A veteran product reviewer’s kitchen tech: indispensable tools and reluctant compromises

DANIELLE AMATO, a Daily Mail journalist who tests kitchen gear, says she puts a wide range of appliances through their paces and keeps a steady rotation of devices at home. After seven years in the job, she identifies five tools she could not live without and five she could live without, noting that personal routines and cooking styles drive which items stay in regular use.

First, a Microplane grater ranks at the top of her list. She says it makes quick work of cheese, garlic and ginger, and is especially helpful for finely grating whole spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. According to her experience, a fine grating yields better flavor and texture than pre-ground or minced alternatives, and the cost benefits come with buying whole ingredients instead of pre-made products. She has relied on the original Microplane since 2018 and has since added a second, larger model, hinting that she values durability and versatility enough to own multiple units.

Second, a milk frother appears in many mornings as part of her coffee routine. Whether preparing regular coffee, hot chocolate, chai or flavored beverages, she notes the frother’s ability to mix powders and syrups into hot or warm liquids. Her go-to is a Dualit milk frother, and she also mentions that the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser can double as a frother for other uses, suggesting a level of cross-functionality that appeals to busy cooks.

Third, a small air fryer remains a staple for everyday tasks. The reviewer explains that even with a large range cooker and oven, she prefers the air fryer for small items such as hash browns or a handful of chips, citing quicker results and potential electricity savings. While she tests many models, she highlights a compact unit she has grown fond of, noting its practicality in day-to-day cooking.

Fourth, a rice cooker or multi-cooker is valued for its ease and consistency. She mentions that rice cooked in a dedicated appliance tends to be fluffy and evenly prepared, with the added benefit of steaming meals that combine rice, vegetables and protein in a single pot. Her favorite model is a Yum Asia Panda rice cooker, praised not only for cooking rice but also for its ability to steam vegetables, make porridge and even bake cake, illustrating the wider functionality some users seek in one appliance.

Fifth, a bonus seasonal item: the Oxo Good Grips strawberry huller. While she concedes it is not essential, she notes it sees surprising use in the warmer months and helps remove strawberry tops quickly and cleanly, reducing waste and simplifying prep.

The list of five tools she cannot live without is balanced by a consideration of items she could live without. She calls out an avocado pitter and slicer as a questionable choice, suggesting that a good knife often suffices for avocado handling. She also cautions against gadgets marketed to improve egg cooking or preparation, such as egg boilers, separators and cutters, which she describes as often ending up unused in many kitchens.

The overall approach reflects a practical, tested perspective: select tools that deliver noticeable everyday benefits and reliability, rather than chasing novelty. The sourcing and presentation align with a long-running shopping feature in which readers encounter concrete examples from the reviewer’s home-use experience. The piece notes that commission is earned on linked purchases, a standard practice in many product roundups. Readers are encouraged to consider how these tools might adapt to their own routines, budgets and cooking goals, particularly when weighing ongoing use against up-front cost.

Taken together, the five essentials and the five items to skip map to a broader narrative about how technology and design choices influence home kitchens. The Microplane’s design emphasizes precision and longevity, the milk frother’s ease of use supports daily beverages, the compact air fryer speaks to efficiency in small batches, the rice cooker showcases how multi-function devices can streamline meals, and the strawberry huller represents a practical touch that improves prep without demanding extra space. Conversely, the avocado pitter and the egg-prep gadgets underscore a recurring theme in kitchen tech: not every gadget earns a permanent place, particularly when a single well-made tool can accomplish a broader task.

As technology continues to intersect with everyday cooking, reviews like this highlight how consumers can evaluate gadgets not just by specs, but by real-world performance, durability and usefulness across meals. For readers seeking to optimize a kitchen with a mix of smart and traditional tools, the emphasis remains on versatility, ease of cleaning, and how a device fits into a regular cooking routine. The broader takeaway is clear: in a well-used kitchen, the best gadgets are those that save time, reduce effort and reliably produce good results week after week.