Throughout the years my sister and I have definitely racked up a bunch of favorite, go-to brands and items for the kitchen. Here we'd love to share our favorite kitchen tools with you!
❤️ Julie & Marcie ❤️
Note: We are not brand ambassadors for any of the recommended products. We just think these products are awesome 🙂 Plate in 28 is, however, an Amazon Associate and presents Amazon affiliated links.
1. Kids' Kitchen Tools
This is a category we are very invested in, of course!
Kids' Knives:
I will say that, in general, I'm not a fan of buying lots of speciality kids' kitchen items. I think kids need to learn to use what's already in the kitchen. But one exception is kitchen knives/sharp things. When it comes to blades, kids need to have something safe for them to use that fit their hands.
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We really believe in the power of kids having their own kitchen knives. A huge part of cooking is prep, and the majority of prep (especially when it comes to veggies) involves cutting, slicing and peeling. These knives are all great for small hands and great as learning tools. For more in-depth analysis of these 4 knives, check out our blog post, Testing Kids Kitchen Knives. Pictured above are our favorite 4 brands:
- Curious Chef Kids Cookware
- Opinel Le Petit Chef
- Kuhn Rikon KinderKitchen
- Beginner's Chef Knife by Made for Me
If any of the products are currently unavailable on Amazon, you can poke around for part of the set, i.e. sometimes the full Opinel Le Petit Chef set isn't available, but you can order the Opinel le Petit Chef Peeler.
Little Cutting Boards:
I love these Core cutting boards! Even though they are not technically made for kids, they are the perfect size for little ones (a little smaller than a standard sheet of paper). It's also nice for adults that they don't take up a lot of space. The grippies on the back actually work, the fact of which is so important when you have little kids cutting. One slip could mean a cut, ya know? They come in a pack of four, which is great for siblings or having friends over. And they come in different, vibrant colors. I think the intention is to use them for different food groups (i.e. one for veggies, one for meat, etc.). The boards are dishwasher safe and are so lightweight that your kids can easily carry them around.
Mini Utensils:
This mini utensil set by Core is perfect. These Core utensils are super colorful, modern-styled, BPA free, non-scratch, have bamboo handles and have heat-resistant silicone heads. I love how small they are, even though they're not made for kids. They can get into small jars and do smaller jobs, which not many kitchen tools can. They also take up very little drawer or counter space.
IKEA Rainbow Flatware:
We've had these in the house since the kids were old enough to hold a spoon! This IKEA Kalas flatware set is perfect for kids. Colorful, BPA free, dishwasher safe, easy to hold, and hella cheap.
2. Safe, Non-Toxic Cookware
Pots and pans can be a very personal thing. Some people prefer non-stick, for easy cooking and even easier cleaning. Others swear by cast iron, and really believe in the flavor-effects of seasoning their wares. Of course, lots of people just use what they can get their hands on or what is most affordable. And (I'd say this is what I come across the most) lots of people like to have a hodgepodge of different options in their kitchen. My sister and I have such a random, wide-ranging collection of pots/pans that it's hard to make specific recommendations. That's why we turn to our new friend, Beatriz Garcia.
Beatriz Garcia from Clan Kitchen, is a fantastic blogger whose site is an incredible resource for safe and effective kitchen tools. We particularly appreciate her take on safe and non-toxic cookware, which is especially important when you're cooking for kids. This infographic (that accompanies the cookware article) is a very helpful reference!
Garcia's Guides to Safe Cookware are so well-researched that you won't need any more info. She provides detailed recommendations for everything from non-Teflon, non-stick pans to the best oven-safe cookware. Check out Clan Kitchen!
3. Measuring & Mixing
I can't recommend enough having a ton of different sized bowls in your kitchen. I've gathered a weird collection of bowls: from the set of glass IKEA mixing bowls an old friend gave me when he was moving (like 20 years ago!), to the tiny, condiment bowls I accidentally stole from a restaurant when wrapping up my leftovers. Oops. I'm sure you have similar types of things, with stories....unless you like to have all matching sets. And I'm definitely not knocking that. I just can't seem to keep things that neat. Lol!
