An American-made version of the classic Chinese-style cleaver, this knife can make quick work of everything from vegetables to fine herbs to a full chicken. The blade is handcrafted from high-carbon stainless steel, which is known for its strength and resistance to corrosion, and is ground with an 18- to 20-degree angle for more edge durability. Plus, the blade belly is gently curved unlike many other Chinese cleavers, so it’s ideal for rock chopping and mincing. The barrel handle carved from ultrahard walnut is comfortable and well-suited to any hand size, and it’s impermeable to water damage. The blade also features double-sided edging—so it works well for left and right hand users.

Also known as a fish spatula, Lamson's slotted offset spatula is an indispensable and endlessly useful kitchen tool for sautéing, stir frying, grilling and more. The long, flexible paddle is lightweight and easy to manipulate, yet it's sturdy enough to lift half-pound burgers and whole grilled cheese sandwiches. On the other hand, the sharp, angled edge and ultrathin design will easily slide underneath delicate foods like eggs, pancakes or its namesake fish fillets. The hardened and tempered high-carbon stainless steel—the same stuff Lamson makes its knives from—gives it a terrific springiness. We worked with Lamson to produce this exclusive version of the Slotted Turner, with a durable polymer handle in our favorite Milk Street high-visibility orange. The pop of color makes it easy to find in the messiest utensil drawer or beneath all the dishes in an overstuffed sink.

Dough scrapers, also known as a bench knives, are an absolute kitchen essential that we use for everything from dividing and kneading bread dough, shaping pie crusts and cutting rolled cookies to transferring chopped vegetables from the cutting board to the pot and cutting pasta dough. You’ll think of countless other uses. This US-made version is built for a lifetime of use. The smoothly finished walnut handle sits comfortably in the palm of the hand and the blade is cut from high-carbon stainless steel—the same stuff used for knife blades.

We found this rocking Ulu knife easy to use both for mincing herbs and for bigger jobs such as cutting pizza. If you’re a pro with a chef’s knife, you may prefer to stick to just one type of knife, but if you are looking for a knife that requires no technique and offers effortless cuts, try this. Hardened and tempered high-carbon stainless steel Walnut Kitchen Tools are not dishwasher safe