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.
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 13 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
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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
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We Tested 12 Pairs of Kitchen Shears to Find the Best Ones
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We Tested More Than 20 Pepper Mills—Here Are The Best Ones
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The Best Inexpensive Digital Thermometers, According to Our Tests
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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
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How to Upgrade Your Kitchen and Save Money at a Restaurant Supply Store
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Baking Sheets and Cooling Racks Belong in Every Kitchen
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The Best Pro Cooking Tools for Your Home Kitchen
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Wood Versus Plastic Cutting Boards
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Introducing the Serious Eats X Tilit Apron
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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
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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
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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
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11 1/2 Things You Can Do With a Wooden Spoon (Besides Stirring)
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Guide to Essential Kitchen Hand Tools, Part 1
A utensil crock full of wooden and nylon spoons and spatulas
Wooden Spoons Are Incredibly Versatile—Here's One of Our Favorite Models
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We Tested 17 Cast Iron Skillets—Here Are the Best Ones
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We Tested 24 Liquid Measuring Cups to Find the Best Ones
Pair of tongues picking up a piece of meat from cast iron skillet
We Tested 33 Sets of Kitchen Tongs—Here Are the 4 Best Models
Assorted can openers
We Tested 28 Can Openers—Here Are The Best Ones
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I've Baked Thousands of Cakes—This is My Favorite Cake Pan
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We Tested 9 Casserole Dishes—Here Are the Best Ones
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You Can't Go Wrong With Our Favorite Muffin Pans (and Liners)
a stainless steel stockpot with a lid.
We Tested 16 Stockpots—Here Are Our Favorites
Stacks of stainless-steel skillets sit on a countertop.
We Tested 25 Stainless-Steel Skillets to Find the Best Ones
Two immersion blenders (All-Clad and Hamilton Beach) side by side
We Tested 16 Immersion Blenders—Here Are Our Favorites
three electric kettles on a marble kitchen countertop
We Tested 13 Electric Kettles to Find Our Favorite Ones
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How to Choose the Right Pie Pan (Hint: Cheaper Is Better)