Essential Kitchen Tools: The Ultimate List

Whether you want to be a professional chef or simply want to remember the most basic tools you use around the kitchen, it’s useful to learn the names of some essential kitchen utensils. But because there are so many kinds of kitchen equipment and tools, it can be hard to remember the names of kitchen utensils without some kind of guide. The good news is, the faster you learn this kitchen utensils list, the less amount of time you’ll need to prep and cook your meals, so what are you waiting for? 

What are Common Kitchen Utensils? 

When you want to level up your kitchen game as a home cook, you’ll want to get used to knowing all the various materials and basic kitchen tools in this list.  

Knives

Having a good set of knives are essential kitchen tools since they make slicing and chopping safer and easier, giving you better control when cutting things delicately. To get started, you’ll want to get a serrated knife, a paring knife, a chef’s knife, and a santoku knife in your collection. Be sure to take care of your knives to ensure they are reliable throughout the years and to keep their quality high. 

Wooden Cutting Board

Wooden cutting boards are both easy on your knives and durable; just keep in mind that bamboo can make your knife duller. Moreover, having a wooden cutting board gives you an extra serving platter along with extra counter space if it’s placed over your sink. Be sure to look for options that are at least 1-inch thick to ensure their durability and quality. 

Wooden Cooking Spoon

A wooden spoon will be gentle on pans, and it won’t leave scratches on the surface of your cast-iron skillet — it’s also naturally antibacterial. This is also a good choice since it won’t react with the acid found in certain foods; as such, you won’t get a metallic taste in your tomato sauces. Be sure to get a multipurpose set that includes a large spoon, and getting various spatulas will help too. 

Stainless Steel Cooking Spoon

When you want a reliable cooking spoon, having a metal spoon is much easier to clean and highly durable compared to its wooden counterpart. Known to be sturdy and thin, they are better for sliding under heavier food items such as cooked squash or meats. As such, if you’re tossing a whole pan of roasted veggies, and want to scrape bits and pieces from the bottom, a metal spoon is your best bet. 

Soup Ladle

Those who regularly cook soups, stews, and chili, or other dishes that involve broth, then a soup ladle is the ideal tool to have. This kitchen tool is great for pouring stock into jars or serving punch — be sure to look for a model that comes with a double-sided pour spout. Moreover, you can use these to portion your soup into individual meal prep containers. 

Measuring Cups (for Dry Ingredients)

While dry and liquid measuring cups come with the same volume, each serves a specific purpose and was designed to give precise measurements of its respective ingredients. Unlike liquid measuring cups, dry ingredient measuring cups are made to fill right up to the brim, with the dry ingredient level without packing. 

Measuring Cups (for Liquid Ingredients)

This option has been designed so that the maximum measurement runs below the top. Because of this, you can fill it up to the right measure, then pour out excess liquid without any spills. When it comes to baking, all wet ingredients should be measured with this option rather than the dry measuring cup. 

Citrus Reamer

This is a simple tool, often described as a handheld juicer — it works well in getting most of the juice out of both small and large citrus fruits. A wooden option is more compact, and it won’t react with any acids in fruits. It’s also comfortable to hold, while models with ridges and tips will be sharp enough to let you juice without straining so much. 

Whisk

If you plan on making a gravy, sauce, or a roux, having a whisk is a great tool for smoothing lumps from mixtures and mixing liquids. It’s always best to use a 3-piece set that comes with different sizes to ensure that you can mix everything thoroughly inside a big bowl. It’s a great tool to have, whether you’re making a small batch of sauce or a huge bowl of pancake batter. 

Can Opener

Cans with peel-off lids are the standard these days, but there are still times when the ring snaps off; it’s during these times that a can opener will really come in handy. Look for options that come with an easy-to-turn knob — this will make opening cans even easier, and if you find one with a built-in bottle opener, even better! Even if you’re not a big fan of canned goods, it’s still helpful to have one of these with you, especially if you use a lot of coconut milk. 

Parchment Paper

It’s always a good idea to line your baking sheet with parchment paper, especially if you make a lot of cookies; this makes clean-up a breeze, while stopping from breaking. Another way to use parchment paper is rolling out some dough between two sheets, which will help you maneuver the dough more easily. You can also use it for roasting vegetables to ensure that moisture is retained while building flavor. 

