When Geoffrey Lilge agreed to help outfit Highlands Kitchen, his wife's award-winning restaurant in Edmonton, Canada, he had no idea it would lead to a new career for him. He became obsessed with finding the perfect cutting and charcuterie boards, which eventually led to OnOurTable, a collection of handcrafted wooden kitchen objects that Lilge makes in his Alberta woodshop. More

Item: The Belkin Chef Stand and Stylus for Tablets
Price: $39.99 at full price (Many sources, including Amazon, sell it for $21)
Overall Impression: An indispensable tool for using tablets like the iPad in the kitchen and for keeping them safely out of the way when cooking.

I had my iPad in the kitchen with me within hours of opening the box, and now I consider it a cooking tool just as essential as my KitchenAid mixer or my subscription to Fine Cooking. I usually prop my iPad on unused part of the counter, out of splashing distance but still within visual range, and use a mostly-clean knuckle to scroll through recipes when my fingers are sticky. This stand from Belkin has changed all that in one fell swoop. More

Calling all small-kitchen cooks! Inquiring minds want to know: what's your favorite pry-it-from-your-cold-dead-fingers multi-tasking specialty tool or gadget? We don't mean basic workhorses like the wooden spoon or cast iron skillet. We mean those not-totally-essential-but-still-really-useful-things that make cooking easier, faster, or more enjoyable. More

How serious are you about ice cream? If you want pretty, perfectly rounded scoops, you're going to need the right tool. Here are five ice cream scoops up to the task. More

If you live in a small apartment, you know that space is key, especially in the kitchen. When every last inch counts, these five collapsible kitchen and cooking products become essential space-savers. More

It might seem finicky, but in recipes calling for specific internal cooking temperatures—a roast, for example, or egg-based desserts like cheesecake—a thermometer can make all the difference between a perfectly done dish and one that's overcooked. You may even find once you get in the hang of using a cooking thermometer, you'll come to rely on it in recipes that don't specifically call for it. More

We get this question a lot: what kinds of pots, tools, and gadgets are essential in the kitchen? This seems like an overwhelming topic, especially if you're a newbie cook just setting up your first real post-college kitchen. Thankfully, The Kitchn has a few guides to help you on your way. (Also helpful to pro cooks who want to pare down!) If you missed 'em, here are the five guides we've offered so far... with more to come! More

Item: Edgeware Better Zester
Price: $14.95
Overall Impression: Pretty much the perfect citrus zester.

I use citrus zest constantly; very few cooking sessions go by in my kitchen without me reaching for my citrus zester at least once. Well, last year at the Housewares show in Chicago I saw a fantastic new zester that had some small but well-designed improvements that won my heart. More

Q: I am moving from Europe to the US and have to leave a lot of my kitchen things behind. But now I get to go shopping in the US for all new shiny toys! What favorite and must-have kitchen tools and appliances should I get?

Sent by Meike More

Am I the only one who feels a slow, warming sensation begin to work its way through my body when I look at impeccably organized drawers? The junk drawer in my kitchen doesn't look like this, but oh how I wish it would. It'll come as no surprise that the drawers above are from Martha Stewart, but I was pleased to realized her secret: modular units instead of all-in-one drawer organizers. Yes! More