The 20 Most Pointless Kitchen Gadgets, According to Chefs
If you've ever worked in a professional kitchen, you know how valuable space is. There's simply no room for single-function gadgets that barely get uses, or worse, don't do much of anything at all. If you can't stand clutter -- and wasting money -- you should think about your kitchen in the same way. Avoiding overrated and useless tools is a good place to start.
To find out which kitchen tools aren't worth the space they occupy, I turned to five professional chefs. These career cooks are the ultimate authority on which kitchen gadgets should get the boot -- especially when cupboard, counter and drawer space is limited. Each one listed their least favorite kitchen tools and offered their preferred method or tool for completing the cooking task that they're meant to.
Here's what they said.
Masaharu Morimoto
Celebrity chef, restauranteur
Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool.
Dave Kotinsky/Stringer/Getty
1. Mandolin
Chef Morimoto encourages beefing up your knife skills to make thin and uniform vegetable slices.
Milk Street
Why: "While it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, precision and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, hard to clean and risky if you're not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin, or tools like a two-in-one apple cutter or a tomato corer can hold you back from developing real technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef's knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every recipe."
What to try instead: Mac 8-inch Japanese chef knife.
Lead chef-instructor Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles
Culinary instructor Eric Rowse knows a gimmicky kitchen tool when he sees one.
Institute of Culinary Education
2. Onion holders
Why: "These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; it's meant to help you hold a whole onion and "chop" it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it won't roll away. If you're trying to cut rings, save the $14 and stick a fork in the root and hold the fork."
What to try instead: Learn to properly slice an onion the old-fashioned way.
3. Onion goggles
Save your money -- and some dignity -- and skip the onion goggles.
Rubberball/Mike Kemp/Getty
Why: "A waste of money, as they don't form a great seal around the eyes to prevent the sulfur compounds from getting to your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open a window or turn on a fan instead."
What to try instead: CNET's Peter Butler shares tips for cutting onions without crying.
4. Metal, glass, stone and acrylic cutting boards
Glass, stone and metal boards are OK for serving but when it comes to slicing and dicing, wood is the way to go.
David Watsky/CNET
Why: "Cutting on hard surfaces is bad for your knives; instead, go for wood or poly."
What to try instead: Our list of the best cutting boards features plenty of knife-safe options.
5. Chicken shredder
Why: "I can't think of anyone needing a tool devoted to shredding chicken outside a restaurant, and even restaurants don't use it. This item only has one purpose, so I'd skip it."
What to try instead: Two forks.
6. Herb stripper
Why: "I love thyme but hate stripping it. When I was young, I got suckered into believing this tool would help me… It's been sitting in my cupboard, laughing at me for almost a decade now."
What to try instead: For heartier herbs like rosemary and thyme, just use your fingers to slide down the stem, opposite to how the leaves grow.
7. Bluetooth wireless probe thermometer
Instant read meat probes work fast and don't require fussy Bluetooth connection.
Chris Wedel/CNET
Why: "These are a great tool, but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing, breaking, dropping, accidentally throwing away or dropping it in the coals."
What to try instead: ThermoPro's Lightning Instant Read Thermometer
Cookbook author and lifestyle expert
Cookbook author Peter Som didn't hold back when asked about his least favorite kitchen tools.
Peter Som
8. Electric can opener
A manual can opener is cheaper, works great and is less likely to break.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Why: "Most of us grew up with an electric can opener permanently stationed on the kitchen counter, like it was a vital appliance. But truthfully, they're more nostalgia than necessity. They take up space, can be a hassle to clean, and often struggle with irregularly sized cans. A good manual opener is compact, reliable and gets the job done without needing an outlet or a user manual."
What to try instead: Oxo's soft-handled can opener.
Richard Ingraham
Personal chef to Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and author of Love: My Love Expressed Through Food
Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen tools when cooking for celebs like Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union.
John Parra/Gett
9. Avocado slicer
Why: "A knife and spoon do the job just as easily, and the specialized tool rarely fits all avocado sizes properly. It's a one-trick pony that clutters drawers."
What to try instead: A good paring knife like this $35 Wusthof.
