Every Kitchen Needs This Unremarkable Tool That's Essential To Professional Chefs

Kitchen towels are often overlooked as the environmentally friendly alternative to their paper counterparts, but they're actually a crucial component of any functional kitchen — especially professional ones. In addition to cleaning up messes and mopping away sweat as sous chefs prepare food with practiced precision, kitchen towels are essential to cooking safely. They act as potholders, stabilize cutting boards, protect exposed skin against bubbling hot liquid, and are the secret to producing the fluffiest steamed rice. A professional kitchen without towels simply cannot function.

The same can be said for the avid home cook, especially if you're searching for a way to help your personal kitchen function more efficiently. With all the new gadgets available that allegedly make food prep easier, it can be hard to determine what's useful versus what's just a waste of space. Investing in plenty of durable kitchen towels can help make that decision easier. Not only can they replace potholders, but they're great for protecting your counters from hot pans, keep bread dough warm while it proofs, and even replace cheesecloth and salad spinners for squeezing out watery vegetables or cleaning leafy greens.

In addition to being cheaper and more environmentally friendly than plastic, silicone, and paper items they replace, kitchen towels also take up less room, especially if they're stored properly. Bulky paper towels always seem to be in the way, but fabric towels can be rolled into discreet cylinders and tucked into baskets, or kept neatly folded in a drawer.

If you make the switch to fabric towels, keep hygiene in mind. For instance, keep a few rolls of paper towels or disposable rags on hand anyway; there are some messes kitchen towels should never touch since they'll no longer be food-safe afterward. This includes anything involving raw chicken since the risk of spreading salmonella all over your kitchen is just too high. Additionally, look for towels that are absorbent and durable enough to be washed frequently without wearing out.

It may be tempting to purchase that cute dish towel printed with cats or a whimsical quote, but the true kitchen workhorse is that stack of sturdy, boring white cotton towels that comes in a pack of 10. Keep the pretty towels on display as budget-friendly wall art, and keep plenty of functional towels on hand that can be stained or even a little singed. Store them close to your cooking and cleaning stations so you can grab one at a moment's notice. Choosing sturdy towels with a high thread count and mostly natural fibers also makes them more sanitary in the long run. They remain absorbent and strong even after many trips through the washing machine, or through heavy-duty decontamination of towels in boiling water and vinegar.