Silicone Pastry Brush

This tool can be great for spreading glaze over pastries or applying some oil over a baking dish. It can also be used to coat your bread with melted butter or oil for all kinds of food items. When it’s used as a basting brush, it can be very handy for applying some BBQ sauce on your burgers inside the oven or veggie kebabs on the grill. 

Immersion Blender

For many homes, having an immersion blender is essential for last-minute or small blending tasks. It also lets you blend sauces, soups, and stews right inside the blender without the need to transfer back and forth between your blender and food processor. Some models come with milk and whisk attachments, but it’s best to get steel attachments rather than plastic ones since they will do better with hot soups. 

Bullet Blender

Those working with a tight budget and a small kitchen space will need a compact and versatile kitchen gadget like this bullet blender. Not only can it be used to create shakes, smoothies, and juices, but it can also be used to grind seeds, coffee, nuts, and oats. You will also love the easy clean-up it offers. 

Electric Pressure Cooker

Using an electric pressure cooker can automatically regulate pressure and heat while cooking — it also doesn’t make any rattling or hissing noises like their stovetop counterparts. Moreover, this tool combines a slow cooker, pressure cooker, yogurt maker, rice cooker, and many more into one piece of equipment. Moreover, models like the Instant Pot can drastically reduce cooking time, which is why they’re such a popular brand these days.

Hand Mixer

Hand mixers allow you to mix your ingredients by the sink, counter, or stovetop using a separate pot or bowl. These work best for light mixing, such as making cookie dough or cake batter. They can also be used for mashing your potatoes and whipping up some aquafaba and coconut cream in minutes. 

Stainless Steel Frying Pan

This tool is also known as a skillet; a frying pan is the perfect companion for quick cooking and stir-frying techniques that involve moving things around a pan. A stainless steel pan also provides even distribution of heat, which prevents your food from sticking. Stainless steel skillets are known for their durability, versatility, and prized for being non-reactive, which makes them ideal for sautéing, searing, and building pan sauces. 

For the best performance, be sure to get one that comes with 3-ply or 5-ply construction (this means having an aluminum core between the stainless steel) to get an even better heat distribution. Finally, pans with stainless steel construction won’t react with any acidic ingredients such as vinegar or tomatoes. 

Cast-Iron Frying Pan

Unfortunately, there aren’t many pans that can be taken from the stovetop into the oven, but a cast-iron pan can do exactly that. Cast-iron pans work like a wok, a skillet, or a roasting pan, so you can make a pizza, an apple tart, or even garlic knots. Furthermore, it can retain heat well, which means you’ll be able to use it to keep your meals warm. 

Cast-Iron Griddle

This comes with the smooth and even heating surface of the cast-iron, which is great for all your pancakes, veggies, and even toasting big slabs of bread. It’s also a good choice for making grilled cheese sandwiches, homemade tortillas, and can also act as a pizza stone. However, unlike the skillet, griddles have lower sides, which will allow you to flip your pancakes. 

Stainless Steel Baking Sheet

A sheet pan or a baking sheet can take on anything from baking pastries, cookies, bread, and even sheet pan dinners for a healthy alternative. This tool also comes with a shallow outer rim over all 4 sides to keep liquids and juices from getting out. It’s also a good choice since the steel can heat food evenly and quickly. 

Baking Dish

Also known as a casserole dish, a baking dish is the perfect tool for roasting vegetables, making lasagnas, casseroles, and baking cobblers and bread puddings. You can put this directly from your oven to your dining table, and then into the refrigerator without the need to transfer dishes.  

Saucepan

This piece of equipment is wonderful for cooking everything that might need plenty of liquids. As such, you can use it for stewing, blanching, simmering, and making sauces and soups. Not only is it less wide compared to a frying pan, but it’s also smaller than a Dutch oven or a stockpot. This is a standard piece of kitchen equipment that every home needs. 

Stockpot

When you need to work with something bigger than a saucepan, your stockpot will be your best friend. This large pot is built for long simmers, making it perfect for huge quantities of stock, stews, soup, or chilli. It can also be used to steam lots of applesauce, stewing tomatoes, and even make corn on the cob. 

