If you’ve always wanted a gourmet kitchen, now is the time to make that dream come true. However, you don’t need to demolish your kitchen and start over from scratch. Sometimes, the addition of some thoughtful, well-placed items is all you need to achieve your goals. For example, a high-end coffee maker and a few other commercial-style appliances, combined with the right finishes, can make you feel like your favorite chef.
We found the best items you’ll need, along with some helpful tips from designers, builders, and other experts, on how to create the perfect gourmet kitchen for your needs.
If you’ve eaten in a high-end restaurant, you may be familiar with the sous vide method of cooking vacuum-sealed food in water to ensure that it remains flavorful during the cooking process. However, this process can be replicated at home using the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker, which ensures food is not overcooked or undercooked.
Cooking at home is the new norm, and whether it’s beef, pork, chicken, fish, or veggies, the precision cooker attaches to the pot of water (or other types of water containers) and circulates water at the exact temperature needed to achieve the desired result. The device is designed for all skill levels (I’m a beginner), and there’s an option for either using the built-in controls or the Anova App to operate it.
The latest sinks are for more than just washing dishes. This Kraus Undermount Sink with Integrated Ledge and Accessories allows you to both prep and clean up in one place, saving precious countertop space. It includes a bamboo cutting board that resists cracking, warping, odors and bacteria. The roll-up dish drying rack is handy for rinsing off produce and veggies, and also drying dishes. The heavy duty 16-gauge steel sink, which can withstand corrosion and rust, also includes a dish grid, strainer, and drain cover. The model shown above is 27” but it is also available in small and larger sizes.
Trash cans have come a long way from those cheap, plastic models of yesterday. In fact, the Brabantia Bo Trash Can could be mistaken for a piece of mid-century modern furniture. The adjustable legs mean no bending over, making it easier to dispose of trash. By barely touching the top, it opens silently – and closes softly and quietly as well.
Inside, there are two separate compartments, perfect for recycling. You man can also opt to use it as a stylish storage option for trash bags, zip lock bags, styrofoam cups, and other items that won’t fit in his pantry! Color options for this space-efficient trash include matte steel, white, black, and golden beach.
Anyone can look like a professional chef with the Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Smart Blender. However, it’s actually doing all of the work. The blender can heat (yes, you can heat soup, but I haven’t tested that function yet on the sample I received), chop, grind, blend, and emulsify. The possibilities are endless, ranging from making frozen desserts to grinding nuts and coffee beans to kneading bread and pizza dough.
The smart blender has laser-cut, hardened stain-steel blades, a cool-running motor, and uses self-detect technology. The motor base can actually sense the container size and automatically adjust the three program settings (for smoothies, frozen desserts, and hot soups) and maximum blending times to maintain accuracy. You also have the option to blend manually and set the speed, pulse, and timer as desired.
If you want a blender to match your kitchen décor, consider the KitchenAid Cordless Hand Blender. It’s available in a literal rainbow of colors, including black matte, blue velvet, empire red, matte charcoal gray, onyx black, passion red, and white. Whether you want to make a triple berry smoothie or tomato basil soup, the cordless blender has a removable 8”blending arm and a 4-point stainless steel blade design that can quickly and efficiently blend your ingredients. It charges completely in 2 hours of less.
Here’s another stylish and practical way to update your kitchen. If you hate the idea of lugging heavy pots of water from the sink to the stove, this Imlezon Foldable Wall Mount Pot Filler can rescue you from that chore. Made of pure stainless steel with a polished inner surface, the lead-free construction ensures that your water is natural. The pot filler has two values, and folds out of the way when it’s not being used.