10. Egg separator
Separating an egg by hand isn't so that difficult that it requires hardware.
Yipengge/Getty
Why: "A tool just for separating yolks is unnecessary for most home cooks." The only exception may be this one, and even that is just for yolks. Err, I mean yucks.
What to try instead: Cracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works just as well.
11. Garlic peeler tube
Why: "Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube may work but requires storing a single-purpose gadget."
What to try instead: Smashing garlic cloves with a chef knife is quicker and more reliable.
12. Pizza scissors
Chef Ingraham says skip the scissors on pizza night.
Zoranm/Getty
Why: "A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, awkward to clean and take up more space than they're worth."
What to try instead: KitchenAid's stainless-steel pizza wheel.
13. Herb scissors
Why: "They're hard to clean and don't offer a huge advantage over a sharp chef's knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs more than slice them."
What to try instead: Made In's 8-inch Chef Knife.
14. Electric egg cooker
Why: "Boiling eggs in a pot is straightforward and flexible. The electric version just adds clutter unless you boil eggs constantly and hate using a stove."
What to try instead: This 1-minute hack for making poached eggs in the microwave.
15. Butter cutter and dispenser
A good butter knife works just as well and requires less space and maintenance.
Williams Sonoma
Why: "It slices sticks of butter into pats… but why? A knife works instantly, and you don't have to load and clean a plastic gadget for it."
What to try instead: Williams Sonoma breakfast butter blade.
16. Pasta measurer
Why: "It's a plastic disc with holes to tell you how much spaghetti to cook. Just eyeball it or learn the rough weight by experience. It's not worth the drawer space."
What to try instead: A kitchen scale for precise measurements.
17. Oil mister
Why: "Often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. A small spoon or brush does the job with less frustration."
What to try instead: World Market's olive oil cruet.
18. Electric potato peeler
A sharp vegetable peeler is all you need to skin a batch of potatoes.
Capelle.r/Getty
Why: "Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels slower than a regular peeler. Plus, it's overkill unless you're peeling dozens of potatoes at once."
What to try instead: Oxo's Swivel peeler.
19. Bagel guillotine
Why: "Sold as a safer way to slice bagels, but takes up a ton of space and is awkward to clean. A serrated knife does the job just fine."
What to try instead: Opinel's 8-inch bread knife.
Jackie Carnesi
Executive chef, Kellogg's Diner
Jackie Carnesi
StarChefs
20. Oven mitts
There's a reason pro chefs don't use oven mitts.
Webstaurant
Why: "Oven mitts are the most useless item in a home kitchen! A sturdy kitchen towel does the same job, and odds are, it's more likely to be washed regularly. I don't know many people who wash their oven mitts frequently enough... it seems many have deemed it an item that doesn't warrant regular cleaning. It does."
What to try instead: Stock a plethora of kitchen towels.
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CNET
6 hours ago
- CNET
Stop Wasting Money: 20 Pointless Kitchen Gadgets Chefs Warn Against
We all know how important preserving valuable kitchen space is. There's simply no room for single-function gadgets that are barely used, or worse, don't do much of anything at all. If you can't stand clutter -- and wasting money -- avoiding overrated and useless tools is a good place to start. To find out which kitchen tools aren't worth the space they occupy, I turned to five professional chefs. These career cooks are the ultimate authority on which kitchen gadgets should get the boot -- especially when cupboard, counter and drawer space is limited. Each one listed their least favorite kitchen tools and offered their preferred method or tool for completing the cooking task that they're meant to do. Here's what they said. Masaharu Morimoto Celebrity chef, restauranteur Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool. Dave Kotinsky/Stringer/Getty 1. Mandolin Chef Morimoto encourages beefing up your knife skills to make thin and uniform vegetable slices. Milk Street Why: "While it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, precision and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, hard to clean and risky if you're not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin, or tools like a two-in-one apple cutter or a tomato corer can hold you back from developing real technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef's knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every recipe." What to try instead: Mac 8-inch Japanese chef knife. Lead chef-instructor Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles Culinary instructor Eric Rowse knows a gimmicky