Betches may receive a portion of revenue if you click a link and purchase a product or service. The links are independently placed and do not influence editorial content.
Unlike most people, I did not step up my cooking game during the early days of the pandemic. But I did make it my goal to eat more at home and get creative in the kitchen in 2023. As I put my chef’s hat on, I knew I needed to stock up on some new (and obvi chic) cookware to start whipping up my favorite, and some new, recipes.
Of course, I looked no further than my trust social media feeds and saw one top contender over, and over, and over again—the Our Place Always Pan. For starters, this pan is so damn cute. I mean, just look at the pastel hues (minus the limited-edition/sold-out Selena Gomez collection) and picture this adorable piece sitting on your stove. The next biggest highlight apart from aesthetics is the fact that it really is made to cook everything, hence the name. But let’s get into the specs, so I can really convince you that it’s worth the $145 price tag (I know, I know—it ain’t cheap).
What Is The Our Place Always Pan?
Our Place’s popular pan is a non-stick piece that was designed to do the job of eight different cookware devices—yes, eight. Apart from its frying abilities, it functions as a saucepan, skillet, steamer, saucier, sauté pan, and of course, non-stick pan. But, that’s not all, because you get a lot more than just the pan itself once you open up the packaging. It also comes equipped with a wooden spatula, built-in spoon rest, colander, and steam basket.
@heartdefensor unboxing the Selena Gomez Collection with Our Place 🤍 literally cannot wait to cook with these! tysm for gifting to me @Our Place #selenagomez
How Does The Always Pan Compare To Other Pans?
The Always Pan is one of the few pans on the market that can function in more than one way. It’s also difficult to find non-stick pans or ceramic pans that can do each other’s jobs. Another feature that sticks out is how lightweight it is—it’s nearly impossible to find a skillet or sauté pan that won’t weight your arm down. And, since it does it all, you won’t have a bunch of other cookware taking up space in your kitchens and cabinets—it leaves a lot more room for you to explore other appliances and gadgets.
What Can You Cook With The Always Pan?
A better question would be: What can’t you cook with the Always Pan? So far, I’ve used it to make some crispy eggs for breakfast or a full Shakshuka situation. I’ve also boiled some penne and fussili pasta with the pan (!) and of course, I use it to sauté veggies and sear salmon or chicken.
Not convinced yet? Take a look at the pan in action below.
@runningwithlex Fueling my run! This pan is the freaking best and I love using it, it’s so good. #alwayspan #ourplace #eggs #breakfast #ultratraining #runnergirl #runtok #cooktok
Shop It: Our Place Always Pan, $145, Our Place
Betches may receive a portion of revenue if you click a link and purchase a product or service. The links are independently placed and do not influence editorial content.
I’m not ashamed to say it—I get a ton of my shopping recommendations from TikTok. My algorithm knows me far too well, and the most convenient (not to mention, chicest) items make their way onto my FYP. That’s especially true for the home and kitchen departments.
I’ve purchased so many appliances, kitchen gadgets, and cookware that I’ve come across on the clock app. Whether it’s a countertop device that will make my morning eggs for me in a few minutes, an investment piece like a standing mixer, or smart toaster, TikTokers do an excellent job at finding it all. And because I don’t like to gatekeep, I’m sharing some of my all-time favorite kitchen essentials from TikTok with you. Here are eight items that I absolutely can’t live without.
These Silicone Things That Preserve My Half-Eaten Produce
IDK about you, but I’m the type to buy produce and watch it go bad in a few days because I can’t get to it all. But, these silicone food savers have the changed the game for me for good. They come in different shapes and sizes to fit everything from limes to bananas, peppers, and everything in between.
Shop It: Food Huggers, $16.99, Amazon
This Veggie Chopper The Internet Is *Obsessed* With
Next, we have the most efficient thing I’ve ever gotten my hands on—a veggie chopper. I’m so past the days of tearing up while cutting onions, or getting garlic clove shells all over my cutting board. This handy gadget can chop an onion in seconds, and it comes with additional attachments to spiralize foods like zucchini.
Shop It: Fullstar Vegetable Chopper, $24.99, Amazon
This Spritzer That Keeps Your Food From Getting Greasy AF
Have you ever poured way too much oil onto a pan or your food? Well, say goodbye to that. This handy sprayer can disperse just the right amount of olive oil or vegetable oil to meal prep or start cooking. It’s way too easy.
