Anova precision cooker
This device clamps onto any pot’s edge to create a water bath that will stay precisely at one temperature. Why? For cooking sous vide, a technique beloved by restaurants for perfectly cooked steaks and slow-cooked classics.
There are many ways to cook. But the Vox way (and, dare I say, the correct way) is to nerd out about it, to apply the full power of modern science and technology to heat and time to create deliciousness in ways that far transcend grandma's old recipe book. —Matthew Yglesias
If you're boiling water for your tea or French press coffee, then (unless you live at high altitude) your water is too hot. That’s why you need a kettle like this one to heat water to whatever temperature you like.
On some level, it's not the gear you have, it's knowing how to use it. And there’s no better science-oriented cookbook than this one from Serious Eats's Kenji López-Alt, which offers great recipes and explains what goes into them.
When you want to sear, it's nice to deploy a lot of heat. And for that, nothing beats a blowtorch. Get a real one, built for non-kitchen use, and set some stuff on fire!
Sure, you could cook your eggs over "medium-high" heat, whatever that means. Or you could set a precise temperature with an electric griddle. This model's "Tilt’nDrain" feature helps control the mess, too.
Okay, this 14-inch knife is just awesome. It’s freaking huge. It's well-made. The owner's friends will shower him with compliments. And if not, they’ll pretend to be impressed out of sheer terror.
There are a lot of fun tricks to tell when something’s done cooking. There’s also the correct way: a thermometer. With this quick-check model, you get your reading fast.
The obvious question is why this blender is so heavy and expensive. But that's like asking why a car is so much heavier and more expensive than a bicycle. (It has a great big, powerful motor to drive the blades!)