15 Useful Kitchen Tools from Local Seattle Stores
Studies show, or at least we’re pretty sure they would, that we spend way too much of our precious time hassling with outdated meal-prep gadgets and cooking methods. Slicing garlic with dull knives, mixing up measurement conversions, finding that fresh banana irrevocably browned—we’ve all been there. But there is a better way.
These products are available on the Shops at Seattle Met, the city’s first online marketplace bringing the best local businesses together in one place.
A well-packed measuring cup is “close enough,” but tripling the recipe with a precision scale can save a lot of ingredients and time (and make your food turn out better, to boot). So why risk it when the Escali Arti sits so handsomely at the kitchen counter, ready to measure both dry and liquid ingredients? Its low profile allows you to leave it out, and an easy-to-clean surface wipes right off.
Don’t botch recipes by trusting that salt or spice container to shake out right. Instead, grab the perfect pinch out of this dapper Wood Salt Cellar from Terra Bella. An Italian walnut base and pewter swivel lid dress up any kitchen counter, making this an excellent gift for your favorite chef or Salt Bae.
Chuck the tough-to-handle tongs and get straight to the point. Salad Hands lets you toss and serve salads in a snap, then tines slide onto the bowl for easy access. Super-strong and sustainable flat-grain Moso bamboo offsets salad greens for a healthful aesthetic.
This zester is a godsend in a world full of dull, gummed-up gadgets that somehow can’t mince garlic, but can get your finger, no problem. This rust-free, stainless steel version has a strong, grippy handle and a unique tooth design that zests with precision to get the flavorful rind while leaving behind the bitter pith. Works for ginger, garlic, spices, cheese, and more.
This tumbler should live right next to your coffee maker if caffeination on the fly is your thing (and a lap full of hot coffee isn’t). With a double-walled vacuum design and an ice cube–ready wide mouth that’s great for cold drinks, it fits right into most cupholders and is also leakproof if chucked in the backseat or jostled around in a shoulder bag. Stainless steel means excellent taste, and BPA-free materials ensure healthy hydration.
Pineapple lovers who avoid the tough-to-prep fruit best not sleep on this labor-saving gadget that makes peeling and slicing as easy as opening a bottle of wine. This handy device slices as it hollows, cutting right up to the rind as you twist. You’re left with a juicy cylinder of rindless fruit sections and less mess.
Make life a bowl of pitted cherries with the squeeze of a handle. Bonus: Oxo’s handy pitter works on olives, too.
Sick of bugging Alexa for cooking conversions, or the flour-handed back and forth from cutting board to Google? Attach this label to the fridge or a smooth surface nearest your meal-prep station for accurate ingredients and tastier outcomes. Wipes clean to restick anywhere.
Peel and devein shrimp in one (maybe two) fell swoops: This cleaner’s articulated blade arcs with the shape of the crustacean, forcing its way through the shell to remove the whole thing with little more than a swipe of the thumb.
Garlic and ginger: We’d never eat without them if it weren’t for all the prep work—not to mention the cleanup. This tool helps slice the thinnest waifs of garlic or ginger with a back-and-forth slide. To shred, flip it over and do the same.
Homemade dressings are tastier and fresher, but who wants one more thing to clean up after all that cooking? Skip a few steps with this combination measuring cup, mixer, and server.
Great for the outdoor kitchen or campsite, the Roccbox bakes pizza to perfection using wood (which imparts a nice smoky flavor) or gas. A safe-touch silicone jacket protects hands and surfaces.
Why does produce go bad so quickly? It’s those pesky escaping gases. As it turns out, absorbing them with a carbon filter keeps fruit and veggies fresh far longer.
This sharpener holds knife blades at just the right angle as you swipe them through. Because there should never be a dull moment in the kitchen.
Remember when the hot-air popcorn popper was the latest craze in every kitchen? Cuisinart’s bringing it back with a device that pops up to 10 cups in less than three minutes for a snack that’s quicker than stovetop and healthier than microwave.
