ESSENTIAL Kitchen Tools Under $25 

Thanks for checking out this video. Let me know what inexpensive tools you use that you'd add to my list!

I'd definitely put a meat thermometer on the list! As a home cook, it's really useful, especially when I'm cooking in the oven.

Can’t imagine a time before using our kitchen scale. Feels like we emerged from the Stone Age once we got one - especially for baking recipes, I find it totally invaluable.

I learned how important a scale was for cooking and baking when I moved to the prairies. It is a crapshoot measuring flour by volume in a dry area. Or if you scoop your cup into the bag and call it good. You aren’t getting an accurate measurement of flour at all. Flour in arid regions will be dry, denser, less fluffy and your baked goods will likely not turn out like the recipe intended as you are likely adding in more flour by weight than you are required. I figured out why my baked goods were turning out hard, dry or chewy instead of fluffy when a blogger from the US prairies mentioned the importance of measuring by weight, not volume. Plus, it’s really cool!

I'd add deli containers to the list. They've revolutionized my kitchen organization.

Lately, I've been using my bench scraper A LOT and think its one of the most underrated kitchen tools. Aside from just being generally useful at what its supposed to do in cleaning up/shoveling stuff from my work surface and for doughs, I've learned that if I'm grating something that I want to store in a bowl/elsewhere, can lay down my bench scraper and use my box grater on top of that which then lets me easily lift and transfer most of whatever I'm grating to wherever it needs to be. Any left over grated bits on the cutting board/work surface are then super easy to clean up too because I already have my bench scraper out lol. I originally got the idea ~~because I was jealous of~~ from the box grater + attachable tub that Steve uses on Not Another Cooking Show but didn't want to buy a new box grater lol.

I just watched the Smash Burger video in which you point out that you're not in favour of owning unnecessary one-use appliances and it's make me realise that I'd love a full kitchen tool list. Big tools, small tools, variety and number recommendations. Ultimately everyone will have to make their own, but I feel like yours would be an amazing guideline for beginners.

I found 2 stainless steel bowls at Goodwill. 10" & 8", both for $2 total. Best Kitchen Find EVER! I use them for everything

Great vid Brian! I like the non-recipe videos thrown in here and there, and I also have an obsession with kitchen tools so this was really enjoyable to watch (even though I already have all of these :P )

I'm so happy you mentioned the kitchen scale. I drive that point home to just about everyone I talk to about cooking. I use mine nearly every single day. I also love my bench scraper.

the fact that you take the time to do all this beautifully shot and informative cutaways to show these products is insane. soo much passion and hard work. i def will be sure to sure your links when i can purchase some things. it's not much but hey! thanks for all you do, binge watching your videos today! found your channel this morning from your viral bread video when i searching for...bread videos. :O

My local $2 dollar store has been the source of a many tools that I just can’t do without! El cheapo digital scales, a small stone mortar and pestle,a spice grinder. Other low cost essentials…a humble glass bar which I use all the time for salad dressings. A ricer for perfect mash/skordalia or gnocchi making.

This is a good l list. I might add an immersion blender too. I was able to pick one up for around $25 and it has been great for making dips,dressing and sauces (smoothies)

I stumbled into the pizza pan lid solution a few years back when making dough. It's a perfect solution. I'm glad you found it too.

This is great content! I'm probably gonna pick up 1 or 3 of those because of your videos! I greatly appreciate your attention to efficiency as someone who wants to eat good, but also spend as little time as possible in the kitchen.

Thanks for some of these great suggestions. I LOVE my microplane, and here's a tip: I find lemongrass to be a nuisance to work with; well i tried peeling outer layers and freezing it, and then running it over the microplane while still frozen and OH MY GAWH it makes these beautiful fluffy little shreds that integrate well into anything!! I will be trying this next with ginger and galangal. I love these ingredients but only use a little in any given month.

I wholeheartedly agree with your suggestions Brian. The one tool I would add is a hand lemon squeezer. I was given one as a gift a few years ago and it has become an indispensable part of my culinary arsenal. About 15$ on Amazon and worth every penny.

