20 Tools In Your Kitchen You've Probably Been Misusing

The variety of kitchen appliances, cookware, and cooking tools has expanded significantly compared to what was available 20, 50, or even 100 years ago. If you have a well-stocked kitchen, you likely have drawers and cabinets full of everything from cutting boards, garlic presses, stand mixers, meat thermometers, air fryers, and everything in between. While all of these tools can greatly simply meal prep, did you know that you might have been using them wrong this whole time?

There are several mistakes people make with everyday cooking tools such as whisks and veggie peelers. The same goes for those made with more specialty items, like air fryers, cheese graters, and mandolines. These mistakes can negatively impact how efficient you are in the kitchen, increase your risk of getting injured while cooking, decrease the lifespan of your various tools or appliances, and more. Have you been using some of the tools in your kitchen wrong? 

If you've been using your cutting boards incorrectly, you may not even realize it. There are actually several mistakes many people make related to their cutting boards. The first is using one cutting board for all of their cutting tasks. You should not use the same cutting board for raw meat that you also use for chopping vegetables or slicing bread. Cutting boards can hold salmonella, E. coli, and other bacteria from the raw meat and transfer it to your other foods, according to Healthline. Similarly, if anyone in your home has a food allergy, always use a separate cutting board for any items they are allergic to. Otherwise, you're risking cross-contamination, which could trigger allergy symptoms.

Just as wooden cooking utensils should not be put in the dishwasher, the same is true for cleaning wooden cutting boards. Washing them in a dishwasher could cause them to warp, crack, or splinter, so they should always be hand-washed. One final way many people use their cutting boards incorrectly is by not choosing an appropriately-sized cutting board for the task at hand. Always choose a cutting board that is large enough to give you sufficient space to work and keep your food — and any juices from it — from falling off onto your kitchen counters.

Meat thermometers can help you identify when chicken, pork, beef, fish, and other types of meat have reached a safe internal temperature and are ready to remove from the oven, grill, or stovetop. However, if you don't use them correctly, then they won't provide accurate information. Your meat may be dry and overdone or undercooked and potentially unsafe to eat. The right way to use a meat thermometer is to insert it into the thickest part of the meat. The thicker portions of meat will cook more slowly than the thinner ends, so inserting the thermometer in this region will provide you with the lowest temperature of the piece of meat you're cooking. Once this part has reached a safe internal temperature, the piece of meat or fish can safely be removed from the oven, grill, or stovetop. Inserting the thermometer into a thinner portion can provide a false read for the overall piece of meat, and you could make yourself or others sick by eating it.

Many people don't know how to properly hold a knife. An improper holding technique is not only potentially unsafe, but it is also not going to let you cut food as quickly or effectively. The best way to hold a knife is to use a pinch grip. For this technique, you should wrap your pinkie, ring finger, and middle finger and the handle of the knife right where it meets the blade. Then, use your thumb and pointer finger to pinch the sides of the blade. It may take you some time to get used to this holding technique, but with some practice, you'll find that you're able to slice and chop more efficiently without risking cutting your fingers. Compare this to holding the knife just by the handle — as many people tend to do — which leaves the knife unbalanced and more difficult to control.

When you want to add fresh garlic to a recipe, you likely reach for your garlic press. However, if you've been adding the extra step of peeling each garlic clove before pressing it, you've been making more work for yourself. With most garlic presses, peeling the clove is unnecessary. If you put an unpeeled clove in the hopper in the garlic press, it will push the garlic through the skin and out through the holes in the press. After pressing the garlic, you'll just need to remove the skin from the hopper — which can be done using the cleaning tool that likely came with the press.

There are several ways people misuse their nonstick cookware. One of these ways is by using metal utensils in the pots and pans. Metal utensils can scratch the finish on these cookware pieces. This can cause the finish to flake off in the dishes you're preparing, making them less safe to use. Another mistake with nonstick cookware is setting the burner to high heat. If the heat is set too high, it may release toxins from some types of nonstick coating. When you need a really hot pan, such as for searing meat, pull out your stainless steel cookware. Similarly, you also don't want to overload the basket or trays when cooking foods in the air fryer. There needs to be space around the items you're cooking for air to flow. Otherwise, the food items won't cook evenly. Don't forget to also rotate food items and trays during the cooking process. This will also help ensure more even cooking.

Did you know that a food processor is not the same as a blender? If you've been using the two small appliances interchangeably, then you've been making a big mistake. While blenders are good for liquid ingredients and recipes like smoothies and milkshakes, food processors are often the best choice if you want to chop ingredients for a recipe. They often come with an assortment of blades for puréeing, chopping, and mixing goods together. These blades rotate more slowly than those of a blender, which is why they are better suited for chunkier recipes. So, if you've been reaching for your food processor to make smoothies, switch to the blender. Save using the food processor for making things like croutons, shredding, slicing, or chopping vegetables, making tapenades, pesto, or salsa, or ricing broccoli, cauliflower, or other vegetables.

Bet you're wondering how you could possibly use a spaghetti spoon the wrong way. If you're only thinking about using the spoon for serving the cooked pasta, then there is your error in thinking. Believe it or not, many spaghetti spoons are also designed to help you measure out an appropriate serving of spaghetti noodles. Take a look at your spaghetti spoon. If it has one larger hole in the center, then you can use it to measure one serving of spaghetti. The number of uncooked spaghetti noodles that will fit in the hole should equal the recommended serving size. Try it yourself and see how it works.

If you've been using your mandoline incorrectly, as many people do, you could be putting your safety at risk. Mandolines are sharp. Most come with a finger guard that should always be used to prevent you from inadvertently slicing your fingers. If your food doesn't fit within the guard, cut it down to make sure you can keep yourself safe when slicing. If your mandoline didn't come with a finger guard or you lost it, purchase a pair of heavy-duty kitchen gloves to wear as you slice. When working with a mandoline, always use your dominant hand to slice the food and hold the device steady using your other hand.

The microwave is another item in your kitchen that you might not be using correctly. There are actually several different mistakes people make with their microwaves, which can impact everything from safety to the mess you'll be left to clean up. You probably already know that putting metal pans or utensils in the microwave is a big no-no due to the risk of an explosion or fire, as explained on Wonderopolis. But did you also know that there are certain food items that have the potential to explode and possibly ignite in the microwave? Hot dogs, whole potatoes, hot peppers, and other items should be punctured before cooking to ensure steam can escape as they cook, according to CNET. Another microwave mistake is using the quick start buttons. When you manually enter the cooking time, you can also adjust the power setting. Many foods will heat up more evenly if you use a reduced power setting.

While a sponge is not used for cooking, every kitchen has one that is used for cleaning kitchen tools and cookware. Did you know that a kitchen sponge is often the dirtiest item in the house — even dirtier than a toilet seat? Sponges can harbor bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli, according to The Healthy. If you haven't been regularly cleaning your sponge in the dishwasher or microwaving it for two minutes every day, then you'll want to change your routine immediately. In addition to frequent cleaning, you should also regularly replace your sponge or just do away with it altogether and use dish rags or kitchen brushes that are easier to clean.