These Common Kitchen Products Are a Hard Pass for Professional Chefs — Here’s What They Recommend Instead

As a product tester and food writer, I’ve tried nearly every kitchen gadget you can imagine. My kitchen drawers have seen countless single-use gadgets — many of which would never be found in a professional chef’s kitchen. To find out which tools are actually worth keeping, I tapped four experts for their dos and don’ts.

Read on to learn which four gadgets to avoid, and which simple swaps professional chefs swear by. Their recommendations include a Wüsthof chef's knife, Mannkitchen Pepper Cannon, and OXO kitchen scale, starting at just $10.

Don’t Buy: Garlic Press

Do Buy: Sharp Chef’s Knife

"I don’t like buying products that take longer to clean than completing the job. For example, a garlic press or a mini chopper for mincing herbs. My well-sharpened Wüsthof chef’s knife does the job quickly and efficiently, and can be cleaned in less than a minute." — Trisha Pérez Kennealy, owner and culinary educator, Inn at Hastings Park, Lexington, Massachusetts

• Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $153, originally $170
• Henckels Classic Razor-Sharp 8-Inch Chef Knife, $50, originally $68
• Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $47
• Shun Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $165, originally $190
• Mercer Culinary Genesis 8-Inch Short Bolster Chef's Knife, $42

Don’t Buy: Pre-Ground Pepper

Do Buy: A Quality Pepper Grinder

“Black pepper is called for in just about every savory recipe for good reason, but it's a spice that loses its flavor and aroma within weeks of grinding. A simple pepper mill and whole peppercorns give you by far the best black pepper flavor with very little effort.” — Marissa Stevens, recipe developer and founder, Pinch and Swirl

• Mannkitchen Pepper Cannon, $200
• OXO Good Grips Contoured Mess-Free Pepper Grinder, $23
• Le Creuset Pepper Mill, $48
• Peugeot Paris u'Select Manual Pepper Mill, $36, originally $42
• Kuhn Rikon Adjustable Ratchet Grinder, $26

Don’t Buy: Measuring Cups

Do Buy: Kitchen Scale

“This might sound controversial, but as a professional recipe developer, I almost never use measuring cups, especially for baking. If you want consistent, perfect results, ingredients should always be measured with a kitchen scale. Cups can vary depending on how ingredients are packed, but grams are always precise.” — David Davidov, recipe developer and creator, The Cooking Foodie

• Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale, $10
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale, $55, originally $65
• Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale, $10, originally $14
• Escali Arti Glass Food Scale Digital Countertop Kitchen, $27, originally $32
  

Don’t Buy: Pre-Made Whipped Cream

Do Buy: Whipped Cream Dispenser

“The one thing that is not allowed in my home kitchen is any premade whipped cream product. We have a whipped cream dispenser that we make fresh cream with. No preservatives — just cream, vanilla, and sugar. It makes all the difference in the world and does not need to take a long time.” — Laurence Cohen, corporate brand chef, Thompson Restaurants

• Isi North America Professional Cream Whipper, $130
• EurKitchen Professional Aluminum Whipped Cream Dispenser, $33, originally $40
• Otis Classic 304 Stainless Steel Whipped Cream Dispenser, $69
• SimCoker Professional Stainless Steel Whipped Cream Dispenser, $60, originally $70