11 Actually Useful Kitchen Tools You Haven't Heard Of

If you're a busy home chef, you likely keep a few tried-and-true kitchen tools at the ready to use when whipping up your favorite dish. While your trusty kitchen knife, cutting board, and measuring cups are essentials, there are a whole host of kitchen tools out there you may never have used that will take your cooking to the next level. Though they might not have the name recognition as some of the heavy hitters, many of these kitchen tools are just as versatile. Adding a specialty tool that still has versatility, such as a bench scraper, will take your cuisine to a whole new level.

These lesser-known kitchen tools can be used to make everyday cooking easier or to create fancy or unusual dishes. You'll be surprised just how many uses some of these tools have in the kitchen, helping with everything from juicy burgers to drink garnishes. Some can even play a main role in food prep, cooking, and cleanup. Consider adding these tools to complete your kitchen lineup.

Having a long, thin spatula on hand can save the day when cooking delicate dishes like fish, eggs, or fluffy pancakes. Also called a fish turner, this slotted spatula is perfect to keep tender items intact when you flip them over. Typically made out of metal to keep the flavor of the food from changing, fish spatulas work well with metal and cast iron cookware on the stove or in the oven.

With a curved edge, thin, flexible blade, and slotted design, a fish spatula is just as helpful for keeping juicy burgers intact as it is for scallops, tilapia, or mahi. It lets the juices drain out, keeping your filet from deforming. Even though it is thin, the metal spatula and sturdy handle allow chefs to dislodge seared meat or fish from the pan without letting it fall apart. Equally at home on the baking front, a fish spatula is the perfect tool to get cookies off the baking sheet or brownies out of the pan without the dreaded crumble. There is even a fish spatula included in the Smithsonian's exhibit on cooking, "Food: Transforming the American Table." The wooden-handled spatula is part of a tool kit representing the preferred tools that made home cooking so popular.

Used to maintain a baker's area (also known as a bench), the bench scraper can be used to cut and portion dough, move dough around, work with butter, or a number of other baking needs. Whether you're an amateur baker or a seasoned pro, this tool will quickly become the one you reach for first when working with dough. Famous chef Julia Child even used a French pastry scraper while baking on her show, "The French Chef," because it is a fantastic tool when working butter into the right consistency for baking or collecting your pastry dough into a tidy ball.

Most bench scrapers are made of metal with a handle on one side that makes it comfortable to use and easy to control. Also called a pastry scraper, dough scraper, or bench knife, its simple design makes it useful in just about every area of baking, including cleaning up. The bench scraper can be used to clean dough off other baking tools as well as the prep surface. It makes baking easier on your hands and results in a cleaner kitchen.

Add flavorful fresh herbs to your dishes and drinks with one hand thanks to an herb stripper. You can remove the leaves and chop the herbs all with the same tool. Some herb strippers, such as those from kitchenware companies like Sur La Table, even include a bowl to collect the stems or leaves to be used in your dish. Many herb scrapers include helpful diagrams and graphics to guide you to the right slot for your herbs, whether it's a plant with a thicker, woody stem or one that is thin and delicate. If you want even more utility, consider an herb scraper with an edge that can chop your fresh herbs as well.

This tool also makes a good housewarming gift because it's useful, compact, and inexpensive. For chefs who like to make the most out of every bit of fresh herbs, an herb stripper is perfect to separate the more delicate leaves from the stems. Paired with your favorite herb growing kit, an herb stripper is sure to please. Plus, there's a good chance that the recipient doesn't have one.

Used to align or straighten your kitchen knives, a honing rod or honing steel is especially useful when using and maintaining high-quality knives, which can last for decades with proper care. Some knife sets come with an accompanying honing rod but you can also get them separately. If you like to purchase knives that will last for years, a honing rod is an essential tool. Fortunately, a good honing rod will last for decades without needing to be replaced. Just keep it clean and store it dry.

