My favorite kitchen tools are the best versions of simple items.  Here are some thoughts on gifts for mom in 2016.

Great Oven Mitt:  I love this oven mitt by San Jamar.  It provides great coverage up the length of your arm and you can choose different lengths to make sure it’s comfortable for how you’d like to use it (This is a big glove, not snug but I found it softens with use and washing).  It washes well and I have never gotten burned or even felt the ‘pre-burn’ feeling through this glove in the 2 years I have used it.  The mitt has a little magnet which provides an easy hanging mechanism with no hooks needed.  Also the crotch of the mitten has kevlar built in so if you are in a shoot out while taking something out of the oven you are covered.

Great Oven Mitt #2:  Ok, I love this oven mitt from Mastrad too.  It’s grippy and you can dip into boiling water to pull out corn on the cob easy peasy.  It has a removable and washable terry cloth lining for comfort and no slippery, sweaty hand issues.   I have also used it to open sticky jars which doesn’t seem to be how it’s sold but useful to know.

Microplane Grater:  If your mom doesn’t have this, she should.  Easy to use and easy to clean this is one of my real go to items in the kitchen.  Grate ginger or nutmeg, zest lemons and limes or top spaghetti with a dusting of parmesean.  She needs it.  You do too.

Olive Oil Dispenser:  It doesn’t need to be fancy to work well–this is similar to the oil dispenser I use on a daily basis and it works perfectly.  I think a simple dispenser is nice to have by the stove for a quick grab.  I like them clear so I know when I need to refill but if you are on top of it, you can use a ceramic or other wise opaque bottle.

Foam Soap Dispenser:  This is an inexpensive but wonderfully useful kitchen tool.  A foam dispenser reduces waste because you use a 1:5 ratio of liquid soap to water and don’t toss all of those dispensers into the recycling bin each week.  I also love it because I use it with liquid castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s is a well known one) which is a vegetable based soap that is safe for uses like teeth brushing or soaking fruits and vegetables in.  I wash all my fruits and veggies in a large bowl of water with a few squirts of this soap foam even if they are organic.  Think about what fertilizer is after all…