When it comes to kitchen gear, there are few greater pleasures than saving space, reducing clutter, and avoiding food waste. We’ve tested some great options for scaled down kitchen equipment, because bigger isn’t always better.
All Clad Stainless 2 Quart Saucepan:
Nordicware 1/8 sheet pan:
Nordicware 1/4 sheet pan:
OXO Utility Cutting Board:
OXO 9″ tongs:
OXO Little Salad & Herb Spinner:
Cuisinart Elite Collection 4 cup Chopper/Grinder:
Lodge 10″ Cast Iron:
KitchenAid 5-speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer :
Follow Lisa on Instagram:
Follow Hannah on Instagram:
ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.
If you like us, follow us:
36 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Wish oxo made cast iron skillets and food processors … regardless of how they are .. they still would be on the list
I have that smaller Oxo cutting board with the silicone Stoppers on the ends on my Amazon shopping list right now! I'm guessing it's time to hit the button! Thanks as always for your research and information.
I still have my mini food processor Lil Oscar from 30 years ago. Still works great and perfect for small kitchens.
Really a salad spinner? Those take up a lot of room for just a convenience item.
I like my tongs; I have the short 9" tongs with silicone covered ends.
I use them to
-turn over meats I'm frying
-remove hot things (including hot bowls/plates) from the microwave
-individually remove eggs or potatoes (or other veggies) from boiling water
I use short tongs because I'm only cooking for one, so I'm using small pots and pans, and I find the size does everything I need while saving on space (I also have a tiny studio apartment kitchen, so space is tight and configuration is challenging).
EVERY kitchen needs to have a cast iron pan. It's absolutely the way to go to make frittata, so how can you not have one?
That being said, most of my pan-frying use is with my stainless steel pans; I have a 10-inch and a 12-inch that do everything stovetop and non-oven that I need. Of course, the smaller pan is for daily use (cooking for one, but will stretch to two if needed) and the larger one is for larger preparations (cooking ahead, so saving time for later meals).
The thing to remember is that even stainless steel pans can be seasoned with oil to become nonstick. Three light applications of oil on the clean pan, raise heat to smoking, and you'd be surprised how many uses you can go through without reseasoning or food sticking. Just don't clean with soap; soap strips all the residual seasoning away.
I have a Kitchenaid Artisan Mini stand mixer, the smallest version available, but still accepts all the same attachments. I bought it for heavy duty applications, mainly baking, but also for attachment options, like sausage making.
For more minimal applications (whipping eggs, whipping cream, mixing pancake/waffle batter, I added a Dash handmixer, which is compact for the tiny kitchen I have to fit into.
I recently changed out my battery-operated milk frother for a USB-rechargeable one, and it came with a small balloon whisk, suggested for mixing salad dressings and scrambling eggs. I'll stick with using a fork to scrabble my eggs, but I will be trying my hand at making my own salad dressings from scratch and not stockpiling salad dressing bottles in my studio apartment fridge.
What is a good knife set? I don't have time each knife by itself. Thanks Kristin
I love these videos! My favourite tongs are from when I started cooking over 20 years ago. Edlund 12", heavy-duty, stainless steel, made in the USA. Great length and a terrific grip. As a line cook, they are a great extension of my hands. Great for tossing large quantities of salads. They are not found everywhere, usually only in restaurant supply shops. I have 6 pairs.
One thing that's changed the organization of my cookware is a 2-set of universal silicone lids. The big one fits my huge cast iron skillet (which has to live on the stove permanently), and the small one fits everything else. They both fit into the wooden plate rack I use for my half- and quarter- sheet pans and the cooling racks that can nest in the pans. Shallow cabinets, but everything fits and is easily accessible.
Aren't all 2 qt sauce pans 'bout the same size?
You must remember the men’s golden rule of tong use while barbecuing, you must click them twice after you pick them up before you use them.
Cast iron skillet $18????🤔🤔🤔 typo?
Oh my goodness thanks for all the great info!
Small cutting boards are USELESS!!!It's the one area I do not downgrade. Everything else are great suggestions
I believe standard measurement pan size is measured inside rim to inside rim. Except de Buyer .. 😮 they measure outside to outside then add a quarter to half inch (.635cm – 1.27cm) on all their fry-pans. 😂
Almost none of these things are actually spacing. They may be smaller but it takes just as much space to store a small pair of tongs as it does a larger pair
I am considering purchase of the 1/8 baking pan. Is there a cooling rack that works with this size baking pan?
Jeez, $200.
While my Cuisinart Mini Chopper was still under warranty the company replaced it because the shaft the blade attaches to rusted. Now that the warranty is up, it has rusted again. It is a design flaw in that water stays up inside the blade. It was ok until I stopped drying it with a q-tip every time I washed it. Rusty kitchen equipment …I don’t think so!
Love tongs! Besides turning and grabbing foods, I'm disabled and they are great for picking up things I drop on the floor in the kitchen! Also good for reaching items on higher shelves. And like you, I prefer one with silicone coating, and one without. I'm in the process of updating my kitchen equipment so I stumbled across your videos at exactly the right time!
This was so helpful, thank you!
I bought ATK's best buy cookware set. Tramontina…which I Love. The small sauce pan that Hannah starts with, I use a lot. My kitchen is on the small side, but ATK has talked me into a lot of amazing appliances. Utilizing ever square inch of counter space is important.
I agree with the cast iron skillet as a do-it-all
I would argue that you should get a Lodge 3-quart Combo Cooker though
You have a 3-quart chicken fryer/deep fryer/sauce pan/deep skillet on the bottom. This has the added benefit of replacing your air fryer.
You have a top that can turn it into a dutch oven or bread baker
The top acts as a 10.25" skillet/saute pan.
Second thing you should get (IMO) is a 3 to 4-quart pressure cooker (or instant pot) so you can significantly cut down on cooking time for beans, rice, chili, and stew.
Also, a tea kettle or a coffee percolator takes up a lot less space than a Keurig.
Another great video ! Lisa and Hannah you need to try the oxo refrigerator Storeage containers . They have 3 sizes and they are excellent for you salad greens to your fresh berries . You can rinse and store in them .
I had used cast iron fry and bake pans for years. However, as I got older, I found that my wrists and hands hurt due to the weight of the equipment. Finally, I stopped using cast iron and instead must use the lighter weight coated fry and glass pans. I do, however, miss cooking with cast iron.
my test meter ranks ATK the best …always informative quick moving practical with two of the finest presenters in the business and it is the best buy going as well …endorsed by me …t.
bruh if youre in a tiny kitchen maybe instead of spending 200 bucks on a tiny saucepan, save up so you can afford a bigger place to live
Those are nice products and some of them I could use in my small kitchen and the coated tongues are one item I need to use with cookware I don't want to scratch.
There's a LITTLE salad spinner!? Omigoodness gracious. I love it so much!!!
Boy, do I ever like you guys!
I found one of those fold-down silicon salad spinners on Amazon that just fits inside my skillet for storage. Works great and takes up very little space.
Great tips! Thanks!
That 2 quart sauce pan is $200??
A big OXO commercial!!
Yeah, not paying two hundred dollars for a sauce pan, nor am I paying sixty dollars for a hand mixer. As for tongs, the pair I bought for two dollars and fifty cents work perfectly fine. I think I spend the extra money on something else.
Most of the things you recommended I already have, such as the 10" cast iron skillet, the hand mixer and tongue. Thanks for helping appreciate them even more.
🤩