A Guide List of Essential Kitchen Utensils for a Home Cook (2024)

Basting Brush

I use a basting brush for spreading marinade orsauce onto meat, vegetables, or other foods before grilling or baking. It is also helpful for brushing melted butter on delicate items like dough buns to keep them moist or give them a golden crust.

Garlic Press

I use agarlic press for crushing garlic cloves. It is an essential toolfor me as it saves time and effort compared to manually chopping garlic. The garlic press is designed to crush the garlic cloves through small holes, resulting in finely minced garlic. It ensures the garlic’s full flavour is released and distributed evenly when cooking. Additionally,garlic presses are easy to use and clean, making them a convenient tool for any home chef.

Ice Cream Scoop

An ice cream scoop is typically used for scooping ice cream, cookie dough, muffin batter, or other soft and sticky substances that are difficult to portion out by hand. It creates rounded and consistent portions for perfectly portioned desserts or snacks. I also use it to serve rice in round shapes for my kids.

Meat Tenderizer

Mixing Bowls

Mixing bowls are used for mixing ingredients together for baking or cooking. It can be used for mixing dry ingredients like flour, sugar, and baking powder, as well as wet ingredients like eggs, milk, and oil.Mixing bowls often come in different sizes to accommodate different recipes or volumes of ingredients; I own the 3 standard sizes; small, medium and large. They canalso be used for marinating or storing food.

Mortar and Pestle

I use a mortar and pestle for grinding herbs, spices, and other ingredients like garlic and ginger. I also use it to make pesto, guacamole, curry pastes, and othersauces. The mortar and pestle help to release the flavours and oils in the ingredients, giving the dish a more intense and aromatic taste. This may not be a common kitchen tool, but I find that using a mortar and pestle gives this natural experience that helps me connect with my food and the process of cooking.

Pasta Drying Rack

When drying fresh pasta noodles, I prefer to use a Pasta Drying Rack. This rack has adjustable arms and provides ample area for drying many pasta batches simultaneously. A key benefit of using the rack is that it promotes air circulation around the noodles, ensuring that they dry uniformly and do not clump together or become sticky.

Potato Smasher

I use a potato masher for mashing potatoes and yams to make potato casseroles. It’s also great for breaking up ground meat while cooking. I sometimes use it to mash cooked beans, lentils, and chickpeas for making hummus and dips.

Sushi Roller

My preferred tool for rolling sushi is a sushi roller! It’s a device utilized in preparing sushi to create ideal and tightly rolled sushi. The sushi roller comprises a bamboo mat coated with plastic, making it effortless to roll and release the sushi without any sticking. Employing the sushi roller involves placing a sheet of seaweed on the mat, adding a layer of rice and other components, and gently rolling the mat to produce a compact sushi cylinder.

Tortilla Press

A tortilla press for flattening and shaping the dough into round, thin tortillas. I love this kitchen gadget because it makes it so much easier to roll out the dough into thin round circles than a rolling pin. If you love making tortillas, you really need one of these because it’s a huge time saver.

Whisk

A kitchen whisk is for mixing ingredients such as eggs, cake batter, cream, or sauces. I have 3 sizes that I own which give me the option of choosing the right size for the amount of food I have to serve.

Can Opener

A can opener is for opening cans of food such as soup, vegetables, and fruits. I have a version that’s also a bottle cap opener which I find handy from time to time.

Cheese Grater

A cheese grater is used for shredding cheese, vegetables, fruits, and other foods into small pieces. It canalso be used to shred ingredients like ginger, garlic, nutmeg, chocolate, and more. I have a hand-held type which meets my needs and takes less space.

Cutting Board

When I am cooking or preparing meals, I utilize a cutting board to chop a variety of food products such as vegetables, fruits, and meats.

Best Kitchen Knives and Accessories

Knives:

Chef’s Knife, Paring Knife, Vegetable Knife, Santoku Knife, Chinese Cleaver, Bread Knife (Serrated), Carving Knife, Boning Knife, and Steak Knife.

Knife Accessories:

Knife Block, Knife Magnet, Honing Rod, and a Knife Sharpener.

Mandoline

I use a mandoline for slicing fruits and vegetables thin, such as cucumbers, potatoes, and carrots, for salads or stir-fries. This tool is a time saver for cooking and baking foods. On a safety note, make sure to always use the safety handle as you slide your ingredients, as the blade is pretty sharp.

Pizza Slicer

A pizza slicer is a tool designed specifically for cutting through a pizza’s crust and toppings, making it much easier to slice and serve. Pizza slicers typically consist of a sharp circular blade that rolls along the pizza’s surface, cutting through anything in its path. I use a pizza slicer for cutting pizza!

Shears

I use kitchen shears for cutting meat, poultry, vegetables, herbs, and other food items. Other times, I use them to open difficult packaging, snip stems from herbs and even cut pizza or quesadillas.

