My 12 Favorite Things for the Kitchen

What’s in your kitchen that you love?  I have a number of items in my kitchen to share with you.

My Favorite Things for the Kitchen

I am not being paid or sponsored to post these opinions. I am not even an Amazon Affiliate yet (which would mean I’d get commission if people purchased items via my links). These are items I have no motivation to talk about other than to share my joy in using them.

Olive Oil Canister: William Sonoma

 

When I saw this in my friend, Julie’s kitchen, it looked like a piece of art. This Curtis Stone Stainless Oil Container  is gorgeous with a clean look. It sits perfectly next to my stove for daily use.

Pretty Measuring Cups: Anthropologie

Aren’t these measuring cups darling? I have a set like this on my counter and a more practical stainless set in my drawer. These cups are so whimsical.

I often give these as gifts. You could even use them for other purposes, like to hold your jewelry or loose change. I like to stop by Anthropologie’s sale section as they often have novelties like measuring spoons, aprons, plates, cups and other kitchen items on clearance.

Salt Container

Grace Marie from the monthly cooking class I attend (see links in food section for my posts on Roasted Shrimp and Artichoke Pasta and Summer Corn Chowder from her class), taught me to use kosher salt for cooking and sea salt for finishing. I buy a big box of kosher salt and put some in a container like this (le cruset is shown, but anything with lid will work). It’s cute and makes grabbing salt  easy while I cook.

Water Purifier: Amazon

 

This APEC water filter system has been the best purchase we’ve made to get everyone in our house drinking more water. It is inexpensive, the filters are easy to change and they only need to be replaced every 6-12 months.

Unless you are very handy, initial installation of the system will need to be done by a plumber, but it should take him only an hour or so. The most important thing is to make sure there is enough room for the filters AND the tank. These two items will take up most of the room under your cabinet. And depending on your sink type, you may need a stone person to drill a hole on your counter for the water faucet.

Glass Water Bottles

Once we installed our water filter system, I bought a bunch of these glass bottles to fill up and store in the fridge. Everyone in my family likes to drink ice cold water, so these bottles are perfect. We wash and refill, which results in no plastic bottle waste! Even if you use a Brita filter, these water bottles are great grab and go items for busy people.

Mason Jars

 

Mason Jars are so inexpensive and versatile. I use them to store salads, juices and left overs. Grace Marie likes to place her fresh spices in a mason jar after covering them with paper towels and put into plastic bags. The seal on the jar keeps air out and allows the spices to remain fresh for longer than if stored in just the plastic bags.

Ice Ball Molds

 

I love ice in my drinks.  I have these Tivoli molds that make ice balls I put in my martini glass. An ice ball makes my drink seem more special and the slow melting ice makes it super cold. I noticed you can get smaller ball molds too, which may fit easier in a drink glass.

Cocktail Shaker

This mixer is ideal because it allows enough room to shake the contents really well after adding the ice. An ideal martini will have shards of ice in it from shaking. When you use the typical shaker with the metal top, you can only make one serving at a time for a proper martini. This shaker allows 2-3 servings, and the glass also has measurements which makes it even more efficient.

Kyocera Knife

This ceramic Kyocera knife is the bomb. It makes cutting vegetables very easy. I find myself washing and reusing this one rather than grabbing another clean knife.

Zyliss Food Processor

I can’t live without my Zyliss food processor. It looks like no big deal, but you’ll see how great it is if you get one. I use it when I need chopped onions or garlic.

Joyce Chen Wok

The Joyce Chen Wok  is a great cooking pan for a variety of foods. After watching Grace Marie cook with it almost every month in class, I finally broke down and bought one. I love the size and how well it cooks my food!

Fancy Hand Pump Soap

TJ Max and other discount home stores have nice hand soaps like these. Rather than refill a metal or ceramic hand soap container, I buy these disposable ones for my kitchen and bathrooms. They cost between $4-5 and smell great!

Do you have any of the items I listed? Do you think you’ll get any of them? What is on your list of kitchen items you love? Please share! I hope you enjoyed this post of My Favorite Things for the Kitchen. Check out my post on My Favorite Things- Style and Beauty .

Flavor Your Life with an Ounce of Salt. A lifestyle blog by Jen Oliak.