A reader called to ask, with all the recipes that call for the use of a food processor, did she really need to invest in one? I said yes and gave her my reasons: time-saving, ease in achieving proper texture, a broader range of recipes to try.

Got me thinking about the appliances I really use; the ones in which I would suggest a budding home cook invest. These are my nominees, setting aside cookware and focusing on counter-top appliances and simple kitchen-drawer tools:

Food processor: Cuisinart is the brand I favor. Sizes range from the 20-cup commercial-grade processor (about $700) to the 7-cup original. My daughter gave me an 11-cup version (about $200 at Costco) with a large feed tube, the ability to knead a big hunka dough and a video and instruction/recipe book. All come with multiple blades, from cutting to shredding. Thinking I knew it all, I never read the booklet, but, preparing for this column, I did look it over, and guess what? I learned stuff. Like, did you know that if you freeze dried fruit for a short time before processing it, it won't stick to the blades when you chop it up? Check www.cuisinart.com before you go shopping to familiarize yourself with features.

Stand mixer: KitchenAid is the choice of most serious cooks. My 4 1/2-quart capacity home-size mixer is 20 years old and shows no signs of failing. A stand mixer leaves your hands free to prepare and add ingredients while it stirs, kneads or whisks. And it is powerful: You can mix three loaves of bread or six dozen cookies at once. They're in all colors now, even a pink version that benefits the fight against breast cancer. Expect to spend $250 to $500, but it's like buying a refrigerator; you'll use it forever.

The newer versions have a couple of features I covet: a chute protection shield that allows you to add ingredients without having to turn the machine off or down in order to avoid spray and splatter; and a swing-back head, so you can get direct access to the bowl from the top. One tip I learned from chef Carol Nardello at the Sub-Zero/Wolf demonstration kitchen: If you're working with softer, splattery things, use three sheets of plastic wrap to create a triangular cover for the top to prevent splatter, leaving plenty of room for the movement of the paddle. One drawback: Stand mixers are heavy — more than 20 pounds. Store your mixer on the counter so you won't wrench your back every time you need to use it. Check www.kitchenaid.com.

Toaster: Pick your brand; I went with Cuisinart (about $80) but the main thing is to get one with wide slots (1 1/2 inches) so you can do bagels and thick-sliced country-style breads. Mine handles four slices, has dual controls and six browning settings and a lift-up lever so you can push smaller toasts up where you can reach them.

Tea kettle: The final appliance I use every day is an electric kettle, something I learned to love in England. It's great if you drink tea often or if you make coffee by the French drip method; brings the water to a full rolling boil quickly without using up a burner on the stove. Good for office use, too. Russell Hobbs is the most famous brand and they do both a period-looking rounded kettle shape or more contemporary percolator-looking devices ($75 to $100). These kettles have a long life: My first one lasted 20 years.

One thing I'm often asked is whether you need a food processor if you have a blender. Depends on how and what you cook, but the two machines generally serve different purposes. A food processor cannot crush ice for smoothies or cocktails; a blender can't rough-chop or puree large volumes of food at once. You can use a blender for pureeing small amounts, but you can't use a food processor for thin liquids because they leak and spray. You can't knead dough in a blender, but you can in a food processor.

I'm not going to talk about microwaves; I use mine only for reheating, for making rice (get a plastic, lidded microwave rice cooker at Marukai, Don Quijote or Shirokiya) and occasionally melting chocolate.

But what about everyday tools that don't cost an arm and a leg? My favorites are an olive-wood spatula, a tiny whisk, a ginger grater and a fine rasp. (Want to see what these look like? Check my video online.)

I'm also very fond of a good, thin rubber spatula and a more firm silicon spatula for scraping out every bit of sauce or batter. My knives, of course, are vital: a sword-length Shun I use for crusty breads and meats, a Shun paring knife, a lightweight Global serrated knife, a heavy Chinese cleaver and my faithful Henckels 10-inch chef's knife. I use a cup-size handled strainer often for straining liquids off canned or bottled goods and for sifting powdered ingredients into dishes.

But as chef Yves Garnier of Halekulani's La Mer taught me, my best friend in the kitchen is a spoon, which I keep in my apron pocket for tasting. Don't forget to use your senses to be sure all those appliances and tools are actually working.

Send recipes and queries to Wanda A. Adams, Food Editor, Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.

For more information about our 150th anniversary cookbook, call 535-8189 (message phone; your call will be returned). You can order the cookbook online.