Kitchen Utensils Buying Guide
Cooking an omelette? Preparing Grandma's secret sauce? Or maybe grilling the perfect burger? Whatever you like to do in the kitchen it's important to have the utensils 
that will get the job done right! Then again, it never fails that when you have to look for the utensils, you can never seem to remember what happened to the pasta fork.
Strike the perfect balance in your kitchen by getting the right tools for your needs. This guide will walk you through all the aspects of setting up the ideal kitchen utensil stock, whether you need to pare down or expand your collection. Of course, don't forget the utensil sets, perfect for first time chefs who are just starting to build their kitchens. You might also want a set of utensil hooks or a good utensil caddy to keep everything organized. This guide has it all!
Materials
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Stainless Steel
Pros - Stainless steel is elegant, modern, and sturdy.
- It will not retain bacteria and is easy to clean.
Cons - Steel is an excellent conductor of heat; use caution and/or buy insulated instruments with rubberized handles.
- Steel can scratch the non-stick surface of pans.
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Wood
Pros - Always a classic, and some cooks swear by the sturdy, lightweight feel of wood.
- Only steel is as non-bendy, but wood will not harm your non-stick pans.
Cons - Wood can break, and splinters can be dangerous.
- If not cleaned thoroughly, can harbor bacteria.
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Nylon
Pros - Nylon is lightweight, unbreakable, slightly bendy.
- Won't scratch non-stick surfaces.
Cons - Can melt at high temperatures.
- Can feel too light or flimsy compared to a wood or steel tool.
- Bendiness can be a drawback; may not be as good for stirfries as a wooden tool.
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Plastic
Pros - Plastic is inexpensive, easy to clean, firm.
- Won't scratch non-stick surfaces.
Cons - Can melt at high temperatures.
- Can feel too light or flimsy compared to a wood or steel tool.
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Silicone - Silicone is primarily used in some kinds of spatulas and as insulation on the handles of some utensils.
- Silicone is an excellent insulator and is highly heat resistant, plus it has a pleasant texture and is very comfortable to grip.
- It is, however, very bendy therefore not good for serving tasks.
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Utensils
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Cooking Spoons - Cooking spoons come in a variety of different sizes. The small ones are ideal for stirring sauces, while the longer ones are ideal for stirring a deep pot of pasta.
- Since wood is a poor conductor of heat, wooden spoons are good to use for tasting. (Look for special tasting spoons too.)
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Slotted spoons - Two kinds - slotted (pictured) and perforated (small, round holes).
- Particularly good for fishing things out of boiling water, such as potatoes, dumplings, and eggs. (For ears of corn, you might prefer tongs.) Not useful for serving soup.
- Look for a comfortable grip and a slip-proof, heat-resistant handle.
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Mixing Spoon (aka Batter Spoon) - A wooden spoon with a hole or two in it is designed for mixing.
- Use it to mix up potato or pasta salad and to get lumps out of brownie or cake batter.
- Generally made of wood for strength.
- Keep in mind that some mixing spoons are carved to have "handedness" - if you have both lefties and righties in your kitchen, you might need more than one.
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Pasta Forks - Find one that's lightweight with a long handle to reduce the risk of burning yourself.
- Look for tines that are evenly spaced and not too close together, otherwise they might pinch off your spaghetti.
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Skimmers - Although not technically a serving utensil, skimmers frequently come in sets with other serving utensils.
- The coarseness of the mesh varies by what you need.
- For skimming froth from cooking soups and legumes, you'll need a finer mesh than you'd need to fish things out of boiling oil.
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Kitchen Utensil Sets
Starting a kitchen can be an arduous process. Simplify everything with a kitchen utensil set. You can spend as little as $20 for a set that comes complete with a caddy. There are even equally inexpensive sets that include utensils and knives. Do be careful when choosing these über-cheap sets as the quality is often not as good. If you are at all into cooking, skimping on utensils will just disappoint you. Investing in nicer products will prove to be a long-lasting investment that will serve you for years. This is especially true of knives -- read this guide here to learn more.
How to Choose
- Decide which products you need. There are the basics, and then there are the more random kitchen accessories that you sometimes forget about, which are still useful.
- Consider the material you want your utensils to be made out of and buy in accordance to what type of cookware you own. Plastic can melt, but steel can scratch. Wood is a happy medium in between the two, but often splinters after many uses and may harbor more bacteria. You may also want to try bamboo or silicone utensils.
- Are these for indoor or outdoor use? Barbecue sets need to be weatherproofed and more durable to withstand the heat and the elements.
- Do you want to store them in a caddy, holder, or hanging rack? What do you have space for in your kitchen and what would be most aesthetically pleasing?
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