Hey Brian. I work in live events (i do lighting and not audio) but I just wanted to say that its awesome to see how far you've come with your cooking channel. For a lot of us touring crew, it's hard to imagine a life outside of our jobs. You've proven to me and many others that even if you go to school for one thing, and end up doing something else, you can still be successful, intelligent, and help other people. Cheers to you, and I hope someday I still get a chance to hear one of your mixes :)

Brian, I know this video is a year old. I just saw it but I've been watching your other cooking videos as well. I want to say that this particular video sets you apart from the other content I've seen. It's so useful and practical advice. You're giving me a lot of confidence. Thanks.

Vids like this makes cooking vids very well-rounded. Well done! After all, good cooking is a result of skills, quality of ingredients and tools and equipment! Thanks for showing us hacks on how to use these tools.

I love anything you do partly because I love the sparseness of your kitchen. And, because your video content is so enjoyable and useful 😀.

So true about the kitchen scale! Definitely top on the list. It makes everything so, so much easier, it's pretty much guaranteed success. Using volumetric measurements just makes for fumbling about with various measurements never knowing if you put the right amount or not.

Couldn't agree more about the scale, ntm measuring in grams, SO much easier & more accurate. Thanks for all the recs!!

I have that bowl off Brian's recommendation and use it literally every day. I keep it at hand and can just dump whatever I need to in or out of it. Cleans with basically a rinse and swipe. Highly recommend

I love these kinds of videos, Bri - thank you!! I already had everything that you recommended except for that type of bowl/lid combo, so I went on and ordered them. I also passed on the pizza turner because I really don't make pizzas at home.

Mortar and pestle Grinding spices. Guac. Pestos. Curry Pastes. It's the tool you didn't think you'll need, but once you have it it changes your life and you cant live without it anymore

These are all good items in the vid and I agree as a pro chef. I'd humbly add a fish turner/spatula and 12" metal tweezers to the list. Before getting them they felt like bonus items, but now they're used multiple times per week.

Great list of essentials! I also love my silicone baking mats. I use them when I cook anything on my half sheet pans. They’re wonderfully nonstick without waste, and don’t curl up like parchment paper. They’re also great to freeze fruits or veggies on, or even melted chocolate for decoration or pucks of cookie dough for later use.

Thank you Brian your list included all the items I was curious about watching all your videos 👏🏾

I agree a 100% with you about the scale, I’m from Spain and we use metric for everything, in fact my mum has always used a scale and I can’t live without it. Call me obsessive but I want my recipes to always come out perfect, even if I make them daily for myself. The rest of the tools look amazing, I’ll definitely check out the mandolin. 💛✨

I use my Japanese Y peeler to also thinly slice cucumbers for salads. They taste great! I have a digital scale which I use all the time and a Japanese mandolin, as well as a Microplane but I also have a Japanese mortar and pestle which is great for small jobs.

I have been binging your You Tube videos today... thank you for the links in them for products.... Amazon should be thanking you as I binged shopped after your videos.... BUT those who eat my cooking appreciate what I learn from you!

Great information! Thank you for sharing real advice for us home cooks.

I completely agree with you on the scale!! When I started making bread I thought it was stupid but now when I look for recipes online I pass over the usual American recipes and look for one in grams lol 😆 bread last November 😆

A mortar and pestle would be on my list. Some of them may be pricier than $25, but they're really worth it. It's my tool of choice for grinding fresh herbs and/or spices. Cheers!

A few years ago I started making it a goal to upgrade my parents' kitchen, one christmas gift at a time. That includes most of the things here, stainless steel bowls, microplaner, mandolin (though since it doesn't get used as often, I went for a Japanese version with a ceramic blade). Good scales and peelers they already had. The bowls are probably my mom's favourite for how useful and easily cleaned they are. They weigh a fraction of a ceramic bowl, and they're more pleasant to use than plastic. In addition, I'd also add good tongs (silicone tipped for all the non-stick and enameled pans, and long handled for the grill - my choice is Cuisipro), stable ones that don't have any sideways give. For higher budget options, add a really good instant read thermometer and a quality immersion blender. In my experience the shape of the peeler doesn't really matter that much, as long as it's sharp. There's a world of difference between a new peeler and an old dull one.

Great recommendations. I have (a type of) all of these except the pizza one, as I make all my homemade pizza in a cast iron skillet in the oven. Some I've had for years but the rasp grater is fairly new. Nice to see other uses for it, especially the ginger!

