If you have never ever picked up a cooking spoon, but you just moved out and don’t want to eat take out every day, then stick around. I’m going to give you a list of my essential kitchen tools to make basic healthy meals at home.
I’m going to separate the tools into three categories: Absolute essentials– you have ten bucks to spend on tools and don’t want to be cooking food on a stick over an open fire. Mostly essential– you have thirty bucks to spend and want to get all the basics to cook well and also safely. Semi-essential– things that are definitely helpful but you can get by without them.
Each item in the following lists will have a brief description, the variations in each item, and where to find them, plus my personal recommendations. I tried to make this easy to navigate, but also comprehensive; that being said, feel free to skim this article a take what’s useful and leave what is not.
Absolutely Essential Kitchen Tools
- A Sauté “Frying” Pan.
If you don’t want to be cooking over an open fire then a sauté pan, commonly known as a frying pan, is your first essential. There are three materials that sauté pans come in. The first is stainless steel, which is my top recommendation for someone learning how to cook. If you use it properly it is nonstick, and it is also non scratch. The next material is cast iron. Although a little more of a learning curve, it can also be a nonstick and a non scratch material.
The last material is teflon, also known as nonstick. The benefit of teflon is obviously that it is nonstick, but the nonstick surface is immediately ruined if it gets scratched and will leach chemicals if you continue to use the pan. All of these types of pans can easily be found at places like Walmart or the thrift store for a reasonable price, and they each have their own sets of benefits and disadvantages.
- A Stock Pot and a Baking Dish
If pasta or soups or baked casseroles are things that you will be cooking regularly, a good stock pot and a baking dish are definitely essentials. Stock pots come in a variety of sizes and a few materials, the most common of which is stainless steel. You can also find teflon or enamel coated as well; both of these options are slightly more expensive while not really offer much benefit as you don’t need a pot to be nonstick if you’re simply boiling water for pasta.
Bake dishes are usually glass or ceramic specifically designed for oven use. They also come in a variety of sizes, but a standard 9×13 couple inch deep pan is perfect for most things you would need.
- Knives
Contrary to what a lot of people may tell you, there are only two types of knives that you need, especially in a small kitchen. You need a paring knife and a kitchen knife. There are two main types of kitchen knives. The first –and best for new knife users– is called a santoku. The santoku is versatile and easy to use as a newbie. The second style of kitchen knife is a french chef, which is more often what people think of. This is also a versatile knife, but is very different to use than a santoku. Both knives are good and easily available. Always opt for the best knife you can afford as it will last you longer than the cheaper knife.
The next knife you need is a paring knife. This is a little, usually, cheap knife that you use for small things like cutting an avocado or opening a package. Since this knife will take a lot more of a beating than the kitchen knife, opt for the cheaper one. Often you will find them in packs of three, which is good too.
- Spoon, spatula, and cutting board
The last things that are essential kitchen tools are cooking spoons, spatula, and cutting board. There doesn’t need to be anything fancy about these; a set of wooden spoons and a metal spatula from the dollar store will do just fine. (*note* metal should never be used in a teflon pan). Cutting boards are also simple. Get what you can afford and what is accessible. Wood will keep your knife edge sharper for longer, but plastic is sometimes preferable for raw meat.
Mostly Essential Kitchen Tools
I include these next few items if you plan to use recipes or do a lot of baking.
- Mixing bowls
The two materials I recommend for mixing bowls are metal, and ceramic or glass. Metal is good for food prep, marinating meat or veggies, and tossing salads. Ceramic or glass are good for mixing batters and doughs (e.g. cookie dough!). Both materials can be used interchangeably; this is simply my preference. Whichever material you choose, a set of two or three different sized bowls will be able to suit all your needs.
- Measuring cups and spoons
Measuring cups and spoons are pretty simple as well. If you plan on doing any baking, which requires more precision, measuring cups and teaspoons are a must, but both of these are easy to find at any grocery store or dollar store. If you don’t plan on baking a two-cup measuring pitcher will be sufficient.
Semi-Essential Kitchen Tools
Lastly, there are a few items that may or may not be essential for you depending on what you cook regularly. These are just my recommendations, but there are many other things that you may find helpful; or these might not be useful to you at all. A thermometer, can opener, and vegetable peeler can all help keep you safe in the kitchen. A whisk, a garlic press, a box grater, a lemon/lime juicer can all make cooking easier and quicker, but if you don’t use them regularly then they may become more cluttery than useful.
Conclusion
Phew! If you made it through that list thank you for reading. With so many people trying to sell interesting little kitchen gadgets, I hope that this list was straightforward enough to help you to know what is actually necessary. If you found any of these items especially helpful, let me know in the comments, and feel free to share any essential kitchen tools you can’t live without!