11 Essential Kitchen Tools Every Home Cook Needs | America’s Test Kitchen
If you move into a new place or are just getting into cooking at home, we have a comprehensive list of our tried and true best cooking equipment picks to make cooking easier and more efficient.
The Full List of Kitchen Tools:
Chef’s Knife:
Wooden Cutting Board:
Plastic Cutting Board:
Measuring Spoons:
Metal Measuring Cups:
Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup:
Rimmed Baking Sheet:
Fish Spatula:
Tongs:
Instant Read Thermometer:
Cast Iron Skillet:
Dutch Oven:
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I have all these (except Kirkland instead of Le Crueset), but I actually prefer the OXO measuring cups over pyrex simply because of the slanted measuring lines inside the cup that you can accurately fill while looking down at your work instead of lifting up the cup to check the sides.
How about investigating Swedish dish clothes and telling us their good and bad points and whether you recommend them. Thank you
Love Lisa, Hannah and everyone at ATK. I just wanted to point out that the brands for the rimmed baking sheet and fish spatula weren't mentioned, yet all of the others were. Just saying.
I got the spatula but food gets caught in between the spokes, much prefer a spatula without the spokes
Plastic cutting board can go in the dishwasher.
This is a great list that would be good for someone stocking a camper/RV – just the essentials!
None of the links for the tools are working (for me anyway)
Cast iron is an outdated cooking surface that won’t heat evenly on glass top electric and induction. The amount of maintenance is ridiculous. If you have one skillet, the only call is stainless, 5 or 7 ply. Ridiculous call that leaches iron.
The fish spatula is $65AUD. No way!
❤
I wanna know what’s on the Tier 2 list
Pretty excellent list!
This might be controversial but I’d swap out the Dutch oven for a large Instant Pot. Many of the same uses for stews, braises, etc… plus the pressure cook abilities for dry beans, grains and rice, plus niche features like yogurt, plus the liner doubles as a quality stainless stockpot. Which also handles the tomatoes and acidic foods that will mess up your cast iron pan. Lots of versatility!
Love my kitchen scale. It really changed the way you measure. Even liquids not just dry.
Open a beer with tongs. That’s what i learned already have everything
If you do any baking you need a jewellery scale. A scale accurate to 0.1g is important for measuring out small amounts of things like yeast and baking soda. Most kitchen scales are not good at weighing such small amounts accurately.
I'm glad to see that you included the Thermopen. Checking the temperature of food is so important for food safety as well as "done ness".
I just finished reading Forbidden Chef Secrets and honestly, it's packed with stuff I’ve never seen in regular cookbooks. The way it explains everything changed how I cook at home.
Both of you ladies look beautiful. Your hair and makeup are on point!
Julia Child is quoted as saying, that all anyone needs to cook, is a knife, a spoon and a pot.
Rubber scrapper
The fish spatchula's handle burns/melts. Don't they know about Bakelite? Even wood would be better. And they don't warn you that the handle melts easily.
Of course, the list has to take the individual into account. I cannot even easily lift a cast-iron skillet or that dutch oven, much less use them or clean them! In my hands, they are accidents waiting to happen. Also, I agree with those who say a saucepan is needed on the list. And what about a grater? I use a grater far more often than tongs. A mixing bowl? A mixing spoon? 🤷♀️
I noticed the fish spatula is right Handed. Yes, it does make a difference. I'm a lefty and had to search, but found a left handed one.
I don't quite follow the "just as sanitary" comment regarding wood vs plastic. The linked article even says "steer clear of using raw meat on a wooden one". Personally I use wood for everything except raw meat for which I have a plastic one that can go through the dishwasher.
My top 10!
Chef/Santoku knife
Wooden cutting board
Wooden spoon/spatula
Tongs
Measuring spoons
Scale
Stainless steel/Carbon steel skillet
Stainless steel sauce pan
Stainless steel mixing bowl
Aluminum sheet tray
Grater
90% of cooking needs can be accomplished with just a chef's knife, cutting board, wooden spatula, and a skillet.
Total: $614
How much better does a fish turner have to be to justify $50 dollars more? A single kitchen utensil, that isn’t a knife shouldn’t ever cost that much. But I agree,, fish spatulas are awesome and versatile.
If you live in a country where cup measurements are not the norm, scales are a must. This is the case in most if Europe.
Can and bottle opener.
If money permits, a stick blender is a iece of equipment that I wouldn't be without (but I love homemade souos).
More of a recommended item in the category of 'something you never thought was needed until you used one' is a potato ricer (just wash immediately after use or soak before the mash turns to concrete) a real timesaver and produces consistently superior results every time.