You may have a killer chef’s knife and a stockpile of pots and pans, but a few inexpensive, multipurpose tools will bring your culinary capabilities to the next level. Three basics to buy:

Microplane This long, narrow file is lined with little razor blades that make quick work of a block of Parmesan or the rind on citrus fruit. A few flicks of the wrist release a flavor flurry over pasta dishes and risottos. $16. us.microplane.com

Granite mortar and pestle Pivotal in the world’s most flavorful cuisines—Mexican, Thai, Italian—this bowl-and-bat combo can be used to crush spices, muddle herbs for drinks, and make the definitive bowl of guacamole. $30. crateandbarrel.com

Oxo Silicone flexible tongs The most important all-purpose, space-saving tool you can own. These are heat-resistant up to 600°F and safe for nonstick pans, allowing you to stir, mix, toss, scrape, and flip your way through a bevy of kitchen tasks without pausing to swap utensils. $10. oxo.com

Upgrade Your Kitchen

137 Ways your home can make you a better man

From the editors of Men’s Health Living

Prep a healthier skillet
Heat your pan before adding oil and your food will absorb less fat. Warm oil cooks more efficiently, whereas cold oil tends to soak into meats and vegetables.

Create leaner dogs
Make a deep slit down the length of the hot dog and pierce the dog a few times with a fork before slowly grilling it over medium heat. This lets more meat come in contact with the heat, which burns off more fat.

And clean up faster
If the inside of your microwave is a splattered, caked-on mess, fill a bowl with water and a chopped lemon. Nuke for a few minutes, then let it set for a few. The condensation from the steam will make the walls easy to wipe down, and the heated lemon will leave a clean citrus scent.

Deodorize your digits
Wipe the smell of raw onion off your fingers by rubbing them on a stainless-steel faucet.

Chop smarter
Use separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables, and invest in wooden boards rather than plastic. Wood yields ever so slightly to the blade edge, for cleaner cuts. Immediately after use, clean the boards with soap and water—and periodically with diluted bleach—to kill any germs.

Clean, don’t contaminate
Dishrags and sponges are home to millions of bacteria, so much so that cleaning with them often does more harm than good, says Charles Gerba, Ph.D., a microbiologist at the University of Arizona. Keep a stack of clean rags on hand for cooking and cleanup, or opt for paper towels. If you do use a sponge, occasionally soak it overnight in a cup of water mixed with a few teaspoons of bleach.

Banish odor with joe
Scents from spoiled foods can stick to refrigerator walls. Place fresh-ground coffee in a bowl on a refrigerator shelf. Over a couple of days, the coffee will absorb the odor, says Martha Reek, a senior home economist with Whirlpool.