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I'm a pro baker: This is my little trick for keeping kitchen gear mold-free

Many years ago, I had a rather unfortunate encounter with my food processor. No, I (thankfully) didn't slice my finger or anything like that — but I did spot what looked to be mold growing inside of the bowl's translucent handle. For whatever reason, this handle was made of two pieces of plastic that were screwed together, and the only way to clean the space inside was to unscrew them. "Who wants to keep doing that?" I thought to myself.

After that incident, I started thinking about other places mold might be growing in my kitchen gear. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), mold likes to grow in warm and humid conditions, meaning it's wise to dry cookware and the like as soon as possible post-washing. That said, it's sometimes tough to get a dishrag into little nooks and crannies, making those areas ideal for harboring bacteria. To that end, my cookware and knives that weren’t a single piece — where the handles weren’t fused with the rest — were almost impossible to keep clean because of the tiny gaps. And anything with detailed etching seemed to trap suspicious-looking residue as well.

As a professional baker, I like the food I prepare to be as sanitary as possible — and that means preventing mold exposure. According to the USDA, some molds can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems and even produce mycotoxins — poisonous substances that can make you sick. No thanks. In short, you don't want mold growing on your cooking tools, just as you wouldn't want it growing directly on those raspberries in your fridge.

So, how do I avoid this? By investing in kitchenware that's less prone to getting grimy. From knives and utensils made of one piece to cutting boards and mixing bowls with smooth surfaces, these items are a breeze to keep clean. Mold? I don't know her.

I have trouble finding just one good knife for under 50 bucks these days, let alone a set of three. But what most attracted me to this trio is the fact that the handles and blades are forged together, meaning there are no hard-to-clean crevices that'll trap mold, and each one comes with a protective cover. Included are a chef's knife, a santoku knife and a paring knife — you don't need much more than that.

$25 at Wayfair

Surprisingly, it was Cameron Diaz who first made me aware of this cutting board — she knows a good one when she sees one. This beauty is made of a paper composite material, which is nonporous and dries quickly, and it doesn't have any ornate etchings or liquid-catching moats. That means (you guessed it), it's unlikely to get moldy, since it's a snap to wipe clean.

Plus, it's just as lightweight as plastic — if not more so — but I don't have to worry about "forever chemicals" getting into my food. Bonus: It's so attractive that I use it as a cheese board too.

$26 at Amazon

Ina Garten approves of this pan, which is made solely of durable cast iron and oil — and the handle is fused with the rest of the pan, eliminating any gunk-harboring nooks and crannies.

It comes preseasoned and is suitable for any cooktop — it can even be used over a campfire. Nothing's better when it comes to achieving a nice sear on your meat, and I can say from personal experience that it makes the best pancakes too.

Check out my full Lodge Cast Iron Skillet review for more.

$25 at Amazon

Calling this clever tool a spatula would be doing it a disservice, so I'm glad the folks at GIR gave it a more suitable title. True to its name, it’s both a spoon and a spatula. I love it because it’s thin and flexible enough to reach into the corners of bowls, yet shaped like a spoon for easy scooping. Oh, and it's made of one piece of easy-to-clean silicone.

It's the sturdiest stirrer (say that five times fast) I've ever used — far more durable than the flimsy plastic spatulas I've tried. (Giada De Laurentiis also swears by this brand.)

Check out my full GIR Spoonula review for more.

$13 at Amazon

I prefer stainless steel measuring cups to plastic ones, but it can be tough to find a set where the handles aren't a separate piece. The cups in this popular collection, however, are made of one piece of metal, and they even have little spouts for less-messy pouring. Oh, and my biggest must: The measurements are etched in instead of printed on, meaning they won't fade over time. Yes, this is a rare instance where having a few more nooks to clean is worth the extra scrubbing.

(Psst: Here's a matching set of measuring spoons.)

$24 at Amazon

This tough-as-nails pot, which is made of PFOA- and PTFE-free materials, has "Lodged" its way in my heart. For starters, its handles seamlessly blend in with the rest of the piece, and while the knob on the lid does not, it can be screwed off for a more thorough cleaning.

I’ve made just about everything in this thing — from pasta dishes and stews to fried doughnuts — and it’s all turned out exceptionally well. Its 6-quart capacity means I'm able to prepare enough to feed about six hungry people (more if it's a side dish), and since it's heat-safe up to 500°F, I never have to worry when placing it in the oven. Its slick enamel coating makes cleanup a cinch — never more than a rinse with soap and water, followed by a quick wipe.

At just under $100 (hundreds less than a certain French brand), it may have you asking: "Le who?"

Check out my full Lodge Dutch oven review for more.

$100 at Amazon

Similarly, this cast iron beauty is among the few saucepans I’ve encountered in which the handle and pot are seamlessly cast as a single unit. It’s so much nicer than your average saucepan that I don’t mind leaving it on the stovetop as part of the décor. And the best part? The lid’s knob is removable, so you don’t have to stress about any tricky gaps to clean.

$45 at Wayfair

Those Mason Cash mixing bowls they love using on The Great British Bake Off are gorgeous, yes — but I'll take a no-frills metal bowl over those any day. Why? For starters, the Mason Cash bowls are made of earthenware, which is sturdy but, ultimately, breakable in the event of some overzealous whisking. With metal bowls, you never have to worry about that.

In addition, the ornate patterns on the sides of the Mason Cash bowls, while attractive, take more effort to clean. Metal bowls, on the other hand, usually have smooth surfaces that make it difficult for grime to hide on.

$28 at Amazon

My philosophy around silverware is the simpler, the better. Not only do I like the streamlined design of this set for aesthetic reasons, but I also like how effortless it makes keeping them pristine. Washing utensils is one of my least favorite kitchen tasks, and if I were to use flatware with intricate etchings on them, I would feel the need to spend even more time getting them clean.

I used to have steel utensils with plastic handles, and no matter how hard I tried, I could never clean out all the crevices. With this set, that’s no longer a concern.

$33 at Wayfair

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Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.

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