kitchen tool when he sees one. Institute of Culinary Education 2. Onion holders Why: "These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; it's meant to help you hold a whole onion and "chop" it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it won't roll away. If you're trying to cut rings, save the $14 and stick a fork in the root and hold the fork." What to try instead: Learn to properly slice an onion the old-fashioned way. 3. Onion goggles Save your money -- and some dignity -- and skip the onion goggles. Rubberball/Mike Kemp/Getty Why: "A waste of money, as they don't form a great seal around the eyes to prevent the sulfur compounds from getting to your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open a window or turn on a fan instead." What to try instead: CNET's Peter Butler shares tips for cutting onions without crying. 4. Metal, glass, stone and acrylic cutting boards Glass, stone and metal boards are OK for serving but when slicing and dicing, wood is the way to go. David Watsky/CNET Why: "Cutting on hard surfaces is bad for your knives; instead, go for wood or poly." What to try instead: Our list of the best cutting boards features plenty of knife-safe options. 5. Chicken shredder Why: "I can't think of anyone needing a tool devoted to shredding chicken outside a restaurant and even restaurants don't use it. This item only has one purpose so I'd skip it." What to try instead: Two forks. 6. Herb stripper Why: "I love thyme but hate stripping it. When I was young I got suckered into believing this tool would help me … It's been sitting in my cupboard, laughing at me for almost a decade now." What to try instead: For heartier herbs like rosemary and thyme, just use your fingers to slide down the stem, opposite to how the leaves grow. 7. Bluetooth wireless probe thermometer Instant read meat probes work fast and don't require fussy Bluetooth connection. Chris Wedel/CNET Why: "These are a great tool but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing, breaking, dropping, accidentally throwing away or dropping it in the coals." What to try instead: ThermoPro's Lightning Instant Read Thermometer Cookbook author and lifestyle expert Cookbook author Peter Som didn't hold back when asked about his least favorite kitchen tools. Peter Som 8. Electric can opener A manual can opener is cheaper, works great and is less likely to break. Nelson Aguilar/CNET Why: "Most of us grew up with an electric can opener permanently stationed on the kitchen counter, like it was a vital appliance. But truthfully, they're more nostalgia than necessity. They take up space, can be a hassle to clean and often struggle with irregularly sized cans. A good manual opener is compact, reliable and gets the job done without needing an outlet or a user manual." What to try instead: Oxo's soft-handled can opener. Richard Ingraham Personal chef to Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and author of Love: My Love Expressed Through Food Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen tools when cooking for celebs like Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union. John Parra/Gett 9. Avocado slicer Why: "A knife and spoon do the job just as easily and the specialized tool rarely fits all avocado sizes properly. It's a one-trick pony that clutters drawers." What to try instead: A good paring knife like this $35 Wusthof. 10. Egg separator Separating an egg by hand isn't so that difficult that it requires hardware. Yipengge/Getty Why: "A tool just for separating yolks is unnecessary for most home cooks." The only exception may be this one, and even that is just for yolks. Err, I mean yucks. What to try instead: Cracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works just as well. 11. Garlic peeler tube Why: "Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube may work but requires storing a single-purpose gadget." What to try instead: Smashing garlic cloves with a chef knife is quicker and more reliable. 12. Pizza scissors Chef Ingraham says skip the scissors on pizza night. Zoranm/Getty Why: "A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, awkward to clean and take up more space than they're worth." What to try instead: KitchenAid's stainless-steel pizza wheel. 13. Herb scissors Why: "They're hard to clean and don't offer a huge advantage over a sharp chef's knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs more than slice them." What to try instead: Made In's 8-inch Chef Knife. 14. Electric egg cooker Why: "Boiling eggs in a pot is straightforward and flexible. The electric version just adds clutter unless you boil eggs constantly and hate using a stove." What to try instead: This 1-minute hack for making poached eggs in the microwave. 15. Butter cutter and dispenser A good butter knife works just as well and requires less space and maintenance. Williams Sonoma Why: "It slices sticks of butter into pats… but why? A knife works instantly, and you don't have to load and clean a plastic gadget for it." What to try instead: Williams Sonoma breakfast butter blade. 