18 Cooking Tools You Need in Your Kitchen
Top Tools For Easy Cooking
If you’ve been following me for a while, then you know that my number one goal is to make cooking easy. Whether I’m whipping up one of my kid-friendly recipes to feed my entire family or prepping one of the Lebanese classics I grew up eating, I couldn’t do it without the help of my favorite cooking tools.
I use all sorts of kitchen gadgets when I’m making healthy recipes — like a garlic press, handheld juicer, manual can opener, and more — and basically every recipe I make starts with the most basic of kitchen essentials like cookware, a knife set, and cooking utensils.
From my go-to basics to my favorite niche kitchen gadgets, I’ve put together a list of my favorite cooking tools to help you make tasty, nutritious meals.
1. Best Knife Set: Zwilling 10-Piece Knife Block Set
Every home cook needs a durable set of knives, and I love this one from Zwilling. The set includes the following items: 3-inch paring knife, 4-inch paring knife, 5-inch serrated utility knife, 5.5-inch fine edge prep knife, 7-inch santoku knife, 8-inch bread knife, 8-inch chef’s knife, twin shears, twin 9-inch steel (for sharpening), and a gorgeous birchwood storage block. Each blade is precision-honed and has a laser-controlled edge, which means they can dice onions, slice watermelon, and cut a whole chicken with ease. It’s a bit pricey, but it has pretty much every knife you need and will last you a lifetime.
2. Best Air Fryer: Instant Vortex 5.7QT Air Fryer
I absolutely love using my air fryer to cook everyday recipes! This countertop appliance is so versatile — I like using it to make a quick, veggie side like asparagus or Brussels sprouts, a satisfying protein like my Air Fryer Salmon, and even hands-off hard boiled eggs. The air fryer is basically a small convection oven, which means it cooks your food by heating it from the top and the bottom with the help of a fan to evenly distribute the heat. It gives food a perfectly crisp texture without an excess of oil that’s usually associated with frying!
3. Best Cookware Set: All-Clad D3 3-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set
When it comes to cookware, I always use non-toxic cookware like this set from All-Clad. It’s a bit of a splurge, but these pots and pans are made with 3-ply stainless steel that’s durable and finished with three layers of PFOA-free nonstick coating, so you won’t have to worry about food getting stuck as you’re cooking. I love using this set to cook everything from Strawberry Pancakes to Pan Seared Chicken Breasts and so much more!
This 10-piece set comes with 8-inch and 10-inch fry pans, 2-quart and 3-quart covered saucepans, 3-quart covered sauté pan, and an 8-quart covered stockpot, all of which are induction stovetop compatible.
4. Best Salad Spinner: OXO Good Grips Large Salad Spinner
A good salad spinner is the key to making sure your fresh greens are squeaky clean when you’re making salads like Lebanese Fattoush Salad, Chicken Shwarma Salad, or Fresh Garden Salad. However, the salad spinner can do so much more! It’s perfect for washing fresh chopped vegetables like broccoli crowns if you’re making Broccoli Chicken Alfredo, or rinsing legumes and grains like lentils and rice for dishes such as Lentil Kale Soup and Lebanese Rice.
5. Best Food Processor: KitchenAid 11-Cup Food Processor
I use a food processor to make tons of recipes, from Homemade Muhammara Dip to Vegan Lemon Bars. This 11-cup model from KitchenAid is my favorite because of its large capacity, simple control panel, and overall power. It has low, high, and pulse buttons for the easiest operation. Plus, its pretty appearance makes it look great on my kitchen counter!
6. Best Overnight Oats Containers: Weck Mold Jars
Overnight oats and chia pudding are some of my favorite breakfasts. Because you make them quickly the night before, it’s an easy way to start my morning nutritiously. I like making mine in 12.5-ounce size Weck jars, which is the perfect size if you like to add a lot of toppings and mix-ins like me! They’re my favorite overnight oats containers! They’re also stackable, so you can make a whole week’s worth of breakfast at once.
7. Best Tofu Press: EZ Tofu Press
One of the easiest ways to make your meals a bit healthier is to swap in a vegetable-based protein like tofu in place of meat at least a few times per week. I love cooking with tofu because it’s super versatile and can be prepared in so many different ways! Of course, one of the difficulties of cooking with tofu is pressing all the excess liquid out, and this handy tofu press makes easy work of that task. It makes the texture so much better! Once I’ve pressed my tofu, I like to use it in dishes like Tofu Tacos, Air Fryer Tofu, and Vegetarian Pad Thai.
