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My spoons and cooking utensils are very utilitarian, very plain, like you'd find in a restaurant. I don't like froo froo rubber handled things that can melt. My cooking utensils are generally one piece, I don't like when the bowl of a spoon is spot welded to the handle.

Having said that, I have multiples of just about every oversized cooking utensil. I see nothing wrong with having 2 or 3 slotted cooking spoons or regular cooking spoons, forks, etc. This is important especially when you're cooking for a holiday or party. I usually clean up after myself pretty well but still, if I get in the groove, I might not have time to wash the utensils as I use them. This goes for tongs as well. I have 3 sets of measuring cups. Each set is attached to its mates with a key-type ring. I have 3 sets of measuring spoons attached the same way. They get thrown in the dishwasher and they are never separated from one another.

I don't have multiples of things like vegetable peelers and my rasp grater. And like you, I have multiple whisks. :D

When I have my druthers, I like to have utensils at an arm's distance, not buried in a drawer. I like hooks on the wall to hold the utensils. When I lived in Brooklyn, I had a small but very functional kitchen with pot racks on the walls and my utensils hung neatly on the wall over my sink. I happened to invite one very meticulous couple to a party and I wondered what they'd think of my "everything out" kitchen philosophy. Their house could have been in Architectural Digest and although they threw great parties, there was nary a fork out of place in their kitchen. When the primary cook of the family entered my kitchen, he looked around in wonder at just about everything. He said, "I LOVE THIS!!! It makes me want to cook something! I love that everything is out!" I considered that a great compliment.

. o O (And don't ask me how many springform pans I have...It's almost embarrassing!)

I have way too many of everything, but sometimes they are all dirty at one time, so I must be using them, right?

It's funny you asked this, because I had dinner at a friend's the other night. She is a gourmet cook, and her husband likes to cook and wings it. A kitchen drawer got stuck because it was overfilled and he asked her to get rid of stuff she doesn't use. Angst! When he left the room, we discussed ways to sort and store and hide......haha. She did manage to find a few things to discard, but it's so hard to part with old friends!

At least three or four each of long-handled slotted and unslotted cooking spoons, turners/spatulas, ladles, etc. About four ice cream type scoopers in various sizes. A number of whisks of varying sizes, styles, and materials, each best-suited to a specific application or cooking vessel. Countless silicone scraper spatulas, also in varying sizes, shapes, styles (can NEVER have too many of those).

To me, it's not excessive. It's practical. I don't run the dishwasher until it's full. That often means more than one cooking utensil is still dirty when I need it. Having extras is also handy when cooking a huge multi-dish meal.

Could I manage with only one of each? Or completely get by without some of the specialty items? You bet I could. And I've done so for more of my cooking years than not. But I've reached the point in life where I actually have the money and the space to stock as many good-quality, proper tools as I see fit, so I do. And I enjoy it!

Likewise, in keeping with the practical theme, I've only got one peeler, can opener, scale, melon baller, pastry scraper, etc. I hate clutter, so if it's not used at least once a year, you'll find it out in the garage sale pile. And virtually no gadgets other than the real workers (blender, stand mixer, slow cooker, food processor, etc.). I have a real aversion to most of 'em so you'll find none on my wish list!

*sniff, sniff* Hand me one of those tissues Perky. *blow* Omgoodness. I couldn't help but go and read for myself. That is one awesome man to do something so thoughtful for you.

I have many precious things that were given to me from my great-grandma's and my gram's kitchen. I love them so much for their ordinary beauty and for knowing each time I pick them up that the wear on the handle, the small dent etc is someting that happened as it was being used by one of them. I have had folks question using them at all. None are more valuable to me than the smile they bring as I heft it in my hand and remember seeing one of my family members that's now gone use that utensil to make a meal with love, usually accompanied by lots of yelling, lol.

As to your question Mrs. Moosie, I try to keep things to a minimum, but there are some things that duplicates are a boon to have (what? That sounds weird, sorry). Spoons, tongs, whisks. they usual suspects.

Well, I'm not a utensil person, but I am a bowl person. Everytime I shop in Ross, or a department store or cooking store, I gravitate to the bowls. I just love the sets, or the older porcelain ones that are like giant measuring cups. It's weird, and my family and friends laugh, but I always end up with a cool bowl set for my birthday or Xmas. I use each and every one that I have too! My funnest ones are out on the counter - on display. I don't know why I'm drawn to them so much, but I am!

I have a drawer full of whisks, and yes I use them all! And I have a wish list for some really odd ones.

I have a crock full of wooden spoons, wooden spatulas, wooden forks, and yes I use them all!

I have a least 5 peelers (good for cheese, lemon, carrot, potato, tomato, etc), and yes I use them all.

I have too many rubber/ silicone spatulas to count, and ladels of all sizes because each liquid has its own viscosity, and a soup ladle doesn't work well in sauces.

I have 2 knife magnets, and one block AND some in a drawer, and I use them all.

Plus, like someone said, I keep things from Grandma, Aunt Dort, Papa, etc, that I couldn't just throw away.

And if I went to another Pampered Chef party, my husband would confiscate my checkbook!

You think you all have problems? My partner insists we keep a kosher home so I have basically at least two of just about everything. And I have a pullman kitchen! It's come to a point where the only time I buy utensils, bowls, measuring cups, etc is if the ones I have need to be replaced.