AMCO Houseworks Enameled Lemon Squeezer, model 06-0354 $11.99
Surprisingly easy to use—juice gushes out. Of the squeeze-style juice presses we tested, this was the most comfortable and effective, with curved handles and a well-shaped plunger. Squeezing the rounded handles didn’t hurt our hands like others of this style, and seeds were contained. It was also attractive, sporting a bright yellow finish, but hand-washing is best if you want to keep the paint from chipping. (We tested the paint and found it lead-free.)
Fantes Stainless Portion Scoop #16 $11.99
A perfect circle divided in half, this portion scoop doubles well as a scoop for softer ice cream, though the food “pusher” activated by the squeezable handle was an obstacle when pressing down to scoop hard-frozen ice cream.
iSi Basics Silicone Scraper Spatula $5.99
Perfectly contoured to fit the side of a bowl, this scraper had the most surface contact of all the scrapers. No dough or batter was left behind. It gained rigidity from a steel insert. Opposite the contoured side is a straight edge that doubles as a bench scraper or dough cutter, making this a multipurpose winner.
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: Flexible $19.95
The nonslip grip and narrow, straight blade let testers remove the smallest bones with precision and complete comfort. Perfectly balanced with enough flexibility to maneuver around tight joints. The low price was a bonus.
Williams-Sonoma Dial-A-Slice/Adjustable Apple Divider $19.95
Although it took some effort, this slicer plunged through the thick peel and firm flesh of a Granny Smith and made neat, uniform slices of softer Golden Delicious and McIntosh apples. Adjustable blades make eight or 16 slices. Its wider-than-usual, 1-inch, serrated corer gripped the apple and ensured the entire core was removed. We also liked the comfortable rubber handles and plastic cap that pushes the hard-to-reach bottom of the apple entirely through the blades. (Other models left slices attached, forcing us to push the apple back up, which meant we were handling the sharp blades.) A bonus: The cap fits onto the slicer for storage, providing protection from the blades.
All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan $135.00
Testers praised this pan for having “everything you need in a skillet and nothing you don’t,” with enough cooking surface for sautéing eight chicken pieces without crowding; steady, controlled heat for excellent browning; and a good shape with low sides. The weight balance was outstanding; it was easy to manipulate and lift. In the durability test, it sustained the least damage, with barely visible dents.
Sanyo Electric Rice Cooker & Steamer, Model ECJ-N55W, 5 1/2 cups $54.95
The Sanyo excelled with all three types of rice, especially the brown rice, and it was our second-lowest-priced model. Two minor complaints: After two hours in the keep-warm stage the rice became a bit dry, and the indicator lights were hard to read in a bright kitchen.
ThermoWorks Original Cooking Thermometer/Timer $19.00
This user-friendly model allows you to view both time and temperature simultaneously and is free of the annoying and unnecessary USDA-recommended presets for various types of meat that are all too common in other brands. The model lost points for having probes that are sometimes defective.
R.S.V.P. International Onion Goggles $19.00
While they certainly look a bit goofy, the goggles do help maintain focus on the onions—yellow, Vidalia, red, or otherwise—rather than the tissue box. We found that they block irritating fumes better than sunglasses, and the foam padding around the antifog lenses is a more comfortable alternative to swim goggles. Available in white or black with lime green trim.
Kyocera Adjustable Ceramic Mandoline Slicer $26.96
"It looks like a toy, but it works like crazy!" exclaimed one tester, who pledged to go out immediately and buy one. No julienne or waffle blades, but this slicer is razor-sharp, adjusts easily, and fits in a drawer. Plus the price is right.
Tovolo Silicone Spatula $8.99
This sleek spatula has curves in all the right places. It may look like it’s just going to be decorative—until you use it. Then it passes every performance test, scraping, stirring, folding, and sautéing like a champ. It also withstood our attempts to stain and melt it.
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