top of page
Search

13 Kitchen Tools That Will Elevate Your Home Cooking

Having the right set of tools for the job is paramount to the success and enjoyment of anything that you set out to accomplish- cooking tools or utensils are no exception. I have compiled a list of our home kitchen’s most commonly used tools that have made home cooking more fun, enjoyable, and successful for us.

What’s even better, none of these tools will break the bank and you could argue that there is a good return on investment with each one. We have all seen that the cost of eating out has shot up – cooking at home can save you money. If having the right tools for the job causes you to eat more at home, you will pay for each item and then some in no time.

I personally own and use each tool on the list. In fact, each photo is of my actual item. Some of these have been in use for over 15 years – so they will not look pristine. This is a testament to the quality and longevity of these items when they are cared for properly.

[As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more information]

Collapsible Strainer/Colander – Prepworks Collapsible Colander (Amazon )

blue and yellow Prepworks collapsible colanders expanded and flattened.

Prepworks collapsible colanders

Rinsing fruits and vegetables before enjoying is just something we have to do to prevent the potential for illness. These collapsible strainers/colanders are made of a soft rubber and are perfect for the task. We have three of them and one of them is almost always in use. They collapse flat for easy storage in a drawer. The bottom has a removable cover which allows you to fill the colander with water, remove it, and let the water flow out for a good rise – or just hold it under the running faucet with the cover off for a quick shower. This cover also is nice to prevent excess water from puddling on the counter after rinsing your produce.

Collapsible colander with blueberries and raspberries sitting on end grain wood cutting board.

Prepworks collapsible colander is perfect for many berries.

Bench Scraper – ALLTOP Bench Scraper (Amazon )

ALLTOP bench scraper is excellent for transferring diced onions and other vegetables to the pan.

ALLTOP bench scraper is excellent for transferring diced onions and other vegetables to the pan.

Have you ever cut piles of garlic, onions, peppers, and carrots while preparing them for the stove top? If you use a small plastic lightweight cutting board, you can simply just puck that up and slide the ingredients to the pan.

But what if you use a hefty end grain cutting board like the ones they use in all the cooking shows? I can tell you for a fact that they weigh quite a but and you won’t lift these to the pan. That’s where the bend scraper saves the day. Use the bench scraper like a shovel to scoop you ingredients to transfer them to the pan. I use the side of my chopping knife for the small jobs, but I’m probably not that smart for putting my hand next to the blade like that – so use a bench scraper.

ALLTOP bench scraper.

ALLTOP bench scraper.

The bench scraper is also called a dough or pastry cutter. I use this to help scrape sticky bread doughs off the counter when kneading and then use this to cut the dough into chunks.

Measuring Cups and Spoons – OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons (Amazon )

1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup measuring cups and 1/8 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, and 1 tablespoon made by OXO Good Grips on maple end grain cutting board.

Set of measuring cups and measuring spoons made by OXO.

Nothing fancy about measuring cups and spoons. I like how these are weighted in the hand and the labels are easy to read. I find that, compared to plastic versions, things flow out of these stainless steel versions better. With plastic ones, it seems like powders stick to them resulting in the potential for a wrong measure.

Paring knife – J.A. Henkels 4” 31160-100 (Amazon)

Utility Knife – J.A. Henkels 6” 31160-160 (Amazon )

Slicing Knife – J.A. Henckels 8” 31161-200 (Amazon)

I have absolutely loved using all three of these J.A. Henkels knives. They stay sharp, cut like a dream, fit the hand well, and feel plain solid. I’ve used cheaper knives that feel flimsy – once you use a high quality knife, you feel like it ups your culinary game and the knife will cut with ease.

J.A. Henkels paring slicing knife, utility knife, and paring knife.

J.A. Henkels paring slicing knife, utility knife, and paring knife (top-down).

My go-to knife of the three is the 8” slicing knife. From cutting potatoes, chopping carrots, to dicing an onion – it gets the job done with ease with the weight and width of the blade. The 4” and 6” knives are also just as capable, but each has their place. Paring knifes are great for trimming vegetables and slicing up an apple. The 6” utility knife can do some of what the paring knife can do and some of what the slicing knife does.

Slicing or chopping knife dicing onions on walnut end grain cutting board.

Slicing knife makes dicing onions easy.

Two tips for these knives. First, sharpen them regularly. These knives do not dull easily, but as with all knives, a sharp knife is easier and safer to use. Second, since day one, I hand wash these knives. Dishwasher detergents can be harsh on metals – the surface finish of the knives are part of what makes them work well. Any change to the surface finish will change how the knife works. Just my two cents on that.

OXO 8” Bread Knife (Amazon)

OXO 8" Bread Knife on white background

OXO 8″ Bread Knife.

