Thanksgiving may come but once a year, but that’s no reason to muddle through with gear that doesn’t cut it. Make this the year you equip yourself with the tools that will make your prep easier, from a heavy-duty roaster to an ingenious fat separator for gravy. You won’t believe how smoothly the meal comes together when you’ve got the right stuff.
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ProductOXO Turkey Baster
When you baste your holiday turkey, the goal is to do it as quickly as possible so your bird doesn’t lose heat. The angled design of OXO’s turkey baster lets you easily reach the pooled juices in the roasting pan to draw them up quickly and smoothly. A stand on the side prevents it from rolling away in between bastings, and the whole thing comes apart for easy dishwasher clean-up. -
ProductJoseph Joseph Helix Potato Ricer
If you crave creamy, smooth mashed potatoes, a ricer is the tool to turn from. Like a giant garlic press, these tools force the potato through the tiny holes, creating the smoothest, finest mash possible. While most potato ricers call for a downward squeezing motion, Joseph Joseph’s Helix ergonomic food press’s handles move horizontally, requiring less force to make your mashed potatoes. -
ProductJohn Boos Mayan Carving Board
Made from end-grain maple (shown) or dark walnut, the John Boos Mayan Carving Board features a pyramid design that holds turkeys and roasts in place while you carve them. Deep grooves running from the center catch and collect the turkey's juices. Carved handles on the end make it easy to lift and carry. -
ProductButterball Electric Turkey Fryer
Deep frying your turkey produces unbelievably juicy, tender meat and crisp skin, and it doesn’t have to be intimidating or risky when you invest in an electric fryer. We like this Butterball model, which features a basket that can clip to the top for easy draining, a breakaway cord for safety, and dishwasher safe components for easy cleanup. -
ProductSmood Potato Masher
The Smood may look like a whisk, but it’s actually a clever masher—just press down on cooked potatoes or squash, and force them through the tool’s flexible coils. Bonus: A silicone scraper on one side of the coil scrapes down the sides of the bowl as you mash. -
ProductAll-Clad Roast Lifters
One great trick for keeping the turkey juicy is to begin roasting it breast-side down, and then flip it midway through cooking. All-Clad’s polished stainless-steel Professional Roast lifters help to keep your grip on a hot, partly cooked turkey. They also make it a breeze to securely move the bird get from roasting pan to carving board once it’s cooked. -
ProductViking Oval Covered Roaster
This covered roaster can handle our holiday roasts and sides. The lid doubles as a gratin dish, and the rack can be hung from the edges of the pan to cook potatoes underneath. -
ProductCristel Heavy-Duty Roasting Pan
Cristel’s heavy-duty roasting pan has so many pluses—wide, sturdy, easy-to-grasp handles to help you maneuver it; a matte surface to prevent scratching; a flat, flameproof bottom for whisking up pan gravy on the stovetop; and an adjustable roasting rack—that it’s great for smaller roasts as well as your turkey. -
ProductAmco Easy Release Fat Separator
This is the best fat separator we've ever tried. It eliminates the perennial problem of fat getting into the spout as you pour off the turkey juices, because instead of a spout it drains the juices from a hole in the bottom of the cup, which is opened by squeezing a lever in the handle. -
ProductOxo Triple Timer
When you’re juggling cooking times for several dishes, Oxo’s triple timer can keep track of it all at once, with different alarm sounds for each of the three timers. This model has long been a favorite in the Fine Cooking test kitchens for its intuitive controls and display.
