This spider skimmer is such a useful tool. Of course you can use it for deep-frying, but we think you’ll use it more often for pulling vegetables, ravioli and dumplings out of boiling pots of water. The bamboo handle stays cool while the web-like basket quickly drains water away. While we’re a little wary of the manufacturer’s statement that the bamboo is dishwasher safe, we still think this is a kitchen essential (even if you have to wash it by hand!).

We’re big fans of these canisters and enjoy using them to store dry goods like sugar, flour and ground coffee. The stainless steel construction makes them easy to keep clean and they’re much less likely to absorb the smell of what you’re storing inside. Speaking of cleaning, they’re dishwasher safe which is great because we avoid hand washing at all costs. The four piece set includes 1/2 qt, 3/4 qt. 1-1/4qt, 1-1/2qt canisters. The seal and clamping device are trustworthy to keep your pasta from going stale, and the canisters are aesthetically pleasing enough to keep out on your counter if pantry storage is at a premium.

“Cook Yourself Thin” on Lifetime has enlisted quite a following since the show debuted earlier this year, and now a cookbook of the same name is available for those who are looking for a healthy approach to weight-loss. The great thing about this collection of recipes is that it shows you how to substitute with low fat and low calorie ingredients to satisfy your cravings. We also embrace its approach to proper portion control because somewhere along the fast food line many of us have forgotten that we don’t actually need to eat an entire family-sized serving of enchiladas.

In this book you’ll look forward to recipes like “The better for you breakfast sandwich” and “Steak with cauliflower ‘mash’ potatoes.” Yum!

Don’t let the small size of this grinder fool you. It’s perfect for chopping nuts, milling herbs, mixing creamy spreads and making powdery parmesan cheese. This Kitchen Aid model comes with a powerful motor and the 3 cup work bowl and blades are dishwasher safe. We use our grinder more often than our large food processor mainly because clean-up is so much easier.

A friend of ours reminded us of the usefulness of a microplane during food prep and we couldn’t agree with her more. Whether you’re zesting an orange or grating some fresh parmesan cheese over pasta, you’ll see how quickly you can cruise through steps that would otherwise be time consuming. We even use our microplane for grating fresh garlic into salad dressings and marinades. This particular microplane (from the appropriately named company Microplane) is razor sharp and doesn’t require a lot of elbow grease to get the job done. It also comes with a case that will protect its surface when you stow it in your kitchen drawer.

Oh do we love this food mill. Many people consider mashed potatoes to be a delicacy, but the best way to prepare them isn’t with your hand mixer or mashing them tirelessly by hand- it’s with a hand cranked food mill. Boiling potatoes and working them through a food mill creates a much better consistency for your mash that’s both smooth and hearty. The best part is that it’s really fast work! OXO has a great food mill available at Crate and Barrel that’s quite versatile and will even help you rock out some tomatoes for a marinara or a batch of carrots for homemade baby food. Three supporting arms make the mill easy to position over a bowl and it’s dishwasher safe.

Buying fresh herbs is often frustrating when the recipe you’re making only calls for 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro and you’re left with an entire bouquet that will go bad before you have a chance to cook again. But here’s the thing: pulling off an amazing guacamole or thai basil chicken is all about fresh herbs, yet people are often reluctant to buy them when they feel like they’re throwing money down the drain. The Prepara Herb Savor is a better way to save your herbs up to three weeks in the door of your refrigerator. Instead of leaving them in a bag, arrange your herbs in a little bit of water in the base of the Herb Savor and keep the leaves cool and dry. By the time you’re inspired to whip up your next dish, those herbs will still be fresh and ready to enhance the flavor of your cooking.

Normally we aren’t fans of spatulas with wooden handles because you can’t drop them in the dishwasher. Can you blame us? As much as we love cooking, the cleanup process needs to be speedy and we don’t have time to gingerly hand wash every utensil. We’ve easily changed our minds, though, over this set of spatulas from Le Creuset because you can remove the silicone heads from the wooden handles and put the silicone pieces into your dishwasher. Genius! The silicone is heat resistant up to 800 degrees which means you’re safely within omelet and stir-fry temperatures, and the silicone will never scratch your pans which is especially nice if you use non-stick surfaces.

Sautéing and stir-frying gets a lot more fun with this pan from All Clad. With a 10″ diameter and 2 1/2″ depth, this pan is a great stove-top size for frying up loads of vegetables, noodles and curry dishes. Want to make a tomato basil marinara? No problem. The interior of the pan is nonreactive so that tomato based sauces won’t taste metallic. All Clad is also known for their three-ply construction technique which includes an aluminum core for even heat distribution during the cooking process. When it’s time to serve, use both handles to comfortably add your creation to a serving dish.

Your success in slicing, chopping and dicing relies heavily on the sharpness of your knife. Whether you have beginner or expert level knife skills, you won’t be able to perfectly dice a tomato or mince garlic if you have a dull knife. The Presto Pro electric sharpener from EverSharp will restore your blades to their original razor-sharp quality.

Sharpening works in two stages. Pull the blade of your knife through Stage 1 of the machine to generally grind and sharpen, and finish up with Stage 2 to refine the blade’s edge. Each stage uses sapphirite grinding wheels which are what kitchen professionals use to keep their blades in shape. Suction cups on the bottom of the machine keep it in place and your alloy, carbon and stainless steel knives are all safe to use with the Presto Pro.