China and silver may be the registry items destined to be the dazzling stars of the dinner table. But what about kitchen tools? Working behind the scenes, the right vegetable peeler or spatula makes meal preparation and cooking easier and more pleasant. You will reach for these implements daily, not just on special occasions.

Whether you're a culinary pro or a novice, now is the time to collect the tools that will be your trusted kitchen helpers. Registering for kitchen gadgets is an especially good idea if your current lineup consists of a few worn-out pieces that date back to your first apartment or, worse, college dorm. Well-stocked kitchen drawers, like a well-chosen wardrobe, provide a soothing sense of preparedness. Own a baster, for instance, and you're ready to make Thanksgiving turkey. A souffle for Sunday brunch? You can beat the egg whites with a balloon whisk.

Many kitchen devices do double or even triple duty: The same tongs you use to toss pasta can flip a steak or turn veggies on the grill. A melon baller cores an apple just as well as it shapes fruit into attractive pieces.

With the right tools, the range of recipes you try will broaden -- right along with your culinary horizons.

Kitchen Tools Wish List
Go over this list and check off the items you want, then take it with you when you register. If you're just beginning a collection, look to the "basics." If you're building on the tools already in your kitchen, then decide what you'd like to add.

Basics
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Slotted spoon (lifts vegetables from hot water or meat from sauce)
Metal basting spoon
Wooden spoon
Can opener
Silicone spatula (won't warp, even if exposed to high heat)
Large metal spatula
Pizza cutter (also good for cutting pastry or pasta dough)
Kitchen shears (cut twine, herbs, and more; some come with built-in extras)
Vegetable peeler (the best choice for thin-skinned vegetables like potatoes)
Harp-shaped vegetable peeler (ideal for thick-skinned produce like butternut squash)
Digital kitchen timer
Mini ice-cream scoop (can also shape cookie dough)

Prep Tools
Garlic press
Meat mallet (the waffled side is for tenderizing meat; the flat side for pounding it thinner)
Egg slicer (also cuts strawberries and mushrooms)
Vegetable slicers
Cheese plane
Plane grater
Citrus reamer
Melon baller

Cooking
Potato masher
Steamer basket (holds food just above hot water; adjustable to fit pans of various sizes)
Bulb baster (collects and redistributes pan juices)
Skimmer (ideal for taking vegetables from boiling water or dumplings from hot oil)
Instant-read thermometer
Nonstick spatula (helps to avoid scratching nonstick cookware)
Tongs
Mini whisk (handy when making sauces in small pans)
Balloon whisk

Baking
Flat-sided silicone spatula
Offset spatula (the angled edge lets you frost cakes and cookies like a professional)
Pastry blender (blends butter or shortening into dry ingredients)
Bench scraper (used to cut dough, and will also scoop up diced veggies)
Pastry brush
Rolling pin
Pastry wheel
Candy thermometer

Miscellaneous Helpers
Ready to think outside the kitchen drawer? Consider registering for useful items from the following list: mixing bowls, colander, salad spinner, glass liquid measuring cups, cutting boards, kitchen scale, box grater, pepper mill, fine sieve, mortar and pestle, funnels, fat separator, flour sifter, nonstick baking mats, cookie-cutter set, pastry-bag set, oven mitts, and pot holders.