Especially the microplane and the mandoline are a must to me. (that scale is also interesting, but I don't use a lot of recipes that use cups/spoons)

A tool i recently acquired and really enjoy having in the kitchen so far is a rough vegetable cleaning brush. For my personal taste I enjoy most vegetables with the skin on such as potatoes or carrots. The brush makes sure I get all the sand out easily and saves me the trouble of peeling. Also works great for cleaning mushrooms!

I love the Y peeler I have so much that I have two of them. And I love my scale now that I have one. Great suggestions!

Love this video. Just ordered the peeler, microplane, lid and mandolin!

Speciality coffee converted me to a scale cook and I haven't looked back! Your bread dough reinforced that, thanks!

ADD 3: Less is more. I consider myself a "pro home cook," been cooking for myself since I was 6 years old and I am now 53, PBS food show junky way back in the day, etc. For years, I could never pass up any kitchen gadget, knife, etc., and friends and family would never stop bombarding me with kitchen gadgets and cookbooks. Wisdom of age, and clearly apparent from Brian's kitchen: LESS IS MORE. Cluttered knife drawer with 17 random knives is now a wall magnet over my stove: 1 good chef's knife; one semi flex boning knife; one serrated slicing knife; and one cleaver (because they are fun as heck). If you have not used it in 3 months, and it's not a family heirloom or Thanksgiving one off: take it to Goodwill!

I love my micro-plane and my oxo food scale. I have been gazing amorously at a mandolin for a while and would have wasted extra $$$ on the fancy German one. I have been happy with my Oxo peeler, but it's getting old and dull and has to be replaced so I am going to give your recommendation a try and I love the idea of a reusable pizza tin to cover my bowl when I am letting dough rest. The bowl by the by is a 12" aluminum bowl similar to the one you use. I love your videos and as usual I found the information on this one extremely helpful.

Excellent vid Bri!!! No fluff what-so-ever. I bought a Y-peeler 25+ years ago. It has a ceramic blade that never dulls. The only thing I'm missing is that stainless bowl cover. I plan to slip one under my shirt the next time I go to Pizza Hut! I'll tell em "Brian sent me" if I get caught. One thing I find essential is a set of tongs. The spring always rusts and breaks, which actually makes them much easier to use. Usually find them under $10. That julienne Y-peeler you use in several of your vids is sweet too. THANKS BRIAN!!!

My favorite thing for salad on the mandolin is brussel sprouts… yummmy in salads, very healthy. I’m now going to buy this one. Thank you. I want the peeler, the mandolin (mine is getting dull), and possibly the scale. Great vid

I got the OXO goodgrip side peeler and I love it. Sometimes with Y-peelers I feel like I have to have such a long range of motion when peeling long veggies, so I kinda preffer side-peelers

I've said this before, I'm so grateful your recipes are in metric. Also your use of deli containers for prep inspired me to not immediately recycle those that I bring home. They get a good hand wash and at least one more trip around the kitchen before going in the blue box. I really like the good quality squeeze bottles for around the cook area too. They are inexpensive and save me carting around giant bottles of oil. It's fun to go to a pro cooking store if you have one nearby, it feels like stepping into the members only area.

Great video, as always!! As for inexpensive tools which I like, I use a stainless steel mini masher which I found at Sur La Table. It's the perfect tool for mashing avocados, and for mashing cooked beans in a pot to make a small batch of soup or sauce. It is kind of a niche tool, but it works so well that I find it worth having. Another component of my kitchen, which I like, but which is a total work in progress, are the items I'm putting together for the collections of spices and oil for the back of my stove, which has a 3" wide shelf. I have a Le Cordon Bleu porcelain oil bottle which I think is the best out there because it so ergonomic, and I'm working on getting containers for salt and spices. My preferred spice container is a bamboo "jar," since the wood protects the spices from light damage, and it's also because it's unbreakable, and the lids lift off (but they're manufactured for an extremely tight fit, so you have to sand them a little to adjust the fit). But, a good one is hard to find! So, I'm branching out, and looking at other options, including even water bottles. I intend to have just a container for salt and two spice blends. I keep the IKEA borosilicate measuring cup on that shelf, too, for adding water to food as I cook. My most used spatula/scraper is the GIR 11" skinny spatula, which I recommend to everyone. These are just the items which come to mind as the inexpensive ones I use!!

Good video, B man. I have all these toys and totally agree with you. And, thanks to you and your videos, my bread & pizza game have improved. From a grateful old dog!