Vegetable Peeler

A vegetable peeler is used to remove the outer layer of vegetables or fruits. It is a handy tool used for peeling vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and cucumbers and fruits like apples or pears. It makes the peeling process easy and convenient while preventing the wastage of vegetables or fruit. Some people also use the peeler to create thinslices or ribbons of vegetables for salads or garnishing dishes.

Zester

I use a zester for shavingsmall amounts of ingredients such as cheese, garlic, ginger, or nutmeg.

Candy Thermometer

A candy thermometer is mainly known for monitoring the temperature of liquids such as melted chocolate, caramel sauce or sugar syrup. This tool comes in handy where precise temperature control is critical to achieving the desired texture and consistency. I use it mainly for making gelatos and deep frying foods where I need to hit certain temperatures to get good results. So, if you do a lot of cooking that requires precise temperatures, this tool is a must.

Cooking Timer

I use a cooking timer to remind me of cooking time, especially when I need to cook multiple recipes in one meal. It helps me keep track of when to check on the food or take something out of the oven. It also allows me to set multiple timers for different dishes I’m cooking simultaneously, ensuring that everything is done at the same time. Additionally, I won’t have to worry about overcooking or undercooking a dish, ensuring that the food is cooked perfectly.

Clock

Though this is a basic tool, it’s one of those items I tend to take for granted, but critical to my cooking needs. I use a clock for cooking, mainly for keeping track of the current time against the next meal time. Having a clock in the kitchen is a great way to stay organized and don’t have to worry about being late or too early for a meal.

Infrared Thermometer Gun

An Infrared Thermometer Gun is a non-contact temperature measuring device that uses infrared technology to detect and measure the surface temperature of an object or surface. In the kitchen, I use this tool to check the temperature of my baking steel, frying pans, and griddle.To use the Infrared Thermometer Gun, simply aim it at the surface you want to measure and pull the trigger. The device will emit a laser that will help you aim more accurately. The temperature reading will appear on the screen within a matter of seconds.

Measuring Cups

I use measuring cups for measuring ingredients. The material I own is glass, and the sizes I have are 1 cup, 2 cups and 4 cups. I use them for dry ingredients such as flour, sugar, and spices, as well as milk, water, and oil.

Measuring Food Scale

For weighing ingredients, such as flour, water, and yeast, when baking or cooking, I use a digital weighing scale. I mainly use it to determine what dough hydration I would like to have for my pizzas and bread.

Measuring Spoons

I use these for measuring small amounts of ingredients. The spoons typically come in sets with measurements such as 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 tablespoon, and 1 tablespoon. They can be used to add precise amounts of spices, herbs, or other ingredients to recipes. However, if I were to only own 1 measuring spoon, it would be the 1 teaspoon because it’s the one I use the most.

Measuring Spoon Cups

Measuring cups are usedfor measuring ingredients when cooking or baking. They come in various sizes, such as 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup. Usingmeasuring spoon cups, I can accurately measure the required amount of each ingredient, ensuring that my recipes turn out as intended. I have the metal type as I find them easier to clean.

Meat Thermometer

I use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat to ensure that it is cooked to a safe temperature and to the desired doneness. This can help prevent foodborne illness and ensure that the meat is cooked evenly without overcooking or undercooking.

Bamboo Skewers

I use bamboo skewers for many things, including grilling different types of meat, appetizers for making fruit kabobs and sometimes even for cleaning hard-to-reach corners.

Cast Iron Press

A cast iron press is for pressing sandwiches, burgers, paninis, quesadillas, and other foods that need to be compressed and cooked evenly. The cast iron press helps achieve an even heat distribution and ensures that the food is perfectly cooked with crisp edges and a golden brown crust. It also helps to squeeze out excess moisture, resulting in a more flavorful and crispy food. Foranyone who loves to cook crispy foods, a cast iron press comes in handy for achieving good results.

Colander

I use a colander for rinsing and straining pasta, vegetables, fruits, and other foods to remove excess water or liquid.

Flat Spatula

I use a silicon flatspatula for flipping pancakes, turning over grilled cheese sandwiches, transferring cookies from a sheet to a cooling rack, removing brownies from the baking pan, transferring grilled vegetables to a serving plate, and many other cooking tasks where a flat, smooth surface is required.

Metal Spatula

A metal spatula is used to flip and move food items in a skillet or a griddle. I use them mainly to flip eggs and burgers on my carbon steel pan or griddle. Metalspatulas are often made from stainless steel, which makes them durable and able to withstand high heat. They typically have a flat, wide surface with a thin edge that can easily slide under food.

Pasta Server Spoon

I use a pasta server spoon for lifting and serving cooked pasta from boiling water or a colander.

Spatula

I have a silicon spatula set that I mainly use for baking because they are heat-resistant and won’t scratch your pans or baking surfaces. Having a set with different sizes is also useful for different tasks, such as stirring ingredients or scraping down the sides of a mixing bowl. Remember to always hand wash your silicon spatulas to extend their lifespan.

