Ina Garten’s Go-To Tools for Dinner With Allison Janney

In case you missed it, season seven of Be My Guest With Ina Garten premiered Saturday. In the first episode, award-winning actress Allison Janney, tutored by Garten in her revered Hamptons barn, learned how to make a simple lemon vinaigrette in an Anchor Hocking measuring cup and a shockingly simple cacio e pepe in an All-Clad stockpot. Beforehand, the two icons appetized on rich, garlicky fondue, Janney’s favorite, which Garten prepared in a Lodge cast iron skillet. 

These are only a few of the Garten-loved kitchen tools and gadgets we spotted in the premiere, and we can’t wait to see the Barefoot Contessa put some of her other favorites to use with upcoming guests Hoda Kotb, Jon Batiste, and Michael Barbaro. Here are the ones we’ll be looking out for — and why you should add them to your cart.

Best Ina Garten-Loved Kitchen Tools and Gadgets Overall

I feel a deep, parasocial connection to Garten — we both rely on a Lodge cast iron skillet for various cooking tasks. The 1-piece cookware is easy to maintain, heats evenly, and remains durable for decades. Whether it’s Janney’s fondue or some juicy smash burgers, this pan can handle it — and it’s an affordable $25.

Garten has recommended Wüsthof knives for a long time — they’re made from forged steel that’s weighty, durable, and very sharp. In the show, Garten uses the Wüsthof Classic santoku and its stick-resistant hollowed edge to quickly and cleanly slice Fontina for cheese fondue.

One thing about Ina Garten: She loves porcelain and glassware, including this Anchor Hocking measuring cup. In the recent episode, not only does she use it to measure liquids, such as lemon juice or heavy cream, but she also rightfully makes it a food prep tool for whisking vinaigrette. According to our measuring cup tests, this one is highly accurate compared to other brands — and it’s on sale for only $12.

After you’ve peeled fruits, shaved hard cheeses, and ribboned vegetables for long enough, Garten says you should replace your dull vegetable peeler. This 3-pack is editor-approved, features potato eye removers, and keeps you stocked for a few years. And we hope to see Garten using hers to whip up something delicious with friends soon.

Garten has not one, but two white KitchenAid stand mixers in her kitchen. (I had to blink twice to make sure she didn’t have a mirror wall installed.) With that in mind, maybe the chance of her showcasing a delicious and approachable dessert, like her perennial brownie pudding, is doubled. 

Vegetable peelers aren’t the only tools Ina Garten recommends replacing regularly — her advice extends to Microplane zesters, too. While she uses a box grater to shred over a cup of Pecorino in the premiere, there’s bound to be some finer Parmesan grating and citrus zesting happening in future episodes.

If two KitchenAid mixers weren’t enough, Garten also doubles up on her favorite food processor. Because its low-set blades efficiently pull ingredients downward and chop or blend them to perfection, Garten often uses hers to process marinades, mince garlic, and more.

For as long as I can remember, All-Clad has had a place in Ina Garten’s kitchen. In Saturday’s Be My Guest episode, Garten and Janney boil tagliatelle in the brand’s stainless steel stockpot and, thanks to its shallow, accessible walls, can easily use kitchen tongs to toss the pasta with Pecorino and pepper for cacio e pepe. As Garten would say: How good is that?

A salad spinner is part of Garten’s herb storage process. Knowing that she owns one, we can only guess she also uses it to clean her other greens, like the fresh arugula she and Janney dress with lemon vinaigrette in the show. I love my OXO salad spinner, a tested winner you can buy with a glass bowl or in stainless steel.

A few of these Taylor oven thermometers sit above Garten’s kitchen stove. The celebrity chef uses them to ensure her oven has reached the temperature she actually needs, contrary to what its built-in thermometer might say. Given her ample collection, it doesn’t hurt to grab a few kitchen thermometers for extra reassurance that your dinner roasts and baked desserts are done to perfection.