18 Affordable Dollar Tree Kitchen Tools You Can Add To Your List Of Cooking Essentials

Shopping for the kitchen can get expensive quickly, even if you are stocking up on tools rather than appliances. Even at stores like Walmart, Target, and HomeGoods, a Santoku knife sells for about $8 or a meat chopper for about $5. While these prices don't feel like they will bust your budget individually, collectively, they add up. If you have ever wandered the aisles of your local Dollar Tree store (and let's face it, most of us have), you know that there are some really great deals to be had. The shelves are bursting with kitchen items that are often the same or similar to those you pay big bucks for at other retailers — from tongs and measuring cups to storage containers and oven mitts.

With many items starting at just $1.25 each at Dollar Tree, you can find plenty of options that outpace even the most budget-friendly kitchen essentials you can get from Walmart. Not only does the store have a wide range of cooking utensils, such as knives, graters, and spatulas, to choose from, but it also carries items that go beyond meal prep, like scoops and bag clips. Prefer kitchen tools made from stainless steel, wood, or bamboo? Dollar Tree has you covered with a number of items made with these durable, higher-quality, and more eco-friendly materials. If it's time to replace some of your kitchen tools and you're trying to save some money, Dollar Tree can be a great place to restock all the essentials for less.

A stainless steel bench scraper and chopper costs more than $5 at budget-friendly Walmart. Dollar Tree's Cooking Concepts Stainless Steel Chopper sells for just $1.25. With a 4.2-star online rating across 17 reviews, customers seem to like it. This Dollar Tree version features measurements along the blade to make portioning out your pizza or biscuit dough easier. While not as sharp as a knife, you might even be able to use it to chop other soft foods in a pinch. Plus, you can use it to scrape a kitchen counter clean.

Meat choppers are perfect for breaking up ground meat; you can also use them to mash other soft foods, like avocados, bananas, and cooked potatoes. Dollar Tree carries a 10.6-inch long Cooking Concepts Meat Chopper with a hole for hanging when not in use. It's a plastic cooking tool, so it's less likely to scratch your cookware, while still being durable. Plus, it's popular with customers, based on the number of five-star reviews it's received. These meat choppers cost $1.25, which can easily save you $3 at Walmart — or more, depending on where you shop.

Keeping fruits and vegetables fresh and ready to use in cooking can be a challenge. Instead of storing your produce in the bags and containers they were packaged in, choose the plastic Cooking Concepts Fruit and Vegetable Storage Containers with Lids from Dollar Tree. They are reusable and stackable, allowing you to stow rinsed fruit without clutter. These containers also feature a removable basket insert and an airtight lid. At $1.25 each, why not pick up some in all four available colors? Then you can color-code your fridge organization.

Cheese graters can be used for more than just shredding big blocks of cheese. This $1.25 tool can also be used for zesting citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges, as one customer review of the Cooking Concepts Soft Touch Cheese Grater on the Dollar Tree website points out. It features a comfortable, easy-grip, non-slip handle and is also a space saver. Lay this slimline tool flat in a drawer or hang it from a hook whenever you're not using it.

Fine mesh strainers are a kitchen essential that you don't always think of having on hand until you suddenly need it. At Walmart, a tiny 3-inch metal strainer costs $5. On the other hand, this larger Cooking Concepts Mesh Strainer with Handle from Dollar Tree costs just $1.25. It features a fine mesh, perfect for smoothing sauces or getting seeds out of fruit juice, and a sturdy, easy-grip handle. Although it's not dishwasher-safe, it should be easy enough to wash by hand.

Tongs are a great tool to have in any kitchen — use them to toss, flip, and serve a variety of foods. At big box retailers like Target, you'll find nylon-tipped tongs for around $5. Dollar Tree's Cooking Concepts Dishwasher Safe Tongs with Nylon Tips sell for just $1.25. These tongs feature a durable stainless steel body and plastic-coated ends that won't scratch your pots and pans. Need something smaller than these 13-inch long tongs? Dollar Tree also sells soft-tipped Cooking Concepts Mini Tongs in assorted colors for the same price.

Whether you're cooking roasts, hams, or turkeys, basting is vital — it's how flavor gets imparted, after all. Having a McCormick Silicone Basting Brush on hand makes basting easy and safe, plus you can use it for brushing butter on baked goods and tons of other kitchen tasks. At Dollar Tree, these brushes cost just $1.25 each. To clean them, just pop them in the top rack of your dishwasher. They tend to last a long time because silicone is a highly durable and heat resistant material. The bristles won't fall out of these brushes!

If you need a new pair of kitchen scissors, Dollar Tree has a great option with sharp blades and a nut cracker that can also be used to break bones. The durable and dishwasher-safe Cooking Concepts Heavyweight Stainless Steel Kitchen Shears can cut through meat, bones, and twine. They're a versatile tool that makes prepping meals easier, faster, and cleaner. These kinds of scissors can be expensive, with a similar product costing around $30 at Target, so this offering from Cooking Concepts and Dollar Tree saves you money.

