Kitchen Equipment Guide
The right tool, understood.
How each tool works, materials compared, what to look for when you buy — no brands or prices, just the specs that matter — plus care, safety and the techniques it’s for.
Utensils & kitchen tools
- Bench scraperA rigid rectangular metal blade with a handle for cutting dough, scooping chopped food and cleaning the counter.
- Bread knifeA long knife with a serrated edge that saws through crusty bread, cakes and tomatoes without crushing them.
- Bread lameA handle holding a razor blade for slashing the surface of bread dough just before baking.
- Chef's knifeA broad, all-purpose kitchen knife, usually 18–25 cm, for chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing.
- Chopping boardA flat board of wood or plastic that gives a safe, knife-friendly surface for cutting food.
- Citrus press / reamerA hand tool or small device for squeezing juice from lemons, limes and oranges.
- Cocktail shakerA sealed metal container for shaking drinks with ice to chill, dilute and mix them.
- ColanderA large bowl with holes and a stable base for draining pasta, vegetables and washing produce.
- Dough scraperA flexible plastic scraper with a curved edge for scraping bowls clean and handling soft, sticky dough.
- Food thermometerA probe or dial that measures the temperature of food, oil, sugar or the oven for accurate cooking.
- French press / cafetièreA glass or steel jug with a mesh plunger that steeps coffee in hot water, then presses the grounds down.
- Garlic pressA hinged tool that crushes peeled or unpeeled garlic cloves through small holes into a fine pulp.
- GraterA metal surface punched with sharp-edged holes for shredding cheese, vegetables and citrus zest.
- Kitchen scaleA digital or mechanical scale for weighing ingredients precisely, essential for consistent baking.
- Kitchen scissorsSturdy scissors for snipping herbs, trimming meat and fish, cutting poultry and opening packets.
- LadleA deep bowl on a long handle for scooping and serving soups, stocks, sauces and batters.
- Measuring cupsA nested set of cups in fixed volumes for measuring dry and liquid ingredients by volume.
- Measuring jugA clear jug marked with volume lines and a pouring spout for measuring liquids.
- Measuring spoonsA set of spoons in standard sizes for measuring small amounts of spices, raising agents and liquids.
- Microplane / fine rasp graterA long, narrow rasp grater with tiny razor-sharp teeth for zest, hard cheese, garlic, ginger and nutmeg.
- Mixing bowlA wide, deep bowl in metal, glass or ceramic for mixing, whisking, marinating and proving dough.
- Mortar and pestleA heavy bowl and club-shaped tool for crushing and grinding spices, garlic, herbs and pastes by hand.
- MuddlerA stout stick for pressing fruit, herbs and sugar in a glass to release juice and aroma.
- Paring knifeA small, short-bladed knife for peeling, trimming and detailed cutting in the hand.
- Pastry brushA small brush for coating pastry with egg wash, glazing breads, buttering tins and basting.
- Piping bagA cone-shaped bag fitted with a nozzle for piping icing, cream, meringue, choux and dough in neat shapes.
- Proofing basket (banneton)A round or oval basket, often of cane, that supports shaped bread dough during its final rise.
- Rolling pinA smooth cylinder rolled over dough and pastry to flatten it to an even thickness.
- Salad spinnerA bowl with an inner basket that spins to fling water off washed salad leaves and herbs.
- Sieve / strainerA fine wire-mesh bowl with a handle for straining liquids, sifting flour and pressing purées smooth.
- SkewersLong thin sticks of metal or bamboo threaded through food so it can be grilled or roasted in pieces.
- Slotted spoonA large spoon with holes or slots that lifts food out of liquid or oil and lets it drain.
- SpatulaA flat or flexible blade on a handle for turning, lifting, spreading or scraping food.
- Tea infuser / strainerA small mesh basket, ball or strainer that holds loose tea leaves in hot water and lifts out cleanly.
- TeapotA lidded pot with a spout and handle for brewing loose-leaf tea or tea bags and serving it.
- TongsA sprung, hinged pair of arms for gripping, turning and lifting hot food.
- Vegetable peelerA handheld tool with a slotted blade that removes thin strips of skin from fruit and vegetables.
- WhiskA balloon whisk: a handle with loops of wire forming a bulb, for beating air into eggs and cream and smoothing sauces.
- Wooden spoonA long-handled spoon of wood for stirring sauces, stews and doughs without scratching pans.
Cookware & bakeware
- Æbleskiver panA heavy stovetop pan with seven or so round hollows for cooking Danish æbleskiver into small, fluffy spheres.
- Baking dishA deep, ovenproof dish of glass, ceramic or metal for gratins, lasagne, crumbles and casseroles.
- Baking steelA thick sheet of solid steel that holds intense heat to bake pizza and bread with a very crisp base.
- Baking stone / pizza stoneA thick slab of stone or ceramic that stores oven heat to bake crisp-based pizza and bread.
- Baking tray / sheetA flat metal sheet, with or without a low rim, for baking cookies, roasting vegetables and holding other dishes.
- Bundt panA deep ring-shaped cake tin with fluted sides and a central tube, for decorative ring cakes.
- Cake tinA round, square or loaf-shaped metal tin for baking cakes; the general catalogue term for cake and loaf tins.
