Updated February 2026

For a more in-depth treatment of this topic, please refer to The Mitzvah of Tevilas Keilim by Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a.

Tevilas Keilim – Basic Guidelines

• Utensil to be immersed must be completely clean and free of dirt, dust, rust, stickers, labels or glue. (Practical Tip: WD-40 is very effective in removing adhesive.)
• One wets his hands in the mikvah water, holds the vessel in the wet hand and says, “Baruch…asher kideshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu al tevilas keili” (substitute keilim for keili if toveling multiple utensils) and immerses the vessel(s).
• If one forgot to recite the bracha, the immersion is valid.
• The water of the mikvah must touch the entire vessel, both inside and out.
• The entire vessel must be under water at one time, but it does not have to be submerged for any prolonged period of time.
• It is advisable that after toveling an electric appliance that requires tevila, the appliance be thoroughly dried out for at least 48 hours before use (earlier use increases the chances of ruining the appliance).
• If a vessel will be ruined if immersed in a mikvah, a rabbinic authority should be consulted.⁵
• If a basket or net is used to hold small utensils, the basket should be immersed in the water, the utensils placed in the basket, and the basket swirled under the water so that the water will touch all areas of the utensils.
• The cover can be immersed separately if it is removable.
• A pocket knife should be immersed in its open position so that the water will touch all areas of the blade.
• A narrow-necked bottle should be immersed with the neck facing upwards, so that the inner surface of the bottle will fill completely with mikvah water.
• Care must be taken that no air is trapped in the submerged vessels.
• Anyone may tovel keilim, including a small child or non-Jew; however, a Jewish adult must be present to verify that the tevila took place. A bracha may be recited only if a Jew performs the immersion. Therefore, if many utensils are to be immersed with the help of a child or non-Jew, the owner should first immerse a few vessels with a bracha and then let the child or non-Jew take over.
• Utensils require tevila with a bracha when they come into direct contact with food during preparation or mealtime and are made from metal (e.g., aluminum, brass, copper, gold, iron, lead, silver, silverplated, and tin) or glass (including Pyrex, Duralex and Corelle).