8. Best Veggie Chopper: Vidalia Chop Wizard Pro Max Onion and Vegetable Chopper
If you’re a fan of working smarter, not harder, then you need a vegetable chopper. You can use it to chop all sorts of vegetables — like tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, carrots, and so much more. And if you’re wondering what to do with all those veggies you just easily chopped, try making Mediterranean Chopped Salad, Mexican Chopped Salad, or Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad.
9. Best Juicer: Breville Juice Fountain Compact Juicer
Juicing at home is a great way to use up fruits and veggies that might otherwise go bad, and it’s also a great way to pack tons of nutrients into a delicious beverage. The Breville Juice Fountain Compact Juicer is the one I use because of its compact design, extra-large 1.1-quart juice jug, and easy-to-use control panel. I love using my juicer to make recipes like refreshing Cucumber Juice and Celery Juice.
10. Best Stand Mixer: KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer
My family loves it when I make desserts like Cranberry Cheesecake and Namoura (Semolina Cake), which I couldn’t do without the help of my handy KitchenAid stand mixer. This stand mixer is so durable that it can last decades! It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and never fails to whip stiff peaks of whipped cream quickly. It comes in dozens of colors, so you will definitely find one that matches your style.
11. Best Can Opener: OXO Good Grips Manual Can Opener
Some of my favorite recipes start with canned goods, like beans, chickpeas, and diced tomatoes. This manual can opener makes opening cans super easy thanks to its comfy handles and oversized, easy-to-turn knob. If your pantry is filled with canned goods and you’re looking for recipe ideas, these dishes could be a great place to start: Authentic Hummus, White Bean Salad, and 5 Ingredient Tomato Soup.
12. Best Vegetable Peeler: OXO Good Grips Large Vegetable Y Prep Peeler
Fresh vegetables are a staple when it comes to my recipes, and for veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and potatoes that have skins, you’ll want a reliable peeler on hand. This Y Peeler is comfy to hold and so easy to use! Once I’ve got my veggies peeled, I like to use them in nutritious dishes like Sweet Potato Soup and Carrot Banana Bread.
13. Best Cast Iron Skillet: Staub 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet
I love cooking with a cast iron skillet because it’s an easy way to add flavor and texture to whatever you’re cooking, whether it’s Cast Iron Pizza or Cast Iron Skillet Steak. This Staub cast iron skillet is durable, easy to clean, and the perfect size for all sorts of family-friendly recipes. It comes in several colors as well and is a heirloom piece that will last a lifetime.
14. Best Spatula: OXO Good Grips Nylon Flexible Turner Set
Whether you’re flipping Banana Oat Pancakes or Pan Seared Chicken Thighs, these OXO turners are the best tools for the job. Like the OXO veggie peeler, these turners are comfortable to hold, and their non-stick nylon heads are flexible, so they can slide under whatever delicious food you’re making.
15. Best Fish Turner: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Fish Turner
I love cooking fish like salmon and halibut for my family when I’m looking for a filling, nutrient-rich protein to round out a meal. This sturdy fish turner is great for easily flipping tender, flaky pieces of fish, and its slots let any excess cooking oil drip off into the pan. It’s also good when dealing with more fragile foods and even works well when scrambling eggs.
17. Best Handheld Juicer: Zulay Handheld Lemon Squeezer
There are countless dishes that I like to finish with a squeeze of fresh citrus, whether I’m making traditional Lebanese Sayadieh finished with lemon juice or a Chicken Burrito Protein Bowl with lime juice drizzled over top. This handheld lemon squeezer is the best because it’s comfortable to hold, easy to squeeze, and it’s affordable.
18. Best Garlic Press: Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker
Garlic adds a punch to so many dishes I love, like Roasted Garlic Hummus, Lemon Garlic Shrimp, and many more — so I like to save myself some time and energy by putting this garlic rocker to use. This rocker is easy to use, easy to clean, and never smells garlicky because it’s made of stainless steel.
Why You Can Trust Me
Hi! I’m Yumna, the founder of Feel Good Foodie, and my number one goal is to make cooking easy. I’ve got plenty of tips, tutorials, and tons of recipes to help you make delicious and nutritious dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and even snacks!
When it comes to making my favorite recipes, I rely on the cooking tools and kitchen gadgets in this list to save myself time and make my food taste as good as possible. I’ve personally used every item in this list, so you can trust that I know what I’m talking about!
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
This article originally appeared on Feel Good Foodie and was syndicated by MediaFeed.
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