I’m a huge fan of keeping things simple in the kitchen. I buy basic kitchen tools and equipment that can serve multiple purposes, and leave the specialty gadgets behind. People have been making great food for thousands of years without tools dedicated to one task (hello, banana slicer, I’m looking at you!) or electronic gadgets that are supposed to make your life easier, but really just clog up your countertops and cabinets. So I’ve made this list of kitchen tools and equipment that will help you run an efficient, no-frills kitchen.
You don’t need to purchase all of these things before you begin making meals at home. Instead, think of this as a goal list of items that you plan to acquire over time. These are my go-to kitchen basics. These are the things that make my kitchen work.
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Pots & Pans
The most important quality to look for when purchasing pots and pans is the thickness or weight of the metal. If you buy pots and pans that are constructed out of thin metal, they will not cook food evenly, and you will have difficulty achieving good results with recipes. I have had two sets of pots and pans that have worked well for me, the Simply Calphalon Non-Stick set, and the OXO Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Pro set, as well as a few cast iron pieces. If buying pieces individually, I suggest the following sizes and types:
- 2-Quart Sauce Pot
- 6-Quart Stock Pot
- 8-Inch Skillet
- 10-Inch Skillet
- Deep Covered Sauté Pan – This is probably one of the most versatile pots or pans in the kitchen. It can be used as a skillet or a pot, and can often take the place of two different pieces.
- Cast Iron Skillet – Cast iron very affordable, lasts generations, and is perhaps the best at cooking food evenly, but it does take a little more effort and upkeep. You can’t just throw this one in the dishwasher, so consider this purchase carefully. Make sure it matches your lifestyle!
- Dutch Oven – This is another great multi-purpose kitchen piece. It can take the place of the 6 quart stock pot listed above, it can go from the stove top to the oven, and can act very much like a slow cooker by keeping moisture in, cooking with low radiant heat, and making your food extra succulent. They can be a bit pricier, but you will get a lot of use out of it!
Tip: I like to buy pieces with glass lids, when possible, so I can see what’s happening inside the pot without removing the lid and letting steam escape. I also try to get pieces that do not have plastic on the handle, so they can go from stove to oven, if needed.
Bakeware
- Glass or Ceramic Casserole Dishes (one large, one small) – These can be used not only for casseroles, but also for roasting a variety of meat or vegetables. Extremely versatile!
- Baking Sheets (set of three) – Again, one of the most versatile pieces in my kitchen. Just about anything that goes in the oven will have a baking sheet under it.
- Muffin Tin – Good for muffins, or other small portion dishes like breakfast egg cups, mini meat loaves, and more.
- 9-inch Pie Plate (glass or ceramic)
- Pizza Pans (for pizza-holics like me. I prefer perforated pizza pans for crispy crust)
Prep Tools & Kitchen Gadgets
- Mixing Bowls (glass or stainless steel)
- Cutting Boards (I also like to use cutting mats, like these, for a quick clean surface when chopping multiple items)
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – I prefer metal to plastic
- Liquid Measuring Cup (microwave safe, 2 cup volume)
- Spoons, Spatulas, Whisks (metal or wood, preferred)
- Instant Read Thermometer (save yourself from the perils of food poisoning!)
- Colander
- Chef’s Knife – This is the workhorse in your kitchen. Invest well, if you can. If you have larger hands you’ll want a 10″, if you have smaller hands an 8″ might be a better fit.
- Bread Knife
- Paring Knives (great for small jobs)
- Cheese Graters (One of the most used items in my kitchen, good for WAY more than just cheese! Make sure to get both fine and coarse graters)
- Can Opener
- Rolling Pin
Storage and Supplies
- Parchment paper
- Aluminium foil
- Cling wrap (plastic wrap)
- Mason Jars (super multi-purpose and they last a lifetime)
- Resealable storage containers
- Kitchen Towels – Basic “bar mop” kitchen towels (if you’ve ever worked in a commercial kitchen, you know how valuable these are)
Appliances
I don’t use many appliances, but these have gotten GOOD use in my kitchen!
- Slow cooker (Doesn’t need to be fancy, 5-7 quart is a good size)
- Food processor (The exact one I use is no longer in production, but this is the next generation of it.)
- Hand Mixer – For those times when you just don’t have the energy to whisk by hand
What are your “must-have” kitchen basics? Share your knowledge and experiences in the comments below!
Thanks for mentioning that thickness needs to be prioritized when buying pots and pans because thick metal provides the benefit of more even cooking. My daughter will be moving out next month, and I want to help her stock up her new place by buying some galvanized metal kitchenware for her. I want to say thanks for sharing this article because now I can feel more informed and confident as I start shopping for kitchen equipment!
