9 Tools That'll Revamp Your Breakfast Routine
Breakfast—ever heard of it? There's a rumor going around that it might be the most important meal of the day. But breakfast doesn't just happen. It requires tools. It requires mastery. And breakfast means so many different things. On Tuesday it means filling yourself up with healthy pureed fruits and vegetables so you can concentrate on staring at a computer screen for the next eight hours. On Wednesday it means shoving a piece of peanut butter toast into your mouth as you drive to work. And on Sunday, it definitely means waffles (or pancakes, or French toast). No matter the kind of breakfast you need to master, we've got all the best tools laid out for making it happen.
Photo by Travis Rainey1/9First Stop: Caffeine Machine
Some might disagree, but coffee is not breakfast. Having your first cup of coffee does render you capable of actually cooking breakfast, however. We tested a ton of drip coffee makers and found one that does all of the work for you—and quite simply makes a great pot of java that will get you through the rest of your day.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle2/9Second Stop: Toasty Bread
Bread is the foundation of any breakfast. Scratch that: Toast is the foundation of any breakfast. Drippy fried egg? Soak it up with bread. Have ricotta and jam? Put them on toast. Of course, the greatest food of all time, cinnamon toast, would not be possible without a toaster. For the best breakfast, you must have a toaster (if you're on the keto diet you can see yourself out). And we did some testing to find the right toaster for you.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews3/9Third Stop: Fluffy Scrambled Eggs (And Maybe Whipped Cream)
For perfect scrambled eggs, you need the best whisk. And, okay, on Sunday morning you might need it for some whipped cream to top your waffle, too. Come to think of it, you're going to need a whisk to stir that waffle batter—and pancake batter—together. We did some testing and found the whisk to end all other whisks.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle4/9Next, A Skillet for Your Eggs
A nonstick skillet will give you perfect, soft-scrambled eggs (without the cleanup involved in trying to scrape burnt egg from the bottom of the pan). It'll also make the elusive, buttery, beautiful French omelette easily achievable in your home kitchen. Want crepes? A nonstick skillet is great for that too. This is a breakfast workhorse that you'll keep out on your stovetop all the time.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell5/9And Another Skillet for Your Dutch Baby
A nonstick skillet is what you want for scrambled eggs, but for other egg dishes a cast-iron skillet (which retains heat extremely well and can go from the stovetop to the oven) is your best friend. Baked eggs, shakshuka, and even fried eggs can be made perfectly in your cast-iron skillet—especially if you do a good job seasoning it. (Not to mention cornbread, breakfast pizza, and Dutch babies.) And, of course, the best cast-iron skillet won't just feed you breakfast. It can literally be passed down for generations, so your grandchildren can make pancakes with it.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle6/9The Sleekest Spatula
Breakfast requires a lot of flipping. Flip your pancakes! Flip your over-easy eggs! For delicate flippery, you need the best spatula.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens7/9The Saucepan for Stovetop Oatmeal
Oatmeal is an essential breakfast item—and one of the rare morning meals that can be dressed up for the weekend or dressed down (by which we mean quick and healthy) for the work week. Of course, to make oatmeal, you'll need the best 3-quart saucepan. And guess what? We tested those, too!
8/9Smoothies Are Breakfast Too!
The smoothie has wormed its way into the realm of essential breakfast territory—especially of the healthy, on-the-go, workday variety. We tested lots and lots of blenders and found the one that will puree your kale to absolute perfection.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson9/9Last Stop: Sunday Waffles
A waffle maker isn't just a kitchen appliance—it's a wish-granter. You know the fantasy. It's Sunday. You awaken to the sweet scent of butter and freshly brewed coffee wafting through your home. Tiptoe to the kitchen: there's your stack of perfectly golden waffles, still steaming from the iron. You pile on the maple syrup, dig in, and then go back for more. You stay in your pajamas all day and pretend you run your own diner. With our favorite waffle maker, that Sunday morning waffle fantasy becomes a reality.
Read our full review to find the waffle maker that will turn your home into a fancy hotel buffet.
