Brigid has pulled together a nice piece discussing self defense options in the home. Set some time aside and go read the whole thing. She has woven in some great advice with a level of humor that makes for an enjoyable read.
Your defense starts the moment you face your attacker, not when you get a weapon in hand. Unless you have a firearm as back up, you are not likely to kill an attacker with either your spatula or your ball point pen. Captain Kirk might fell someone with just one karate chop and Rambo can kill with just a fighting knife and a backpack of claymores, but your best defense in the home always will be…
Go read it.