Hope it's okay to say my own two hands are favorites. ;-) Good knives are a must for me...mine are all Wusthof "Classic." Oxo has some good spatulas, flippers, etc. Most of my kitchen towels are from HomeGoods and Wms. Sonoma. Great deals on them at HomeGoods. If you need any graters/zesters, look for Microplane. For pots/pans, I've had Le Creuset and All Clad for years. These days you can find good quality for less, such as Tramontina.

I need new spatulas (which is what I call the plastic things that you use to get stuff out of the mixing bowl -- not the things that your turn food with -- that's a pancake turner) because I broke my ancient one that was my mothers that I dearly loved. I looked at WM but none felt right. I looked on line but I want to touch and handle before I buy.

I have some NANDINA FutureFibers kitchen towels that I love. They are 75% bamboo rayon and 25% organic cotton, made in Turkey, and they are extremely soft and lint-free - I like them better than linen for polishing crystal.

I have one very large Browne-Halco 574384 pancake turner that might be a cake lifter - I use it for turning okonomiyaki and wouldn't be without it. I also have a large, flexible Trudeau pancake turner that I use for lifting large quesadillas that I like very much.

You can find a lot of good silicon utensils at your local restaurant supply store. I like silicon spatulas that are one-piece; i.e. they do not come apart, and I have a collection of silicon spoons that I got from various places.

If you haven't discovered these gems...you're in for a surprise.

https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/bakeware/ctg-00-s3msj

I bought them as a "filler" item to avoid paying shipping charges for a larger order and they've won my culinary heart! I can't believe how many times during a kitchen day I use them and how quickly they replaced other similar products. I'm not selling them or pushing the supplier. I wanted to attach a description and this was the easiest way to do it. They're a fabulous addition to my well stocked kitchen and I wanted to share my find.

Ritz Wonder Towels, available at Killian's and Amazon. Learned about these from Catmom. Fabulous!

Also, natural cotton birdseye diapers for dish towels. I can look up the source if someone wants them.

Love my ball whisks. They wisk just as well, and the eggs drip off instead of clinging between wires. I have one with little plastic balls for enamelled pots and small jobs, and one big stainless one for bigger jobs in large bowls.

Reamer with measuring handle that holds the juice until you pour out of the spout. Mine is Progressive Citrus Juice and Measure, but I think it's discontinued :( I wish I'd bought a spare.

OXO textured scraper-spatula, may also be discontinued. :( I hate it when they stop making my favorites.

I have LOTS of tools which I love, and others that I don't.

I like spatulas with wooden handles and high heat heads, all sizes, no worries about the handle melting and they feel good.

You also said pans--I have a lot of them, but the least known are DeBuyer carbon steel crepe pans. I have three sizes plus a tiny ne, but the medium size one is my favorite. You season them like cast iron. They're beautifully reactive and perfect for eggs.

Bamboo spatula with a flat head - perfect to scrape the bottoms of pans, especially jam. Bamboo tongs, especially for toast. Paula Deen's Chef's Knife, from discount store when her business collapsed. Old, old 8" cast iron pan, for just about everything. Half-size and quarter-size baking sheets and lots of parchment paper. Pyrex clear glass bowls in graduated sizes. A large SS spoon with a perforated bowl. For kitchen towels I use those meant for the bath hand towels, absorbent and bleach-able, and instead of cleaning sponges I use microfiber cloths, even the colored ones are bleach-able, and very cheap in packaged dozens from Sam's Club/B.J.'s/Costco. Handmade by DH a large 24" x 10" maple cutting board with cherry inlay. And, the best potholders ever made were by Calphalon shaped sorta in an 8 with silicone stripes - they don't even make them anymore (All-Clad has similar ones now).

I have found myself using the red silicone grippers that go with my Instapot most often. I hardy use hotpads at all since these came along.

I use many brands of terry towels for my hands in the kitchen but only white flour sack for dish towels because they are lint free and can be washed in screaming hot water and remain a pristine white.

I just bought a pair of high heat silicone spatulas by Farberware. Found 'em at the local Ross store for practically nothing. They can do double duty for scraping bowls and also cooking in my non-stick pans. They come apart for cleaning too.