It’s easy to prepare gourmet meals with the CHEF iQ Multifunctional Smart Pressure Cooker. The sleek matte black appliance looks stylish on any counter, but it does much more than just make your kitchen look good. This smart appliance can pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sear/sauté, and it includes over 300 cooking presets – and WiFi connectivity. The Chef iQ app provides access to hundreds of recipes and step-by-step videos, and includes the ability to save your favorite presets. When testing the unit I received, the smart cooker was also easy to operate, with a intuitive full-color LCD display with capacitive touch control. The 6-quart appliance only measures 13” x 13,” so it won’t take up much space. This is one of those great new home gifts that you might want to keep for yourself.
A gourmet kitchen needs gourmet appliances and the Wolf Gourmet 2 Slice Toaster checks all of the boxes. This stainless steel and die cast constructed item has a red button that adds a pop of color – although you can also get the toaster with black or stainless steel knobs. The toaster has extra wide bread slots to accommodate bagels, artisan breads, and other types, shapes, and sizes of bread. It has commercial heating elements, and a variety of settings, including a frozen setting, a bagel setting, and a setting to keep your toast warm. You can also select your desired toast color, from light to dark, and the crumb tray slides out to be easily cleaned.
This Levo II Herbal Oil and Butter Infusion Machine uses controlled heat to infuse liquids like oil and butter with flavors, scents, colors, and nutrients. Whether you’re making banana bread, ginger-sesame salad dressing, mint-infused strawberry cream soda, lavender-infused dish soap, or even sandalwood and lemongrass beard oil, the Levo II makes it easy. The appliance will dry, decarboxylate, infuse, and dispense at the touch of a button, and the Levo II parts can be easily removed and placed in the dishwasher.
You can infuse batches up to 19 ounces at one time, and the silicone stirrer ensures the ingredients are not aerated – which prolongs their shelf-life. I reviewed a unit that the company sent, and one cool feature is that using the Levo app, you can wirelessly connect to the appliance when away from home, and also access the time and temperature calculator and try new recipes. In addition to jet black, the Levo II is available in cayenne red, alpine white, Meyer yellow, and robin blue.
You can’t have a gourmet kitchen without fancy-schmancy glassware, like this set of four Epare Clear Glass Double Walled Wine Glasses. Whether you’re pouring orange juice or champagne, the optical effect of the liquid suspended in air is a conversation starter. Made of hand-blown borosilicate glass, these lightweight wine glasses aren’t just pretty to look at. When I tested a unit sent by the company, the double-walled insulation allowed the glasses to resist condensation – so there are no water rings on the countertop. The durable wine glasses can be put in the microwave, dishwasher, and they can even withstand the freezer.
The Peerless Westchester Single-Handle Commercial Style Kitchen Faucet has everything homeowners need in a faucet – and maybe some features you hadn’t even thought about. The stainless-steel faucet swivels 360 degrees, providing more versatility. With a flip of the switch, can you change from a water stream to a water spray function. I received a unit to review, and was glad to discover that the 20-inch hose can be docked or undocked to ensure that it stretches far enough to release water in the precise area needed. The faucet can fit both single hole or 3-hole configurations (although you will need to purchase the deck plate for the latter). Supply lines are also included with the faucet.
This Westinghouse Chrome Mini-Pendant is a simple, contemporary accent that can add a stylish touch to your gourmet kitchen. Three of the lights would definitely add interest over your kitchen island. The light is 61 1/16”H x 5”D. It uses an 8-watt LED watt that is equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent bulb. The mini-pendant has a brilliant chrome finish with bubble glass, and it is compatible with dimming switches.
Another tool to add to your gourmet kitchen is this SodaStream Fizzi One Touch Sparking Water Maker. With just a touch of a button, you can transform plain, boring water into sparkling water – and you can also select your level of desired fizz – from light to medium to maximum fizz. And let’s be honest: since the water tastes better, you’ll drink more of it. Also, you can add SodaStream flavors to the sparking water, such as lemon, lime, orange, peach, and grapefruit. In addition, you can experiment with several SodaStream recipes, like Thyme Lemon Splash, and SodaStreamosa. Each kit contains the sparkling water maker, CO2 cylinder, and BPA-free reusable carbonating bottle.
