Don't you just love seeing what other people use most in the kitchen?! I sure do. I already have a complete list of My Favorite Kitchen Tools on the blog but I thought it was high time to condense that list and share the items I use all the time.
These items are tried and true and vary from super affordable to investment pieces that you'll give to your grandchildren. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what your favorites are!
Global Knives
Oh, the luxury of sharp, quality knives! They truly make all the difference in the kitchen and I don't know how I went 29 years without them.
When I asked the head chef in our company which knives he recommended we invest in, he said Global. This 3-piece set is the one we registered for and we've gotten tons of use out of them. When we realized how much we loved them, we ordered the 8-inch chef's knife and vegetable knife, which we now use most often.
The knife sharpener is an absolute must. We use it to sharpen our knives every month or two.
Nutribullet
I own a more expensive high-speed blender but I rarely use it because I have to lug it out of the cupboard and it's more annoying to clean. The Nutribullet does such a fantastic job at consistently blending, it's a breeze to clean, it's affordable, and you can drink right out of the cup.
You all know we use it daily for smoothies, sauces, cashew cream, grinding coffee beans, and beyond. We typically replace it every couple years since it gets so much use, but be sure to register your purchase you can get a free one if it goes bad before a year is up. We buy new blades when needed.
Dutch Oven (5.5 qt)
This is an investment piece like all Le Creuset cookware, but the quality will last a lifetime. This was the first piece I put on our wedding registry and I nearly cried the day it came because it's the first nice piece of cookware I've ever owned. I cook with this pot so often, from soups to chilis and more. It's wonderful and so pretty!
Enameled Cast Iron Fry Pan
We use this 10.25-inch pan every day for eggs and beyond, and it's nice that you don't have to season it. When I need a larger pan, I use this 12-inch cast iron. That one is super affordable ($22.99) but you do have to season it (which basically means oiling it after each use).
Storage Containers
As you can imagine, we have tons of different storage containers. For our pantry, we use a combination of these Rubbermaid Brilliance meal prep containers (there's also a smaller set of five) and these taller pantry containers for things like flour and cereal.
The largest 9.6 cup size is huge and amazing for loafs and leftover muffins that never fit in other containers. These have been a game changer for my organization as I no longer have anything in bags buried in the back. Check out my pantry organization post here!
For leftovers and storing things that will be microwaved, we use these or these glass containers. This may seem silly but this Tupperware lid holder is an organizational game changer!
Extra Large Baking Sheet
There are many times when a recipe calls for roasting a large amount of food that doesn't fit on a traditional half sheet pan. If you roast things too close together, they'll steam instead and you won't get that lovely browning.
This USA-made extra large baking sheet solves all those problems! I use these silicone baking mats nearly every time I bake. I couldn't live without my cooling racks, either.
Salad Spinner
Absolutely essential for crisp greens (and for increasing leafy green intake, if you ask me). For our nightly salad, I buy heads of organic leaf lettuce that I rinse, chop and throw in the salad spinner to wash and spin dry. Then we keep leftover lettuce in the salad spinner in the fridge. Paper towels, be gone!
Electric Water Kettle
A steel at $35, this baby looks stylish on the counter and is so useful. It heats up water for tea in no time with the flip of a switch. I use it to quickly heat water for things like soaking cashews, too.
Eco Cutting Boards
I love this set of three lightweight and durable cutting boards. They're made in the USA from environmentally friendly Richlite, a recycled-wood-fiber composite that has earned Greenguard, Forest Stewardship Council and Rainforest Alliance certifications. They don't get moldy and weird when you wash them, either! I put a towel underneath them when I cut to avoid slippage.
Instant Pot
I must admit that this sat in the closet for at least three months before I worked up the confidence to learn how to use it. Turns out...it's SO easy! We use it multiple times a week for things like cooking to perfection brown rice, soups, mashed potatoes, pasta dishes, chicken breast for Jeff, steaming vegetables, and more. I google "how to cook X in the Instant Pot" on a weekly basis.
Honorable Mentions:
- Food processor
- Julienne peeler
- Citrus juicer
- Pancake griddle (key to maintaining it is not using any oil/butter and cooking on medium low heat)
- Kitchen scale
- Tofu press
Now tell me, what are you most used, tried and true kitchen tools?
Jenni says
Yes, yes on the instant pot - and also on me taking my sweet time to get the courage up to figure it out too!
I love my immersion blender so much more than I thought I ever could. Also couldn't live without my glass pyrex containers with lids - love that you can bake in them, freeze them, microwave them...anything! I think the link to the cutting boards is wrong fyi!
Alexis Joseph says
Pyrex are seriously the best! I have an immersion blender but I should use it more. Ahhh thank you so much for the heads up about that link.
Donna Sims says
Sur La Table's Silicon Spatula for use on my non-stick pans. I use it every night and it keeps the pan from getting scratches. This spatula is also a workhorse for scraping down batter in my Kitchenaid bowl. Also, my microplane! I use it for zesting citrus, for grating chocolate, and for grating parmesan cheese atop lasagna.
Alexis Joseph says
Ahhh yes, I love my microplane! A good non-scratching spatula is definitely a must, too.