Top 10 Kitchen Gadgets for the Holidays

On Wednesday, I posted a list of the Top 10 Kitchen Gadgets under $10. Today’s list focus is gift gadgets for the holiday season. Some are a splurge, others will end up saving you money. Some are new, some have been around for years. Hopefully, by getting this up before Thanksgiving, you will have plenty of time to track down your favorite!

Oxo Egg Slicer

1.  Oxo Egg Slicer

I realize this is not a new tool, per se, but Oxo has just released an updated version of this classic tool. Egg salad is not the same at our house unless I use my egg slicer. Oxo has shaped this tool to conform to the contours of the egg. My trick? Slice the egg once one direction, then carefully turn and slice the other direction. Nice little cross hatch for egg salad!

Metrokane Vertical Rabbit Corkscrew

Increasingly, I am finding that my hand is not strong enough to open bottles of wine with synthetic corks. Mind you, I am a woman who needs a glass of wine after a hard day raising children and blogging, and I think this new corkscrew from Metrokane will do the trick. Plus, check out the cherry red color. It won’t even get lost in the junk drawer!

3. Kyocera Ceramic Santoku Knife

Ceramic Santoku Knife

Stefania, aka City Mama, spent last week writing about must-have kitchen gadgets. Day 6 was her devotion to really sharp knives, a recommendation I agree with wholeheartedly.  I was not familiar with ceramic knives until her post, and am now enamored with the idea that I could have a knife that stays sharp all the time and is light enough to cut pounds of vegetables.

Skybar Wine System

If this is the year to splurge, this would be the gadget to splurge on, provided you are so indecisive that you like to have 3 bottles of wine open at a time. I imagine this would be great for a party, when you wanted to make sure all your guests were satisfied, or perhaps when your in-laws are in town and you want to make sure to have that special bottle of holiday Malmsey available. Either way, it features easy set-up, easy preservation of left overs and would certainly make a good conversation piece.

5. Prepara Trio Peeler

Prepara Trio Peeler

If you are tired of having three separate peelers in your drawer, then this might be the tool for you. One tool with three changeable function blades allows you to peel the most tender peach and the toughest carrot, as well as even julienne strips for attractive presentations.

FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer

6. FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer

Kayln of Kayln’s Kitchen told me about this gadget the first time I met her, at BlogHer 2008, and the holidays would be the perfect time to ask for one from Santa (or whoever gives the gifts around your house). Justify your purchase by thinking about how you can eat local all year round by saving each season’s bounty in these freezer safe packages.

Braun Professional Hand Blender

I use this tool probably more than any other small appliance in my kitchen. Pureeing soups is a breeze. Making milk shakes could not be easier. And I chop nuts and herbs in the bowl attachment too, almost making this a gadget I cannot cook without!

8.  Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker

Zojirushi Rice Cooker

This is the latest in rice cooker technology and is supposed to yield the most tender and perfectly cooked kernels of rice. Biggie over at Lunch in Box is having a fancy rice cooker giveaway, if you would like to try your luck in winning one! My current rice cooker is about 20 years old (yes, I did receive it as a young child), and a replacement is in our near future.

Unicorn Magnum Pepper Mill

My cousin Julie recommended this pepper mill about 5 years ago, and if I could take a tool when I travel, it would be this (not that I do, just saying). This tool is so fast at grinding pepper corns that adding a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to your sauce is no longer the arduous task it used to be. And using fresh pepper in your recipes really does make a difference.

Isi Half-Pint Whip Cream Whipper

Although this borders on the tool for the cook that has everything and I am sure there are folks out there who are opposed to a one-trick-pony gadget, I am very fond of fresh whipped cream and cannot imagine fresh pumpkin pie without it. And even a regular old Wednesday can become a great day when you pull out the Whip Cream Whipper!

Photos courtesy of  Sur La Table, Oxo, Amazon, Kyocera, Prepara, FoodSaver, and Unicorn.