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I am not a tidy person, but I am an avid home cook. This unfortunate combination often leaves my kitchen in a state of disaster, with all kinds of spills and splatter stuck on every surface imaginable. Sometimes that stuff happens to be really difficult to remove, and that’s where my beloved baking tool–slash–cleaning assistant comes in: My bench scraper has the power to get rid of unwanted gunk from just about anywhere, little to no effort on my part required. 

Norpro Stainless Steel Scraper:Chopper
Stainless Steel Scraper, Norpro ($9)
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When I first invested in the $6 tool that bakers everywhere swear by, I figured I’d use it to scrape up dough and cut butter and not much else. It wasn’t until I first tried it that I realized just how versatile it can actually be. You see, its rounded handle and sharp edge enable me to remove anything that’s really stuck on a surface with just one swift scooping motion, but its edge isn’t so sharp that it leaves my countertops scratched and tattered. Its narrow, flat corner can also fit in the smallest cracks, making it ideal for scooping out goop from hard-to-reach spots like the gap between the sink and the counter, or anywhere where a standard tool just won’t make the cut. 

It’s been such a help in the kitchen that I’ve invested in another to have on hand for any of my other cleaning needs, wherever in the house they may be. Now when I move a lit candle a little too aggressively and wax spills on the floor, I don’t have to spend 15 minutes picking it off with my fingernails—ditto for any messes created by painting mishaps. And when I notice dust in a spot that’s too small to reach into easily, I’ll wrap a damp cloth around my bench scraper and use its agile corner to get right in. 

Even for the baking-adverse, this tool is worthy of a spot in your cleaning arsenal. And who knows? With a spotless kitchen, you might find yourself inspired to try out that biscuit recipe, too.