Gestura Stando Silver Plating Tongs
Do you love your tongs? I mean, LOVE your tongs? Are you sure they don’t splay open unpredictably, lock closed when you need them most, sploing out of position in your utensil drawer, or just take up too much doggone room? Let me introduce you to the Gestura Stando plating tongs. Think of ordinary tongs as a cleaver, and a Stando as a scalpel. Sleek and minimal with a minuscule footprint, they nonetheless allow for ergonomic handling thanks to cleverly-placed flares along their sides. Don’t be fooled by their cheffy appearance, or that some folks refer to them as plating tweezers, as though they are only fit for placing microgreens on canapés. They allow for exacting control when searing proteins, flipping, roasting vegetables, and plating long pastas. Best of all, you can rest them on a countertop without their tips touching the surface, a clever bit of user-friendly design. The one thing they aren’t great at is tossing a salad. Then again, tongs aren’t great at that either—you are probably better off just using your hands. —Chris Morocco, food director
OXO Brew Compact Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Oxo Brew Compact Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
To be honest, this whole recommendation stems from the fact that I accidentally purchased whole bean coffee at the grocery store and didn’t notice until the next morning when I went to brew a cup. Instead of going back and using the in-store grinder, or just giving the bag away, I decided it was finally time to (minimally) invest in a grinder of my own. I read our coffee grinder reviews and went with the compact, budget pick: an OXO model that promised not to take over my entire countertop while doing a reliably good job at breaking down beans. And it does! Yes, I need to use the tiny spritz bottle to remove static from the beans, and yes, there’s no dosing mechanism. But I’m upgrading from pre-ground coffee, and it’s genuinely been an upgrade. My coffee tastes a lot better, and the grinder neatly tucks away when I’m done using it. —K.J.Y.
Eadem Pain Au Chocolat Lip Softening Balm
Eadem
Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm
We all have that friend whom we blindly trust when it comes to recommendations in the beauty and skincare space. That friend for me is Katie Stone, writer of the Substack Plant Based and generous gifter of the nourishing lip balm that I now won’t go anywhere without in the dead of winter. The pain au chocolat (yes, that’s actually the color’s name) Le Chouchou lip softening balm from Eadem smells like the finest rich dark chocolate-filled French pastry you could dream up and paints on a deep caramel hue with a light pink shimmer. The golden-tubed balm brings instant moisture to my drying winter lips, adds a glossy finish, and is worth buying for the chocolatey scent alone. —K.K.
6-Piece Flatware Set
6-Piece 18/8 Stainless Steel Flatware Set
I know I shouldn’t be eating at my desk, but when I’m locked in, the last thing I want to do is hunt for silverware in the office cafeteria. This set has everything I need—utensils, chopsticks, even a straw, plus a sleek case that lives neatly in my desk drawer. It makes desk lunches feel a little less chaotic and I’m no longer relying on flimsy plastic forks that bend mid-bite. —Cristina Correa, social media manager
Cabot Creamery Triple Cream Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt
Cabot Triple Cream Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt
Hailing from the legendary Cabot Creamery, this triple cream vanilla bean Greek yogurt is so decadent, so luxurious, if it were a person, it’d be Dominique Deveraux. (For the youths, she’s a deliciously ruthless, exceedingly wealthy character from legendary ’80s soap opera, Dynasty, played by the GOAT, Diahann Carroll.) Is it a stretch to liken a yogurt to a long-gone soap? Maybe! But remember, standard full-fat yogurt tops off between 3% and 5%; at 10% milkfat, this yogurt announces, “I’m rich.” Very Dominique. My go-to parfait is this yogurt, topped with muesli or granola, apple butter, and a quick dollop of maple syrup. Is it breakfast or dessert? Does it matter? —Joseph Hernandez, director of drinks and lifestyle