Tools depend on what we cook. Mellon baller scoop is a must-have in my kitchen! Make sure, you buy the right one - it must have holes and sharp edges. This simple and inexpensive tool is so handy not only to make garnishes but also for hollow jalapeno peppers, as capers serving spoon from very narrow jars, remove stems from strawberries, make stuffed potatoes and more!

As a college student soon to graduate I'm looking forward to not having to share kitchen space with my roommates. Videos like this help me figure out what I might need to get myself for cooking when we all take our separate kitchen parts when we move out. Thanks for the video!

I absolutely agree with the peeler and stainless steel bowl. Thanks for the other tips.

Just a novice here but surprisingly I have a number of the gadgets you showed... definitely need to acquire a scale! Thank you for the tips!

My favorite is flexible cutting mats I like the ones from Ikea they dont warp after washing as much and are great cause you can just chop everything up and bend it to get it all in the pan easily. cheap too. But they do get tore up after awhile if your hard with the knife.

Well I just found your channel and I am loving all the very practical advice.

All of these are the best! I hve a Y peeler from Japan that is the bomb. Because of your videos I got stainless bowls (love) and I started cooking with grams a few years ago a d highly recommend a scale. Definitely more accurate unit of measure, especially when baking.

I love so many of your foobs. Thanks so muc for your videos, my guy.

Out of these I have the microplane and the scales, I have the regular peeler or I guess side peeler would be the right name, I think your list is great. Thank you Brian.

Thanks Bri, I've been looking for a stainless steel bowl with lid since I started watching your channel a couple months ago with no luck! Thanks for demystifying it, I want this badly and now I know how I can copy you!

I have two of the ss bowls. When I'm trying to get my dough to rise in my cold house, I make a warm water double boiler type system, with a plate lid. Works great.

Hey Brian, I have all of the tools you mentioned and agree with you on all. I did get a new scale lately. Beurer Slate Kitchen Scale with Extra Weight Capacity KS34 @ Amazon. $29.87. All glass top, easy to clean. Love the videos. I watch them all. 👍

Fully agree, inexpensive but absolute essential kitchen tools, and a high quality Dutch Oven. Makes cooking so much more fun

Hey Bri, you will find the peeler WAY more effective if you hold your thumb against the thing you are peeling. Grip the peeler handle with your fingers but press your thumb into the vegetable, and then pull towards the peeler. You need to connect both hands. Holding the peeler and the vegetable in separate hands and not connecting them with your thumb is unstable and can lead to injuries and wasted food.

Loved this video, thank you!

This was good, Brian. I really like the Oxo peeler. I have the other and I mostly use the Oxo. Actually just about all Oxo tools--like spatulas, graters, etc. I prefer a hand held grater over a box grater--grate over a bowl or pan or plate. So much easier and easier to wash. Also a container with a lid for salad dressing so I can shake it. It's easier than the whole whisking thing and you can use EVOO. BTW, I would love to see one on pans/pots. What's a nice little minimum collection?

I can't live without my bench scraper. It cost less than five dollars when I bought it over 20 years ago and I use it every time I cook. It can cut, scoop up vegetables, transfer spices, clean the cutting board, chop things, etc.

Loved the pictures you shared!!!!

thanks for the note on the mandolin, I've been wanting one for a long time, but didn't know which would be a good one. Your input sold me, thanks! oh, plus I'm getting one of those peelers, I'm tired of my side handle peeler that always clogs up.

Totally agree on all the tools. The only two I would add, are an instant read thermometer and my beloved WMF spatulas - each 9 dollars 👌

Aside from the pizza peel, I have all these items! I'd include deli containers, masking tape and marker for labeling, and a small citrus juicer that also measures the juice. Since I use a lot of tofu, I also find a tofu press to be invaluable.

Thanks Brian, awesome video! 😄

Bench scraper is indispensable, use it for transferring vegetables. mini spatulas, and mini whisks, use em all the time. Also steel ramekins - all the time, so useful for prep and for serving condiments

Thanks to this guy I learned how to make bread (ciabatta) and deep dish pizza! Thanks man!!! Could you make conchas (pan dulce) for your next video?

Another youtube cook i started following recently uses a scale fore everything and in my binge watching has never explained the reason in a video I've watched yet, so thanks for that! At first it seemed odd, but now seems way more logical.

