The 14 Best Dollar Tree Kitchen Essentials You'll Actually Want To Buy

Whether you're moving into a new apartment or you've lived in the same house for years, stocking the kitchen makes a huge difference in creating a sense of home. Everything from finding items in the right colors to deciding what kind of cookware to buy will effect your experience for years to come. But if you're trying to do all that on a budget, it can get complicated because kitchen items can get very expensive very quickly. 

But if you're like us, the kitchen is the one of the most important rooms in a home. It's where you prepare food, start the day with a coffee, or chat with friends during a party. And it's just that importance that calls for the right tools to make your tasks as enjoyable and efficient as possible. The following Dollar Tree items are designed to do just that, without draining your bank account. 

Muffin tins are a surprisingly multipurpose tool in the kitchen. They can be used to hold decorations while icing a cake or for small ingredients during meal prep. And, of course, you can bake muffins, cupcakes, and even eggs in the tins. The Cooking Concepts 6-cup Tin Muffin Pan is a compact way to do all the above and more. For instance, if you want to make cookie cups at home, just flip the pan over and mold the dough around the bottom of the cups. And if you're meal prepping or just want to make individual servings of cheesy potatoes, the pan is perfect for that, too. 

Reviewers point out that the tins bake evenly and will work in smaller ovens, such as in a camper or a large air fryer.  One noted, however, that the labels can be difficult to remove. It's not recommended to put the pan in the dishwasher because the long exposure to water can rust the metal. 

If you want to make cleanup faster and simpler after cooking, parchment paper does the trick. The product is nonstick and creates a barrier between your pan and the food. Dollar Tree's Surefresh Pre-Cut Parchment Paper comes with 25 sheets in a box that are already portioned into 12-inch squares to easily fit onto baking trays or into the air fryer. 

If you're not using parchment paper, it often comes with a shiny side and a dull side. The shiny side is nonstick, thanks to a light silicone coating, so for best results, be sure that's the side facing up. The paper distributes heat well, helping food to cook evenly, but be careful not to use it above 450 degrees Fahrenheit as it will burn. If you're a fan of steamed fish and vegetables, folding the paper into a pouch will let you quickly cook them in the oven without a sticky mess. 

Kitchen shears might be one of the most underrated items in a cook's arsenal. They can quickly chop herbs, cut pizza, portion strips of dough, and more. The McCormick Kitchen Scissors at Dollar Tree also have a textured grip of stainless steel in the center of the handles to help crack shellfish or open bottles. Alton Brown even uses a pair of shears to devein shrimp, saving time by slicing through the shell and removing the veins without having to change tools. And if you want to open ingredient packaging or cut butcher's twine, they do that, too. 

The strong stainless steel blades can handle all sorts of ingredients, but aren't made for de-boning poultry the way some heavier shears are. And left-handed people won't have to worry about getting thumb cramps or maneuvering the blades awkwardly because the scissors are designed to be used with either hand. Some commenters have noted using the shears for multiple years, noting their durability. 

Cooking Concepts Bamboo Cutting Boards help keep your countertops clean and safe from knife gouges. It's compact size makes it a great option for chopping meat and vegetables for meal prep or to use as a serving tray. The eco-friendly material can only be handwashed, and if you're worried about it moving around on the counter while you work, put a damp dishcloth under the board to keep it in place. Whenever it's washed and dried, you can store it on your stove top to use as extra storage, a prep area, or just to decorate. Of course, if you prefer, you can always store the board on its side to save space. 

The durable board is highly rated on the Dollar Tree website, with reviewers noting they are strong, sturdy, and a good value for only $1.25. Many customers also use them for various craft projects, including laser engraving them as gifts or awards. No matter what you buy them for, these bamboo beauties are an economical workhorse in your kitchen. 

