By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published Oct 09, 2016 at 3:01 PM

For the 10th straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee, presented by the restaurants of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, dining guides, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as voting for your "Best of Dining 2016."

All month long we are dishing up great content for OnMilwaukee Dining Month. Today we share a collection of our favorite kitchen gadgets and tools! 

Bake with it: Superstone Deep Dish Pizza & Pie Baker

It's pie season. And I'm coveting the Superstone 11" Deep Dish Pizza & Pie Baker. Absolutely nothing cooks like stoneware, and the pieces last virtually forever, if you care for them well. I owned a similar piece for years, until (whoops!) I dropped it and cracked it in half. Needless to say, I've been looking for a replacement ever since. The stone texture keeps food from sticking (and as it develops a patina, it gets even more effective). Meanwhile, superior heat retention means flawlessly crisp crusts. I also love the size and shape of this dish, which works as well for pizza as it does for pie (and even cake). – Lori Fredrich 

Use them: Crisp Tools for Healthy Eating

Elroy-based Crisp makes a wide variety of stylish, modern and colorful kitchen tools that are BPA-free and well-designed with good, comfortable grips and efficient ergonomics. I'm especially fond of the guacamole bundle ($34.99), which includes a paring knife, an amazing avocado slicing tool and a mincer, making guac even easier than before. Many of the tools tackle a variety of tasks. For example, the garlic press is a three-in-one garlic press, crusher and swipe smasher. The zester has options for scoring rinds, zesting and a finer zest, as well as an integrated peel garnish tool. Great stuff from Wisconsin! Crispcooking.com  Bobby Tanzilo

Grill with it: Universal skillet pans

I'm not sure this is a gadget but I use it like one. If not the king, I am at least the prince of the grill. Only Weber grills will do. I have Japanese knives to work on the grill. I keep my grill spic and span. And I have found the kind of skillets I use for a variety of tasks. It's a set from Universal, cast iron and pre-seasoned. I've got a 6, 7.5 and 10 inch skillet that I use for everything from a quick extra hot sear for a salmon steak to cooking a mixture of onion, mushrooms and fresh green beans. The think I like so much is when they get hot they stay hot. Put them in a corner of the grill and you work on the rest. It will make you cook like the pros do. – Dave Begel

Use it: Sushi Roller


I gotta admit, I only think I want this. I actually wonder how well it works. If it really makes perfect, tight sushi rolls then I definitely want it, but if it's a gimmick and doesn't really work that well, then it's just going to end up at Goodwill. I make a lot of sushi at home and have gotten better at "rolling my own," but I'm still wondering if this little gadget could make my Japanese food making experience even better. Hmmm. – Molly Snyder

Smoke it: Cameron's Stainless Steel Smoker


A few weeks ago, I smoked a side of bacon in the oven with my roasting pan and a ton of foil. After laying out the design for a homemade oven smoker in my head, my brother pointed out that they're already in production (of course they are). My design is a little more full featured than this stainless steel stovetop smoker, but it's tempting to grab one just to get going.  Nick Barth

Mix with it: KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer


I really enjoy the process of making homemade cookie – and the only thing that would make it more enjoyable for me would be the addition of a KitchenAid Stand Mixer to help with all that cookie batter stirring. While this is certainly an investment piece for my kitchen, I deem it a worthy one. – Carolynn Buser

Cook with it: Silver dollar pancake pan 


One of my favorite Sunday morning activities is making pancakes or waffles. I like to switch up the size and shape of my pancakes – I'm the mom who still makes letter-shaped pancakes for 12-year-olds. And sometimes I pour small cakes, but they always come out different sizes and kinda wonky. This pan would really up my presentation game and looks like it would be pretty easy to clean, too. On a side note, why must maple syrup be so expensive?  Molly Snyder

Cut on it: Totally Bamboo Cutting and Serving Board


This Wisconsin shaped cutting board is sure to show off your "sconnie" pride. The multi - functional board could be your cutting board, your cheese board, your bar board ... you get the picture. Made of Moso Bamboo, it was harvested at the optimum age of five years. You have to hand wash this baby, but the few seconds it takes to do it will be well worth all the comments you will get on it. And, you can order them in a number of shape sizes for gifts! – Carolynn Buser