diff --git a/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionData.h b/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionData.h
index 258bb57a2..f9c690517 100644
--- a/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionData.h
+++ b/include/cantera/kinetics/ReactionData.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #define CT_REACTION_DATA_H
 
 #include "cantera/kinetics/reaction_defs.h"
+#include "cantera/base/utilities.h"
 
 namespace Cantera
 {
@@ -212,12 +213,7 @@ public:
 
     //! Get the actual third-body efficiency for species *k*
     double efficiency(size_t k) const {
-        std::map<size_t, doublereal>::const_iterator iter = thirdBodyEfficiencies.find(k);
-        if (iter != thirdBodyEfficiencies.end()) {
-            return iter->second;
-        } else {
-            return default_3b_eff;
-        }
+        return getValue(thirdBodyEfficiencies, k, default_3b_eff);
     }
 };
 }
diff --git a/include/cantera/numerics/ResidEval.h b/include/cantera/numerics/ResidEval.h
index 06650fd0e..9cef80545 100644
--- a/include/cantera/numerics/ResidEval.h
+++ b/include/cantera/numerics/ResidEval.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "cantera/base/ct_defs.h"
 #include "cantera/base/ctexceptions.h"
+#include "cantera/base/utilities.h"
 
 #include <cstdio>
 
@@ -49,11 +50,7 @@ public:
         m_constrain[k] = flag;
     }
     int constraint(const int k) const {
-        std::map<int,int>::const_iterator i = m_constrain.find(k);
-        if (i != m_constrain.end()) {
-            return i->second;
-        }
-        return c_NONE;
+        return getValue(m_constrain, k, c_NONE);
     }
 
     //! Initialization function
diff --git a/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoMgr.h b/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoMgr.h
index 4780e10fd..84339ef39 100644
--- a/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoMgr.h
+++ b/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoMgr.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "cantera/base/ctexceptions.h"
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
 #include "SpeciesThermo.h"
+#include "cantera/base/utilities.h"
 
 namespace Cantera
 {
@@ -190,11 +191,7 @@ template<class T1, class T2>
 int
 SpeciesThermoDuo<T1, T2>::reportType(size_t k) const
 {
-    std::map<size_t, int>::const_iterator p = speciesToType.find(k);
-    if (p != speciesToType.end()) {
-        return p->second;
-    }
-    return -1;
+    return getValue(speciesToType, k, -1);
 }
 
 template<class T1, class T2>
diff --git a/src/base/xml.cpp b/src/base/xml.cpp
index f147ca1e5..1c46916c3 100644
--- a/src/base/xml.cpp
+++ b/src/base/xml.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "cantera/base/xml.h"
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
 #include "cantera/base/global.h"
+#include "cantera/base/utilities.h"
 
 #include <sstream>
 
@@ -518,11 +519,7 @@ std::string XML_Node::operator[](const std::string& attr) const
 
 std::string XML_Node::attrib(const std::string& attr) const
 {
-    std::map<std::string,std::string>::const_iterator i = m_attribs.find(attr);
-    if (i != m_attribs.end()) {
-        return i->second;
-    }
-    return "";
+    return getValue<string,string>(m_attribs, attr, "");
 }
 
 std::map<std::string,std::string>& XML_Node::attribs()
diff --git a/src/equil/MultiPhase.cpp b/src/equil/MultiPhase.cpp
index 0816f6bb2..b80a8788e 100644
--- a/src/equil/MultiPhase.cpp
+++ b/src/equil/MultiPhase.cpp
@@ -427,10 +427,7 @@ void MultiPhase::setMolesByName(const compositionMap& xMap)
     size_t kk = nSpecies();
     vector_fp moles(kk, 0.0);
     for (size_t k = 0; k < kk; k++) {
-        compositionMap::const_iterator iter = xMap.find(speciesName(k));
-        if (iter != xMap.end() && iter->second > 0.0) {
-            moles[k] = iter->second;
-        }
+        moles[k] = std::max(getValue(xMap, speciesName(k), 0.0), 0.0);
     }
     setMoles(DATA_PTR(moles));
 }
diff --git a/src/thermo/MolalityVPSSTP.cpp b/src/thermo/MolalityVPSSTP.cpp
index 06b98e0c9..b731fee51 100644
--- a/src/thermo/MolalityVPSSTP.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/MolalityVPSSTP.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "cantera/thermo/MolalityVPSSTP.h"
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
 #include "cantera/base/ctml.h"
+#include "cantera/base/utilities.h"
 
