If I was going to a store, I'd probably go wild in the gadget department ... because I've never met a gadget I didn't like.
If I were spending it on line, I'd buy that 2 3/4 qt Le Creuset dutch oven they're advertising right now .. because I really can't afford Le Creuset.

Get a stick blender if you don't have one and a good pepper grinder.

Michelle

I'd get some staples. A good quality large knife to do chopping and dicing with. A large bowl or baking dish. Then if I had enough money left over I'd get a French Press.

If you don't have an instant read thermometer (especially with the remote thingy to wear around the house) I would choose that. It is one of my FAV kitchen gadgets.

Alexa

You can do just as much with a cheap plastic mandoline....no need to get one of those large all metal contraptions unless you're slicing in quantity every day. They're wonderful for making paper thinly sliced cucumber for salads or thicker potato slices for scalloped potatoes.

I second Michelle's recommendation of a good pepper grinder (get the best you can afford - I have both a Peugeot and a Wm Bounds) and I might add a good Microplane grater is invaluable. The finely toothed one swiftly grates parmesan into a soft pile.
I now have three and love them.

My other indispensable gadgets are my Spanish mortars and pestles, the wooden which I use more for grinding dry spices and herbs and the ceramic one for making salad dressings and vinaigrettes.

I am seconding (and thirding!) Sharon and Michelle's recommendations for a good pepper grinder. They are indispensable for cooking and I keep mine near the stove at all times. Also, Sharon mentioned the Microplane grater, which I absolutely love for parmesan shreds. I'd invest in another one for grating chocolate, fresh ginger, nutmeg, etc. It's a great tool for the kitchen. If you bake a lot of bread, what about a bench knife/scraper?

Vicki, whatever you decide, have fun shopping at Williams Sonoma!
DONNA

I bought the battery powered salt and pepper shakes at WS and love them.

I would buy the large spagetti pot with the spagetti strainer. I always wanted that! But, I also vote for the electric pepper grinder. You have not lived until you tried one of those!

Lucky you!

I'd buy a 8 x 4 (?) loaf pan that was NOT non-stick, if I could find one. The bread recipes in my King Arthur baking book call for that size pan, if they call for a pan, but my pans are 9x5. I've been looking for one, but haven't found one, other than non-stick, which I don't want. I have a non-stick cookie sheet, and it wants to burn things, and I'm concerned about the toxicity of them. Anyway, that's about my needs, not what you might need or want.

Speaking of pepper grinders, I saw Ina Garten use a pepper grinder once that had a little box attached underneath that she could catch the pepper in and measure it. I thought that was so cool, cause it's so hard to measure stuff out of a grinder. I usually just don't bother measuring ground pepper, but sometimes I want to just to be sure I'm guessing correctly, or even closely. If you could find one of those to go with your new pepper grinder, that would be cool, if you're anal like me. :-)

If you don't already have a good pizza stone, I love using mine. It's just a little, round one from Pampered chef, but I use it for baked potatoes and other roasted veggies, warming up bread, oh, and yes, for pizza too.

I need to check out one of those cheaper mandalines. I haven't gotten one because of the price, too. If the less expensive ones are just as good for occasional use, I may reconsider.

I guess you asked what our favorite gadgets are, not what our wish list is. A couple of good sharp veggie knives are my favorites, followed by my wooden chopping board to chop on, followed by my salad spinner, which really does help with washing and drying veggies and greens, followed by my scale. I didn't realize just how much I'd use that scale, but I get it out nearly every day.

Sally

A good quality knife. Can never have enough good knives around. If I did't already have good knives my first purchase would be an 8" chef's knive followed by a Santoku. (NOT ceramic!)

Knife sharpener - I like my Chef's Choice 120 (I think that's what it is) a lot, but use a $20 manual Wusthof sharpener on my Santoku with great results, too.

Scale - I use it a lot, too.

A match for my favorite 12" frying pan so I don't have to do things in as many batches.

Not a mandonline. I've got three of one form or another, one of which I tried and absolutely hated (Cuisinart), and two V-slicers which I never got around to trying over the past two years. Unless you're slicing a ton of stuff it's just not worth the effort.

Knives. Yes.

Oh I have many but as others have said I like my knives. You don't need many but need three or four good quality ones. I love my mortar and pestle like Canary but mine are made of olive wood (my husband bought them for me while in Italy). Nice gift certificate - enjoy shopping!

I'm going to add my voice to those who love a good knife. I bought a mandoline for $3 at a yard sale and it's sharp as heck, but I only use it to slice sweet potatoes for sweet potato chips.

I also love my mortor and pestle, or I did until I dropped it on the floor and broke the bowl. My current favorite is that package of disposable, flexible cutting mats that Nancy brought me when she visited, my other favorite is the silpat sheet covers that I got from Jessica and from Maureen. Oh, and that hinged lime squeezer I got from someone here, I have carpal tunnel problems and it's been getting worse, some days I can't even properly squeeze a lime!

