This list covers 49 kitchen items, running from “Pan” all the way to “Pastry Board.” Most of these tools are simple, everyday objects made from metal, wood, silicone, or ceramic, and each one solves a specific problem in the kitchen. You’ll find items for cooking on the stovetop, baking in the oven, prepping ingredients, serving food, and cleaning up afterward.
Kitchen items are the tools and equipment people use to prepare, cook, serve, and store food at home. They range from simple hand tools like a peeler to specialized gear like a pasta maker or a pizza stone. Many of these items have long histories tied to specific cuisines; the proofing basket, for example, comes from traditional French bread baking and still leaves its signature spiral pattern on loaves today.
Below you’ll find the table with the item, its usage, popular brands, and a description.
Item: the name of the specific kitchen tool or piece of equipment, so you can quickly find the one you’re looking for.
Usage: a short summary of what the item is used for, helping you understand its role in cooking, baking, or serving.
Popular Brands: well-known manufacturers that make this item, giving you a starting point when you’re ready to shop.
Description: a fuller explanation of what the item looks like and how it works, so you know exactly what to expect before you buy or use one.
Kitchen items
| Item | Usage | Popular Brands |
|---|---|---|
| Pan | Frying, sautéing, and browning food on the stovetop | All-Clad, T-fal, Calphalon |
| Pot | Boiling, simmering, and stewing liquids and foods | Cuisinart, Tramontina, Le Creuset |
| Peeler | Removing the skin from fruits and vegetables | OXO, Kuhn Rikon, Zyliss |
| Pizza Cutter | Slicing baked pizza into servable pieces | OXO, Norpro, Rada |
| Pasta Maker | Rolling and cutting fresh pasta dough | Marcato, Imperia, KitchenAid |
| Pastry Brush | Applying butter, egg wash, or glaze to dough | OXO, Ateco, Norpro |
| Pastry Blender | Cutting cold butter into flour for dough | OXO, Norpro, Winco |
| Pastry Wheel | Cutting and crimping decorative edges on dough | Ateco, Wilton, OXO |
| Pastry Mat | Providing a nonstick rolling surface for dough | Wilton, Silpat, Norpro |
| Pepper Mill | Grinding whole peppercorns fresh at the table | Peugeot, Cole & Mason, OXO |
| Pepper Shaker | Dispensing pre-ground pepper at the table | Tablecraft, OXO, Chef’n |
| Percolator | Brewing coffee by continuously cycling boiling water through grounds | Farberware, Presto, Coleman |
| Pie Pan | Baking pies and quiches | Pyrex, Emile Henry, Nordic Ware |
| Pizza Pan | Baking pizza evenly in a home oven | Nordic Ware, Chicago Metallic, Wilton |
| Pizza Stone | Baking pizza with a crisp, evenly heated crust | Pizzacraft, Old Stone Oven, Emile Henry |
| Pizza Peel | Sliding pizza in and out of a hot oven | Pizzacraft, Epicurean, New Star |
| Pitcher | Holding and pouring beverages | Rubbermaid, Anchor Hocking, Le Creuset |
| Plate | Serving and eating individual portions of food | Corelle, Corningware, Fiesta |
| Platter | Serving larger shared portions of food | Pampered Chef, Villeroy & Boch, Crate & Barrel |
| Placemat | Protecting the table surface beneath dishes | Chilewich, Now Designs, Deborah Connolly |
| Pot Holder | Protecting hands from hot cookware | OXO, Williams Sonoma, Ritz |
| Pot Lid | Covering pots and pans to trap heat and moisture | Cuisinart, Farberware, T-fal |
| Potato Masher | Mashing cooked potatoes and other soft vegetables | OXO, Zyliss, Progressive |
| Potato Ricer | Producing extra-smooth mashed potatoes | OXO, Zyliss, RSVP International |
| Pestle | Grinding and crushing herbs, spices, and pastes | Norpro, HIC Kitchen, Le Creuset |
| Piping Bag | Shaping and decorating frosting, dough, or fillings | Wilton, Ateco, Kootek |
