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Celebrity chef Curtis Stone on the 3 kitchen products he can't live without

He also shares his trick for cleaning dishes.
Dawn/P&G

Between receiving a Michelin star and launching a new hit show, you may think celebrity chef Curtis Stone wouldn't have time to cook at home. But the "Field Trip with Curtis Stone" star told TODAY.com he always tries to make time to cook fresh meals for his family, even if it's a quick dish.

"When I'm at home, I love to cook," he said. "We cook very simply at home. We don't do anything elaborate."

Stone told TODAY that he's "always testing products," so naturally, we asked the pro about his must-have gadgets in the kitchen.

If you're looking to keep it healthy in the new year, Stone recommends picking up a reliable grater to make slicing vegetables a piece of cake.

"I've got this grater that's got a crank on it that'll grate a dozen carrots in two minutes," he explained. "So I use that a lot because I cook for the kids, and I always want to get a bunch of vegetables in."

If you're looking for an affordable, top-rated option, Amazon customers love this grater from Ourokhome. Plus, it comes with three interchangeable blades to slice and shred anything from veggies to nuts and cheese.

Ourokhome Round Mandoline Slicer Grinder

Stone also believes that having a nice set of nonstick cookware is essential to make healthy cooking foods like fish and lean meats feel like less of a hassle.

"If you've got cookware that doesn't require you to use extra excess oil, that's a good start," he pointed out. "If it works, you're more inclined to use it. If you're cooking in stuff that sticks all the time, then you try fish once, and you're like, 'ugh, no way, doesn't work, not doing it!'"

If you're in the market for some reliable nonstick pans, Stone recommends this nonstick 3-piece frypan set. These pans are from the cookware line Stone developed with Dura-Pan for HSN.

While Stone's HSN line is full of highly rated pots, pans and other cookware, there's one particular product he says he can't live without: a space-saving roll-up drying rack.

Curtis Stone Roll Up 2-in-1 Drying Rack

"It rolls open and goes over your sink so you can wash your veggies," he said, noting the rack's versatility. "You can take it and drop it on the table to put hot pans on [it], so it's a pretty cool tool." This tool is from Stone’s cookware line for HSN.

When it comes to doing the dreaded dishes, Stone admits he's working on sharpening his cleaning skills.

"I used to be a typical chef who's used to having a kitchen steward or a dishwasher, but I cook at home way more these days, so I'm a lot better at it," he said.

His cleaning trick is to wash dishes while he's cooking, so he's not left with a daunting pile to sort through at the end of the meal. He says it's an especially effective method when you have company over.

The perfect complement to this dishwashing strategy? Dawn's newest innovation, he said.

Stone teamed up with the brand for the launch of its Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray, which was designed to make doing the dishes more convenient than ever. The dish soap comes in a unique spray bottle that allows you to spritz a continuous mist of soap onto dishes for even coverage and easy cleanup. You simply spray, wipe and rinse away — and Stone says it's a "game-changer."

"I just did a dinner party for a dozen people, and they walked through the place like, 'Where are the dishes?!'" explained. "I just sort of stayed on top of it as I do it. It makes a big difference."

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