And I love my silicone potholders. I can wash them along with the dishes. I have honeycomb patterned ones I found @ Aldi that double as trivets.

I want to get one of those newfangled garlic rockers, but haven't yet. I hate using a garlic press, but sometimes I need garlic more fine than simply mincing with a knife. I have a nice little stainless steel nutmeg grater and I've been using that to make garlic paste.

The other thing I love is the spring action mini scoops, I use mine for truffles, cookie dough and meatballs.

I am mad about World Market's non-stick frying pans! I just looked online and they no longer carry the ones I have! I'm devastated! They were wonderful and CHEAP!

I prefer linen toweling, both for hand drying and for drying dishes. They are hard to find so I usually buy linen toweling by-the-yard. It's hard to find but a few places still carry it.

Microplane graters/zesters are invaluable.

I could not live without this tool! <https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-Stainless-Sandwich-Spreader/dp/B000FUO3QM/ref=asc_df_B000FUO3QM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=168256824196&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12873992476405888498&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014230&hvtargid=pla-274161971510&psc=1>;

It's the perfect spreader for butter/peanut butter - you name it. And with the serrated edge, it cuts sandwiches perfectly. I used to buy mine at LLBean but I don't see them online anymore. I couldn't live in my kitchen without one of these!

Can't imagine cooking with a variety of Melamine mixing spoons and pancake/omlet turner. <https://www.kitchenworksinc.com/Kitchen-Tools-and-Gadgets/Cooking-Tools/Melamine-Utensils.aspx>; They last forever! I favor the red ones.

I have two of these in my kitchen. They are a perfect size for mixing eggs for an omelet, or small amounts of things. Couldn't cook without this! I can buy these at my local Kroger store as well. <https://www.kitchenworksinc.com/15qt-Oxo-Good-Grips-Plastic-Mixing-Bowl__305509.aspx>;

I could go on and on and on...

Lisbeth-gardner, I really like the kitchen towels from Costco.

Martha Scott, BB&B has some great spatulas that I like better than any other spatula I have ever had. The spatula/scraper part is silicone and the handle is stainless steel. Gifted my daughter and granddaughters with sets, and they like them, too. I had a set of nylon a few years ago that would melt when put in anything hot, for example to stir something hot in a skillet. Beware, don't buy nylon for use in the kitchen.

Anglophilia, thank for the link to Kitchen Works. Just found the type of spoon I have been looking for.

Plllog, would love to have the source for the birdseye diapers.

I love my silicone spoonulas, especially one from Tovolo. I like the sharp edge and spoon head combination. Silicone potholder/trivets are great as well.

I like the fine grater from Wusthof for bulk zesting and finely grated cheese.

The All-Clad fish turner is great for many different purposes.

Peugeot pepper mills

Sierra Trading Post, before they were bought by TJMaxx, was a great source for all sorts of tools. But really, TJX/HomeGoods/Marshalls/SLT and Tuesday Morning often have great tools in their kitchen department, including all of the above.

Carol, if by garlic rocker you mean the one by Joseph Joseph, I got one when I couldn't find a replacement for my favorite garlic press. It probably doesn't waste any more garlic than a press does, but it's harder to clean. The little holes get plugs. It also defeats my main purpose, which is to be able to press over a pot and capture the oils and juices. It works, however, though it takes some brute strength, so it's handy to have as something less breakable. I'm still looking for a better press...

Walnut Creek, I'm pretty sure these are the birdseye. I can't find the original e-mail from the forum friend who recommended them. They're just fat quarters, I think, of the natural birdseye, hemmed on the cut sides. And they're soaked immediately because they're so very absorbent!

https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/collections/cloth-diapers/products/birdseye-organic

Thank you so much for that link, plllog.

Chloebud: I share your love of good knives and have the same set as you. I also love my microplane-use it for grating nutmeg, cheese, zesting citrus, etc. I also love my All Clad and Le Creuset. I will check out the Oxo spatulas.

Martha Scott: I'm with you; I like to feel the tools in my hand. With these suggestions, I won't have to start from scratch.

Lars: Those towels are pricey, but look really nice. Do they wear well?

I agree on the one piece rubber spatulas. I put my favorite tiny one a bit too close to my VitaMix blade while it was running. And the one I had is not made any longer.