I totally agree on the y shape peeler … I have one and it’s brilliant

The bench scraper has to be a contender for best bang for the buck. Whether it's dealing with doughs or picking up diced onions to sauté, it's an incredibly handy tool.

Why you don't have a million subs is crazy. One of the best informative cooking channels out there. Thanks!

Happy to watch another upload :)

Hey Bri. Great video. I really like the practical approach. Maybe there are some like me who can’t afford (or don’t have an appetite) no pun intended to spend big bucks on kitchen tools/gadgets. We’ve shied away from buying a mandolin 1) cost. 2) to large. Tomorrow an order goes in for the one you recommend/use along with the peeler. Thanks.

Funny thing is I got in one of my few arguments about peeling ginger at culinary school at Forest Park CC with a chef instructor. I think have eaten your food in STL at some point. I enjoy the videos keep up the good work.

I have both types of peelers made of solid metal and I love them both but use the regular one more as that's what I used growing up. My regular peeler is the Oneida brand and I absolutely love it and use it more often than the Y peeler, probably because I'm used to that kind of peeler growing up. I don't have a Vitamix, but do have a 900 watt NutriBullet (beautiful rose gold color) that is one of my most favorite kitchen tools, especially for making smoothies and small batch hummus. Most of my bigger kitchen gadgets are packed away and I don't want to bother getting them out and unboxing them so the smaller ones work well for my small kitchen.

Thanks. Always helpful

Your knife post got me looking for my Dexter Russell, forgot how much I enjoy it.

Agree on almost everything... Only dispute is Y-peeler, it's more uncomfortable for my wrist. A sleek, sharp Swiss "traditional" peeler is more comfortable for me, like whittling, and thus faster. Still about $12. Semi-related, I find wooden peels the best for building and launching pizzas. Thanks for the great video.

Sheet pans are up there with those stainless bowls in terms of high utility cheap tools. At least 2 each of the Nordic Ware half and quarter sheet size (with racks is ideal). Roasting, baking, serving platter, resting or storing partially prepped ingredients- these things are indestructible workhorses.

Love the lid!!! I use a plate for now so checking that out

First time viewer. I love the videos. Here’s an effective tip for yeast doughs. Place dough pan on a heating pad , set to low. It works.

love your videos Bri!!

A Flat Whisk is something I found and use it all the time. They work much better than a round whisk. It is something I can't do without. i have 2--a small one and then a larger one. To me they are a necessity. Another think I like is a Danish dough hook. it is mainly for making bread. It is also great for doughs like muffins or cakes--so you don't have to pull out your stand mixer. I agree with the people that mentioned a bench scrapper. One other thing is my Oxo multi timer with a key pad. It is much easier to use than having to hold down a button for a long time.

The OXO good grips side peeler is nice and sharp, makes things easy to peel. I'd recommend that one, it's pretty cheap too.

Have 'em all, love 'em all. Great list

I have been using Y peeler made by Amana for I don't know how long. I cannot begin to think about how many pounds of potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers I have peeled with it, it is the best. You are so right about the hair.

I agree an evaluation of thermometers would be worthwhile. The IR types I find useful for quick surface temp applications. But cable and probe types are useful too. I use a cream separator when making cream products. You have to heat the milk to slightly over 100°F. I use a cable-probe type get me to that temp, and then and IR type to monitor the cream and skim milk outlets. What I wish a thermometer had were high and low temperature alarms. That would be a huge help when you have dual Temps you need to know you are crossing.

+1 to that exact mandolin. Had mine for 8 years and use it nearly daily.

personable, and a good cook and teacher

Thanks for the presents, Brian. I had previously sent my mom a few of your other videos, and it sems she went digging a bit more: my parents sent me all of the stuff here.

Your bread knife you suggested months ago....I purchased and wow GREAT KNIFE

I started using a scale while dieting, and in my baking I have never looked back. Recipes by weight are AMAZING, and I've started to get annoyed with cookbooks and websites that don't offer their units in weight. I have a smart speaker in my kitchen too which helps for quick conversions. FWIW, I just replaced my kitchen scale with an OXO 11lbs digital. It was *not* inexpensive ($52, IIRC), but it's accurate, has a backlit display, and good turn-off time. There are plenty of inexpensive scales out there that do the job well.

I second you very very very strongly on that peeler. Man it's just sooo much better than anything i've used