Essential Kitchen Utensils Every Home Needs

Everyone has different preferences in the kitchen. Some are bona fide home chefs, while others prefer using a microwave. These different methods of cooking mean that kitchen utensils and accessories will vary significantly from person to person. Still, some utensils are so crucial that they belong in every kitchen.

Some kitchen utensils that every kitchen should have include a cutting board and a quality chef's knife. You should also have at least one paring knife and a bread knife. Other kitchen essentials include a ladle, spatula, stirring spoon, and tongs. Kitchen shears are handy, as are multi-purpose graters and strainers. Measuring spoons and a measuring cup are necessary for anyone who plans on baking or following recipes.

If you moved into a new place recently, you might need to upgrade kitchen supplies or even buy them for the first time. It can be easy to get carried away and buy gadgets you don’t need, racking up a huge bill in the process. Instead of buying everything you think you might use once, focus on the items below that you will use constantly for everyday cooking.

17 Utensils That Every Kitchen Needs 

1. Cutting Board

Even if you’re someone who never turns on the stove, you will need to chop and slice items from time to time. This makes a cutting board is essential. Cutting boards help protect your kitchen counters from damage, and they also can help keep your knives sharper for longer.

You can opt for a quality wood cutting board or even a few plastic cutting boards if you are on a tight budget. It’s smart to have more than one cutting board, so you don’t use the same board for fruit as you do for raw meat.

2. A Quality Chef’s Knife

Even if you don’t have any aspirations of becoming a cook, let alone a chef, it’s still a good idea to have at least one quality chef’s knife. For one, a chef’s knife is made out of quality metal. This means it won’t dull quickly, and won’t rust or break easily.

Chef’s knives are also easy to sharpen with a knife sharpener. You can sharpen one of these knives hundreds of times, allowing you a sharp knife for many years. Even if all you cut are vegetables, you’ll want a sharp knife to make the task safe and quick.

3. Tongs

Tongs are one of those kitchen utensils that you don’t realize you need until it’s too late. Tongs are essential when you grill or when you want to remove any specific item from a hot pan or pot. You can also use tongs to serve salad and pasta noodles at the dinner table. You can even use tongs to help strain spaghetti when you don’t have a pasta colander.

4. Strainer

If you don’t want to use tongs to strain your pasta, then you’ll need a strainer. While strainers are most commonly used for noodles and vegetables, they have all sorts of other great uses. You can use a strainer to soak rice, wash berries, and even remove excess water from a pot of beans. 

5. Rubber Spatulas

Each kitchen should have two spatulas. One spatula should be rubber or silicone, and used to scrape the edges of bowls, and the other should be a flipping spatula. A flipping spatula is one of the most commonly used kitchen tools on the planet. 

You need this utensil to flip eggs, burgers, and pancakes. Otherwise, you’ll be left with messy burgers, broken yolks, and ugly pancakes. If you only buy one flipping spatula, buy a rubber or plastic one. Metal spatulas are good for the grill, but they will scratch the non-stick layer on your frying pans.

6. Paring Knife

Another essential knife every kitchen needs is a paring knife. These knives are much smaller than a chef’s knife and serve several essential functions. You can peel vegetables, cut small holes, and make more intricate cuts that a larger knife simply can’t make. Opt for a quality paring knife that you can sharpen, as a dull one is basically useless.

7. Measuring Spoons

Even if you don’t love baking, the odds are you will make a cake, brownies, or cupcakes from time to time. Just about every recipe, baking or otherwise, has ingredients measured in teaspoons and tablespoons.

You might think you can eyeball these measurements, but if you do, the results can be disastrous. Too little baking soda can ruin a cake, and too much salt or spice can make your dinner inedible. 

8. Measuring Cup

For larger measurements, you’ll need a measuring cup. Measuring cups are needed to measure out rice, beans, flour, sugar, oil, water, and other liquid ingredients when you cook. Find a measuring cup that holds at least two cups of liquid or powdered solids, and shows both imperial and metric measurements. A measuring cup can also come in handy when you need to pour liquid into narrow openings, like a bottle.

9. Whisk

If you want to mix ingredients, especially for baked goods, then a whisk is a must. Whisks help whip cream and make mixing eggs and ingredients for batters much easier. With a whisk, you can perform a lot of the functions that a mixer does, which makes it an especially essential tool for anyone who doesn’t have a standing mixer.

10. Bread Knife

The third knife that every kitchen needs is a bread knife, or some other serrated knife. A chef’s knife is great for chopping, and paring knives are great for peeling and more intricate cuts. But some items need a serrated edge, or they will become smushed. All breads require a bread knife, but any other delicate and light food item is also best cut with a bread knife.

11. Kitchen Shears

Kitchen shears are essentially scissors, but are easy to wash and clean, and have a more durable and better grip. You will need to use them to open packages, trim herbs, and even cut fat and perform other cutting tasks in the kitchen. 

They are big time savers, and you are sure to use them regularly, especially if you grow herbs at home.

12. Ladle

You might think ladles are just for portioning out big pots of soup, but a ladle is an essential kitchen utensil for anyone who plans on cooking on the stovetop. While you can use a ladle to pour your soup, you can also use it for sauces, and to scoop out meatballs, poached eggs, and even rice. Ladles also come in handy as serving utensils.

13. Stirring Spoon

In addition to a ladle, every kitchen needs at least one large stirring spoon. You can use a stirring spoon to stir pasta water, sauces, and even to mix stir-fried vegetables. Opt for a silicone or hardwood stirring spoon to avoid scratching the surface of your pans. 

14. Peeler

You can use a paring knife to peel most things, but it is easier, safer, and more efficient to use a peeler. Peelers are amazing for peeling various potatoes, but they can do much more. You can use them in place of a mandolin to make very thin slices, and you can even peel hard-to-cut fruits like mango and papaya with this tool.

15. Thermometer

If you cook meat or anything that must be cooked to a specific temperature, then a cooking thermometer is a must. Some meat must reach a certain internal temperature before it is safe to consume. It also shouldn’t reach too high a temperature, or it will be rubbery and inedible. 

There are many uses for a thermometer in your kitchen, and this small tool can help prevent very costly mistakes.

16. Grater

Every kitchen should have a grater. Not only does a grater allow you to have freshly shredded cheese, but you can shred other ingredients as well. Graters are excellent for grating ginger and nutmeg, and you can even shred carrots and potatoes with a quality grater.

17. Brush

Lastly, every kitchen should have a culinary brush of some kind. Brushes are commonly used in bread making and cooking various meats. You can add marinades and sauces where they are needed, and also brush the tops of the dough to ensure a golden outer layer. Brushes can also be used to grease pans and help spread tough-to-handle sauces.

Summing Up Kitchen Utensils That Every Kitchen Needs

Regardless of your culinary expertise, every kitchen needs a few tools to ensure you’re always set up for success. The most necessary items include a cutting board as well as a chef’s knife, paring knife, and bread knife. You should also have two spatulas, one for scraping and one for flipping. A ladle and mixing spoon should also live next to your stove. A grater, brush, strainer, and peeler will also regularly come in very handy. Ensure you have measuring spoons and a measuring cup, and a reliable cooking thermometer.

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