| Piping Tips | Creating decorative shapes and patterns with piped icing | Wilton, Ateco, PME |
| Parchment Paper | Lining pans for nonstick baking | Reynolds, If You Care, Kirkland |
| Plastic Wrap | Sealing and covering food for storage | Saran, Glad, Reynolds |
| Pot Rack | Storing and displaying pots and pans overhead | Enclume, Rogar, IKEA |
| Punch Bowl | Serving and mixing large batches of punch or cocktails | Waterford, Libbey, Mikasa |
| Pudding Mold | Shaping steamed or baked puddings and molded desserts | Nordic Ware, Kaiser, Norpro |
| Proofing Basket | Shaping and supporting bread dough during its final rise | Brotform, Frieling, Mrs. Anderson’s |
| Panini Press | Grilling and pressing sandwiches | Cuisinart, Breville, Hamilton Beach |
| Pressure Cooker | Cooking food quickly under high steam pressure | Instant Pot, Presto, Fagor |
| Popcorn Maker | Popping popcorn kernels quickly and evenly | West Bend, Presto, Cuisinart |
| Pot Scrubber | Cleaning baked-on food from pots and pans | Scotch-Brite, O-Cedar, Full Circle |
| Paring Knife | Peeling, trimming, and detailed cutting tasks | Wüsthof, Victorinox, Zwilling |
| Palette Knife | Spreading frosting and lifting delicate foods | Ateco, Wilton, Mercer Culinary |
| Pasta Strainer | Draining cooked pasta and vegetables | OXO, Cuisinart, Farberware |
| Poultry Shears | Cutting through raw or cooked poultry and bones | OXO, KitchenAid, J.A. Henckels |
| Preserving Jar | Storing and canning preserved foods | Ball, Kilner, Le Parfait |
| Pickling Crock | Fermenting vegetables like sauerkraut and pickles | Ohio Stoneware, Harsch, Humble House |
| Popsicle Mold | Freezing homemade ice pops | Zoku, Tovolo, OXO |
| Pancake Batter Dispenser | Portioning pancake or waffle batter neatly | OXO, Norpro, Chef Buddy |
| Plate Warmer | Keeping plates heated before serving | Salton, Bartscher, Hostess |
| Probe Thermometer | Monitoring the internal temperature of cooking food | ThermoWorks, Taylor, OXO |
| Pastry Crimper | Sealing and decorating the edges of pastry | Ateco, Norpro, Fox Run |
| Pastry Board | Providing a dedicated surface for rolling dough | J.K. Adams, Fox Run, Epicurean |
Descriptions
Pan
A shallow, flat-bottomed cookware piece used on the stovetop for frying, searing, and sautéing a wide range of foods.
Pot
A deep, round cooking vessel with tall sides, ideal for boiling pasta, simmering soups, and making stocks.
Peeler
A small handheld tool with a slotted blade used to strip the outer skin from potatoes, carrots, and other produce.
Pizza Cutter
A wheel- or rocker-style blade on a handle used to quickly cut pizza into wedges without dragging the toppings.
Pasta Maker
A hand-cranked or motorized machine that flattens dough into thin sheets and cuts it into noodle shapes.
Pastry Brush
A small brush with silicone or natural bristles used to coat pastries, bread, and meats with liquids before or after baking.
Pastry Blender
A handheld tool with curved wires or blades used to work solid fat into flour to create flaky pie crusts and biscuits.
Pastry Wheel
A rolling wheel, often fluted, used to slice pastry strips and create decorative sealed edges on pies and pastries.
Pastry Mat
A silicone or fabric mat, often printed with measurement guides, used to roll out pastry and pasta dough evenly.
Pepper Mill
A handheld or crank-operated grinder with an internal mechanism that crushes whole peppercorns into fresh ground pepper.
Pepper Shaker
A small perforated container used to sprinkle ground pepper onto food during or after cooking.
Percolator
A stovetop or electric pot that repeatedly cycles boiling water through coffee grounds to brew a strong pot of coffee.
Pie Pan
A round, shallow, sloped-side dish used to hold and bake pie crusts, fillings, and quiches.
