10 Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon for Under $100

You know that obsessive love that completely dominates your life and even manifests in your dreams? That's how I feel about eating food. Luckily, I was able to parlay that incredible appetite into a career working as a recipe tester and developer at Dotdash Meredith Food Studios, where I got to feast every day and get paid. A real job. Real money.

Last summer, when I moved to a new state, I suddenly had to do all of those same tasks in my own kitchen at home—a tiny space that lacked any modern oven or walk-in refrigerator. It certainly doesn't look as impressive, but I'm confident I'm just as effective, with the products I need to cook like a pro. From stackable mixing bowls to long-lasting tongs, these 10 kitchen tools have made a huge difference. And they're all under $100.

Recipe Developers' Favorite Kitchen Tools Under $100

• Microplane Zester & Grater, $18
• Materials: Air whisk, $25
• Hotec Stainless Steel Tongs, $10
• Kizen Instant Read Meat Thermometer, $13 (list price $18)
• OXO Kitchen Scale, $55
• OXO Stainless Steel Measuring Cup & Spoon, $33
• 3-piece Pyrex glass measuring cup set, $22 (list price $26)
• Misen 8-inch chef's knife, $94
• Luminarc Glass Stacking Bowls 10-Piece Set, $49
• OXO Cutting Board, $20

Microplane Zester and Grater

I've tried many file-type graters, but nothing beats the Microplane. It crushes garlic, turmeric, nutmeg, lemon, and Parmesan with ease, and in the nearly 10 years since I got it, it has never dulled. It's so good, I've bought it three times. Our testers also loved the zester's sharp teeth and comfortable grip.

Material: Air Whisk

I bought this whisk only 8 months ago, but it's already one of my favorite kitchen tools. The thin loop makes it easy to store, and the flat base means I can stand it up in between whisks to avoid messes from dripping. It's more expensive than your average whisk sold on Amazon, but its versatility and efficiency make it worth the slightly higher price.

Hotec Stainless Steel Tongs

I've recommended these tongs before, but given their importance in the kitchen, I'm recommending them again here because they couldn't be simpler. I bought this two-pack in 2020, and less than a year later, I finally realized how useful these tongs are and bought them again. While the 12-inch tongs are great for grilling, I use the 9-inch tongs most often for mixing cold salads and flipping sizzling chicken thighs.

Kizen Instant Read Meat Thermometer

Meat thermometers can cost a lot or a little. I prefer the latter, and so do the 40,000+ Amazon shoppers who gave this model a five-star rating. It gives you a quick and accurate reading of the temperature, is backlit for easy viewing, and folds up so you don't accidentally poke it in your eye.

OXO kitchen scale

Since I started using a food scale, my cooking has become more consistent and efficient; we can all agree that these features are important if you write recipes for a living. But even for those of us whose jobs don't necessarily require the ability to accurately measure flour, a food scale is a useful tool to have. I've used a variety of scales since I started working professionally as a chef, but this one is my favorite with its large pull-out display, quick unit conversion, and 11-pound weight limit.

OXO Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons

Good measuring cups and spoons are essentials for any cook, and this set is my favorite because the magnetic handles make them easy to separate and store. Shoppers also recommend this set for its durable stainless steel construction, non-slip grips, and easy-to-use design.

Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup 3-Piece Set

Liquid measuring cups are just as important as dry measuring cups, and this pack of three sizes offers the best value for your money. Made from Pyrex glass, they're shatter-proof and can go from the dishwasher to the microwave, and the cups are designed to stack together for easy storage.

Misen 8-inch chef's knife

Like the whisk, this new addition to my kitchen has quickly become a must-have for me. The thick handle fits comfortably in my hand, and the sharp blade slices through a whole spaghetti squash with ease. The sturdy design is halfway between a Japanese and Western-style knife. Shoppers love this 8-inch Misen masterpiece, calling it “functional” and “unbeatable.”

Luminarc Glass Stacking Bowls, 10-piece Set

If you've ever started a recipe without prepping ahead of time, you know the dreaded task of grating cheese while boiling pasta and sautéing onions. Gathering and measuring all your ingredients before you start cooking is absolutely essential to success in the kitchen. Having enough containers is the first step. In my house, we make great use of this 10-piece set that has everything from pinch bowls to large mixing bowls. They're durable, stackable, and dishwasher safe.

OXO Cutting Board

This cutting board has lived with me in three apartments and survived hundreds of washes in the dishwasher, and the knives have never dulled. It's large enough to cut up a whole chicken, and has a handy groove around the outer edge to catch juices while you're chopping. I use one side for veggies and the other for meat.