Build a Better Morning with These Breakfast Products

The first meal of the day is having a moment. Whether it's from our Instragram-driven desire for the perfect shot or the need to gather at all times of day, we're collectively crazy for crafting the best breakfast and brunch. Fortunately, all it takes are a few key tools and a little liquid courage (be it in the form of a fresh cup of coffee or a mimosa).

To seek out the gear that speaks to your breakfast needs, we tapped our colleagues at Extra Crispy, your go-to spot for all things breakfast and brunch, including the latest news, trends, and top tips will outfit your kitchen for many morning meals to come.

"It's tempting to invest in the shiniest, most ergonomic thing, but the truth is that you need something that won't stress you out when it gets inevitable scorch marks on it," says Margaret Eby, Extra Crispy's culture editor. "Build from the essentials, like a good pan and a sharp knife."

CRAFT A SERIOUS COFFEE STATION
Experts recommend grinding beans fresh. Then, your options for makers are plentiful: For those who like to control steep time, try Bodum's Chambord Coffee Maker, 17-oz. $37. For serious coffee lovers, a Technivorm Moccamaster extracts a great cup with a taste that's a connoisseur-approved. From $300.

BUILD A BREAKFAST LIBRARY
We asked the Extra Crispy team for their favorite breakfast-themed books, and their picks ranged from the seriously instructional, like Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Bread and Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, to the seriously adorable, like Pancakes for Breakfast. 

SHARP KNIFE
"Breakfast prep goes so much smoother with a sharp knife," says Kat Kinsman, senior food and drinks editor at Extra Crispy. We like Wusthof's Classic 4 1/2" Cook's Knife, $80.

ELECTRIC CHOPPER
"I whip my eggs in a KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Chopper and it makes all the difference in the world for silky omelets," Kinsman says. From $50.

SILICONE SPATULA
"You can scramble, you can scrape—you can do it all," says Meredith Turits, editorial director and general manager of Extra Crispy. Try GIR's Pro Spatula, $22.

CAST-IRON SKILLET
Perfect for bacon, great for eggs, and crisps up toasts in a pinch. Our experts favor pans from Lodge. "It will outlive you if cared for properly," says Extra Crispy site director Ryan Grim. $39.50.

TOASTER OVEN
The right model can perfectly brown batches of toasts or serve as an alternative oven for crowded kitchens. Breville's Smart Oven Pro includes a light to better see what's cooking, $270.

WAFFLE IRON
Our experts sing the praises of classic cast-iron waffle irons, like Nordic Ware's Stovetop Belgian Waffler, which boasts a slimmer profile and comes unhinged when you're ready to clean, $78.

NONSTICK SKILLET
"A nonstick frying pan will get you through just about every breakfast recipe you want to make," Turits says. Kinsman loves her Anolon Advanced 8.5-Inch French Skillet. "It completely changed my omelet game," she says, $25.

Love breakfast as much as we do? Check out our sister site, extracrispy.com.