Your Kitchen doesn’t need to look like this (above) in order for you to be a great cook and enjoy doing it! Over the years learning to be a better cook myself, I have found that one of the BIGGEST things that makes a difference is having tools that work really well. It is so much more enjoyable to slice a tomato when the knife just melts right through without much effort (and safer!). The accomplishment of taking something out of the pan feels that much sweeter when it doesn’t stick to the bottom. The beauty of a perfectly cooked egg is easier to behold when the spatula can easily get underneath to flip it. In addition to having good tools (which, by the way, don’t have to be super expensive!) taking care of them and keeping them in good shape really helps.
And, having great tools doesn’t have to break the bank or over-fill your cabinets either. A few essentials can get you really far in your kitchen and they don’t always have to be the most expensive ones either.
Even when I travel, (which we’re not doing much of these days) I will often bring a few basics with me so that whatever place I stay, I know that I can easily prepare food for myself. Its like my little travel kitchen that I can toss into my suitcase and ease the challenge of someone else’s pans sticking or knives not being sharp enough to cut. I usually will bring with me a knife, tongs, silicone spatula, and possibly a small frying pan if I have room.
Over the years, I’ve trialed a number of pots, pans, knives, etc., and have found what works best (for me). You may have other items that work best for you and that’s great! I’m giving you links to order most of these items online however, I have to admit that I have purchased a good amount of kitchenware at my local Ace or True Value hardware stores. They usually have many of these basics and for a good price. Did you even know that hardware stores often have a kitchenware section?!?!
Here are my kitchen tool picks:
Chef’s Knife: I like the Wusthoff 6” Classic Cook’s Knife for every day use. If you cut larger things, like melons or winter squashes, you might want an 8” version. But, a 6” does it for most things, is easy to handle and reasonable to purchase from Amazon. One of the most important things with keeping your knife in good working order is to sharpen it regularly. You can still find people who sharpen knives for you (its pretty cheap) or learn to do it yourself. I have a LOT of knives so I use an electric sharpener, but you can learn to do it with a stone or rod for just one or two knives. One of the BEST ways to stay safe with your knife is to keep it very sharp. A dull knife is actually more likely to slip and cut your hand than a sharp one. If you go for a second knife, I’d choose a paring knife, which is perfect for all those tiny cuts. PS: Don’t forget a cutting board. My preference is for a wooden one, large enough to work on and small enough to easily wash!
Silicone Turner Spatula: I have found that using a round silicone (not nylon) spatula works best for the most delicate egg or heavier duty needs. I’ve used the Oxo ones but they are no longer available. In looking for one you want to make sure that it is silicone and the good ones are flexible but have a thin piece of metal on the inside so they are strong enough to hold something up that has some weight to it. These look good.
Meat Thermometer: I didn’t learn to cook originally with a meat thermometer, but let me tell you, cooking by temperature is the sure-fire way to get your meats cooked perfectly to your desired doneness every single time. I’ve learned the hard way that making sure you’ve got one that is waterproof is important so you can clean it! It doesn’t need to be fancy, I like this one A meat thermometer can often serve as a candy thermometer or other kinds of culinary thermometers in a pinch.
Wood Spatula: I love to have a wooden spatula/spoon for heavier things like stir-fries or stirring soups in pots. There are so many on the market, but I like the ones like this. Often when I’m frying up something that is chunky - say, some cut potatoes - I prefer a wood spatula over the Silicone turner. These are more for moving and stirring things as opposed to flipping them.
Silicone Tongs: Tongs make turning and grabbing hot things so much easier. A good pair of silicone ones means you won’t melt them in a hot pan by accident (I’ve done that!!) Honestly, I often buy these at my local hardware store (which has a kitchenware section) because they are cheap and affordable. You can also get different sizes if you like, but larger ones are best for reaching into hot pots or ovens.
Non-stick Frying Pans: This is the one place where I’m less of a culinary purist and go for the coated pans. I find that these IKEA Trovardig pans are hands-down the BEST. Nothing ever seems to stick to them, they are heavy duty so don’t warp when hot, and affordable for the quality. My pans are heavy workers. They get used 2-3 times a day, every day. And these stand up to the work and cleaning. As a bonus, I do LOVE my one cast iron skillet, which is a Le Creuset and a bigger investment, however if you can (or you find one at a thrift store!!) go for it. It’ll last a life time and is perfect for stove to oven use.
