JT Hats (2)

With the capacity to make four two-ounce cups of rich espresso coffee, the Bialetti Brikka stovetop percolator is the tried and true coffee system of many European homes. Although it takes some tending, it yields an excellent brew.

Cooking with steam rather than a hot water drip means you have to be ...

With a powerful 600-watt motor and interchangeable processing disc blades, the Cuisinart Prep 11 is backed up by company claims that parts are virtually unbreakable and even tough jobs like mixing and kneading bread dough are within its range. The eleven-cup capacity of the blender pitcher implies the ...

The four-cup capacity Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus is a handy alternative to a full-sized blender, with enough power for small jobs and easy-to-clean features that will give it more use. The Mini-Prep will grind as well as chop dry ingredients, and has push button controls plus automatic reversal for ...

The OCI Elite 30 Propane Grill offers a spacious 774-square-inch cooking grid and a built-in rotissierie, with one of the heaviest stainless steel grill hoods of any model on the market. This built-in grill is heavy duty, and some interesting features are available, but cooking options are not ...

Broil King's economical Signet 90 offers 50 BTUs of cooking power in a three burner grilling system, plus a 10K BTU side burner and a rear rotissierie unit running at 15K. The design allows slow barbecue with or without the rotissierie in use, but the success of that ...

The Premier Airpot from Zojirushi has such an efficient design and high insulation rating that it can keep a pot of coffee or hot water for tea piping hot for 24 hours. Often used in fine coffee shops to dispense house brews, you can now get the same energy efficient convenience ...

The heavy cast aluminum Calphalon One Non-Stick Casserole is equally suited to oven and range top cooking, with a tempered glass cover and a four layer non-stick interior coating that's guaranteed for life if used properly.

Few restrictions apply to the casserole's use -- plastic or wooden utensils that won't damage the ...

KitchenAid's Gourmet Essentials ten piece Cookware Set is constructed from hard anodized cast aluminum that's both light and strong. Three saucepans in one, two, and three quart sizes, plus two saute pans and a stock pot, are enough to start out a small kitchen.

Aluminum cookware like this looks tougher than it ...

All-Clad's 13" Stainless Steel French Skillet features three-ply construction and a stay-cool handle of cast stainless steel. Safe at temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit, this pan can even be used in the oven -- all parts are metal.

This is a hefty pan with enough mass to cook ...

The Godinger Cake Server Set will require a return to older times when polishing the silver was a regular household task. This ornate fluted handle pattern is silver plated and will need a good polish before special occasions.

The stainless steel spatula and knife are intended for cakes and pastries ...

Weber's Summit S-420 Propane Gas Grill offers four burner cabinet-style grilling without all the expensive add-ons. If you want a solid basic grill for an average family cookout, the S-420 is a good choice.

The cooking grid of 3/8" diameter stainless steel rods provides 538 square inches of working surface, ...

The Larien Bagel Biter may seem like a lot of machine if all you want is a sliced bagel, but that baker's treat stays fresher if you buy them unsliced, and if you want to open one up at home to add a spread of cream cheese, you seldom get ...

The six burner Weber Summit S-650 Gas Grill includes standard features that you'd only see as add-ons in many other cabinet grills of this class. The 60K BTU burners for the grill are backed up by a 12K BTU side burner, an 8K BTU smoker, and a 10.6K ...

The family-sized Vidalia 440 Gas Grill still has the same versatility as Vidalia's larger versions, but in a size more appropriate to a summer cookout at home. With this grill you're not limited to flipping burgers or steaks -- while you do that, you can roast chicken or ham, ...

If you like kitchen gadgets, you may find this Westmark Mushroom and Egg Slicer fascinating. With a similar concept to the very well-known wire grid slicer, this powder-coated aluminum press accomplishes the same goals with a sturdier and sharper grid of stainless steel ribbon blades. A matching cutting ...

The real draw of the Rosle Onion and Vegetable Chopper is the possibility of chopping onions without being overwhelmed by the fumes. This ingenious gadget chops onions in an enclosed container, with a simple plunger handle and an automatic rotation of the blades.

Other jobs like chopping nutmeats, a task that ...

