Essential Kitchen Tools You Should Own Two Of
Double your prep power with strategic backups for smoother, more sanitary cooking.
Experienced home cooks and professionals alike understand that having a well-equipped kitchen means more than simply owning one of each gadget or utensil. There are several essential kitchen tools where it makes sense—sometimes for convenience, efficiency, longevity, or sanitation—to buy and use more than one. This guide explores which gear is worth doubling up on, offering practical tips and advice on what to choose, how to shop, and why having multiples can transform your kitchen workflow.
Why You Should Own Two (or More) of Some Kitchen Tools
Many essential cooking and prep tasks benefit from redundancy. Whether it’s avoiding cross-contamination, speeding up meal prep, or tackling large or multi-step recipes, having two of the right tools eliminates bottlenecks, improves hygiene, and helps you move from task to task with less cleanup and hassle. Plus, if a favorite spatula, peeler, or board is in the wash or out of commission, you won’t be left stranded.
Cutting Boards
You’ll rarely find a working kitchen, professional or home, with only one cutting board. Owning multiple boards is essential for:
- Preventing cross-contamination (e.g., between raw meats and produce).
- Streamlining workflow when preparing multi-ingredient recipes.
- Easy cleanup between stages of meal prep.
For most households, choose at least:
- One sturdy plastic board (dishwasher-safe, great for meats and general prep).
- One wood or bamboo board (ideal for bread, cheese, and fruits—gentler on knives).
Spatulas (Silicone & Fish)
Spatulas are the workhorses of the kitchen, with each type serving distinct roles. Owning a couple of each type makes cooking (and baking) much less frustrating.
- Silicone spatulas — Soft, flexible, perfect for scraping bowls of batter, stirring sauces, and folding ingredients. Since they’re heat resistant, you can use them for hot and cold tasks alike. Having more than one ensures you have a clean tool for both sweet and savory dishes.
- Fish spatulas — Thin, angled, and flexible, they’re excellent for delicately flipping fish fillets, pancakes, and other fragile foods. Having an extra means you have one for proteins and another for veggies to avoid flavor transfer.
Mixing Bowls
Most recipes call for more than one mixing bowl, especially if you’re meal prepping, baking, or cooking with others. Doubling up helps when:
- You need to whisk eggs while prepping a salad, or marinate meat in one bowl and toss a stir-fry sauce in another.
- One bowl is in the dishwasher or holding dough for proofing, and you need another for mixing.
- Cooking with company and want everyone hands-on with their ingredients.
Ideally, have a set of nesting stainless steel and/or glass bowls in various sizes to cover all prep needs.
Paring Knives & Peeling Tools
Paring knives and peelers are indispensable for prepping fruits, veggies, garnishes, and more. These tools dull over time, so having backups prevents delays mid-prep. It’s also helpful if you cook with a partner or assign kitchen tasks to guests or kids—everyone gets their own cutting tool!
- Paring knives: Great for peeling, trimming, and precision cuts. Keep at least two sharp ones on hand.
- Y-peelers or straight peelers: Having two allows simultaneous prep (e.g., peeling apples and potatoes at the same time) and means a backup is ready if one goes dull.
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Tongs
Tongs are like an extension of your hands. They grab, flip, toss, and serve. Owning a pair (or more) is a huge advantage:
- One pair can be reserved for raw meat, the other for cooked food or salads, dramatically reducing the risk of contamination.
- Multiple tongs mean you don’t need to stop and wash them midway through busy cooking sessions.
Look for sturdy, spring-loaded stainless steel tongs with silicone tips that are dishwasher safe.
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Unless you’re a die-hard scale-weigher for everything, measuring cups and spoons are non-negotiable in the kitchen. Duplicates help when:
- Dry and wet ingredients need separate cups or spoons (e.g., you just poured oil and now need to measure salt or flour—no need to wash the cups in between).
- You’re working through a complex recipe requiring several measurements at once.
- Lost pieces from a set are inevitable; spares ensure you’re never left without crucial measurements.
Whisks
A whisk is indispensable for aerating batters, blending vinaigrettes, and emulsifying sauces. Two or more enable you to:
- Keep one dedicated to baking (e.g., for egg whites or whipped cream) and another for savory tasks (sauces, gravies).
- Always have a clean one ready for delicate tasks—saccharomyces from savory cooking can mess with sweet recipes and vice versa.
Consider both a large balloon whisk and a smaller or flat whisk for versatility.
Wooden Spoons
Wooden spoons are irreplaceable for stirring soups, stews, and sauces. They’re non-reactive, gentle on cookware, and versatile. Having multiples is ideal since:
- Wood can absorb flavors (especially pungent spices, garlic, or onions). Reserving spoons by task preserves more delicate dishes.
- Wet, freshly washed wooden spoons need time to dry, so you’ll always have a dry one ready.
Salad Spinners
While not every kitchen tool deserves a backup, salad spinners are the rare exception for larger families, veggie lovers, or hosts who entertain often. A second spinner lets you:
- Quickly wash and dry two different greens or herbs without stopping to clean out the first spinner.
- Dedicate one spinner to certain strong-smelling produce or for regular salad and another for delicate herbs or berries.
