Sur La Table Burnished Bamboo Stir-Fry Spatula, 12"

A bit random, I know, but this $4 bamboo spatula from Sur La Table was one of the best purchases I made last year.

People overuse wooden spoons. Same for full spatulas. Both are specialized tools with little versatility, yet many people struggle to use them in wide-ranging cooking tasks for which they're not appropriate.

But Sur La Table's Bamboo Stir-Fry Spatula is a champ of versatility, fantastic for stir fries, scrambled eggs, omelets, leftovers, and anything requiring a quick stir or flip. It won't scratch non-stick surfaces, but poses none of the melting risk of the plastic implements designed for that usage. And it cleans up much more easily than wood; nothing ever sticks to it. A quick wipe and you're good.

The only jobs this item fails at are those specifically tailored to wooden spoons (heavy-duty ingredient mixing) or full spatulas (pancake flipping). I use it several times per day, along with my tongs, and rarely find myself going to my implements drawer anymore.

Sur La Table makes a 15" version, but I like the 12" one.