Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, author of the River Cottage Year

I picked up an Edwardian steel potato ricer about 10 years ago. It is like a giant garlic press. You pile in your spuds, boiled and drained, and squeeze the handle, expelling long, thin wiggly worms of lump-free mash. Whisk it up with hot milk and butter and you have the most luxurious creamy mash known to humanity. It is also brilliant for squeezing water out of wilted spinach. You can still buy potato ricers, though I suspect they are not as good as mine. Alternatively, I would recommend Bourgeat non-stick frying pans. There is an oval fish-shaped one which I like. You can do an excellent chef's flip with it. They last two years and then the non-stick goes and you throw them away. I've been giving them as presents.

· Bourgeat non-stick frying pan: from £14.38 plus VAT. Stockists: Pager 020-7565 5959

Heston Blumenthal, chef-owner of The Fat Duck, Bray

My two pieces of equipment are an oven thermometer and a probe. If I have to choose one for you, I will assume that you have an accurate oven and plump for a probe. These fantastic little things are inexpensive and will boost confidence in the kitchen. It will help you to get perfectly roast chickens or joints of meat and whole baked fish will become stress-free. Ours are from Hansen's.

· Hansen's ETI probe: from £10. Stockists: 020-7351 6933

Raymond Blanc, chef patron of Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons

Cutting julienne strips and slicing can be a daunting and dangerous task. For all this work, I use a Japanese mandolin which creates the finest slices with the option for different thicknesses. The investment is small and the result magnificent. We buy Benriner from the Chefshop in Oxford.

· Benriner Japanese mandolin: £24.66 (£20.99 excl vat). Chefshop: Tel: 01993 899 155 or 07860 636084 (mail order available).

Ruth Rogers, co-chef-owner of the River Cafe

I have a black, cast-iron, ridged grill pan which we use to sear things at a very, very high heat. It is the way I grill my fish and meat. The only thing better than that is having a char-grill.

· Chasseur cast iron grill pan: £45. Stockists: 01730 811811

Nigella Lawson

I cannot cope without my mezzaluna: I use it for chopping herbs, dried fruit, vegetables, anything. I am far too clumsy and ham-fisted to be able to cut with any safety or accuracy with a knife, but this two-handled, half-moon-shaped blade gives me the illusion of graceful competence. And more important: job done; washing up minimal.

· Mezzaluna: approximately £20. Stockists: kitchen shops throughout the UK

Delia Smith

I'm creating "how to cheat" recipes for days when we need to cheat. I have recently discovered the Kenwood Mini Chopper - a new "friend" which short-circuits chopping and knife sharpening. It is an ingenious mini food processor.

· Kenwood Mini Chopper: £18.99. Stockists: 02392 392 333

Jamie Oliver

It's got to be my nice, big pestle and mortar. You shouldn't be paying any more than £25 for a large one. I use mine for crushing spices and herbs and making flavoured oils. They are good for smashing up anything from cocoa beans to pine nuts or making pesto. Basically, even if you just carry on buying the food you already do but use a pestle and mortar to smash up some of the ingredients with some oil, your food is going to be 10 times better without you doing anything.

· Large pestle and mortar: approximately £25. Stockists: kitchen shops throughout the UK

Nigel Slater, food writer

I have a neat, wooden lemon squeezer that I would hate to be without. Totally practical, you just push it into the halved fruit and twist and the juice comes gushing out. It is also a thing of beauty, with exquisite grain in the wood. It is made in Italy but you can buy them at David Mellor.

· Wooden lemon squeezer (with blue yellow or natural handle): £9.50. Stockists: Mail order 01433 650 220 or davidmellordesign.co.uk

Clarissa Dixon-Wright, food writer

The only really useful modern piece of equipment I have is a Magimix food processor. I use it for soups, purées and particularly my horseradish sauce - in fact, I couldn't do a good horseradish without it. It is great for chopping onions in bulk and for making a mousseline and ptés - anything that you want blended together finely.

· Magimix: from £99.95 (for Le Mini). Stockists: 01252 727 755

Antonio Carluccio, chef-owner of Ca