Kitchen Tools and Utensils Buying Guide

Kitchen tools and utensils are used for preparing, baking, cooking and generally helping with a variety of tasks in the kitchen. As well as being practical, tools and utensils are now designed to be stylish, fitting in with a brand or range in your home. These tools have adapted and improved over the years to make the most laborious task easier and quicker with minimal mess and waste. Knowing what a tool is for and getting the maximum use from it is down to knowledge and know-how. We hope to shed some light on these questions here is our kitchen tools and utensils buying guide.

Tools and Utensils

Apple Corer An apple or fruit corer is designed to cut through fruit, removing the core and pips in one piece. Some of these corers look like a knife, bit instead of a blade there is a cylindrical cutting blade to go through the centre of the fruit. Other corers are designed to core and slice the fruit in one go. These will be flatter in design with grip handles for applying downward pressure on the vertical blades to core and slice in once seamless action.

Butter Tools for use with butter include butter curlers for creating decorative curls of butter, and butter paddles and churners for making your own butter at home.

Can Opener Can openers vary from hand-held manual models to fully automatic electric models. The opener is attached to the can and sharp rotating wheels neatly open the can. Most modern can openers take the whole of the top off the can leaving a relatively safe edge, although care should always be taken when opening and removing lids.

Carving Fork Carving forks are used to assist in carving hot and cold meats. They are designed with long, sharp prongs for securely holding the meat in place whilst carving and should have a strong and sturdy handle. Carving forks are normally made from stainless steel for strength and durability.

Fruit Baller A fruit baller is used for scraping out a section of fruit, like melon or apple into perfect little balls. The tiny round metal scoop cuts through the fleshy part of the fruit and a perfect when making fresh fruit salads. These fruit ballers will more commonly made from stainless steel for strength.

Funnel A funnel is used for pouring liquids and grains into a small openings, such as a bottle or a jar. The funnel can be made from plastic or metal and are available in a variety of sizes. Funnels are available in sets of assorted sizes and can feature handles or a lip for hanging onto a utensil rack or hook.

Grapefruit Knife A grapefruit knife is a specially shaped and serrated knife for cutting out segments of the fruit. The tip of the knife turns in slightly to allow the serrated edge to cut, this helps to get around all the segment easily. These knives can also be used for oranges and other citrus fruits with segments.

Ice Cream Scoop An ice cream scoop is a tool with a handle and a rounded scoop on the top, some models also have a lever that slides a small blunted blade under the ice cream to remove it from the scoop. These scoops have to be pretty tough as they have to cut into frozen food. Can also be used for serving other iced desserts like sorbet or even mashed potatoes.

Jar Opener Trying to open a jar with a stuck lid is one of life’s more annoying problems. When brute force alone won’t do the trick there a number of jar openers that can help you out. These range from simple rubber sheets that offer a secure grip to both the jar and lid (some brute force will still be needed!), to openers that clamp the lid securely as you turn its long handle for levering the lid open.

Ladle A ladle is a long-handled scoop shaped spoon for pouring and serving stews, casseroles and soups. The ladle is easy to use as there is no twisting needed to be able to get a full spoonful of food before lifting out. These spoons are generally made from stainless steel or nylon, or even a combination.

Masher A masher is primarily used for mashing potatoes, but can also be used for swede, carrot and other vegetables. These long handled utensils will have a flat base with holes in it to squeeze and squash the boiled, softened food. Mashers are available in nylon and metal.

Meat Tenderiser A meat tenderiser can be various shapes and sizes and is used for tenderising meat before cooking. Similar in shape to a mallet (and used in the same way) it has spikes or raised bumps which bash and tenderise the meat. The other type of tenderiser is similar to a large stamp with the metal spikes on the bottom, this is pushed down into the meat which helps to break down the fibres without flattening.

Palette Knife A palette knife is a flat rounded knife without a sharp or serrated edge. This type of knife is used for smoothing and levelling icing onto cakes and desserts. The knife will have a firm grip handle and an angled blade designed for precision.

Pastry Brush A pastry brush looks and works in a very similar way to an ordinary paintbrush. It is used for glazing pastry and pies prior to cooking and can also be used for basting meats and other foods whilst roasting or grilling. The bristles can be made from a variety of materials but they need to withstand hot fat and oils without melting. Therefore silicone, natural or nylon are a good choice along with a good firm grip handle.

Peeler Peelers can be used on a variety of foods like vegetables and some fruits to remove the outer layer of skin. The double edge blade allows right or left hand operation for multi directional strokes. The peelings will pass through the peeler dropping through to the surface. Some peelers may feature different types of blades to allow the peeler to create some shredding style peelings called Julienne.

