I cook most days, and these are the kitchen tools I keep coming back to – not the ones that look good in cupboards, but the ones that actually get used.
There are kitchen tools that look good in cupboards… and then there are the ones you reach for again and again. The ones that quietly make cooking easier, quicker, and a lot more enjoyable.
I’m not a fan of clutter-for-the-sake-of-it, so everything I’m sharing here has earned its place in my kitchen through real use. These are the pieces I’d happily buy again tomorrow if they disappeared – and the ones I end up recommending to friends without even thinking.
A good chef’s knife (nothing fancy, just reliable)
This is the one tool I’d never compromise on. A decent chef’s knife makes everything easier – prep is quicker, cleaner, and far less annoying.
It doesn’t need to be expensive or intimidating, just comfortable in your hand and sharp enough to do the job properly. Once you’ve got one you trust, you’ll notice you stop reaching for anything else.
A solid non-stick pan that behaves itself
You know when a pan claims to be non-stick and then… isn’t? This is the opposite of that.
A good non-stick pan is something I use constantly – eggs, fish, quick lunches, low-effort dinners. It heats evenly, cleans easily, and doesn’t require wrestling at the sink afterwards.
If a pan makes cooking feel like hard work, it’s not worth keeping.
A wooden chopping board that lives on the counter
This might sound boring, but a good chopping board changes how often you cook. I leave mine out permanently because it’s part of the rhythm of the kitchen – chopping herbs, slicing bread, prepping veg.
Wooden boards are kinder to knives, look better out on display, and feel nicer to use than plastic ones sliding around.
One small sharp knife you reach for constantly
Alongside a chef’s knife, a small sharp knife is one of those unsung heroes. Peeling, trimming, slicing lemons, opening packets – it’s the one I grab without thinking.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s wildly useful.
A microplane (once you have one, you’ll get it)
This is one of those tools people don’t realise they need until they have it.
Zesting citrus, grating garlic or ginger, finishing a dish with parmesan – it’s quick, clean, and oddly satisfying to use. Mine gets used weekly, sometimes daily.
Why I’m picky about what stays in my kitchen
I don’t believe in buying things just because they’re trending or look good online. If it doesn’t make cooking easier or more enjoyable, it doesn’t stay.
Everything here earns its place by being genuinely useful – not perfect, not flashy, just reliable. And that’s what I’ll always aim to share on Jodie Recommends.