There’s an Electric Version of Almost Every Kitchen Appliance. Here’s What Chefs Think About It

Electronic gadgets have entered the kitchen at a surprising clip. There’s a battery-powered or rechargeable version of just about any cooking tool you can think of, from refrigerator deodorizers to meat probes and even chef’s knives.

We make it our business to find the latest and greatest in modern kitchen and home technology, but that doesn’t mean every piece of kitchen hardware is better in its own right.

Professional chefs often prefer traditional methods. However, we wanted their opinion on a few electrified kitchen assistants and whether they consider the analog versions superior.

I talked to culinary experts from around the world about their take on six common kitchen tools compared to their electronic counterparts.

Here’s what they said.

1. Mixing by hand vs. stand mixer

“When I make bread or pizza doughI prefer to make them by hand instead of using a mixer. It reduces the risk of overmixing and allows for greater control and consistency. If you’re doing big batches, it’s a great job. Bread and pizza taste even better when you feel like you’ve earned it.” – John Marchetti, executive chef at Carcara in Phoenix, AZ

“As much as I like my KitchenAid in big batches, I often choose to make doughs or whipped creams by hand because you’re more involved in the process. Hand mixing allows you to feel subtle changes like when the butter is well spread or when the egg whites hit a peak — things that a machine can’t miss if you’re not looking.” – Kaitlyn Weber, executive chef at Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa La Jolla, CA

Ours: Choose a stand mixer if you are making large batches or if your wrists tire quickly. A stand mixer can also perform other tasks such as kneading, mixing, whipping and making pasta, making it a versatile investment. That said, preparing with elbow grease is almost foolproof.

2. The key to wine vs. Electric wine opener

“As a professional sommelier, I really prefer the functionality of a manual wine opener compared to the newer, faster-opening versions. The old-fashioned opener allows for the feel of the cork and how the screw turns on it, especially for older, rarer wines that may need a gentler touch to open a softer cork.” – Christopher McLean, executive chef and beverage director at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, AZ

“I will always choose a manual wine opener. It gives you complete control while maintaining the tradition of opening the bottle, which is important in a restaurant where wine is central to the experience. The feel of the cork, the tension, the clean pull…nothing electric can replicate that moment. – Aitor Garate, chef and ownerr of Eden Bistro North Miami, FL.

“When it comes to opening wine, I really don’t think you can do better than the tried and true wine opener. A high-quality hand-made wine opener offers great precision and control, especially when opening a vintage bottle. I would always hesitate to rely on a new, ingenious device and reach first for my trusty, well-worn wine opener to remove a very reliable, controlled cork.” – Tim Grable, culinary school director and chef Cavallo Point in Sausalito, CA

Ours: While we’ve tested a number of electronic wine openers like the excellent Rabbit, nothing guarantees consistency better than a standard cork or wine opener. As a bonus, you can get good for less than $15.

3. Pot vs

“Although rice cookers are very simple and easy to use, I prefer to cook rice the traditional Japanese way using donabe pots. The clay pot retains heat well, and if you know how to use it, the end product can be much better than even the most expensive rice cookers!” – Joel Hammond, chef de cuisine Uchi West Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA

“Cooking rice in a pot is always something I want to do. It gives me more control over texture and moisture. Using a rice cooker takes away a lot of the knowledge and decision making that makes one a cook in the first place. Plus, you can only put so much rice in a dish. Give me a big pot any day.” – Andrew Lautenbach. the chief cook at Hotel Britomart Auckland, New Zealand

“As a chef, I will always prefer to cook rice in a crock pot rather than using an electric rice cooker. While the cooker offers convenience, the manual stovetop method gives me superior control over water absorption, timing, texture, and flavor — which is so important for creating perfect European dishes like risotto or pilaf.” – Hany Ali, executive chef at Europa Village Wineries & Resort in Temecula, CA

“For me, cooking rice in the pot is about understanding the texture and respecting the ingredient. A rice cooker is ideal, but a stove allows you to control heat, steam and time more precisely, which ultimately leads to a better end result.” – Aitor Garate, chef and owner of Eden Bistro, North Miami, FL

Ours: Although cooking rice in a pot is less complicated and offers more control, we find that most modern electric rice cookers deliver consistent, reliable results. A smart buy for anyone who cooks starch regularly.

