Our Best Picks

Built-in conical burr grinder, precise PID temperature control, and steam wand that can genuinely texture milk. The all-in-one espresso setup that punches way above its price. Compare vs Bambino Plus →

Dutch-engineered drip perfection. Brews at the right temperature, at the right bloom speed, every single time. Built to last decades. The Moccamaster is worth every cent.

A professional dual-boiler machine scaled for home kitchens. If you're serious about espresso and have the budget, this is the last machine you'll ever buy.

For capsule convenience without compromise on crema quality, Nespresso's Vertuo system delivers remarkable consistency with nearly zero learning curve.

0.1°C temperature precision, a built-in stopwatch, and hold mode make this the pour-over enthusiast's essential tool. Beautiful, functional, and worth every penny.

Under $40 and makes one of the cleanest, most concentrated cups you can brew at home. Virtually indestructible, packs flat, and cleans up in seconds. A genuine classic.

Our top pick from Best French Press Coffee Makers (2026). A double micro-filter gives full French press body with far less grit, for about $40.

Our top pick from Best Milk Frothers (2026). Dense hot or cold foam from dairy or plant milk, with a dishwasher-safe stainless pitcher.

Our buy-first pick from Best Espresso Accessories (2026). 0.1 g resolution, auto-start shot timer, and USB-C charging for dialing in espresso.

Our Breville pick from Best Bottomless Portafilters & Precision Baskets (2026). Fits the Barista Express, Barista Pro and Bambino Plus, includes an 18 g basket, and shows channeling instantly.

The $45 knife trusted by culinary schools and professional prep cooks worldwide. Arrives sharp, stays sharp, and the Fibrox grip is exceptional. Unbeatable value.

The runner-up to the Fibrox at an even lower price. Same German steel, NSF certified, and a comfortable Santoprene handle. Best pick if the Fibrox is sold out.

Japanese high-carbon steel, granton edge, laser-sharp 15° bevel, and a balance point that feels like an extension of your hand. The knife serious cooks upgrade to.

Precision-forged in Solingen, Germany, with near-perfect balance and a lifetime track record. The benchmark Western chef's knife. A true investment piece.

68-layer Damascus steel and a D-shaped handle designed for right-handed precision. Strikingly beautiful and exceptionally sharp. The knife for collectors and enthusiasts.

German steel, full tang, and a traditional bolster at a budget-friendly price. A reliable kitchen workhorse for anyone who wants a traditional Western-style blade under $50.

Our top pick from Best Santoku Knives (2026). Thin, sharp, dimpled Japanese blade with a familiar Western handle for about $140.

Our top pick from Best Nakiri Knives (2026). Serious Eats’ favorite nakiri: a thin, hard VG-10-class blade with a Western handle for about $120.

Our top pick from Best Paring Knives (2026). Forged German steel and a narrow, sharp blade for about $25.

Tri-ply construction, even heating, oven-safe to 600°F, and built to outlast any kitchen trend. The foundational pan every serious home cook should own.

Under $40 and it will outlast you. Lodge's pre-seasoned cast iron delivers searing performance that rivals pans ten times the price. The ultimate value buy in cookware.

Enameled cast iron that braises, bakes bread, and simmers soups with unmatched heat retention. The heirloom cookware piece worth every dollar of its premium price.

Rival to Le Creuset with a textured matte interior that many chefs prefer for its self-basting lid design. Slightly heavier, arguably more beautiful.

5-ply Belgian steel with TriplInduc base for perfect induction performance. When All-Clad isn't enough, Demeyere is where serious cooks go next.

The natural nonstick of cast iron with half the weight. Carbon steel heats up faster, responds more quickly, and goes from stovetop to oven without complaint.

Our top pick from Best Kitchen Scales for Baking (2026). 1 g accuracy with a pull-out display that stays readable under large mixing bowls.

The classic baker scale — sealed buttons, 1 g reads, and a four-minute auto-shutoff. Proven accuracy without the OXO price.

Our top pick from Best Sheet Pans for Baking & Roasting (2026). Pure aluminum with an encapsulated steel rim — the consensus home half sheet.

Our top pick from Best Mixing Bowls for Baking (2026). Non-skid bases and insulated exteriors in the 1.5 / 3 / 5 qt sizes most recipes need.

Our top pick from Best Rolling Pins for Baking (2026). Vermont maple that holds flour and pivots pie dough into rounds.

Our top pick from Best Loaf Pans for Sandwich Bread (2026). Americoat release and fluted aluminized steel for weekly sandwich loaves.

Our top mat from Best Silicone Baking Mats & Cooling Racks (2026). French fiberglass-and-silicone original for half sheets — the pastry-chef standard.

Our top pick from Best Food Processors for Home Cooks (2026). 720W workhorse with simple controls — the consensus home-cook processor.