Dinner and Chef

Just in Time for Thanksgiving—Best Inexpensive Kitchen Tools

With Thanksgiving only a week away, I can’t help but recall the first time I hosted Thanksgiving dinner. I know I was a wreck for two reasons: time and cooking tools. I didn’t allow enough time to plan, let alone properly prepare the meal once the day arrived. And I sure didn’t have the right equipment.

Dinner and Chef

Thankfully, with still a week to go before the big day, there’s still enough time to plan, time to prepare, and time to make sure we’re adequately equipped to make this Thanksgiving a day of calm, joy, and gratitude. But only if we start now!

Over the years, I’ve done Thanksgiving Dinner enough times now to know that there are a few pieces of equipment that are necessary to make sure the process goes smoothly and the dinner is a huge success. The challenge is making sure we’re not loading up on unitaskers—tools we use only one day a year. We want to make sure that the items we buy for the kitchen can be used all year long.

Here are my picks for the Best Inexpensive Thanksgiving cooking tools that will make your day easier, means I’m sure you’ll be reaching for throughout the year, starting with a NEW! $20 gadget I’ve tested, and has become a permanent member of my essential kitchen tools.

Turbo Trusser

This gadget is about as genius as you’ll ever find for getting that turkey to stay together while it roasts. You may be familiar with the common, age-old method of twine or string wrapped around the legs, then around the wings pulled tightly to truss a turkey. And what does that do? It closes off the inside cavity.

Now, that may make the turkey look proper and presentable. But it does nothing to allow the roasting air to circulate the cavity inside the turkey so it turns out evenly roasted—not dry as dust in some parts, and still running pink juices in others.

 

 

Maybe you saw this thing on Shark Tank. I didn’t, and when the inventor contacted me and discovered I was clueless, Turbo Trusser for Turkey (and one for chicken, too) showed up in the mail. I couldn’t wait to give it a try. Yep, it’s a winner!

Basically, I slipped the stainless steel gadget around the turkey legs (which holds them apart, allowing heat to circulate inside), then attached the hooks to pull the wings in tight, and that bird was trussed in a new and very efficient way. Super easy. I highly recommend the Turbo Trusser for turkey and the smaller size for chicken

 

Roasting Pan

If you roast a turkey, you need a reliable roasting pan. Granted, measuring in at  17 x 13 x 3 inches, this is not a small item, so make sure you have a handy place to store it between uses.

This non-stick Roaster with Rack is a great option, and my latest pick for Best Inexpensive—super affordable!

Roaster with rack

 

This pan will not warp, peel, pit, or become hopelessly stained. It is dishwasher safe, cleans up like a dream, and is oven safe to 450 F. It is durable nonstick inside and out and dishwasher safe. I love the way the handles are attached, making it easy to lift this roaster from the oven. It’s a great pan you’ll find yourself using throughout the year for sheet pan meals, preparing a roast for a crowd or any number of other options.

 

 

Probe Thermometer

There are few things quite as mysterious as knowing when a turkey is done to perfection—not raw in the middle and not overdone, so it is dry-as-dust, either. Wiggle a drumstick? Press on the thigh? It’s probably not the wisest way to turn out a perfectly roasted bird.

The easiest and most reliable way to serve a perfectly roasted bird is with a probe alarm. You insert the probe into the turkey’s thigh before putting it in the oven and then sit back and wait for it to reach the designated temperature.

programmable thermometer probe

 

This Digital Probe Thermometer is our pick for the best inexpensive option. For the money, it is the best option. This is the probe thermometer you will use and rely on for years—decades—to come. It is super accurate, reliable, and durable, too.

 

Fat Separator

The turkey is roasted to perfection. You take it from the oven, and you dread what’s coming—making the gravy. It looks like you have more than enough juices in the bottom of the roaster, but what’s that transparent thick layer sitting on top of the dark, yummy drippings? It’s fat. Sure, you need a few tablespoons to make the gravy rich and flavorful, but how can you get rid of the excess without tossing the good stuff simultaneously?

OXO fat separator

It’s a big problem that a fat separator can solve. This handy 2-cup OXO Good Grips Fat Separator works like a charm. You’ll use this handy fat separator continuously throughout the year to remove fat from any liquid and as a measuring cup for liquids.

 

Poultry Shears

You will be so happy to reach for these Chefs Heavy Duty Poultry Shears when it comes time to cut through poultry meat and bones. And that whole fish you’re sure to catch next summer? You bet. And all manner of applications you’ll encounter every time you cook.

A close up of a device

The comfortable handles on these shears are spring-loaded and one piece with the blades to give great slicing power with very little effort. Just be careful! These shears will slice through anything, including your fingers (not that I know this from first-hand experience or anything).

Always lock the blades in place when storing in the utensil drawer. The stainless steel used in the construction of these shears will not rust and also makes clean-up easy. Super useful, super handy, and super well-priced!

 

Slicing Knife

You know how much I love my Mercer bread knife, so opting for its companion 11-inch Mercer Culinary Ultimate Wavy Edge Slicer is a no-brainer (equal top-quality and just as remarkably priced).

 

A close up of a knife

Here’s my promise: You do not have to spend hundreds of dollars for a high-grade, quality piece of cutlery suitable for carving a turkey. Or a roast, steak or chicken. The blade edge on this knife is truly amazing and will be a much-welcomed member of your favorite kitchen tools. Constructed of high-carbon, no-stain German cutlery steel, it resists rust, corrosion, and discoloration. 

Bar Mops

You don’t want to face preparing your Thanksgiving Dinner (or any dinner for that matter) without a good supply of dish clothes and towels. The secret for keeping organized (and sane) is to clean up as you go. Around here we love bar mops. I have six dozen of these white terrycloth 16 x 19-inch bar mops that I go through like water. I just toss them into a small kitchen hamper and launder when it’s full. Pacific Linens Ribbed Bar Mop Towels are a great value.

2 doz bar mops

 

Costco Members: You can find a pack of 52 bar mops in the automotive aisle in warehouse, and they’re also available online.

     52-Count White Bar Mops

    COSTCO $26.99

 

Updated and new information and Republished: 11-16-23

 


 

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4 replies
  1. Kitty T says:

    Hi Mary. Love your tips and tricks. However, I just clicked on the roasting pan, and Amazon says not available, and they don’t know when or if it will become available! Aaargh!

    Reply

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