“The Microplane grater is, for me, the best and simplest piece of kitchen gadgetry. You can now get them with all sorts of blades an graters, and they’re great for everything from cheese and veg to truffles and frozen flavoured ice.” – Tom Aikens (The Guardian)

“A microplane is a pretty indispensable tool in the kitchen – we use it for everything from zesting citrus to grating nuts into a snow-like powder.” – Wylie Dufresne (Yahoo!)

“I can’t imagine my life without these pans. I store them in my oven, as the more you use them the better they get. My grandmother was obsessed with collecting cast iron and now I’ve started a collection of my own. The Lodge ones are fantastic because they come pre-seasoned and ready to go.” – Sean Brock (Gear Patrol)

“I use it to test the temperature of everything. It’s an essential tool every single day and really inexpensive.” – Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, NoMad (GQ)

“A cake tester is a great, multipurpose precision tool that allows you to check the internal temperature of proteins, gauge the texture of vegetables as they are cooking, and, if it’s your thing, check if your cake is done. An added bonus: it may be one of the least expensive tools you can equip your kitchen with.” – Matthew Rudofker, Momofuku Ssäm Bar (Gear Patrol)

“It’s a dome on a handle with a windshield-wiper blade built on the inside. It’s ideal for portioning out stiff batters of cake or cookie dough. Being a perfectionist, it’s the perfect tool to repetitiously dish exact amounts to create identical sized cupcakes, muffins, or cookies. And with the handy blade there for release, you can do this fast and efficiently, meeting yet another pastry-chef goal. Dishers come in a variety of sizes to meet all portioning needs!” – Jansen Chan, Director of Pastry Arts at International Culinary Center (Gear Patrol)

“Generally only four to five inches long, this handy tool is the sixth finger every pastry chef wishes he or she had. Fumbling hands can crush or mark a finished product. With a small offset, you can pick up small elements from underneath and provide a safe transfer from one place to another without disrupting the sides or top. And even if you do get those small nicks on a soft surface like frosting or mousse, they can be eliminated by a gentle graze by the metal side.” – Jansen Chan, Director of Pastry Arts at International Culinary Center (Gear Patrol)

“The kitchen gadgets I use everyday at home are a mortar and pestle…” – Grant Achatz, Alinea (Wall Street Journal)

“Ditch cups and tablespoons. Instead, embrace the metric system when cooking. It’s all about grams and ounces when it comes to cooking. You will have far more precision in your cooking. Trust me.” – Matthew Rudofker, Momofuku Säam Bar (Gear Patrol)