Steamer Basket

Steaming your food will allow you to retain more nutrients as you cook your meals; because of this, it’s known as a healthy cooking process since your food isn’t cooked in oil. Having a steamer basket will help you with cooking hearty squash wedges or dumplings. You can even steam slices of sourdough to make them easily digestible and soft. 

You can choose between bamboo steamer baskets or stainless steamer baskets, so it’s a matter of personal choice. 

Cake Pan

This is a must-have tool for bakers and cake enthusiasts — great cake pans will conduct heat and transfer it to the batter in a steady stream, so your cake can rise more evenly. Moreover, your cake pan should be light enough to keep your crust thin and delicate. Lastly, stainless steel round cake pans are a great alternative to aluminum or non-stick bakeware. 

Muffin Pan

This is a specialized metal baking pan, also known as a muffin tin, and is often made from aluminum. It comes with 6 to 12 cup-shaped pits and comes in a range of sizes:

• Standard muffin cup size is around 2 ½ inches in diameter and can hold between ¼ and ⅓ cup of batter
• Miniature muffin cup size is around 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter and can hold between ⅛ cup or 2 tablespoons of batter 
• Giant muffin cup size is around 3 ½ inches in diameter and can hold ⅝ cups of batter
• Muffin-top cup size is around 4 inches in diameter, but is only ½ inch deep

Muffin pans can be used for a lot more than just baking cupcakes and muffins; you can also use them to create treats like quiches, mini cheesecakes, breakfast cups, or mini bread loaves. A muffin pan is also a great choice for making your no-bake chocolate peanut butter cups. Much like your cake pan, a stainless steel muffin pan is the best choice — you won’t have to replace them since they’ll last for many years to come. 

Sharpening Stone

A range of kitchen cutting tools, especially knives, will need to be sharpened regularly since a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one. Getting a sharpening stone is the best way to hone your knife, so getting one should be on your to-do list. This tool is durable, reliable, and will provide you with a flawlessly sharp blade when used properly. 

Oven Mitt

Oven mitts are also known as oven gloves — these are thermal insulated gloves or mittens usually worn inside the kitchen to protect the wearer’s hands from hot objects like cookware, stoves, ovens, and more. These function in a similar way to pot-holders but have been designed to be worn over the whole hand. 

Kitchen Shears

These are heavy-duty and strong scissors that come with one serrated blade. They are often used to cut poultry, meats, fish, and produce; they can also be used to trim herbs or crack nuts. There are also kitchen shears that come with additional tools found in the handle, such as screwdrivers or can openers. 

Aluminum Foil

This common household item is a thin sheet of pliable aluminum that’s sold by the sheet or by the roll. Aluminum foil is a great barrier against cold and can help to retain heat, making it a great option for covering or wrapping food. These are available in non-stick, heavy-duty, and regular variants; they’re also available in two sizes: regular and extra wide. 

Rolling Pin

Rolling pins are long, round cylinders used to crush crackers into crumbs or to roll out dough. These are typically made out of wood, but can also be made from glass, ceramic, marble, plastic, or porcelain. Some rolling pins come with handles on each end, which makes it easier to handle; this allows for a uniform amount of pressure throughout the surface. 

Cooking Pot

One of the most essential tools you need in your kitchen is a cooking pot — these are round, deep kitchen vessels that come with high sides, and are designed for stewing, boiling, or simmering. These are typically made from aluminum, cast iron, or stainless steel. There are many kinds of cooking pots available, such as saucepans for sauces, stockpots for big batches, and Dutch ovens for braising. 

There are also specialized pots such as electric, tempura, or ceramic models. These were designed to be used over the stovetop, or they can also be used inside an oven to prepare meals with plenty of liquids. 

Conclusion

With all these essential kitchen tools named and described to you, using the kitchen to its fullest should be easy and more enjoyable without the fear of using the wrong thing for a particular task. Yes, it can take a while to memorize all of these different tools and gadgets, but once you get the hang of it, making all your favorite meals should be smooth sailing. All in all, having the right utensils and cooking tools around your kitchen will help you cook meals faster and in a more convenient way. 

Sources 

• landolakes.com
• english.com
• naturalkitchenschool.com