With all the countless one-purpose kitchen tools out there it can be hard to identify what are the most essential tools in the kitchen. To make your life easier we’ve created an essential kitchen tools list. These tools have endless uses and are worth the investment. They will elevate your cooking experience and make home cooking easier and more enjoyable.
12 kitchen must have:
1. At least 2 high quality knives
If you’re going to spend money on one thing in the kitchen, it should be a simple set of quality knives. With just three or four knives you will be able to do almost any cutting task you need. Every cook should be equipped with a quality Chef’s knife for meats and vegetables, a paring knife for smaller, more delicate cutting, a veggie knife for vegetables and fruits and a serrated knife for slicing bread. You can find many essential knife sets with these knives. But if you can only afford one knife, purchase a quality Chef’s knife. This will serve you for 90% of cutting tasks (a clear kitchen must have).
2. Knife sharpening stone
Maintaining your knives sharp is the best way to increase their durability. This is why you should invest on a good sharpening stone and sharpen your knives regularly. Not only will a sharp knife perform better, it is also safer than a dull one.
3. Wooden spoon
Wooden spoons are one of the best utensils you can have for stirring something on a hot stove. They don’t damage your cooking surfaces and will last forever. We recommend purchasing one with one flat side, this will make it easier for you to scrape the bottom of your bowl or pan.
4. Kitchen scissors
Think about the numerous times you have reached out for a pair of scissors. You use them for countless tasks such as opening sachets, cutting herb stems, and cracking nuts with the handles. We suggest getting a pair that dismantles for cleaning and sharpening so that you increase their longevity.
5. Non stick pan
This is another must have in every kitchen. Nothing beats a good quality non-stick pan. You will use these for cooking breakfast (eggs and pancakes), searing meats, sauteing vegetables and making sauces. We recommend you get two different sized pans which will allow you to cook two things simultaneously.
6. Saucepan
A saucepan is an essential cooking tool. Saucepans are perfect for cooking things that require liquids: boiling pasta or vegetables, simmering sauces and making soup. If you can only invest in one saucepan, get a large one, this will be perfect for cooking bigger batches and can also be used for smaller quantities.
7. Sheet pan
Sheet pans are great due to their multiple purposes. You can use them for roasting vegetables, baking meats, making pizza and baking cooking. If you aren’t a fan of cleaning up, then sheet pan dinners (think meat and veggies) are going to become your new favourite thing.
8. Baking dish
Baking dishes are a must if you eat a lot of baked foods. Think lasagnas, casseroles, enchiladas, pasta bakes, etc. We suggest you purchase a glass or ceramic baking dish that is microwave safe.
9. Colander
Often an overlooked kitchen tool, colanders are extremely handy. They will help you wash fruit and vegetables as well as drain pasta or other boiled foods. Try to purchase a heavy duty colander (either metal or ceramic), these are sturdier than plastic and will last longer.
10. Cutting board
A good cutting board is key. Not only will it provide a stable surface when cutting food, it will also protect both your knives’ blades and your countertops. It is crucial that you get a high quality wooden chopping board with the right characteristics. By this, we mean: make sure they are light, anti-bacterial, anti-allergic and anti-stain, like this Aomori Hiba cutting board.
11. Can opener
This is a tool you won’t want to forget. There are numerous ingredients you will need for cooking that will require a can opener so make sure you have one. And please, do not ever use a kitchen knife as a can opener, this is both dangerous for you and harmful for the knife.
12. Cooking utensils
This isn’t exactly one tool, but every kitchen requires a selection of cooking utensils. This includes: mixing bowls, spatulas, whisk and tongs. You can often purchase them in sets and will be needed for everyday cooking.
2026 Update: Three Additions to the List
Since this article was originally published, a few kitchen tools have moved from “nice to have” to genuinely essential. These aren’t trendy gadgets — they’re items that have quietly become standard in well-equipped home kitchens over the past two years.
13. A proper whetstone
Electric knife sharpeners strip metal aggressively and are hostile to the harder steels used in Japanese knives. A single combination whetstone — we recommend the King KW-65 at 1000/6000 grit — will keep any decent knife in edge condition for the rest of its life. It takes ten minutes once a month. Your knife will be sharper than it was new.
14. An end-grain cutting board
Not just “a cutting board” — an end-grain one, where the wood fibres run vertically through the board rather than horizontally. End-grain boards are kinder to knife edges, heal themselves between cuts, and last for decades. Hard maple, walnut, and Japanese hiba are the three woods worth owning. Plastic boards belong in commercial kitchens where dishwasher sanitisation is required — not in a home kitchen where they dull knives and eventually shed microplastics into food.
15. A decent Japanese chef's knife
We’re biased, but it’s true. A single well-made Japanese chef’s knife (gyuto) will handle 80-90% of the work in your kitchen better than any other tool. It will also outlast most home cooks who own it, assuming it’s cared for. If you’re only going to upgrade one item from this entire list, this is the one that will change your daily cooking experience most dramatically.
Handcrafted Japanese Knives by Oishya
Forged by master craftsmen in Seki and Sakai, Japan. Free shipping worldwide • 100-day money-back guarantee • Lifetime warranty