16. Pasta measurer Why: "It's a plastic disc with holes to tell you how much spaghetti to cook. Just eyeball it or learn the rough weight by experience. It's not worth the drawer space." What to try instead: A kitchen scale for precise measurements. 17. Oil mister Why: "Often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. A small spoon or brush does the job with less frustration." What to try instead: World Market's olive oil cruet. 18. Electric potato peeler A sharp vegetable peeler is all you need to skin a batch of potatoes. Capelle.r/Getty Why: "Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels slower than a regular peeler. Plus, it's overkill unless you're peeling dozens of potatoes at once." What to try instead: Oxo's Swivel peeler. 19. Bagel guillotine Why: "Sold as a safer way to slice bagels but takes up a ton of space and is awkward to clean. A serrated knife does the job just fine." What to try instead: Opinel's 8-inch bread knife. Jackie Carnesi Executive chef, Kellogg's Diner Jackie Carnesi StarChefs 20. Oven mitts There's a reason pro chefs don't use oven mitts. Webstaurant Why: "Oven mitts are the most useless item in a home kitchen! A sturdy kitchen towel does the same job, and odds are, it's more likely to be washed regularly. I don't know many people who wash their oven mitts frequently enough ... it seems many have deemed it an item that doesn't warrant regular cleaning. It does." What to try instead: Stock a plethora of kitchen towels.
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15 Enlightening Books About Spirituality
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama (center) presents a copy of book to a monk during ... More the inauguration of the International Conference on 'Mahayana Buddhism. We're constantly moving, scrolling, optimizing and performing, but rarely pausing long enough to ask what any of it means. These 15 powerful books about spirituality offer roadmaps, influenced by ancient traditions and modern wisdom, pointing toward love, suffering, belief and the meaning of it all. Some explore the meaning of life and others tackle grief, death or healing. A few offer hard-won wisdom on how to live with presence, compassion and clarity. Top Books About Spirituality While religion often answers through doctrine, spirituality tends to ask through experience. The books on this list span that spectrum. While some draw from Eastern mysticism, others from Western theology, and several combine both. Other could be shelved in 'self-help,' but their impact reaches deeper and is more transformative for how we think about being human. This list doesn't aim to be definitive but aims to be useful. It is subjective and therefore non-exhaustive. One of the world's most respected spiritual texts, Tao Te Ching remains widely relevant even now. More than two millennia old, the ancient text remains one of the most radical spiritual bodies of work ever written. In just 81 short verses, Lao Tzu sketches a worldview where effortlessness is strength, humility is leadership and being still is the greatest motion. The Tao, or 'The Way,' is less a destination than a current, something that a person yields to, not conquers. Its paradoxes go against the logic of ambition, which makes it an enduring counterpoint to Western models of striving. This is not a book you master; it's one that masters you over time. Who should read this book: Anyone trying to understand the nuances of power or readers drawn to wisdom that emphasizes simplicity over struggle. Where to read: Simon & Schuster The Bhagavad Gita begins on a battlefield, but it's really about an internal war, the one between duty and internal conflict, fear, soul and ego. The story itself is told as a dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and the god Krishna; Arjuna is paralyzed by the idea of fighting his own kin. Krishna responds not with comforting platitudes but with spiritual fire: do your duty, without attachment to the outcome. The Bhagavad Gita is compact. It skips theological debates and cuts straight to existential clarity. It distills Hindu philosophy into a dialogue about fear, identity and the soul's calling. The primary message here is one about courage, detachment and the eternal self, which has resonated far beyond its cultural origins and shaped great thinkers from Mahatma Gandhi to Ralph Waldo Emerson. Who should read this book: Anyone struggling with an ethical dilemma, trying to understand Eastern philosophy, or looking for guidance on living fully. Where to read: Simon & Schuster Paramahansa Yogananda's spiritual memoir introduced millions of Westerners to Eastern mysticism through stories that read like fiction but are presented as lived experience. The Indian yogi's journey from childhood meetings with saints to