Add a pop of color to any kitchen style with this Airscape Coffee Storage Container, which is available in candy apple red, turquoise, mocha brown, brushed steel, obsidian black, and matte black. But it’s not just pretty. The canister has a patented plunger that works to keep air and humidity out, which preserves the freshness of your coffee. It can also be used to store other food items like slour, sugar, and nuts. I use the review unit that I received to store cookies and other baked goods. The canister is made of stainless steel and the model shown measures 5”W x 7”H. However, it’s also available in a smaller version.
This Viking Culinary Professional 5-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set is durable, and designed to last look beautiful in your kitchen for a long time. The cookware has five layers of heat conducting metal that is bonded together to increase cooking efficiency. There are 3 layers of aluminum alloy – which transfers heat evenly and more efficiently. The stainless-steel exterior, which has a satin finish, is easy to clean. I received a unit to review and was able to use the cookware on my countertop, in the oven, and when when broiling. I haven’t tried this yet, but hte company says it can even be used on the grill up on 600 degrees. The 5-piece set includes a 10-inch fry pan, a 6-quart Dutch oven/stock pot with lid, and a 3.4-quart everyday casserole pan with lid. It is also available in a 7-piece set and a 10-piece set.
This Calphalon Contemporary SharpIN Nonstick 13 Piece Cutlery Set has everything you need to prep like a professional chef. The set includes an 8” chef’s knife with ridge, a 7” slicer knife with ridge, a 7” Santoku knife, an 8” bread knife, a 3.5” paring knife, six steak knives, and a pair of kitchen shears. The knives are also labeled so you know if you’re pulling out the bread knife, slicer, parer, etc., and that was important to me as I was testing the set. The sharpening knife block uses ceramic self-sharpening technology that allows you to automatically sharpen the blade every time you remove one of the knives. Made of fully forged steel, the knives also have nonstick blades, so you can slice, dice, and chop effortlessly.
The Philips 3200 Series Espresso Machine with Milk Frother is another option for making a variety of drinks. The 100% ceramic grinder can be adjusted in 12 steps to process beans ranging from course to ultra-fine powder, and there’s also a classic milk frother. In addition, the machine has an extensive touch display screen, making it easy to select and customize options. For example, the aroma strength and coffee length can both be easily controlled from the screen. The machine makes 3 beverages: coffee, espresso, and hot water, and it has a double cup option for coffee.
Whether the floors are wood, tile, linoleum, stone, or even concrete, the Karcher FC 3 Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner can handle them. It’s designed to both wipe and vacuum at the same time, which eliminates the need to pre-sweep or vacuum the floors before mopping. The machine uses forward rotating microfiber rollers that makes operating it so easy it can be used with one hand.
The cleaning head has a flexible hinge, and the machine can be placed right up against the wall, which ensures that you can clean every corner, and also under furniture and around furniture legs. It’s also perfect for cleaning stairs. I don’t like the idea of sloshing dirty water on the floor, but when testing the unit I received, I discovered that the machine uses a 2-tank system to keep the dirty water separated from the clean water, and the rollers are also machine washable. And since it’s cordless, the rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides 20 minutes of cleaning. When not in use, the hard floor cleaner can be stored on the included storage base, which holds it upright without damaging the wall.
There are several brewing options with the De’Longhi 3-in-1 Specialty Coffee Brewer. It can make pour over coffee, drip style coffee, and iced coffee. The stainless steel brewer has a borosilicate glass carafe and a warming plate, and the water tank can hold 42 ounces. Another great feature of the coffee brewer is that it also shuts off automatically after one hour.
Upgrade your water purification process with the Coway Aquamega 100 Water Purifier. You can put your glass, bottle, cup, pot, or other container right under the spout and merely press the button to get water that has gone through a 3-stage filtration process to remove up to 99.9% of contaminants. The purifier uses tankless direct water filtration. It connects directly to either your faucet or water line, and can be set up in just a few minutes. The 3 filters last for over 500 gallons of water (comparable to 4,000 water bottles). The air purifier is available in a black and silver option, and also a white and silver version.
