In an effort to maintain the identity of another thread, in which I veered off topic, this thread is for sharing what tools of the trade make your kitchen function better/smoother.

Here's what I use on a regular basis:

Kitchen Aid mixer (for kneeding doughs, mixing pasta, cookies, cakes, etc...)
food mill (for mashing beans when making vegan sausages)
roasting pan (we have an older townhouse with a single oven, and this saved the day on Christmas Eve)
food processor (for making pesto, hummus, pasta, salsa)
pasta machine (so much easier than rolling by hand, but I still have a few rolling pins for egg noodles)
blenders (one for frozen drinks, the other for pureeing peppers for sauces)
steamers (one large one for tamales, a smaller one for sausages and reheating)
electric juicer (fresh carrot juice is the most)
citrus press juicer (I found this at Salvation Army for $5, soaked it in bleach water a couple of cycles and cleaned it thoroughly. I later saw one almost identical at Jamba Juice for $50, but the strainer plate was a cheaper metal! This works perfectly for Key limes and I'll be giving it a go on pomagranates)
Chafing dishes
electric skillet (this lets me get a head start on popper and bacon-wrapped water chestnuts before finishing them in the oven)
And far too many pots and pans for two people, but we love to entertain.

Kitchen implements are my vice and I often come home with new toys and have to sneak it into the house.

My Kitchen Aid mixer could quite easily be the second love of my life.

You sound like my sister! I am just the opposite...take out menus abound in my kitchen! I can make reservations at my favorite resturant!

<<<----guilty of hijacking 'other' thread as well.

Thanks BB for starting this new one!!

Lessee.....

KitchenAid Mixer
Breadmaker
Roasting pan
Cast Iron Grill
Food Saver (save TONS with this lil baby)
blender
Many, many pots and pans
slow cooker
electric juicer
good quality knives
rice cooker

and gadgets too numerous to mention!

I was just having this conversation with a co-worker last week.

I fail as a cook. As long as I have a pizza pan and a pot, I'm good. But now that my kids are getting older, I really want to start cooking more.

Hhmmm...
panini press
a good knife (but I want a gooder one)
I use a Bullet for food processing and grinding coffee beans
Heavy stainless steel pots & pans
rice cooker
steamer
jalapeno rack for making stuffed jalapenos
huge stock pot
lemon zester


Geez, it doesn't seem like much...I better start my Christmas list for next year!

I guess I'm quite basic, since I learned how to cook from my grandmas who never used any fancy gadgets

But I did get a great breadmaker for Christmas, which I love - I have successfully made 4 loaves of bread since then and they were delicious.

1. Toaster
2. Senseo Coffee Maker (single serving, since I'm the only person who will ever drink coffee and I do so maybe 1-2 times per month)
3. George Foreman Grill (which we only use to make paninis and other press-grilled sandwiches - best grilled cheese ever!)
4. Slow cooker (which I use maybe 4 times per year...)
5. Electric kettle (I do drink a lot of hot tea)
6. Great knife set (I love my good kitchen knives)

Other than that, just your basic pots and pans - combo of stainless steel and non-stick. I'm not very modern when it comes to cooking, I guess

Oh, Tigg. I want the Food Saver. It looks like it would save so much food.

We have two slow cookers and three deep fryers (the latter work great for hot wing parties).

We have just about the same things. (Just started using the rice cooker that we got last year for christmas, and I love it).

Add a large roaster (electric) it came in handy over christmas. We are renting now, but the next house will have two ovens or an extra kitchen in the basement.

Electric Griddle, comes in handy when the kids have sleep overs and they want pancakes, Can pump them out pretty fast with this baby.

We have a great roaster for the turkey/pork roast or whatever large piece of meat. It was given to us from a co-worker of my wife many years ago. She noticed my wife talking about cooking all the time and she said she had a roaster that she never used that she got as a wedding gift. It is purple and has white dots, it weighs a ton and I think it quite possibily could work as a bomb shelter . I love it!!

Next electric item I want to get for out kitchen is a Kitchen Aid mixer with all the good attachements.

My three faves are my Super Mixer, my pizza stone, and my crock pot. Other than the typical pots and pans, they're used the most.

cookie jar

I love my Toaster Oven... cooks a pork tenderloin just perfectly!

Tongs
Decent knives
Kitchen shears
Lots of big spoons
Big, deep cookie sheets (aka jelly roll pans.)

wife - no other kitchen tools required

:stares:

At my husband's end of our kitchen, we have the professional 6-burner viking stove, all the fancy skillets, etc. Double sink, the works. The other end, my end, has a small sink with a hot water dispense, microwave, and toaster. Fortunately, most of our meals are produced at his end!

Kitchen Aid Mixer - vital for my holiday baking
Calphalon pizza pans (use them for lots of things besides pizza)
Silicone pans and sheet liners - amazingly nonstick
Cookie sheets - stainless, nonstick, airbake...I use them all
Toaster oven - perfect for snacks or reheating
Crock pot - my husband's domain. He has some great recipes, and we use all 3 of ours when we entertain.
Cooks Essentials warmer - this is the best! We use it everytime we entertain and the food stays nice and warm all day.
Blendtec Blender - worth every penny. It obliterates everything. We use it in place of our food processor sometimes, and it's great for soups and sauces. It makes great smoothies too.
Food processor - usually used for huge batches of pesto. We make a ton and freeze it for use over time.
Chocolate pots - I'd be lost without these for my holiday baking. I have 4 of them and use them for candy making and covering all kinds of goodies in chocolate (pretzels, rice crispy treats, etc.)

We have tons of little kitchen gadgets, it's an addiction.

Slow Cooker
Convection Toaster Oven
Calphalon pots and pans and skillets
KitchenAid Mixer - haven't used in years - don't bake any longer
Cuisanart Coffee pot
Cuisanart Coffee Grinder
Cuisanart Hand Mixer
Blender
Waffle Iron
Bread maker - haven't used in awhile - need to get that out again

I don't have too many kitchen gadgets, but I did get an immersion blender for Christmas that I am eager to try out.

I do, however, love to go to Sur La Table and dream of all the things I could buy if I had the budget and the room to store it all!

cracker barrel

A well-appointed kitchen should have June Cleaver in a dress and pearls, and all the equipment necessary to make artery-clogging meals and chocolate cake.

My faves:

Crock pot
Henckel knives
huge saute pan from Costco
Kitchen aid mixer

and last but not least...
Betty Crocker cookbook!!

but no shoes allowed in the kitchen!