Any pro chef or experienced home cook can tell you, it's not about having the most kitchen equipment, it's about having the right kitchen equipment. No one understands the value of dependable cookware, knives and food processors better than professional chefs, and these culinary experts can instantly identify a gimmick.
Which tools and gadgets actually earn their place in your kitchen? I consulted professional chefs and they were refreshingly direct. A recurring theme among these kitchen professionals is their preference for fundamentals -- choosing versatile, time-tested equipment over specialized gadgets with limited uses.
Take herb strippers or meat claws: the tasks these tools promise to simplify can often be handled just as effectively, if not better, with essential equipment already in your kitchen.
While some kitchen gadgets are underrated, many are simply not worth the space they occupy. To separate the essential from the superfluous or downright useless, I asked culinary pros to share the tools they swear by and the gadgets they'd skip. Their advice will help you avoid falling for flashy products and instead invest in items that you'll reach for every single day.
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Masaharu Morimoto
Celebrity chef, restaurateur
Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
1. Mandolin
Chef Morimoto encourages beefing up your knife skills to make thin and uniform vegetable slices. Milk Street
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