In Part I I shared some of my favorite overall tips and a few kitchen tools, in this post I will share more of my favorite kitchen tools.

I love silicone tools because they’re so much easier to clean. A little hot water and soap and I’ve got a clean tool – no scrubbing, which is hard on my fingers, wrists and back, required! First I bought a normally hard to clean, whisk, coated with silicone, then a basting brush. A few years later I realized I appreciated my 2 silicone tools so much that I expanded my collection. I bought a pasta fork and finally a cooking spoon.

If only Oxo, known for their ergonomic grips, would make more silicone items! Oxo tools are more comfortable for me to use than anything else I’ve tired. Some of my favorite oxo tools are my vegetable peeler, cake tester, spatula and church key bottle opener. I also love their nesting Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls. The outside of the bowls are coated with a black nonskid coating, so it makes them grip to counter better while stirring. They also have a nice rim to hold onto. Believe it or not, I have many other Oxo products that I love, but not necessarily for their grips or making things easier: salad spinner, convertible colander, funnel set, mini angeled measuring cup, pizza wheel, tea kettle, box grater, etc…

I enjoy baking, but cookie sheets can be very heavy and with their large size they are hard for me to clean without pain. Last Christmas The Helpful Hubby’s parents gave me Silpat Jelly Roll/Cookie Sheet Liner that fit in my cookies sheets. These things are great! I can bake cookies or make toffee on them and nothing sticks. This means easy soap and water clean up, but it also means I don’t have to wash my cookie sheets! After the cookie sheets cool down I can stick them back in the cabinet because the Silpat mat protects them from getting dirty.

Something I grew up using are Pyrex® Glass Measuring Cups. These are great because they can withstand the heat of boiling water, be used as a small bowl, be used in a  microwave and also be washed in the dishwasher. They really are an all-in-one utensil! I also use Pyrex® 9 x 13 and 8 x 8 glass baking dishes to cook in. The food can go from oven to table in them, their lids seal well so leftovers go straight in the fridge and they get washed in the dishwasher when finished. I like things that simplify a process and need for extra items.

What are your favorite kitchen tools?

A few of my favorite kitchen tools