I Test a Ton of Kitchen Gear — Here’s What I’m Still Using

I test a lot of kitchen gear for my job. On a weekly basis, I test everything from knives and frying pans to can openers, storage gear, and even coffee makers. Between how many things I test and my relatively small kitchen, most things don’t make it into permanent rotation. That makes it especially exciting when I test out something that I absolutely love — it’s almost ceremonial when I realize that it’s going to become something that I can enjoy using weekly or even daily. 

I’ve continued using some of the kitchen gear I tested because I found them so incredibly useful. For example, I tested out some coffee storage equipment, and one piece became something I use every single morning. A santoku knife also stood out and quickly became an all-time favorite. Below, I’ve listed some of my favorite things I tested over the past year, hoping that you’ll enter 2025 with some of the same phenomenal gear I’ve fallen in love with.

Favorite Kitchen Gear For 2025

Puersi Cookbook Stand 

The most frustrating thing about great cookbooks, for me, is always ensuring they stay on the right page while you’re measuring, prepping, and cooking — while also making sure they steer clear of mess. I very skeptically tested out this cookbook stand to see if it could help save space, make cooking feel easier, and prevent my books from having so much food accidentally flung onto them. It actually did those things incredibly well. This cookbook stand could not be easier to use, as it’s just two pieces of wood that slide together to create an ultra-sturdy base. If you use cookbooks at all, I cannot recommend this highly enough. 

Fellow Atmos Vacuum Coffee Canister

I love making coffee. When I’m not making a huge pot in my beloved Moccamaster for a long day of caffeine intake, I’m messing around with my pour-over, AeroPress, or some other new device. As a result, I always keep a ton of coffee in the house. I decided to check out Fellow’s vacuum-sealed canister to help extend the longevity of my beans and found it to be very good. I like how easy it is to create a seal — and I think it looks great — a nice gadget for anybody who loves good coffee.

Tofuture Tofu Press

I’d say I go through at least two or three packages of tofu a week, which means at minimum four to six meals featuring tofu. Historically, I’ve been the person precariously angling my cutting board on the edge of the sink, balancing a stack of heavy plates on top of a block of tofu to press out the water. I’ve been doing this a few times weekly for over a decade despite knowing that it’s pretty ineffective and takes up a ton of counter space. I finally gave in and bought a tofu press, and it’s legitimately changed my life. Less mess, more thorough pressing, and almost no space taken up. If you love tofu, you need this in 2025.

Grtard Magnetic Chip Clips, Pack of 12

I always have bags of chips, dried chiles, flour, coffee, and countless other things open, and I’m the president of losing chip clips. These ensure a tight close, and they can live on the side of your refrigerator when you aren’t using them. This pack of 12 costs $7, and it’s a total game-changer for anybody who has pantry items that they want to keep fresh. 

Opinel No. 125 Table Knives, 4-Piece Set

I started seeing these knives in nice restaurants a couple of years ago and became infatuated with them. I even wrote about how much I loved them early last year. Well, before a dinner party I was throwing last fall, I finally decided to pick up a few packs of these, and they definitely exceeded my expectations. I love the vibrant, rustic colors available, and the knives are incredibly sharp — no surprise there, since they’re from French knife giant Opinel. These clock in at about $11 per knife, which is a pretty amazing deal for some of the most attractive flatware I’ve ever seen.

Mac Superior Santoku Knife

Speaking of knives, I test a lot of knives for work. Many of them are given away to friends and family, donated, or just chilling on my knife rack at the bottom of the rotation. After testing out the Mac Superior Santoku knife, however, I immediately added it to the top of my rotation and am certain it’ll be one of my most-used knives in 2025. If you’re searching for a new, pretty economical pro-grade knife to help you slice through this new year, this is the one I recommend.