Pepper Mills
Any cook who cares about flavor knows that freshly ground pepper packs far more punch and aroma than pre-ground. Having two grinders is advantageous because:
- You can dedicate one to black or mixed peppercorns and a second to specialty spices (pink peppercorns, Szechuan, or allspice).
- One stays by the stove, one on the table for finishing dishes at service.
Sheet Pans/Baking Trays
Sheet pans—not just for baking! Their uses span roasting, broiling, toasting nuts, catching oven drips, and meal prepping. Most home cooks reach for them constantly and rarely want for fewer. Reasons to double (or triple) up:
- Sheet pans are often in use for multiple recipes at once (roasting potatoes on one, toasting nuts on another).
- Having multiple means you can prep ahead and bake in batch without stopping to wash between rounds.
- They fit well in standard ovens, nest for storage, and are affordable to buy in sets.
Dish Towels
Dish towels are unsung heroes of a busy kitchen. Grabbing, wiping, drying hands or pans, catching spills, cushioning hot dishes, and more. You can never have too many. Buy a multipack, rotate clean ones into circulation daily, and reserve heavily used towels for cleaning duty only.
Kitchen Scissors (Shears)
While scissors may seem like a single-purpose tool, their versatility in the kitchen makes them worth having two. Use a dedicated pair for:
- Food-only tasks (herbs, meat, pizza, opening packages).
- Utility tasks (snipping twine, opening stubborn products, or household needs where cross-contamination isn’t a concern).
Choose shears with comfortable, dishwasher-safe handles and robust blades.
Other Items Worth Doubling Up On
- Colanders/sieves: For draining pasta and rinsing vegetables simultaneously.
- Pot holders/oven mitts: Always have clean, dry backups to prevent burns.
- Timers: If your oven timer is unreliable, have a backup digital timer on hand.
- Plastic food storage containers: Multiple sizes for leftovers, meal prep, and ingredient staging.
Quick Comparison Table: Common Tools Worth Buying in Pairs
| Tool | Why Have Two? | Buying Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting Boards | Prevent cross-contamination; speed up prep | Plastic (dishwasher-safe) and wood (knife-friendly) |
| Silicone Spatulas | Multiple uses at once; avoid flavor transfer | Opt for heat-proof, sturdy brands |
| Mixing Bowls | Juggle multiple recipes; prep ahead | Nesting sets in stainless steel or glass |
| Measuring Cups/Spoons | Wet/dry ingredient separation; backup for lost pieces | Buy sturdy sets with easy-read markings |
| Sheet Pans | Multiple simultaneous baking or roasting tasks | Heavy-gauge, rimmed edges; multiple sizes |
| Tongs | Raw vs. cooked foods; no downtime during cooking | Stainless steel with comfortable handles |
| Whisks | Sweet and savory separation; different sizes for versatility | Dishwasher-safe, balloon plus flat style |
| Kitchen Shears | Food prep vs. utility tasks; avoid mess | Dishwasher-safe, robust blades |
| Dish Towels | Always have a clean/dry one handy; segregate uses | Buy in multi-packs; wash frequently |
How to Select the Right Second (or Third) Tool
- When doubling up, consider choosing different sizes, materials, or features for added flexibility (e.g., a small and a large cutting board, or two types of spatulas).
- Pay attention to ease of cleaning: Backup tools should be as easy to wash and store as your favorites.
- If storage space is tight, look for nesting sets or tools that serve multiple purposes.
- Prioritize differentiation by color or shape (e.g., red for meat, green for veggies) for quick kitchen hygiene.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it really necessary to have two of everything in my kitchen?
A: Not everything, but for many core tools, having a backup makes cooking faster, safer, and more flexible. Focus on items that multitask or get dirty quickly, like spatulas, cutting boards, and tongs.
Q: Are there tools where owning more than one is excessive?
A: Tools with highly specialized uses (such as cherry pitters or avocado slicers) rarely justify duplicates. Stick to doubling up on essentials that enter regular rotation.
Q: How do I keep track of which tool is for which use (like meat vs. produce)?
A: Color coding is key! Look for tools available in different colors or add simple labels. This is especially important for cutting boards, tongs, and spatulas.
Q: Does doubling up make kitchen organization harder?
A: If you choose nesting or stackable sets, extra tools don’t take up much extra room. Thoughtful storage (drawer dividers, hooks, magnetic strips) helps keep duplicates tidy and accessible.
Q: What if I only have room or budget for one of each?
A: Prioritize tools that are easiest to clean between uses (dishwasher-safe plastic boards, silicone spatulas, stainless tongs) and be sure to wash thoroughly between tasks.
Cook Smarter, Not Harder
The reality of efficient home cooking isn’t about the sheer quantity of gadgets—it’s about how strategically you use and store them. Doubling up on certain kitchen standbys lets you handle busy prep work, maintain top-notch kitchen hygiene, stay ready for company, and minimize mid-recipe washing marathons. Identify which tools are always in use (or always in the sink!) in your kitchen, invest in a second high-quality version, and enjoy a smoother, more professional cooking experience every time.
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