Sunny Anderson Thinks Every Cook Needs This Kitchen Tool
Each year, more and more kitchen gadgets enter the market. Some of them are a bit ridiculous, like smart refrigerators, countertop pizza ovens, WiFi-enabled slow cookers, and just about any gadget you see in an Instagram ad. Seriously, there's no need for your coffee maker to have internet access.
Other gadgets are classics, kitchen staples, and the professionals swear by them. For example, Andrew Zimmern loves his mortar and pestle for grinding his own spices. Trisha Yearwood can't live without her stand mixer, while Brian Malarkey uses his blender for just about everything. Bobby Flay once told Men's Health, "I probably use my chef's knives more than any other tool in the kitchen," adding that he uses a $100 Shun knife.
A good rule of thumb for kitchen gadgets is to make sure they're multi-functional and that you'll actually get use out of them. There's no point in having a fancy bread maker, for example, if you aren't going to make bread. In that spirit, this is the kitchen tool that Sunny Anderson recommends above all else.
Sunny Anderson wants you to invest in a good set of kitchen thermometers
"The Kitchn" host Sunny Anderson thinks every cook should own a thermometer set. In an interview with Delish, she said, "There are real differences between frying at 325 degrees or 350 degrees, and the difference can ruin a recipe. Such a small investment can really take your cooking to another level, whether gauging internal meat temperatures or judging whether the oil is ready to fry."
Sure, you can cut into a thick piece of meat to gauge doneness by color, but this allows juices to leak out, affecting taste and moisture. You're far better off using a thermometer, both for accuracy and flavor (and to avoid getting sick).
While you can pick up an inexpensive meat thermometer at just about any grocery store, you might be better off investing in one that's a little pricier. It really depends on how often you will need to use a thermometer. Food Network recently compiled a list of its top five thermometers, varying in price from $8.99 all the way up to $105.