Annie

I am also interested in people's responses, cause I have had a $50 goft cert from WS for over a year (my daughter keeps asking what I got with it...I need to get something!)
I like to pizza/bread stone idea and also ,,,pepper grinder. I know that everybody will be shocked...but I have never, ever used a pepper grinder. I just buy pepper already ground. Is it REALLY better?
Sherry

My wish list is a manual coffee grinder, from Lehman's. I second, third and fourth (more) good knives. :)

Sherry - YES YES YES fresh ground pepper makes a huge difference!!! Plus you can choose your peppercorns - currently I'm very much enjoying Penzey's tellicherry pepper.

Ground pepper is better you can chose the grind and I love the mixed peppercorns.

Well, for gadgets, the ones I have and get the most use from are my pepper grinder, microplane, citrus juicer, santoku knife, and a pair of little metal tongs which I use for serving things grated cheese for tacos, onions for grilled burgers, etc.

If I had $100 to spend and did not own a food processor, I would definitely put the GC together with some cash and get a FP! I use mine nearly every day!

Linda

Oh yes Sherry, fresh ground pepper makes all the difference in the world!

You know I bought a good knife last year and I do use it for mincing fresh herbs and cutting lettuce. But I picked up a box of serrated knives, I think there were 6, for $5 at Ikea and I just love them. When needing a knife, it is one of these that I grab.

Michelle

This is a really difficult question for me; I use the following almost daily:
Mango Pitter
Santoku Knife
Food Saver
Nicer Dicer
Salt Cellar
Muffin Spliter
Under Counter Banana Hanger
Olive Spoon
Evert-Fresh Green Bags

...to name a few.

I don't have near as many gadgets as some do here but the one I really appreciate is the serrated peeler. It is hands down better than any peeler we ever had before. I like the Bounds pepper grinder a lot too. And the locking tongs, I like those. I didn't know they locked and I told my wife we needed to get one that did. I'd been using these things for quite a while so it surprised me when she said they did lock. My wife taught me a lot of things over the years.
James

Hmmmmmm...well, the mandoline is not going to be the thing I get. I just don't think I will use it enough to warrant it. I have several pepper grinders and about a dozen Shun knives of various kinds. I am like SheSheBop (Sherry). I will probably have it for a loooong time, as I can't decide. Maybe I will go get a hundred bucks worth of the little gadgets.

Thanks everyone! It is interesting what we use the most in our kitchens. I use most everything mentioned, except the mandoline.

I agree that there is nothing better then fresh cracked pepper.

Question for doucanoe - "If I had $100 to spend and did not own a food processor, I would definitely put the GC together with some cash and get a FP! I use mine nearly every day!"

I have a food processor but do not use it that much. Please share with me what you use it for each day. I hate to be missing out on something good. Thanks!

Dixiedog - Seems to me there've been FP threads like that but I can't find one to link right now. It's a once-a-month appliance for me, too. Usually when I have to grate a full pound of mozzarella or puree meat for gyros.

I go with the Jaccard meat tenderizer, really makes a BIG difference.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jaccard at Amazon.com very good price

I make baguette bread dough in my food processor every other day. And in the summer, icy smoothies every day.

I love having a lemon press and WS has a nice one I've used for years. They still carry it. The lemon one will do lemons and limes but not oranges.

I'm with Annie. All I really need is a good knife, and my favorite is my Henckles!!! This is my set.....

Silpat, microplane, good peeler, and most of all knives!

But since I've got all these, if I had that gift cert. I'd probably buy specialty baking pans.

You've got Shun knives? I'm jealous!

Dixiedog, I use my FP for pastry doughs...well, nearly any kind of dough, actually. Also for chopping veggies, parmesan cheese, nuts, graham crackers, bread crumbs. Grating and slicing veggies and cheeses, making hash browns, pesto, salad dressings, smoothies. To name a few!

I will also say that having gone through a couple of inexpensive FP's over the years, I finally put my money toward a good one and it makes all the difference in the world! I love my KA FP! LOL

Linda

I get a gift cards to Williams-Sonoma every year, I usually buy something that I would never buy normally. I've gotten a Cuisinart bread machine, for one, and I like buying lots of little gadgets is always fun! If they have those little colorful Kuhn Rikon paring knives, try one, they are excellent, not expensive at all. Their cookbooks are nice.

Carol, I just got two of those colored paring knives, and they are very sharp. Dishwashable too!

Vicki, silicone pastry brushes are nice because they go into the dishwasher. I also like the silicone spatulas. Microplanes of course, but I guess you have them. How about a cherry-and-olive pitter?

Cathy, I'm thinking of getting a muffin splitter (TJ's British Muffins aren't fork-split like most), but I try to avoid one-function things. Glad to hear you say it works.

Has anyone tried the Chestnutter? Does it work? That's one single-function thing I'd like to have; scoring chestnuts is hard (and dangerous). W-S was clearing them out at half price, but I dithered and now they're gone.

I recently purchased a Kuhn Rikon handheld mandolin and it is my favorite new gadget. Fast and easy slicing, and simple cleanup.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kuhn-Rikon-Hand-Held-Mandoline at Amazon