Baking pans are square or rectangular, straight-sided pans used for baking.

Baking sheets are flat and resilient sheets of regular or nonstick aluminum or tinned steel, with a raised rim all around or just on one edge. Used for baking.

Basting brushes are used for brushing oil, butter or glazes on meats or poultry.

Bowls , in graduated sizes, are used for a variety of tasks from mixing salad dressing or dough to marinating meats to holding prepared ingredients.

Broiler pans with racks are usually supplied with home ovens by the manufacturer. The slotted rack that sits on the pan allows juices and fats to drip away from food as it broils and collect in the pan below.

Cake pans used for baking layer and other kinds of cakes.

Carving knives, are made for slicing roasts and have slightly less flexible blades.

Charcoal grills are ideally deep fire pans with domed covers.

Cheesecloth is used in double thickness for straining fine particles from stocks or cooking liquids. It is also used for wrapping fish for poaching to ease lowering it into and removing it from the cooking liquid. Chef's knife chops, minces, dices and slices quickly and efficiently.

Colanders are used for washing or draining. Graters/shredders are sturdy, hand-held stainless-steel tools with holes for grating.

Grill rack is the metal grid upon which food to be grilled is placed. Jars of sturdy glass and with wide-mouthed tops are called canning jars and are made specifically for preserving purposes, with lids and separate screw bands that form the necessary airtight vacuum.

Knives used for cutting. See also carving knives, chef's knives, paring knife, and serrated knife.

Measuring cups used for accurate measuring of dry and liquid ingredients.

Measuring spoons sizes ranging from 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon. Metal or plastic spoons made with deep bowls and marked on the handle with the measurement.

Paring knife serves general cutting needs, including peeling vegetables and cutting up small ingredients.

Pastry bags and tips , composed of either plastic-lined cloth or all-plastic bags and stainless-steel or plastic tips, enable easy, accurate piping of meringue, whipped cream or other toppings, fillings, decorative icings, or soft cookie or pastry doughs.

Pastry blenders, are used for cutting butter or shortening into flour when making pastry dough by hand.

Reamers or citrus juicers force the juice from citrus fruits.

Serrated knife is used for slicing whole loaves of bread.

Saucepans may be tall and narrow or wide and shallow, in sizes ranging from 1 to 4 quarts. Use saucepans for making soups, sauces and small quantities of stock, and for cooking vegetables, grains and beans.

Sauté pans are ideal for quickly browning pieces of meat or other ingredients.

Sieves, fine or coarse wire-mesh strainer baskets, are used for sieving sauces, straining stocks, draining boiled vegetables or beans, rinsing rice or removing solids from stock. In conjunction with a rubber spatula, a sieve can also be used to press soft foods into a purée while straining out seeds and skin.

Sifters, with a crank or pressure handle and fine-mesh screen, give a uniform consistency to flour for even blending.

Slicing knife with a long, flexible blade is best for cutting thin slices with minimal friction.

Skewers, available in stainless steel, wood or bamboo, hold together small pieces of food during grilling or broiling.

Slotted Spoons with slotted bowls are good for all-purpose stirring or for simultaneously transferring and straining ingredients.

Spatulas, essentially extensions of your hand, come in several sizes, shapes and materials. For folding, mixing, scraping and smoothing batters or for blending sauces or purées, choose sturdy, pliable rubber or silicone heads.

Spice grinders or mills are rotary or electric devices for grinding whole spices.

Stockpots, tall, deep, large-capacity pots with close-fitting lids, have many uses: making stock, poaching whole chickens, boiling or braising large cuts of beef, steaming or simmering shellfish, or cooking large quantities of stews, soups, pasta or vegetables.

Whisks, also known as pastry whisks, with their open wire beaters made of stainless steel, are used for beating eggs or cream, blending liquids before incorporating them into batters, stirring smooth or creamy sauces and custards, or whisking salad dressings. Wooden spoons are ideal for stirring everything from cake batters and cookie doughs to sauces, soups and stews. As wood does not conduct heat, this type of spoon stays comfortably cool in a hot mixture.