My Mother-in-Law Is an Excellent Cook with an Eye for Deals — These Are the 8 Things She Says to Grab During Black Friday

By now, you probably know that my mother-in-law Kathy is an expert home cook. With 30 years of experience preparing dinner from scratch nearly every night, she’s accumulated several kitchen products she swears by. What you might not know is that Kathy can also sniff out a good deal. She’s always on the lookout for a sale, which is why she’s so excited about Black Friday sales.

During Black Friday, several of her favorite appliances, cookware, and kitchen products are discounted at Amazon, including her tried-and-true KitchenAid stand mixer and her go-to Rubbermaid storage containers. If you want to take advantage of this massive sale to stock up on kitchen supplies that have the seal of approval of a seasoned home cook, keep scrolling. These are her top eight picks, and prices start at just $22.

The Best Black Friday Deals on Kitchen Products My Mother-in-Law Swears By

• Cuisinart 12-Cup Food Processor, $222, originally $300
• Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve Coffee Maker, $110, originally $190
• KitchenAid 4.5-Quart Stand Mixer, $250, originally $330
• Calphalon Baking Sheets, Set of 2, $35, originally $49
• Rubbermaid 60-Piece Food Storage Container, $30, originally $45
• Pyrex 3-Piece Ribbed Bowls Set, $22, originally $27
• Victorinox Swiss Army 8-Inch Chef’s Knife, $41, originally $56
• Pyrex Basics Glass Baking Dishes, Set of 2, $27, originally $40

Cuisinart 12-Cup Food Processor

Kathy has been using the same Cuisinart food processor for decades, and she swears by it. It comes in handy in every season — during cold weather, she uses it to chop carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables for stews and puree tomatoes for pasta sauce, and in the summer, she uses it to slice and shred big batches of vegetables for salads. She loves it because not only does it drastically cut down on prep time for nearly every recipe she makes, but it’s also simple to operate: There are only three large and clearly marked buttons on the front to turn it on and off, plus a pulse button if she needs more control over the texture of her ingredients. And right now, you get one for yourself for $62 off. 

Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Every morning Kathy wakes up and makes herself a cup of coffee using her Keurig coffee maker. She’s a busy lady — always with an errand to run or a meal to prep — so the convenience of this machine, which brews a strong cup of coffee in a matter of minutes, is what makes it a staple of her routine. This model is 42% off right now, and it features settings for five different coffee cup sizes — 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces. The 74-ounce reservoir can make up to eight cups of coffee without needing to be refilled, which should be enough to get her through the day. 

KitchenAid 4.5 Quart Stand Mixer

The KitchenAid stand mixer that Kathy uses is the same one her mother used. That’s two generations of bakers who have used it so far, which tells you all you need to know about the brand’s legendary durability. The powerful motor, coupled with the stainless steel flat beater, is exactly the help she needs to prepare dough for the dozens of cookies she makes every Christmas. On top of that, the sleek stainless exterior easily wipes clean with a sponge. It’s probably the one appliance she thinks everyone should own — and it’s on sale this Black Friday. 

Calphalon Baking Sheets, Set of 2

Baking sheets are notoriously difficult to keep clean, so when Kathy’s husband bought these for her, she didn’t think they’d be any different. Over the years, she’s been pleasantly surprised by their performance, pointing out to me that they haven’t yet been stained by grease or oil. Crusted and burned-on food doesn’t need to be scrubbed — just use hot water and a sponge to loosen and help it slide right off. These are her go-to baking sheets, right now a set of two is 29% off.  

Rubbermaid 60-Piece Food Storage Container

Forgive for the New Jersey, Italian mom stereotype but Kathy’s worst nightmare is when someone at her dinner table says the words “I’m still hungry,” which is because she always makes more food that we could ever possibly eat in one night. As long as I’ve known her, she’s used these Rubbermaid storage containers (easily identifiable by the red lids) for storing her plentiful feasts. She’s been able to use the same set for nearly a decade because don’t pick up the odors or the stains from previous contents, keeping them usable again and again for different dishes. And because they all conveniently nest together, they take up very little space next to her dinnerware in the cabinets. 

Pyrex 3-Piece Ribbed Bowls Set

These Pyrex glass bowls come in handy for all kinds of kitchen tasks, including mixing simple batters, whipping cream, and both serving and storing salads. Thanks to their versatility, Kathy thinks they are a kitchen must-have. Although she’s used them for years now, the glass hasn’t yet cracked, and it doesn’t pick up any smells or stains from past contents, which allows her to use them over and over again. These features also make the set well worth the price, because they rarely have to be replaced, if ever. 

Victorinox Chef’s Knife

Several of Kathy’s favorite recipes require chopping carrots, tomatoes, or onions, which is why she needs this Victorinox chef’s knife. It’s a kitchen workhorse, chopping and dicing through vegetables effortlessly — and it really doesn’t need much maintenance other than a quick sharpening with a honing steel every now and again. The simple black handle is both ergonomic and nonslip, which is important because it remains steady in your hand as you’re chopping, and you’ll feel less soreness in your hand as recipe prep progresses. 

Pyrex Basics Glass Baking Dishes, Set of 2

Pyrex is a mainstay in Kathy’s kitchen. These dishes hold up wonderfully in the oven, accommodating her favorite shareable dishes like scalloped potatoes and lasagna, without cracking or staining. In fact, it’s one of the easiest baking dishes to clean. With soap and water, most messes can be washed away, no soaking required. Although it’s not the fanciest baking dish, it’s probably the best option out there for everyday use. Glass is also a great option for bakeware, because it retains heat well, keeping your food warm as you set the table.