I've got a kitchen full of tools and equipment that were specially designed for cooking. From mixers to spatulas to cake decorating tips, these tools belonged in the kitchen from the moment they were conceived. But some of the most useful kitchen items that I have came from other rooms in the house and even from the garage. The Washington Post shares my love for non-culinary tools that you can use in the kitchen.

office tools

The list begins with one handy device that has found a forever home in my kitchen: binder clips. If you work in an office, there are probably boxes of them in a supply room or crammed into a desk drawer. If you liberate a few of these to your home, they will come in handy as chip clips and will also keep your cookbook open to the right spot (although I suggest placing a piece of cardboard under the clip for this purpose so you don't crimp the pages).  

Another item that I fight over with my husband is the propane torch. It's more powerful than the small butane torches sold for creme brulee and browning meringue. The enhanced performance comes with a much small price tag, making it an excellent device to have available for culinary uses.  

While the article does not mention it, I find a stapler to be handy in the kitchen. I use it re-close packages of items I use infrequently, and I've also used it to hold together parchment paper cones for piping icing. A hole punch is another item that has been repurposed for culinary use. I use it to make holes in packages so they will hang on small hooks in my pantry. Whenever I travel, I make sure to take home a shower cap if the hotel offers one. They make excellent bowl covers for proofing dough and fit a variety of bowl sizes. 

What's your favorite non-culinary tool that you use in the kitchen?