Thanksgiving Toolbox: The Kitchen Equipment You Actually Need Slideshow
Using a thermometer is one of the more accurate ways to measure a turkey's doneness and avoid the possibility of an overcooked, dry bird. Plus, this tool can also be used for other roasted meat dishes.
Splurge: ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Thermapen, $96
Poultry Thermometer
Steal: Polder Original Cooking All-In-One Timer/Thermometer, $15.95
Bulb Baster
Basting prevents the turkey from drying out and allows the delicious pan juices to be absorbed, producing crispy, flavorful skin and succulent, tender meat.
Splurge: Williams-Sonoma Angled Dripless Bulb Baster, $18
Gravy Separator
Gravy Separator: When making your own gravy, separating the drippings from the fat can be a messy and time-consuming process, but this tool makes it much easier (and cleaner).
Splurge: Revol Grands Classiques Fat/Lean Sauce Boat, $49.95
Vegetable Peeler
A vegetable peeler is one of the more time-efficient kitchen tools and, because it's so easy to use, anyone can be roped into helping prep the vegetables – no excuses.
Splurge: Rosle Julienne Peeler, $27
Turkey Lifters
Thanksgiving turkeys can be heavy and cumbersome to transport from roasting pan to carving board – these lifters alleviate that problem and prevent the much-awaited dinner from falling on the floor.
Splurge: All-Clad Stainless Steel Turkey Lifters, $11.24
Oversized Cutting Board
Oversized Cutting Board: A large, wooden cutting board is not only a beautiful addition to your kitchen, but also comes in handy for prepping a lot of vegetables and carving the turkey. A board with a groove for catching runaway juices is ideal.
Splurge: Zwilling J.A. Henckels Hinoki Cutting Board, $119.95
Oversized Cutting Board
Steal: Farberware 3-piece Wood Cutting Board Set, $13.30
Carving Set
Carving sets traditionally consist of a carving fork and knife. The things to look for when purchasing a set are sharpness and heft.
Splurge: Saladini Horn Handle Carving Knife Set, $379
Stainless Steel Roaster
Stainless Steel Roaster: A versatile roasting pan is useful for cooking all types of roasts throughout the holiday season and winter.
Splurge: All-Clad Stainless Steel Nonstick Roaster, $229
Stainless Steel Roaster
Steal: Progressive International Stainless Steel Roasting Pan, $33.79
Roasting Rack
Useful for separating the turkey from the pan drippings, producing a slightly less greasy bird and easy access to the pan juices for basting.
Splurge: Cuisipro Roasting Rack, $20
Potato Masher
Mashing potatoes is much easier and more fun with a masher, which can also be used for crushing whole tomatoes in sauces.
Splurge: Rosle Potato Masher, $45
Immersion Blender
This hand-held tool is perfect for pureeing holiday soups right in the pot, removing the messy step of transferring to a blender and back again.
Splurge: Bamix Professional Immersion Blender, $179.95
Immersion Blender
Steal: Cuisinart CSB-76BC SmartStick Immersion Hand Blender, $26.67
Bulb Baster
Steal: Tovolo Clear Dripless Baster, $7.99