establishing the Self-Realization Fellowship in America bridges two worlds with clarity, while making the wisdom of ancient Vedantic teachings accessible to modern minds. Few memoirs bridge East and West as seamlessly as Yogananda's spiritual classic. More than a biography, it's a gateway into the mystical traditions of India, yet is translated for the analytic Western mind. Yogananda doesn't preach belief; he advocates experience. What results is less a chronicle of his life and more a user's manual for spiritual awakening. Who should read this book: Skeptics who are curious about mystical claims or anyone interested in the meeting point between Eastern spirituality and Western science. Where to read: Barnes & Noble People take part in a yoga session at Namo Ghat to mark the International Day of Yoga, in Varanasi, ... More India. Ram Dass' four-sectioned book Be Here Now follows the then Richard Alpert, a Harvard psychology professor who left his academic life in search of something more meaningful. Alpert was already successful, yet when he and Timothy Leary began their psychedelic research together, the research only heightened Dass' spiritual restlessness rather than resolving it. What followed was a trip to India that converted Alpert into Baba Ram Dass, a 'servant of God.' His encounter with Guru Neem Karoli Baba represents the moment when Western psychological training meets Eastern spiritual beliefs. The book is part autobiography, part free-form, while offering a manual that includes yoga, pranayama and meditation techniques. Who should read this book: High achievers who've checked all the conventional boxes yet still feel something important is missing. This also applies to those who are navigating a major life transition or an existential crisis and are seeking clarity. Where to read: Penguin Random House Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now offers a spiritual route from the mental prison most of us live in without realizing it. Tolle's central insight cuts through decades of self-help noise with surgical precision: our suffering isn't caused by our circumstances but by our relationship to our thoughts about those circumstances. Tolle shows how the voice in our heads often analyzes everything to create a parallel truth that only exists in our minds. By learning to step back and accept things as they are, Tolle argues that the hard parts of life can become more manageable. The book also uses Eastern wisdom traditions while referencing mysticism. Who should read this book: Anyone trapped in the cycle of overthinking will find relief in Tolle's approach. Where to read: Namaste Publishing Decades before anxiety became a public health issue, Alan Watts anticipated the crisis. His central premise is that modern life's obsession with certainty in the financial, emotional and spiritual, is itself the root of chronic unease. It's a prescient work for a generation that increasingly questions what is next. Watts is able to transcribe ancient Eastern wisdom into language that speaks to Western sensibilities. He also shows how our attempts to secure the future actually rob us of the only reality we can ever truly inhabit in this moment. Who should read this book: Philosophers and spiritual seekers will appreciate Watts' ability to make Eastern concepts accessible without diluting their depth. Where to read: Barnes & Noble Khalil Gibran's The Prophet is a poetic yet wise analysis about life's important experiences through the farewell speech of Al Mustafa, a prophet leaving after spending 12 years in the city of Orphalese. When the townspeople learn of his departure, they gather at the temple to see him one last time. Almitra, a seeress, asks Al Mustafa to share the wisdom he has gained during his time with them before he leaves. In response to their questions, Al Mustafa offers teachings on the fundamental aspects of life, love, work, joy, sorrow, freedom, friendship, and death. Gibran's background as both an Eastern mystic and Western artist allowed him to create a work that feels both ancient and contemporary, with language that maintains spiritual insight. Who should read this book: Readers drawn to poetic rather than analytical approaches to ancient wisdom. Where to read: Barnes & Noble Alan Watts makes another entry on this list with The Way of Zen, which traces how an ancient Indian philosophy traveled through China, observed Taoist wisdom and emerged as something entirely new. Watts doesn't just chronicle this evolution; he makes it feel inevitable, showing how Zen Buddhism represents the perfect marriage of Buddhist insight and Chinese practicality. Watts takes away the exotic trappings that often obscure Zen's core while preserving what makes it rather transformative. Instead of presenting another collection of cryptic koans and monastery stories, he shows Zen as a practical approach to living, one that permeates everything from tea ceremonies to martial