30 Kitchen Tools to Replace ASAP, According to a Former Chef

I was a chef for 36 years, and one of my biggest tasks during that time was keeping the kitchen clean and safe for our customers. Home kitchens aren’t any different, and keeping them safe for family and friends is equally important. The start of the year is a great time to take stock and replace old and worn kitchen items, whether that’s your damaged non-stick cookware set that can leach toxins into your food, plastic cooking utensils that contribute microplastics to your diet, or a worn-out cutting board that can harbor microorganisms and spread foodborne illness.

I made a list of frequent offenders that people should check and replace ASAP, and we found deals on Amazon for all of them. It’s also a great time to update your cleaning supplies and check that your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are in working order. So read on to find the best deals to keep your kitchen clean and safe this year. Prices start at just $7.

Best Deals Overall

• 57% Off: Zulay Kitchen Stainless Steel Cooking Utensil Set, $30, originally $70
• Tested Favorite: Gorilla Grip Reversible Kitchen Cutting Board Set, $30, originally $45
• Dowan Large Ceramic Coffee Mugs, $20, originally $23
• 10k Sold This Month: NutriChef 3-Piece Nonstick Kitchen Oven Baking Pans, $20, originally $34
• Vilfet 5-in-1 Carbon Monoxide Detector, $38, originally $64
• 33% Off: Umite Chef 33-Piece Silicone Kitchen Cooking Utensils Set, $22, originally $30

Our best overall deals include editor-favorite cutting boards, a set of non-stick carbon steel baking sheets, and some ceramic coffee mugs to replace your old chipped ones. Keep scrolling to find smart swaps that will help you rid your kitchen of plastic cooking utensils, monitor carbon monoxide and natural gas levels, and replace your worn-out plastic cutting board. Start the new year right by keeping your kitchen safe, clean, and free of toxins.

Best Amazon Deals for Kitchen Safety

Safety equipment isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s an essential part of any home kitchen. So, we’ve found the best deals on items that will help keep your kitchen accident-free. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors provide early warning of inhalation hazards and have a lifespan of 5 to 10 years. Few people realize you should replace fire extinguishers and emergency blankets every five years as well. And while a worn carpet runner can represent a trip hazard, you can easily replace it with a non-slip version. You should replace pot holders and oven mitts at the first signs of wear, too.

• First Alert Smoke Alarm, $17, originally $20
• Gorilla Grip Soft Silicone Oven Mitts, $16, originally $22
• Ritz Terry Potholder & Hot Pad 4-Pack, $18, originally $26
• LifeSafe Technologies StaySafe All-in-1 Portable Fire Extinguisher, $24, originally $30
• Prepared Hero Emergency Fire Blanket, set of 2, $32, originally $40
• Cosy Homeer Kitchen Rugs, $20, originally $26

LifeSafe Technologies StaySafe All-in-1 Portable Fire Extinguisher

Kitchen fire extinguishers only have a lifespan of about five years. If you’re like me, you can’t remember the last time you replaced yours, so this is a good time to act on that idea. This spray bottle-sized extinguisher acts on grease, electrical, and even lithium-ion battery fires, and it’s small enough to tuck out of the way, while still keeping it easily within reach.

Ritz Terry Potholder & Hot Pad 4-Pack

I like pot holders over oven mitts because you don’t have to stick your whole hand inside them and deposit whatever might be on your fingers inside the mitts. However, pot holders are more prone to scorching and burning because they hang lower than oven mitts do. For safety reasons, you should replace your pot holders any time they become damaged or frayed. This pack of four terrycloth holders is available in 21 colors, so they’re easy to match your decor. Plus, they’re thick and machine washable —  not to mention 31% off.

Best Amazon Kitchen Deals for Health

We (myself included) tend to hold onto pots, pans, and kitchen utensils long past their useful lifespan. Let’s not even talk about how long we hold onto dated jars of spices. While age isn’t necessarily a bad thing, a chipping and scratched non-stick pan or baking sheet can leach harmful PTFEs into your food, and a chipped mug or plate is an open wound for microbes to cling to. Removing plastic storage containers and utensils from the kitchen drastically reduces exposure to microplastics as well, and let’s not forget that decades-old wooden spoon that feels shaggy and a little spongy.

