My kitchen is small, but my obsession with kitchen tools and equipment is definitely not. Over the years, I’ve purchased many different kitchen tools and equipment, and this is a list of my top 20 favorites that I can’t live without. Well, I guess I probably could, but I wouldn’t want to. =)

1. Vitamix

What I use– Vitamix 5300 ( in silver)

I never thought I could love a blender as much as I love my Vitamix. Of all the kitchen tools I have, this is my favorite. I’ve been dreaming about owning a Vitamix for years, and finally my husband totally killed it and bought me one for my birthday. These things are the Muhammad Ali of blenders. You can make juices, smoothies, almond milk, soups, nut and seed butters, different types of flours, pizza dough, dips, hummus, marinades, sauces, pestos, curries, ice creams, basically you name it. The Vitamix is a serious powerhouse and can handle anything you throw at it, literally. 

2. Kitchenaid Mixer

What I use-  Kitchen Mixer 5 qt. stand mixer- Aqua Sky

Does anyone else use their Kitchenaid mixer as the statement piece of the kitchen? Oh good, I’m not the only one. I am so in love with my Kitchenaid mixer, particularly the color, and it’s a running joke between my husband and I when picking out paint colors, to just get the “Kitchenaid Mixer” color. Or when he just painted his new VW van and I told him to paint it to the color of my Kitchenaid (Aqua Sky). And he did (well, pretty damn close). If only it would fit in our kitchen.

3. Kitchenaid 3 Speed Hand Blender

What I use-  Kitchenaid 3 Speed Hand Blender

My husband got me a Kitchenaid 3 Speed Hand Blender one year for Christmas, and it’s one of those gifts that I didn’t know I was missing until I had it in my hands. Now I can’t imagine not having this beautiful piece of machinery. This is the perfect solution to chopping onions or vegetables and I use it constantly. I love how easy it is to use, and to clean. Just be careful about the sharp blade- I cut myself pretty bad the first time I cleaned it!

4. Cuisinart Food Processor

What I use– Cuisinart Food Processor

If you go through my recipes on Veggie Chick, you’ll see that A LOT of them recommend a food processor. This is the most used equipment in my kitchen. Well, it was until I got the Vitamix. But if you can’t afford a Vitamix, a food processor is a necessity in the kitchen. You can do many of the things the Vitamix can do in a food processor. But I wouldn’t make a smoothie in one of these. Believe me, I tried. And it was awkward. =)

5. Cutting Boards

What I use– Bamboo Cutting Boards 

I have a bunch of cutting boards in my kitchen. Some are basic, some are boring, some are pretty with chevron patterns, but they all basically do the same job. Get one. Or 5 like me.

6. Cookie Scooper

What I use– OXO cookie scooper

It’s not too often that I make cookies. Not because I don’t love them, but because I don’t trust myself not to eat the entire batch in one sitting. But when I do make cookies, I absolutely love to use my cookie scooper to properly measure each yummy cookie-to-be. You can buy them in all shapes and sizes, but I use the medium size the most. These are a must-have for me because they make cookies look perfect and what’s better than a perfectly shaped cookie? 

7. Avocado Tool

One of the avocado tools I use- OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Tool

I own 2 different avocado tools, and I really love them. This 3-in-1 avocado tool from OXO is a a great one if you’re looking for an all purpose tool. I pretty much always have an avocado on hand so it’s nice to have a tool to support my addiction.

8. Measuring Cups

What I use– Pyrex 2 Cup Glass Measuring Cup

I have quite a few measuring cups in my kitchen. Originally, I thought it would be good to just have 1 or 2, but I found that when I’m looking for one, it’s always dirty and I have to rinse it out and that just gets plain annoying. So now I have 3 glass measuring cups of different sizes for liquids, and a few more floating around in my pantry. And yet I still feel like I need more. I also love these collapsible measuring cups! My kitchen is small and they are easy to store by hanging on hooks in my pantry. 

9. Measuring Spoons

What I use– OXO Good Grips Measuring Spoons

Like measuring cups, I’m always finding myself looking for more measuring spoons. I have 2 sets that I use pretty consistently, but I really love these measuring spoons from OXO. The only downside is, they don’t hang in my pantry, but I do like how they are magnetized.

10. Knives

What I use– Jean Dubost Laguiole Knives

Lucky for me, when I moved in with my husband he already had a great knife set, so I use those pretty consistently. Now I just need to remember to get them sharpened!

11. Wok 

What I use– Jumbo Wok, 14 inch

I make a lot of Asian food (stir fries, curries, etc.) and this wok is one of my favorite pans in the kitchen. Because of the curved shape, the pan has different temperatures throughout, which lends well to stir frying veggies, tofu, etc.

12. Apple Corer, Peeler, Slicer

What I use– Johnny Apple Peeler

My mom had an apple corer/peeler/slicer growing up and I thought it was basically the coolest thing ever. I remember her making apple pies and this little contraption made it so much easier to core, peel and slice the apples. It’s one of those specialty items, but if you’ve ever made an apple pie without it, you’ll be wishing you had one.

13. Kitchenaid Spiralizer Attachment

What I use– Kitchenaid Spiralizer Attachment

I really love this spiralizer attachment, which fits right onto the end of my mixer. I love to make zucchini noodles, but it will also core, peel and slice your apples. And it’s just fun to use.

14. Mandoline Slicer

What I use– Mandoline Slicer

This piece of equipment is key for peeling potatoes and that’s primarily what I use it for. Have you ever tried making scalloped potatoes by hand? Don’t. Get a mandoline. 

15. Peeler

What I use– OXO Good Grips Peeler

I use this peeler to peel ginger, potatoes, mangoes, you name it. Just be careful of the blade. For some reason, people tend to forget that a peeler has an actual blade on it. A sharp blade.

16. Crock Pot/Slow Cooker

What I use- Crock Pot Slow Cooker

I couldn’t live without my slow cooker. Happiness radiates out of me when I come home to dinner that cooked itself! I mean, how amazing is that? If you don’t have a slow cooker and you are lazy with dinner like I sometimes am, this is a serious must.

17. Rice Cooker

What I use– Aroma Housewares Rice Cooker and Food Steamer

When I hear that a person doesn’t have a rice cooker, I’m like whaaaat? How do you cook your rice?! Like, on the stove and stuff?! A rice cooker, like a slow cooker, is God’s gift to the kitchen. If you can add rice, add water, and press a button you can use a rice cooker. 

18. Lemon/Lime Zester

What I use– OXO Good Grips Zester

Not only do I use this zester to zest a lemon or lime. I also use it to mince garlic; and it works like a charm! It’s one of my most used tools. You can also get a grater/zester in one- Cuisinart Boxed Grater

19. Lemon Squeezer

What I use- Lemon Squeezer

The lemon squeezer is another necessity in my kitchen, since many of my recipes call for lemon or lime juice.

20. Kitchen Scissors

What I use- Heavy Duty Kitchen Shears

When cutting certain herbs like chives, kitchen scissors are a necessity. Some of them even have jar openers or nut crackers.

Bonus Kitchen Tools:

It was really difficult to list only 20 kitchen tools, so I thought I’d add a few others worth mentioning:

• various sizes of bowls
• wooden spoons and other large cutlery
• pizza cutter
• fine mesh strainer
• colander/strainer
• cookware set (pots and pans)
• kitchen scale
• pepper mill
• whisks

So how many of these kitchen tools and equipment do you have in your kitchen?

I’m not working with any of these brands, but some of the links are affiliate links. These are kitchen tools/equipment and brands that I really trust and encourage you to use as well. I don’t promote anything that I  wouldn’t recommend without hesitation to others. =)