Every kitchen big or small, basic to gourmet, need kitchen utensils. A handy list of these utensils will make the purchasing process go smoothly. You will need meausing spoon, dry and wet measuring cups. You can find these in sets.

A knife set that never has to be sharpened will take care of most of your chopping and slicing preparations. A paring knife, bread knife, and chef's knife can be found in a set.

Spatulas in different sizes and flexibility will aide in cooking and baking. They get all of the food ingredients off the sides of the pan or bowl and help mix the food thoroughly and are easy to clean.

Pancake turners or flippers aid in turning food over in the pan or skillet. These can be plastic or metal depending on the type of cookware you are using.

Spoons are a staple on the kitchen utensils list. Slotted spoons work best for retrieving food out of water. Wooden spoons are ideal for mixing food in a bowl or in a pan on the stove. Serving spoons are used in serving the meal. A soup ladle can be used for soups, stews or sauces.

Whisks are great for mixing or blending liquids.

Vegetable peelers just take the skin off where as a knife would take more than just the skin off leaving you with less product to eat.

Can or jar openers aid in getting the lids off quickly.

An all purpose grater allows you to grate nutmeg, cheese, orange or lemon rind, and grate potatoes for hashbrowns.