Every time I see a meat tenderizer, I think of my mother. Specifically of the way in which she, as someone wary of emotional vulnerability yet full of affection—a classic Boomer combination—decided to make Austrian pork schnitzel her love language and the meat tenderizer her translator. In hindsight, that steel hammer was one of the best, most essential cooking tools in our home; it was also a beginner-friendly tool for me, a Montessori kid used to playing with saws at recess and expressing my feelings via dried bean art.

That tenderizer has become a staple of my kitchen ecosystem today. But one person’s tenderizer is another’s hand-me-down whisk, Japanese chef’s knife, or grill press. So what do other people consider their ride-or-die cooking tools? What are the baseline peelers, knives, and spatulas that are in constant rotation, the tools that make you feel like a culinary John Wick? I decided to ask not just chefs, but chefs with culinary school teaching experience—those equipped with endless patience and a deep knowledge of novice-level skillsets—about what they consider to be the best beginner cooking tools.

In addition to a few of my own cooking essentials, I picked the brains of four teachers with experience in a variety of programs, from Hot Bread Kitchen, a New York City nonprofit that helps immigrants break into the food industry, to the legendary Institute of Culinary Education, all in the hopes of answering the inherently relative question of what constitutes an essential cooking tool for beginners.

Whether or not your new kitchen workhorse is destined to become an heirloom, some foundational considerations apply to the search. Experts recommend looking for versatile tools that serve more than one purpose, carefully reading product reviews before purchasing, and avoiding overspending on simple items like tongs. And if you are fortunate enough to have a family member with a reliable, well-maintained knife, turning to them for advice can be a great starting point.

The Best Beginner Cooking Tools, According to Hot Bread Kitchen Culinary Teachers

Hot Bread Kitchen is a New York City-based culinary institute whose goal is to uplift women, gender-expansive people, immigrants, and people of color by helping them launch their careers in the food industry through intensive culinary training. Culinary instructors Kandy Williams and Charlene Johnson are two of the organization’s many acclaimed teachers, and they offered valuable perspective on the best beginner cooking tools.

A Great Spatula

Spatulas are often one of the first tools introduced to students to learn to use when cooking because they are safe and easy to handle, notes Williams, who describes the utensil as an all-in-one instrument perfect for flipping, stirring, and scraping every bit of batter from a bowl.

Williams explains that she loves to use a silicone spatula to gently fold delicate ingredients like egg whites into batter. As a baker, this is one of her favorite tools in the kitchen, deployed regularly when preparing buttercreams, cakes, and alfajores, a technique that helps keep mixtures light and fluffy.

Johnson echoes the tool’s utility not only for whipping up meals, but also for allowing home cooks to store leftovers and ingredients efficiently. She points out that a good spatula allows you to get every bit of food from containers and move it to where it needs to go.

A Workhorse Vegetable Peeler

At home, Williams relies on a high-quality peeler to prep everything from mashed potatoes to traditional Peruvian dishes with her children, noting that it makes prep work much faster for students and more efficient for instructors. She demonstrates how to use a peeler safely by moving the blade away from the body and using short, controlled strokes for potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash, which also helps introduce novice cooks to different textures.

Johnson also swears by the power of the classic peeler, noting its efficiency and precision beyond just vegetables. She suggests experimenting with chocolate, cheese, or citrus, and highlights the practical purpose of the small protruding circle on the side of the peeler, which is designed to easily remove potato eyes.

A Solid Paring Knife

As Williams explains, a paring knife is small and versatile, making it ideal for tasks that require precision, such as peeling, trimming, or slicing small fruits and vegetables. She introduces the tool to beginner students for delicate tasks like cutting strawberries, scoring tomatoes, or trimming herbs, helping them build essential knife skills safely. In classes, students use a paring knife to practice classic techniques, discovering firsthand why the paring knife is often called an extension of the hand due to its exceptional maneuverability.

An Offset Serrated Knife

Johnson highlights the importance of a serrated knife for cutting bread, slicing tomatoes, and managing other ingredients with a tough exterior and soft interior. She notes that an offset handle provides crucial clearance, ensuring that the blade hits the cutting board before the user’s hand, delivering efficient and stellar results in the kitchen.

The Best Beginner Cooking Tools, According to Celine Beitchman of the Institute of Culinary Education

The Institute of Culinary Education was founded in 1975 and is ranked as a leading culinary school in the United States, with campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. Celine Beitchman, director of nutrition, shares that she has spent about a decade teaching health-promoting culinary arts after building a 20-year career working in prep kitchens, restaurants, catering, and as a private chef, initially at the Natural Gourmet Institute and now within ICE’s Plant-Based Culinary Arts program.

A Big, Sharp Chef’s Knife

For those uncertain where to begin with their knife collection, Beitchman recommends starting with an 8- to 10-inch chef’s knife. She emphasizes that it is vital for handling most essential vegetable cuts and for slicing everything from cheese to cake. Because a good knife will last for years, she advises investing in one that feels comfortable to use and is neither too long nor too heavy for the individual.

Spring-Loaded Tongs

Spring-loaded tongs with metal or rubber-coated tips offer significant versatility in the kitchen, according to Beitchman, who notes they can be used to toss salads in dressings or season vegetables before they go into the oven. Early in her career, she found tongs to act almost as an extension of her hand, allowing her to reach further across the stove with ease.

A Bench Scraper

Finally, Beitchman stands by the utility of the bench scraper. She describes these tools as amazingly versatile, noting they can be used to move and lift food off cutting boards and trays, scrape excess flour, shape loaves of bread before baking, and perform numerous other kitchen tasks efficiently.

The Best Beginner Cooking Tools, According to Chef Vanessa Seder

Vanessa Seder has built a diverse career as a chef, food stylist, cookbook author, and associate food editor at Ladies’ Home Journal, alongside years of teaching at the Stonewall Kitchen Headquarters in York, Maine. While she shares an appreciation for sharp chef’s knives and varied spatulas, Seder also recommends several less-obvious additions for the home kitchen.

A High-Quality Wood Cutting Board

A quality cutting board is a frequently overlooked element when outfitting a kitchen with beginner equipment. Seder recommends sturdy butcher blocks, noting that a thick, solid wood board provides a stable surface for rolling out dough or preparing pasta. Additionally, the added height prevents slouching during long prep sessions, and the aesthetic appeal allows the board to double as a serving platter when hosting guests.

A Whetstone for Sharpening Knives

Maintaining kitchen knives is critical, as Seder points out that learning to sharpen blades saves time and money while improving safety by preventing the slippage associated with dull knives. Because professional sharpening services can become costly, investing in a whetstone serves as a practical long-term solution for maintaining edge precision at home.

A Fish Seder-Approved Fish Spatula

Seder notes that her culinary school fish spatula remains a trusty and enduring tool. A slotted, flexible metal spatula is useful for far more than just fish; its angled design and slotted surface allow delicate foods to be flipped or transferred easily while letting excess oils drain away, making everyday cooking tasks more manageable and enjoyable.