Watch CBS News

31 Kitchen Items Under $50 That Any Cook Could Use

By Crystal Hessong

Don't think you have to be a professional chef to cook. These must-haves help anyone become a success in the kitchen.

1. Immersion Blender

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Singer Diana Krall performs onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images For The Recording Academy)

No kitchen should be without an immersion blender. You can easily make sauces and soups with ease. Get one that comes with chopping and whipping attachments from Amazon for $29.99.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $29.99

 

2. Pasta Measuring Stick

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
(credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images For The Recording Academy)

Don't know how much pasta to cook? Are you hungry enough to eat like a child or like a dinosaur? This pasta measuring stick accurately determines how much dry spaghetti to prepare for everyone from a tot to a T-rex. It costs $12 from Fancy.

Purchase on Fancy.com for $12

 

3. Silpat Cookie Sheet Liner

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Musicians Dave Grohl (L) and Sir Paul McCartney perform onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Never burn your cookies again or worry about scrubbing a burned cookie sheet. This reusable Silpat liner is made of heat-resistant silicone and makes baking cookies a breeze without greasing the pan. Find it at Williams-Sonoma for $26.95.

Purchase on Williams-Sonoma.com for $26.95

 

4. Garlic Chopper

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
(L-R) Musicians Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, Chief mastering engineer Emily Lazar, and musician Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images For The Recording Academy)

Save your fingers with this garlic chopper from Amazon. Drop garlic cloves inside and roll it until the garlic reaches the size you need. It costs $12.95 for an extra-large model.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $12.95

 

5. Salad Spinner

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Musician Duane Eddy performs onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Dressing won't cling to wet lettuce leaves. Dry out your salad ingredients easily with a salad spinner. No matter how often you eat salad, this will be an indispensable tool in your kitchen. It costs $24.95 at Amazon.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $24.95

 

6. Kitchen Scissors

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Songwriter Mike Stoller arrives at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images For The Recording Academy)

From opening bags to cutting up whole chickens, you need a set of kitchen scissors. Unlike office scissors, a set of these includes a bottle opener, nut cracker and bone cutters. For easier cleaning, pull the pair of scissors apart and toss the parts into the dishwasher. You'll only pay $14.98 from Amazon for this 8-inch kitchen tool.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $14.98

 

7. Thermopop Cooking Thermometer

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Musician Sergio Mendes performs onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Don't put yourself at risk for food poisoning from undercooking food. Use a $29 Thermopop cooking thermometer to accurately determine the internal temperature of your food. Get it from ThermoWorks.

Purchase on ThermoWorks.com for $29

 

8. Brownie Pan

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Musicians Frank Sampedro (L) and Neil Young perform onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images For The Recording Academy)

A brownie pan with built-in separator removes the hardest part of baking brownies—cutting them. This nonstick pan bakes a perfectly prepared and cut batch of 18 brownies. It costs $22.98 from Amazon.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $22.98

 

9. Measuring Cups and Spoons

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
MusiCares Board Chairman Scott Pascucci speaks onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

The fastest way to ruin a recipe is to not carefully follow the measurements given. Oxo's measuring cups and spoons nest into each other and feature non-slip handles. Buy the set at Amazon for $29.95.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $29.95

 

10. Coffee or Spice Grinder

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
(L-R) Musicians Frank Sampedro, Billy Talbot, and Neil Young of the band Crazy Horse perform onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images For The Recording Academy)

Whether you live on coffee or live to cook, you should have at least a pair of grinders in your kitchen, one for coffee beans and the other for whole spices. Don't use one for both unless you want your coffee to taste like peppercorns or your ground spices to taste like coffee. With a price of $19.99 each from Amazon, you can get a pair without breaking the bank.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $19.99

 

11. Cold Brew Coffee Pitcher

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Hugh Hefner (C) and guests arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

With a $19.99 cold brew pitcher from Macy's, you can enjoy the smooth, low-acid coffee you've had a coffeehouses at home. Once you've tasted cold-brew coffee, you'll never go back.

Purchase on Macys.com for $19.99

 

12. Chef's Knife

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Actress Carla Ortiz arrives at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Regardless of your level of expertise in the kitchen, a quality chef's knife is a must. This tool will make the difference between fast and frustrating meal prep. Get a quality 8-inch stainless steel knife for $43.99 on sale from Amazon.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $43.99

 

13. Paring Knife

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Actress Carla Ortiz arrives at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Paring knives produce smaller, more intricate cuts than a larger chef's knife can. Even knife drawer should include at least one paring knife. Get a Wusthof brand knife from Amazon for $11.95.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $11.95

 

14. Cooling Rack

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
(L-R) Kristina Shannon, Hugh Hefner, and Karissa Shannon arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Whatever you bake will instruct you to remove the items to a cooling rack. This prevents overheating of the bottom of the pan. The grates on a cooling rack should be narrow enough so even small cookies don't fall through, and the feet should elevate the rack above the counter to maximize airflow. Get one from Amazon for $9.95.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $9.95

 

15. Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Musician James McCartney (L) and Jade Nazareth arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Even the pioneers knew the versatility of dutch ovens. Though heavy, the cast iron heats evenly, and it goes from the stovetop to the oven. Get a 2-quart Lodge model from World Market for $39.99.

