A Chef’s Guide to the Kitchen Tools That’ll Make Your 2026 Cooking Resolution Stick

Here’s a little peek behind the culinary curtain: even in the most exclusive restaurant kitchens, and certainly at culinary school, toque-clad cooks are sticking their roasts and fillets with instant-read thermometers. Yes, there are some visual cues you can master to know when to pull a perfectly medium-rare steak, but the only way to be 100% certain you’ve nailed your cook is to take the internal temperature. 

I love that this minimalist OXO thermometer is straightforward – just unwind the probe and stick it into your burger, side of salmon, or loaf of bread. It offers an accurate reading in less than three seconds, so you can leave tough over-cooked steak or unappetizingly pink chicken in 2025.

You may already have a solid skillet and stock pot, but don’t sleep on a great sauté pan. This shape is more versatile than you might think, and I reach for mine several times a week. The wide bottom offers a nice amount of surface area for searing several chicken thighs or steaks, but the high sides set it apart from your standard frying pan. A couple of inches of stainless steel do a wonder to keep food from flying when you stir-fry or whisk a reducing sauce. I especially love that this stainless steel model from Cuisinart is oven-safe, so you can use it to braise meat or bake a pot pie. It’s highly durable, and stainless steel never goes out of style.

There are certain ingredients that make you feel like you've spent hours in the kitchen even when you absolutely have not. For me, good bone broth is one of them. I keep Brodo on hand for those moments when I want to make a soup, sauce, risotto, or braise a little more flavorful without starting entirely from scratch. The Organic Chicken Bone Broth is particularly useful as an everyday kitchen staple: pour it into soups and grains, use it in place of water when cooking rice, or reduce it into a quick pan sauce. It also comes in convenient one-cup portions, which means you don't have to open an enormous carton when a recipe only calls for a little.

Sarah Gregory, chef and Deputy Editor of Editorial Operations & Special Projects at Good Housekeeping, swears by a fish spatula, and I have to agree. “They’re beginner-friendly because they’re thin and wide, so you feel very secure flipping all kinds of food,” she says. 

This slotted spatula from Smithey, which makes heirloom-quality cookware, is made from durable stainless steel that’s strong enough to turn burgers and flexible enough for delicate tasks like, well, flipping fish. Use it anywhere you’d use a regular spatula – from tossing roasted veggies on a baking sheet to turning pancakes – just avoid nonstick-coated cookware, which can chip.

A list of essential kitchen items wouldn’t be complete without a chef’s knife, and most cooks will tell you: once you find the right knife, you’ll know it (and you won’t want to let anyone else near it). This 8-inch knife is a great size for most hands and tasks. It’s well-balanced, and the blade maintains its sharp edge well, especially if you run it past a honing steel regularly. 

This is my go-to knife; I like that the handle is comfortable for lengthy chopping jobs, that it doesn’t slip around, and that it looks cute on my magnetic knife strip. If you’re looking to make a more significant investment in a heritage blade, I also love the Steph Knife from New West Ironworks.

There’s nothing like a drizzle of high-quality EVOO to turn a dish from mundane to restaurant-worthy, and if you really want to up your culinary game this year, it’s time to graduate from the sale section at the grocery store. This Spanish oil has a bright, fruity flavor that livens up salads, dips, soups, and even ice cream. Display the bottle on your counter as a daily reminder that you’re crushing your goals in the most delicious way possible.

Salt is, of course, an essential for developing flavors in every dish, from sweet to savory, but that iodized table salt in your pantry isn’t cutting it in 2026. First: swap the dense, high-sodium table salt for lighter kosher salt, which has a hollow crystal shape that won’t overwhelm your dish with salinity. It’s easier to dole out the right amount of seasoning by the pinch, and the crystals dissolve readily into hot and cold liquids. 

But to finish your dishes with elegance, you’ll need some crunchy big-flake sea salt. Cornish Sea Salt is my favorite for adding a touch of texture and bursts of mild, briney flavor to everything from pastas to pork chops to cookies.

When I have a well-stocked freezer, I have no excuse to order in or make a reservation, and a supply from Porter Road is exactly what I want on hand. Every cut of pork and dry-aged beef is expertly butchered and sourced from quality purveyors – you can truly taste the difference. A box of various cuts and portions is a great way to try your hand at different cooking techniques. I like the Butcher's Choice Box, which includes something for everyone: dry-aged steaks, pork chops, ground beef, and, of course, bacon.

You might already have a mismatched collection of old take-out tubs and containers with missing lids, but if you’re serious about your new culinary goals, it’s time for an upgrade. Good containers, like this attractive set from Caraway, keep your food fresh with airtight lids, are easy to clean, and will last for years. This set also happens to stack neatly so your pantry looks professionally organized without the investment. The glass bottoms are toxin-free and oven- and microwave-safe, so you can bring them to the office to heat your gourmet lunch. 

A food processor isn’t just a fancy blender. This workhorse of a countertop appliance will quickly become your best friend to save time and work in the kitchen. I use mine to chop, dice, and mince fresh veggies for sauces, salsas, and soups. 

Chef trick: turn steamed veggies (purple cauliflower is especially pretty and unexpected) into a silky smooth puree in your food processor with a pat of softened butter and a good pinch of salt. My favorite way to use my food processor is to make pasta and pie crusts. It has the power you need for chewy pasta, and you only need a couple of quick pulses to bring together flaky, tender pie dough.

Good luck finding a more attractive or practical apron than the H&B Essentials Apron. These also make great gifts; even the most advanced chef in your life can always use a new apron. It’s made from thick cotton twill that protects every fit from splatters and stains. The straps are the perfect length for a secure wrap-around front-tie, and the pockets house your thermometer, phone, and more. Plus, there’s a pattern for every aesthetic, whether you’re a Harry Potter fanatic or you want everyone to know you’re a Pisces.

The mighty saucepan is a must-have for every cook, but despite how similar they all look, not every saucepan is the same. This gleaming pot from Hestan is built to last, no matter how many times your rice sticks or your red sauce singes on the bottom at first (just keep trying! And maybe turn down the heat). It’s made from thick-walled stainless steel that distributes and maintains heat beautifully, whether you’re simmering stock for hours or simply reheating leftovers. Bonus: it’s dishwasher-safe.

Every good home cook has a secret weapon. The one ingredient that can make a very simple dinner taste like you put in considerably more effort than you actually did. For me, that's Blackberry Farm's Smoked Onion Jam. Spread it on a sandwich, spoon it alongside a burger, add it to a cheese plate, or use it to give roasted vegetables a serious upgrade. After one taste, I was hooked. Blackberry Farm even uses it in dishes like grilled cheese and salads, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about its versatility. It's the kind of pantry staple that makes cooking feel more creative, even when dinner is just whatever you can pull together from the fridge.

A cookbook is a great way to gain confidence in the kitchen, and cooks at every level can learn something from Sohla El-Waylly’s essential step-by-step culinary guide. From making sauces to searing beautiful steaks to rising bread, this book is structured with helpful, clear instructions that will help you impress yourself with your progress.