If you have a fisherman in your family, you’ll understand Cooks’ philosophy when it comes to gadgets and tools. People who love to fish will stop at nothing to improve and refine their craft. Be it the latest lures, grandpa’s lucky reel, a bamboo pole or a tasty morsel of pork rind bait, a dedicated fisherman will try most anything to get that lunker into the boat.

We cooks, as you might have guessed, are the same. We’ll look for any tool to make our job easier and our meals tastier. That’s why the Cooks gadget wall has it all, from you-know-you-need-‘em tools, to the you’ve-never-seen-anything-like-this must-haves, to the brings-back-memories-of-grandma’s-kitchen-drawer whatzits. If you can think of it, chances are Cooks sells it.

Do you really want to hand wash and dry each lettuce leaf by hand? Why, when a salad spinner can make the job child’s play? Would you use a mortar and pestle to crush peppercorns? You could, but a peppermill can finish the job in a fraction of the time. Cooks’ selection  of large tools focuses on streamlining the meal prep process. They are the workhorses of any kitchen, large or small.

Kuhn RikonKuhn Rikon

Kuhn Rikon has created high-quality pressure cookers and kitchen tools for more than 80 years. The company started in 1926 when Heinrich Kuhn purchased a copper and steel cookware factory in Rikon, Switzerland. With a blend of old-world craftsmanship,  innovative technology and sleek design, they continue to make life better by providing unique, quality products for the kitchen.

Features and Benefits:

  • Durable tools
  • Many items designed by Phillip Beyeler, an award-winning Swiss design engineer


MicroplaneMicroplane

The first Microplane actually began as a woodworking tool.  The big moment came in 1994, when Lorraine Lee, a homemaker in Ottawa, Canada, was making an Armenian orange cake. Out of frustration with her old grater, she picked up a new tool her husband had brought home from their hardware store. She slid the orange across its blades and was amazed. Lacy shards of zest fell from its surface like snowflakes. The Lees marveled at the tool, enjoyed the cake and promptly changed the product description in their catalog. Each Microplane grater is designed with their patented ultra-sharp cutting edges for effortless grating with hard and soft foods.

Features and Benefits:

  • Dishwasher safe.
  • Safety cover included
  • New nonslip base introduced on select models
  • Colors will be introduced for citrus graters summer ‘08

OXOOXO

The founder of OXO so named his company because whether it’s horizontal, vertical, upside-down or backward, it always reads OXO. Smart. OXOnians pride themselves on innovation and designing products that are easy to use for the widest possible spectrum of users. Their headquarters in the Chelsea Market, surrounded by the various food purveyors and restaurants of NYC, offers the perfect proving ground for more than 500 OXO kitchen tools.

Features and Benefits:

  • Well-designed tools that REALLY work
  • Soft grip handles are well branded
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Satisfaction guaranteed – just call customer service for quick and easy assistance

vic firthVic Firth

What does a timpanist for the Boston Symphony know about peppermills? Quite a lot, apparently. Vic Firth’s drive for perfection in the world of music led him to design and develop his own drumsticks. One thing led to another, until he blended his loves of food and precision tools to create the ultimate handcrafted peppermills and rolling pins. The mills are made in the USA of solid maple or cherry, and contain a crush-and-grind mechanism that allows for a wide range of grinds. The rolling pins are made from solid maple and fitted with stainless steel ball bearings for effortless rolling. Not too shabby for a guy who beats a drum for a living.

Features and Benefits:

  • Made in USA
  • Adjustable size of grind
  • Ball bearings make rolling out dough a pleasure rather than a chore