The Seven Most Important Utensils In Your Kitchen

Setting up your kitchen can be a daunting task.

Go to any department store and you’re sure to experience both greed (look at all that fancy kitchenware!) and sticker shock (look at the price of everything!).

But I suggest everyone start out their kitchen hacking journey with as minimal a kitchen as possible, and only buy the “shiny stuff” when you know you absolutely need it.

This means focusing on multitasking kitchen tools, and putting quality before quantity when it comes to gear.

You obviously need some cookware, and I’d argue you really just need three:

The most essential tool other than that is a good knife, but where do you go from there?

The world of kitchen tools can be overwhelming, but there are really only seven that you need to hit the ground running.

1. A Wooden Spoon

The wooden spoon is the most essential tool in your kitchen.

For all your stirring needs and for all types of cookware, it’s the standard against which all others are judged.

It is firm enough to scrape up any bits of caramelized food off the bottom of your enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, but soft enough to use on your aluminum stockpot without leaving a single scratch.

It is also heat-resistant, so you’ll never have to worry about melting it or burning yourself. Just leave it in the pan and you’ll be on your merry way.

Although you really only need one round wooden spoon, they tend to come in sets. Having a few around might prove handy, particularly if you have a flat one too.

I use this set and it gives a great bang for the buck.

2. A Metal Spatula

Whereas the wooden spoon is ideal for stirring liquids, a spatula is best suited for frying and scraping the flat bottom of your pan.

Perhaps more importantly, a metal spatula is the perfect compliment to a cast-iron skillet. It’s like peanut butter and jelly.

First off, since you don’t need to worry about scraping off the coating of cast iron, you won’t need to use wimpy plastic.

In fact, you actually want to have your spatula made of sturdy metal, since this will help you to keep a slick, flat surface on your pan.

Throw in rounded edges to prevent scraping, and you get this spatula, which I use nearly every day.

3. A Pair of Tongs

I admit, I went without a pair of tongs for the longest time in my kitchen.

After all, I got along just fine without a pair, so why complicate things?

As it turns out, tongs make many kitchen tasks far easier.

They’re the ideal choice for easily flipping steaks and other meats. They work great for tossing salads with dressing. And they can be used to grab stuff high on shelves for those of us who are, er, vertically challenged!

These tongs are the best I’ve ever used, and I highly recommend them.

4. A Silicone Spatula

Most modern kitchens go too far when it comes to rubber utensils.

With the widespread use of nonstick-coated cookware, it is understandable that a market for these flimsy utensils has thrived.

But as we mentioned above, a metal spatula is crucial if you are using a cast iron skillet, and a wooden spoon is second-to-none for stirring soups and stews in your Dutch oven.

So why get a rubber spatula?

For making sauces, cooking eggs, and just about anything else in your saucepan.

There are still times when you’ll want something that is as heat-resistant as a wooden spoon, but enough flexibility to scoop all around the pot to prevent burning.

For these times, you’ll be happy to have a silicone spatula around, and this one is definitely the best on the market.

5. A Ladle

When you cook up a big pot of soup, you’ll need something to get it into bowls that won’t drive you crazy.

Ladles are essential for scooping out large portions of stews and soups at once, so you don’t have to dig in there with a cup or try to scoop it out with a small spoon (and make a mess everywhere).

I think wok ladles are easier to use and store than the traditional models, and they often come packaged with a wok spatula (like this one, which is what I use).

6. A Spider Skimmer

Like a ladle, a slotted spoon is an important tool to have on hand for fishing cooked food out of hot liquid.

This can be boiled greens or potatoes, or for getting your veggies out of a braise that you are about to reduce down.

A plain ol’ slotted spoon (think a wooden spoon with a few holes in it) is the typical tool we use in the west, but I’d suggest you get yourself a spider skimmer instead.

These bad boys have larger bowls and more holes–which in plain English means you can get your food out of the liquid faster.

They were originally made for deep-frying in a wok, but they are far more utilitarian than you’d otherwise think.

6. A Peeler

I’ve said before that a big ass knife is all you need for most of the cutting tasks you need to do in the kitchen save one–peeling.

While some might argue for using a smaller paring knife for these types of situations, I’d argue that a peeler is better. It’s cheaper, and it does a better job.

Here’s one of those fortunate instances where the best tool on the market is also one of the cheapest, so I’d suggest you pick up the same peeler I use.

The Minimalist Kitchen

One of the most common reasons people have for not cooking is thinking they don’t have the right equipment.

They’re wrong.

Even the most basic of post-college kitchens will have most of the items on this list, and filling it out won’t take much money (and will pay for itself quickly if you use it to make yourself a few dinners rather than eating out).

It’s easy to get “kitchen lust” and think you need to outfit your kitchen with state-of-the-art gear, but focus on the essentials first and learn how to cook a few good meals.

The fancy stuff can wait.