4. Manual versus electric pepper mill

“Electric salt and pepper shakers? What? Part of the joy is hearing that crunch as you grind a new spice. Such a simple, satisfying sound. And honestly, there’s something very authentic and clear about using a manual grinder – it just feels like a chef.” – Andrew Lautenbach. the chief cook at Hotel Britomart Auckland, New Zealand

“I’ll always reach for a manual pepper mill because grinding peppers by hand gives me a fresh, aromatic flavor and allows me to control the spiciness on the fly. With a pepper mill, I also get control over the peppercorns I’m using, as opposed to anything in a store-bought shaker jar.” – Gus Trejo, executive chef of Lucia Restaurant & Bar of Bernardus Lodge & Spa in Carmel Valley, CA

Hand held shakers come out on top. I may be a little biased as during my 10 years at Robuchon, we always used manual shakers. They truly offer more control over the thickness and quantity produced by the pepper mill. When making a recipe where the size or number of peppers is important, it’s important to be precise. If the pieces are too big, they can overwhelm the sauce, stock, protein or vegetables. – Eleazar Villanueva, executive chef of Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, NV

Ours: A manual grinder is cheap, easy to use, and won’t break easily — even if there’s something satisfying about pushing a button and letting the batteries do all the work.

This $19 fine acacia wood pepper mill good and useful. For a pepper grinder with plenty of heft and precise control, give it a try Mannkithen’s $200 Pepper CannonCNET kitchen editor David Watsky tested it and loved it.

5. Chef’s knife versus electric choppers and food processors

“Defend the art of the knife! I will always use a knife over a food processor. I don’t want to throw vegetables into the machine and call them dice – give vegetables respect! Using a food processor often destroys the integrity of the ingredients: the iceberg lettuce is crushed, the carrots come out uneven and hard, the onions get sharp juice, and release their sharp juice. the knife, on the other hand, keeps the texture, taste, and essence of each ingredient.” – Ewart Wardhaugh, cook Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, NV

“I like to process my food with certain things like pesto, pie dough, big batches of whatever. But for most things in the kitchen, nothing beats a knife; precision, consistency, and, honestly, the joy of doing the work yourself is something that a machine will never replace.” – Kaitlyn Weber, executive chef at Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa La Jolla, CA

“I always like all knife work to be done by hand! Electric vegetable cutters tend to damage everything and the blades get dull very quickly. You also won’t develop true knife skills by trying to use them as a shortcut!” – Joel Hammond, chef de cuisine Uchi West Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA

Ours: We couldn’t agree more. A good knife collection is essential in the kitchen, including a go-to chef’s knife that can do it all. That said, if you have mountains of mirapoix to go through, a a good food processor it is a worthwhile investment.

6. Manual opener versus electric

“A simple manual pot opener, even a kitchen towel, offers better power and speed. In a professional kitchen, you don’t have time to wait for an electronic gadget – it’s all about efficiency and instinct.” – Sergio Jimenez, executive chef of Adelaide of L’Auberge Del Mar in Del Mar, CA

“I mainly use the swing-a-way style opener both at home and in a professional kitchen setting, mainly because its smooth operation and control keeps the edges of the can smooth, which is important to prevent a few problems. And I don’t have to worry about batteries or a power source, which makes it easy to use anywhere.” – Roy Hendrickson, executive chef of The Covewood of San Diego Mission Bay Resort

Ours: While the manual can opener is the tool of choice for many cooks, those who suffer from arthritis or other hand mobility issues may enjoy the convenience of an electric can opener. When it comes to jars, we still don’t understand how this rubber mallet works in loosening vacuum seals.

Want to expand your collection even more? Check out the tools chefs consider a waste of time, as well as some useful ones that should take their place in your kitchen.