Both of the sets of bowls I recommend are nesting sets. And I've found that there is one unintended and cool side effect of having nesting kitchen tools in the kitchen. Kids love them. Really little ones like to play with them, and that sort of play enhances spatial awareness. For slightly older ones, while they play you can explain the different cup measurements and how they add up (yay fractions!) Might as well get a little math lesson in, and this is a really natural, life-skillsy way to do so. Because of the fantastic nesting nature of this set, you can just grab the whole thing as one from the cabinet, rather than sifting around and unstacking multiple bowl piles to get to find something.
If you need to boost your collection, or need to know where to start, here are some staples I'd like to suggest:
Vremi Mixing Bowls:
This Vremi nesting bowl set really checks all the boxes for me:
☑️ BPA free
☑️ Dishwasher safe
☑️ Rubber handles and bottoms for no-slip
☑️ Pour spouts on side
These are the type of bowls you can use for just about anything. Popcorn, mixing batter, salad. My daughter even uses them to organize her beads and little gems. Haha. Big fan.
Joseph Joseph Nesting Set:
This nesting set had more to it than I realized initially. It contains 2 mixing bowls, a stainless steel sieve strainer, colander, 4 measuring cups, and a dual t/T measuring spoon. All of these 9 pieces nest together in lovely rainbow perfection! 😀 The whole set is BPA-free and dishwasher safe (except the metal sieve). And the set is super light weight.
The mixing bowls have grippy bottoms, which makes it so much easier for kids to use. The measuring cups all have little hollowed out handles, which I've found, are great for little hands to carry around. And the small mixing bowl has a little lip (a bonus for sure!).
Pyrex Measuring Cups:
Pyrex is a classic for a reason. Every kitchen has to have one or two Pyrex measuring cups. If you haven't used these before, they are measuring cups with a pouring spout on side and an easy-to-hold handle. They measure in ounces, cups and milliliters...so, you use measure within any system you prefer. The best kitchen tools!
Through hand-me-downs and purchases over the years, I've collected three and I think it's the perfect amount. I have a 1-cup, 2-cup, and a 4-cup Pyrex. Well, technically one is an old Fire King, as you can see above. I use these not only for measuring liquids, but also whisking eggs, pouring water into things, making salad dressing, etc. And I use them constantly!
4. Food Storage
Glass Containers:
When I moved into my new house last year I decided to scrap all my random, mismatched 'tupperware,' and bought a nice set of glass containers with plastic lids: Pyrex Snapware. 
This was the best decision! There's something so amazing about having a matching set...and one wherein every piece has a lid! This is the set I would suggest. At the time, I got these on super sale at Costco, but they are also available on Amazon. Other pluses about the set: plastic lids are BPA free, glass containers keep food fresher and safer than plastic, and they don't leak!
I did think I was soooo clever and organized, but if you'd look at my pantry now, you'd see that I've since amassed a collection of to-go containers, random 'tupperware' found in boxes, etc. and it's not just my fancy new set anymore. Lol!
Glass Jars:
I'm also a huge fan of glass jars. We use these for just about every loose, dry ingredient that gets unwieldy after you open its bag. i.e. dried beans, sugar, flour, rice, nuts, etc. But you can also use these for wet ingredients, i.e. pickles, olives, jams, etc. My boyfriend and I have amassed a large, random collection of glass jars (many of which are family hand-me-downs). But were I to buy more, I would totally go with these ComSaf Airtight Glass Canisters. You can find them in a bunch of other sizes too. What I like most is that they hold their shape (unlike plastic), are easy to clean, and are airtight. And as far as kitchen tools go, they are pretty! You can display them in the kitchen, which is also a space-saving perk.
There seems to be a new trend in lifestyle/home organization blogs: lazy susans! I was a little skeptical at first, but honestly, it's been the most incredible suggestion for food storage. Seriously useful kitchen tools. I have a bunch of iDesign lazy susans and a few double-decker mDesign's lazy susans. I have four of the single lazy susans in the pantry for canned/jarred goods and one in the fridge for condiments. It's the greatest device because you can turn it around to see all the items...unlike stacked, jumbled rows of food that you can't see. You can also stack cans on these and still be able to see everything. Here is how I use the lazy susans in my own pantry. The possibilities and different usages are endless though.
Thanks for reading! We will update this blog post as we test out new products. If you have any favorite kitchen tools, let us know! Drop us an email at info@platein28.com. Cheers!
Note: We are not brand ambassadors for any of the recommended products. We just think these products are awesome 🙂 Plate in 28 is, however, an Amazon Associate and presents Amazon affiliated links.
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