Winter: Thank you! Those are what I am looking for, but in regular length. I can't tell from the picture if those are regular or short.

Pillog: I will have to look up many of your suggestions. I do remember how absorbent birdseye diapers used to be. What do you use your DeBuyer skillets for other then eggs? I've never owned or cooked in them, but people seem to love them. Unless I get induction when I redo kitchen, probably have all the pans I need.

Nancyofnc: I will have to look for the bamboo spatula-I've never owned any bamboo utensils. I hear you on the towels; I love absorbent and bleachable. I will have to look for the AllClad potholders; I never find potholders I like-they are either too thin or too thick and clumsy. I would love to see a picture of your cutting board; it sounds beautiful!

Elizabeth: I share your love of the flour bags for drying dishes, especially glassware.

Carolb: Those spatulas look interesting. I've never seen ones that come apart.

I have those silicone honeycomb potholders. I don't use them for potholders, but love them to sit on the countertop under mixing bowl or pans that I don't want to move around, such as when I'm mashing potatoes or mixing a cake with my hand mixer. I use them to help with "difficult to open" jars. I also use them to put on my glass refrigerator shelf when I need to refrigerate something that is still warm. I love them so much I got a pair for all my adult children!

Anglo: I have a Cutco sandwich spreader like yours; it is handy for sandwiches.

I can't open either of the kitchenwork links-I just get an error message.

Walnut: I will look at BBB for that spatula and check Costco for towels.

Gooster: The spoonulas sound interesting. Will have a look. I am thinking about a new pepper mill-considering the Atlas and Peugeot. And I do find many tools at the stores you mentioned. It's even better when I see 6 different brands of the same thing, remembering that someone on this forum recommended a particular one. Makes my decision easier.

Thanks everyone for sharing your opinions and product loves.

Liz

I have a few that might not have been mentioned here. I have never seen the Cuisinart tools, but I'm sure I'd love them. One of my favorite, favorite tools is the Spoonula that I bought in Michigan after Annie endorsed it. If it's good for Annie, it's good for me. I subsequently bought a couple more and love them all.

Here's another tool that I really like. It's perfect for us empty nesters-- I don't need a colander to drain a small amount of pasta etc, so I find this is really useful-https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Large-Scoop-Colander-Grey/dp/B002STLX34

I buy "bar mops" by the dozen for kitchen towels and use them for everything. White and I bleach them if they get stained, eventually they become garage rags and I get new ones. Less than $1 each and I have a stack.

My favorite spatula is the one piece silicone type, no crack where the handle attaches for food to get into, Evil Jessica brought me one when she visited about a dozen years ago, and I loved it so much I bought more. The brand was Orka by Mastrad and they sure last, the original one is still going strong.

My favorite "flipper" is an OXO, also my favorite vegetable peeler.

I have several microplanes and love them all.

My favorite baking tool that I will never be without again? The set of Jenaluca scoops I splurged and bought with a Christmas gift certificate. Still $54.95 on Amazon, with a lifetime warranty. I went through a dozen Wilton/OXO/Baker's Secret scoops and then found these. I've scooped thousands of cookies, muffins, cupcakes, meatballs, and they are still working just fine.

Pans? My favorite is my old seasoned cast iron, closely followed by the All Clad, but I have a collection of stainless steel, some Le Crueset, some copper. I seldom use the Le Crueset because it's heavy, and the copper is mostly for looks, hanging on the kitchen wall. The old Griswold and Wagner cast iron and the All Clad are my "go to" pans for pretty much everything.

Most versatile item? The half sheet pans that I buy at Sam's club, 2 per package for a little over $10.00. Heavy aluminum and made in the USA, the last ones said "Polar Ware". I use them for roasting vegetables, baking cookies, making veggie pizza, Texas sheet cake, freezing berries and other foods or just for transporting things. I have about a dozen and keep them scrubbed and shiny, but if they get dark and nasty, I buy more and use the old ones for holding the pots with my little plants when starting the garden. They also make a passable tray for "chicken treats" and food trays for the barn cats.

Annie

Annie, I totally agree with those sheet pans from Sam's. Great quality and price.

