We Tested 100+ Kitchen Products in April, but These 9 Were Our Favorites

This post is part of our ‘Monthly Obsessions’ series, where we ask our writers and editors what products they’ve added to their kitchen that they now can’t imagine living without.

We at Food & Wine have the opportunity to sample over 100 new products each month. It’s our job to put the newest cookware, kitchen tools, and ingredients to the test so we can share the very best of the bunch with our friends, family, and of course, our readers. After seasoning, simmering, and snacking our way through May, eight stood out from the pack and stole our hearts. 

Below, our writers and editors share the kitchen products and pantry items they currently can’t live without. Read on to shop their picks, from the versatile utensil you didn’t know you needed to delicious donut holes. Prices start at just $6.

May Editor Obsessions

• OXO Good Grips 12-inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs, $16 at amazon.com
• Somos Mexican Black Beans, $19 (originally $21) at amazon.com
• Deux Chocolate Glaze Donut Holes, $16 at eatdeux.com
• Masala Chai Blend, $18 at onestripechai.com
• “Win Son Presents: A Taiwanese American Cookbook,” $26 (originally $40) at amazon.com
• Glamfields Cooking Chopsticks, $6 at amazon.com
• Heilala Vanilla Extract, $11 with coupon (originally $15) at amazon.com
• Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater, $25 with coupon (originally $40) at amazon.com
• All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Saucepan, $158 at amazon.com

OXO Good Grips 12-inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs

“I use these tongs for getting bagels out of the toaster oven, for turning steaks in a skillet, and for manipulating anything I’m cooking on the grill. The locking function that helps them stay in the closed position makes them easy to store (I hang them over the side of a stainless steel IKEA utensil caddy, but they can slip easily into a drawer). It also makes them unexpectedly useful for things like keeping a cookbook open — I use them as a book clip to keep it open to the page I need.” – Karen Shimizu, Executive Editor

Somos Mexican Black Beans

“These microwaveable black beans have saved me in moments of true mealtime despair, like when I’ve landed from a delayed flight and can’t wait around for delivery or muster the energy for take-out. They’re well-seasoned and comforting, and I’ll eat them over a few tortillas or over Somos’ cilantro lime rice pouches, which are also microwaveable. Chipotle, who? ”– Oset Babür-Winter, Senior Drinks Editor

Deux Chocolate Glaze Donut Holes

“It’s impossible for me not to eat my way through an entire pack of these donut holes, but in my defense, it’s four to a pouch and they’re absolutely delicious. Take them out of the fridge and let them come to room temp for a few minutes — the chocolate is melt-in-your-mouth good, and the texture is surprisingly donut-like for a gluten-free (and vegan) product. Truly my favorite nightcap snack.”  – Oset Babür-Winter

Masala Chai Blend

“I recently spent two weeks in India with Micato Safaris, a luxury tour operator, and one of the most memorable experiences was drinking chai poured from a pot on the street in Mumbai. When I came back stateside, I was sure I’d miss this drink, but thankfully, my order from One Stripe Chai arrived just in time. Complete with blends of black tea, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper (plus a little sugar for sweetness), I’ve been sipping this all month, pretending I’m still stuffing my face with parathas and pani puris.” — Daniel Modlin, Senior Editor

‘Win Son Presents: A Taiwanese American Cookbook’

“I had a dinner party recently where everybody made a dish from Brooklyn restaurant Win Son’s cookbook, and everything was magical. The Big Chicken Buns with Fu Ru Mayo were masterfully crispy, and full of powerful flavors like Chinese five-spice and cilantro; and the whole fish with ginger-garlic sauce was a rustic, aromatic flavor bomb. The dishes are super accessible, and use ingredients that you can get at your local Asian or international market, but pretty much everything we tried was truly restaurant-quality. If you’ve ever craved ultra fluffy mochi doughnuts or a hearty bowl of earthy sesame noodles at home, this book will scratch the itch.” – Adam Rothbarth, Commerce Food Writer

Glamfields Cooking Chopsticks

“These 16-inch cooking chopsticks take up virtually no space in the drawer but are among the most versatile cooking tools I own. They can grab, flip, stir, mix, and more, while keeping my hands safely away from the heat while I’m cooking. They also last forever and are very easy to clean.” – An Uong, Commerce Food Writer

Heilala Vanilla Extract 

“I’ve been doing so much baking this month thanks to all of the different events that stack up in the spring for my family. This vanilla extract (along with the paste) continues to be my favorite on the market! I recently ran out, and had to use my backup options, and the cakes and icings I made just didn’t taste the same. This vanilla has a more complex flavor than others on the market. It’s very true to a vanilla bean aroma, which is (in my opinion) what we’re really all after. I use the extract in my baked goods most, and reserve the paste for icings, whipped creams, and other fresher sweets or accompaniments. Though, I’ll be honest, sometimes I use them both at the same time, too for that extra vanilla punch. It’s the perfect pairing for spring and early summer fruits like strawberries, rhubarb, and more.” – Kristin Montemarano, Commerce Food Writer 

Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater

“My husband and I have two back-pocket salads that we make when our plates need something not brown: a shaved cucumber salad and a shaved carrot salad. This gadget has been a game changer for both. While it used to take me a couple of minutes to thinly slice my produce, I’m now able to achieve paper-width pieces in seconds. The grater features a base with a super strong suction that keeps the tool practically glued to my countertop while an easy-to-grab handle makes it a breeze to operate one of three interchangeable blades — a shredding blade, a grinding blade, and (my favorite) a slicing blade. The blades are dishwasher-safe, but I just hand-wash them (it’s certainly easier than my box grater). My only complaint is that it can be annoying to store all of the pieces, but then again, we use it so often it rarely leaves our countertop.” – Katie Macdonald, Director, News & Deals

All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Saucepan

“I recently started eating breakfast again after a long period of not . My day-starter of choice has always been oatmeal, and this All-Clad saucepan has become the hero of my mornings. I love how quickly and evenly it heats, and how easy it is to clean — after a short soak, the dried oatmeal just slides right out.” – Adam Rothbarth