Jenn recently asked me to select and describe three of my online store’s “best” gift items for moms. I thought, “Well, I have over over 750 kitchen tools on my online store! How can I pick three? How do I decide?”

What follows are not my overstocked items nor items that I think a busy mom MUST have but instead the first three items I selected when I started my store last year. I started My Kitchen Depot because I felt that a lot of home cooks feel overwhelmed by the selection available at a lot of retailers. Too many kitchen gadgets are also just that—gadgets that clutter space—not tools to save time. I also started MKD because big name brands are NOT always the highest-quality choice—my company introduces real home cooks to the same kinds of tools that real chefs use.

So it’s my first shopping list for My Kitchen Depot that I want to share with you. It includes those items that, as a chef, I love and use everyday and in fact, would not ever want to cook without.

These are the kitchen tools that will last a lifetime, make a great gift, and are particularly important for you to feel like the master of your kitchen.

The first thing that comes to mind is to have a good quality chef’s knife. It is something that you will use more than any other kitchen tool or appliance. The affordable Forschner 10″ Chef’s Knife w/Rosewood Handle, MSRP $52.80, now on sale for $41.95 is the perfect balance between quality craftsmanship and durability. The 10″ high carbon steel blade retains a perfect edge making all of your slicing and dicing a breeze! This knife has been a mainstay in the knife kit of this professional chef for 19 years now. This was the first chef’s knife I purchased while working my first restaurant job. I still use it on a daily basis. Don’t let a dull or uncomfortable knife slow you down—I guarantee the Forschner 10″ Chef’s Knife with Rosewood Handle will shave minutes off of your prep time.

When it comes to pots and pans, the one must-have pan for me, besides a cast iron skillet, is the Classicor 12″ Open Frypan w/Eclipse Nonstick Coating, MSRP $59.16, Sale Price $54.95. This versatile frypan/sauté pan is made of high-quality stainless steel with a sandwiched aluminum bottom. All Classicor quality cookware comes with a 25 year warranty. The large 12″ surface means you can cook for the entire family in one pot. The pan’s Innovex nonstick surface means you can hone your nonfat or lowfat cooking techniques plus the frypan is dishwasher safe making cleanup a cinch! It’s perfect for any egg cookery as well as cooking seafood (especially fish with the skin on). Once you add the Classicor 12″ Open Frypan w/ Eclipse Coating to your pot & pan collection, you’ll find yourself using it more than any other pan in the cupboard.

I always have something ready to go in the freezer and make food storage a priority so not a penny is wasted. The FoodSaver Advanced Design V2840 Vacuum Sealer, MSRP $210.95, Sale Price $159.95 helps everyone maximize their food budgets. With the sealer, you can prepare meals in advance and refrigerate or freeze for future use. The FoodSaver Advanced Design Vacuum sealer is also a must-have for bulk buying. Which means cheaper food prices, as well as fewer trips to the store (save gas)! The vacuum sealer works on dry and wet foods. Just think, you can make a large batch of your favorite soup, then freeze it for later and you can also extend the shelf life on meats, produce and seafood. The product’s new CrushFree Instant Seal automatically controls the vacuum process so nothing is crushed. Too many features to list, this product will pay for itself in no time at all.