Our 10 Favorite (and Affordable/Well-Made) Kitchen Tools

If you’re giving gifts, consider giving tools.

It takes a number of things to make healthy home-cooked meals: the will to do so, knowledge, organization, experience and a few good kitchen tools. Young people who didn’t grow up cooking and baking often lack all five essentials. It’s hard to cook if you don’t have a decent knife, vegetable peeler, containers for leftovers, and so on.

One of the secrets of being to cook/bake across a wide spectrum of cuisines is having the tools to do so within reach. The same is true of preparing a meal for guests: having all the tools makes the process of prepping several dishes much easier and faster.

I am a fan of home-made gifts and of tools that will last and be useful in everyday life. These 10 kitchen tools are not only useful, they’re inexpensive (between $5 and $27) and well-made (mostly made in the USA). Pyrex Simply Store 10-... Best Price: $16.77 Buy New $25.28 (as of 08:45 UTC - Details)

Many of the ills of our society are best addressed in the kitchen, as eliminating fast food, junk food and convenience “food” is the first step to becoming healthier. The second step is do the thing and you shall have the power, i.e. turn off the generally-useless TV celebrity-chef cooking shows and get to work making real food.

NOTE: prices of these items change frequently and may vary from those listed here.

1. Pyrex 6021224 Storage 10-Piece Set, Clear with Blue Lids – $13.28

These 3 round bowls and 2 rectangular glass storage containers are just the right number and size for storing leftovers – practical and perfect. We all already own similar containers with lids (usually larger) but I now use these the most – one or two are always in use in our refrigerator. Bought my Mom a set, and she says it’s always going up and down the road as she and her neighbor Gene trade dinners. Just bought a set for Gene in September as a gift.

2. Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid 24-Piece Food Storage Container Set – $26.49

I was introduced to this practical Rubbermaid set 2 years ago by my friends Dustin and Megan who received them as a wedding gift. They remarked “you should get this” — I have since bought 3 sets for myself and as gifts. Yes, we all already have innumerable plastic food storage containers and resist adding more to our jumbled drawer-full. However, the clever system of locking the matching lid to the bottom of the container so they stay together Best Manufacturers Sta... Buy New $11.61 (as of 08:50 UTC - Details) convinced me to buy this set to add to our kitchen.

3. Best French Whip, Stainless Steel Made in USA – 10-inch $11.97 14-inch $12.99 (click on the 14-inch option)

I have owned Best whisks from the 70s since learning about them in the Whole Earth Catalog. Thankfully, still USA made and indeed “crafted” (as described on Amazon) in Portland, Oregon, they are indeed the best. You will likely not need to replace a Best whisk in your lifetime. I personally prefer the 10” for home use.

4. Microplane Stainless Steel Zester – $9.95 (without handle – Made in USA)

Microplane 40001 Zeste... Buy New $9.95 (as of 08:50 UTC - Details) Microplane 40020 Grater/Zester – $12.95 (with handle – not stated as USA made)

Over 300 “5 star” reviews for with handle and 44 “5 star” reviews for without handle can’t lead you astray. Being a stubborn Taurus and loyal to my traditional zester, I resisted this “new fangled” zester. A gift from my sister Lynette proved me absolutely wrong, and I now cannot do without it for grating lemon zest, nutmeg, and hard cheese. Great for hard baking chocolate as well but I usually bake with cocoa power. I prefer the clean, simple look of the zester without a handle – just my Taurean preference.

I was drawn to this zester for another reason–its lineage as a wood rasp/carpentry tool.

5. Kuhn Rikon Original 4-Inch Swiss Peeler, White – $5.99

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Microplane 40020 Class... Best Price: $11.91 Buy New $12.95 (as of 08:35 UTC - Details)

Kuhn Rikon Original 4-... Buy New $4.95 (as of 11:55 UTC - Details)

Kuhn Rikon Original Sw... Buy New $8.89 (as of 10:45 UTC - Details)

Amazon.com $50 Gift Ca... Buy New $50.00 (as of 11:05 UTC - Details)