- Cast-iron skilletA heavy, thick frying pan of cast iron that holds intense heat and goes from hob to oven.
- Cezve / ibrikA small long-handled pot for brewing very fine coffee in water on the hob, as in Turkish coffee.
- Cooling rackA raised wire grid that lets air flow under baked goods so they cool without going soggy.
- Double boiler / bain-marieA pan and bowl set over simmering water to melt chocolate and cook custards with gentle, indirect heat.
- Dutch oven / casserole potA heavy lidded pot, often cast iron, that goes from hob to oven for braises, stews and bread.
- Egg waffle panA hinged pair of plates with a honeycomb of round hollows, used on the hob to make Hong Kong egg waffles (gai daan jai).
- Frying pan / skilletA wide, shallow pan with sloping sides and a long handle for frying, searing and sautéing on the hob.
- Griddle / tawaA flat cooking surface, such as a tawa or griddle plate, for flatbreads, pancakes and dry-roasting.
- Grill / barbecueAn outdoor barbecue that cooks food on a metal grate over charcoal, gas or wood fire.
- Grill panA stovetop pan with raised ridges that sears dark grill marks and lets fat drain away.
- Loaf tinA deep, narrow rectangular tin for baking sandwich loaves, banana bread and pound cakes.
- Madeleine trayA baking tray with rows of shallow, scallop-shell moulds for French madeleines.
- Moka potA stovetop pot that forces hot water up through ground coffee using steam pressure, making strong coffee.
- Muffin tinA tray with a grid of round cups for baking muffins, cupcakes, mini quiches and Yorkshire puddings.
- Pie dishA round, shallow dish with sloping sides and a wide rim for baking sweet and savoury pies.
- Poffertjes panA flat pan or plate with many shallow round dimples for cooking Dutch poffertjes, small puffy yeasted pancakes.
- Roasting panA large, deep, sturdy metal pan for roasting joints of meat, poultry and vegetables in the oven.
- SaucepanA deep, straight-sided pan with a long handle and a lid for boiling, simmering and making sauces.
- Springform panA round cake tin whose side unclips from the base, so cheesecakes and delicate cakes come out intact.
- SteamerA perforated basket or tiered set that holds food above boiling water so it cooks in steam.
- Stockpot / large potA large, tall pot with two side handles and a lid, for stocks, soups, pasta and big batches.
- TandoorA tall, cylindrical clay oven heated by charcoal or wood, used for naan and tandoori meats.
- Tart tinA shallow tin with straight, fluted sides and a loose base, for tarts and quiches that are turned out to serve.
- WokA deep, round-bottomed or flat-based pan with flared sides, used for stir-frying, steaming and deep-frying.
Kitchen equipment
- Air fryerA compact countertop fan oven that blasts hot air around food in a basket to crisp it with little oil.
- BlenderA tall jug with spinning blades at the bottom that turns liquids and soft foods into smooth purées and drinks.
- Bread machineA countertop appliance that mixes, kneads, proves and bakes a loaf in its own tin on an automatic programme.
- Coffee / spice grinderA small grinder that turns coffee beans or whole spices into powder, with blades or burrs.
- Espresso machineA machine that forces hot water through finely ground, packed coffee under high pressure to make espresso.
- Filter coffee makerAn electric drip machine that heats water and drips it through ground coffee in a paper or mesh filter into a jug.
- Food processorA motorised wide bowl with interchangeable blades and discs for chopping, slicing, grating and mixing doughs.
- Hand (stick) blenderA handheld wand with blades at the tip that blends soups and sauces directly in the pot or jug.
- Hand mixerA handheld electric mixer with twin beaters for whipping cream, creaming butter and mixing batters in any bowl.
- Home carbonation machineA countertop machine that injects carbon dioxide from a gas cylinder into water to make sparkling water.
- JuicerAn appliance that separates juice from the pulp of fruit and vegetables, leaving fibre behind.
- KettleA vessel with a spout for boiling water quickly, either electric or heated on the hob.
- MicrowaveA countertop appliance that heats food quickly by making the water inside it vibrate with microwaves.
- Milk frotherA small device that whips air into milk to make foam for cappuccinos, lattes and hot chocolate.
- OvenAn enclosed, heated box for baking, roasting and grilling with surrounding dry heat.
- Pressure cookerA sealed pot that traps steam to raise the boiling point, cooking beans, rice and stews much faster.
- Rice cookerAn electric pot that cooks rice automatically and switches to keep-warm when the water is absorbed.
- Slow cookerAn electric pot that cooks food at low, steady heat for hours, ideal for unattended stews and braises.
- Stand mixerA powerful electric mixer with a tilting head and bowl; this catalogue record covers stand or hand mixers generally.
- Waffle ironA hinged pair of hot, grid-patterned plates that cooks batter or dough into crisp waffles.
Storage & food preparation
- Airtight containerA lidded box with a seal that keeps food fresh, dry and protected in the fridge, freezer or pantry.
- Fermentation jar / crockA heavy ceramic crock or glass jar with weights and an airlock for fermenting vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi.
- Glass jar with lidA glass jar with a screw or clip lid for storing, pickling, preserving and shaking dressings.
- Spice jarA small sealed jar or tin for keeping whole and ground spices fresh and organised.