Spatula

A broad, flat kitchen tool used for mixing, folding, scraping, spreading, flipping, and lifting food items during cooking and baking. Spatulas come in three main categories: scrapers (silicone or rubber blades for scraping bowls), flippers/turners (thin metal or nylon blades for flipping foods), and spreaders/icing spatulas (long, narrow blades for frosting and precise spreading).

Use a silicone scraper to fold delicate mixtures like whipped cream or egg whites – its flexible blade glides along bowl sides without deflating them.
Choose a slotted metal turner for flipping burgers, pancakes, or fish fillets – slots drain excess oil or juices.
Keep an offset icing spatula handy for spreading frosting and smoothing batter in pans; its angled blade prevents your knuckles from dragging through the icing.
Scrape every last bit of batter or sauce from bowls with a spoon-shaped scraper to reduce waste and ensure even cooking.
Store spatulas with blades protected (in a utensil holder or drawer insert) to maintain their shape and prevent damage to nonstick surfaces.