(Courtesy: thekitchen.com)

I was curious to see what professional chefs would say if asked what their favorite kitchen tools were, so I Googled the subject. Over and over again these 10 items showed up, and I definitely concur. What gets the most use in your kitchen? These picks may not have the glitz of a blender, or the brawny glamour of a stand mixer, but they're the things the pros reach for over and over when starting a recipe. Here they are—ten kitchen tools and cookware that get pulled out of the cupboard over and over again (photos and descriptions found all over the Internet, but this data is from thekitchen.com):

TOP ROW

1: Set Metal Mixing Bowls - Is any explanation required? They are used for everything, especially the biggest one, which is necessary for everything from mixing coleslaw to big batches of cookies. These bowls are practical and inexpensive.

2: Mesh Strainer - Multi-use, and lightweight. It drains pasta, washes fruit and greens, strains tea and soups, and rinses dried legumes.

3: Chef'n Switchit Spatula – Everybody’s favorite spatula. Both ends function as a spatula; one wider end is better for normal bowl-scraping while the other end is really excellent for swiping the last bits out of the peanut butter jar or getting the bottom scrapings of sauce out of the blender. Multipurpose designs are so great in small kitchens. Not only does this spatula work very well in two capacities, but it also just works. It seems to wipe out bowls of cake batter and pots of soup better than any other spatula. Its one downfall is that it isn't always great for really thick or heavy doughs. It can handle normal cookie dough just fine, but the silicone blade often folds up on anything thicker.

4: Wooden "Tasting" Spoon - From Crate & Barrel. Pros like the long handle and the small bowl—they say they usually reach for this first out of all their many wooden spoons.

5: Wood Cutting Board – Bamboo is what I’m leaning towards now, but for sure, whatever surface you use, a good cutting board is a MUST, so say the pros. Really, who could function without one? (I tried glass—it was super sanitary but dulled my knives like crazy!)

BOTTOM ROW

6: Paring Knife – The pros say you want one small, but not too small, and sharp—almost like a mini chef's knife.

7: Chef's Knife – This inexpensive Victorinox 8-inch knife was recommended a lot. It's under $30, and the pros say it’s a fantastic restaurant-quality knife.

8: Microplane - Cheese, spices, lemon — a Microplane handles it all.

9: 3-Quart Pots - For nightly cooking, reach for 3-quart pots. The sauté pan is just right for frittatas and cooking meat. The saucepan is big enough for small batches of pasta, soups, and everything else. When you're cooking for just two or three, these are handy sizes to have around.

10: Commercial-Quality Jelly Roll Pans - These steel baking sheets are about $10 or $15 apiece at restaurant supply stores (or Sur La Table and other cooking shops, although you'll probably pay more there). They don't warp, bend, or scratch. They're completely functional and no-nonsense and they're the only kind of baking sheet pros unanimously recommended. I have three and agree with these guys—I use them all the time!

Write us and share YOUR favorite cooking tools and why. We’d like to follow this article up in a future column. And hmmmm, this info gives me some good ideas for Christmas presents…

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