Your Kitchen's Probably Missing My Clever Holiday Hero Tools, but It’s Not Too Late to Grab Them

It’s lovely to see family during these festive months, but if I’m being honest with myself, making Thanksgiving menus and other holiday spreads is my favorite part of this time of year. The brainstorming, the planning, and the execution are all things I thrive on, likely because they bring me back to my professional baking days.

Over the years, I have waded through some dicey moments, learning from my routine and growing my kitchen collection. As I look back ahead of the upcoming season, I can’t help but think of the pieces that really stand out among the rest. While I love my Dutch oven, kitchen scale, and silicone spatula, there are some truly hidden heroes within my collection that I never realized would be so impactful. From a multipurpose wooden utensil set to an incredibly helpful mandoline, these tools make challenging moments easy. Shop my favorites ahead of the festivities, starting at $5. 

Editor-Loved Holiday Kitchen Heroes 

• Ateco 4.25-Inch Ultra Offset Spatula, $5, originally $8 
• Earlywood 3-Piece Wood Kitchen Utensil Set, $40 
• Nordic Ware Naturals Big Sheet, $16, originally $28 
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Ricer, $29
• ThermoPro Waterproof Digital Candy Thermometer, $23 with coupon, originally $32 
• KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $298, originally $330  
• OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer, $38, originally $46 
• Spring Chef Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set, $12
• Staub Enameled Cast Iron 11-Inch Traditional Skillet, $250

Ateco 4.25-Inch Ultra Offset Spatula

It seems this little tool can do a million things. Every kitchen needs one, even if you don’t plan on baking. It has a thin, flat stainless steel spatula base that’s 4.25 inches, which is much smaller than your average offset spatula. I love it for spreading icing, batter, or layers of sauce in lasagna or casseroles, adding fillings between sandwiches or dough, smoothing mashed potatoes into a pan or bowl, picking up hors d'oeuvre from a sheet pan for serving, loosening baked goods from the sides of their pans as they cool, and a whole lot more. I always pull this tool out of my utensil jar with each kitchen task — I really shouldn’t bother putting it away. I am always in awe that a $5 tool has become one of my favorite pieces in my collection. 

Earlywood 3-Piece Wood Kitchen Utensil Set

This wooden utensil set is similar to the tool above in that each spatula can do so many things. All are my go-to utensils for cooking because they’re perfect for easy sauteing, stirring, scraping, and tossing. Making the stuffing, gravy, tomato sauce, big salads, toasting nuts, and more tasks wouldn’t be the same without them. What makes them special is their long, thin, flat shape. It makes them easy to maneuver since they aren’t clunky. They’re nice and firm, and the shape edges make it very easy to scrape and flip items. I love this set because each spatula is a different length, so you have a longer one for stirring in pots and a shorter one for easy sauteing in a skillet. It's also great to have a few on hand for easy grabbing when you’re dealing with a lot of tasks, and they’re great for tossing together salads and serving vegetables. 

Nordic Ware Naturals Big Sheet

A big sheet pan is a real holiday hero, and not enough people own one. I love this Nordic Ware one, and it’s probably my most used sheet pan, period. It checks every box, including its ability to heat evenly, durability, and fairly fuss-free material (not much sticks to it). I’ve been using mine for at least five years, and it’s as good as new. Having a bigger pan makes for short work when working through holiday cookie batches. It also yields much better results when you’re roasting vegetables or produce for sides — more room means better air circulation, less moisture, and better browning. The nice lip on this pan results in neat and tidy baking. I often use this sheet tray to go under bubbly roasts, fruit pies, casseroles, and messy dishes to keep my oven clean. 

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Ricer

This OXO potato ricer makes the mashed potatoes process much more foolproof because it’s impossible to overwork them. I bought this for a gnocchi recipe because I make that more than mashed potatoes, but it has become essential for making mashed potatoes. All you need to do is feed slightly cooled boiled potatoes into the 2-cup cavity and push down. Once you’ve run through all of them, add your butter, cream, or milk, and whatever flavorful additions you want to add with those small fluffy bits of potato, and et voila —- with just a few quick stirs, they’re good to go. This ricer is also so durable and easy to use. Because of that, the process is seamless and does all the hard work better than you (or I) could. Priceless. 

ThermoPro Waterproof Digital Candy Thermometer

I have definitely burnt sugar, overcooked puddings, and curds, and destroyed bread doughs by not gauging the proper temperature of an ingredient. The best you can do is just move on and ensure you have a proper candy thermometer for next time. It’s a priceless tool in my baking repertoire because it helps prevent those disasters. This ThermoPro one is the one I currently own, and I think it’s excellent for beginners, too (it’s also our favorite tested option on the market). The probe is very long and has a hook so you can secure it on your pots and bowls. I love how big the number display is and that you can adjust the angle however you need it. There’s a helpful guide on the front of the thermometer with sugar and frying temperatures (another key use for this tool), though I always refer to my recipe first. 

KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

Stand mixers are completely irreplaceable, especially over the holidays when I am trying to maximize my time. I have had this KitchenAid model for 20 or more years, and it’s great. It’s the perfect starter option because it has a nice 4.5-quart size that’s not too big or too small. It will fit a wide range of standard recipes. It also comes with the three attachments you need: a whisk, dough hook, and paddle. The 10 speeds give you control, so you can adjust it as you need for each recipe. While you can make recipes by hand or use a hand mixer, you cannot beat the consistency of a stand mixer. It will always work exactly the same every time, mixing every part of the mixture the same. It also means you are hands-free and can work on other things while the mixer is running, which helps maximize time. Now’s the best time to grab it, especially since it’s discounted. 

OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer

There’s a pattern here — a lot of these tools help with precision and speed. This mandoline is no different. It helps me get perfect slices of eggplant for my Christmas eggplant parmesan, perfect slices of potato for a Thanksgiving gratin, perfect slices of carrots for holiday crudité, perfectly shredded carrots for Thanksgiving carrot cake, and more. It is so sturdy, and believe it or not, the bulky design makes it so easy to use. It has two legs to help it stand up and a v-shaped blade across its wide 6-inch surface. Because it’s a bit bigger than most mandolines, I can use it for many ingredients without worrying if they fit. The blade is nice and sharp and comes with four other blades and accessories to allow for different shapes and textures. It’s a helpful tool all year round, especially for holiday prep. 

Spring Chef Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set

I have a measuring spoon set similar to this one, and it helps maximize my time. Firstly, because it is magnetic, everything stays neatly together but is very easy to grab when needed. I also love its dual-ended design for a few reasons. One side is tapered, so I can use it in my spice jars. The other side is rounded, and I love to use that for liquids like vanilla, maple syrup, or oil. Dedicating one side to liquid and one to dry means I don’t have to clean it too frequently. I recommend buying a multi-colored set like the one I have because it makes the measurements easily identifiable, as you’ll start to associate the color with the measurement and be able to grab it without sorting through the set. 

Staub Enameled Cast Iron 11-Inch Traditional Skillet

I always knew how helpful a cast iron skillet was, but when it comes to holidays, I never realized just how essential it really can be. It doubles as a cookware and bakeware piece. I reach for it for sauteing and searing, though I can also grab it for baking cornbread, a batch of biscuits, a casserole, or a crumble if I need it. It’s a true multitasker. A few aspects make this Staub skillet well worth the investment. Its excellent heat retention and enameled coating make cleaning and maintaining much easier. I also truly love the size and shape. The 11-inch diameter is generous enough to hold a lot of things. Its straight walls are not to be overlooked because it ensures you can put as much surface on the bottom of the pan as possible, and it helps bake things more evenly since there’s no taper at the edges.