THE SHOP

Here are my recommendations for some basic products for the beginner or experienced cook in need of some guidance. Much more will be added over time becoming a complete shopping guide.

All links are affiliate links meaning I do make a small profit from your purchases to help support this blog. Your price is not affected by this commission.

 My Best Recommendations

Thermapen	All-Clad 12-inch Fry Pan	Victorinox Chef Knife
From Thermoworks	From Amazon	From Amazon
Be a better cook today. My one must have cooking tool.	I love All-Clad. The 12-inch with lid is my everyday pan.	Top rated by CI. Get in the 8 or 10-inch model.
Cuisinart Grind Brew	Cuisinart 3.5 qt Slow Cooker	Lodge 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet
From Amazon	From Amazon	From Amazon
A must have for me.	Great cooking for two size.	10-inch is cooking for two size.

Thermometers

Accurate thermometers are a must for accurate cooking. As they say, knowledge is power. A good thermometer will take you from an ok to an excellent cook.

I love my Thermopen, but it is expensive. A cheaper thermometer will be slower but will still be fine. A good thermometer (like the Thermopen) will outlast a cheaper thermometer many times over and save you lots of money and heartache with improperly prepared meat.

To grill well, you need to know the surface temperature of the grill. Don’t spend a lot on this since they discolor and don’t last long.

An oven thermometer should occasionally be used to check the accuracy of your cooking. The oven is one of the most common inaccuracies people have with cooking.

Thermapen	Thermopop	Rubbermaid Commercial Oven Thermometer
From Thermoworks	Thermoworks	From Amazon
My one must have tool.	A cheaper but excellent tool.	I have this one and it works great.
CDN Grill Surface Thermometer
From Amazon

Knives

Good knives are a must. Dull cheap knives are much more likely to injury you and will make your cooking experience frustrating. There are many excellent brands. I personally own and use these recommendations daily.

Victorinox 10-Inch Chef’s Knife	Wusthof Classic 8-Piece Knife Set	Wusthof 6-Piece Steak-Knife Set
From Amazon	From Amazon	From Amazon
A wonderful bargain. Usually, wins the CI evaluation for knives.	This is the one I have.	A supplement to my knife set.

Pots and Pans

The copper bottom stuff you grew up with will NOT do.

Modern cookware will conduct heat much better. I now use mostly All-Clad, but Calphalon and many others make excellent products.

Now go to William-Sonoma website and sign up for the mailing list. The daily emails are good but about once per month, they have an unbelievable deal.

Lastly, you must have some cast iron. It is cheap and lasts for generations. I like Lodge if your mother won’t give you hers.

All-Clad 12-inch Skillet	Lodge 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet	Calphalon  Nonstick 10- and 12-Inch
From Amazon	From Amazon	From Amazon
My everyday pan.	Cheap, preseasoned, and great.	Excellent non-stick for daily use.
Calphalon Nonstick Cookware Set, 10 Piece	Lodge 6 qt Dutch Oven
From Amazon	From Amazon
A nice starter set from a good company.	You can buy more expensive but why?

Grilling Accessories

A few recommended grilling accessories. There are a ton of great toys to be had out there. These are useful.

Cast Iron Smoker Box	Wood Chips	Charcoal Chimney
From Amazon	From Amazon	From Amazon
Smoke for a lifetime.

Last Updated

September 22, 2016