Spare Spoons Kitchen
Spare Spoons Kitchen · The Tool Drawer

The Tool Drawer

A short, honest shelf of the tools that actually make these recipes easier — the scale behind every gram weight, the thermometer that tells you when dinner's done, and the pitter that saves your hands. Picks at a few price points; if the cheap one is where you are, buy the cheap one.

Some links below are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate, Spare Spoons Kitchen earns from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you.

Kitchen scales

The one upgrade behind every recipe here — weighing in grams is faster, more accurate, and means fewer dishes (why we weigh in grams).

My Weigh KD-8000~$50What Stephan uses for bread. 8 kg capacity at 1 g, plus a baker's-percentage mode — zero on the flour and every other ingredient reads as a % of it. Pricier, but it takes a big dough and the math is built in.View on Amazon ↗Weigh Gram 200g Pocket Scale~$11For the small, precise stuff. 200 g × 0.01 g — reach for it when 2 g of yeast or salt actually matters. Tiny, with a flip cover; not for big loads.View on Amazon ↗Nicewell 22 lb Food Scale~$25Best budget stand-in for the bread scale. Even more capacity (10 kg / 22 lb) at 1 g, a big platform, about half the price. No automatic baker's-% (do the percentages on a calculator), but for everyday weighing it's all most people need.View on Amazon ↗

Measuring cups & spoons

Weigh when it matters — but cups and spoons are still the fast grab for scooping and quick, non-critical measures. Oval ones reach into jars a round cup can't.

Oval measuring cupscheck priceWhat Stephan uses. The oval shape slips into jars and tight containers a round cup can't — a rice jar, a condiment jar — and it's the fast grab for scooping or a quick, not-fussy measure where a scale is overkill.View on Amazon ↗Oval measuring spoonscheck priceThe matching spoons. Narrow ovals reach into spice jars and small bottles where a round spoon just won't fit.View on Amazon ↗

Dough & bread storage

For the cold-ferment breads — a clear, lidded bucket lets you watch the rise and proof overnight in the fridge.

Cambro 4-Quart Round Containers (2-pack)~$18What Stephan proofs dough in. Clear, straight-sided food-grade buckets with volume markings — you can watch the dough climb the walls and tell at a glance when it's doubled, which a round bowl hides. The lid seals for an overnight cold ferment in the fridge, and the smooth sides release sticky high-hydration dough cleanly. Sized right for the no-knead bread, overnight focaccia, and pizza dough.View on Amazon ↗

Instant-read thermometers

The single tool that makes “pull it at 160°F” possible — touch it to the food and it reads in a second or two. For spot-checking doneness.

ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2~$35Best for most people. ±1°F, 2–3-second reads, waterproof, with a calibration certificate. Buy this one if you buy just one.View on Amazon ↗ThermoPro TP19H~$16The honest budget pick. ~1-second reads, motion-wake, waterproof. A hair less precise (±0.9°F), but it genuinely does the job for little money.View on Amazon ↗ThermoMaven HT04~$30Surprising value. A NIST-traceable calibration certificate and ±0.5°F at this price is unusual. Same brand as the wireless pick below.View on Amazon ↗Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo~$55The step up. ±0.5°F, fast, backlit, magnetic — the long-time Thermapen alternative.View on Amazon ↗ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE$109The gold standard. Sub-1-second reads, ±0.5°F, NIST cert, 5-year warranty. Overkill for most; a quiet joy if you cook a lot.View on Amazon ↗

Wireless leave-in probes

A different job: the probe stays in while the food cooks and an app pings you at temperature. Set-and-forget, rather than spot-check.

ThermoMaven (wireless leave-in)check priceWhat Stephan uses. Push the probe in, walk away, and the phone app pings you at temperature — exactly how the meatloaf gets pulled at 160°F. A different tool from the instant-reads: set-and-forget, not spot-check.View on Amazon ↗MEATERcheck priceThe popular alternative. A fully wireless leave-in probe with a friendly app — good if you roast and grill often.View on Amazon ↗

Cherry pitters

For the cherry recipes — because pitting by hand is a stained, sticky slog.

OXO Good Grips Cherry & Olive Pitter~$16The everyday pick. A comfortable handheld pitter with a splatter shield — right for a bowl of cherries for a sauce or galette.View on Amazon ↗OXO Quick-Release Multi-Cherry Pitter~$30For big batches. Pits up to six at once — testers did 5 lb in 12 minutes versus 25 by hand. Worth it if you bake or can cherries often.View on Amazon ↗

Prices are rough guides and change often — the live price is on Amazon. The picks are our own opinion; the affiliate links don't change what we recommend.