If you are starting out in the kitchen, or perhaps have just moved out from your parent's place, your kitchen may be looking a little bare. Building up a supply of standard kitchen tools and utensils can be costly, but you definitely don't have to purchase everything at once.
Here Are My Top Ten Items to Have in Your Kitchen
1 - KNIVES
Here's where the saying Less is More really comes into play. You don't need a fancy knife set with loads of knives, or one of those wooden blocks with the sets of ten knives, no matter how cool they may look.
In my kitchen, I have just three knives! I have my large chef's knife, a smaller, sharp paring knife, and a serrated edge knife. The chefs knife should be a nice heavy knife, and the handle should be comfortable in your hand. You may want to go ahead and buy a knife sharpener too, in order to keep your knives in tip top shape.
✅ TIP: You don't need to buy the most expensive knife possible, but I would advise spending on the chef's knife, as it is the one you will use most. If you can afford it, Wusthof is a great brand to look at.
2 - SAUCEPANS
Again, I take a minimal approach to this. I live in an apartment with a teeny weeny kitchen with not enough space to swing a cat. 🤪This has taught me to scale down, and only have the essentials. I don't believe in having ALL the things, and I find that this approach in the kitchen is best.
I would say, a nice large saucepan for dishes like stews and pastas is needed, as well as a smaller saucepan for heating up liquids.
✅ TIP: Both pots should have heavy bases. You don't want to get a thin based pot as your liquids will burn easily.
3 - A GOOD NON-STICK PAN
Trust me when I say, you need this! I use my non-stick pan for everything and anything. Perfectly fried eggs, caramelised onions, fantastic steaks, light and fluffy omelettes and stirfries.
✅ TIP: Look out for a heavy based pan with a metal or oven friendly handle, so that you are able to pop your pan in the oven. This makes a world of difference when cooking dishes like a pork chop, where you will cook the chop in the oven after frying it. Without an oven friendly pan, you'd have to transfer your chop to another pan or tray, wasting time, and dirtying unnecessary dishes.
Berliner Haus is a very inexpensive brand that performs like one of the expensive pans.
4 - CAST IRON CASSEROLE DISH
Now, this is one of the kitchen essentials I use A LOT. Again, like the non-stick frying pan, it is a very versatile piece, going from stove top to oven to table.
✅ TIP: I would suggest splurging a little here. Of course, Le Creuset is the brand that pops into ones mind when thinking of casserole dishes, but I find them very expensive (and totally lust-worthy). There are plenty of brands that are literally a quarter of the price that Le Creuset are, that do the job just as well. In my experience, this is one of those pieces you will buy once, and it will last you a lifetime, so keep that in mind when purchasing your casserole dish.
5 - A PROPER CHOPPING BOARD
PLEASE, please, do not buy a small chopping board. Buy a lovely large one that you can easily chop round vegetables, like carrots on. Smaller boards tend to be unstable.
I, personally, would recommend a wooden chopping board, as it is easy to clean and durable.
✅ TIP: Oil your wooden board every now and then with any vegetable oil to keep it in tip top condition, and avoid leaving it in water for long periods of time.
6 - A GOOD VEGETABLE PEELER
This may seem like a very basic item to list as essential, but trust me, a good vegetable peeler can do so much! In my opinion, there are some terrible, cheap, plasticky ones out on the market. Don't buy these.
Buy a good strong stainless steel vegetable peeler, and you'll be smiling. My personal favourite is the Shogun vegetable peeler, I bought one years ago and use it almost daily.
✅ TIP: Use your vegetable peeler to slice delicate, thin pieces of cheese to make the most epic sandwiches with.
7 - A SCALE
This is one of those handy kitchen gadgets that is much more useful than you would ever think it would be. If you are a baker, you will use this so much.
✅ TIP: Buy a digital scale to ensure your measurements are to the tee. Especially when baking, the smallest err could make the biggest difference in the outcome of your recipe.
8 - ROASTING AND BAKING TRAYS
Roasting and baking trays are also items that you will use weekly, if not daily. Again, you will be able to use them on the stove top and in the oven. They are cheap as chips and form part of every kitchen.
✅ TIP: Buy stainless steel if you can. Some stores have the steel pans with the black coating, which easily can rust. A big no!
9 - A GOOD SET OF MIXING BOWLS
You will use these to mix up cake batters, bread doughs, salad dressings and all kinds of delicious items. I personally prefer a ceramic bowl, as you can serve salads in them (remember less is more, and an item with double use is a winner!)
✅ TIP: Just like baking trays, these are lower priced items that you will use often. Try to buy the best that you can, and they will last you a lifetime.
10 - A FOOD PROCESSOR
This is the only piece I would really recommend splurging on. Buy the best food processor that you can afford, and it will serve you well. You will use it for baking, making sauces and dressings, soups, pestos and much more.
It is one of those pieces that will make your culinary adventure that much easier. Of course, you can do without it, but you may find yourself stuck when it comes to certain dishes likes soups and sauces.
✅ TIP: Buy a food processor with a jug attachment, and you can make smoothies too!
That's my top ten kitchen essentials. Would you add anything to the list? Have I missed your favourite kitchen tool? Let me know in the comments!