Tevilas Keilim – Chart

UTENSIL	TEVILA
Aluminum Pan, disposable	Tevila without a bracha if intended to be used only once; tevila with a bracha if intended to be used more than once.1
Aluminum Pan, non-disposable	Tevila with a bracha.2
Apple Corer (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Baking/Cookie sheet	Tevila with a bracha.
Barbeque Grill	Racks require tevila with a bracha, other components do not require tevila.
Blech	No tevila.
Blender/Mixer	Glass or metal bowl, metal blades and other attachments require tevila with a bracha; other components do not require tevila. Handheld immersion blender requires tevila with a bracha.
Bottle (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha. If bottle was bought filled with food and subsequently emptied by a Jew, it does not require tevila.
Brush (grill, egg yolk, pastry)	No tevila.
Cake Plate (metal or glass)	Plate needs tevila with a bracha; cake plate cover does not require tevila.
Can (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha. If bought filled with food and subsequently emptied by a Jew does not require tevila.3
Can Opener	No tevila.
Cast Iron Pot	Tevila with a bracha.
Ceramic Knife	Tevila without a bracha.
Challah Board	Metal board or glass top on wooden board requires tevila with a bracha. Wood board with a plastic top does not require tevila.
Cheese Slicer (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
China (glazed)	Tevila without a bracha.4
Coffee Grinder	No tevila.
Coffeemaker (electric)	Does not require tevila if it will break if toveled, otherwise requires tevila with a bracha.5
Colander (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Cookie Cutter	No tevila (if only used with food that is not edible).6
Cookie Sheet (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Cooling Rack (metal)	Tevila without a bracha.
Corelle Plate	Tevila with a bracha.7
Corkscrew	No tevila.
Corningware	Tevila without a bracha.
Corn Skewers (metal prongs)	Tevila with a bracha.
Crock Pot	Metal or glass insert requires tevila with a bracha; ceramic insert requires tevila without a bracha; glass lid requires tevila with a bracha.
Cup/Mug	Tevila with a bracha if metal or glass; tevila without a bracha if glazed ceramic; no tevila if plastic.
Cupcake/Muffin Pan (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Cutlery (metal) i.e., forks knives, spoons	Tevila with a bracha. Knife only used for arts and crafts does not require tevila.
Cutting Board (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha.
Dentures	No tevila.
Dishes	Tevila with a bracha if metal or glass, or tevila without a bracha if glazed ceramic.
Dish Rack	No tevila.
Egg Slicer (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Flour Sifter	No tevila.6
Frying Pan (metal)	Tevila without a bracha if Teflon-coated, with a bracha if uncoated.
George Foreman Grill	Tevila without a bracha.8 Does not require tevila if it will break if toveled.5
Glasses (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha.
Grater (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Grill	See Barbeque Grill
Hot Plate/Platta	No tevila.
Ice Cream Scooper (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Immersion Blender	Metal blades and other attachments require tevila with a bracha.
Immersion Heater	No tevila.
Kettle (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha.
Keurig Machine	Does not require tevila if it will break if toveled, otherwise requires tevila with a bracha.5
Kiddush Cup (metal)	Tevila with a bracha. Does not require tevila if manufactured in Israel but does require tevila if sold in Israel and manufactured elsewhere.
Knife Sharpener	No tevila.
Ladle (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Measuring Spoon (metal)	Tevila without a bracha.9
Meat Grinder (metal)	Attachments require tevila with a bracha (if only used for raw meat, tevila without a bracha).6
Meat Tenderizer (metal hammer)	No tevila.6
Meat Thermometer	No tevila.
Medicine Spoon (metal or glass)	Tevila without a bracha if used solely for medicine.
Melon Baller (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Microwave Turntable (glass)	Tevila without a bracha; tevila with a bracha if food is placed directly on the turntable.
Oven Rack	No tevila. See Toaster Oven.
Peppermill	Tevila without a bracha.
Peeler	Requires tevila with a bracha if blade is metal, even if the rest of the unit is plastic.
Plastic Utensil	No tevila.
Popcorn Maker (metal)	Tevila with a bracha. It does not require tevila if it will break if toveled.5
Pot (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha. If Teflon, enamel or plastic-coated, requires tevila without a bracha.
Pot Cover (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha.
Pyrex Cookware	Tevila with a bracha.7
Roasting Pan (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Rolling Pin	No tevila.
Salt Shaker (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha. Metal cap on a plastic salt shaker requires tevila without a bracha.
Sandwich Maker	Tevila without a bracha.8
Scissors/Shears (poultry)	Tevila with a bracha if used for edible food. If only used for raw food, requires tevila without a bracha.
Sieve (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Silicone Bakeware	No tevila.
Sink Rack	No tevila.
Skewer (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Spoon Rest	No tevila.
Storage Container	Tevila without a bracha if container is not brought to the table at meals.10
Sugar Bowl (metal or glass)	Tevila with a bracha.
Teflon Coated Pan (metal)	Tevila without a bracha.
Thermos	Thermos (metal or glass) requires tevila with a bracha. Thermos with a plastic casing and a removable insert does not require tevila, but the insert (if metal or glass) does require tevila with a bracha.
Toaster	Tevila without a bracha.
Toaster Oven	Rack and tray require tevila (with a bracha if food will directly touch the surface), other components do not.
Trivet	No tevila.
Urn (metal)	Tevila with a bracha.
Waffle Maker	Tevila without a bracha.8
Warming Tray	No tevila.
Washing Cup (metal)	No tevila if used only for washing hands.
Wooden Cask	No tevila. Requires tevila without a bracha if it has metal straps.

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1. Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a. See Igros Moshe Y.D. 3:23.
2. Ibid., 3:70.
3. Ibid., 2:40.
4. Rav Heinemann.  See Shulchan HaLevi 24:32.
5. There is a positive mitzva of tevilas keilim. However, if toveling will ruin the utensil, the mitzva will not be fulfilled.  In that case, one is considered an onus, unable to perform the mitzva. Rav Heinemann paskens thatthe utensil may therefore be used without tevila.
6. Shach Y.D. 120:11. Although Taz 120:7 disagrees, Rabbi Heinemann follows the opinion of the Chochmas Odom 73:9 who paskens like the Shach.
7. Rav Heinemann paskens that Corelle and Pyrex are types of glass.
8. No bracha is recited because the metal is Teflon-coated.
9. See sefer Tevila Keilim 11:77*.
10. Rav Heinemann.