What’s better than a bread box? One that can hold two loaves of bread at once! This extra-large Brabantia Bread Box in brilliant steel is big, yet it sports a compact design with a classic roll lid that doesn’t take up additional space when opened. If your giftee doesn’t need to store two loaves of bread, he can always keep his peanut butter, honey, and jam safely stowed inside but hidden from view.
In addition to brilliant steel, the bread box is available in clay pink, moss green, yellow, and pine green. If he’s more of a traditionalist, he might prefer this two-tiered bamboo bread box instead.
The Revolution Cooking Smart Toaster can make your guy’s life so much easier, especially if he considers toast among the major food groups. (Honestly, who doesn’t?) It uses smart sensors to adjust both the time and temperature to ensure his bread browns consistently – and also much more quickly than a traditional toaster.
The toaster has seven browning levels to choose from, and it also lets you select the bread type: bagels, toast, English muffins, toaster pastries, and waffles. There are also three toasting modes; fresh, frozen, and reheat. All of these features combine to ensure that he’ll never have to worry about burning the toast or having to toast to get it brown enough.
Another impressive feature is that the machine’s auto glide lowers and lifts the toast, so his bread won’t get stuck in the toaster. What’s super cool is the intuitive touch screen which will tickle your man who loves the latest technology!
Eliminate kitchen mess and mistakes with the OXO Good Grips Precision Batter Dispenser. It allows you to dispense the perfect amount of batter when making pancakes and waffles, cupcakes and muffins, and other delicious treats. The easy to squeeze handle makes it easy to use, and the drip-free shut-off valve stops immediately when the handle is released. There’s also a wide opening at the top of the container, and the measurement markings ensure you’re making the right amount of batter
The only thing better than (or comparable to) a Wolf oven is a compact, energy-efficient Wolf Gourmet Elite Digital Countertop Convection Toaster Oven. It does much more than just toast food. There are actually 7 cooking modes: bake roast, broil, warm, proof, bagel, and of course, toast. The convection technology ensure the heated air is circulated evenly for better roasting and baking – and it reduces cooking time by up to 25 percent. The gourmet oven also includes a precision temperature probe to ensure every meal is cooked to perfection. There are three knob color options: red, black, and silver.
The Dash Chef Series Digital Blender can handle cooks and chefs you put in it. The blender has 6 preset functions: rinse, puree, smoothie, soup, crush, and frozen. It uses commercial grade stainless steel blades – and the same 2.25hp motor used in small lawn mowers. This ensures that it will chop, grind, dice, juice, and whatever else you need efficiently and effectively. It can make cold drinks like smoothies and ice cream, but also make hot soups and purees. The grind function can even handle nuts. I was sent a unit to test, and one of my favorite features it that the digital blender is self-cleaning: just add warm water and soap, select the rinse function, and it handles the rest. In addition to red, other color options include black, aqua, champagne, matte black, rose gold, and white.
Sure, you could boil water in a pot, but how would that look in your gourmet kitchen? This Chefman Programmable Electric Glass Kettle is a much better option. It’s perfect for tea, coffee, French press, and any other hot water needs, and has a digital touch display with programmable steep times. The electric glass kettle can also keep the water at the desired temperature for up to 60 minutes. There’s also a tea infuser that allows you to brew tea directly in the glass kettle. Maintenance is a breeze. The borosilicate glass kettle is stain resistant, and there’s a filter in the kettle that keeps the water and tea clean, so you merely need to rinse it with hot water. In addition, the glass kettle has 2 neat safety features: the kettle will automatically shut off when water reaches a boil. It will also shut off when there is no water in the kettle (or when there’s just a little water left in it).
