This compact set includes three bench scrapers to take care of every type of task: A dough cutter—which features a sharp stainless steel blade that’ll slice through even the stickiest doughs—a sturdy plastic spreader for making smooth layers of cake frosting or transporting ingredients from cutting board to bowl and a soft rounded scraper that’s perfect for sneaking into nooks and crannies. The stainless steel blade of the dough cutter is precise not only in its slicing, but also in its portioning—the ruler markings etched along the blade help cut uniform dinner rolls and more. The spreader has a beveled edge that can sneak cleanly under any ingredient, while the curved scraper boasts a sturdy yet flexible construction that easily wipes the sides of a bowl clean. Plus, each has an ergonomic handle and incredibly sturdy construction—even the smallest silicone scraper has a stainless steel core. Plus, they tuck together seamlessly for easy kitchen storage.

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Most cookware lines lack a small, convenient pot for minor tasks: This half-quart saucepan from Küchenprofi fills that gap. Use this small pot for quick stovetop tasks, like melting butter; it comes with one spout on each side, ideal for pouring heated sauce or broth, as well as an ergonomic, heat-proof handle that’ll keep your hand safe from burns. Clad-bottom pots are ideal saucepans: They have a layered base, usually comprised of a heat-conductive copper or aluminum center sandwiched inside an external stainless steel layer, which concentrates heat at the bottom of the pot for faster cooking. This one has high quality 18/8 stainless steel sides (complete with metric gradation marks through 500 millimeters) and a magnetic steel encapsulated base that’s compatible with induction, gas and electric stoves.

This plate-shaped tool for making spätzle has large holes on its surface and a graduated edge, so it can nest securely on pots of various sizes. To make the dumpling-like pasta, simply push spätzle batter through the holes into boiling water using the small scraper accompanying the lid. We like that KuchenProfi's product is much easier to use and clean than box-style spätzle-makers; not only is it made from dishwasher-safe stainless steel, but also the scraper is great for cleaning the grooves of the lid when hand-washing—though there are much fewer nooks and ridges than conventional spätzle makers to begin with.

We love this stainless steel funnel-filter combo because of its extra wide mouth and stable base, which make straining and rinsing easy. It’s width prevents unwanted splashing, while the graduated shape balances perfectly in any size of jar. It includes a removable mesh strainer insert for catching pesky particles and an ergonomic handle that’s comfortable and helpful. Beyond jams, desserts and sweets, this makes straining homemade stocks very easy too.

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This three-piece set of heavy-gauge stainless steel mixing bowls has a more durable construction than others. Each bowl has a black silicone lining on its bottom, which prevents the bowls from shifting and slipping during prep work. They are fairly tall-sided, rather than widening further from the base toward the rim; this means less food spilling out and a generous capacity to prepare large batches of food at a time. We also appreciate how the non-slip linings are tightly adhered to the bowls; on poorly made models, this rubberized base may detach and fall off over time.