The 16 kitchen tools you actually need

You probably already know that cooking at home can help you lose weight, but it can still feel like a chore. The right tools, however, can make it a happier, healthier, and easier experience. To help, we narrowed it down to the essentials. (No, you don’t need a special tool just to de-stem strawberries.) Whether you're setting up your first home, looking to update the ’90s-era kitchen gear you nabbed from your parents’ basement, or are just starting to cook on the regular, here are expert-approved finds to simplify healthy food prep.

Chef’s knife

While you can absolutely make do with inexpensive paring knives, a high-quality 8- to 10-inch chef’s knife is where you’ll want to spend a little more. The knife should be comfortable and slightly heavy, but not so heavy that you get tired from chopping veggies, says Sherry Rujikarn, head of recipe innovation at Weight Watchers and a WW coach. Sharpen it at least once a year to keep it cutting smoothly and safely.

Looking to jumpstart your collection? Big knife sets are a good idea in theory, but like one of those mega eyeshadow palettes, chances are you won’t use half of them. To save space and money, focus on smaller sets or buy your knives one at a time.

Cutting boards

Once you have a quality chef’s knife, it’s important to have a good surface to use it on. Rujikarn prefers wood (great for everything except raw chicken) or hard plastic that has a bit of nubby texture to it (this can also help keep your knives from getting too dull). The perfect size depends on your counter and sink space, but a good rule of thumb: Pick a board that has at least one or two inches of extra space when you lay your chef’s knife on it diagonally. And if it doesn't have rubber feet on the underside, use this culinary school trick: Place a damp paper towel under the cutting board to keep it anchored in place as you slice.

Measuring cups and spoons

Measuring tools are a kitchen must-have if you plan on following any recipe, and you’ll need a set of dry and liquid measuring cups. Why both? Because liquid measuring cups can’t be leveled, which means they aren’t accurate for dry ingredients, Rujikarn explains. And dry measuring cups don’t work for liquids because they can spill when you pick them up.

Kitchen shears

No, we aren’t suggesting you move your household scissors to the utensil drawer. Kitchen shears are designed to be much more heavy duty — they can even handle tough tasks like breaking down a chicken with ease. Rujikarn recommends reaching for them any time you want a little extra control, like trimming green beans, snipping broccoli florets, or cutting dough. The shears also come completely apart, so you can clean them better than regular scissors.

Food scale

A food scale is ultra helpful when you need precise measurements (baking is a science, after all) or if you want to get a better sense of portions and serving sizes. Newer digital versions are inexpensive, easy to use, and don’t take up much room.

Food processor

Want to outsource some dicing and chopping? A food processor is essentially your personal prep cook, making quick work of everything from chunky salsas to pasta-ready pesto, dips, chutneys, and all the salad fixings in between. Yes, you can hand-chop everything yourself, but with a few pulses of a food processor you can have it done in seconds.

Microplane

This is the only way to get zest off citrus, which adds no-Point flavor and brightness to baked goods, salad dressing, marinades, sauces, and more. Also use your microplane to grate ginger and garlic into a flavorful paste, or shred light-as-air parmesan over a pasta dish or salad.

Stainless steel sheet pans

Start with a few sheet pans in various sizes for maximum versatility, recommends Rujikarn. Using stainless steel isn’t just about the look — metal sheet pans (and other bakeware) with a darker finish can get hotter faster, she explains. While this might not seem like a problem if you’re trying to speed through dinner prep, it could impact recipe cooking times on things like these one-pan dinners or burn food quickly.

Wire racks for sheet pans

Veggies or meat sitting on a sheet pan can steam, especially if the temp isn’t set to a super-high roasting heat. Adding a wire rack to lift up the food you’re cooking is basically a DIY air fryer, because the hot air from the oven circulates all the way around, making the meat or veggies more browned and crispy.

Muffin pans

These aren’t just for making muffins — Rujikarn recommends them for batch-cooking healthy, high-protein, portable breakfasts like egg bites. She says the pans are also perfect for portioning foods that are higher in Points, like stuffing or mac 'n' cheese.

Meat thermometer

While fattier meats like pork roast and dark meat chicken have a wider margin for error between “cooked” and “dried out,” leaner proteins like white meat chicken, pork tenderloin, lean pork chops, lean burger patties, and meatballs made from low-fat meat have a smaller margin of error because there’s not a lot of fat. A digital meat thermometer helps you nail that small window, so your lean meat is safely cooked but not dry.

Nonstick skillets

Do you need a set of a dozen skillets ranging from doll-size portions to party paella? You sure don’t. You really only need three sizes: 8, 10, and 12 inches. The larger 12-inch skillet is best for making family meals, but if you’re short on space, you’ll get pretty far with the two smaller sizes, Rujikarn says.

Now, to the nonstick versus stainless steel debate. Here’s the deal: You’ll get better browning with regular uncoated pans, but for ease of use (and clean up), nonstick skillets are the better pick for everyday cooking. You also won’t have to use as much cooking oil, which can save Points. That said, if you’re an enthusiastic home chef looking for the perfect browned finish, Rujikarn says a 12-inch stainless steel skillet could be a good addition to your stash.

Cast iron skillet

It’s one of the most classic kitchen items for a reason: Cast iron skillets get hotter and hold onto heat much longer than regular stainless steel skillets, so you get great searing (almost like what you’d get with grilling), says Rujikarn. They’re also oven safe, so you can sear your meat on the stove, then pop the whole thing in the oven to finish cooking it through. And if you’re worried about it being high-maintenance, here’s a guide to caring for your cast iron.

Tongs

We’ll let you in on a secret: Tongs are better than spatulas to flip things. Tongs are more adept at gripping, so you have more control — like an extension of your fingers, but burn-proof. “If I’m cooking anything bigger than a dice, I use tongs,” Rujikarn says. Get a midsize set of silicone-tipped tongs to use with your nonstick skillets (they won’t scratch) and a regular stainless steel version to use when cooking with high heat.

Squeeze bottles

It’s easy enough to whip up your own salad dressing before dinner in a bowl or glass, but if you want to make a bigger batch to use throughout the week, a set of reusable bottles can be a game changer, Rujikarn says. Rujikarn also likes using squeeze bottles to save citrus juice. Whether you have half a lemon leftover from making lemon chicken or a lime that’s about to go bad, squeeze them into bottles and stash in the fridge.

Food storage containers

If you’re thinking about starting a meal prep routine or love making enough for leftovers, a good set of reusable storage containers is a must. Get a variety of sizes with leak-proof lids. As for materials, Rujikarn recommends glass to minimize microplastics getting into your food.

You don’t need to buy every gadget out there to have a well-stocked kitchen. Start with the basics — some good pans, knives, and measuring tools — then add on to it depending on the kinds of foods you like to cook (and eat!).