Shop It: ZEREOOY Oil Sprayer, $10.99, Amazon
This Organizer That Keeps Your Cabinets From Overflowing
Have stacked pans in all of your cupboards? The horror. Get rid of the clutter and messiness and make space in your kitchen with this pan organizer. You can simply stick it in a cabinet and stack your go-to saucepans, pots, and frying pans.
Shop It: SOCONT Pot and Pan Organizer for Cabinet, $20.99, Amazon
This Smart Toaster That Truly Never Misses
Introducing the smartest toaster you’ll ever meet. It not only does wonders for bread and bagels, you can get crispy waffles, English muffins, and more with customized toasting and browning settings.
Shop It: Revolution InstaGLO Smart Toaster, $349.95, Amazon
The Mini Waffle Maker That Has Upgraded My Breakfast
Breakfast for one? Make yourself a delicious morning plate with Dash’s viral mini waffle maker. Simply pour in your preferred batter and warm it up until it’s ready to eat. Don’t forget to add some chocolate chips or blueberries while you’re at it.
Shop It: Dash Mini Waffle Maker, $12.99, Amazon
The OG KitchenAid That Is Majorly Worth The Price Tag
Baking game strong. Put on your pastry chef hat and use this gorgeous standing mixer to prep your goodies. It comes equipped with aluminum non-stick bowls and will look so chic sitting on your countertop.
Shop It: KitchenAid Standing Mixer, $449.95, Amazon
This Gadget That Promises Perfect Eggs Every Time
Who has time to mess up eggs? Never worry about overcooking some yolk in the morning again thanks to this compact cooker. It can boil, poach, and scramble eggs or steam vegetables, dumplings, and seafood. Talk about an all-in-one device.
Shop It: Dash Deluxe Rapid Egg Cooker, $31.95, Amazon
Since we’re all going to be living indoors for the foreseeable future, it’s probably time you learned how to f*cking cook. Even though Sex and the City taught us that ovens are for storing sweaters and fridges are only really meant for alcohol, I think the ongoing nature of these trying times means we need to face facts and like, cook food.
But grabbing a few ingredients and creating a masterpiece with nothing but a pan and wooden spoon isn’t the case for, well, most of us. Even when I pretend Gordon Ramsay y is over my shoulder and calling me an idiot sandwich, I can’t quite muster the culinary prowess I know that he thinks I’m capable of.
Mean celebrity chefs aside, here are a few of our favorite kitchen gadgets and must-haves that’ll make your meals (or desserts) come together a bit easier.
A Slow Cooker
Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S-A 6-Quart Cook & Carry Programmable Slow Cooker with Digital Timer
An oldie but a goodie. A slow cooker (specifically, a Crock-Pot) is the gadget to have in your cooking arsenal when:
a) you’re lazy
b) you don’t have time
c) you want something to taste like you babysat it all day
Many recipes created for the slow cooker will require you to simply get a nice golden brown on meat or veggies, then throw them into the slow cooker with spices and sauces. Other recipes literally require that you dump everything in, put the top on, and let that sh*t mingle for eight hours. Those kind are my favorite. Whatever the case, this is the go-to when you simply cannot even think about standing over a stove and creating something special. Plus, the aroma that will fill your home when something like slow cooker chicken chili verde or slow cooker barbacoa beef is cooking is worth every penny.
An Immersion Blender
Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watt 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender
If you’ve ever made a soup or sauce that requires several steps, and one of them happens to be “transfer two cups of the boiling hot liquid you’ve created to a blender”, then an immersion blender is the tool for you. I use this sh*t on the reg for sauces, stews, and things I create when I’m drunk. Basically, it’s a blender “wand” that you can stick into the pot of boiling liquid in front of you without having to transfer cups of it to an actual stand blender. It makes cleanup easier, it’s kind of fun, and you’ll feel like you’re cheating the system a little.
A Dutch Oven
Le Creuset LS2501-2659 Signature Enameled Cast-Iron Round French (Dutch) Oven
For going from the stovetop to the oven to the fridge, you need a Dutch oven. It’s the pot that can do it all, from boiling your sad pasta to creating a classic dish like boeuf bourguignon. We recommend Le Creuset, the be-all and end-all of Dutch ovens. The bottoms heat incredibly evenly, they come in an assortment of amazing colors, and they’re literally guaranteed for life.
