DadCooksDinner

  • Home
  • Rotisserie
  • Recipes
  • Tools
  • Books
  • Merch
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Books
  • Tools
  • Merch
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Merch
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Things I love

    Things I Can Never Have Enough Of In My Kitchen

    Published: Jan 3, 2012 · Modified: Feb 9, 2015 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    What kitchen tools do I really need? I was thinking back to my minimalist kitchen list...while trying to cram a whisk into my overflowing utensil crock. Why do I have all this stuff? It dawned on me - there are kitchen tools where I can't just have one. What tools are so necessary that I keep buying extras, just in case one is in the dishwasher?

    1. Tongs
    Spring loaded tongs are my hands, at the stove and on the grill. I keep three different styles of tongs. 12 inch tongs for general kitchen usage; 12 inch tongs with nonstick-safe heads, to protect nonstick and enameled cast iron cookware; and 16 inch tongs for grilling, to give me a little extra reach before I get over the fire.

    2. Paring Knives
    I love knives. I have a lot of paring knives; too many, honestly, but when I see a new knife I have to have it. Setting aside my knife addiction, the paring knives I use every day fall into two general types. The first is my cheap Victorinox paring knives. I use these for rough work; anything where I would want to throw it in the dishwasher when I was done. I use them for everything from trimming fat to opening packages to coring apples. The second type of knife is my (expensive) sheep's foot granton edge paring knife. This one comes out when I need to do fine work, like mincing and dicing shallots or garlic.

    3. Peelers
    I'm in the middle of a peeling conversion. I started with straight peelers; the Oxo peeler was a revelation when it first came out. Now I've switched over to Y peelers. "Hold it like a pencil" was what I read, I tried it, and I'm a Y peeler convert.
    Why Y? Y not?

    Either type, it always helps to have an extra peelers. If someone wants to help peel potatoes, I don't  turn them down.

    4. Measuring Spoons/Measuring Cups
    There's nothing worse than needing a half-teaspoon of baking soda and finding out the half-teaspoon is in the sink and covered in batter. I have two sets of measuring spoons and measuring cups, which means I don't have to constantly wash them out when I'm baking.

    5. Pinch bowls/Ramekins
    Mise en place, "everything in its place", is the key to professional cooking. I'm a home cook, so I prep as I go, but I'm always reaching for my pinch bowls to hold a few ingredients for later.

    Honorable mention:
    Why is my utensil crock overflowing? Because of: flat edged wooden spoons, ladles, serving spoons, spatulas, turners, and whisks. How could I get by with only one of those?

    What do you think? I'm sure I forgot something...what did I miss? Leave them in the comments section below.

    Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe using your RSS reader or by Email, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you!

    Subscribe
    BirdSend Email Marketing Tool

    More Things I love

    • Rancho Gordo Bean Club Box | DadCooksDinner.com
      The Rancho Gordo Bean Club Is Open to New Members
    • DadCooksDinner Merch Now Available
    • Q&A: Aren’t Rancho Gordo Beans Expensive?
    • Things I Love: Tomato Paste in a Tube

    Sharing is caring!

    Comments

    1. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      April 03, 2013 at 10:15 am

      This is a test

      Reply
    2. MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says

      January 05, 2012 at 11:23 am

      @Sherri:

      Scoop spatulas! I forgot about those. Thanks!

      Reply
    3. Sherri says

      January 05, 2012 at 3:45 am

      I have 3 sets of dry measuring cups and about 4 liquid measuring cups of different sizes.
      I can never have enough rubber spatulas. Small, medium, large, scoop, industrial and heat-proof!

      Reply

    Questions? Made the Recipe? Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner!

    I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

    More About Me →

    Popular

    • Three bowls of cooked Pinto Beans on a wood table
      Instant Pot Pinto Beans (No Soaking)
    • Pressure Cooker Beef Shank (Osso Bucco)
    • Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
      Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
    • Pressure Cooker Brown Jasmine Rice
    • Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
      Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
    • A green bowl full of chicken noodle soup
      Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

    Seasonal

    • A bowl of asparagus risotto
      Instant Pot Asparagus Risotto (Pressure Cooker Recipe)
    • Grilled Butterflied Chicken with Garlic Butter
    • Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Dijon Bread Crumb Crust
    • A bowl of beef stew with asparagus, carrots, and radishes.
      Instant Pot Spring Vegetable Beef Stew
    • A Rotisserie Chicken (Pollo Asado)on a platter of shredded cabbage
      Rotisserie Chicken Pollo Asado
    • Rotisserie Pork Shoulder Roast with Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
      Rotisserie Pork Shoulder with South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Dad Cooks Dinner