 #include <fstream>
 
@@ -190,9 +191,9 @@ void MolalityVPSSTP::setMolalitiesByName(const compositionMap& mMap)
     double xmolS = mf[m_indexSolvent];
     double xmolSmin = std::max(xmolS, m_xmolSolventMIN);
     for (size_t k = 0; k < kk; k++) {
-        compositionMap::const_iterator iter = mMap.find(speciesName(k));
-        if (iter != mMap.end() && iter->second > 0.0) {
-            mf[k] = iter->second * m_Mnaught * xmolSmin;
+        double mol_k = getValue(mMap, speciesName(k), 0.0);
+        if (mol_k > 0) {
+            mf[k] = mol_k * m_Mnaught * xmolSmin;
         }
     }
     /*
diff --git a/src/thermo/Phase.cpp b/src/thermo/Phase.cpp
index 50f0ec474..d68749f23 100644
--- a/src/thermo/Phase.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/Phase.cpp
@@ -383,10 +383,7 @@ void Phase::setMoleFractionsByName(const compositionMap& xMap)
     size_t kk = nSpecies();
     vector_fp mf(kk, 0.0);
     for (size_t k = 0; k < kk; k++) {
-        compositionMap::const_iterator iter = xMap.find(speciesName(k));
-        if (iter != xMap.end() && iter->second > 0.0) {
-            mf[k] = iter->second;
-        }
+        mf[k] = std::max(getValue(xMap, speciesName(k), 0.0), 0.0);
     }
     setMoleFractions(&mf[0]);
 }
@@ -427,10 +424,7 @@ void Phase::setMassFractionsByName(const compositionMap& yMap)
     size_t kk = nSpecies();
     vector_fp mf(kk, 0.0);
     for (size_t k = 0; k < kk; k++) {
-        compositionMap::const_iterator iter = yMap.find(speciesName(k));
-        if (iter != yMap.end() && iter->second > 0.0) {
-            mf[k] = iter->second;
-        }
+        mf[k] = std::max(getValue(yMap, speciesName(k), 0.0), 0.0);
     }
     setMassFractions(&mf[0]);
 }
diff --git a/src/transport/TransportFactory.cpp b/src/transport/TransportFactory.cpp
index 9d284a92b..611ac3612 100644
--- a/src/transport/TransportFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/transport/TransportFactory.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "cantera/base/ctml.h"
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
+#include "cantera/base/utilities.h"
 
 using namespace std;
 
@@ -213,13 +214,7 @@ void TransportFactory::deleteFactory()
 
 std::string TransportFactory::modelName(int model)
 {
-    TransportFactory& f = *factory();
-    map<int, string>::iterator iter = f.m_modelNames.find(model);
-    if (iter != f.m_modelNames.end()) {
-        return iter->second;
-    } else {
-        return "";
-    }
+    return getValue<int,string>(factory()->m_modelNames, model, "");
 }
 
 LTPspecies* TransportFactory::newLTP(const XML_Node& trNode, const std::string& name,
@@ -699,12 +694,8 @@ void TransportFactory::getTransportData(const ThermoPhase& thermo, const std::ve
         const XML_Node& sp = *xspecies[i];
 
         // Find the index for this species in 'names'
-        std::map<std::string, size_t>::const_iterator iter =
-            speciesIndices.find(sp["name"]);
-        size_t j;
-        if (iter != speciesIndices.end()) {
-            j = iter->second;
-        } else {
+        size_t j = getValue(speciesIndices, sp["name"], npos);
+        if (j == npos) {
             // Don't need transport data for this species
             continue;
         }