If you ask food scientist and professional life hacker Alton Brown for his list of favorite kitchen buys, don’t expect him to rattle off the obvious, like a sharp knife or a great frying pan. Instead, prepare to be introduced to a whole new world of culinary gadgetry you never knew existed.
“There are probably a lot of tools in my kitchen that most people aren’t familiar with,” says Brown from his home in Georgia. “But I am constantly experimenting with better methods of doing things, and there are now a few items that have become essential.”
Below, Brown tips us off to a list of gear you didn’t know you needed.