5 Must-Have Kitchen Tools

A well-equipped kitchen makes meal preparation a breeze. But there’s no point having a home kitchen geared up like a restaurant if all you’re aiming to make is simple meals. We are proud to present five simple kitchen tools that will make life in front of the stove a little bit easier and preparing meals a breeze. What follows is just the beginning; look for future installments starting next week, and be sure to add your comments in the space below.

16-ounce Glass Measuring Cup: Most of the time, we favor the pinch-of-this, handful-of-that kind of cooking espoused by grandmas around the world. But some things—we’re talking to you, brown rice—demand an exact measurement, which is why we find the glass measuring cup vital. Pro tip: when measuring both liquid and dry ingredients for a dish, do the dry ones first so you’re not picking out bits of dry rice later.

Small Paring Knife. A good, sharp, small knife works in a variety of situations and spaces, from de-stemming strawberries to trimming fat from meat. It’s a much safer tool for small jobs or ones that require more precision than a chopping knife; the small size allows precision.

Small Whisk. While a big whisk is great for mixing things like batter and eggs, a small one is vital for making salad dressings. In fact, we like to make our favorite vinaigrette in the glass measuring cup so we can more easily pour it on our greens, and the small whisk fits easily in the cup.

Oil Mister. Yes, you can buy commercial spray oils, but a mister allows you to choose the oil you want to use. We love olive oil for the flavor it imparts as well as the numerous health benefits of its monounsaturated fats. A mister allows you to dapple your food with flavor but to carefully control the portion size.

Manual Herb Mill. We didn’t even know such things existed until a trip to an exotic restaurant supply store. This stainless steel kitchen tool allows you to chop fresh herbs without using a knife or cutting board. It works like a dream, especially on coarser herbs like rosemary.