• Improve your cooking skills by adding small kitchen tools to your kitchen.kitchen image by yong hong from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether preparing a meal or a snack, small kitchen tools come in handy for many kitchen activities. Try cutting meat, fruits or vegetables without a sharp chef's knife or trying to open a can without a can opener. Adding a few small kitchen tools can improve your cooking skills and save you lots of time.
  
  

Vegetable Peeler

• Save time and vegetables by using a vegetable peeler.series object on white - kitchen utensil potato peeler image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
  
  Peeling a potato, apple, pear or cucumber with a knife may cause you to lose most of the fruit or vegetable. A vegetable peeler removes the skin of fruit and vegetables quicker and easier. Many peelers also have an additional piece designed to remove the core or unwanted parts of the fruit or vegetable.
  
  

Plastic Cutting Board

• Use a plastic cutting board to avoid spreading bacteria.finnel and knife on red board image by Victor Potasyev from Fotolia.com
  
  A good way to avoid destroying your countertop is by cutting on a cutting board. A plastic cutting board can avoid the spread of bacteria. When cutting raw poultry, meats or seafood, using a separate cutting board for other foods helps to prevent cross-contamination. Plastic cutting boards are dishwasher safe which saves time on cleaning before the next usage.
  
  

Can Opener

• Manual Can Openeropen the top image by Kimberly Reinick from Fotolia.com
  
  A can opener is a handy kitchen tool used to open metal cans. Can openers cut cans evenly to remove the lid with a small cutting wheel that rolls around the top of the can. You can choose a manual can opener which requires winding the handle to move the cutting wheel around the top of the can or an electric can opener which uses a motor do accomplish the task.
  
  

Chef's Knife

• Keep a chef's knife for cutting, mincing, slicing and dicing.knife image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
  
  A chef's knife is an important tool to keep in your kitchen. Whether you have to slice fruit, chop onions or dice tomatoes, having a good quality chef's knife can make the task easier. When handling or storing a chef's knife, use precaution to avoid any accidents. The blade of your chef's knife may require regular sharpening for the best results.
  
  

Food Thermometer

• A food thermometer can ensure meat is done.meat thermometer image by Kimberly Reinick from Fotolia.com
  
  A food thermometer is important to have when cooking meat, poultry or any foods with certain temperature requirements. A food thermometer can not only help you avoid overcooking, it can prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses and ensure safe and delicious meals for you and your family.