• Waterdrop 40-Cup Large Water Filter Dispenser, $21, originally $30
• McCormick Spice Rack With16 Herbs & Spices, $67, originally $80
• Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 17-Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set, $39, originally $57
• Lifewit Medium Insulated Lunch Bag, $8, originally $16
• Vtopmart 8-Pack Glass Food Storage Containers, $23, originally $29
• MJuly Reusable No.4 Cone Coffee Maker Filters, $10, originally $16
• Oridom Expandable Bamboo Kitchen Drawer Organizer, $20, originally $30
• Kitchen Mama Auto Electric Can Opener, $30, originally $40
• Sonder Los Angeles Teak Wood Cutting Board, $70, originally $100
• Zulay Kitchen 6-Piece Wooden Utensil Set, $25 originally $40
• Wrova Wheat Straw Cups, $14, originally $17
• Malacase 24-Piece Gourmet Porcelain Dinnerware Set, $88, originally $110
• Mutnitt 20-Pack Reusable Stainless Steel Metal Straw, $8, originally $13

Kitchen Mama Auto Electric Can Opener

Can openers are a necessity in most kitchens, but they’re also a safe harbor for microbes that spread foodborne illness. We recommend cleaning your can opener in the dishwasher, if possible, after each use to keep pathogens at bay. But even with cleaning, it’s a good idea to replace your can opener every year or two. This electric opener from Kitchen Mama is a hands-free, battery-powered model that’s great for folks with gripping issues. And since it doesn’t leave jagged edges, it’s also a good choice for younger cooks in the kitchen. Snag it while it’s 25% off.

Sonder Los Angeles Teak Wood Cutting Board

Worn cutting boards, whether plastic or wooden, are culprits in many cases of foodborne illness. Plastic boards, while easily washable, score easily, and those cuts provide homes for itinerant bacteria. Wooden boards, while not as easy to wash, resist cuts better than plastic but require sanding, resealing, or replacement when they get too worn. This large teak board is 30% off and features a deep groove for catching meat juices while carving, indented handles for easy carrying, and (thanks to its attractive end-grain construction) can double as a cheese and charcuterie serving tray.

Best Amazon Kitchen Deals for Cleaning

A clean kitchen is a safe kitchen, and we found deals on cleaning tools to keep your kitchen sparkling. A 24-pack of kitchen sponges for just $0.42 per piece means you can toss your old sponge every time it gets nasty without worrying. Your dish towels and microfiber cleaning cloths eventually wear out, too. But luckily, we found an editor-tested kitchen towel pick for under $1 per towel.

• Orighty Microfiber Cleaning Cloth, 24 Pack, $8, originally $10
• Oxydrily Stone Dish Drying Mat, $28, originally $40
• OXO Good Grips Dish Brush, $7, originally $10
• Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels, $29, originally $34
• Aidea Non-Scratch Kitchen Sponges, $10, originally $13

OXO Good Grips Dish Brush

Just like a sponge, your dish scrub brush will accumulate bad smells and microbes. Replacing it whenever it gets stained, or at least every three months, is a good habit to follow. This brush from OXO features an ergonomic non-slip handle and a built-in scraper that’s safe for non-stick pans. Since nobody likes to spend too much money on this type of item, it’s a deal you’ll want to take advantage of at 28% off. 

Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels

Your kitchen towels, no matter how well you wash them, will eventually build up grease and stains. And, yes, that’s another way to spread foodborne illness. So replacing them whenever they get stained, greasy, or damaged is a good rule to follow. This pack of 15 dish towels claimed our best value rating when we tested dish towels. They’re the classic commercial kitchen towel, made of soft, durable cotton that’s lint-free and gentle enough not to scratch your plates or glassware. Right now, they’re 34% off — which comes out to a little more than $1 per towel.

While keeping your kitchen clean and safe isn’t always fun, cooking is more enjoyable when you’ve eliminated unseen dangers and hazards. On that note, we’ve found more Amazon deals on a few more exciting kitchen tools, like knife sets, non-stick cookware sets, and stemless wine glasses.