Which Expensive Kitchen Tools are Worth It?...And Which are NOT

All opinions in this video are my own and none of the products mentioned paid for placement (except for Morning View, which sponsored this video). If you use these links to purchase these product, I may receive a small commission at no added cost to you.

🔪GEAR REFERENCED IN THIS VIDEO:

*The dutch oven I usually use is a 6.75qt round, but since that size is unavailable at the time I'm posting this video, links shown are for similar sized options

🎧MUSIC:

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:33 Vitamix blender
2:27 KitchenAid
3:37 Boos Block (or other nice, large wooden cutting board)
5:04 Powerful vent hood
6:20 Dutch oven
7:57 Free daily news with Morning Brew (ad)
8:57 Designer stoves
10:45 Outdoor pizza ovens
11:52 Nonstick pans

#kitchentools #kitchengear

[louisw]

Agree particularly with the vent hood recommendation. I rent and unfortunately recirculating "vents" are extremely common. They are about as useful as a recirculating toilet.

[kevinhines]

Speaking of KitchenAid mixers, I’m still using the one that my great grandmother bought in 1962. She gave it to my grandmother, who used it throughout my childhood, and it ultimately ended up with me after my grandmother died a few years ago. It mixes pizza and/or pretzel dough almost every week, and chugs along like a champ despite being less powerful than some of the company’s newer offerings.

[thunderkrux]

Another note about those vitamix blenders is that they're often used in commercial kitchens and can find spare parts easily. The Carafe, the lids, the plunger, and that bit at the base that turns the blades can be replaced easily.

[chelseaxhf]

After living in apartment for 6 years, I finally bought my very first house, the first thing I did was installing a very good vented hood. Trust me, you will not regret what ever the installation cost. It worth it!

[kjeldschouten-lebbing]

I personally love my dutch oven, cast iron skillets, vitamix and kitchenaid. Combined they basically form the backbone of everything I cook :)

[devinmartin]

Hey Bri, love content like this. I'd love an entire kitchen series on all the tool and pieces you use, and how to shop for a pick what's right for my needs as a hobby cook down to like the best deli containers or tupperware to use for storing leftovers.

[bakechef]

The powerful ouside vented hood was life changing. It was a non-negotiable part of the kitchen redo. No more lingering smells and no more grease buidling up on the cabinets! My kitchenaid has been a workhorse for 30 years. Working in a pro kitchen has really taught me that there is equipment for show and stuff that is built for serious cooks.

[luminescentlion]

I built my own walnut cutting board and after hearing how much yours costs I'm even more proud of it. Even if it does take way more oil due to being new.

[antwonegoodwyn]

when you said, " if you don't want to have rasp.." you had me sold on the vitamix

[mickleblade]

I've got my mother's old kenwood stand mixer that's older than me (51). After some loving care and attention (a part + new grease) its still rockin'! She's now jealous...

[ronalddevine]

Great video, Brian. A bit of advice, Le Creuset has many outlet stores and you can get many pieces around half price. It might not be the color you originally wanted, but it is still Le Creuset.

[ChudsBbq]

I ought to build you a ChudTable, its what I shoot all my cooking vids on, basically an outdoor boos block table with a commercial burner. Would solve your pizza oven problems!

[kachina]

Thanks Bri! Pro home cook here. As I grew up a foody home cook, my friends and family showered me with cooking tools at any birthday, Xmas, or other gift occasion. It took me until age 50 finally to realize that LESS IS MORE and to start offloading stuff and minimizing my kitchen. Do I need need two wooden citrus reamers when all I ever use is a Mexican lemon/lime squeezer? No, out they go. And the less you keep generally should be as high quality as you can afford - buy once, cry once. I like all of Brian's recommendations, except the Le Creuset. I have a similar to Le C Kirkland model from Costco enameled dutch oven I paid $69 for it about ten years ago. It remains unscratched and unblemished, and I use it at least once once a week, often more. The cache of Le C is cool, but it is not worth the money. AND ONE HUMBLE SUGGESTION: best upgrade, used every single day, is a knife magnet bar strip I mounted to the wall above my stove. No more reaching into cluttered knife drawer. $20 on Amazon and two screws into the wall (or even just adhesive tape) and hallelujah! Ready access and no more cluttered knife drawer. Also forces you to ponder, hhmmm, do I really need all these knives? And the answer is no, you don't. A good chef's knife; a good semi flex boning knife; a good paring knife; a serrated slicing/bread knife; maybe a cleaver. Hard stop. Give the rest away. My two cents.

[ericraymondelmore]

I use the flat top that came on my stove to make my eggs. I just sanded the non stick coating off and now it's great!

[phillefever]

I LOVE that you mentioned a proper vent hood, something that most home cooks ignore. Especially if you are stuck with the inferior heat source that is a gas stove and good hood is mandatory. So much of the heat generated by a gas flame flows up and around the cookware creating thermals that carry fine grease spatters all over the house. An induction heat source puts 100% of the heat into the cookware so the thermals aren’t as bad. Even so no matter the heat source a hood is a must, thanks for mentioning it!

[jasonclark]

Never considered the pro-level vent hood; that's def. something I want in my next kitchen. Excellent vid. And +1 on cheaper non-stick pans... I've had great results with restaurant store non-stick pans. I'm also a big fan of OXO's Good Grips non-stick pans. Reasonably priced, comfy in the hand, and dead flat on the bottom - a dream for glass stovetops (which I hate, but no gas line in the house). Great vid Bri!

[KasyMini]

I can confirm for the Vitamix, I got the Canadian Costco edition and it is absolutely magnificent. It blends like nothing else, I absolutely adore it for creamy soups. Also, remember that teflon fumes are deadly to parrots, so are self-cleaning ovens. If you share your home with birds, do not use/buy anything that has teflon and never clean your oven with the self-cleaning option. Do it the old fashion way with elbow grease (I like pink solution to clean mine).

[thetylerholt]

I definitely disagree with the Dutch oven recommendation- my Lodge has held up marvelously so far after 6 years of heavy use. I couldn’t ask for more from a Dutch oven and it was $300 less than a Le Creuset.

The rest of the list is totally on point though!

[rahcarpenter]

Cast iron skillet for sure. I use one that was given to my grandmother as a wedding gift almost 80 years ago. If I ever have to replace it, I’d buy the best.

[mrsiz]

💯 on the VitaMix! I BEGGED for one every year and my son finally got me one. I LOVE IT!!! Even trade though, I bought him his first Kitchenaid. Two happy campers! I fell in love with Le Creuset when I was a salesperson in a housewares dept. i get mine at TJMaxx discounted and again my son got me the Disney edition one for Christmas two years ago.