While a good knife is one of the home cook's most essential tools, they can be prohibitively expensive. Luckily, the Royal Norfolk Cutlery Santoku Knife is a value alternative you can find for just $1.25. There are two styles available — one with a wider, chef's knife-style blade and one that's a slimmer utility version. Both blades are lightweight and around seven inches long. They're also dishwasher safe, although that can dull the blade over time. However you wash it, the blades are stainless steel, so they won't rust. 

These knives are a great way to prep meals and have a comfortable grip that securely fits into most people's palms. The dimples along the side of the blade help keep food from sticking to the metal as you slice and reduce friction, making cutting easier overall. It's far from the best knife on the market, but at this price point, it'll do the job while helping you save a bit of dough. Many reviewers report the knives are very sharp right out of the packaging, so be careful not to cut yourself removing it. 

The Cooking Concepts Stainless-Steel Chopper/Scraper is a multipurpose tool you might get more out of than you expect. While bench scrapers like this are often used in bread and pastry making, they can also be useful for scooping up chopped veggies or moving slices of pizza or cake from the pan to the plate. The scraper is made of stainless steel, which is resistant to rust, and is 6 inches long, so there's room to hold all sorts of items. The edge is marked with a ruler to ensure measuring pieces of dough, meat, or vegetables to the same size is that much simpler.

The tool has a comfortable hand grip and is lightweight, so you won't have to worry about tiring your arm out. And for the bakers out there, the product can portion dough, scrape flour off your cabinet, and transfer the raw and baked dough from the pan. Reviewers note that the scrapers work well on grills and can even be used as wind guards to keep griddles protected from unexpected gusts. 

If you have cooking oil, spices, and other assorted items cluttering your cabinets or pantry, the Storage Essentials Clear Acrylic Rotating Kitchen Turntable can help neatly organize them. The turntable is 10 inches across, so there's plenty of space to hold everything from bottles of wine to potted plants. It's great for holding condiments while the family eats, making it easy for everyone to get what they need. Take it from the table to the fridge, and everything stays in place for the next time you. You can even do some easy DIY to give the lazy susan levels. 

The turntable has small grips on the bottom to keep it from scooting across the cabinet and raised sides to keep things from falling off. It rotates in a complete circle and is made from thick BPA-free plastic. It's also easy to clean. Just wipe it off or rinse it under water to get rid of any spills or stains. 

Highly rated across several online platforms, the Cooking Concepts Soft-Touch Sink Strainer is a convenient way to keep your sink from getting clogged or smelly. The silicone tool is flexible and fits in most standard sinks, although it does need to be handwashed because putting it in the dishwasher can warp the material. At just $1.25, it's much cheaper that most metal versions, and many reviewers remark that they prefer the silicone to metal, thanks to how easy it is to empty and clean. (Plus, silicone doesn't rust.) 

The strainers come in red or grey and have a small tab on one side to help smoothly remove it from the drain. In addition to catching food bits, it can be also used in some non-kitchen drains to catch hair and other debris. When it's time to clean the strainer, a little baking soda and vinegar does the job beautifully. 

Meal preppers and eco-conscious home chefs rejoice. Cooking Concepts makes Clear Glass Storage Bowls with Plastic Lids that sell for $1.50 each. The bowls measure 5 inches across and 3 inches deep, so there's plenty of room to store leftovers or a meal for work. They're also great for serving individual sized salads, soups, and sides. According to reviewers, the microwave-safe dishes have tight-fitting lids to keep your food fresh and are easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher. One reviewer notes that the bowls hold around two cups of food for easier portion control. Other advantages are that they don't easily stain, transfer unpleasant flavors, or pick up lingering smells the way that many plastic storage containers do.

And that's why many people prefer glass to plastic or metal storage containers. The glass is non-toxic, natural, and has a high heat tolerance. Many glass dishes can be put in the oven at reasonable temperatures, and most can be placed in the freezer to keep food for months — just be sure to leave some head room below the lid so the dish doesn't burst. 

