Whether settling into a new place or diving deeper into cooking and baking, you might be taking stock of what's in your kitchen. That KitchenAid stand mixer looks great and performs even better, and those acacia wood measuring cups with gold accents do add a certain flair to your baking sessions. But chances are, some genuinely useful tools are still missing from your collection.
To help fill those gaps, we asked nearly a dozen top chefs from around the world to reveal the items that home cooks and amateur bakers most often overlook.
Here are eight worth adding to your wedding registry, holiday wish list or simply picking up for yourself.
8 overlooked kitchen tools that chefs recommend
Microplane 1. Microplane zester Surprisingly, the most common suggestion was the humble yet versatile microplane zester. It effortlessly grinds the rinds of citrus fruits and can also grate garlic, ginger and hard cheeses. "I am always surprised how many people don't have a microplane zester in their kitchen," reveals Christa Csoka, chef and owner of The Artisan's Palate in Charlotte, North Carolina. "I use citrus zest in my recipes to add freshness and brightness to dishes, and a microplane makes it so easy." Brandon Hargett, owner of Salt Lake City's Japanese-inspired Aker, echoes these sentiments. "The microplane's ultra-fine rasp releases bright citrus oils and silky garlic or ginger without the bitterness you get from traditional graters," he says. "It instantly elevates cocktails, dressings, and desserts with a burst of fresh flavor and is small enough to slip into a drawer." $18 at Amazon $18 at Walmart
Fox Run 2. Mortar and pestle It may be one of the world's most straightforward and documented tools, but a mortar and pestle duo is often neglected when it comes to kitchen necessities. "Using a mortar and pestle to grind fresh herbs and spices elevates cooking by unlocking the full depth that dried seasonings don't quite reach," explains Tal Baum, owner of Atrium and Bellina Alimentari at Atlanta's famed Ponce City Market. "The manual grinding process bruises the herbs rather than cuts, releasing subtle layers of flavor and adding more complexity to dishes." "It also allows for more autonomy and control over your texture, whether you like it coarse or fine," she adds. Larger iterations of the instrument, which date back as far as 60,000 years, can also be used to make sauces and dips, such as hummus, guacamole and salsa. $28 at The Home Depot
J.A. Henckels 3. Fish forks While a fish fork may serve a more specific purpose, it is often "one of the most overlooked yet useful tools in the kitchen," at least according to food stylist and chef Mari Haycox. The culinary expert, who has partnered with Seasons' sustainable tinned fish brand, says that it's designed to pick up delicate sardine and anchovy filets without breaking them apart. It can also serve olives and crumble soft cheeses like feta. $15 at Macy's
Zulay Kitchen 4. Chinoise (bouillon strainer) Otherwise known as a bouillon strainer, this stainless steel, fine-meshed, and conical contraption is often used to yield an ultra-smooth stock, sauce or puree by separating skins, seeds or anything that detracts from a velvety mouthfeel. "The chinoise is one of the most overlooked tools in the kitchen," asserts Ben Bayly, chef, restaurateur and owner of Ahi in Auckland. "We use it not just for refining sauces and stocks, but also when we cook over the fire, which shows how versatile it really is." "For a home kitchen, it's just as useful," he says. "It brings a professional level of finesse without being complicated. And once you have one, you'll find yourself reaching for it all the time." $8 at Amazon
Anova 5. Sous vide precision cooker The art of sous vide cooking shows no signs of slowing down, at least if The Lana in Dubai's Chef de Cuisine Javier Malillos has anything to do with it. "Sous vide cooking is a game-changer because it eliminates the uncertainty of under- or overcooked food," he says of the temperature-controlled, water bath cooking process. "With a little patience, you can cook meat, fish, and vegetables to your desired doneness. It's also perfect for meal prep. Because the food is cooked in vacuum-sealed bags, it stays fresh in the fridge for several days without losing quality." Those looking to elevate sous vide-style cooking even more may want to consider an OCOO machine: a Korean-origin pressure and temperature-controlled cooker. "In recent years, it has become popular as a versatile tool for different preparations," says Paco Perez, chef and founder of Michelin-starred Enoteca Paco Perez at Hotel Arts Barcelona. "The most common ones include black garlic and century eggs." The OCOO machine allows for simultaneous vacuum and pressure cooking, achieving "fine-dining results with minimal intervention." "It extracts deep flavors and perfect textures in dishes such as broths, legumes or desserts and is ideal for those seeking healthy, efficient cooking with professional-quality results at home," adds Perez of the device that has also become a star fermenter and pickler. $82 at Best Buy
Alwaysuc 6. Coconut grater Another peculiar yet handy tool is the sturdy coconut grater. While anyone can opt for bags of flakes or shreds, these are often chock-full of added sugars, oils and binding agents that detract from the tropical fruit in its pure form. "Every great Fijian dish starts the same way: with a coconut, a scraper, and a little rhythm," says Anna Chan, founder of Vavavi Cooking and Cultural Experience in Nadi. "This simple plank-with-a-serrated blade shreds coconut flesh into fine flakes that can be squeezed into a rich lolo (coconut cream) or used in popular Fijian dishes like kokoda and palusami to crab curry and vakalolo pudding." "Forget the tinned stuff," she stresses."The humble coconut scraper is a kitchen star. Fresh coconut cream may take a little more time to make, but it's always worth the effort." $7 at Amazon
Zwilling 7. Serrated knife A serrated knife sounds basic enough, yet many people don't realize it can be used for more than slicing loaves of bread. "We use them for slicing all the meats [at our restaurant], from brisket to turkey," says Lane Milne, barbecue pitmaster at Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth, Texas. "They're particularly effective thanks to the serrations that help get through the bark without shredding it, and the length of the blade also helps." $80 at Zwilling
Fangsun 8. Pastry rings It may be a necessity for perfectly uniform cookies and biscuits, but it's also fantastic for shaping crab cakes and even tuna tartare, at least according to Justin Diglia, chef partner of Chicago's Shaw's Crab House. "One of my favorite uses for this tool is to make fresh ravioli," he says. "Other fun uses could be making personalized layered cakes, frying eggs, shaping pancakes, bread crostini, layered salads, dumpling dough and crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for your kids." $12 at Walmart
Needless to say, it's time to rethink and revisit the holes in your kitchen cabinet. They may just be future homes for any of these aforementioned, chef-approved additions that will take your recipes from good to gourmet.