Weber's very portable Baby Q 100 Propane Grill brings efficient grilling to the picnic table or the tailgate, so you can enjoy backyard conveniences while far from home. At 8500 BTUs, this 189-square-inch cast aluminum grill does a great and fast job of searing and grilling steaks and ...

Four burners running at a maximum of 80,000 BTUs power this extremely versatile gas grill from Vidalia, and the clever engineering design gives you as many basic cooking options as most full-sized kitchens. If you push this grill to its limits, you'll either have to move fast or get help.

The ...

A restaurant quality grill on wheels, the Kalamazoo 450GS Propane Grill offers rugged durability and the power and control that will give even the beginning chef a running start towards success. Specially designed burners divide the spacious 432-square-inch cooking grid into two independently controlled heating zones with 50K BTUs of ...

This heavy-duty stainless steel Built-In Infrared Gas Grill, the four burner 68000 BTU G4000 FR from TEC, actually is good enough to literally become part of your home, permanently built into the patio wall if that's where you want it. All the features of the cabinet models ...

This solidly built 76000 BTU cabinet-style infrared burner grill from Fire Magic, the Aurora 530, features two individually adjustable heating zones, a 16000 BTU back burner should you want a rotissierie added on, and a 15000 BTU side burner built into the end table. If you want a machine ...

Fire Magic's two burner propane gas grill, the Aurora A430 Built-In, beats most of the competition in terms of efficiency and quality, but is still several steps below one of its competitors, TEC. With less efficient infrared burners and fewer options, this built-in unit is still solidly built and ...

A rugged commercial grade built-in unit designed with features requested by professional chefs, the BI-36 from Crown Verity packs plenty of cooking space and nearly 80000 BTU's in a five burner system, but looks like it belongs in "the back of the house." For homeowners who want a ...

The three burner, 51000 BTU G3000 Propane Gas Grill by TEC may be better than anything you have in your own kitchen. Fundamental problems most chefs have come to see as normal have been engineered out of this top quality machine, and the simple things like wood smoke ...

This large, nearly commercial-grade machine, thirty pounds heavy and capable of making nearly a ten-inch slice through cooked meats, has many of the features of restaurant quality machines and is just as hard to clean.

With a machine this big you get the efficient and precise slicing you want when you ...

The Weber Q 320, a standalone version of the popular picnic and tail-gating portable, brings the convenience of gas cooking to the outdoors. A good size for backyards and patios, the Weber Q grills restaurant style without the smoke and mess that chefs either love or hate.

Accessories you'll need to ...

A three burner 42,000 BTU grill with cast iron grates, flavorizer bars, and high quality stainless steel construction, the Weber Genesis E-320 has the cooking capacity you'll need to feed large families and a few quirks to go along with the perks.

Cooking area includes a grilling surface of over 500 square ...

Four 12K BTU burners and 480 square inches of cooking surface give this mid-range grill plenty of cooking capacity, but some corners have been cut in the build of the chassis. The cabinet and other exterior parts are a mix of stainless steel and painted steel, so a little more ...

This simple but versatile outdoor barbeque tool set and case by Rafael is not fancy, but it's built strongly enough to do the work. A six-in-one spatula, fork, tongs and six skewers are all included, plus a basting brush and cleaning brush for the grill itself.

Two of those tools -- ...

A backyard grill does not have to be big to be good -- if you're ready to make the jump from hibachi to full sized grill, the Weber One Touch is as far as you need to go. The first impression may not be great, but this very popular ...

A built-in rotissierie and dedicated burner is the main special feature of this brushed stainless steel three-burner Affinity 3400-S from Ducane. Front-mounted controls leave the end tables open for tools and supplies, or lift the hinged cover on the side burner to keep soups and sauces cooking while you ...

This heavy die cast metal (with plastic back) electric can opener from Cuisinart is now discontinued from their product line, but still is backed by a limited three year warranty. Operation is simpler than it seems, and that has been a frequent source of trouble for owners.

Designed for hands-off operation, this ...

This Wave Action 12 Speed Blender/Food Processor from Hamilton Beach has been designed around special features that somewhat limit its all around effectiveness. It can still be a good choice if you like what it does best--milk shakes and smoothies.

The 700 Watt motor is plenty powerful enough to handle the ...

One of the most popular kitchen gadgets ever, the Presto Salad Shooter has been around for decades--a couple--and still has a faithful following of happy owners and users. Lightweight and compact, it solves what I consider one of the most bothersome kitchen problems--making salads. I'd rather cook, and anything that ...

