Shop Our F&W Faves at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
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Food & Wine / Joy Kim
At Food & Wine, we love cooking, hosting, and traveling, so we're passionate about the tools that help us do all of the above. That's why we take our product testing just as seriously as we take our recipes and our restaurant selection. In our three testing labs and 50+ test kitchens across the country, our editors and experts are hard at work trying the latest and greatest launches as well as tried-and-true tools we've loved all along.
The goal? To bring you the very best product recommendations, whether you're whipping up dinner at home or venturing out for some inspiration and exploration. We've covered hundreds of categories, putting more than 2,500 products through their paces over tens of thousands of hours, but we curated some of our absolute favorites in honor of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
Food & Wine
Read on for all of our Food & Wine Faves — the items we love to use, gift, and recommend time and time again.
GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
There's something undeniably satisfying about nugget ice, whether you're a fan of classic highball cocktails or feeling nostalgic for a drive-in slushie in the summertime. This machine is the Cadillac of nugget ice makers (we'd argue of all ice makers) thanks to a few features you won't find all in one on any other model. First and foremost is the speed — this machine starts cranking out those crunchy little cylinders within minutes and can produce over a pound of ice per hour.
Next is the extra reservoir, which is a nice addition to keep ice flowing and serves as an easy way to fill up the main tank. The dimmable UV light in the ice-viewing window prevents bacterial growth (though you should still run the cleaning cycle once a week if you're using it daily). Save for the occasional tapping of the ice dropping, the machine is also pleasantly quiet and won't drown out any conversations at your family gatherings. It's nice-looking as appliances go, and the output is a crowd-pleaser through and through.
PolyScience Breville Gun Pro Smoke Infuser
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
Serious home mixologists and home cooks who love a gadget will want to spring for a good smoking gun. This model from Breville takes the concept to new heights — it's the most versatile smoking gun we tested thanks to an extender hose and an adjustable fan. We were able to infuse an Old Fashioned using oak chips, achieving the perfect smoky flavor by simply turning the dial. The tool is also nicely portable and easy to store, so your home bar won't feel cluttered. The detachable burn chamber and smoking barrel are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
We shrouded ourselves in smoke and sipped (probably too) many cocktails with the guidance of a seasoned mixologist, comparing un-smoked drinks with each infuser’s smoked counterpart. With slightly different methods for smoking guns, top-style infusers, and wooden boards with glass, we still found the Breville tools smoked the competition.
Elevated Craft Hybrid Cocktail Shaker
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
Every home bar needs a reliable cocktail shaker, and we love using this Elevated Craft model for cocktails at home. We tried out Boston shakers and cobbler shakers on a wet shake (with ice), a dry shake (without ice), and a long shake to determine which vessels have the right balance of insulation, ergonomics, and leakproof seals.
This shaker performed well in every test and looks great on a bar cart to boot. The unique shape of the vessel is easy to grip while shaking, and the double-walled insulation saves your hands from freezing in the process. Many shakers have the usual 0.5- or 1.5-ounce measurement in the cap, but this takes it a step further with measurement lines up to 6 ounces, as well as metric milliliters if that's your preferred unit. Grab one in classic stainless steel, black stainless, or copper.
Josephine No. 3 Wine Glass
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
Wine is literally in our name, so naturally, it takes a special wine glass to stand out for our editors and sommeliers. Our team spent days swirling and sipping from a dozen of the top options on the market to determine the best universal and red wine glasses, considering design, durability, size, and shape. The look and feel of the Josephine No. 3 easily won us over. The elegant shape is perfectly balanced, sturdy, and an absolute statement piece. It's just versatile enough to do it all while still feeling one of a kind.
"I would drink any red wine out of the glass, and white wine for that matter," says our EIC Hunter Lewis. It goes beyond the everyday wine glass (we wouldn't toss this around at a party) and should be treated with care. Gift a set to share a great bottle of wine, or treat yourself and take your usual house wine to the next level.
Coravin Timeless Eleven Wine Collector Pack
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
It's always a big commitment to open that expensive bottle of wine you've been storing carefully at home. Coravin has been the answer for serious wine lovers for years, and the natural cork-tapping technology is the best it’s ever been. Simply press the button, and the gadget helps pour right past the cork while keeping the interior of the bottle perfectly balanced with gases. You can enjoy that expensive bottle one glass per week, or even per year if you like. For a committed wine collector who has (almost) everything, this is a go-to gift that our editors love.
VinGardeValise Universal Travel Wine Suitcase
Food & Wine/Jhett Thompson
There’s no souvenir we love collecting more than wine, which is why a wine suitcase tops our current list of recommendations for items you probably never knew you needed. When our Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle travels, this is the suitcase he checks to transport wines safely and in style.
“I’ve been using the VinGardeValise for years now—it’s kept any number of valuable bottles from breaking as I’ve traipsed across the country from wine event to wine event,” Isle says. “It also looks great, and rolls very well — the latter is key when you’re lugging 40 pounds of wine through an airport. And if you remove the foam inserts, your spouse can steal it now and then to use as a regular suitcase. ‘Where’s my wine suitcase?!’ ‘Oh, it’s with me in Florida.’ Come to think of it, maybe better to buy two of them.”