Keep in mind that a honing rod keeps your knives straight but won't sharpen your knives by removing metal. Instead, it straightens the tiny metal fibers at the edge. Your knife should be sharpened in order for honing to be effective. To use a honing rod, experts at America's Test Kitchen recommend holding the blade at a 15-degree angle relative to the honing rod. Keep the honing rod vertical and move the knife over the surface gently. Make sure to run both sides of the knife over the honing rod equally. Only slight pressure is required as you move the blade along the rod. Doing this will ensure that the edge is smooth. This straightens the metal at the edge of the knife, which can become bent with repeated use. With routine use, you will notice that your knives make cleaner, safer cuts.

You can make pulled pork, chicken salad, or any number of other recipes so much faster and easier using a meat shredder. Due to their resemblance to claws, they are often called meat claws. Because they have evenly spaced edges, a meat shredder creates more uniform pieces of meat that you can use in cooking. This creates a more cohesive dish that works well with sauces or condiments. If you are making a large batch, a meat shredder will also save your hands and wrists from the repeated and tedious action of shredding with a fork or knife. It pulls through more meat with each swipe compared to a smaller table fork. It also breaks down the fibers much better than cutting with a knife.

You can opt for a low-tech set made of stainless steel or a machine that shreds meat with just the push of a button. Meat shredder gadgets go even faster but can be harder to clean since they have more intricate parts. Most sets of non-mechanized meat shredding claws have comfortable handles that let you grip the tool as you pull it through brisket, pork shoulder, or roasted chicken. To keep your meat claws in tip-top shape, make sure to sharpen the tips of each blade routinely. Most home chefs need to sharpen their blades every few months, although the best sharpening frequency will depend on how often you use your meat claws.

This special pan has a latching side that allows you to make everything from cheesecake to lasagna. As its name suggests, a springform cake pan has a latching spring on the vertical side of a round cake pan base. The base and sides are each removed separately after baking. Before pouring your batter or assembling your dish, secure the spring. After cooking, release the spring. The cake or casserole will remain in place after you remove the pan, with exposed edges that protect fragile edges. Delicate dishes like cheesecake or souffle can be damaged when being removed from a traditional pan. This is when a springform pan is so essential. It is just as easy to use as a normal cake pan or casserole dish but creates dishes with impressive presentation while keeping the sides intact.

Some recipes, such as cheesecake or frozen icebox pies, work best with a springform pan. Others, such as quiches or casseroles, look especially elegant when made in a springform pan rather than a casserole dish. Traditional cake batter may be too runny for a springform pan, which doesn't create a tight seal in most cases. Placing a baking sheet under your springform pan can help keep the inside of your oven clean in case of leaks or spills. You can also use a thicker batter or layered pie for a really special dessert. It also works well to make savory dishes like pasta casseroles or quiche.

If you love the top of the muffin, these pans allow you to bake your favorite part and skip the rest. This results in faster cooking times and the perfect muffin. They come in nonstick silicone version as well as metal. These pans are extra shallow compared to traditional muffin pans but still have a similar overall diameter. You will likely need to adjust the cooking time if you are using a standard muffin recipe since these tops are shorter and cook faster. You won't need paper muffin liners, making this an even more economical option for those who prefer this portion of the muffin.

You can also use them to make perfectly-portioned eggs for breakfast sandwiches, mini quiches, or English muffins. Cake-style cookies, such as traditional Whoopie Pies, are also easy to make using these shallow baking tins. Because they are uniform, you can make a large batch all at once. They are shallow so the same amount of batter yields more individual servings. To really make the most of your time, look for a tray that has 12 or more spaces on a single pan, resulting in larger batches within the same baking time. If you are more interested in crafting than baking, you can even use these to melt old, broken crayon pieces and make new one-of-a-kind circular crayons or add a wick to create candles.

