Chef's knifeIt depends
Chef's knife: is forged worth it?
A stamped Victorinox against a forged Wüsthof. The extra money buys edge life and heft, not better cuts on day one.
Kitchen buying, one question at a time
Is the step up worth it?
For each kitchen tool we put a base pick beside a step-up pick, list what the extra money actually buys, and say plainly who should spend and who should save. Often the answer is save.
SPENDOFFER · VERDICTS
- Chef's knifeIt depends
- Cutting boardSpend
- Nonstick skilletSave
- Dutch ovenIt depends
- Electric kettleSave
- Burr coffee grinderSave
- Countertop blenderIt depends
- Hand mixerSave
- Glass food storageIt depends
- Dish rackIt depends
Spend 1 · Save 4 · Depends 5
The Step-Ups
Cutting boardSpend
Cutting board: plastic or maple?
A small OXO plastic board against an 18 × 12 Boos maple slab. Size matters more than material.
Nonstick skilletSave
Nonstick skillet: why we say save
Tramontina's aluminum pan against All-Clad's tri-ply nonstick. The coatings wear alike; only the bodies differ.
Dutch ovenIt depends
Dutch oven: Lodge or Le Creuset?
Two enameled cast iron pots. The cooking is close; the handles, interior and weight are not.
Electric kettleSave
Electric kettle: when temperature matters
A plain 1.7-liter Hamilton Beach against a Fellow Stagg EKG Pro gooseneck. One boils; the other aims.
Burr coffee grinderSave
Burr grinder: is a flat burr worth it?
OXO's conical-burr hopper grinder against Fellow's 64mm flat-burr Ode Gen 2, for brewed coffee at home.
Countertop blenderIt depends
Blender: Ninja or Vitamix?
Ninja's 1000-watt BL610 against the Vitamix 5200. Ice is a tie; thick blends and warranty are not.
Hand mixerSave
Hand mixer: what nine speeds buy
Hamilton Beach's six-speed against KitchenAid's nine-speed KHM926. Range and attachments, not raw power.
Glass food storageIt depends
Glass storage: are latching lids worth it?
Pyrex Simply Store against Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass, 18 pieces each. The glass is similar; the lids are not.
Dish rackIt depends
Dish rack: plastic tray or steel frame?
OXO's compact rack against simplehuman's compact steel frame. You are paying to stop emptying the tray.
Aisles
- Cut & PrepKnives and boards, where steel and wood grain decide how long the spend lasts.2 guides
- Pan & HeatSkillets and pots: some are consumables, some are heirlooms. Price them that way.2 guides
- Brew & PourKettles and grinders, where control matters to some cups and not at all to others.2 guides
- Blend & WhiskMotors and warranties: the step up here is mostly about how long it keeps running.2 guides
- Keep & StoreContainers: the lid is the product, the box is just the box.1 guide
- Sink & DryDish racks: rust, drainage and counter space, in that order.1 guide
From the Ledger
- Spend order for a first kitchen
Which of our ten step-ups to take first, which to take once you know your habits, and which to skip.
- Reading a kitchen listing
The spec lines that matter, the words that do less than they seem to, and the warranty fine print worth a minute.
- Where the cheap one is fine
Kitchen tools where any decent basic version does the job, and the one thing to check on each.