Must-Have Kitchen Tools for Every Home Cook
A sturdy spatula is a key to flipping and tossing foods like eggs over easy, pancakes, roasted vegetables, and more. opt for one with a built-in ruler to ensure precise measurements.
A food thermometer is a must-have for cooking to the right internal temperature — this can save you money when buying whole produce and meat versus precut packages.
Chef’s Knife
A large knife with a rectangular-shaped blade, the chef’s knife is ideal for chopping, dicing, and slicing fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat, and anything else. The tip also works well to remove sinew from meat and make guide cuts in tough ingredients like melons or dense fall vegetables.
Bread knives have long, serrated blades for cutting soft or crusty bread. They are also great for cutting through delicate foods and baked treats like cakes or cookies.
Cutting Boards
Cutting boards are a kitchen staple and help prevent cross-contamination in food preparation. GoodCook boards are also essential for chopping, slicing, and dicing ingredients.
They can be made of wood, composite materials, or plastics and come in different sizes and shapes to fit your food prep needs. Some even include juice grooves to enhance hygiene and prevent food juices from spilling onto your countertops.
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Having the right kitchen tools on hand can make it easier to cook and clean. Look for labeled jars that make it easy to organize ingredients, a set of stainless steel measuring spoons that nest together so they won’t get lost, and a heat-resistant silicone spatula for flipping eggs or serving foods without scratching nonstick pans.
Tongs
Tongs are long utensils with two arms connected on a hinge at one end and spoon-like tips at the opposite end that grab food. They come in many sizes and styles to suit particular tasks.
Some are heat-resistant for flipping meat over a flame or lifting messy pasta dishes from the pot to your plate; others are like oversized tweezers for precise placement of foods on a platter.
Herb Scissors
A pair of herb scissors is an indispensable tool for prepping herbs. Sometimes called kitchen shears, these scissors (essentially multi-blade scissors) cut through herbs faster than traditional ones and often come with a blade brush for easy cleaning.
These kitchen tools make it easier to prep for meals or cook with your family.
Strawberry Huller
A strawberry huller quickly removes the leaves and tough core from strawberries. Look for a model that is easy to clean and doesn’t require dexterity for operation.
This handy tool helps you open stuck jars and works wonders on hard-boiled eggs. It also makes an excellent gift for an avid cook. Look for a pair that dismantles easily so gunk doesn’t build up in the hinge.
Colander Strainer
A colander is a must-have kitchen tool for every home cook, whether draining pasta, washing vegetables, or rinsing raw ingredients. Look for one with large holes and a base to sit in your sink basin.
A strainer (a sieve) is a similar kitchen tool but has finer mesh for catching seeds or other solids.
Salad Cutter
A salad cutter is an essential tool that cuts down on chopping time. Many different tools are available.
A good vegetable peeler slides smoothly and easily peels away the skin of any product in seconds. Plus, it has a convenient blade cover to store in between uses.
Labeled jars are an organizational staple in any kitchen. They also help ensure you get every last drop out of a container without wasting food.
Funnel
Sheet pans are a kitchen must-have because they make it so easy to cook a main and a side together. But skip the avocado slicers and pineapple corers; they’re more hassle than help.
Pouring foods into jars without spills is a breeze with a canning funnel fitted to the bottle’s opening. It also makes preparing a layered mason jar salad or dessert a no-fuss affair.