Are you hosting a Pampered Chef party, or attending one for a friend? Here are some of my favorite items that receive regular use in my homestead kitchen!
Disclaimer-that’s-not-really-a-disclaimer: I am not a Pampered Chef consultant, and I earn nothing from sharing this with you today. 🙂 I did a Google search for “favorite Pampered Chef tools for homesteaders” and got back zero results, so I thought I would write up a post myself.
I’ve ordered Pampered Chef items here and there from parties over the years, received things as gifts, and even purchased some at garage sales. When my all-time favorite stoneware bar pan broke a couple of months ago (user error 🙁 ), I considered whether it was worth the price to replace it or just use something else.
After about a week I realized I missed that pan SO much…
I went to my consultant’s page and was about to order it, when I thought maybe I should host a party. It’s been a couple of years. Maybe I can get this pan for free.
So I went ahead and hosted a week-long party on Facebook (my consultant did all of the work!). During my party, I began to realize just how many items I already owned by PC as I cooked each day. And as I put together my own order, I thought very carefully about which items I would actually use regularly.
If I bring an item into my home, it has to either be extremely useful or beautiful.
From my party, I was able to order 15 items, retail-price of $400+, for less than $100. 😍
Today I’m going to provide a brief, alphabetical list and review of ALL of the products I own from Pampered Chef — both what I’ve had for years and the items I bought recently — in the hope that it will help you decide what tools to bring into your own kitchen.
Burger & Slider Press
I’ve been pressing hamburger patties with my hands for years, and only recently starting to actually weigh them out to be equally sized. During the summer we have burgers once a week, and this specialty gadget makes the process go so much faster and ensures all the burgers are cooked evenly. Even the kids can now help and make the patties all the same size.
Classic Batter Bowl
I love my Pyrex 2-cup and 4-cup glass measuring cups, but sometimes a larger one sure comes in handy. The lid is a bonus, so I can put the whole container straight into the fridge.
Classic Scraper
Rubber spatulas can be purchased anywhere – cheap – but these ones last… and the end doesn’t pop off when I’m stirring like my others do.
the color/design has been updated since these.
Flexible Cutting Mats
I pull these out when I have one small thing to chop, or to shred cheese onto, and I don’t want to use my big wooden cutting boards. They come in a set of three, so you could even designate different colors for different uses (meat, etc).
Garlic Press
Confession: We received a PC garlic press as a wedding gift, and after it sat in the drawer for years, still in the box, I finally sold it in a garage sale. A couple of years ago I started buying bulbs of garlic to cook with instead of jars of the already-minced stuff, and so I re-bought this press. I love how it comes with a little scraper/cleaner tool.
Ice Cream Maker
This was the “fun” item we bought when I hosted a PC party a couple of years ago (actually got it for free). We used it off and on, but this summer my husband has started a tradition of making homemade ice cream once a week and it’s SO GOOD. Note – this is a one-quart maker, so you may need to adjust recipes you find online. Our family of 5 each get to enjoy a small scoop on two nights, or share with some friends all on one night.
Kernel Cutter
I almost always avoid specialty products that only get used once or twice a year, but this has been an exception. Thanks to this cutter, we have been able to shuck, blanch, cut, and freeze 65 ears of corn in only 2 hours. It will also come in handy this summer as one of our kids will be getting braces, and corn on the cob is off limits.
Kitchen Paring Knives
These little guys are useful for so many things, and have stayed sharp for years.
Mandoline
The all-in-one type I own is no longer available, but maybe it’ll come back or you’ll find it at a yard sale (like I did). I loved how it had changeable blades for different kinds of slices and a grater. I use it for evenly-sliced potatoes for scalloped potatoes, and for grating cheese. There are other mandolines, slicers, and graters available with good reviews.
Manual Food Processor
I don’t own a regular food processor, and this little tool gets a good amount of use. Fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, chopping nuts, and my favorite — cutting butter into flour for pie crusts.
Microwave Popcorn Maker
A family-sized version of this maker is also available, but this one is handy for when I just want a single serving of popcorn as a snack for myself (we use a Whirley-Pop for our family popcorn and movie nights). It collapses flat for easy storage!
Mini Serving Spatula
Every house needs at least one of these. Yes it does. It’s the perfect size for brownies, cookies, jello, enchiladas, lasagna, and more.
Mix ’n Chop
This was the one tool I’ve seen SO many people recommend, but I rolled my eyes at for years. Now I’m a total convert. I’ll never use a spatula for frying ground meat ever again. Tip: Rinse it off as soon as you’re done with it. If you just set it in the sink and wait until after dinner, the tiny meat pieces in between the blades will be a beast to clean out.
Nylon Small Slotted Turner
A recent addition to my kitchen – yes these kinds of spatulas are available everywhere, but I needed another of this size so I added it to my order. I’ve found there are a lot of nylon spatulas out there that are either too big or not flat enough for things like pancakes, and this one works great.
Professional Shears
I actually own two of these – my first set dulled after a couple of years (they got used on non-food things, and I didn’t own a knife sharpener – I do now) and because it was within warranty PC replaced them for free. These get used constantly for cutting chicken into small pieces, bacon, even snipping fresh herbs. Every kitchen needs a good pair of food-use scissors.
Rectangular Baker
For the longest time, the only bakeware I owned for things like lasagna, casseroles, brownies, etc were glass, but I’d heard other materials like stone do a better job of cooking things through properly. I still bake desserts in my glass pans, but now use this for all lasagnas, enchiladas, etc.
Rockcrok Grill Stone
This was a new addition from my party. I love the ease of my cast iron skillets, able to go from stovetop to oven, and I’ve even used them on the grill a few times. This stone is a similar concept, though a different material, and much lighter weight. I’m wanting to use our grill more often this summer, and I know this stone will get a lot of use.
Santoku Knife
The chef’s knife that came in our wedding-gift knife block does a decent job. But I’ve had one of these kinds of knives on my wishlist for years. I see them all the time in cooking shows, and want to up my fresh vegetable game this summer.
Stainless Steel Mesh Colander Set
For a long time the only colander I owned was a steel one with big holes – fine for most pastas, washing fruits and vegetables, etc. I also have a small mesh sifter, supposed to be used for flour and powdered sugar, but it was my only option for things like rinsing quinoa or straining bacon grease. I think these mesh colanders will get a lot of use!
Stoneware Bar Pan
If cast iron is my favorite on the stovetop, stoneware is my favorite in the oven. As I said in the beginning, my large bar pan that broke was my main reason for hosting a party recently. I use it for vegetables, bacon, pizza and stromboli, french fries and onion rings — anything that needs a large flat surface in the oven.
Stoneware Loaf Pan
This has been my go-to bread pan for years — I can’t even think of the last time I used my metal bread pans. I got a second one with my party, so I can now bake two loaves at once!
Stoneware Pizza Stone
We already owned one pizza stone from another company (a wedding gift), and now that our family is bigger it will be nice to make two pizzas at the same time.
If you don’t already have a PC consultant friend, you should check out my friend here. She runs an amazing party and is extremely knowledgeable and helpful.
Do you own any Pampered Chef items? What are some of your favorites?
Hi Carrie
I was wondering if you have tried baking in open flame like in an outdoor homemade oven?
I have not, sorry!