Inexpensive Kitchen Tools: I have an old wooden spoon in my drawer of cooking tools. It’s the one I used in culinary school, so I can’t bring myself to throw it away. But, regardless of how much I like them, I make it a priority to get rid of worn-out kitchen tools that could be holding germs and bacteria. When I do a big cleaning of my house once a year, I spend some time going through what’s in my kitchen. Here are the five things I get rid of every year, along with the reasons why.
Inexpensive Kitchen Tools
1. Dish Towels
It can be hard to get rid of your favorite kitchen towels, especially if they give your kitchen personality or match the rest of your decor perfectly. But after a while, they stop being soft and start to soak up less water. The simple, stylish, color-blocked towel from All Clad will make you forget about the ones you threw away. They were the best dish towels in our test, and you’ll forget about the ones that don’t dry well. Buy Now
2. Rubber Spatulas
Two-piece spatulas can trap germs between the silicone head and wooden handle, especially if you don’t take them apart to clean them. I try to find one-piece spatulas instead. GIR makes spatulas that are comfortable and won’t slip. They can handle high heat and are the right size for everyday tasks like scrambling eggs and making sauces. Buy Now
3. Wooden Spoons
Over time, wood tends to crack, especially if it is exposed to changes in temperature or left to soak in water. (This sounds a lot like what you do when you cook and do the dishes, doesn’t it?) Also, wood is good at taking in smells. Because of this, I like to switch out my wooden spoons every spring (except for the one I used in culinary school). This five-piece set is affordable and can’t go wrong. The bright, colorful handles will make everything in your kitchen feel new and fresh. Buy Now
4. Pastry and Basting Brushes
Even if you clean your natural-bristle brushes well (gently, right away, and paying special attention to where the bristles meet the handle, right? ), they tend to get oily over time. Since I use mine often (to do things like wash pastries with beaten eggs and baste roasts), I’m ready for an upgrade once a year. I love this set because it is durable and comes in different sizes. Buy Now
5. Cutting Mats
So that my beautiful wooden cutting board lasts longer, I let flexible cutting mats do some of the hard work in the kitchen. Because they’re so cheap, you can easily replace them when they get a lot of deep cuts and scratches, which is where bacteria like to live. This three-piece set gets extra points for being color-coded. Red is for meat, blue is for fish, and green is for fruits and vegetables. Buy Now
