A Professional Chef Shares Kitchen Must-Haves from $6

Ever since we were kids, I’ve gone to my cousin for advice on befriending the kitchen instead of avoiding it. She’s my go-to for everything—from figuring out how long to bake salmon, veggies, and sweet potatoes to achieve the perfect bite, to determining whether I ruined a recipe by adding an extra 1/4 cup of water (the answer is: no, just let it simmer a bit longer).

And now that she is a certified culinary school graduate with over 10 years of professional experience—while the kitchen is still a bit of a frenemy to me—I wholeheartedly trust her advice and ask for it continuously. For instance, I’m cooking and baking a priority in 2025, so I recently asked her to share her kitchen tool must-haves with me. Here’s what she recommended

Chef-Loved Kitchen Tools at Walmart

OXO Softworks Fish Spatula

My cousin’s immediate answer to this question surprised me: She recommends a fish spatula—not just for fish, but for large and delicate foods, like this stainless steel option that can easily lift burgers, crepes, and omelets with its comfortable handle. She said they are sturdier than typical spatulas and easier to clean.

However, she cautions to never use metal on nonstick pans specifically, as it can scratch the material and may cause chemicals to leach into food. For this reason, she recommends investing in a quality stainless steel or cast iron pan instead and using a silicone or plastic fish spatula when cooking on nonstick pans.

Thyme & Table 32-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl and Prep Set

My cousin’s kitchen is stocked with stainless steel mixing bowls, like this now 63 percent-off rust-resistant set that’s durable, stylish, and has every size mixing bowl you could ever need, per one shopper. My cousin said she loves stainless steel mixing bowls because they are “lightweight, stackable, and easier to store than the usual ceramic or glass,” adding that they are “good for food prep and baking alike.” Find food prep items like measuring cups, spoons, tongs, whisks, and other utensils included in this set that’s currently less than $1 apiece.

Cuisinart Classic Stainless Steel Chef Knife

Chef’s knives aren’t just for chefs—they’re for everyone. My cousin said so. Cuisinart’s culinary knife has rave reviews, including one from a restaurant manager who called the knife sharp and impeccable. This pick is great for everyday food prep and comes with a matching blade guard for safe and easy storage. You can also snag this chef’s knife in Cuisinart’s three-piece top-rated knife set that includes a serrated utility knife, a paring knife, and blade guards.

Pro tip: “Hand wash the chef knife to keep it sharper for longer—don’t put it in the dishwasher,” per my cousin.

Ninja Fit Personal Single-Serve Blender

A blender is an essential appliance for making smoothies, but it’s also handy for making dressings and sauces from scratch, per my cousin who frequently whips up her own for salads and pasta. However, she recommends a small blender as opposed to a big, bulky one to help save space and easily store it. This popular and powerful single-serve pick from Ninja is now on sale for $25 and allows you to control the blend yourself while breaking down fruits, veggies, and more.

Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 2-Speed Immersion Blender Set

For a more “versatile” cooking experience, my cousin recommends this two-speed immersion blender set from Drew Barrymore’s Walmart-exclusive Beautiful line. Its immersion blender has a low and high speed and can be used to purée soups and mixes, plus the set comes with a food chopper and measuring cup for finely chopping and measuring nuts, salsas, and more. One shopper said they bought this set instead of spending four times more on other appliances they were eyeing, adding that it’s functional, looks good, and takes up minimal space in their cabinets.

TwinTech Digital Meat Thermometer

My cousin owns this exact digital meat thermometer and recommends it to ensure proper food safety guidelines are being followed and met. She said a meat thermometer “saves you from overcooked, dry chicken and needing to cut open every piece to make sure there’s no pink.” It’s helped prevent food anxiety she would likely get from not using a meat thermometer.

Nordic Ware Naturals Eighth Sheet Pan

Lastly, my cousin recommends an eighth sheet pan if you’re only cooking one piece of meat or other entrée or a small amount of veggies in the oven. This way, you don’t have to clean a bigger pan. She said she has two of the natural aluminum pans and uses them constantly. This pick from Nordic Ware is nonstick and oven-safe up to 500 degrees F.