be this French onion soup Or Shortbread CookiesOur recipes go through multiple rounds of testing before they reach your hands. Every day, Serious Eats editors are in the test kitchen measuring, chopping, and whisking, and they can’t do it without 11 essential tools. From spider strainers To bench scrapersThese tools streamline kitchen workflows as they perfect hundreds of recipes every month.
Editor-favorite Test Kitchen essentials at a glance
Oxo Good Grips 12-Inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs
Amazon
Metal Kitchen Must be mine. They don’t need to be fancy, but they do need to hold tight. I use them for turning meats, vegetables and tofu slabs during roasting, or for fishing hot foods out of the broiler. I’ve also been known to use my tongs to grab things from high shelves when I don’t feel like taking out the step stool. I got mine at a restaurant supply store in Chinatown, New York, but they look a lot like this Oxo pair. , Megan O. steintraggerassociate editorial director
Serious Eats / Ashley Redger
Hyware Solid Stainless Steel Spider Strainer Skimmer
Amazon
A spider skimmer An indispensable kitchen tool. It’s great for transferring blanched vegetables to an ice bath or fishing fried food out of hot oil. But what I use most is transferring the pasta straight from the pot of water to the pot of water to finish cooking. , Megan
Serious Eats / Grace Kelly
Oxo Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Scale
Amazon
I’ll be honest: I wouldn’t be able to test kitchen gear without scaleJust today, I used mine to weigh potatoes for the potato masher test. I also weigh almost every item, because I know how big something is. This scale from Oxo is my go-to: It can handle up to 11 pounds of weight and features a pull-out screen, in case a large bowl blocks the view. , Grace KellyEditor
Serious Eats / Ashley Redger
Escali Primo Digital Food Scale
Amazon
my escali numerical value It’s my ride or die. It is lightweight, accurate, and can weigh in ounces, pounds, and grams. , Genevieve Yamculinary editor
Misono UX10 Chef’s Knife
Amazon
Just kidding! my misono chef’s knife Mine is real-or-die. It has a tempered carbon steel blade that stays sharp and is just a great knife. , Genevieve
Serious Eats / Nick Simpson
Oxo Good Grips Bench Scraper
Amazon
No matter what recipe I’m developing, I’ll always have a scale, a good one. cutting boardand a bench knife To easily transfer ingredients to and from the cutting board. This Oxo that I use is one of our tested favorites. mixing bowlsgood knives, Y-Peelers, thermometer (check and instant-read), and kitchen are often necessary. , Daniel Gritzereditorial director
Serious Eats / Eric King
O-Cedar Scrub Non-Scratch Scrub Sponge, 6-Pack
Amazon
I’m writing a cookbook (!), and if there’s one thing I can tell you about recipe testing, it’s that you’ll have to clean a lot of dishes. Even with a dishwasher, I’m sitting at the sink at the end of every day. in dishwashing sponge The absolute best are – they’re scrubby but nonabrasive, and they’re cheap! , Rochelle BillowEditor
Serious Eats / Rochelle Billow
zero japan salt box
Amazon
Proper seasoning is key to a delicious recipe, so I make sure my salt is always close at hand. (In truth, I even travel with a tin of emergency flaky salt.) But for daily cooking, I use a salt cellarIt has a large capacity and has a hinged lid to keep it free of mysterious kitchen debris. , Rochelle
Serious Eats / Grace Kelly
Le Creuset Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons, Set of 5
Amazon
Whenever I’m making a recipe, I try to be as precise as possible. While this may mean breaking out the kitchen scale, I also turn to a good set of measuring spoonsBelieve it or not, not all measuring spoons are the same. My favorite from Le Creuset is super precise and I love that the set comes with 1/8 of a teaspoon. The numbers are also stamped, so they won’t fade over time. , Ridley Zamperlin-Shirmassociate editorial director
Serious Eats / Eric King
Hedley & Bennett Smock apron
Amazon
In the interest of preserving my clothes, I try to wear an apron When I’m in the kitchen. This smock is my favorite. It’s easy to take on and off and never rubs or itches. It’s perfect for long stretches in the kitchen. , Ridley
Serious Eats / Ridley Zamperlin-Scheme
Lane Kitchen Cotton Dish Towel, 6-Pack
Amazon
If I’m testing a recipe, there will be a lot of splashing and spillage. Thankfully, my trusty kitchen towels come to the rescue every time there are messes of all shapes and sizes. While our favorite dish towels While out of stock, these are only $10 for a pack of six. The cotton material and fine weave make them super absorbent and durable. , a uongAuthor
Serious Eats / Henry Wortock
why we are experts
- a uong There is a writer for serious eating.
- Has been testing kitchen gear for Serious Eats for two years.
- She is also a recipe developer, working on a recipe series of weeknight Vietnamese food.