Pizza Cutter A pizza cutter is a handheld tool with a large circular blade for cutting pizza into slices. An alternative to the wheeled version is the rocker cutter. This has a wide curved blade (similar to a mezzaluna) which is rocked back and forth to cutting the pizza. Be mindful of the surface you cut the pizza on as this could be scratched from the blade of the pizza cutter.

Scrapers/Spatulas Scrapers are designed for scooping mix or ingredients out of a bowl without leaving any contents behind. The curved soft edge is designed to follow the contours of the bowl so nothing is left behind. A spatula is a very versatile kitchen utensil and can be used to incorporate ingredients together when baking, or to lift, mix and flip when you are cooking. They can be made from wood, metal, plastic, silicone or a combination of these. A silicone head with a wooden handle is a particularly good combination as the silicone affords some flexibility, is resistant to heat and won’t damage non-stick surfaces.

Skimmer A skimmer is commonly used for removing the top layer from liquids or sauces. It is shaped like a large flat spoon with holes similar to a sieve. Ideal for removing solids from cooked liquids or fried foods from the oil.

Spaghetti Server Spaghetti servers are long handled utensils with a spoon with holes and fingers at the end. This is used for removing spaghetti from the pan, draining it in the process.

Splatter Guard A splatter guard is a large round mesh guard made from metal or plastic that’s placed over the top of woks and frying pans to stop hot oil from spitting out when frying food. Steam and heat is still allowed to escape through the mesh, but the guard will protect your hands and arms from any hot oil splashes as well as making less mess around the hob.

Spoons Kitchen spoons come in a large variety of sizes, styles and materials. Traditionally made from wood they can now be made from metal, nylon, silicone or a combination of the aforementioned. Generally used for stirring and mixing, pouring and serving, there are also slotted varieties used for lifting and draining food such as potatoes.

Tongs Tongs are a two pronged utensil with a hinged or sprung end, a bit like a giant pair of tweezers. They are used for turning and picking up food whilst cooking and can also be used for serving. Normally made from stainless steel, nylon or silicone, the heads are often scalloped to make picking up difficult objects easier. Some models feature a lock to keep the tongs closed during storage.

Turner Turners are thin, wide tools (slotted or plain) to slide easily under food. Ideal for flipping burgers or gently lifting fish or steaks from a pan. The handle will have a good grip and enable the tool to be used at high temperatures. Made from nylon or stainless steel or even a combination.

Whisk A whisk is a tool used for whisking and whipping ingredients together or adding air to a mixture or liquid. There are various designs available including balloon (great for whipping cream and egg whites), flat (suitable for gravies and sauces) and flat coil (vinaigrettes etc). A rotary whisk lies midway between a hand whisk and an electric whisk – you provide the power to it by turning a handle which gears down to two interlocking whisks. An electric whisk will do all the hard work for you, but as it’s a lot faster than using a manual whisk, be careful not to over whip cream and egg whites.

Zester A zester is a quick and easy way of removing the outer zest from any citrus fruit. This short handled tool will be made of a strong material like stainless steel and should have a firm, comfortable grip. Pressure onto the citrus fruit will need to be applied so the zest can be scraped from the fruit by the head with the small serrated teeth.

Holder A holder will be used for resting a utensil on during cooking keeping your work surface mess-free and avoiding contamination.  

Materials

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a commonly used material for kitchen utensils and tools. It provides strength and longevity as well as giving an attractive finish. Care should be taken when using on non-stick surfaces.

Nylon

Nylon is typically a tough material but also has the flexibility needed for some cooking tasks. Used commonly on heads of tools and utensils, nylon is soft enough to use on non-stick surfaces and can withstand temperatures up to around 400°F or 210°C.

Wood

Wooden tools and utensils are still a favourite in the kitchen and won’t scratch your pots and pans. Wood is tough, won’t break easily and has a high heat tolerance.

Silicone

Silicone is becoming more and more popular in the modern kitchen, not only because it can be bought in a variety of fun colours, but because the heat tolerance of silicone is outstanding over nylon. Silicone is also hard wearing and won’t stain like wood can. Because silicone is soft and flexible, it is fine to use on non-stick surfaces.  

Cleaning and Storage

Cleaning

Each utensil or kitchen tool will come with a basic set of manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning your product, these should always be followed to prolong the life of your tools and utensils. Cleaning with warm, soapy water will be sufficient for most utensils although some may be dishwashers safe.

Storage

Storage containers or pots are ideal for keeping a selection of utensils close to hand on your worktop. A hanging rack is another popular method of storage as many utensils have built-in hooks or holes. Looking after your tools and utensils well and storing them responsibly will help prolong their life.