I Asked Chefs About Their Favorite Time-Saving Kitchen Gear

On the surface, it might seem like professional chefs have it all when it comes to kitchen gear. And many do — enter some kitchens and you’ll find fancy Robot Coupe food processors, massive Hobart mixers (I loved making bagels with these back in my baking days), and high-tech sous vides. But at the end of the day, chefs are people, too, and are concerned with many of the same issues as home cooks, like maximizing space and saving time and money.

Interested in how chefs make the most of their time in the kitchen, I turned to some pros for answers. Below are some of their most interesting hacks, which involve unique measuring spoons, pressure cookers, molcajetes, and more, starting at just $10. 

Best Time-Saving Kitchen Gear at Amazon

HeroFiber Portion Control Serving Spoons

“Spoodles! Moving from a pinch of this or a spoon of that to [serving spoons that measure by the ounce] saves time on the line, creates the perfect portion every time, and saves dollars of food waste at the end of the day! We wouldn’t build a recipe without them!” — Erica Holland-Toll, culinary director at The Culinary Edge in San Francisco, CA

Ninja Air Fryer

“Using an air fryer in the kitchen is an absolute game-changer. Cooking meat and seafood can be intimidating, but using an air fryer makes the process much simpler and more efficient. It is perfectly safe to cook meat in your air fryer when following proper food handling procedures. Because air fryer brands can vary, it’s best to monitor the internal temperature with a high-quality meat thermometer to determine doneness. The final result is like deep frying with crackly-skin chicken wings and crispy fries, but without the oil.” — David Rose, executive chef at Omaha Steaks

ChefSofi 1.5-Cup Mortar and Pestle Set

“My big mortar and pestle (actually a molcajete) is one of my favorite time-saving kitchen tools. I use it for all sorts of grinding and sauce-making. Now, you might say this is counterintuitive to the whole modern electric gizmo convenience world we live in. But a molcajete is tried and true. It can grind spices and make marinades, emulsion sauces, and pastes in a jiffy. I keep mine on the counter in front of my workstation and use it as often as I can.” — Matt Weingarten, culinary director at Dig in New York, NY

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker

“Every day, our kitchen team transforms 600 pounds of pork bones into approximately 200 gallons of broth using industrial pressure cookers. The heavy-duty equipment has allowed us to produce a batch of our signature tonkotsu ramen broth in about six hours, a task that would typically take five times that using traditional Japanese methods. A smaller pressure cooker can be a game-changer in your own kitchen.” — Isamu Morikizono, chef-owner at Tajima Ramen in San Diego, CA

Microplane Zester and Grater

“My favorite time-saving tool is the microplane. I use it for everything — especially garlic when I am looking to create a smooth paste in seconds. I also love to use it to grate cucumbers for tzatziki and fruit to cut down the jam making time.” — Lilly Sallomi, research and development chef at The Culinary Edge

KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Stand Mixer

“A KitchenAid is a great time-saving tool thanks to all of its attachments. Everyone knows it makes mixing ingredients faster, but the attachments make jobs like grinding meat, making fresh pasta, and grating cheese or chocolate so much easier, too. It also means you don’t have to go out and buy separate tools for these tasks. All these uses make it a great time-saver in the restaurant and at home too!” — Rich Parente, chef/co-owner at Clock Tower Grill in Brewster, NY