Basic Kitchen Equipment

All the basic gear, cookware, knives, and tools you need to properly stock a kitchen, none of the junk you don't.
a variety of Japanese style chefs knives
What's the Difference Between Western and Japanese Chef's Knives?
several food storage containers on a marble surface
We Tested 10 Food Storage Containers—These Are Our Favorites
the lineup of water filter pitchers on a blue countertop
We Tested 7 Water Filter Pitchers—Two Stood Out
a vitamix blender on a marble surface
The Best Vitamix Sales
bowl scraper lineup on a marble countertop
We Tested 10 Bowl Scrapers to Find the Best Ones
two stacks of various nonstick skillets against a white background
We Tested 16 Nonstick Skillets and Still Don't Think You Should Spend a Ton on One
a bunch of dish racks against a white background and on a wooden countertop
We Tested 13 Dish Racks—Our Favorites Make Drying Dishes Easy
grill pans on a marble countertop
We Tested 7 Grill Pans—Our Favorites Got Top Marks
our lineup of offset turners on a marble countertop
We Tested 9 Offset Turners—These Are Our Favorites
reusable storage bags on a marble countertop
We Tested 9 Reusable Food Storage Bags—This Is Our Favorite
Ladles on a marble countertop
We Tested 9 Ladles—3 Scooped the Winning Title
a group of silicone spatulas on a marble surface
We Tested 7 Silicone Spatulas to Find the Best Ones for Scraping, Stirring, and Mixing
a stack of half sheet pans
After Testing 7 Half Sheet Baking Pans, We Found 2 Solid Picks
A stack of wire cooling racks
We Tested 8 Wire Cooling Racks to Find Our Favorite Model
an overhead shot of a number of colanders on a wooden surface
We Tested 8 Colanders—Here Are Our 2 Favorites (for Pasta, Produce, and More)
OXO Turner Spatula on a wooden cutting board
Why I Love My Offset Lasagna Turner Spatula
eight bench scrapers on a marble backdrop
We Tested 8 Bench Scrapers—These Two Were a Cut Above the Rest
Seven stainless steel water bottles on a grey surface
We Tested 7 Stainless Steel Water Bottles to Find the Best Ones for Everyday Use
12 ballon whisks laid out in a semi circle on a piece of grey slate
We Tested 10 Balloon Whisks—Two Whisked Their Way to Victory
five fine mesh strainers on a marble countertop
We Tested 8 Fine-Mesh Strainers—These Are Our Favorites
a variety of rasp-style graters on a wooden countertop
We Tested 10 Microplanes (Rasp-Style Graters)–Here Are the Best Ones
a bunch of instant-read thermometers on a marble countertop
We Tested 18 Instant-Read Thermometers–Here Are Our Favorite Models
two cambros stacked on top of one another
Why You Need Cambros in Your Kitchen
a smoothie being blended in the Vitamix 5200 blender
Which Vitamix Blender Should You Buy? We Compared (Almost) All of Them
a group of potato mashers against a white background
We Tested 10 Potato Mashers—Here Are The Best Ones
A Swedish dishcloth underneath a running faucet
In Our Kitchen, the Swedish Dishcloth Reigns Supreme
five sauciers stacked on top of one another
We Tested Sauciers—Here Are Our Favorite Models
Bonavita and Mr. Coffee coffee makers
We Tested Coffee Makers That Cost $150 (or Less)—Here Are Our Favorites
Cast iron and carbon steel cookware, plus enameled cast iron Dutch ovens
The Best Kitchen Gear We Bought in 2021
Best Oven Mitts
We Tested 14 Oven Mitts and Pot Holders to Find the Best Ones
Popsicles with popsicle molds
We Tested Popsicle Molds to Find the Best Ones for Icy Treats
a group of paper towel alternative products
The Best Paper Towel Alternatives
an oxo mini measuring cup being used to pour liquid into a pot of cooking stew
In Praise of Mini Measuring Cups
20170808-preservation-acid-pickling-vicky-wasik-15
The Essential Tools You Need for Fermentation at Home
Rulers for your kitchen
The Best Kitchen Rulers To Have On Hand
A close-up of an end-grain board
The Best Wooden Cutting Boards, According to Our Tests
Box grater on a cutting board flanked by a rind of cheese and foregrounded by a pile of shredded cheese
The Best Box Graters, According to Our Tests
20180508-kitchen-shears-vicky-wasik-primary
We Tested 12 Pairs of Kitchen Shears to Find the Best Ones
20170821-pepper-mills-vicky-wasik-group.jpg
We Tested More Than 20 Pepper Mills—Here Are The Best Ones
20161024-thermometer-review-primary.jpg
The Best Inexpensive Digital Thermometers, According to Our Tests
20170628-whisks-vicky-wasik-group2.jpg
What To Know When Choosing A Whisk
Dry measuring cups stacked inside each other
We Tested 11 Sets of Dry Measuring Cups—Here's the Best One
20160222-restaurant-supply-store-vicky-wasik-3.jpg
How to Upgrade Your Kitchen and Save Money at a Restaurant Supply Store
20180615-sheet-trays-racks-vicky-wasik-1
Baking Sheets and Cooling Racks Belong in Every Kitchen
20170908-tweezers-vicky-wasik-7
The Best Pro Cooking Tools for Your Home Kitchen
20190307-leek-fennel-pasta-vicky-wasik-22
Wood Versus Plastic Cutting Boards
20201109-tilit-apron-wini-lao-3
Introducing the Serious Eats X Tilit Apron
20191010-green-bean-knife-skills-vicky-wasik-24
We Designed the Ideal Cutting Board Just for You
Overhead shot of essential kitchen equipment against white background
The Kitchen Starter Kit: Essential Tools for Every Cook
A cast iron skillet on a white kitchen towel
The 7 Essential Pots and Pans Every Cook Needs
20101207-cake-tester.jpg
Equipment: Cake Testers Aren't Just For Cakes!
Le Creuset Bi-Material Spoon
Le Creuset's Bi-Material Spoon Is One of My Go-To Kitchen Tools
a collage of different products (a wooden cutting board, tongs, a chef's knife) against a colorful background
The 26 Best Cooking Gifts for Beginners
20140914-kitchen-in-a-box-primary.jpg
The Food Lab's Emergency Cooking Kit: How to Fit All the Tools You Need in One Small Box
Whisking milk with pumpkin purée in a metal mixing bowl
How to Pick the Best Mixing Bowl
A Zeroll ice cream scoop
We Tested 17 Ice Cream Scoops—Here's The Best One
wooden-spoon-lid-venting.jpg
11 1/2 Things You Can Do With a Wooden Spoon (Besides Stirring)
2010019-eq-basic-part 1-carousel.jpg
Guide to Essential Kitchen Hand Tools, Part 1