This Ridiculously Cute (and Essential!) $18 Tool Will Be the Star of Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Here at Kitchn, we’re big fans of anything that adds a little (or a lot) of flair into our cooking space. That’s why you’ll often find Our Place cookware out on our stoves (the pieces are just too pretty to put away) or storing our leftovers in especially elegant food storage containers. Adding a color or a unique spin to the kitchen essentials that we reach for so frequently makes using them a lot more fun. The added bonus? Our kitchens are totally chic.

But, there is one group of cooking essentials that’s a little harder to come by when searching for something with style: kitchen tools. And, while it might seem hard to transform a boring old set of tongs into a work of art, there are a few brands who are making the case for snazzy accessories. In fact, one of the brand’s that we turn to most often when looking to spice up any room of the house recently released a kitchen essential that’s perfect for the upcoming holidays. Staff, the maker of some of our favorite oven mitts (not to mention bathroom and bedroom must-haves), now has a bold, bright, and super fun baster. Turkey day, here we come!

Now, I don’t know about you, but basters have traditionally been pretty bird-specific in my life. Growing up, my mom made roast turkey breast every week, brined and coated in zesty lemon pepper. I remember watching her suction and siphon the golden, onion-y drippings back over the breast with our very, very old baster (the rubber bulb of that baster literally disintegrated sometime between ages 12-14). But, it wasn’t until I tried out Staff’s dazzling version that I realized I had been missing out on the versatility of these things for my entire cooking life.

Now, of course, there are the looks to consider when talking about this unique tool. The vibrant, two-toned baster has a hot pink translucent tube, and a dark purple rubber bulb complete with the brand’s signature gold smiley face that’s perfectly poised to remind you cooking is joy every time you give it a squeeze. But, looks aside, the baster is a lot easier to use than others I’ve tried. Instead of taking two or three frustrating attempts at capturing a tube full of juice, or drippings, or fat — you know, that super annoying thing where you have to squeeze hard to empty the half full bulb before starting over — gathering liquid into this baster takes minimal effort. Just a simple squeeze’ll do.

Crafted from high-quality rubber, this bulb has no chance of disintegrating, and is both pliable and structured for the ideal grippable balance. The tube is tapered, making it wide enough at the base to hold ample liquid and thin enough at the tip to prevent the entry of unwanted stray onions or bits of carrot. Smart designing, Staff! I hate having to spend countless precious cooking minutes retrieving unruly veggie bits from inside the tool.

Since playing around with this holiday-essential, I’ve used the highly heat-resistant (up to 194 degrees Fahrenheit) tool for a variety of different culinary tasks. I’ve pulled excess fat from ground meat and used it to continually dispense jus over mushrooms as they sauté. I’ve finally perfected dispensing equal amounts of cupcake batter drip-free, and I’ve even taken a stab at pancake art (spoiler alert: I’m not very good at it). Plus, on one rare occasion, I used the bulb to cork a bottle of vino. (Now, try to tell me basters are only for turkey!)

However, it is true, there is no more efficient way to keep a roasting Thanksgiving bird moist and tender (without burning yourself that is) than with a baster, and I think this pizzazz-filled version makes the day-long cooking task all the more fun. If someone drank the orange juice you were reserving for cranberry sauce or Aunt Gloria forgot she was the one making potatoes, just take a look at the baster’s ‘lil smiley face, and squeeze any potential Thanksgiving woes away.

Buy: The Baster, $18