While you might be able to make due with some items that you have in your utensil drawer, the wooden spreader is really going to make your life a lot easier. First of all, many of your utensils in your drawer that could work to create an even surface are probably made of metal- which is something you simply cannot use on these non-stick surfaces. Some users have tried to use a wooden chopstick, but without the handle like you find on these spreaders, you sensitive fingertips are going to be very close to the hot surface, and no breakfast food is worth burning off your fingertips- not even french pastries. The wooden spreaders that are included with most purchases allow users to get the batter as thin as they can while still keeping their hands as a safe distance from the heat source, which is why they are the second best tool you can have on hand when making these delightful breakfast treats.