arts and poetry to garden design. Who should read this book: Anyone seeking to understand Zen beyond Hollywood stereotypes and fortune cookie wisdom will find Watts' scholarly yet accessible approach helpful. Where to read: Barnes & Noble After losing her 16-year-old daughter to an equestrian accident, Martha Hickman decided to write Healing After Loss. The book has 365 brief meditations that guide readers through the unpredictable, messy parts of losing a loved one. Where Hickman doesn't promise grief will end, she demonstrates how it can evolve from devastating intrusion to remembrance. Hickman also offers something rare: permission to grieve messily and indefinitely while realizing that loss fundamentally changes people. At the same time, she does not offer false comfort but writes from the position of someone who knows that some losses never stop hurting; they just become part of who you are. The meditations can be read in any order, making it practical for people whose concentration has been affected by loss. Who should read this book: Anyone dealing with the confusing aftermath of losing a loved one. Where to read: Barnes & Noble Two Nobel Peace Prize winners, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, spent a week together in the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, in April 2015 to celebrate the Dalai Lama's 80th birthday. Leading up to that point, both men had carried decades of personal trauma: the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 during the Tibetan uprising and has lived in exile ever since, while Tutu fought apartheid and witnessed unspeakable cruelties during South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Book of Joy explores happiness as both a philosophical concept and a practically necessary concept. They examine what they call the Eight Pillars of Joy while acknowledging the obstacles that prevent most people from accessing lasting contentment. Who should read this book: Anyone struggling to maintain hope during dark times will find encouragement in this book. Where to read: Penguin Random House Spiritual leader Dalai Lama to blow out candles on his birthday cake as retired Archbishop Desmond ... More Tutu looks on at the Tibetan Childrens Village School April 23, 2015 in Dharmsala, India. Post-World War I Europe inspires Hermann Hesse's 1922 masterpiece. Hesse engages with Eastern mysticism, Jung's emerging theories of the unconscious and European romanticism's authenticity, then welds them into something that feels both ancient and modern. By the time Siddhartha meets the humble ferryman who has somehow cracked the code of existence through simple attention to a river's flow, Hesse has constructed an entire philosophy around the idea that authentic knowledge can't be taught but only lived. The end result is that Siddhartha focuses more on universal spiritual themes and individual self-discovery, drawing from Eastern philosophy and spiritual traditions. Who should read this book: People who are spiritually curious but institutionally skeptical, or readers who are interested in the collision between Eastern and Western thought. Where to read: Penguin Random House In The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama and Dr. Howard Cutler, the two men use millennia of Tibetan Buddhist wisdom and Cutler's psychiatric knowledge to create an ancient contemplative practice filtered through contemporary psychological understanding. The collaboration works because it refuses to treat enlightenment as some rarified state available only to monks. Instead, the Dalai Lama and Cutler study ordinary human struggles, romantic disappointment, professional frustration and family conflict to demonstrate how shifting perspectives can turn suffering into wisdom. Their approach combines rigorous mental training with practical psychology, creating a framework that speaks to both skeptical rationalists and spiritual seekers. The book does not settle for easy answers or spiritual bypassing but instead presents contentment as a learnable skill, developed through disciplined practice. Who should read this book: The Art of Happiness appeals to a surprisingly broad readership, united by their search for something more sustainable than fleeting pleasures or pharmaceutical fixes. Where to read: Penguin Random House Pema Chödrön's When Things Fall Apart reads like the book you reach for when life is difficult and advice about positive thinking feels like an insult. The primary message in this book is that spiritual practice isn't about ignoring human messiness but learning to sit with it, breathe through it and somehow find wisdom in the wreckage. Chödrön doesn't promise that meditation will make everything better. Instead, she asserts that it is possible that our human breakdowns might be breaking us open rather than breaking us down. Her 'heart advice' emerges from decades of wrestling with her own struggles, including