This knife, like the ones previously mentioned, is balanced well and slices through breads with ease. What makes this once great is the combination of the sharp blade combined with the serrated edge. No excessive downward pressure needed with this knife – let the knife cut the bread for you. I have used this on rock hard stale French bread and it cut nearly as good as my woodshop’s hand saw. One tip for using serrated knives – DO NOT use them with wooden cutting boards. These will rip the wood fibers on the surface of the cutting board leaving scars that can only be repaired with sandpaper.

Mix and Chop – Meat Chopper (Amazon)

Mix and chop meat chopper on white background.

Mix and chop meat chopper.

Browning ground turkey, beef, or sausage is at least a weekly occurrence in my family’s kitchen. Don’t let the name “meat chopper” scare you. It’s made of plastic that will not damage your pan while you break apart meat clumps while browning. The 5-paddle design makes this task easier than a spatula or spoon. It’s one of the most used specialty tools in my kitchen.

Meat chopper starting to brown sausage.

Meat chopper starting to brown sausage.

Meat chopper in pan used for browning sausage.

Mission accomplished!

Knife Sharpener – Rapala Ceramic Sharpener (Amazon)

Photo of Rapala ceramic knife sharpeners on white background.

Rapala ceramic knife sharpeners.

This Rapala Ceramic knife sharpener has worked well for me. I figure that if it’s good for my fish filet knife, it’s good for my other knives too. Are there better knife sharpeners out there? Maybe, let me know. But what I like about this is that I do not have to worry about the blade angle. Just slide the knife back and forth a couple times and you are done. The V-shaped ceramic inserts realign the blade resulting in a beautifully sharp edge.

Skillet – Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet (Amazon)

Lodge 12" cast iron skillet on white background

Lodge 12″ cast iron skillet.

This is my favorite cooking pan. They that the more you use cast iron, the better it gets. Let me confirm to you that this is true. The even heat and the non-stick flat surface creates a perfect area for searing a burger or steak. I will tell you that I use a gas stove top for which I will never go back to an electric glass top. I tell you this because I’m not sure how well heat is transferred from the glass cook top to the pan or if the cast iron will scratch glass cook tops. I started off with the 10” model which works just as well, but with a family of 4, I needed more pan real estate. It is heavy which is good for stability, but terrible for handling it. My main tips for cast iron pan use is make sure you let it warm up well before using and wash it only with water. After washing, I put it back on the stove on low heat for 5 minutes to accelerate the drying process – otherwise rust can set in. Lastly, I have found that I like seasoning the pan with grapeseed oil.

Sheet Pan – Nordic Ware Sheet Pan (Amazon)

Nordic Ware sheet pan on white background

Nordic Ware sheet pan measures approximately 13″ x 18″.

Roasting vegetables in the oven is super easy and relatively healthy. Our family favorites are roasted new potatoes with garlic powder and salt and carrots with smoked paprika. This aluminum sheet pan is easy to handle and cleans easy. Just make sure you use plastic spatulas and other utensils on it, otherwise it will scratch. These sheet pans do not warp in the oven like cheaper ones tend to do and the outside lip is just enough to prevent a messy oven and easy to grasp on to.

Cutting Board – Practical Woodwork End Grain Cutting Board (www.practical-woodwork.com )

Walnut end grain cutting board from Practical Woodwork

Walnut end grain cutting board from Practical Woodwork

Wood end grain cutting boards (sometimes referred to as butcher block) have been used in kitchens for ages. Today, they are still just as practical and I think that they add a warm and professional look to any kitchen. I use a walnut one on a daily basis, but other common woods are cherry and maple. The end grain face on the cutting board is practically self-healing due to the grain alignment of the wood fiber and the knife cutting in between the wood fibers. With edge grain wood cutting boards, you are basically cutting the wood across the fibers. When cared for properly, they will last a long time. I am biased here though – I make and sell boutique quality end grain cutting boards over on my other site – www.practical-woodwork.com. Make sure to clean and dry after each use, never put it in the dishwasher, and always use sharp knives. Don’t forget to apply a wood conditioner frequently.

Hard maple end grain cutting board from Practical Woodwork with walnut inlay separating board into 4 quarters.

End grain cutting boards come in different designs and patterns to fit your aesthetic and functional needs.

Cutting Board – OXO Good Grips Plastic Cutting Board Set (Amazon)

OXO Good Grips plastic cutting boards showing signs of extensive use and stains.

Well used OXO Good Grips plastic cutting boards. These are 16 years old and have seen weekly use!

You might be thinking to yourself why another cutting board is on this list. These OXO Good Grips plastic cutting boards are what I use to cut any animal based proteins – cooked or raw. Some use end grain for raw and cooked meats, but I do not and I cannot recommend it for food safety paranoia. Plastic cutting boards will not absorb any liquids or juices where wood cutting boards will. I also like the fact that I can toss these into a dishwasher for easy clean up. We are into year 16 of using our first set and they are now almost ready to be replaced only because the black rubber is cracking away.

There is no way that I can capture all the tools and gadgets on the market. Comment below and let me know what tools you have found to be irreplaceable in your kitchen.

[As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more information]

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page