I guess I owe Jessy the credit for the silicone spoonula. I did buy a second one made by Trudeau and it's equally good. Silicone Spoon Spatula

Liz, My DeBuyer pans are "crepe pans", though they also make skillets. You're right that induction brings out the brilliance of these, though they're good all around. They're just thin carbon steel that you season like cast iron, and use them like cast iron, except when you want a quickly reacting pan (because there's so much less mass) rather than one that's meant to hold in steady heat.

Unlike the inverted crepe pans that became a fad some time back, these traditional ones (I have three sizes plus a blini size) have a turned up angled edge. This is the shape of pan I learned to make crepes in (though it was aluminum), which is why I bought these. I've used them for crepes, blintz pancakes (thick eggy crepes), fried eggs, omelettes, regular pancakes, etc. Anything small with minimal liquid, where precise heat and instant adjustment are key. You could cook anything that fits, such as a chop, but for a good sear you usually want a pan that will hold heat in the face of cool meat, whereas the chop would cool down the thin carbon steel immediately.

These considerations about instant reaction to temperature range are what make carbon steel the favorite choice for woks.

But, no, you don't need them if you have pans for the purposes.

Lizbeth...Sorry to be late in replying to your question. I was off meandering. :-) The tools are 8 inches in total length with the neck/handle length being 5 inches. Even though they're not full sized...they do the job often better than the full sized because they're so easy to control/maneuver. I just love them.

Pampered Chef silicone spatulas are the absolute best spatulas I've ever owned. I have one set that was an obligatory buy at one of those stupid party things. Found another set at a garage sale. The first set are probably 15 years old and still in great shape. They've suffered a little cosmetically but not much. Especially considering that they get used for everything every day.

Other favorite is a vintage carbon steel Chinese cleaver. Being carbon steel, it will rust. Love it so much, it gets special treatment. Quick wash & immediately dried after every use. If it wasn't such a great tool, if it didn't easily take an edge and hold it so good, I wouldn't put up with something that required such care nonsense.

I love my carbon steel knife as well. Actually that's pretty much it. I wish I loved my KitchenAid food processor and my no stick pans but they have been disappointments to me in certain ways. So my number one item is definitely the carbon steel knife. I slice through an onion to get the rust off if I don't dry it enough.

So, having mentioned that I'm not so fond of the garlic rocker (though for a lot of garlic, it's the best), I figured it was time to look for a new garlic press, again, after the one I loved cracked. It was an OXO, and used hard, and when I last looked they had a new design which I didn't like. Most of what I saw on Amazon were the same two presses from a bunch of different companies. Sometimes those things can be good because the manufacturer makes a good product and that's why it's licensed, but more often it seems like the manufacturer makes a product that looks good for the right price, and all the brands buy it without considering whether it redounds well to their name.

There is a newer OXO, however, with the hefty handles, but this time a square head with square holes. It's bigger and thicker than my old one. Their products are no longer the very best designed, but they're still good. OTOH, Trudeau now has one with different handles, but the working head almost exactly like the one I had loved and broken. And it's red. (I get tired of everything being black!) Big dilemma.

Contrary to the what do you really need in the kitchen thread, I could decide, so got both! I can always use a spare garlic press. :)

plllog, I've had my garlic press forever...a Zyliss Susi. It's been a long time...years...since I've used it for garlic. I tend to reach for a knife instead.

Regarding garlic presses, some years ago I discovered you can press cookie dough through a garlic press to make curly 'hair' for gingerbread cookie 'people.' A little odd but fun for Christmas cookies. :-)

Oh, yes, Chloebud! What is a garlic press, in reality, other than a sturdy and dishwasher safe version of a Play-Doh pumper? Or you could make Barbie spaetzle. :)

I like the garlic press because I can squeeze it over the pot and capture all the oils and juices, rather than having them leak away on the board. I also think the garlic cooks down better than just knife minced. I use a knife for recipes where you're supposed to see it. ;)

LOL...Barbie spaetzle...love it!!! Just yesterday my husband brought in some of our cherry tomatoes that never got bigger than large peas. I told him they looked like Barbie beefsteak tomatoes. :-)

I just make a quick paste of garlic with the side of my knife if I want it to disappear more. Whatever works!