By Will Price and Grace Cooper. Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. There are a great many products that will put dinner on the table. Some are very expensive and well worth the premium.

But most of what you need is not. Brands like Cuisinart, Oxo, Hamilton Beach and others specialize in affordable cookware and kitchen accessories, from skillets to knives to the cutting boards you use them on.

They might not look pretty but they always come through. To start with the absolute basics, this set of plastic bags from Target gives you five handy sizes in one container that is perfect for fitting neatly in a kitchen drawer. Kitchen shears are a handy way to snip, trim and cut through cardboard, twine, meat, vegetables and everything else in your kitchen.

Yes, you read that right. Plus, the set comes with its own convenient stand. Travel Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Redeem now. Learn more A stainless steel muddler with a nylon head brings out the flavors of citrus, herbs, and spices.

This set also includes a swizzle spoon, so you can stir drinks like a professional. A fish spatula is not just for fish —you can use it for eggs, stir fries, and burgers. The triangular shape means it can get fully under food and still is easy to maneuver.

These silicone farm animals raise lids slightly off of pots and pans, which allows steam to escape, and reduces the chance of anything boiling over. A simple bench scraper is a great multi-purpose kitchen tool.

I use mine to manage sticky bread dough, smooth icing, and cut up logs of cookie dough. With reusable baking cups, you'll always be cupcake-ready. Plus, this set is dishwasher safe and is stable enough to be used on a cookie sheet, even without a muffin tin. A sharp peeler will save you time and effort during food prep.

OXO has a peeler for every style cut or slice you could dream of. This ravioli wheel lets you cut pasta shapes quickly and easily. You can also use it for pie crusts and plenty of other pastries. Insider's favorite budget wine opener is a must have for any kitchen. The TrueTap corkscrew has a bottle opener, foil cutter, and an easy-to-use double hinged corkscrew.

If you have an old oven, you may be surprised how far off the internal thermostat is. An oven thermometer is a cheap way to make sure you're cooking at the temps you want to be cooking at. I love a flat whisk for making gravies or rouxs because it's suited to using inside a pan while you're cooking.

The flat shape means optimal mixing and limited mess. An herb stripper speeds up the prep process of fresh herbs — just pull the herb through one of the holes to strip the leaves. This also works for kale and other greens with a tough stem.

Easily remove the pit from every avocado with this stainless steel blade, and then cut perfect slices with the fanned blade end. These clever pot holders from Lodge make handling your cast iron skillets a lot less perilous — and the bandana design is super cute too. A tea ball infuser can be used for more than just brewing your favorite loof leaf.

Some of the above links are Amazon affiliate links, which means we earn a small percentage from those sales. We use this affiliate revenue to support the continued growth of Cook Smarts. Thank you! Cookware 1. NON-STICK FRYING PAN Every household needs a non-stick pan for breakfast duty since eggs and pancakes are best made on a non-stick surface.

SAUCEPAN A saucepan is perfect for when you need to cook something with liquids, such as boiling pasta and vegetables or simmering sauces and beans. SHEET PANS These pans can get a lot of action, including roasting vegetables, baking meats, toasting nuts, and of course, baking cookies.

GLASS BAKING DISH Glass baking dishes are perfect for baking things like casseroles and enchiladas in the oven. Utensils 6. FISH TURNER While this handy tool is advertised as a fish turner, it can be used for anything.

WHISK While forks and chopsticks can be handy, a whisk is quicker and more efficient for emulsifying ingredients like vinegars and oils. TONGS Tongs are like your extended hands and are super useful in the kitchen! Dishes, Tools, and Gadgets CUTTING BOARD A good, grippy cutting board will protect your fingers during all your prep work, which is why we like this one.

COLANDER Every kitchen needs a heavy-duty colander for draining out boiled pasta and vegetables. PREP BOWLS IN EVERY SIZE Every kitchen needs a set of prep bowls to help you organize all your ingredients. SALAD SPINNER A colander may be sufficient enough for drying lettuce, but a salad spinner is a whole lot more efficient.

Infographic 20 Basic Essential Cooking Tools With these basic kitchen tools, you can cook just about anything without spending a fortune to fill your cupboards with appliances you rarely use.

A little note: Some of the above links are Amazon affiliate links, which means we earn a small percentage from those sales. Sign up for the Cook Smarts Newsletter. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Missing Webstaurant. Cheap, restaurant quality supplies and equipment. If you're looking for function over asthetics, it's the way to go. If you're jav-way.site › Kitchen and Food › Kitchen Tools › Prep Utensils

Video