Kitchen Tools: The Basics
You can spend so much money on so many unnecessary kitchen tools, so let’s break down what basic tools you need to get cooking.
There are a lot of fancy gadgets on the market for you kitchen (and I love some of them!), but you don’t have to sink a lot of money into your culinary supplies as you are starting out! Here are my top kitchen tools that will have you ready to explore cooking without wasting money on a fancy tool you’ll never use. Work smart, not hard and take advantage of tools that will make cooking as easy as possible.
1.A SHARP CHEF’S KNIFE
To cook, you need a good knife to chop your ingredients, obviously. But, many people don’t realize that using a dull knife is not only harder, but dangerous. When your knife is dull, you have to apply a lot more pressure to actually cut. If you were to slip, then the knife is headed for your hand with a lot more force.
If you don’t want a whole collection of knives, I have found either a chef’s knife or a santoku knife to be the most versatile (P.S. I have no professional culinary training, so this is what I’ve found to be practical). They are long enough to cut larger veggies and give you leverage to get through things like a thick squash. They are also both great for dicing, but a chef’s knife is designed with a curved blade for the rocking motion of dicing. I’ve used both and don’t feel much difference, but I do like the length of 7-8 inches.
I’m obsessed with my Global knife that’s good for petite hands, but you don’t have to have to invest a lot of money at first. I have had great luck finding decent knives for cheap at Home Goods! If you buy an expensive knife then it can be rehappened almost indefinitely. If you buy cheaper knives, then you’ll have to replace them more often. So, you just have to decide where to invest your money.
2. A CUTTING BOARD WITH RUBBER GRIPS
Like having a sharp knife, you want to set yourself up for success. Make your job easy so you don’t have to fight your tools! That being said, buy a cutting board that has rubber grips and won’t slide around while you are trying to cut on it. This one is equal parts safety and convenience. You can also buy a grip mat to put under a cutting board you already own. This is my favorite cutting board, and they are so durable! I used to work at a cooking school that used and washed these multiple times a day and they were going strong 5 years later.
3. A SKILLET
I use my skillet multiple times a day. We use it so much in my house that it actually lives on the stove because by the time it’s dry, we need it again! Skillets have slanted sides which is useful for sauteing. If you are only going to buy one pan, then I think that the skillet is most versatile for cooking eggs, sauteing veggies, and simmering sauces.
Again, Home Goods is a great place to find cheap, well-made cookware like a single skillet. Also, Target, Walmart, and Ikea sell cookware at decent prices. My investment skillet is a Scanpan which is bonded metal. It has non-stick properties without a coating that can scratch. Again, these are so durable and will last, but a bit of an investment.
4. A STOCKPOT
If you only want to buy 1 pan and 1 pot, then I’d say get a skillet and a stock pot. Having a a deep pot that holds at least 8 quarts is great to have for making soups and stews. Nothing is more frustrating in the kitchen than when you add the broth for your recipe and the pot is almost overflowing. Using too small a pot will just leave you angry and your kitchen messy. Of course having a variety of pots to reach for is ideal, but if I had to pick 1, I’d go for a larger option.
I like this Calphalon stock pot that also has a strainer and steamer built in. It’s not necessary, but it’s super handy for pasta, potatoes, or making your own vegetable stock.
5. UTENSILS
Again, if you’ve done any cooking you probably already have some of these, but I’d recommend grabbing a spatula, large spoons for serving and stirring, and a ladle. These utensils can be usually be found sold in larger sets (this one at Target breaks down to less than a dollar a piece) or even at the dollar tree for cheap.
6. A BAKING SHEET (OR 2)
If you’ve ever made a pizza or cookies, you probably already own a baking sheet. But they still top my list of oven essentials because they are great for roasting veggies. You don’t need anything fancy, and sometimes you can even buy these from restaurant supply stores for cheap. I prefer baking sheets over an oven stone (but you do you!) because they are a lot lighter and easier to clean. I have a rule that if there is a dishwasher-safe option, don’t buy something that has to be hand-washed.
7. A PYREX BAKING DISH
Sometimes you need something deeper than a baking sheet, so that’s when I reach for a Pyrex baking dish. The size that you want depends on what you cook most. A loaf pan for bread? An 8×8 square for cakes or small casseroles? Or a larger rectangle for casseroles to feed a family?
I recommend Pyrex because it’s basically indestructible. It can go from your fridge right into the oven. Then, the leftovers can go back to the fridge and you can put in in the dishwasher all without worrying if it will crack. Remember, buy tools that are going to make your life easier, especially if you don’t love cooking.
8. A FOOD PROCESSOR
If you hate chopping vegetables, then a food processor is about to become your best friend. Food processors and blenders serve similar functions, so you can probably get away with one or the other. In my experience, cheap blenders really don’t work that great, but I’ve had much better luck with inexpensive food processors. You can use this tool to roughly pulse your ingredients for things like salsas and soups to save time chopping. Food processors will also puree ingredients, but they usually can’t handle much liquid without leaking (that’s where a blender comes in handy).
I’ve been using the older model of this Kitchen Aid food processor for years, and I love it! You may want to get a larger size if you are cooking for a large family, but this size has been perfect for pulsing nuts or making fresh pesto. I’ve also used the Cuisinart Mini-Prep, and it rocks too!
So, that’s my top 8 basic kitchen tools. If you’ve already got everything on this list and are looking to expand your kitchen repertoire more, check out this post all about my more specialized kitchen tools.
Note, that I have linked products that I bought and really love. I’m not trying to sell anything, but I want to share products that are durable and work well!