In a perfect world, we’d be able to do everything with our hands. Unfortunately, trying to handle food that’s being cooked inside of an oven or on a stovetop with just your fingers will end poorly. Luckily, we’ve got kitchen utensils and gadgets to keep our cooking (and our hands) safe and efficient.

From baking whisks to fish spatulas, here are 7 kitchen utensils & gadgets worth getting. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!

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Adjustable Rolling Pin

You’ll use rolling pins for a number of homemade recipes. It’s essential for creating evenly thick pizza dough (you don’t want radically uneven crust sizes) and you can also use it for pasta dough.

For baking, a rolling pin comes in handy with just about any dessert. You’ll use it for pie dough, cookie dough, pastry dough, and anything in between.

The problem is that not all doughs are created equal. You probably aren’t going to make cookies that are the same size as pizzas — if you do, I’m coming over immediately — so using the same rolling pin for both doesn’t always make sense.

Unless…that rolling pin comes with adjustable rings. That way, you can achieve the perfect thickness for whatever you’re making. Your pie dough should typically be more thinly pressed than bread would be, for example, which makes life so easy.

This one also comes with an adjustable silicon pastry nonstick mat, so you’ve got your entire rolling station all in one tidy area.

Fish Spatula

How often have you tried to move a piece of beautifully cooked fish from a pan onto your plate, only for it to fall apart on the way? Maybe a part of the fish gets stuck to the pan, or your spatula slices an uneven edge right in the heart of things. Suddenly, your beautiful meal becomes the stuff of nightmares.

You might have a spatula at home already, but if it’s not primed for fish, you could run into a world of frustration in the kitchen. That’s because the skin of fish sticks to pans and sheets a bit differently than chicken, beef, or tofu does. And as the name suggests, a fish spatula is designed specifically to work with fish, offering a small, flexible front that easily slides under any size fish.

Of course, if you don’t eat fish, you can skip right along to the next section. But if you do eat fish, you’ll want to pick up a fish spatula (or two).

Baking Whisk

A baking whisk is another thing you might already have in your kitchen, but if it’s not Danish style, you’re making things more difficult for yourself.

Think about the last time you needed to whisk something, whether pancake mixture or icing for a cake. Did that whisk struggle to get the job done? Were bits of flour flying out of the bowl? Did big clumps of the mixture stick to the edges of the whisk and wouldn’t come off, even when you tried to prod them with your finger? It’s time to end that frustration once and for all.

A pair of these whisks costs less than one of most other whisks. And because of its unique style, it makes whisking better AND quicker. Time is everything in the kitchen, so when you can save some of it, that’s a chef’s kiss.

Tongs

Tongs are among the most versatile kitchen utensils & gadgets. You can use them to safely pick things up, turn them over, move them around, and place them exactly where they need to go, even if you’re dealing with multiple hot pots and pans.

There are different tongs for every occasion, from backyard barbecues to serving salads. While you can certainly go tong crazy, you can also just get an all-purpose set of kitchen tongs that will serve you well.

The OXO Good Grips tongs feature silicon heads, so they won’t leave scratches on your pans and baking sheets. They can also withstand temperatures up to 600 degrees and come with nonslip handles, so if you’ve got some moisture on your hands, you’ll keep a firm grip.

Chef Knife

Unless you only eat entire blocks of food all at once, you’re going to have to use a knife at some point for cutting, chopping, dicing, mincing, slicing, and more. And going from dull butter or steak knives to a quality chef knife is perhaps one of the sweetest pleasures in life.

However, it’s worth trying out a few different options before settling in on your chef knife of choice. How do you know what the right one feels like?

“I do think you need a good-quality chef knife,” says Marie Saba of Marie’s Kitchen. “The real test of that is one that feels good in your hand. If you get one and it just feels too big or too long, or one that feels too heavy, you just want to avoid it.”

This German steel option from Babish offers a “frightening level of sharpness” and has a comfortable handle that makes chopping anything a breeze.

Immersion Blender

I was a long holdout of using immersion blenders. I always thought they were an unnecessary kitchen gadget. After all, I’ve got a perfectly good standalone blender, what do I need this for?

But oh, how my tune has changed. This is such a handy tool to have in the kitchen. From soups to purees to sauces, this whips things up to just the right amount of liquidity or thickness. It’s also less messy than a typical blender and can handle any food or beverage that needs blending.

If you’re ambitious like I try to be every year and grow your own basil in the yard, you can make the best pesto you’ve ever had with an immersion blender.

Wooden Cutting Board

A wooden cutting board serves multiple purposes. Of course, cutting is the most obvious one. But the durability and versatility of a wood surface allows you to knead dough, season meat, and serve food to guests. Who among us hasn’t oohed and aahed over a charcuterie board?

The grain in wood also helps bring out the natural flavors in many foods you’ll prepare on it. It’s like you’re adding seasoning or spices without needing the extra ingredients. And they’re gorgeous, offering sleek style to your kitchen.

Wooden cutting boards are typically more expensive than other options. However, they’ll last you a long time. In fact, this board from Fifth & Cherry comes with a lifetime guarantee. If you ever run into an issue, they’ll either fix it or replace the board for free.

Get Rolling with Kitchen Utensils & Gadgets

With these 7 essential kitchen utensils & gadgets, your time in the kitchen will be even more enjoyable and simple. And who knows? They just may inspire you to create something magical. Happy cooking and baking!

Need even more inspiration? Check out these 7 must-have kitchen appliances from Redfin.