Many, many years ago, when I moved into my first place, I was super excited to not only have my own place, but decorate it with furniture and home decor accents. However, like most people who move into their first place, there were a few basic things that I didn’t take into consideration, such as the forgotten basic kitchen tools.

I’m not taking about the core basics of a pot and/or pan with a couple of random cooking spoons. I’m talking about the forgotten tools that help you prepare and create meal, not just cook it. So, I’m sharing a list of basic, but essential kitchen tools that most people forget about, but everyone needs for efficient cooking.

Lemon Juicer – I use my lemon juicer more times than I think I would ever in my lifetime. I use it add splashes of lemon to chicken and fish dishes, to make fresh squeeze limeade and/or lemonade, or to simply add to tea. My personal favorite is this stainless steel citrus juicer from Norpro. I don’t know it it’s the steel weight, but this hand press juicer gets every single drop of juice out my lemons and limes and with ease.

Whisk – Although there are countless of electrical gadgets out there to meet your mixing needs, the need for a good whisk will always be there. I personally love spiral whisk, like this Rosle Stainless Steel Spiral whisk, because they can whisk batters and liquids while being flexible to fit into different size jars and containers for complete mixing.

Garlic Press – I never knew how much my I would appreciate a garlic press until I bought one. Yes you can peel your garlic cloves and mince them with a knife. However, the smell of garlic on your fingers is too not cute, plus not the easiest smell to get out of your skin. Most professional grade stainless steel garlic presses are also good for mincing other things, including ginger.

Meat Beater – I love steak! I even enjoy cooking steaks. Therefore, I value my meat beater. When buying a meat beater, I suggest you look for one that has a lot of weight to it, but not too heavy for you to swing. Also, I buy one that is double-sided steel beater. One side is flat and good for flattening thick cuts of meat like chicken breast, where as the other side is spiked for tenderizing tough meat such as thick cuts of steak.

Wooden Spoon – A wooden spoon is so basic, but overlooked for the multiple uses. It’s best to use a wooden opposed to a plastic or metal one when mixing thick batter and very unlikely to break or bend. Also, wooden spoons are soft and more gentle to use when scraping bowls and cookware and it’s also has a high heat tolerance.

Food Thermometer – No matter if you’re roasting a turkey or grilling a steak; you need to have a food thermometer on hand to ensure you don’t overcook or under cook you’re food. My personal favorite is this digital food thermometer I bought a couple of years ago, because it’s very fast and accurate. Everything you want in a food thermometer.

Grater – I bought my grater on a whim and because I was craving homemade hashbrowns, which this is perfect for creating. I prefer 4-sided fold-able graters, like this one by Joseph Jospeh, because of the multiple grating options and the compactability of folding collapsing it and sliding it in a drawer and out of the way.

Rolling Pin – The baking bug bites everyone every now and then. So, having a rolling pin in your kitchen is plus. Try this adjustable rolling pin that let’s you measure the thickness of the dough. Cool!

Cutting Board – One of my favorite purchase last year was this 4-pack of flexible cutting boards. Each board is designated for a certain types of food to avoid cross contamination. The flexibility is great for quickly transporting diced food into pots, plates, or bowls.

Cooking Spoon Holder – Okay, I’m not ashamed to say that I was a little giddy when I saw and bought this wooden cooking spoon holder this weekend, which is eventually the reason I decided to share this list of kitchen essentials. A lot of people overlook the cooking spoon holders and opt to lean them against or on top of the pot they’re cooking from or place them on a towel or plate. I love designated places, especially in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination of foods or the chance that the spoon can easily slide off the pot or plate and onto the floor. I bought this off pure aesthetic. However, I recommend a nice ceramic or cast iron, if possible.

Do you have any kitchen essentials not listed above? Please share, because you know I love learning more about your likes and suggestions.

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