5 Kitchen Tools Worth The Splurge

These are the top 5 best kitchen tools I really think helped me in the kitchen. Even though there are so many other helpful kitchen appliances and tools out there, these are the must haves! The best part is they can all be ordered online and at your door in a few days. I tried to keep it budget friendly & find the best deals for not just you but me TOO.

(click on the images to be directed to purchase).

1. Kitchen Aid - Classic Mixer

If you don’t have one of these, then please consider getting one! I know they are pricey, but they are so worth it. Not only are they great for whisking egg whites for cakes (let’s be real, who hates this part as much as I do?) but they can even knead dough for you! Yes, you heard me right! Knead.DOUGH.for.YOU. I can’t stress enough how much this helped me as a beginner in the kitchen. My first pita, I ever made (by myself) – this did all the work for me. Of course, over time you learn the tricks and do’s & don’ts with a kitchen mixer but you honestly can not go wrong with this purchase. Birthday coming up? Women’s International Day? Valentine’s Day? Ladies, ask for this! It’s a life-saver!

2. Food Chopper

I am not sure how woman back in the day chopped up veggies, but I am NOT a fan. Not only is it time consuming, but I’m just not good at it at all. They say ‘don’t think about it too much, it comes naturally’ or ‘get the right knife’ for cutting veggies, etc. Well, big knife, small knife, expensive or cheap…I need to practice my cutting and chopping skills because I am still not good at it. Or do I? Maybe not! One day, I was bored and when I am bored, I scroll through Amazon looking for, hmmm anything really. I came across this food chopper and at first, I was skeptical, like “How? Is it that sharp…to cut through a WHOLE onion?” I went ahead and purchased it. Let’s say, BEST decision I ever made! This thing has chopped up strawberries, apples, Brussel sprouts, onions, garlic, potatoes…the list goes on! I’m sure you can find this for cheaper at Home Goods, TJMaxx, or Marshalls but I like this one in particular because it comes with different chopping varieties. – GO GET YOU ONE! If you don’t like it, you can always send it over to me L O L.

3. Ninja Food Processor/Blender

I love this set! You need a food processor in your kitchen, as much as you need a blender for your smoothies. I can’t live without my food processor (no but really, I can’t). I pulse walnuts for my crepes and almonds for my cakes. I also pulse crackers for my cakes. CAKE.CAKE.CAKE. The food processor can even be used to make the dough for tulumbe (fried dough churros). I’ve made some soups with this food processor, such as my Lentil Soup. It just gives the perfect texture. The best part is you get a blender, 2 single serve blenders and a food processor all for one price. Can’t beat that!

4. Rolling Pin

If you’re from the Balkans or a baker and you don’t have one of these in your kitchen, then I don’t know what you’re doing. I am very picky with rolling pins and honestly there are so many out there with cute designs, pretty colors, or like the marble ones and bright blue ones. It makes it hard to find the perfect one. However, I am a traditional kind of girl and what I found works best is…a traditional style rolling pin that gets the job done. A wooden rolling pin works best, one that does not weigh a ton, doesn’t rust, or change colors from exposure to oil and flour. I’ve tried marble ones and silicone ones, but they did not get the job done. In fact, I was honestly struggling. However, those rolling pins are cute for kitchen décor (at least that is what I use mine for). This rolling pin is best for beginners or even experts. I love the handles on the side as it makes it easy to grip. The handles have a grip to them that won’t allow your handles to slide off. It’s super easy to clean and even easier to store as it isn’t as long as some of the other rolling pins out there! Rolling pins should not be soaked in water, but they should be washed with a damp wash cloth to maintain the hardwood and keep it durable longer.

5. Tepsija (Non-Stick Deep Dish Baking Pan)

I tried to find the closest thing online to a tepsija, which is a deep dish round pan that bakes pita (phyllo-dough pie). I came across this metallic pan & it works wonders! It doesn’t burn the pita on the bottom and most importantly it does not stick. It can be used for high temperatures to bake the pita (425F). I was also skeptical about this one because I was worried it wouldn’t cook the filling inside but it does, just as good as the ones we would find in European grocery stores or back home in Europe. It is also a big size that can fit in almost all ovens, giving you enough space to make a big, round pita or small little ones.

I hope this helps you and preps you for baking in your kitchen. They really are must haves in every Balkan kitchen..or American, or any kitchen to be honest. Nowadays, we are always on-the-go and so busy and if you're like me, who looks for anything to make my life easier, you definitely won't regret any of these purchases.

All my love,

Amina