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There are so many kitchen utensils, appliances, pots and pans to choose from. It can be really overwhelming, especially if you are new to cooking. Rest assured, you can make delicious food with any level of cooking equipment, but a lot of their items make it easier to create simple and delicious meals to intricate and impressive meals. Unless you have an enormous kitchen, you really have to be selective about what you allow into your kitchen space. It has to be multi- functional, easily accessible and durable to make the cut. Here are my top must have kitchen essentials to help you whip up all the recipes you want when you want.
Knives
Notice that this is first on the list. You can do much cooking without some good quality knives. We like forged, stainless steel knives. It’s great to get a set of basic knives that comes with a knife block for storage. You can typically get good deals on these at Costco or Sams. We like J.A. Henckels or Wusthof, but there are many other quality knives available. If you can’t get a whole set at first, just make sure to get a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife.
Knife Sharpener
If you have knives, you will most definitely need a knife sharpener. We have a small one that we keep by our knife block to sharpen knives when we use them. Nothing is more dangerous in the kitchen than a dull knife! It’s an accident waiting to happen. You might think it’s the opposite, but the sharper the knife, the easier it is to cut. The duller the knife, the more likely it is to slip and slide. Having more control of the knife is essential for safety, and to have more control it has to be sharp. If you are worried about getting cut, you can get some cut-resistant gloves to help until you feel more comfortable with your knife skills.
Tongs
Get several different tongs in different sizes for all kinds of uses from grilling to mixing salad. We have both metal and silicon ended tongs in all sorts of sizes. Our giant long metal ones are used for grilling, are smaller ones are used for flipping tortillas, and they can be used for anything in between.
Peelers
We actually have two peelers: The traditional straight peeler and the Y shaped peeler. I like using the straight peeler for carrots and potatoes, but the Y shaped peeler is a must for peeling larger veggies such as butternut squash.
Wooden spoons
Again, get several of these in different sizes. They’re great for just about anything. Make sure to get some long handled ones to reach the bottom of your big stock pots when making soup or stock. They are also safe to use on nonstick pans. DO NOT USE METAL ON YOUR NONSTICK PANS YOU WILL RUIN THEM!!!! Seriously they will get scratched up and you will be sad. Just don’t do it. Also, it is an old tale that if you put a wooden spoon over a pot that is boiling over, that it will stop boiling over. I’ll let you do your own myth busting on this, but whether or not this is true, you just need some wooden spoons.
Silicon Spatulas
These are so great because they are heat resistant. Again, several shapes and sizes from the common size most often used for baking, to the long skinny ones for getting the last drop of mayonnaise out of the jar. Also safe to use on nonstick pans.
Metal Spatulas
These are great for on the grill or on any cast iron pan. You can scrap up fond, flip patties, and use more force than you could with their silicon counterparts.
Whisks
A must for any of your stirring needs. Whisks do things that just regular spoons cannot do. Need stiff peaks for your macaroons and don’t have a mixer? Whisks are going to make your life much easier. baking, or for making amazingly smooth guacamole. And, if you’re a binging with babish fan, go ahead and get a tiny whisk too!!
Garlic press
You think you don’t need one of these, but you do. To get the most garlic in the smallest amount of time and effort, a garlic press is amazing. It makes garlic more evenly distributed throughout any sauce or dish, so there are no huge chunks.
Pizza cutter
Just… don’t try and cut your pizza with a knife. That looks silly, and it’s difficult. Pizza cutters are so cheap and so worth it, especially if you do pizza night pretty much every Friday like we do. You can opt for the budget friendly round rolling pizza cutter, or you can go with a fancier rocking pizza cutters. Whether you choose to rock or roll your pizza, you are going to be in great shape.
Thermometer
Unless you are a pro chef with a sixth sense about when chicken is done cooking or when the chocolate is tempered, you’re gonna need a thermometer. It saves you from medium raw chicken or leather like steaks. Just poke it right in the center of whatever meat you are cooking, and it will let you know if it is at the safe, FDA regulated temperature so you won’t get salmonella or ruin your date.
This is our part one of kitchen essentials (if we would have put all of them you would have been reading for ages, so we’re splitting it up. Stay up to date with our latest articles by subscribing to our mailing list here!