Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen Paperback – April 1, 2008

OK, I admit it, I'm a Good Eats Junky. And any man who has a pet iguana has my heart!If you've been around a kitchen for any length of time, a lot of this is old hat, but it's presented in a lighthearted manner, and is a good refresher. I think the bestest part is in the Introduction when he explains how to de-clutter the kitchen. And keep it de-cluttered.If you're new to a kitchen, this is a great book to help you get set up properly, and for the least amount of money. Expensive is not always best. And his idea to shop at your local restaurant supply is wonderful. I've been shopping at mine for years. Restaurant quality at a price I can afford. What's not to like?Another reason Alton Brown has my heart and undying love is that he hates items that are uni-taskers. He wants multi-taskers that can do several jobs. No exceptions! Well, maybe one. He likes frenched green beans, as does Spike, his pet iguana, so he has a frencher. I don't like green beans, frenched or otherwise, and I do not and will not have a bean frencher. But I may get a cigar cutter.At times, I wondered if he was in my kitchen. He knew I had a drawer full of old knives passed down from grandparents to parents to me. I know have decent ones, and the right sizes and shapes for the job.Do you buy some of your kitchen supplies from the hardware store? The tobacco shop? Why not? Brown gives a lot of recommendations regarding products. I strongly recommend you check the reviews before buying specific brands he recommends. The book was published in 2008—what may have been high quality then may no longer have that same quality.I think this book is perfect for anyone who is starting out on their own, moving to their first apartment, their first kitchen. I know it's perfect for anyone who has been collecting gadgets for years. As well as old knives. Besides, it's just a lot of fun to read!

You're going to wish you had this book years ago, before you spent all that money on gadgets that got tossed into the junk drawer only to get used once a year. You'll wish you'd had it before you selected all the wrong things on your wedding registry. But when you look back ten years from now and add up all the money, time and aggravation you've saved after following the advice in Gear For Your Kitchen, you'll get that little smile that only comes with the special joy of smugness. And after all, you will have one kick-a** (and uncluttered) kitchen!Author, director and chef Alton Brown brings his trademark bottom-line style to GFYK. To make it easier to use as a spot reference, it is divided into sections: Pots and Pans, Sharp Things, Small Things with Plugs, Kitchen tools Unplugged, Storage and Containment, and Safety and Sanitation. The short introduction at the beginning orients the reader to some guidelines about organizing, how to decide an item's keep-or-toss value, and rules that will keep you grounded in reality as you shop (and less likely to fall for sales ploys). A good sample quote on knife salesjargon: "If I'm getting ready to go into battle, I'd almost certainly want my sword to be full tang, but if the most violent task I'm to encounter is cutting through a chicken, I can think of about six characteristics of a knife that are more important." This section alone redeems the book's cover price very quickly.What really makes GFYK -- and AB - stand out from others however is the effortless teacherly approach the author takes. Just as with his tv series Good Eats, AB explains the logic, physics and application of tools, techniques and gadgets, but get this: it's all in simple, no-nonsense language so that you can really learn what you are doing, instead of following directions obediently. Applying your knowledge becomes easy at that point on. Really, no straining or note-taking required here to suddenly realize which pots you'll need for your favorite recipes for instance. He just slips it on in unnoticed, and dang it, you're an educated consumer that can make intelligent choices. How does he do it?As an added bonus, there are recipes spliced into areas relevant to the tools being discussed, little sidebar blurbs and comments on trivia, and often, photos of his personal items. AB includes tips on where to obtain some of the obscure ones. But my hands-down favorite thing about GFYK are the little gems on improvising and trouble shooting. Need a shield for your immersion blender (so that everything doesn't splatter out the top of the container)? Cut a hole in a cheap frisbee and slide it on through. Want a roaster that's also good for casseroles and baking bread? Two shallow terra cotta flowerpots should do the trick. I ask you, how can one resist the charm of learning how to makeshift a smoker for under fifty bucks out of common household items? I might add, you will be able to disassemble it and store it offseason in the garden shed...or just reuse the parts when you're done!I hope I've convinced you that you do need this book unless you are already a veritable expert on kitchen tools. Save yourself and your counter space, free up your closets and get cooking!-Andrea, aka Merribelle

A very informative, and very opinionated (!), book, by the creator of 'Good Eats', and 'I'm Just Here For the Food'. Alton Brown takes you w-a-a-a-y beyond 'buy this', and explains the 'whys' and 'hows' behind different cooking equipment and kitchen items, including: an exhaustive comparison of pots and pans; knives and 'sharp things'; small appliances; basic utensils; and even food storage; along with a very good, basic introduction to food safety and kitchen sanitation that is missing from most cookbooks.Although, a dozen or two recipes are included as devices to demonstrate some things, this book is focused on the gear. Brown expresses a distain for single use gadgets, emphasizing multi-use items, that maximize value, and minimize clutter. As in his other books and TV shows, he provides the reader with a historical perspective of many of the items and materials used, along with his brand of humor and whimsy, along with several 'work-arounds'.My copy notes an original publication date in 2003, with this edition in 2008, so there may be a few of the latest gadgets and appliances missing (think 'air fryer'), and some of the referenced model numbers and prices may have changed. But the fundamental tools and equipment are covered in great detail, and in an easy to read and enjoyable manner that educates the reader to make good choices for their own situation, budget, and cooking style.Well worth the price, and the read (!), if it helps make just one or two major kitchen gear decisions, and a great add-on to any single cookbook or collection.