A well-appointed kitchen allows you to make the most of food prep time, and it can make you feel like you have something in common with your favorite television chefs. Good kitchen gadgets make chopping and slicing easier. They also invite your friends and family into the kitchen to participate in the preparation, even if they're not very skilled at more advanced cooking methods. Some gadgets can help you make food-blog-style garnishes, and some will become beloved pieces of your home, such as the crockpot you received at your bridal shower so many years ago.

Kitchen gadgets can ease the process of making some dishes, including healthier ones. This means you may be more likely to choose healthier dishes and drinks for your menu.

"I love my immersion blender," says home cook Callie Long. "I'm a smoothie fan, so of course, my blender is one of my most prized possessions. But on some days when you just want a quick blend of easy ingredients for a grab-and-go shot of nutrition, it's so much better than putting ingredients in a jar and shaking them. Less mess, too."

There are so many kitchen gadgets on the market that it can be hard to know what to buy and what to skip. "I'm not sure I'd be able to skip very many of them," says Long. "They're not just gadgets; they're solutions. They're help." Long mentions the avocado slicer that makes an awkward, slippery job easier and helps her maintain her healthier habits in the kitchen.

Whether you're just starting your first kitchen gear collection or upgrading to newer, better tools, here are the essentials for a functional kitchen: avocado knife, baking dish, cast-iron skillet, chef's knife, colander and cutting boards.

"Cutting boards are a big one," says home cook Holly Brown. "It just takes one cross-contamination to teach you about having multiple cutting boards for veggies and herbs, and another for meats. I've learned to have several for meats, especially when I'm hosting for the holidays."

"Good, sharp knives are the key to a functional kitchen," says Brown. "Sharper knives are safer than dull ones. I also keep a kid-friendly knife for when they want to spread peanut butter and such." Sharp knives are one of many more gadgets that can help the creation of a functional kitchen: Dutch oven, grater, immersion blender, instant-read thermometer, kitchen shears and kitchen timer.

"Once you try an offset spatula for frosting cookies, cakes and cupcakes, you'll never go back to the awkward angle of a butter knife," says Long. An offset spatula and a microplane are additional tools that should be added to your kitchen.

A salad spinner and prep bowls have proven to be essential for Long's kitchen. "Once I discovered the world of salad spinners, I was able to grow more lettuces in my garden throughout much of the year," says Long. "Salad spinners spin that moisture right out so you get crisper lettuces. And it's a job the kids can do."

Holly Brown finds that a scooper and saucepans have benefitted her in the kitchen. "My cookie dough scoops delight me to no end," says Brown. "I love to bake, so it's not a matter of speeding through the job. I just love getting uniform sizes. Same with my meatballs."A scraper, sheet pan, skillet, slotted spoon, spatulas, tongs and a whisk round up the list of kitchen gadget essentials.

Some kitchen gadgets may be a little too specialized for some, and perhaps some of the choices of kitchen gadgets can be skipped. A mandoline, for instance, may give you perfectly sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, but their extreme sharpness can be an object of danger. "If you have to wear a special glove to protect your fingers, it's not very functional," says Long.

Jim Mohan, a regional catering coordinator for a large supermarket chain, is around kitchen preparations all day long and can attest to quality kitchen gear. But at home, his go-to makes ease the goal: "My Instant Pot is amazing. There's something about it that makes food into magic. You can even boil eggs in it." Anytime a gadget inspires the idea of magic, it's a winner in the kitchen. Mohan also names his Dutch oven as a wonder of cooking ease.

Home cooks and professional cooks alike love their favorite gadgets, and foodies at home will look to their favorite television cooks like Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri to find out what they are using for finer points and time-savers in their kitchens. They may even be inspired to buy some more tools for themselves. Kitchen gadgets have become popular for gift-giving and not just in the traditional bridal registry sense. "When I find a cutting tool, kebab baskets, cheese knives, cherry pitters or other gadgets that I know would make my own farmers market trips more inspiring and wonderful, I'm sure to give these same items as a gift to friends and family," says Long.

A functional kitchen works in so many ways, which goes beyond the appearance of what you cook. Gadgets hold potential for the expansion of your menu repertoire, assist in healthy cooking and indulge you. No wonder the kitchen is the heart of the home.