What tools and gear does Hilary Erickson recommend for efficient cooking and baking?

Hi, I’m Hilary Erickson from The Pregnancy Nurse and Pulling Curls. Love this question.

From what I’ve shared on the blog and podcast, here’s the core “efficient kitchen” gear I tend to recommend and actually use:

• A great knife set (plus a sharpener)
• A solid cutting board
• A reliable toaster if your family uses it a lot
• A workhorse food processor if you regularly chop, shred, or make salsa
• Multi-use appliances (like an Instant Pot with an air-fry/convection lid or a microwave–convection combo) instead of big single‑use gadgets
• Simple, versatile tools you reach for daily; skip most specialty slicers and one‑trick gadgets

I always ask myself: How much space does it take, how often do I use it, can something else do the same job, and do I actually have room for it?

What’s one tool you’re wondering if you should keep or upgrade?