Sauce Pot: Also IKEA, I love their Sensuell Sauce Pot which is the perfect size for a steamer, boiling pasta or rice, popping popcorn, etc. Sometimes it is handy to have a smaller one as well for melting butter or single serving heating, but if you only can have one… this is the one to have. PS: for a small sauce pot, I actually grab an old-school Corningware one, which I see in Goodwill and thrift shops all the time.
Cookie Sheet/Jelly Roll Pan + Cooling Rack: I think some kind of cookie sheet WITH a cooling rack is helpful. The cooling rack is also good to roast things elevated out of the drippings or to get hot air circulation all the way around your food. I use these pans to roast EVERYTHING! I’ve been a fan, lately, of Chicago Metallic pans which seem less inclined to warp and bend in the heat.
Pyrex Baking Dishes: Casseroles, Brownies, Bakes and the like all need a deeper baking dish. I just love the really basic pyrex glass dishes. You can often find them as a set of two sizes like this, which is useful because a larger lasagna might require the long one and a quick batch of brownies usually does better in the smaller square one. You can also sometimes find these that come with lids. My BIGGEST suggestion is to make sure you get ones that have a tab or handle on the sides. I’ve dipped many a towel, potholder or finger into food when there is no handle to grab on to!
Stick Blender: If there is only one electrified tool to have in your kitchen, hands down, it is the stick or Immersion Blender like this one from Cuisinart. I use these for so many things! You can stick them right into a pot to whip mashed potatoes, puree a soup or sauce. I use mine to make whipped cream, mayonnaise, salad dressings and sauces. If you want a low-tech option for salad dressings, I love to use these little containers combined with a whisk ball.
Spider Skimmer: Honestly, this is the kitchen tool that you never knew your needed until you have one and start using it. I’m quite sure mine gets used daily for this or that. It is a tool from Asian cooking - a wire basket at the end of a long handle - that you can use to scoop things out of things. Here’s your pretty basic one with a bamboo handle. I use these to strain/scoop pasta, for boiling eggs, transferring food from a pot to a pan and more. You’ll soon find its one of the first things you grab for all kinds of cooking tasks.
ADVANCED: Silicone “Rubber” Spatula: If you are baking at all, rubber spatulas are an essential. They scrape bowls like nothing else. I like the silicone ones because once again, you can use them on something hot and not worry about melting. They also don’t crack as easily and have just enough flex to get around that bowl perfectly. If you cook a lot, you’ll probably want a good large one and couple of littler ones useful for scraping out the bottoms of blenders and such.
ADVANCED: Whisks: there are so many types, but there are two I use more than any other. This one which is called a French Coil or Spring Whisk, is great for larger things and the bounciness of it gives that extra whisk flair. This other one, called a Magic Whisk or sauce whisk, is good when you are whisking something in a pot because it has a flat bottom. Just be aware that if you are going to whisk in any kind of non-stick surface, you’ll want a silicone whisk as well so you don’t scratch the pan or pot.
ADVANCED: Dutch Oven: Dutch ovens are heavy duty, often cast iron, large pots that can go from stovetop to oven. They are a GREAT way to bake bread and keep humidity for the bread. They are also good for stews, chilis, 1-pot meals like a French pot-au-feu or New England boiled dinner. These can get rather expensive, but honestly I got mine at Target in a pinch and it’s been GREAT.
ADVANCED: Large Stock Pot: If you are ever going to cook lots of soups, broths, stews, chilis or other large quantities, having a large stainless steel stock pot is handly. I’ve always loved the basic Farberware stainless steel stock pots in either a 6 or 8 quart size. They stand the test of time (I’ve had mine for almost 20 years), clean easily and stay in good shape for a long long time. Farberware classic stainless steel also heats quite evenly and is heavy enough not to warp or bend on the heat.
I hope that list is helpful and not too overwhelming to you! I really don’t think that the most expensive cookery is necessary but I DO believe that having good tools in the kitchen makes cooking so much easier and much more enjoyable.
