As people who write about food and test kitchen gadgets for a living, Bon Appétit editors are constantly surrounded by a wide range of products. Between our own purchases and the endless stream of samples sent our way, it means there’s always something new coming across our desks and into our homes. Every month, we’re rounding up the standouts we’ve tested or bought ourselves that changed the way we cook and eat.
This month, the pan that’s revolutionized our senior editor’s home cooking, tea that actually helps with tummy troubles, and a buffing bar for those dry post-dishwashing hands. Read on for all of the products we’ve been obsessing over this November.
Made In Saucier
While my colleagues have long sung the praises of sauciers, I have to admit I was completely oblivious to them. In case you are, too: sauciers are like saucepans, but with a rounded base that makes them perfect for anything that requires a lot of stirring and whisking. I’d been seeing them pop up in chef videos on Instagram for a while, so I was excited to try Made In’s version, one of our favorite cookware brands.
And wow. I have not enjoyed cooking with a piece of cookware like this, maybe… ever. (Is that nerdy to say? Probably.) Stirring scrambled eggs for a tomato-egg stir fry was effortless, and the depth of the pan was perfect for simmering the sweet tomato wedges into an umami-rich sauce. You might think a nonstick pan is a nonnegotiable for eggs, but trust me: next time, try a saucier. Made In’s stainless steel model is 5-ply, heavy-duty, and has incredible heat transfer and retention, so even delicate scrambled eggs won’t stick. It’s also a game-changer for pasta; the shape lets noodles simmer in sauce perfectly, creating a velvety, silky finish that clings to every strand. I’m officially retiring my traditional saucepan in favor of this saucier—why keep both when a saucier can do it all?—Olivia Tarantino, senior commerce editor
Forager Project Cinnamon Vanilla Creamer and Coconutmilk
Forager
Project Cinnamon Vanilla Creamer and Coconutmilk
I have an important announcement: I’ve discovered the coziest drink to ever grace this earth, and it is a hot hojicha latte made with the Coconutmilk and Cinnamon Vanilla Creamer from Forager Project (bonus points if it’s in a cute mug). I’m not typically a creamer person (I usually just opt for straight-up almond or oat milk), but this stuff has fully converted me. It’s got just the right balance of warm spice and sweetness, which I find plays particularly well with the earthy nuttiness of hojicha (but I’ve enjoyed it with coffee and matcha, too). When combined in a pitcher and steamed with the wand on my espresso machine, the milk and creamer foam nicely despite the fact that, like all of Forager Project’s products, they contain no gums or oils. The Coconutmilk is new to market and a bit difficult to find online at the moment, but make sure to snag it if you come across it in person. —Alaina Chou, commerce writer
Mitts Dinner Party Bundle
You might not think you need special sponges just for your glassware, but ahead of the holiday hosting spree, I cannot recommend Mitts enough. They’re soft enough not to scuff delicate coupes, specially shaped (like a beak) to reach all the way down into the interior of a wine glass while scrubbing away lipstick or whathaveyou from the rim, and come with a handy little rest so the sponge dries quickly. I recently used them to speed-clean a few boxes of new glassware before a party, and again to wash the (mostly) drained flutes at the end of the night. It was a breeze! A joy! No more shoving a sponge down into a glass to wash away that stubborn bit of red wine that won’t budge. Bonus points for how easily and safely they swipe a knife clean, too. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor
Graf Lantz Merino Wool Placemats
I find that people can be a bit skeptical about the idea of a wool placemat. Maybe it’s because they think about how tricky it can be to wash and care for wool sweaters—I’m not sure. I’m personally a big fan of them. The wool naturally wicks away moisture, preventing drips and stains from soaking in deep. While not stain-proof, they spot clean easily with a little soap and warm water. The ones made by Graf Lantz have a tidy, contemporary look that plays well with both bold and restrained design preferences, and come in an expressive melange of colors and shapes. Anytime I’m setting the table for a stain-prone red sauce dinner situation, these never fail to hold up afterward. I do have one word of caution, though: cats love to sit on them. —Wilder Davies, commerce writer
Yamakazi Shelf Organizers
I recently decided that my home had entirely too much clutter. Every drawer in every room was so stuffed full of stuff that I’d get heart palpitations just thinking about opening them (and then trying to Tetris everything back in to get them closed again). Enough is enough, so I’ve spent the past few weekends dervishing around my apartment—taking everything out of the drawers and cabinets and throwing 65% of it away (or giving it to my friends and neighbors). To make sure everything fit neatly, rather than chaotically, back from whence they came, I invested in some proper storage tools, including these handy shelves from Yamazaki. I’m using the Stackable Counter Shelf in my kitchen cabinets to turn my one mug shelf into two, and the Undershelf organizer is perfect for storing cleaning supplies under my kitchen sink.—Abbey Stone, senior commerce director
Instant Pot
Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker
Home cooking in the 2010s can almost be divided into two eras: before the Instant Pot and after. The Canadian multi-cooker surged in popularity around 2017, and like everyone else, I was swept up in its promise of efficiency. I mostly used mine for wiggly, jiggly bone broths. But as my life shifted, so did my kitchen storage, and eventually the Instant Pot was banished to deep storage.
Now I’m back to a bit more countertop real estate—and even more importantly, I’m in desperate need of efficient cooking—so the Instant Pot has returned to the rotation. As much as I love tending to a slowly bubbling pot or letting a broth hum along in the slow cooker, nothing compares to the clarity and short cook time of pressure cooking. And now that it’s out and taking up space again, brown rice, quick-braised chicken, and batch-steamed eggs are firmly back in play. —Hali Bey Ramdene, content director
Sunny Fine Foods Ginger Ponzu
I almost always skip the section of the grocery store with premade marinades and dressings, telling myself that it’s well worth the effort to make both from scratch. That was until I tried the dressings and drizzles from Sunny Fine Foods, a brand known best for its tahini dips. The dressings, which are made with avocado oil, are perfect for when you don’t want to whip up a sauce, marinade, or dressing, but want something that tastes like it could’ve been made in your home kitchen. My go-to is the Ginger Ponzu. I use it as a marinade on salmon, drizzle it over roasted broccoli or sautéed baby bok choy, or simply toss it with greens. I find myself reaching for the bottle these days a whole lot more than pulling out all the ingredients to make something from scratch. It’s properly gingery, has a citrusy kick from both lime and lemon juice, and has a hint of sweetness from dates. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
