7 Cooking Tools for Almost Every Week

A small set of versatile cooking tools can cover most everyday meals without crowding the kitchen. These seven are useful places to start.

1. A 5-quart Dutch oven

Weeknight pasta, soup, chili, braises, and the occasional loaf of bread. It is heavy, but its versatility can justify the storage space.

2. Two half sheet pans

Two pans make it possible to roast vegetables and a protein at the same time.

3. A 10-inch nonstick skillet

Useful for eggs, quick stir-fries, and reheating leftovers. A simple, replaceable pan can be more practical than a delicate set.

4. Locking tongs

Turning, tossing, serving, and grabbing things from the back of the oven.

5. A wooden spoon with a flat edge

The flat edge scrapes the bottom of the pot properly. Small thing, big difference for sauces.

6. An immersion blender

Soups, sauces, smoothies for one. It lives in a drawer instead of on the counter.

7. A big mixing bowl

Salads, marinating, tossing vegetables in oil before roasting, mixing anything. A stainless steel bowl that nests with smaller ones is especially practical for compact storage.

What may not earn the space

A stand mixer, food processor, or large wok may be difficult to justify in a compact kitchen when smaller tools cover the meals you make most often.

Practical tip: If a tool hasn't been used in a month, move it to a hard-to-reach cabinet. If it isn't missed in three more months, it can go.