Whether you’re a seasoned chef or amateur cook, there’s a set of essential kitchen utensils any home needs. And if you’re just moving into your first home or perhaps just needing additions to your kitchen utensil set, you’ll need to know all the essentials to prep and cook your meals with.
Don’t let yourself get stuck in a sticky situation in the kitchen and be left without necessary utensils. Check out the list below to know just what utensils you need to stock your kitchen with.
When looking for kitchen utensils or a utensil set, make sure you grab those with more than just spoons, but also a ladle or two. When looking for a ladle, search for one with a large “bowl.” A larger bowl on this kitchen utensil will make it easier for you to serve soups. Also, keep an eye out for a ladle with a bent handle at the top. The bent handle is helpful in the way it will allow you to hook the ladle on to the side of a pot or bowl.
When picking out spoons, don’t forget to grab a slotted spoon. Find a slotted spoon with a stainless steel handle so it will be sturdy and also not get too hot.
The kinds of spatulas you’ll need in your kitchen include a rubber spatula, a metal spatula, and a wooden spatula. For metal spatulas, you’ll want to consider the width of the blade. A thin blade will allow you to get under more delicate foods like pancakes, while a medium blade will prevent handling foods at an awkward angle.
The rubber spatula you choose for your kitchen utensils should be sturdy but flexible. The spatula should be strong enough to support heavy dough, but flexible enough to get into the corners of containers.
You’ll need a couple different essential knives for your kitchen. First, chose a chef’s knife to add to your kitchen utensils. Find a knife with an 8- to 9-inch blade that feels comfortable to handle. Also look for a knife with a thick bolster. The bolster is the metal reaching from the handle to the edge of the blade, and it acts as a guard to protect your fingers while chopping.
Paring knives are also essential kitchen utensils to keep in your home. The blade of the paring knife you choose should be between 3 to 4 inches. This length blade will allow you to make small, fine cuts on fruits and vegetables.
Though a chef’s knife is more essential and versatile, a serrated bread knife should also be a part of your utensil set. A nice serrated knife, also known as a bread knife, is hard to substitute so make sure you choose the right one. Opt for a serrated bread knife with a rigid blade that extends at least 8 inches. The knife should have an offset handle as well. These two features will let you slice through bread without hitting your knuckles against the surface below.
Lastly, invest in a nice pair of kitchen shears with tapered, fine tips.
(Of course, don’t forget your cutting boards either. Whether it’s a fancy wooden cutting board or a heavy-duty plastic cutting board, make sure you have at least one cutting board on hand in the kitchen.)
The presses essential to your kitchen will be a garlic press and a lemon press. Presses offer a shortcut while chopping. A garlic press works on unpeeled garlic cloves but look for one that’s dishwasher safe. Premium lemon press models will fit both limes and lemons. Find a lemon press that has ridges to grip the lemons/limes well.
When looking for a grater to add to your kitchen supplies, find one with different grate options. A box grater will give you different grate, shred, shave, dust, and zest options. As always, choose these kitchen gadgets that have sturdy handles.
A microplane grater might also be an essential for your kitchen. Microplane graters are used for smaller tasks to grate various foods such as cheese and nutmeg. These graters offer a finer grater, so go for a sharp, stainless steel model.
To get accurate quantities of ingredients, you’ll need kitchen utensils to measure them. You’ll likely need both measuring cups and spoons on hand in your kitchen. Purchase measuring cups for both dry ingredients and liquids.
When it comes to measuring spoons, look for oval models, as these will more easily and more likely fit into small jars and containers, like spice jars.
Have you ever been excited to bust open a bottle of wine just to realize you don’t have a tool on hand to help you uncork it? A corkscrew is a kitchen essential. While two-armed models are an option for corkscrews, a standard waiter’s corkscrew can open both beer and wine. The waiter’s corkscrew also takes up less space.
When purchasing a can opener for your kitchen utensils, look for a safe-cut or smooth-edge model. These models will cut around the outside of the can, opposed to cutting the lid. These can openers will also produce smooth edges and never let the lid fall into the can.
If you’re moving into a new home, renovating a kitchen, or just looking to spruce up your space, you’ll need more than just kitchen utensils. For help completing a dreamy, inviting kitchen, head to a Kitchen and Bath Classics showroom and chat with our experts.