Best Kitchen Gadget

People still tease me when I tell them I spent almost $500 on a mixer. Then I bust out the best soup they've ever tasted in my trusty Vita-Mix and wipe that smug look right off their faces.

Best kitchen purchase EVER. What about you?

My Breville Toaster Oven. It's smaller than my range oven so more energy efficient (especially in the summer months when turning my oven on can heat up my entire cottage), and larger than a typical toaster oven so I can even make large pizzas and casseroles. It toasts, roasts, bakes, broils and warms. I LOVE it!

Small red paring knife. Bought at the Swiss store in London to send home for Christmas. Everybody got one and I have had several over the years. It was hugely popular,everyone wanted another.Sharp and reliable. Victorinox, I think.

My Romertopf clay cooker...incredibly versatile!

My best kitchen gadget(s) are probably the least expensive too.....my micro plane and, believe it or not, my egg slicer...which I not only use to sliced eggs, but chop eggs for egg salad and slice mushrooms....I have very good knife skills but these tools are the best!

My KitchenAid deluxe immersion blender with chopper bowl and whisk is invaluable. No more transferring hot soup to a blender. No more dirtying up the food processor to chop a few cloves of garlic or onion. Always plugged in and ready to go.