Utensils in Kitchen & Their Uses

Measuring Tools

• When a recipe calls for exactly 1 1/2 cups of flour, trying to estimate that amount without accurate measuring utensils leads to hard bread or burnt cake. Measuring cups and spoons are two common kitchen utensils that offer measurements ranging from multiple cups to 1/18 teaspoon. Cups come in either larger pitcher-style models with multiple measurement markings along the side or sets of individual cups. Small kitchen scales work for measuring dry ingredients as well.

Knives

• Homeowners who almost never cook may get away with a single set of steak knives, but for cutting bread, vegetables and meats to cook these knives aren't sufficient. A proper set of chef's knives allows you to cut food without mangling it. Bread knives feature serration that cuts through the crust of a loaf cleanly without compressing or ripping it. Large knives like cleavers make chopping meat for a stir fry or stew much faster and easier.

Spatulas and Spoons

• Tongs, spatulas, spoons and other common kitchen utensils are indispensable when cooking or serving food. Only a ladle works for scooping liquids, like soup, due to its deep bowl. Spatulas allow you to move and flip foods that are frying or sauteing. Rubber spatulas help when cleaning out jars or getting the last bit of cake batter out of the bowl, and Real Simple recommends silicone for higher durability. A whisk is the last of the essentials in this category and is made of wire loops that let ingredients mix smoothly when stirred.

Specialty Devices

• A number of specialty utensils sit on the shelves of kitchen supply stores. These range from vegetable and fruit peelers to salad spinners designed to dry freshly washed lettuce. Before purchasing a kitchen utensil that is only capable of one job, determine if you'll use it on a weekly basis and if it could be replaced by a more common tool. Many tools, like a special apple corer, work only a few seconds quicker than using a knife or spoon, unless you are processing mass amounts of an ingredient.