Tojiro Paulownia Wood Large Cutting Board
Hard materials are hard on knives, but this featherlight Japanese cutting board will protect your blades—and will practically heal itself. This 21-inch board is just under 2 pounds and is made from the quick-growing paulownia tree, a soft wood that dries fast and has antibacterial properties. Unlike typical wooden cutting boards—which can be cumbersome and hard on knives—paulownia’s special properties cushion your blades (but won’t bend) to preserve the edge, unlike hard cutting surfaces like fabricated bamboo or hardwoods that have almost no give, eventually dulling knives. The wood naturally contains sesamin and paulonin, two anti-bacterial properties that help prevent germs from breeding. Even better, if you give your paulownia board a good scrub and wipe it mostly dry with a cloth, the grain of the wood will absorb moisture, minimizing the appearance of scratches, cracks and cut marks to ensure longevity.
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.
Himepla Hinoki Cutting Board
Made from hinoki wood, a durable Japanese cypress, these featherlight cutting boards are perfect for small prep tasks—and the board essentially “heals” itself. Unlike typical wooden cutting boards—which can be heavy, cumbersome and hard on knives—hinoki’s special properties make it Japan’s best-kept secret for food prep and knife maintenance. The medium-soft wood is gentle on knives. Every slice cuts into the hinoki a little, helping blades stay sharp; hard cutting surfaces like fabricated bamboo have almost no give, eventually dulling knives. (Tip: If you give your hinoki board a good scrub and wipe it mostly dry with a cloth, the grain of the wood will swell, repairing most cut marks). Hinoki’s soft, piney scent comes from its natural resin, or yani. Yani helps the board wick water, fight mold and bacteria naturally, dry quickly and easily resist odors—it’s no wonder this type of cutting board is the tool of choice for sushi chefs.
Serrv International Double Vine Bread Warmer in Natural Basket
Made by artisans in Bangladesh, this beautiful terra cotta container warms rolls and bread through contact after the pottery has been heated up in the oven. Fashioned from terracotta clay that’s gathered by hand along riverbanks before it’s cleaned, thickened, molded and fired at a low temperature, this oven-safe stone features a lovely nature-inspired design as well as a whitewash, which softens the material’s natural reddish hue. It sits in a handwoven basket of kaisa grass and palm leaves, which are fast-growing local resources.
Miya Company Monyou Assorted Blue Bowls - set of 4
Made in Japan, these four assorted ceramic bowls come in complementary, traditional blue and white patterns. With their mid-sized diameter and elegant, slightly flared rim, these bowls are perfect for rice or soup. The bowls are safe for the microwave and the dishwasher.
The Baking Steel Original
An even, consistent heat is the key to better baking. That's why we love the Baking Steel, a ¼-inch-thick pre-seasoned sheet of carbon steel that sits on your oven rack to help speed baking times, promote even browning and produce perfectly crisp bottoms. Though similar in principle to a ceramic baking stone, the Baking Steel's thermal conductivity is 18 times greater, meaning it absorbs and regulates heat better, mitigating temperature fluctuations. We use it regularly in the Milk Street kitchen and are constantly impressed by the brick oven-caliber bubbling and charring it gives pizzas, the thick, crispy crust it creates on loaves of bread and the faster bake time when cooking quiche. It also turns out evenly golden, chewy chocolate chip cookies and well-cooked pie crusts without a blind bake. And when the summer heat is too much for an oven, you can transfer your baking steel to the grill for even more perfectly charred pizzas and flatbreads.
Cuisipro Baking Sheet
Made with a double layer of premium nonstick, PFOA-free coating, these carbon steel baking sheets release baked foods easily. The wavy texture on the surface of the pan is more than just decorative, promoting even airflow to ensure consistent browning and baking (no hot spots here!). Our testers found that even without the nonstick spray, parchment paper, or foil, foods baked on these pans—including cookies, sticky broiled chicken thighs, and crispy, skin-on salmon—slid right off. And any stuck-on sauce or melted chocolate sprayed right off when cleaning. The best part? The sheet heats up to 500°F (260°C), significantly above the heat tolerance of most baking sheets, with minimal warping and zero sticking. Plus, the sheets’ 1-inch-tall sides are easy to grip when removing from the oven—and when cleaning. Available in small, medium, and large sizes.