If you stick with it, cooking at home will become a fulfilling and (dare I say) life-changing habit. But it’s a little tricky to adopt without some basic equipment. My recommendations for outfitting a very functional kitchen are outlined below. This goes a step beyond the barest basics; arm yourself with the items on this list and you’ll be well-equipped to handle a very broad repertoire.
For convenience sake, most of the links here are to Amazon - I think it’s the easiest way to see reviews and browse similar items. Target is a great place to find inexpensive pieces, and you might be surprised by the kitchen section of your local grocery store. To maximize your budget as you add bigger-ticket items to your collection, watch your mail for single-item discount coupons (I’m thinking of the ubiquitous 20%-off coupons from Bed, Bath & Beyond; adapt as needed to your local offerings). TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, Marshalls, and their equivalents are also good places to browse for cookware.
Essential Equipment
Utensils
- Can opener
- Cheese grater (multi-purpose is good)
- Garlic press
- Slotted spoon
- Turner spatula (non-metal, so you can use on a non-stick pan)
- A few wooden spoons
- Ladle
- A silicone spatula (my favorite)
- Chef’s knife (here’s one; here’s another)
- Paring knife (here’s one; here’s another)
- A few cheapy serrated knives - will cut up most cooked things and can sub as a bread knife (here’s one)
- Kitchen shears (here’s one; here’s another)
- Metal tongs
Cookware
- Saucepan large enough to cook pasta - 2 ½ or 3 quart (basic; fancy)
- Skillets - 8″ or 10″ and 12″ (here’s one; here’s a pair)
- 9×13 lasagna pan (can be pyrex for easy dishwashing)
- 2 cookie sheets (here’s one; here’s another)
Measuring
- Measuring cups - metal are best (here’s a set; odd sizes are good, too)
- Liquid measuring cup (my favorite)
- Measuring spoons - metal are best (here’s a set)
Electrics
- Food processor (here’s one; here’s another)
- Hand mixer (here’s one; here’s another)
Other
- A few cutting boards
- Strainer/colander
- Mixing bowls - small, medium, large (I have these; and these)
- A big pile of dish towels - buy in bulk packs so you can use them wherever you need
Other things that are nice to have but aren’t necessary:
Bakeware/Cookware
- Stock pot (basic; fancy)
- Griddle
- Dutch oven (I have two - a 2 3/4 qt and a 6 qt - these are so awesome but can be expensive. Check Williams-Sonoma regularly, though, as they sometimes have amazing sales on Le Crueset. The Emeril line is also pretty reasonable.)
- 8×8 brownie pan
- Loaf pan (here’s one)
- Muffin tins
- 8″ or 9″ cake rounds, 2 of them
- Silpat silicone baking mat (here’s one)
- Wire cooling racks (here’s a pair)
Electrics
- Stand mixer (I love mine)
- Blender
- Toaster oven
- Food scale (here’s one)
Other
- Bread knife
- Instant read thermometer (here’s one)
- Extra small glass bowls for mixing little things or prepping things to add in advance (like these)
- Rolling pin
For additional guidance, see this article by Mark Bittman. We don’t entirely see eye to eye (on this or anything else, really), but he does a nice job of explaining his thought process.
