Friday List: 5 Not-Strictly-Essential but Super Awesome Kitchen Gadgets

While these kitchen tools might not be called absolute necessities, here are a handful of kitchen items that I super duper love. 

Could I survive without them? Yes. But do they make my life in the kitchen simpler, more delicious, and more efficient? Capital Y-E-S.

1. Silpat -- I first saw a Silpat at my in-laws' house, and wondered why the heck they were using that funky plastic sheet on their baking pans. They sent me one for Christmas many years ago, and I don't think I've baked cookies or rolls or biscuits without it since then. My baked goods bake so evenly and nicely, and they slide right off without ever sticking to the pan. I love it more than I ever would have expected.

2. Nutrimill Classic Grain Mill -- Chalk this up as another item I never would have purchased for myself, but have grown to love. My mom gave me this grain mill as a gift a few years ago, and it has turned out to be a really fun gadget to have in the kitchen. I love baking my own bread, so I step it up a notch now by grinding the wheat flour at home, too (so much cheaper than buying wheat flour!). I also use it to grind my own cornmeal and other flours (rice, etc.).

3. Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker -- see my full, detailed review of this item on Twined.com

4. Rival Electric Griddle -- I can actually remember specifically telling Jeff not to buy me a griddle in the past. It seemed unnecessary, especially when we don't have loads of kitchen storage to devote to non-essential tools. But after spending way too long flipping one pancake at a time in a little skillet on the stove, I finally caved and got an electric griddle. It has been way more useful than I ever would have guessed. I love using it for pancakes, but it's also perfect for making larger batches of eggs, cooking burgers indoors, grilled cheese sandwiches, and frying up bacon.

5. KitchenAid Stand Mixer -- see my full, detailed review of this item on Twined.com

Sooo . . . what's this Twined site where you can find some of my reviews?

I'm happy to enlighten you. Twined.com is a new shopping platform that lets you discover detailed, in-depth reviews of products you're interested in, written by experts and curators you trust (like yours truly). When you find an item and a review you love, you give it a vote. And based on the votes, Twined works to negotiate with vendors to get deals on the items you love. It's a new way to access the very best products at the very best possible prices. Check it out!

What are some of your non-essential but very favorite kitchen gadgets?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.