Which Expensive Kitchen Tools are Worth It?...And Which are NOT

Did I miss anything that you can’t live without? Which piece of expensive kitchen gear is the first you’d add to your cart and what do you think is overrated? Also, thanks Morning Brew for not requiring me to spend any money to get my daily news briefing - sign up for free here morningbrewdaily.com/lagerstrom

I managed to find a kitchenaid at a yard sale for $20. I was pretty damn poor at the time so I nearly wept with happiness when I found it. It's a big, beautiful beast that's and helped me make many a desserts and I love it.

Agree particularly with the vent hood recommendation. I rent and unfortunately recirculating "vents" are extremely common. They are about as useful as a recirculating toilet.

Speaking of KitchenAid mixers, I’m still using the one that my great grandmother bought in 1962. She gave it to my grandmother, who used it throughout my childhood, and it ultimately ended up with me after my grandmother died a few years ago. It mixes pizza and/or pretzel dough almost every week, and chugs along like a champ despite being less powerful than some of the company’s newer offerings.

After living in apartment for 6 years, I finally bought my very first house, the first thing I did was installing a very good vented hood. Trust me, you will not regret what ever the installation cost. It worth it!

Another note about those vitamix blenders is that they're often used in commercial kitchens and can find spare parts easily. The Carafe, the lids, the plunger, and that bit at the base that turns the blades can be replaced easily.

I personally love my dutch oven, cast iron skillets, vitamix and kitchenaid. Combined they basically form the backbone of everything I cook :)

For the pizza oven I'd say if you have the skill and knowledge to build one, go for it. It's a really fun project to do with a buddy or the family and it can turn into a great memory for the family and also a nice thing to use on the weekends.

The only essential expensive toy I don't have from your list is the Vitamix. I recently replaced my cheap cookware with cast iron and I've never been happier. I have a Lodge dutch oven which works very well and want to add a smaller one for smaller loaves of bread. Thank you for all your advice and videos.

The powerful ouside vented hood was life changing. It was a non-negotiable part of the kitchen redo. No more lingering smells and no more grease buidling up on the cabinets! My kitchenaid has been a workhorse for 30 years. Working in a pro kitchen has really taught me that there is equipment for show and stuff that is built for serious cooks.

Hey Bri, love content like this. I'd love an entire kitchen series on all the tool and pieces you use, and how to shop for a pick what's right for my needs as a hobby cook down to like the best deli containers or tupperware to use for storing leftovers.

Fun fact: Boos Block has a factory shop in Effingham, IL, which is right at the intersection of I-57 and I-70. They have a rotating selection of B-grade blocks and boards--we got a huge 12x18 board for about $60-70 because it had a small visual blemish on the reverse. If you're ever in town, swing by and take a look! (and if it's summer, stick around and have the corn chowder at Firefly Grill right down the road, btw)

I loved the input on the nonstick pans. I thought if I bought the pricey ones they would last a while. Glad I saw this before I bought them!

I built my own walnut cutting board and after hearing how much yours costs I'm even more proud of it. Even if it does take way more oil due to being new.

I definitely disagree with the Dutch oven recommendation- my Lodge has held up marvelously so far after 6 years of heavy use. I couldn’t ask for more from a Dutch oven and it was $300 less than a Le Creuset. The rest of the list is totally on point though!

I totally agree about the vitamix and the kitchen aid mixer! I have both and am constantly using them. My cookie dough needs the mixer and it is indeed great with a yeasty dough, and whipping up meringue. My vitamix smooths out so many soups and I make a tofu "ricotta " in it, so useful! I am currently eyeballing the le crueset, you may have sold me!

I've got my mother's old kenwood stand mixer that's older than me (51). After some loving care and attention (a part + new grease) its still rockin'! She's now jealous...

Thanks Bri! Pro home cook here. As I grew up a foody home cook, my friends and family showered me with cooking tools at any birthday, Xmas, or other gift occasion. It took me until age 50 finally to realize that LESS IS MORE and to start offloading stuff and minimizing my kitchen. Do I need need two wooden citrus reamers when all I ever use is a Mexican lemon/lime squeezer? No, out they go. And the less you keep generally should be as high quality as you can afford - buy once, cry once. I like all of Brian's recommendations, except the Le Creuset. I have a similar to Le C Kirkland model from Costco enameled dutch oven I paid $69 for it about ten years ago. It remains unscratched and unblemished, and I use it at least once once a week, often more. The cache of Le C is cool, but it is not worth the money. AND ONE HUMBLE SUGGESTION: best upgrade, used every single day, is a knife magnet bar strip I mounted to the wall above my stove. No more reaching into cluttered knife drawer. $20 on Amazon and two screws into the wall (or even just adhesive tape) and hallelujah! Ready access and no more cluttered knife drawer. Also forces you to ponder, hhmmm, do I really need all these knives? And the answer is no, you don't. A good chef's knife; a good semi flex boning knife; a good paring knife; a serrated slicing/bread knife; maybe a cleaver. Hard stop. Give the rest away. My two cents.

I ought to build you a ChudTable, its what I shoot all my cooking vids on, basically an outdoor boos block table with a commercial burner. Would solve your pizza oven problems!

I completely agree with your choices. My Kichenaid, my LeCreseut I cant live without. I found 8 pieces of LeCreseut at a rummage sale for $25 and you couldn't take the smile off my face for two months. The hype to purchase this new thing or that nee thing rings hollow. Staying with long lasting, tried and true items is the best way to go.