Favorite Tools

This is a list of some of my favorite tools. I hope to update and add to it regularly. What are some of your favorite tools? Any suggestions for items I should save up for?

Kitchen
Global Vegetable Knife
Ceramic Ginger Grater
Oxo Locking Tongs – these are perfect for everything from serving salad, sauteing food, moving cookies to flipping grilled cheese
Immersion Blender – no brand preference, although the Breville one is quite nice
Bar Keeper’s Friend – this is the wonder cleaning product that no kitchen should be without
Toaster Oven – you can make everything from toast to baked potatoes. I like our basic and trusty Black & Decker model.
Rice Cooker – turns out perfect rice every time, without a thought. I have a small panasonic model, similar to this one, that I bought back in 1997 and is still going strong. It could perhaps be the best $20 I’ve invested on a kitchen appliance!
Electric Tea Kettle – Boils water faster than a traditional kettle, frees up the stove-top for other uses, and doesn’t heat up the kitchen when you want tea in the summer.
Melon Baller – sounds silly, but comes in handy for coring apples, tomatoes, and yes, even melons!
Omega Juicer 8006 – I’m a new convert to the world of juicing. Fresh juice is so much better than store bought juices.

Pantry
French Sea Salt – I like the Il de Re brand
Dark Chocolate – I like Cote D’Or and Dolfin and Lindt 70%
Chinese Dried Mushrooms

General
Joyce Chen Unlimited Scissors – The sharpest scissors you can own. They cut through plants, paper and silver with equal ease.
Envirosax – the best reusable bag, as it folds up and fits nicely into your purse.

Bathroom
The Little Soap Shop – I call her the soap lady. These are the best natural soaps and lotions I have found. I can use her products and my skin is not irritated or dry and I smell divine, and not too girly.
Ox Horn Comb – you can find them online and in Chinatown or specialty shops. They are very gentle on hair and decrease snags/breakage.