Purchase on WorldMarket.com for $39.99

 

16. Counter Top Deep Fryer

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Musician Joe Walsh (L) and Marjorie Bach arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Why make yourself a regular at the emergency room with burns from trying to deep fry on the stove? Get a cool-touch counter top deep-fryer from Amazon for $34.49 and save your skin from burns and preserve your kitchen from grease splatters.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $34.49

 

17. Electric Griddle

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Singers Tony Bennett (R) and Antonia Bennett arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Make mornings more delicious by making it much easier to prepare pancakes. While skillets work, an electric griddle heats evenly and has more room for a spatula to turn cooked pancakes. Do yourself a favor and liven up your weekends with more pancake brunches made on an electric griddle from Amazon for only $34.90.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $34.90

 

18. Cooking Utensil Set

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Musicians Neil Young (R) and Pegi Young arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

With non-scratching silicone ends and heat-proof wooden handles, this five-piece cooking utensil set from Amazon will be the best thing you can get for $20.99 for your kitchen.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $20.99

 

19. Mini Food Processor

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Musician Glen Campbell (R) and Kim Woolen arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Every kitchen should have a food processor for easy chopping, grinding and mixing. Get a small, easily stored 4-cup model from Bed Bath and Beyond for $49.99.

Purchase on BedBathAndBeyond.com for $49.99

 

20. Hand Mixer

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Actress Tamara Braun arrives at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Let an electric hand mixer do the work for you when you must mix up wet and dry ingredients. You'll find so many uses for this mixer around the kitchen to make the $34.99 cost from Amazon completely worth it.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $30.99

 

21. Nonstick Bakeware

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Actress Tamara Braun arrives at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Instead of cobbling together a hodgepodge of different pieces of bakeware, save yourself time and money by opting for a six-piece nonstick bakeware set from Amazon for $39.95. It has all the basic pieces you need and is perfect for stocking a new kitchen.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $39.95

 

22. Jar Blender

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
(L-R) CBS President and C.E.O. Leslie Moonves, TV personality Julie Chen, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

While you can use a jar blender for cooking, don't forget that you can also make margaritas and other blended drinks in one of these for fun after dinner. Get a glass jar blender with ice-crushing power from Amazon for $26.85.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $26.85

 

23. Teak Cutting Boards

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
(L-R) Musicians Nate Mendel, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear of Foo Fighters, and their guests arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Durable, long-lasting cutting boards are a staple in every kitchen. Get one for raw meat and a second for cutting fresh foods to avoid cross-contamination and illness. Check out the teak cutting boards from Crate and Barrel for $29.95 to $49.95.

Purchase on CrateAndBarrel.com starting at $29.95

 

24. Airtight Storage Containers

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Singer Katy Perry (C) arrives at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Believe it or not, how you store food makes a big difference in your cooking. Improperly stored food at best can get stale and at worst become a picnic for ants. Get a set of four airtight acrylic containers with serving spoons from Amazon for $20.99.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $20.99

 

25. Toaster Bags

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Model Yolanda Hadid (L) and producer David Foster arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

If you love grilled sandwiches but hate the effort, you need these toaster bags in your life. Put the sandwich in the bag and pop it into a toaster. The bag prevented melted cheese from catching fire in your toaster and ruining your sandwich. A pack of three of these reusable bags costs only $8.99 on Amazon.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $8.99

 

26. 2-Slice Toaster

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
(L-R) Kristina Shannon, Hugh Hefner, and Karissa Shannon arrive at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute To Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Speaking of toaster bags, you need a toaster, but not just any toaster. Look for one with multiple settings and extra-wide slots, especially if you want to use your toaster bags with it. One such toaster from Chefman brand costs $29.99 from Amazon.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $29.95

 

27. Vegetable Spiralizer

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
The cast of the Beatles 'LOVE' by Cirque du Soleil perform onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Continue your tradition of spaghetti night, even if you're on a low-carb diet by substituting spiralized vegetables for pasta. For $49.95 at Williams-Sonoma, you can get a 4-blade spiralizer to make healthy eating a breeze. This little device transforms carrots, zucchini and more into low-carb, pasta-like strands.

Purchase at Williams-Sonoma.com for $49.95

 

28. Pizza and Bread Stone

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Host Eddie Izzard speaks onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Don't wait for delivery. Instead, make your own homemade pizza dough and cook it to crispy perfection with this 16" round pizza stone. It can be used in the oven or on the grill. Get it from Amazon for $39.18.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $39.18

 

29. Manual Can Opener

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
A general view of atmosphere at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

You cannot go wrong with a good, manual can opener in your kitchen. These are handy for those few pesky canned goods that don't include pull tabs, and great to have for opening canned goods in an emergency. Amazon has an Oxo brand model for $13.95.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $13.95

 

30. Mixing Bowl Set

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Honoree Sir Paul McCartney performs onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Get this set of three mixing bowls with sturdy handles and pouring spouts. This invaluable set only costs $24.95 at Amazon.

Purchase on Amazon.com for $24.95

 

31. Singing Pasta Timer

Paul McCartney Honored At 2012 MusiCares
Host Eddie Izzard speaks onstage at the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Paul McCartney held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Tired of overcooked or crunchy pasta? Get this cute singing chef pasta timer. It cooks in the pot with the pasta, starts timing when the water boils and sings when the pasta is perfectly al dente. Get it from Bed Bath and Beyond for $19.99.

Purchase on BedBathAndBeyond.com for $19.99

 

CBS may collect a commission if you purchase products through the links above.

 

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.