Get perfectly sliced avocados without smashing the flesh using an avocado slicer. This gadget halves a ripe avocado, removes the pit, and slices the inside with one swoop. It also makes cleanup easier since you only have to wash one tool. A good avocado slicer includes a blade on one end to cut the avocado, a specially designed section to remove the pit by gripping and twisting, and a scoop that creates perfect avocado slices. The back edge of the tool separates the green flesh from the skin as you pull the tool through the avocado. Some models have a larger scoop that removes the avocado flesh in one large portion rather than thinner slices. Others use a large mesh to cube avocado before scooping it out. All three scoops help get every morsel of avocado out of the skin, resulting in less waste and less mess.

Because avocados can be tricky to work with, most avocado slicers have textured surfaces on the outside edges. This helps you maintain a good grip as you pull the tool through your avocado. For firm avocados, this is especially helpful to keep the sharp knife from slipping. Softer avocados work well with the scoop tool. When you scoop the slices out of the shell, they stay together, resulting in a great presentation in your bowl or on your plate.

If you're a fan of crinkle-cut fries, you can use this tool to make your own at home. Not only will it save you money over takeout but you can also make the recipe healthier or personalized with your own spice blend. A crinkle-cut knife can be used on everything from cucumbers and carrots to apples and watermelons. You can cut fruits or vegetables to serve raw or cut produce like potatoes, squash, and carrots before roasting them. The special presentation adds some extra style to a fruit or veggie platter. But it really shines as a potato knife for tasty fries. They come out uniform, which helps them cook evenly. A crinkle-cut knife also allows you to control the thickness. You can opt for traditional deep frying or make the recipe healthier by using an air fryer or baking sheet.

Most models have a rubberized or textured grip handle to keep the knife from slipping as you cut. The handle tends to be larger and allows for a solid grip, resulting in less wrist fatigue than if you tried to do the same action with a traditional paring knife. It also cuts in one slice rather than a lot of intricate manipulation of a sharp knife, which is generally safer for your fingers. The blade is stainless steel and can be dishwasher safe, although you should check to make sure.

You can use this tray to make ice but the real versatility comes in when you use it for leftover broth, herbs, or soup. While opened broth only lasts a few days in the fridge, you can keep it for months in the freezer. By using an ice tray, you can divide the leftovers into portions suitable for one meal or serving. Freeze individual portions to use in future recipes, saving time and money. Once frozen, portions can pop out of the tray individually as needed. They come in silicone trays that are easy to store. Some models also include a cover to reduce the risk of freezer burn and keep the contents from sloshing in the freezer as they turn solid. Because it can withstand high heat without warping, silicone is dishwasher safe as well.

Large ice cube trays can also be used with special drinks or cocktails. Freeze water for statement-making large cubes or mixes like juice, soda, or lemonade to add to your drink. The larger ice cubes look great and can fit items like berries, herbs, or edible flowers suspended inside for special presentation. Coffee lovers can freeze coffee as cubes to make iced coffee cold without watering it down. If you put a popsicle stick in partially frozen smoothies or yogurt, you can enjoy tasty and healthy popsicles as well. Parents making homemade baby food will love the individual portions that a deep ice cube tray creates. 

The next time you have to spread butter, you'll be grateful for this heated knife that makes the task so much easier. You don't need to worry about the bread tearing as you try to make grilled cheese or the butter breaking off into chunks. Instead, it'll go on as smooth as, well, butter. You can use it with other spreads, such as jam or peanut butter, to make them transfer easier as well. If you are spreading butter on delicate breads like croissants or brioche, a heated butter knife helps melt the butter directly into the surface without the need for tough spreading. It also makes the job easier even on sturdier breads, rolls, or toast. 

Some have perforations that create delicate butter curls as well. These also go on smoother and look great on bread, rolls, or biscuits. Most heated butter knives are rechargeable and last for an hour or more of continuous use on one charge. You'll need to have a place to store the charger but won't need to worry about replacing the rechargable battery. You might need to handwash them, however, since some aren't safe to put in the dishwasher. They are a bit larger than a standard butter knife but still portable and easy to use and store. Look for a model with an automatic shut-off feature. These turn off after around 15 minutes to prevent accidental burns.