1
Frying Pan
“I cooked the eggs in a frying pan.”
Good to know: Called a 'skillet' in American English, especially for the cast iron version.
Cooking Utensils
From the frying pan to the funnel — the tools that help you cook, cut, mix, and serve.
Cooking Utensils in English: from the frying pan to the funnel, this free vocabulary list covers 26 pots, pans, and kitchen tools. Every word includes American and British pronunciation with audio, a photo, and an example sentence, useful for ESL students and English teachers planning a cooking lesson.
2
Pot
“She put the soup in a large pot.”
Good to know: Often called a 'saucepan' in British English, especially the smaller, long-handled version.
3
Cutting Board
“Chop the vegetables on the cutting board.”
Good to know: Usually called a 'chopping board' in British English.
4
Knife
“Be careful with that sharp knife.”
5
Fork
“I used a fork to eat the salad.”
6
Spoon
“She stirred her coffee with a spoon.”
Good to know: Often confused with a 'ladle', which has a much deeper bowl and longer handle for serving soup.
7
Oven Mitt
“Use an oven mitt when you take the tray out.”
Good to know: Called an 'oven glove' in British English.
8
Colander
“We washed the vegetables in a colander.”
Good to know: Often confused with a 'strainer' or 'sieve', which usually has finer mesh for smaller particles like tea leaves.
9
Whisk
“Use a whisk to mix the eggs.”
10
Spatula
“He flipped the pancake with a spatula.”
Good to know: In British English, a flipping spatula is sometimes called a 'fish slice'.
11
Ladle
“She used a ladle to serve the soup.”
12
Rolling Pin
“I used a rolling pin to flatten the dough.”
13
Tongs
“Use tongs to pick up the hot food.”
14
Peeler
“I used a peeler to remove the potato skin.”
Good to know: Often confused with a 'grater': a peeler removes thin skin, a grater shreds food into small pieces.
15
Grater
“She used a grater to shred cheese onto the pasta.”
16
Can Opener
“We need a can opener for this can.”
Good to know: Called a 'tin opener' in British English, since cans are often called 'tins' there.
17
Baking Tray
“Put the cookies on the baking tray.”
Good to know: Called a 'cookie sheet' or 'baking sheet' in American English.
18
Apron
“I always wear an apron when I bake.”
Good to know: 'Apron' originally came from 'naperon', an Old French word for a small tablecloth.
19
Measuring Cup
“Pour the milk into the measuring cup.”
20
Salt Shaker
“Please pass me the salt shaker.”
Good to know: Often confused with a 'pepper mill' (or 'pepper grinder'), which grinds whole peppercorns instead of shaking pre-ground powder.
21
Kitchen Timer
“I set the kitchen timer for twenty minutes.”
22
Bottle Opener
“Can you give me the bottle opener?”
23
Corkscrew
“He used a corkscrew to open the wine bottle.”
24
Ice Cube Tray
“I filled the ice cube tray with water.”
25
Pepper Mill
“She added black pepper from the pepper mill.”
Good to know: Often confused with 'salt shaker': a pepper mill grinds whole peppercorns fresh, while a salt shaker dispenses pre-processed fine salt.
26
Funnel
“Use a funnel to pour the oil into the bottle.”
You've now seen every entry on this list of Cooking Utensils in English, from the frying pan to the funnel.