Everyone needs a rubber (or silicone) spatula or two. The items are able to scrape a bowl clean after mixing ingredients. They can also spread icing or nut butters for sandwiches and help remove the last bits of jam from a jar. The McCormick Silicone Spatulas at Dollar Tree come in two colors and styles, including a traditionally shaped version and a spoon-like version for stirring and scraping. At $1.25 each, you can grab both to have all your bases covered. 

Each spatula has a thin, flexible edge that can bend slightly to get under ingredients, but is made of sturdy enough silicone that it can hold the ingredients without bending. Being made of silicone, the material on average can resist temperatures up to around 450 degrees Fahrenheit or stay flexible even if you accidentally put it in the freezer. So, candy makers can safely use a silicone spatula to make caramels or other high temperature treats without worrying it will melt into the sweets. 

A good whisk is a necessity in any kitchen. In addition to making pancakes fluffy, it's useful for whipping up baked goods, scrambled eggs, and even making whipped cream if you don't have an electric mixer. A low-cost alternative to name brand kitchen tools, Cooking Concepts Silicone Whisks are safe for non-stick cookware and can be put in the dishwasher after you're done. Reviewers note the product's durability, with one mentioning that the whisk lasted longer than any other they'd owned. 

To get the best results from any style of whisk, moving it in a side to side motion will combine ingredients effectively without tiring your arm out. Trying to use the whisk as a spoon and stirring it around the bowl in a circular motion moves the ingredients around but can lead to overbeating. Whipping the tool back and forth helps incorporate air, making cakes and eggs lighter. 

Whether you spell them as kabobs or kebabs, the delicious sticks of grilled meat and veggies are a popular meal all over the world. The skewers come in a variety of sizes and materials, such as metal and wood. The Cooking Concepts Bamboo Skewers come in packs of 100 and are perfect for creative treats, like handheld salads or marshmallows for making s'mores. 

But the main thing people use them for is grilling pieces of meat. To do that, follow Alton Brown's advice and soak the bamboo skewers for 10 to 30 minutes to prevent them from burning. Because the sticks are fairly thin, they can easily char over open flames, but soaking them prevents that and helps keep the skewers from breaking as you slide the food on. At 12 inches long, they'll hold plenty of munchable items. Of course, if you want to use them for non-food purposes, some reviewers have suggested using them as stakes in floral arrangements or in their gardens. 

Ground meat is a staple of dinnertime, whether you're making a spaghetti sauce, empanadas, or a breakfast hash with beef, lamb, chicken, or pork. If you're used to breaking up browning meat with a spatula or spoon, the Cooking Concepts Meat Chopper is a versatile alternative. The tool is made of durable plastic that has five "blades" on the end, spreading out like a star from the central shaft. Those arms quickly break up meat without a mess, and the handle has a textured grip for extra stability. You can even hang it if you'd like. 

And the chopper isn't just for meat. The tool breaks up bananas for bread or tomatoes for a sauce. It can mash boiled potatoes or smash avocados for guacamole. And just for fun, why not try using it the next time you make cake pops? The chopper will have the cake and icing combined in no time. That's not bad for something only costing $1.25 at most Dollar Tree locations.

A handheld grater is one of the kitchen's most versatile pieces of equipment. They can do everything from zesting fruits to grating ginger to shredding various types of cheeses, and can also help you de-stem herbs in a flash. The Cooking Concepts 3-in-1 Hand-Held Graters can do all of that, plus acts as a mini-mandoline for things like cucumbers. 

The grater is dishwasher safe as it's made from stainless steel and plastic, making cleanup that much faster. It includes a hole at the top of the handle for easy hanging, although the compact size also allows it to easily fit in a drawer. While not as strong as a traditional box grater, this is a great value tool for people who want the convenience of a grater without the trouble of a more bulky item. And for less than two dollars, it's a great way for beginning cooks or students to secure a multi-use tool without breaking the bank.