Choosing Utensils
   

Most Complete Line of Gadgets/Tools - OXO makes just about every kitchen tool you can imagine.  Each has a large soft comfortable handle.  And each is reasonably priced.

Elite Gadget/Tools -  Rösle's gadgets/tools are very nice:  heavy highly polished stainless steel.  Their pizza cutter is very sharp.  Their can opener is superb, rated #1.  It removes the can lid leaving no sharp edges.  Rösle's garlic press is heavy-duty with no loose parts; it works really well and cleans up easily.  Every Rösle tool is beautiful.  Their cheese plane is the most elegant available.

Benchmark Stainless Steel Whisks - Rösle makes 
the most complete line of whisks, both with regard to type of whisk
(9 kinds) and size of whisk (from small to large):  egg (piano) whisks, balloon whisks, French whisks, round balloon whisks, jug whisks, flat whisks, saucepan whisks, twirl whisks, and spiral whisks.  All are reasonably priced.

Benchmark Nylon Whisks - OXO makes a nylon balloon whisk and a nylon flat whisk for use in non-stick pans.
  

Benchmark Measuring Cups - Amco and Endurance both make fine stainless steel measuring cups.  Amco's all stand up when empty, which gives them a little edge.  
  

Benchmark Measuring Spoons - Endurance and  Amco both make fine stainless steel measuring spoons.  Endurance's set has one more piece than Amco's, an 1/8 teaspoon, which gives it a little edge.  Also, Endurance makes a convenient 6-piece spice measuring spoon set with elongated spoon bowls to reach into spice jars.

Benchmark Can Opener - Rösle can opener removes the lid leaving no sharp edges.  The Kuhn-Rikon can opener also works superbly and leaves no sharp edges.  It is made mostly of plastic while the Rösle is made mostly of stainless steel.

Benchmark Garlic Press - Rösle's garlic press is heavy-duty, has no loose parts, crushes the garlic quickly, and cleans up easily.  Runner-up:  Zyliss nonstick garlic press will crush several cloves of garlic at one time, and no peeling is required.
 
Benchmark Graters - Microplane graters are unique:  Their acid-cut, extremely sharp edges result in a very fine, feathery cut.  They have many different selections for different foods and spices.  These are the optimum choice for fine zesting and for hard spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon.

Benchmark Wooden Spoons and Spatulas - Tree Spirit's spoons are handcrafted from hard maple by New England craftsmen. They are finished with mineral oil.  The collection is extensive.  Joyce Chen's burnished bamboo spoons and spatulas are the toughest you can buy, impervious to even steam.  We also have very nice French Beechwood spoons.  They have more nicely-rounded bowls than the bamboo.  We also have Matfer Exoglass spoons which look like wooden spoons, and are completely impervious to water and heat resistant to 430°F.

Benchmark Scraper Spatulas - Le Creuset's collection of silicone high-heat spatulas is the most extensive.  Also, they come in vibrant colors with wooden handles.  The heads remove for thorough cleaning.

Benchmark Turners - Lamson makes an extensive line of turners in many different shapes and sizes, with riveted black handles.