a messy divorce. This isn't wisdom handed down from a soapbox, but feels authentic because it is from hard-won insights from someone who has learned to work with chaos rather than against it. Who should read this book: Anyone whose usual coping mechanisms are no longer as effective. Where to read: Barnes & Noble Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love is an accessible modern entry point on this list that led millions toward spiritual exploration. It successfully tapped into a growing cultural conversation about fulfillment, privilege and the limits of traditional success for women in the U.S. In Gilbert's memoir, the successful writer abandons her comfortable suburban marriage to eat carbs in Italy, meditate in an Indian ashram and experience personal growth and healing in Bali. The book's three-act structure represents a different approach to healing: sensual pleasure in Rome, disciplined spiritual practice in India and the integration of both in Bali. Gilbert's journey from a painful divorce to hard-won wisdom resonates because she never pretends the path is easy or that geographic solutions automatically solve psychological problems. Who should read this book: People recovering from a divorce or a major relationship change. Where to read: Penguin Random House Elizabeth Gilbert author of Eat, Pray, Love and Jayne Brown, a program host at QVC, pose for a photo ... More backstage during the Pennsylvania Conference for Women. This classic, written by St. John of the Cross, a 16th-century Spanish mystic, looks at the inevitable spiritual dryness that seekers often experience before spiritual maturity can happen. St. John of the Cross coined the phrase that has become shorthand for any period of spiritual crisis, but his original work offers something far more sophisticated: a detailed map of the soul's journey through dark times to experiencing growth. This point of view, combined with the psychological insight in the book, anticipates modern understanding of depression and existential crisis. St. John validates that spiritual suffering is necessary while offering hope that such dark times have a purifying outcome. Who should read this book: Anyone experiencing spiritual crisis or doubt, readers interested in Christian mysticism, or those trying to understand how suffering can help spiritual development. Where to read: Dover Publications Bottom Line These 15 books answer humanity's oldest questions and analyze them through different lenses, including ancient Buddhist wisdom, contemporary grief counseling and papal social criticism. They don't share the same doctrine but a recognition that material success alone leaves most people spiritually starved. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What Is Spirituality? Spirituality is what happens when people stop accepting that paychecks and possessions constitute a complete life. It's the interest in consciousness, meaning and connection that goes beyond material things. Unlike academic philosophy, spirituality demands full engagement of the mind, body and soul, not just intellectual study. Most serious practitioners draw from both established wisdom traditions and individual exploration. What Are The Types Of Spirituality? Religious spirituality includes Christian contemplation, Jewish mysticism, Islamic Sufism and Buddhist meditation. These religions usually offer guidance and communal support while operating from worldviews developed over centuries. Nature-based spirituality finds its identity through direct engagement with the natural world. This includes indigenous earth-centered traditions, contemporary paganism and wilderness practices emphasizing seasonal awareness and ecological interdependence. Consciousness-focused approaches use meditation and mind-training practices as a core basis for their approach to spirituality. Other types include service-oriented spirituality, grounded primarily in compassion, philosophy and creative expression. What Are Good Self-Help Books? Atomic Habits by James Clear offers the most practical approach to behavior change available. Clear's framework explains why willpower fails and how environmental design succeeds, providing concrete techniques for building beneficial habits through tiny, sustainable adjustments. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk changed how people viewed trauma treatment by showing that psychological wounds embed themselves in nervous system functioning. In this book, Van der Kolk uses evidence-based healing approaches like EMDR, neurofeedback, yoga and expressive arts to address trauma's physical dimensions outside of traditional talk therapy. Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab provides training for anyone struggling with toxic relationships or people-pleasing tendencies. Tawwab combines psychological principles with practical scripts for establishing healthy limits across all relationship contexts.
