My Mom’s 7 Favorite Kitchen Tools

Over the years, there are certain kitchen tools that I see my mom use over and over again to prep, cook, and store the delicious meals she makes. Whether she’s grilling sandwiches in her beloved panini press or making a flavorful stir-fry with her favorite spatula, my mom has perfected her kitchen gear collection. When my parents decided to move across the country to live closer to me, we had to downsize a lot of their belongings, but my mom made sure to pack these seven tools, including her George Foreman electric grill, Glasslock food storage containers, and other equipment she has relied upon for decades to make all our family’s favorite recipes.  

My Mom’s Favorite Kitchen Tools

• George Foreman 4-Person Electric Grill and Panini Press, $35
• Cuisinart 10-Inch Nonstick Crepe Pan, $25, originally $30
• Glasslock 18-Piece Assorted Oven Safe Container Set, $53 
• TableCraft Wok Spatula with Bamboo Handle, $10, originally $14
• Proctor Silex Easy Mix 5-Speed Electric Hand Mixer, $17 
• Cuckoo Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer, $65, originally $100
• Corelle Vitrelle 6-Piece Soup/Cereal Bowl Set, $21

George Foreman 4-Person Electric Grill and Panini Press

I’ve eaten many ham and cheese sandwiches fresh off this electric grill and panini press. Just the thought of it brings back memories of after-school snack time. My mom’s version is teal and silver, from the “In Grilling Colors” series, and is still going strong today. It’s extremely easy to use, heats up quickly once it’s plugged in, and leaves remarkable grill marks. Let’s just say it was the first appliance she packed when we started sorting through her kitchen.

Cuisinart 10-Inch Nonstick Crepe Pan

My mom makes the best bánh xèo I’ve ever had (not that I’m biased or anything), and she achieves a shatteringly crispy texture on the thin crepe-like pancakes every time, thanks to her crepe pan. The nonstick coating makes releasing the finished bánh xèo a breeze. Plus, the flat surface is crucial for smoothly folding the crepe in half over its savory filling. Aside from making restaurant-quality bánh xèo, she also uses this crepe pan for cooking pancakes and bacon.

Glasslock 18-Piece Assorted Oven Safe Container Set

For a woman who loves food, my mom is unsurprisingly dedicated to having the best possible food storage containers to keep her leftovers fresh. Her Glasslock containers are some of her most prized possessions and were immediately added to a moving box during our packing process. They’ve lasted through years of daily use, and the lids truly are airtight and leakproof. No matter the soup or sauce, they’ve always successfully contained the foods she’s stored in them.

TableCraft Wok Spatula with Bamboo Handle

My mom makes stir-fried dinners multiple times a week, and while a great wok is the best foundation for any stir-fry, having the right spatula matters, too. My mom’s wok spatula is metal, which has helped it endure through decades of high-heat stir-frying. It also has a wide, shovel-like head that easily scoops and tosses ingredients in the pan. Most importantly, it has a long wooden handle that stays cool while cooking and keeps hands away from direct heat.

Proctor Silex Easy Mix 5-Speed Electric Hand Mixer

If you ask my mom about her signature bake, she won’t hesitate to say that it’s her vanilla chiffon cake. For every birthday, holiday, graduation, or any other celebratory occasion, she makes a cake frosted with buttercream and decorated with candies. Trust me, we have the family photos to prove it. For every one of those cakes, she uses her electric hand mixer to whip up egg whites until they reach the quintessential stiff peaks. The Proctor Silex model has been her standby for decades, and it’s only $17. It has a powerful motor and comfortable handle, which is especially important for the seemingly endless amount of time it takes to whip egg whites.

Cuckoo Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer

Speaking of chiffon cakes, my mom’s secret to fluffy cakes is a rice cooker. Yes, by cooking her cakes in the rice cooker, she’s able to get a tall rise and fluffy texture that’s hard to achieve in the oven. The one she’s had for years is similar to the Cuckoo Micom rice cooker that’s on sale for 40 percent off and can cook up the fluffiest chiffon cakes with just the push of a button. Thanks to the nonstick coating of the inside pot, her cakes always come out without any cracks or missing patches.

Corelle Vitrelle 6-Piece Soup/Cereal Bowl Set

Growing up, we ate every meal out of these simple white bowls that also served as my mom’s prep bowls. They’re so sturdy that we still have them today, and none of them are chipped despite decades of daily use. Since we eat every meal family-style with large shared plates in the middle of the table, the size is ideal for curating one’s own bowl of rice topped with a variety of stir-fried vegetables. At only $3.50 apiece, the bowls have slightly sloped sides and flared edges, making them a true pleasure to eat out of. When I’m at my parents’ new home, I’ll still reach for one of these bowls over their other dishware.