This Philips Soup Maker looks impressive on any countertop, and makes soup in three easy steps: add ingredients, select pre-set program, and then lower the lid. The appliance combines heat and a unique blade that is designed for blending. It can make pureed, milk based, and chunky soups, such as chicken noodle, potato, broccoli, miso, and tomato soup in 18 minutes or less. The stainless steel soup maker can also make cold soup, and serve as a blender to make smoothies and compote. I’m not a big cook, so I was that that the review unit I recieved also included a recipe book with 38 recipes, such as turkey chili, fish stew, chicken pot pie soup, and vegetable tortellini soup.
You can slice meat like a chef with this Viking Professional 4-Piece Cutlery Steak Knife Set. Each knife was forged from high-alloy steel to resist corrosion and ensure sharpness and edge retention. The ergonomic handle on these German knives is designed to be comfortable and easy to use without becoming fatigued, since there’s little to no weight on the upper lift. In addition, there’s no gap between the blade and handle, making the knives totally hygienic.
Keep your champaign cold with this Brümate Insulated Champagne Flute. Designed to be much colder than the average champagne flute, the flip-top lid holds in carbonation, resulting in 5 times the bubbles of a regular insulated flute. The Brümate is made with vacuum insulated stainless steel and keeps your bubbly beverages the same temperature until you finish the drink. The champagne flute can hold 12 ounces of liquids and is available in 2 dozen colors, including plum, aqua, blush, charcoal, cherry, daisy, navy, and peacock.
Loving your pets means that you want their food to be as fresh as your own, and it’s a bonus if the food storage is also attractive. Enter this simplehuman Brushed Stainless Steel Pet Food Storage Can, which is practical and stylish. It has an air tight seal to ensure the food tastes as fresh as the day you bought it – and the lock-tight handle clamps keep your pets from feeding themselves. The inner bucket is removable, and the entire can has a fingerprint-proof coating. The 32-pound can also has built-in wheels, so it’s easy to move around. There are three sizes of cans to choose from.
Under cabinet lights can change the look of your kitchen. They’re also practical, providing task lighting to illuminate dark spots while you cut and do other essential prep work. These EShine 12-inch LED Touchless Dimmable Under Cabinet Lighting Panels are activated by waving your hand, so you don’t have to worry about touching the light switch. You can also adjust the dimmers by holding your hand under the sensor. Each lighting kit includes six 12-inch panels that can either be installed using screws or stickers (both are included).
Tile is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to update your kitchen, and this Giorbello Glass Subway Backsplash Tile is simply gorgeous. Each tile is 3” x 6” and comes in a case of 44 tiles, which can cover 5.5 square feet. The glass tiles are durable, and safe to use in wet areas, like behind the sink. In addition to classic white tiles, the other color choices are just as beautiful and include gry, emerald green, baby blue, black, ruby red, classic brown, slate, and light olive.
You’ll look like a pro baking pizzas in this Wisco 421 Pizza Oven. While the stainless steel construction makes it look like a commercial pizza oven, the appliance is really simple to operate. Just turn the rotary dial to the desired temperature (from 150 degrees to 500 degrees), and the LED display lets you know the temperature and time. There’s a rust-resistant tray to catch any spills, and it’s removable for easy cleaning. Also, you can use this appliance to do more than just cook and reheat pizza. It can be used to make sandwiches, brushettas – you’re only limited by your imagination. Another cool feature of the pizza oven is the flip up handle design, so you can store it out of the way when not in use.
What’s a gourmet kitchen without a wine cooler? This Nutrichef Refrigerator/Countertop Cooler has a free-standing design and can be put on the countertop of the floor. The polished chrome wine racks can accommodate 12 standard size wine bottles, and the bottom shelf is tall enough to stand 2 of the bottles upright. The refrigerator/cooler uses built-in compressor cooling technology, uses digital touch control buttons, and has an interior LED light. The reinforced glass door ensures an air tight seal, and the cooler’s temperature can be adjusted from 41 to 64 degrees. The cooler is ultra-quiet and also has an button-activated child safety auto-lock function.