A Food Processor
Cuisinart Elemental 8 Cup Food Processor
You know how you have a hankering for some homemade salsa but chopping six onions and five jalapeños and all those tomatoes just doesn’t seem worth it? Go get yourself a good food processor. On the days you don’t want to chop garlic or shred cheese—boom, food processor. Honestly, it seems like a one-trick kitchen tool, but having a decent food processor will go a long way in your prepping life. So, you’ll have more time for important sh*t like catching up on the absolute sh*tshow that is Outlander.
An Instant Pot
Full disclosure: I don’t have an Instant Pot, but I can see why you’d want one. Basically, the Instant Pot makes it possible to do all of the steps for one dish in one pot. So if a recipe calls for sautéing meat then braising it then saucing it, you can do it all in the same pot thanks to it having a million different settings.
Tongs
Hotec Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs
Sounds weird, but hear me out. You’ll notice on like, every cooking show, that chefs and chef-wannabes use those cool metal tongs for everything. It’s because they can easily turn over pieces of meat, grab sh*t out of the oven, be used on or around a grill (or open flame), and are really hard to damage.
A Stand Mixer
KitchenAid Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield
Everyone is making f*cking bread in quarantine, and, as someone who watched her husband struggle-bus through making baguettes (LOL), I can tell you that having a heavy KitchenAid stand mixer came in especially handy. Even if you aren’t attempting something like bread and are more of the “let’s make cookies” mentality, having a stand mixer do the work for you so that you don’t have to stand and beat eggs for 10 minutes is extremely helpful.
A Good Chef’s Knife
Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Short Bolster Forged Chef’s Knife, 8 Inch
There’s literally nothing more dangerous in the kitchen than a shitty, dull knife. Well, maybe like, a grease fire or your mother-in-law’s judgment, but you get the idea. Having a good, sharp, and dependable knife will make your life so much easier. When you’re taking edges off meat or chopping an apple or anything else, get a good, sharp knife.
A Cast Iron Skillet
Amazon: Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
You grandmother definitely had five of these, and for good reason. A cast iron skillet results in amazing caramelization on meat and veggies, lasts literally forever, and can be used for everything from steak to giant skillet chocolate chip cookies. There are a few tips and tricks to taking care of one, like never using soap on it, cleaning with salt and oil (yes, really), and occasionally “seasoning” it in the oven, but, all that aside, this is definitely one of the top kitchen “gadgets” that will stand the test of time and result in some truly delicious sh*t.
An Air Fryer
Do you f*cking love fried food but f*cking hate calories? Grab an air fryer and get to work. The circulation of very little oil plus air results in the crispy, slightly crunchy/greasy taste you love without you having to actually deep fry anything or eating 1,000 calories in one sitting. Sure, you may not use it all the time, but being able to easily, quickly, and safely make French fries without ordering takeout or trying to properly heat an actual vat of oil seems worth it.
An Egg Poacher
Joseph Joseph Poach-Pro™ Egg Poachers
Normally, I’d say something like an egg poacher is a f*cking waste of money. HOWEVER, upon actually trying to poach an egg (all as part of bettering myself during quarantine), I can tell you that, for a beginner, it’s kind of hard. For $7 and change, you can grab this little egg poacher helper thing-a-ma-do. I don’t know why it works, but it makes having Eggs Benedict as part of virtual brunch a lot easier.
A Steamer Basket
Joseph Joseph Bloom Folding Steamer Basket
Maybe you’re one of those annoying people who’s taking advantage of the quarantimes to readjust your life and eating habits. Like, jazz snaps for you. And, if that’s the case, you def need a good steamer basket so you can get the perfect consistency for your broccoli or green beans or chicken breast without drying sh*t out or making it very wet and sad (like when I send my dog outside to pee in the rain). The Bloom Folding Steamer Basket fits in pretty much any pan, is nonstick, and self-adjusts in terms of size. At $10, there’s really no excuse NOT to have one.
Regardless of how you’re living your best quarantine life, now is definitely the time to explore your kitchen and culinary skills, gadgets or not. If nothing else, call your mom, dad, or grandmother and ask about what they can’t live without in the kitchen.
Images: Alyson McPhee / Unsplash; Giphy (1); Amazon (10); Joseph Joseph (2)
Betches may receive a portion of revenue if you click a link and purchase a product or service. The links are independently placed and do not influence editorial content.