Pot holders and oven mitts protect your hands from high-heat appliances. While both are easy to find anywhere, Dollar Tree offers an enormous and ever-changing selection, including seasonal designs for a decorative touch. Try this sleek Home Collection Navy Blue Kitchen Linen set or the space-saving Home Collection Assorted Mini Oven Mitts. At just $1.50 each, these products are affordable and durable, handling multiple washes before replacement. If you're even a little crafty, customize your buy with this affordable Dollar Tree pot holder hack for your kitchen: transforming them into hanging kitchen towels.

We all use a bunch of different kitchen utensils in the course of preparing even a typical weeknight meal. Dollar Tree's Cooking Concepts Grey Nylon Ladle is good to have on hand for serving everything from chili, soup, and sauce to green bean casserole. Paying big bucks for a ladle doesn't really make sense, so it's lucky you can grab one for just $1.25 from Dollar Tree. These silicone ladles are 12.8 inches long, making them useful for deep pots. According to reviews on the online product listing, the plastic feels high quality and durable.

If you're looking for a sharp knife that can handle all kinds of kitchen prep, a Santoku knife is a good choice. You can use it to slice, dice, chop, and mince a wide range of ingredients. These knives start at around $7 at big box retailers like Walmart and can get quite expensive. However, Dollar Tree sells the Royal Norfolk Cutlery Santoku Knife in two styles — a solid stainless steel handle or a black plastic handle — for just $1.25 each. Both styles are dishwasher safe and rust-resistant.

Measuring cups are a vital part of food preparation, and having cups for both dry goods and liquids is helpful. Dollar Tree has what you need — and for just $1.25 each. For dry ingredients, consider the four-piece McCormick Measuring Cup — choose the white set with engraved numbers. For liquids, try the Large 4-Cup Plastic Measuring Cup or McCormick 2-Cup Measuring Cup with two easy-pour spouts. If you want an all-in-one product, consider the Cooking Concepts White Plastic Measuring Cup and Spoon Set. All except the large cup can be hung up when not in use for clutter-free storage.

Dollar Tree's Cooking Concepts Metal Cooling Rack is what you need when cooling baked goods straight from the oven — and it also has other uses. On the online product listing, one reviewer shared that they use the rack to create a makeshift roasting and broiling pan. At 10 inches wide by 16 inches long, this Dollar Tree cooling rack isn't that big. However, the same size rack at Walmart costs nearly $6, while the Dollar Tree version sells for just $1.25. While it's not dishwasher safe, it will tolerate soaking and hand washing.

Muffin pans are a great tool in any kitchen. Even if you're not much of a baker, muffin pans can be used for weekly meal prep or freezing ingredients in portions. While a six-cup muffin pan might not seem very big, it's actually a great size for singles or small families. This Dollar Tree Cooking Concepts 6 Cup Muffin Pan has holes, so you can hang it when it's not in use. Plus, there are so many innovative ways to repurpose muffin tins inside and outside the house.

The Cooking Concepts Scoop with Soft-Grip Handle can be used for redistributing dry ingredients, like flour and sugar. You can also use it to get cereal out of the box, dog food out of a large bag, or even ice out of a bucket. They appear to be good value for money at just $1.25, with one reviewer on the product listing stating: "Good quality that stands up to the task." Most people could easily afford to get more than one to cover all their scooping needs. Choose from red or white plastic.

If you do a lot of reheating in the microwave, having a plate cover can make a big difference when keeping the inside of the appliance clean. They help to contain any splatter during the cooking process. The Cooking Concepts Plastic Microwave Plate Covers from Dollar Tree can also be used to keep a dish warm before serving. Plus, they're stackable and dishwasher safe, as long as you pop them on the top rack. These specific plate covers are designed to fit 10-inch dishes, which is a standard dinner plate size.

Oddly enough, a lot of dry goods come in bags that cannot be resealed once opened. That's why having a few bag clips on hand makes sense. Dollar Tree carries a few styles of bag clips starting at $1.25 per set. This five-pack of Power Clips Multi-Purpose Clips is probably the most versatile option, with each clip measuring 6 inches across. The Colorful Multi-Purpose Clips are manufactured from PVC-coated metal, making them a bit more durable. Or seal your kids' snacks with these cute cartoon animal-themed Power Clips Plastic Novelty Bag Clips.

Metal skewers can be used for so much more than just grilling meats and vegetables. Skewers, like the 15-inch Cooking Concepts Metal Skewers at Dollar Tree, can be used in the oven and air fryer, too. Metal skewers are endlessly reusable, reducing the waste that comes with disposable bamboo skewers, even if they are biodegradable. Plus, Dollar Tree's skewers are made from rust-resistant stainless steel and have a looped end to keep the food you thread on in place. They're sold as a pack of four for $1.25.