I’ve Been Testing Kitchen Gear and Waiting for Black Friday All Year—Here Are 12 Things I Want to Buy

All year, I unbox oodles of products, test loads of gear, and edit and read hundreds (literally) of equipment reviews on everything from the best deba knives to electric smokers. 

Naturally, I have a running list of kitchen gear I want (need?) to buy. And because I know exactly how rigorously these items were tested to claim the top spots in our reviews, I know my money’s going towards something that will perform exceptionally well, be easy to use, and last. 

All of the products below are worth their full price, which means you should certainly snatch them up on sale. Lucky for you, Black Friday is nearly here (have you heard?), which means early deals are in full swing. Here are 12 items I want to buy, including dish towels and beer glasses, all of which are currently on sale. 

Made In Stainless Clad Saucier 

Serious Eats is firmly Team Saucier (over Team Saucepan). Thanks to its rounded corners and slightly flared walls that make stirring smooth and easy, a saucier can do everything a saucepan can and then some. In our tests, the Made In saucier excelled because of its ergonomic design and balanced weight (important for pouring without spilling). 

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder 

Okay, okay: I already own this coffee grinder. However, I will be buying it again (it’s a rare $20 off) to give as a gift to my sister. She’s still using a blade grinder and, uh, suffice it to say it’s time for her to upgrade. This burr grinder is consistent and has easily adjustable grind settings (just twist the top).

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE 

Do I ever tire of singing the praises of an instant–read thermometer? No, but you should hardly need convincing to buy one. After all, it only takes one time of eating undercooked poultry to scar you for life. The Thermapen ONE is the very best money can buy, with a lightning-fast response time and loads of features, including an automatic backlight and rotating screen. It’s one of my favorite things to gift any cook or baker.

Made In Serving Platter 

This is part of our winning dinnerware set and was one of our favorite serving platters overall. It won’t chip, it looks elegant, and it’s oven-safe to 580°F. Right now, it’s also 34% off.

Spiegelau Beer Tulip Glass Set

Associate commerce editor Grace Kelly got me two of these beer glasses last year as a holiday present and I will be buying four more because they’re just so dang delightful to sip beer from. Their bell shape beautifully channels aromas to your mouth and nose and makes any ol’ beer feel (and taste) fancier. 

All-Clad D3 12-Inch Stainless Steel Fry Pan

Don’t tell anyone else who works at Serious Eats, but I don’t own a stainless steel skillet. Which is a shame, since it’s one of the most versatile pieces of cookware out there. I will be buying this deeply discounted pan from All-Clad, which wasn’t quite our top pick in our review (solely due to its price) but was pretty dang close.

Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels 

I already own a set of our favorite kitchen towels but will be buying another. They boast a 141% (!!!!!!!!) absorbency rate and are ideal for using as side towels or just mopping up spills. They come in a pack of 15 and make me feel like the kitchen towel fairy, whipping out towels left and right. 

The Boardsmith Maple End Grain Cutting Board

Owning our longtime favorite wooden cutting board is quite actually a dream of mine. The amount of care The Boardsmith puts into their products is next-level: Everything is neat, pristine, and sturdy and can be customized (different sizing, feet, handles, and juice grooves are all available). For Black Friday, The Boardsmith is offering the following promotions (compiled into a bulleted list for your convenience), based on what you spend: 

• $250+: Large Care Kit ($35 value)
• $350-$650: Exotic Cheese Board ($90 value)
• $650+: Sidekick of Choice ($180 value)

Breville the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro

I’ve had my eye on this oven since we reviewed it last year (it’s also one of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens overall). Breville makes elite toaster ovens, but this one’s app-compatible and has a mesh basket for air-frying. I’m also a sucker for the orange accents (any fellow Syracuse University alumni reading this?). 

Instant Pot Air Fryer Oven, 6 Quart

When I tested air fryers last year, I was astounded by how much I liked the appliance. Surely, I thought, I’m too serious a cook to like an air fryer. But, nope, they’re great and I use my Instant air fryer (our winner) multiple times a week. I will be buying one to give to my mom, who’s gone through THREE sub-par air fryers in the past two years. Right now, the Instant’s $30 off.

Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers

Food storage containers are like the socks of the kitchen. Where do all of the matching lids go??? Anyway, I will be buying yet ANOTHER set of containers—this time investing in our favorite glass models from Rubbermaid which are leakproof and have super-secure rubber latches. Wish me better luck this time, friends. 

Hario V60 Mugen Coffee Dripper 

I forever want to be the person that methodically makes myself pourover coffee every morning. Alas, I am instead the one who’s woken to an alarm blaring at the last second and a dog licking my nose and then I have to scramble to set up an automatic drip coffee maker before the work day starts. But, we can aspire—yeah? The Hario is one of our favorite pourover coffee makers and is a cool $10 off at the moment. It pairs beautifully with this (also discounted!) carafe.