We tested over 100 kitchen gadgets in April, and these are our top 9 favorites

This post is part of our “Monthly Obsessions” series, in which we ask our writers and editors what product they added to their kitchen that they now can't live without.

At Food & Wine, we have the opportunity to try over 100 new products every month. It's our job to sample the latest cookware, kitchen tools, and ingredients and then share the best of them with friends, family, and of course, our readers. After testing seasonings, braising, and snacking throughout the month of May, eight products stood out as being the standouts.

Below, our writers and editors share the kitchen and pantry items they can't live without right now. See their picks, from versatile cookware you didn't know you needed to delicious donut holes, with prices starting at just $6.

Editor's Picks for May

• OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs, $16 on amazon.com
• Somos Mexican Black Beans, $19 on amazon.com (list price $21)
• Deux Chocolate Glazed Donut Holes, $16 at eatdeux.com
• Masala Chai Blend, $18 at onestripechai.com
• “Win Son Presents: A Taiwanese-American Cookbook,” $26 on amazon.com (list price $40)
• Glamfields Cooking Chopsticks, $6 on amazon.com
• Heilala Vanilla Extract, $11 with coupon (regular price $15 at amazon.com)
• Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater, $25 with coupon (regular price $40) at amazon.com
• All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Saucepan, $158 on amazon.com

OXO Good Grips 12″ Stainless Steel Locking Tongs

“I use these tongs to remove bagels from a toaster oven, flip steaks in a frying pan, and handle whatever's cooking on the grill. They have a locking feature that keeps them closed, so they're easy to store (I hang them on the side of my stainless steel IKEA cookware rack, but they slide easily into a drawer). They're also surprisingly useful for holding cookbooks open – I use them as book clips to keep cookbooks open to the page I need.” – Karen Shimizu, Editor in Chief

Somos Mexican Black Beans

“These microwavable black beans save me when I'm truly desperate for meal time – my flight is delayed and I don't have the time or energy to wait for delivery or take-out. They're well-seasoned and hearty, and I eat them on a tortilla or in a Somos microwavable cilantro-lime rice pouch. What's chipotle?”– Osset Babur Winter, Senior Drinks Editor

Doo Chocolate Glazed Donut Holes

“I can't resist eating a whole bag of these donut holes, but my excuse is, they come four to a bag and are seriously delicious! Just take them out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes. The chocolate melts in your mouth and has an amazing donut-like texture for a gluten-free (and vegan) product. They're truly my favorite nightcap treat.” – Osset Babyl Winter

Masala Chai Blend

“I recently spent two weeks in India with luxury tour operator Mikato Safaris, and one of the most memorable experiences was drinking chai poured from a pot on the streets of Mumbai. I knew I would miss it once I returned to the U.S., and thankfully my order from One Stripe Chai arrived just in time. I've been sipping this chai, a blend of black tea, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper (with a little sugar for sweetness), for a month now, pretending I'm still stuffing my cheeks with parathas and pani puri.” — Daniel Modlin, Senior Editor

“Win Song Presents: A Taiwanese-American Cookbook”

“We recently had a dinner party where we all cooked dishes from Brooklyn restaurant Win Song's cookbook, and everything was magical. The Big Chicken Bun with Foo Lu Mayonnaise was gloriously crispy and full of bold flavors like Chinese five-spice and coriander. The Whole Fish with Ginger-Garlic Sauce was earthy and aromatic. The dishes are super easy to make and use ingredients you can find at your local Asian or International Market, yet almost everything we tried was truly restaurant quality. If you've ever craved super-fluffy mochi donuts or hearty bowls of earthy sesame noodles at home, this book will satisfy your craving.” – Adam Rothbarth, Commerce Food Writer

Glam Fields Cooking Chopsticks

“These 16-inch cooking chopsticks take up very little space in my drawer, yet are one of the most versatile pieces of cooking equipment I own. They allow me to grab, flip, stir, and mix while keeping my hands safely away from the heat while cooking. They're also long-lasting and extremely easy to clean.” – Anne Won, Commerce Food Writer

Heilala Vanilla Extract

“I've been doing a lot of baking this month with all the spring events happening with my family. This vanilla extract (and paste) is my favorite on the market. I recently ran out of vanilla extract and was forced to use a substitute, but the cakes and icings I made just didn't taste the same. This vanilla has a more complex flavor than others on the market. It stays very true to the aroma of the vanilla bean, which (in my opinion) is what we all really want. I use the extract most in baked goods and the paste in icings, whipped cream and other fresh treats and garnishes. To be honest, sometimes I even use both at the same time for an extra vanilla punch. It's great paired with spring/early summer fruits like strawberries and rhubarb.” – Kristin Montemarano, Commerce Food Writer

Ziedel rotary cheese grater

“My husband and I have two back-pocket salads that we make when we want something that's not brown on our plate: a thinly sliced ​​cucumber salad and a thinly sliced ​​carrot salad. This gadget has revolutionized both of those salads. Whereas it used to take minutes to slice veggies thinly, now I can cut them to paper widths in seconds. This grater features a strong, adhesive base that sticks securely to your countertop, and the easy-grip handles make it easy to operate the three interchangeable blades: a shredder blade, a grinder blade, and (my favorite) a slicing blade. The blades are dishwasher safe, but I hand wash them (so much easier than a box grater). My only complaint is that storing all the parts is a pain, but I use it so often that it rarely leaves my countertop.” – Katie MacDonald, Director of News & Deals

All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Saucepan

“I recently started eating breakfast again after not having it for a long time. Oatmeal has always been my go-to to start the day, and this All-Clad saucepan has become my morning hero. I love how it heats quickly and evenly and is easy to clean. A short soak makes it easy for the dry oatmeal to slide right off.” – Adam Rothbarth