Yahoo
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- Yahoo
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A good hot sauce adds kick. But the best hot sauces? They're soul-awakening, sense-tantalizing concoctions that can enhance the flavor profile of a dish. "For me, the best hot sauces deliver chile-forward flavor with depth," says chef Rick Martínez, the award-winning cookbook author of Salsa Daddy. "I want to taste the chile, not just feel the burn or pucker from acidity. The heat should be present but balanced, with vinegar as a supporting act, not the main event."We asked Martínez and 14 other chefs — including restaurant owners, cookbook authors, taqueros and pitmasters — for the hot sauces they reach for when they want to amplify tacos, scrambled eggs, wings, mac and cheese or, as many will tell you, pretty much anything! Whether you're looking to spice things up or just switch things up, these 11 pro-approved hot sauces bring the zing. (Plus, we included some zesty accessories for hot sauce lovers.) Best hot sauces of 2025 What chefs look for in a hot sauce How we chose these hot sauces Hot sauce FAQs Fun finds for hot sauce lovers Meet the experts (back to top) Ingredients: Less is more, say most of our experts. 'Simpler hot sauces tend to convey the flavor of the chili, as well as acidity, which heightens the seasoning of food. There are a few hot sauces, such as zhoug, that have beautiful complexity, with the layered edition of fragrance spices like cardamom. But these are the outliers," says Mace. Texture: Thin hot sauces, which are often vinegar based, are ideal for drizzling. But if you're looking for a hot sauce that will coat food, you may want something thicker, says Martínez. "I prefer a thicker, pulpier sauce like Valentina that clings to food and stays put, especially on things like fried eggs," he says. Heat level: Spiciness is arguably the most subjective thing about hot sauce, say chefs. "Southern-style hot sauces aren't really meant to make the food too spicy; they're more like pepper vinegar to season things that have been slow-cooked and need invigorating, for example," explains Mace. "Other cuisines take the opposite approach with copious amounts of searing hot chilies added for emphasis on heat." While different hot sauces have different intensities, Mace says applying more or less is the best way to adjust a dish's spice level — "not using a mild hot sauce where a hot one would work better." Flavor mix: Consider how a given hot sauce will meld with the rest of the ingredients in your dish. "I like to consider the dish I'm seasoning with hot sauce and choose things that go together like Tabasco on red beans and rice," shares Mace. "If I'm using a hot sauce with Scotch bonnets, then I'm in a tropical flavor palette; Hatch chile and jalapeño for Tex-Mex and so on." (back to top) We spoke to 15 chefs, including restaurant owners, cookbook authors, pitmasters and taqueros about their favorite hot sauces, aiming for a variety of textures, heat levels, flavors and origins. Every hot sauce on this list comes not only expert recommended but top rated, many with hundreds of glowing reviews from real-life shoppers. (back to top) Traditionally, chilies are fermented, then blended with salt and vinegar, explains Mace. Brands will then dial up the spice or add spices and other ingredients to achieve different flavors, textures and intensities. Look at a sauce's Scoville heat units (SHU) to get a sense for how spicy it is; the higher the number, the more intense the heat level. If you can't find the SHU, look at the ingredients and keep these guidelines from Martínez in mind: Red chilies (like cayenne, puya and chile de árbol) are usually sharper, hotter and more direct. "They're great on fried foods (think wings, fries and fried chicken sandwiches) because the vinegar and heat cut through the fat," he says. Green chilies (like jalapeño, Serrano and green habanero) have fresher, grassier notes and milder acidity. "I like these with tacos, grilled vegetables or egg dishes — anything where you want a sauce that stays bright and fresh." As far as Martinez is concerned, sauces made with habaneros — which he describes as "fruity, floral, often ferociously hot" — are in a category of their own. "When balanced, they're incredible with seafood, especially ceviche, pork or tropical fruit. Try them on cochinita pibil [a Yucatec Mayan pork dish] or even with pineapple and mango or in daiquiris or tropical cocktails." Chipotle-based hot sauces bring smoky sweetness — "best for barbecue, beans, roasted meats and stews." Scotch bonnet and Caribbean-style sauces are hot but often sweet, tangy and complex — "amazing on grilled chicken, jerk pork or fried plantains." (back to top) (back to top) Rick Adamo, chef and pitmaster, Ice House Burt Bakman, owner and pitmaster, Slab barbecue Bob Bennett, head chef, Zingerman's Roadhouse Antonio Carballo, lead chef, Le Malt Hospitality Jackie Carnesi, executive chef, Kellogg's Diner Samantha Hill, executive sous chef, Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa Ji Hye Kim, chef and owner, Miss Kim Rick Mace, chef and co-owner, Tropical Smokehouse Rick Martinez, author, Salsa Daddy Jesús Méndez, chef and co-founder, Salud Taqueria Luis Arce Mota, chef and owner, La Contenta Oeste Arnold Myint, cookbook author and chef and owner, International Market Gee Smalls, co-owner and executive chef, Virgil's Gullah Kitchen and Bar Marc Spitzer, executive chef and partner, Okaru Michael Stewart, chef de cuisine, Ice House (back to top) The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
