Local Heroes: 15 Made-in-America Kitchen Classics

Janet Hall November 26, 2014

We work hard to source our food locally, but what about the tools we use to prepare it? Here’s our collection of all-American accessories that deserve a place in your kitchen.

Above: Despite all the advancements in kitchen equipment, the classic American-style wood rolling pin is still the baker’s staple. We like hand-turned designs, such as the simple Shaker Rolling Pin (right), from Vermont Rolling Pins; $75 in maple.

Above: Another classic for bakers, the Jacob Bromwell All-American Flour Sifter offers tried-and-true sifting technology; $84.99. See more Pioneer Kitchenware from Jacob Bromwell–all made by hand in Indiana using old-fashioned metalworking techniques.

Above: If you inherited a whisk from your childhood kitchen, chances are that it came from Oregon’s Best Manufacturing. Best Manufacturing’s whips, as they call them, come with a lifetime warranty. They’re made in an array of sizes and with wooden or stainless steel handles. The Best Manufacturing Professional 10-Inch Wood-Handled Balloon Whisk is $11.95 at Sur la Table.

Above: Our favorite purveyor of classic cast-iron pans is Lodge (it’s the oldest family-run foundry in America), founded in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee by Joseph Lodge. Read Object Lessons: Lodge Cast Iron for the full story. Seasoned and ready to use, the Lodge Logic 10-Inch Skillet is $15.92 through Amazon.

Above: Made in Iowa, the Rada Cutlery Stainless Steel Pizza Cutter has an aluminum handle (hand-wash only) and a super sharp and strong blade that cuts through the toughest of crusts (as well as pasta, cookies, and dough). It has a lifetime warranty; $10.95 from Kaufmann Mercantile.

Above: John Boos & Co. has been manufacturing high-quality wood cutting boards, butcher blocks, and countertops in Effingham, Illinois, since 1887. The John Boos 20-by-15-Inch Reversible Maple Cutting Board is a longtime best seller; $70.56 at Amazon. To extend the life of your board, give it a good oiling every three to four weeks with Food-Grade Mineral Oil from Brooklyn Slate Co.; $7.

Above: A great culinary tool borrowed from the wood shop: the made-in-Arkansas Microplane Classic Zester Grater is as ideal for zesting a lemon as it is for grating Parmesan cheese. Mine is in use daily; $12.49 from Amazon.

Above: Invented in the US in 1941 by a German immigrant, the simple Chemex Coffeemaker is made from nonporous borosilicate glass and fastened with a wood collar and tie. It’s beloved by purists because it brews coffee without imparting any flavors of its own; $48 for the eight-cup model (the Chemex One-Cup Coffeemaker is $42) at Schoolhouse Electric.

Above: Jacob Bromwell (makers of the sifter shown above) has been manufacturing kitchenware since this country was a mere 22 states, it’s the 34th-oldest owned-and-operated company in US. Pricey but meticulously made, the stainless steel Jacob Bromwell Legendary Colander costs $199.99.

Above: The stainless steel Zim-Ade-O-Matic Two-Purpose Baster, a Thanksgiving essential with its own cleaning brush and injector attachment, is made in Chicago. It’s $18.50 on Amazon.

Above: An American ice cream parlor fixture since its creation in the mid-1930s, the ingenious Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop is made in Ohio of corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy, which draws on the natural warmth of the hand to ease the scooping; $19.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: Synonymous with door-to-door sales, the Fuller Brush Company is still around (but no longer knocking). They’ve released a new collection of vintage-style brushes, including the Fuller Dish Brush with a wooden handle and stiff memory bristles; $14 at Restoration Hardware.

Above: A never-fail classic, the manual EZ Duz-It Can Opener of heavy-gauge chromed steel with carbon steel cutting blades is $9.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

Above: Singled out in the Remodelista 100, the Eena Work Apron by Beckel Canvas Products of Portland, Oregon, is a hardworking basic that hides stains; $38 at Canoe.