YETI Hopper Flip 12
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
Whether it's a day at the beach with the family or a hot afternoon on the golf course, a durable cooler will always pay off in spades for usefulness. YETI's brand name speaks for itself, and the portable Hopper Flip has been a favorite of ours for years of testing. It’s stood up to tumbles, brutal heat, camping trips, and beach days without breaking a sweat.
After two years of frequent use, the sturdy zipper is still leakproof and opens and closes smoothly (no fumbling around on your way to grab a drink). The 12-liter bag can house two six-packs with ice, and yet even when full it's lightweight and comfortable to carry thanks to the substantial strap. It comes in dozens of YETI's signature colors and never fails to attract compliments wherever our editors go.
Le Creuset Dutch Oven
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
Unless you just arrived on Earth, you're probably keenly aware of the many colors and offerings in Le Creuset’s collection. It's undoubtedly a darling amongst food editors, chefs, and home cooks. A tool like the Dutch oven is a special gift anyone will keep forever, and the 7.25-quart is a favorite of ours.
In our lab tests as well as our kitchens at home, this pot is a star with a signature nonstick interior, incredible heat retention, and eye-catching colors that fit every home’s style. The capacity is perfect for meal prepping or serving a crowd for the holidays, and it can withstand up to 500 degrees in the oven. The enameled interior doesn't require seasoning or constant maintenance, and we love that it looks great on display if cabinet space is limited.
Shun Cutlery Classic Blonde Chef's Knife
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
A chef's knife is easily the most-used kitchen tool, so investing in a truly great one is an obvious step for any home cook. During our extensive (and ongoing) chef's knives testing, the Shun has stood out in every task. From slicing tomatoes to dicing squash and chopping onions, the sharp, sleek Shun was a favorite amongst everyone who got their hands on the tool. The intricate Damascus steel forging makes the blade as durable as it is beautiful, while the Japanese construction with a Western-style curve to the blade offers versatility and reliability that few other chef knives displayed in our tests.
Cangshan Thomas Keller Signature Collection 7-Piece Magnetic Knife Set
Food & Wine/Jhett Thompson
Cangshan has been partnering with Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller for a few years, and the tools they've collaborated on have been head-turners. This set of knives outperformed dozens of others in our tests, and it was “smooth as silk” when slicing tomatoes. We'd trust these blades for the most difficult cooking tasks. If you're trying to avoid clutter on the countertop, even better — the wooden magnetic strip keeps the blades out of the block and away from smaller prying hands, while easily accessible during prep time.
De'Longhi La Specialista Prestigio Espresso Machine
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
Those who are passionate about coffee understand it's a constant quest to upgrade your coffee station. When we partnered with professional baristas and set out to help narrow down the endless array of options, we landed on this impressive De'Longhi espresso machine. It offers the correct pressure for a true espresso combined with the usability (and glamour, we'll admit) of a premium home espresso machine.
This machine has all the bells and whistles we want (such as a fully integrated burr grinder with dual sensors for consistently ground beans and the ability to simultaneously steam milk), and it produces some of the best flat whites, lattes, and cappuccinos — hands down. No fussing with pouring beans, no separate tamper, just an all-in-one espresso-making masterpiece.
John Boos Maple Wood Reversible Cutting Board
Food & Wine/Joy Kim
A reliable cutting board is essential to any kitchen, but it’s not as easy as it may seem to find one that looks great and stands up to everyday chopping. Boos blocks are a feature on most chef's countertops for a reason: They’re stunning, sturdy, and double-sided—just flip it over for another clean surface. We've tested dozens of carving boards, cutting boards, and board sets, and this is the one we come back to every time, no matter the slicing or charcuterie-placing task.
The maple material is solid and yet gentle on knives, and the edge grain will last you years with proper care. Though of course any wooden board will require more maintenance than a plastic one (skip the dishwasher and remember to oil every month), you really can’t beat the beauty and durability they offer.
How We Test Our F&W Faves
Our team of experts and editors has years of testing under our belts, and we've developed a rolling system to regularly analyze dozens of categories. We have our lists of editor favorites we continuously vet and compare with newcomer products. After researching each category extensively and pulling from our own experience, we put every tool through an extensive methodology to collect qualitative and quantitative data. We note every strength and shortcoming and rate on factors including performance, ease of use, design, and (depending on the category) cleanup and smart features. We never accept products in exchange for the promise of coverage or favorable reviews. We always consult chefs, sommeliers, and relevant experts when selecting our products and constructing our tests.
After our rigorous testing is complete, we analyze the data according to our own experience, expert input, and any previous tests of the same tools. Every tool is rated across multiple factors, and weighted according to the areas that are most important to us. We select our F&W Faves from the winners — they're always a mix of the most important categories to our readers, from budget picks to special splurges. We regularly update our roundups as new products come to light or old products lapse during long-term testing, so you know our lists are as accurate as can be.
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