Splatter Screen

A splatter screen is to prevent oil and food splatters while cooking on the stovetop. I place them over the skillet or pot to prevent hot oil or liquid from spraying onto the countertop or stove and making a mess. The screen also helps to reduce the risk of burns and oil splatters hitting my face or hands. Additionally, the splatter screen allows steam to escape while cooking, helping to reduce condensation and boil-over.

Steamer Basket

I use a steamer basket mainly for steaming vegetables.

Strainer

I use a strainer for removing impurities from liquids, such as removing bones and other solids from the broth. I also use it for rinsing vegetables and rice. It’s also great for making gelatos.

Tongs

I use kitchen tongs for picking up and handling hot foods or ingredients, flipping meats, turning vegetables, and grabbing pieces of food from hard-to-reach places in the kitchen. They are also useful for plating and serving food.

Baker’s Twine

I use a baker’s twine for cooking to truss poultry or meat, secure herbs to a bouquet garni, or tie up sachets with spices. It is also used to tie together vegetables for a neat presentation or to bundle together leftover herbs and veggies for stock. It is important to use food-grade baker’s twine when cooking.

Cookie Cutters

I use cookie cutters for shaping and cutting cookies into various shapes, such as hearts, stars, animals, and other designs. Cookie cutters are commonly made of metal, plastic, or silicone and can be used for making sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, and other similar baked goods. They are also used for cutting other soft foods, such as Jello or sandwiches, into fun shapes for entertaining children or decorating special occasions.

Cooling Rack

I use the cooling rack for cooling baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, bread or pies. It helps to prevent condensation and aids in evenly cooling the baked item.

Dough Cutter

I use a dough cutter for cutting and dividing dough when making bread or other baked goods. It is also helpful for scraping dough off surfaces and measuring portions.

Dough-Proofing Cover

I use a dough-proofing cover for proofing dough for baking. The cover helps to keep the dough moist and warm, allowing it to rise to its full potential. It also prevents a skin from forming on the dough, which can affect its texture and rise. Using a dough-proofing cover helps to ensure that your baked goods turn out fluffy and delicious every time.

Oven Mitt

The oven mitt is for protecting your hands and fingers from burns and heat when placing food in the oven. Also super helpful when removing food from the oven and a lid from a pot that sometimes getshot.

Pizza Peel – Wood

I use a wood pizza peel for transferring pizza or bread dough from the preparation surface to a hot baking stone or oven. The wooden surface allows the dough to slide onto the cooking surface smoothly and easily, preventing it from sticking or tearing.

Pizza Peel – Metal

I use a metal pizza peel for taking pizzas out from a hot pizza baking steel in the oven. It allows me to easily slide the pizza out from the baking steel without risking burns or spilling toppings. The metal surface is easy to clean and durable enough to withstand frequent use.

Rolling Pin

I use a rolling pin for rolling out the dough for baking, such as for making pie crusts, biscuits, and other baked goods.

Bees Wax Food Wraps

I mainly use beeswax food wraps for covering and preserving food items such, cut fruits, vegetables, and snacks.

Oil Dispenser Bottle

An oil dispenser bottle is great for pouring and storing various cooking oils such as olive, vegetable, coconut, and sesame. The bottle is designed to allow for an easy and controlled pour, while also keeping the oil fresh and free from dust and other contaminants. In addition, I also use it to store homemade salad dressings or marinades that I’ve made from scratch. It’s a handykitchen tool that helps me maintain a clean and organized cooking space.

Tupperware

I use tupperware for storing and preserving food, keeping leftovers fresh, organizing meal prep ingredients, carrying packed lunch or snacks, and even for reheating food in the microwave. Tupperware containers are also great for organizing small items like craft supplies, hardware, or office supplies.

Storage Jar

To store dry food items like rice, pasta, and cereal, I make use of a storage jar. This preserves the freshness of these items but also saves them from spilling.

Spray Bottle

I employ a sprayer to moisten my bread when baking, which facilitates achieving a desirable brown crust.

Zip Lock

To maintain freshness and prevent the spread of odors, I utilize a silicone ziplock bag to store food in the refrigerator or freezer.

Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is my go-to for preserving food’s freshness, covering baking sheets to simplify the cleaning process, and utilizing it as an improvised pan or grill grate while camping.

Eating Utensils

When it comes to dining, I employ silverware to partake in my meal. Filipino cuisine, as a whole, boasts meat that is easy to chew, prompting me to use a spoon to achieve the best cutting and mixing action of protein and rice. The fork also plays a role in this process, transitioning the rice from the plate to the spoon and poking at the food in between. Nevertheless, there are instances when I choose to eat with bare hands to embrace my Filipino culture.

Parchment Paper

I mainly use parchment paper for baking pizzas to help transfer them to the hot oven with ease. Additionally, I also use it for placing them in between burger patties before I store them in the freezer.

Plastic Wrap

I am economical with my use of plastic wrap, primarily utilizing it to cover my pasta dough. Occasionally, I may use it to cover a bowl, but in general, I am striving to minimize its usage in order to cut down on waste.