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Hosting Thanksgiving is mostly a timing problem: the turkey, the gravy and four sides all want the oven and stovetop at once. A few tools take the guesswork and juggling out of the day, and they're worth ordering now, weeks before the holiday, while there's still time to try them out.
Quick answer: If you get only one thing, make it an instant-read meat thermometer: it's the surest way to know the turkey is done. Add a fat separator for smoother gravy and a slow cooker to free up the oven for sides.
An instant-read probe with a backlit display that tells you when the turkey, ham or roast is actually done, and it's waterproof so it rinses clean.
Takes the guesswork out of chicken, roasts, and the holiday turkey with a temperature reading in a couple of seconds. The backlit display is easy to read at the oven or the grill, and the waterproof body rinses clean under the tap.
A 4-cup fat separator with a built-in strainer: pour in the drippings, let the fat rise, and pour the juices out from the bottom.
Skimming fat off turkey drippings with a spoon is slow and messy, and greasy gravy is the result when you rush it. Pour drippings through the strainer, let the fat rise, then pour the juices out from the bottom through the spout.
A 7-quart slow cooker with high, low and warm settings, so mashed potatoes or stuffing stay hot while the oven handles the turkey.
Feeding a crowd or cooking for the week means a pot big enough for a whole roast or a double batch of chili. This 7-quart slow cooker has high, low and warm settings, and the removable stoneware can go in the oven up to 400°F or straight into the dishwasher.
A 2-quart slow cooker with a warm setting that keeps gravy, dips or cranberry sauce warm on the buffet.
Sized for dinner for two or a batch of dip, so you are not running a six-quart cooker half empty. The stoneware crock lifts out for the dishwasher, and the Warm setting holds queso or meatballs steady through a long afternoon.
Silicone mitts rated to 500°F with a ribbed, non-slip grip for lifting a hot roasting pan out of the oven.
Silicone shells rated to 500°F shield hands from hot sheet pans and casserole dishes, and they shrug off steam and spills that soak through cloth mitts. The ribbed grip holds slippery pans, and each mitt is 7 by 13 inches.
A 3-cup food processor that chops onions, celery and herbs for stuffing in a few pulses.
Chops onions, garlic, herbs, and nuts in a few pulses, which takes the tedious knife work out of soups, stuffing, and sauces. The reversible blade switches between chopping and grinding, and the bowl and lid are dishwasher safe, so it earns its small spot in the cabinet.
Glass measuring cups in 1, 2 and 4-cup sizes for broth, gravy and pie fillings, safe in the microwave.
Three glass cups in 1, 2 and 4-cup sizes cover everything from a splash of milk to a full batch of batter, with bold ounce and milliliter markings. They go into the microwave to warm butter or milk and pour cleanly through a curved spout, which suits holiday baking.
A sturdy can opener with an oversized turning knob for cranberry sauce, pumpkin and broth cans.
A sharp stainless steel cutting wheel and an oversized turning knob get through cans of pumpkin, broth, and beans without the slipping and re-clamping of a worn-out opener. The cushioned handles are easier on tired hands, and the built-in bottle opener means one less tool in the drawer.
Five matching 3.2-cup containers with latching leak-proof lids, so leftovers stack neatly and go home with guests.
Mismatched containers with lost lids make meal prep and leftovers messier than they need to be. This set gives you five matching 3.2-cup clear Tritan containers with latching leak-proof lids and built-in vents for reheating.
Write down what needs the oven and when. Anything that can move to a slow cooker, like mashed potatoes, stuffing or cider, frees up space for the turkey.
Check the turkey with a thermometer
Pop-up timers and cooking charts are rough guides. A probe thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh tells you when it's actually done.
Make the gravy while the turkey rests
Pour the pan drippings through a fat separator, let the fat rise for a minute, then pour the juices from the bottom for gravy.
Order early
Delivery gets slower and popular items sell out as the holiday gets closer. Ordering a few weeks ahead gives you time for a practice run.
Frequently asked questions
What kitchen tools do I need to host Thanksgiving?
A meat thermometer, a roasting pan, a fat separator for gravy, oven mitts that handle a heavy pan, and containers for leftovers cover most of the day. A slow cooker helps when the oven is full.
How do I keep side dishes warm on Thanksgiving?
A slow cooker on its warm setting holds mashed potatoes, stuffing or gravy at serving temperature without taking up a burner or the oven.
How do I know when the turkey is done?
Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone, and follow USDA guidance for poultry temperatures.
How were these picks chosen?
This is a research-based guide. Picks are compared on published specifications, recurring themes in owner feedback and the criteria above. We don't claim to have handled every product personally.
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