One of the best thing you can experience in Japan is the food. Tokyo itself has the highest concentration of Michelin starred restaurant in anywhere in the world. However, just getting to Japan can be quite expensive. Making the food yourself is one way to experience it. While some stuff can be made with regular pans, other needs specialty cookware. This article will list some of the Best Japanese Cookware, Appliances and Gadgets on the market.

Makiyakinabe (巻き焼き鍋)

A Makiyakinabe or Tamagoyaki Pan is a square pan designed to make Tamagoyaki. By using a wooden press and folding the egg over, you can make a rectangular and uniform egg. These eggs can be used to make sushi or just be eaten by itself. Best iteration of these pans uses copper construction. They offer the best heat conductivity and provide the most even heat.

Yukihira Nabe Pot

A yukihira is a Japanese pot designed to heat up soups, noodles and water. The design is simple yet elegant. It has a hand hammered pot with a wooden handle attached. Since its so light and bare bones, its one of the quickest way to heat up and boil liquid. However, the handle durability leaves something to be desired.

Takoyaki Pan

In Osaka, there exist a dish known as Takoyaki. They are Japanese Squid ball coated in batter and topped with Japanese Worchester sauce, mayo and bonito flakes. Because of how thin the bonito are shaved, it said that it dances with the wind. Lore aside, its one of the best dish that you can eat in Japan. However to make it, you would need a Takoyaki Pan. Takoyaki pans are pans half circles in them. These dimples lets you make perfect sphere giving you the authentic takoyaki experience.

Rice Cooker

Rice is a staple in Japanese cuisine. Almost everything you eat will be served with rice. It comes as no wonder that the Japanese will have a dedicated appliance just to make it. One of the Best Rice Cooker are the models made by Zojirushi. Their top of the line model which uses induction heating to rapidly cook and heat rice. This gives it the best texture and flavor out of any other model.

Water Boiler

America loves coffee, however the Japanese love tea. Having instant hot tea on the tap is important. Their Japanese Water Boiler have different temperature setting for different type of teas. You can even use these water boiler for cooking instant noodles or even oats. There are quite a few water boilers on the market, but the best models are the hybrid one. They use thermal insulation to keep water hot for longer. Even though they might cost more initially, you save money in electricity in the long run.

Gyuto the Japanese Chef Knife

The Gyuto are the Japanese take on the western chef knife. They have a slight belly with a slimmer blade design. Instead of wedging between food, Japanese knife glide through it. Their steels are usually made of a higher grade and perfectly balanced for comfort and dexterity. In my opinion, the current best japanese gyuto are the one made by Mac Pro. Its comfortable, hold a edge well and is one of the best I have used.

Nakiri Vegetable Knife

Before the Santoku became all the craze there was the nakiri. They are both used to chop vegetable, however, the Nakiri is a rectangular shaped knife. Its usually on the smaller size making it easier to use than a standard chef knife. The pointless knife also makes it seem more user friendly to most people. However, take not of the name. They dont do really well with bones and heavier cuts of meat.

Best Japanese Cookware, Appliances and Gadgets Thoughts

These are some of the Best Japanese Cookware, Appliances and Gadgets on the market. While you can get by with your regular kitchen appliances. Having these tools on hand will make your life a lot easier. Some of my favorite include the Gyuto, rice cooker and water heater. But thats only because I use them frequently. What might be better suited for you depends on your cooking style. Find one that best suits your needs.