The 12 Kitchen Essential Tools Every Cook Actually Needs

Kitchen drawers fill up fast with single-use gadgets and tools, even though most cooks only rely on a few core essentials. After so many years in one kitchen, clutter is inevitable, and chances are there are handfuls of tools hiding in the cabinet that haven’t been touched in years. 

As you dive into your next spring cleaning session, take inventory of your neglected gadgets and replace them with these 12 essential kitchen tools. Whether you’re outfitting your first kitchen or reinventing your fifteenth, you’ll need a Dutch oven, a stainless steel sheet pan, and just 10 other classic kitchen tools.

Best Essential Kitchen Tools 

There’s a wide range of different kitchen knives out there, each with its own purpose, but a chef’s knife can take on just about any culinary task. This 8-inch one from Misen is perfect for small jobs like mincing garlic or cutting a 3-pound roasted chicken. One shopper who uses it almost daily called it a “must-have knife.”

Kitchens aren’t complete without a cutting board, and if you’re going to start with just one, make it a John Boos. We’ve named these wooden boards some of the best cutting boards on the market, especially the black walnut model from the R-Board Series, which is particularly kind to sharp knives. Made from solid maple, this 24-inch board is a bit more affordable, sturdy enough not to slide around the counter mid-chop, and will conceal years of scratches with its beautiful edge grain. 

No other frying pan delivers the same signature sear as a cast iron, and Lodge’s 8-inch skillet is the perfect size for skillet cornbread or a ribeye steak. We love Lodge for its cooktop capability and perfect steak-searing abilities. Other pans and shallow pots are convenient for simmering sauces, but a cook would be lost without a classic cast iron skillet like this $22 Lodge favorite. 

If there is any piece of cast iron cookware more versatile than a skillet, it’s a Dutch oven. It does the job of a stockpot, braiser, frying pan, bread loaf pan, and slow cooker. There are a lot of high-quality Dutch ovens, but this Le Creuset is our top splurge-worthy pick, and it’s now 37% off. The enameled cast iron pot comes in more than 20 vibrant colors, cooks food evenly, and won’t let grease or splatters escape. 

ThermoWorks Hi-Temp silicone turner is the best spatula we’ve tested, and it’s only $14. It can stir, spread, and flip, and it withstands temperatures up to 600°F without warping or melting. The bendable head has near paper-thin edges that can sneak under even the most stubborn fried eggs, and sticky ingredients wash right off. 

Wooden spoons are an everyday essential, and this Crate & Barrel set is the perfect place to start your collection. Bamboo is a notably strong wood that doesn’t hold onto odors and is safe to use on all cookware surfaces. It’s easy to get pulled into a bargain on huge 20-piece sets, but then you’ll end up with overflowing kitchen drawers. This set includes only the essentials: two spatulas, two mixing spoons, and one slotted spoon. Each piece is crafted from a single piece of bamboo, so there are no weak, glue-reinforced areas.  

This shopper-adored Cuisinart box grater has four sides with multiple grating, slicing, and shredding options to conquer nearly any ingredient. Use the stainless steel tool to grate ginger, slice ultra-thin cucumber, shred potatoes for crispy hash browns, or zest summer citrus. It’s heavy enough to stay put on the counter, and it makes for easy cleanup when placed directly over a bowl. 

When too many burners are going at once, any cook can find themselves wishing for an extra arm, and kitchen tongs are the next best thing. OXO’s 12-inch stainless steel tongs can reach what you can’t, and they won’t melt on a hot pan. The non-slip grip provides ample control, even a few inches from the frying pan. “The scalloped teeth line up perfectly and work for picking up small or delicate items. These are a definite step up from many other generic tongs and are worth the upgrade,” one shopper said.

A quality cookie sheet is the foundation of sheet pan dinners, roasted vegetables, and baked goods. You could certainly find a less expensive option than this All-Clad stainless steel half sheet, but you’ll just end up replacing it in a few months anyway, and your meals will suffer for it. The pan’s aluminum core heats up fast while evenly cooking whatever is placed on top, and it’s scratch-resistant, unlike flimsy alternatives. It’s a Williams Sonoma bestseller for a reason, and it’ll be the only half sheet your kitchen needs.

While the oven thermometer may help guide you when roasting something at a low temperature, without an accurate read of the internal temperature, you could end up with an undercooked chicken or a mouth-smackingly dry turkey. We tested an assortment of meat thermometers, and the Thermapen One was our favorite. Professional chefs also vouch for this instant-read thermometer, which can display an accurate temperature reading in under one second. 

When it comes to baking, even the pros need precision. That’s where measuring spoons and cups come in. This All-Clad set won’t warp, stain, or crack the way plastic ones do, and you’ll probably be passing them down through generations. If you only need spoons, All-Clad’s stainless steel set is on sale for $25 and handles most everyday cooking needs.

Whatever it is you’re stirring up in the kitchen, you’ll need a vessel to toss it all together. Ceramic and stainless steel mixing bowls are great, but they can’t handle the oven like this Pyrex glass set, which works overtime at every stage of cooking, from prep to the table. The $18 set includes 1-quart, 1.5-quart, and 2.5-quart bowls that come in handy for mixing batters, microwaving leftovers, serving side dishes, and storing prepped produce in the fridge, all while resisting stains and odors. According to one shopper, they’re “heavy-duty and last a lifetime.”