Thank you to Minerva for pointing out one undeniable fact- we missed the most important tool of them all. The witch! Without the witch the rest of the tools are useless.
Let me know if you know the author of this! I can't remember where I got it, but it's very helpful.
Athame: The athame is usually a black handle, double edge knife and is strictly a ritual tool. It is a symbolic representative of the element of fire. It can be used as a tool for laying down a circle and also as a symbol representing the male aspect. Athames can be used to invoke the quarters, release the quarters, and are customarily used to assist with blessing the waters of life inside of the chalice, this blessing being symbolic of the Great Rite.
Boleen: Usually a white handled knife, used in rituals for carving and cutting I.E.. magical symbols we may want to engrave on a wand, staff, candles, etc., so as not to harm the energy within the athame.
Broom: The Witches broom is used for sweeping any harmful energies from the area that the broom is cleansing I.E.. house, room, circle, sacred space etc. Of course on the practical side you can use it too to sweep your floors.
Cauldron: The cauldron represents the gift of birth, death and rebirth, also knowledge and inspiration. The cauldron is a female aspect and is a symbolic representative of water, and it may also be used as a representation of fire. It is often referred to in connection with Cerridwen.
Chalice: The chalice or cup is representative of the female aspect. The cup is the symbolic representative of water. It is used to hold the waters of life, and is used again in the symbolic ritual of the Great Rite. Once the waters of life have been blessed during ritual, the chalice is often passed around the circle so that all may share in it by symbolically ingesting the Goddess and the bringing of the Goddess within.
Peyton: The peyton is a circular disk with a pentacle or sacred symbol inscribed on the face of it. The peyton can be made out of many different materials, in the olden days it was made of beeswax so that in the event that someone came around that may be a threat, it could be broken and tossed into the fire and melted down quickly. It is placed at the center piece of the altar, where all consecrations of salt and water occur, and other objects as well. It is also the focal point of the altar. The peyton is the symbolic representative of earth and because of that it is of the female aspect. If you have second peyton available then this may be used as another tool for invoking the quarters, and releasing the quarters.
Staff: Usually a wooden pole often of shoulder height, used basically in the same manner as the wand. Like the wand the staff may be decorated with crystals, symbols, feathers, or just about anything that makes it your own.
Sword: The sword is another ritual tool that can be used as a tool for sovereignty and authority. It is like the athame a symbolic representative of the element of fire. It is considered a representation of the male aspect and can be used in the same manner as the athame.
Thurible: (incense burner) A heat resistant, or preferably fire proof container used to contain a hot coal for burning incense. The incense is symbolic of air, while the coal is symbolic of fire. It is used to cleanse and purify the air within the sacred space, or used in cleansing of a home.
Wand: The wand has been known as a tool that is gentle in nature and has the male aspect, it is the symbolic representative of air. It is another tool that can be used for casting circle, invoking and releasing the quarters, and casting of spells, and some have used this in place of the athame or sword in the performance of the symbolic ritual of the Great Rite.