Pizza Pan
A round, often perforated metal pan that helps pizza dough cook evenly and develop a crisp crust.
Pizza Stone
A thick slab of stone or ceramic preheated in the oven to mimic a brick-oven crust for pizza and bread.
Pizza Peel
A flat, paddle-shaped board with a long handle used to transfer pizza to and from a hot oven or stone.
Pitcher
A container with a handle and spout used to hold and serve water, juice, or other beverages.
Plate
A flat or shallow dish used to hold and serve individual portions of food at the table.
Platter
A large, flat serving dish used to present meats, appetizers, or other food meant to be shared.
Placemat
A protective mat placed under a table setting to shield the surface from heat, spills, and scratches.
Pot Holder
A thick, heat-resistant pad used to grip and carry hot pots, pans, and baking dishes safely.
Pot Lid
A fitted cover placed over a pot or pan to retain heat, speed cooking, and prevent splatter.
Potato Masher
A tool with a flat perforated head or wire grid on a handle, pressed down to mash cooked potatoes and vegetables.
Potato Ricer
A press with small holes that forces cooked potatoes through to make ultra-smooth, lump-free mash.
Pestle
A club-shaped tool used with a mortar to grind, crush, and blend spices, herbs, and other ingredients.
Piping Bag
A cone-shaped bag fitted with a tip, used to pipe frosting, whipped cream, or batter into decorative shapes.
Piping Tips
Small metal or plastic nozzles attached to a piping bag to create different shapes of frosting, cream, or dough.
Parchment Paper
Heat-resistant, siliconized paper used to line baking sheets and pans so food releases without sticking.
Plastic Wrap
A thin, clingy film used to cover bowls and wrap food to keep it fresh and prevent contamination.
Pot Rack
An overhead or wall-mounted rack with hooks used to hang and store pots and pans within easy reach.
Punch Bowl
A large, wide bowl used to mix and serve punch or other beverages to a group, often with matching cups.
Pudding Mold
A decorative metal or ceramic mold used to shape steamed puddings, jellies, and other molded desserts.
Proofing Basket
A woven basket, often called a banneton, that holds shaped bread dough as it rises and imprints a spiral pattern on the crust.
Panini Press
An electric or stovetop appliance with two hinged plates that grills and compresses sandwiches at the same time.
Pressure Cooker
A sealed pot that traps steam to build pressure, cooking food such as beans, stews, and grains much faster than usual.
Popcorn Maker
An electric or stovetop appliance that heats and pops corn kernels, often with a built-in stirring mechanism.
Pot Scrubber
A coarse, abrasive pad or brush used to scrub stubborn, stuck-on food residue from cookware.
Paring Knife
A small, sharp knife used for precise tasks like peeling fruit, deveining shrimp, and trimming vegetables.
Palette Knife
A flat, blunt, flexible blade used to spread icing smoothly or lift and turn delicate foods like pancakes.
Pasta Strainer
A perforated bowl or insert used to drain water from cooked pasta, rice, or vegetables.
Poultry Shears
Heavy-duty, spring-loaded scissors designed to cut through chicken, turkey, and other poultry, including small bones.
Preserving Jar
An airtight glass jar with a sealing lid used to can and preserve jams, pickles, and other foods.
Pickling Crock
A ceramic vessel with a water-sealed lid used to ferment vegetables such as cabbage and cucumbers.
Popsicle Mold
A set of small molds with sticks used to freeze juice or blended fruit into individual ice pops.
Pancake Batter Dispenser
A pump-action or squeeze container that releases a measured amount of batter for evenly sized pancakes.
Plate Warmer
An electric appliance or drawer that gently heats plates so served food stays warm longer.
Probe Thermometer
A thermometer with a metal probe inserted into meat or other food to track internal temperature during cooking.
Pastry Crimper
A small wheeled or pronged tool used to press and decoratively seal the edges of pies, pastries, and ravioli.
Pastry Board
A large, smooth wooden or marble board used as a stable, nonstick surface for rolling out pastry and bread dough.