There are many tools in my kitchen which I view as essential. While there may be some other tool that works well in place of those I mentioned, this list contains my personal favorites. I have a hard time placing any sort of ordinality to these items, so I am just going to list them in the order they come to mind, which may or may not mean anything. And, chances are, I will forget something and will probably have to do an update post in the future!
Randi, this post is for you 😉
KitchenAid Artisan Mixer
I received this mixer (in cobalt blue!!) as a Christmas present one year. It ranks second only to my engagement ring as my best Christmas present ever! This mixer is so versatile. You can use it to make cookies, bread dough… you name it. I love it, and hope it lasts me for many years to come!
Pizza Cutter
Talk about a misnamed tool! I cannot live without this handy tool. Of course, I use it to cut pizza. However, it is also excellent for cutting quesadillas, scone or biscuit dough, and pretty much anything of those consistencies. As a mom, I have found it is also handy to cut up things (like grilled cheese) into small pieces for tiny mouths.
Pastry Cutter
If you are making pie crust or scones or shortcake (or anything where butter/shortening is cut into flour), you will love how this tool makes your job so much easier. I have even been known to use it in unconventional ways, such as when making the filling for crab rangoon!
Silicone Spoon Spatulas
I highly recommend a spoon spatula for pretty much any stirring or “scraping the bowl”-type need you have in the kitchen. The silicone allows you to use the spatula in high-heat situations, like on the stove in caramel, or macaroni and cheese. You can stir, and then leave the spatula in the pot without having to worry about it melting. FYI, I just broke my Pyrex spoon spatula. So if anyone is needing a gift idea for me… 😉
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
There’s nothing in particular about having stainless steel, but I really like them.
Mini Measure-All Cup
If you do any amount of cooking with peanut butter, sour cream, honey, or anything of the semi-solid/sticky consistency, I cannot recommend this product enough. I cannot make peanut butter cookies without it!
Glass Measuring Cups
These glass measuring cups from Anchor Hocking have one feature which I find particularly helpful… They can be nested! Other closed-handle cups usually don’t have this luxury. They are great for heating things in the microwave, and double as a gravy boat until you get a “gravy yacht” for a Christmas gift 😉
Large Glass Measure/Mixing Bowl
While this isn’t the exact bowl I have, these large measuring bowl/cups are great for mixing up things which need to be poured, like pancakes!
Mini Measure Shot Glass
I have had three of these over my kitchen career and still own two. They aren’t very garbage-disposal-friendly. 🙂 However, I love having a smaller liquid measure than the glass measuring cups.
Cookie Scoops of various sizes
Cookie scoops are another versatile tool. Of course, they are excellent for cookie dough. However, larger cookie scoops are also great for muffin batter, truffles, and cupcakes. Basically, anything that needs to be scooped efficiently with relatively uniform size… It can be accomplished with a cookie scoop!
Silicone Mats
Say goodbye to waxed paper, parchment, and spraying cookie sheets with nonstick spray. These mats are perfect for letting candy coating harden, or for baking items which you don’t want to stick. Please be careful when selecting a baking mat. Some are not meant for oven use, which is okay if you don’t plan to use it in that fashion. It’s just something to consider.
Box Grater
If you buy cheese in chunks, a grater is a necessary tool. I also use mine to grate carrots when the need arises. I really like the container on the bottom of this model. It also comes with a lid, so if you grate too much, you can just pop it in the refrigerator.
Do you have any kitchen essentials which I didn’t list? Please share in the comments!
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