Alaina Chou

New York

Commerce Producer at Bon Appetit

Commerce Producer at Epicurious

Articles

The Best Santoku Knife for Agile Slicing and Dicing

1 week ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou

As an equipment tester at Bon Appétit, I have an admittedly ridiculous number of knives in my collection. And while I love my classic chef’s knives and nimble paring knives, the one I reach for most often is a santoku. Best santoku knife overall: Mac Knife Superior Santoku KnifeA santoku upgrade: Misono UX10 SantokuThe santoku is a style of kitchen knife that originated in Japan.
15 Best Mother’s Day Kitchen Gifts for Moms Who Love to Cook (2025)

1 week ago | bonappetit.com | Lauren Joseph |Alaina Chou

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Your mom may insist that the best Mother’s Day present is your presence, but trust me: What she really wants is some quality time plus a little something she wouldn't have thought to buy herself. If you’re looking for thoughtful gift ideas for the mom who cooks—or at least likes to eat what you cook—we’re here to help you claim the title of Favorite Child once and for all.
10 Kitchen Tools To Make Cooking at an Airbnb So Much Easier

2 weeks ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. If you’re a frequent Airbnb-er, you’re probably familiar with this sequence of events: You arrive at your new pad after a long day of travel; maybe you’re fresh off a flight, maybe you’ve just finished an eight-hour road trip. Regardless, you’re starving, so you drop your bags and head straight to the store.
Sunbasket Review: Does the Meal Kit Actually Deliver Fresh, Healthy Meals?

3 weeks ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. If only we could all live next door to a vibrant farm stand chock full of sun-kissed produce. Unfortunately for most of us, finding fresh, flavorful fruits and veggies is more of a scavenger hunt, especially in the depths of winter. Sunbasket aims to solve for this issue by delivering a box full of organic produce—and the recipes for cooking them up—to your doorstep every week.
Best Personal Blenders for Solo Smoothies and Other Small Jobs (2025)

3 weeks ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. I write about kitchen gadgets for a living, so it should come as no surprise that my kitchen is covered in countertop appliances. I’ve got a rice cooker, a countertop oven, an Instant Pot—this is a very incomplete list. But the kitchen appliance I use the most? A personal blender I stole from my parents when I was in college.
The Best Kitchen Scales for Precise Baking, Streamlined Cooking, and Easy Cleanup (2025)

4 weeks ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. If your batches of cookies turn out differently every time you make them, your bread dough is never quite right, or your attempts at finicky macarons always end in disaster, I have one question for you: Are you using a kitchen scale? If the answer is no, don’t worry—I get it. A scale might seem like a fiddly gadget that’ll add more clutter to your kitchen than value to your baking game.
Our Opinionated Editors Say These Are the Best Coffee Mugs

1 month ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. I have a confession: I can’t stop, won’t stop hoarding coffee mugs. I’ve reached a point where the designated shelf in my cupboard is overflowing with mugs big and small. They’re all mismatched, with each serving a different need or evoking a different memory, like the tiny orange bunny rabbit mug my mom bought for me when I was eight and has been with me ever since.
The Best Air Fryers for Tater Tot Parties and Lonely Batches of Fish Sticks

1 month ago | epicurious.com | Lukas Volger |Rachel Paley |Alaina Chou

And while not a primary consideration in this review, the Dome also works very well as a dehydrator, thanks to the size of the basket and the ability to set the temperature to a very low 140°F. Dried orange or apple rings, or even chiles to make your own chile flakes are easy and rewarding projects. Overall, the Typhur feels sturdy and durable, and is a functional fashion statement of an air fryer.
The Best Stand Mixers, According to Our Expert Testers (2025)

1 month ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou |Tiffany Hopkins

Sure, you can mix up your bread dough and whip your cream by hand or with a hand mixer. But if you frequently find yourself kneading loaves of bread, making big batches of whipped cream, or whisking egg whites into swirly meringue, a stand mixer will make your life infinitely easier.
Best Knife Set (2025), After Years of Testing Knives

1 month ago | bonappetit.com | Alaina Chou

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. For a long time here at BA, we’ve resisted writing a story about the best knife set. It’s because in truth, we think the average home cook can get by just fine with three knives: a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and a paring knife. Those 18-piece block sets with a specific knife for seemingly every individual kitchen task a person could dream of?