Buying what you need for a kitchen can be daunting. Visit any kitchen or discount store and you’ll see gizmos and gadgets galore, many of which look like medieval torture devices. Some of them are lifesavers–others, things that will probably just take up space in a drawer somewhere. The good news is, you don’t need a ton of expensive tools to get the job done. I’ve got five essential kitchen tools that will get you on track to cook a plethora of dishes, without cluttering your kitchen, and, if you’ve got the bucks, four others that are immensely useful. Check them out, after the jump…

High-quality chef’s knife. You must, must, must have a good knife that you can use on virtually anything. It should have a trusty blade with a sharp edge, and the knife should feel good in your hand-heavy with a grip that fits your hand. You can spend top dollar on a Shun or a Wustoff, but Cook’s Illustrated ranked the around $25 Victorinox Fibrox 8″ chef’s knife the best blade for your buck. Wire whisk. Whisks are great for so many homemade classics: gravy, sauces, soups, and dressings, as well as cake batters, scrambled eggs, and omelets. I use a 12″ egg whisk like this. Microplane. The microplane is one of my favorite tools because it’s so darn easy and fun. I use it mostly for grating hard cheeses over soups and pastas, but it’s also handy for grating fresh spices, like cinnamon or nutmeg, and is a dream come true when zesting citrus fruits. I bought a this one after a cheaper one broke on me. Cast Iron Skillet. I’ll admit, this one terrified me, and it took me a while to buck up and commit. So heavy. So hard-to-clean. Actually, so awesome. Cast iron conducts heat like nobody’s business, creates awesome fond (the basis of great sauces and flavors), and is actually really easy to take care of once you season it (which is quite easy). Watch the sales–I picked up a great one at Kohl’s for less than $20. Tongs. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT get tongs that don’t use spring tension. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. For some reason, I picked up a set of tons without a spring. They’re totally worthless to me, and I never use them. Spring-loaded? I used them all the time for flipping things, picking things out of pans, basically transferring anything hot from one place to another. Bonus: you can pinch people with them. Hard.

And those second four if you’ve got the cash?

Spend $10 on a razor-sharp paring knife. I love the Kuhn Rikon paring knife because it’s insanely sharp and in super-cute colors. Of course I have a green one, and I use it for everything. Silicone spoonula. These are great for getting the last bit of food out of jars and stirring just about anything you’re whipping up on a stove. Mini food-processor. Big ones can be pricy, but I’ve gotten along with a four-cup Cusinart Mini-Prep ($50)that does dirty work for such a little machine. I use it for grinding up nuts, pesto, salsa–anything that needs a quick, thorough chop or mince. Huge time-saver when you’ve got a lot of chopping to do. Angled measuring cup. A standard measuring cup, but with an angled edge on the inside that allows you to see what you’re measuring by looking down at the cup, instead of having to stoop down to check the side. They’re inexpensive, too–less than $10.

The great thing about almost all of these products? Take care of them, and they’ll last a lifetime.

Readers: what are you must-have kitchen tools for eating and drinking better?