Although the Progressive International Fruit and Vegetable Chopper has some interesting perks, it's a limited capacity gadget that will last only as long as the blades stay sharp. Be careful not to overstress the plastic hinge.

Unlike some slicers, this one won't endanger your fingers--cutting edges are well out of the ...

The only things here that might break are the clamp and the plastic sausage fittings, otherwise it's a machine you may have in the family for generations. Using this hand cranked grinder should definitely be a family affair, because you'll need fresh hands for that crank from time to ...

This eighteen piece stainless steel barbecue tool set is very lightly made, with handles of uncertainly fitting steel tubing that is very difficult to thoroughly clean. Although this is a versatile assortment, with everything from forks and spatulas to skewers and grips for corn on the cob, it's not likely ...

Made from small blocks of laminated end grain acacia wood, this beautiful cutting board, 14" x 14" x 1.25", is durable in kitchen prep applications and pretty enough to double as a serving tray. While acacia wood has been described as an environmentally friendly product, acacia species large enough ...

With storage for every tool and accessory you'll need for decorating cakes and pastries, this Ultimate Tool Caddy from Wilton is certainly useful--but materials are somewhat disappointing, and cleaning can be a huge task.

Three levels, removable compartments, and a total of 36 pegs for decorating tips give you adequate options for ...

Although considered adequate for a home kitchen, if you intend to use the Panasonic MK-G20NR-W Meat Grinder on a regular basis you'll need to consider the limits of the machine. Some of the construction is lightweight and the motor is a little underpowered for the task.

If you want to grind a ...

These Green Mountain Zirconium Oxide Knives in a set of four are actually the same two knife set, repeated. If you want a set of one 5" and one 4" blade for yourself and a set for a friend, that can be a good thing. Otherwise, now you have spares.

The ...

On my first visit to a real Asian home kitchen years ago I was immediately disappointed to find that it ran on a Sanyo electric rice cooker and a propane fired wok. Then I ate the food and I was happy.

Carefree efficiency, easy cleaning, and dependability made the original ...

Stainless steel pots in a versatile range of sizes, a stockpot, two skillets and a saute pan--all with nonstick linings and perks you won't notice until you use them--make this Cuisinart Classic Chef's cookware assortment invaluable.

What you can't see adds to energy efficiency and overall value. Pot and pan ...

This five inch Utility Knife from LamsonSharp combines American craftsmanship and high quality Solingen stainless steel from Germany. Made in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, by Lamson & Goodnow, makers of fine American cutlery since 1837, this LamsonSharp knife has a lifetime warranty covering both defects and edge maintenance. Buy this knife ...

Having spent countless hours cranking on industrial quality french fry cutters in commercial restaurants, I would love to say good things about this lightweight home version, the Chefs French Fry Cutter. I can't. The handles are weak stamped stainless steel, the bearings and slides are plain metal ...

With a three pronged approach to oven cooking, the Nuwave 20201 Tabletop Oven increases the efficiency of your kitchen by applying three types of technology: infrared, conduction, and convection heating. Save up to 85% of the energy of a 3500 Watt conventional oven and increase recovered fats by up to ...

Not quite what I expected when I saw "cordless" in the description but the Cuisinart KUA-17 Automatic Electric Kettle is still an interesting convenience item for dorm or office desk. With a 1 3/4 quart capacity and stainless steel pot, this portable kettle can be a source of hot water ...

The original Moka Express coffee maker, plus a latte pot for foaming milk, make up this espresso lover's survival kit from Bialetti of Italy. This Express design was first introduced in 1933 and survives virtually unchanged. The brew from this pot is a cut above ordinary coffee because it's based ...

Although it looks strangely bulky, with protruding handles that demand extra counter space, this Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine rivals the brew quality of much more expensive models. For perfect espresso and delicate foam for lattes, you'll need a couple of things Mr. Coffee forgot.

The coffee grounds need to be properly ...

The all steel design of this 9" cutting edge Damascus stainless steel carving knife from Shun Cutlery uses methods similar to those that created the best samurai swords. The result is a traditional knife with superior edge holding and cutting ability, and a look good enough for dining service.

Shun's ...