You’re so welcome! And best of luck to your daughter!
I held out on an Instant pot, but finally bought one last Christmas during the sales. I was able to get rid of my huge crock pot and a rice cooker!
I absolutely love it. I make beans in 45 minutes! I used to have to plan a day before and the bean are a great way to stretch a meal. Rice is 4 minutes!
I find having a trivet handy for cooling pies and quiche a useful. Thanks for all of the tips!
As a dedicated contrarian I fully expected a long list of items to take issue with. Didn’t happen.
Some thoughts however. I have a paring knife – I haven’t used it since about 2004. I use a Chef’s knife for nearly everything. Bread knife. Filet knife. My wife on the other hand uses a paring knife a lot. I think it’s about knife skills and keeping knives really sharp. A bench scraper (also called a dough knife). Definitely a kitchen scale. The listed can opener should be a side cut type – faster, easier, and safer. I would (and do) have a stick blender and a mandolin instead of a food processor and hand mixer. Anything the stick blender can’t do I use a spoon for.
Thanks for making such a great, concise list. A few items that I use almost daily are a slotted spoon, wire whisk, and ‘fish’ spatula. I also rely on an electric hand mixer quite often.
metal scraper with wooden handle. in a pinch it can also crush nuts for recipes or slice off extra butter.
A good garlic press is essential in my kitchen.
My kitchen shears are invaluable to me!
I have an inexpensive rice cooker (under $25 Canadian) which has served me well for nearly 10 years. I don’t know what I did without it. It’s so easy to use, and no need to occupy a burner on the stove, “watch” the rice to avoid boil-overs or pot going dry, etc. We eat rice quite often, and it’s simple to start the rice first (measure, rinse well, dump in rice cooker, add enough water). By the time it’s done–20 minutes or so for two cups of jasmine rice–I can have dinner ready to go with it.
Egg slicer. Gotta have it.
I’ve gotten a surprising amount of use from an electric griddle. Bought it on impulse from Target in 2006 for about $25. Now I couldn’t tell you how many pounds of bacon I’ve cooked on it, then how many eggs I’ve fried in the bacon grease.
Also I make pancakes on it, and grill cheese sandwiches on it.
I love your list and totally agree we don’t need a lot but sometimes I run into an item I really, really like – you don’t have the tools listed but one thing I purchased recently and can’t figure out why I didn’t buy it sooner is a fish turner. It is the best tool I have ever bought for turning eggs, cookies off the sheet and anything, actually. I got rid of all my old turners and this is the only one I own now. I would also add a nice variety of good quality wooden spoons and maybe one silicone scraper. You are spot-on with the no plastic! Love your site – I also have cut down on all the newsletters I get but yours is a keeper!!!
This is a great list. I’m a minimalist and have been for years. I’m not a fan of one use small appliances and kitchen utensils. I live in a small space so storage is at a premium.
I do have room in my kitchen for more equipment, so have a few more things I consider essential. In addition to the 3 appliances you mention, I love my stick blender, toaster, and little waffle maker (DH LOVES waffles). I also acquired a bullet blender 2 years ago when DH got braces and smoothies entered our lives; he continues to consume 3-4 per week. So that’s 4 more appliances.
I have a standard pressure cooker which I continue to use once or twice a month–it can also stand in for a 6 qt stockpot, and with it, I’ve no need for an Instant Pot. I really do need 2 2 qt pans for most standard dinners, ie one for rice or potatoes and one for veggies or sauce–I really couldn’t prepare a full meal with only 1 sauce pan. A 1 qt pan is fairly worthless since it is smaller than any burner it sits on, but I have a 3 qt pan that is useful when I need a 3rd pan, poach eggs, make a small batch of soup, or mash potatoes for more than 4 people.
Most used, after a 2 qt sauce pan, is my 8″ skillet, with a 12″ one used 4-5 times a week–and a 10″ iron skillet. I have a teakettle, although I could certainly boil water in a sauce pan instead.
For baking, coffee mugs can stand in for custard cups and ramekins, but I’ve a few baking pans–they stack and take little space. The 8″ and 9″ square pans are infinitely useful, a 9×13″ pan, couple of round cake pans, a bundt pan (used only a couple of times a year), and loaf pans in various sizes in addition to sheet pans and muffin tins. For those who don’t bake, sheet pans are sufficient and casserole dishes cover some of the same purposes. I picked up small baking pans from the dollar store for practically nothing to stock our bare bones RV, and since selling it, passed them along to my grandson who just moved into his 1st apartment. Those dollar store prices for oven pans are cheaper than throw-away aluminum from the supermarket or box stores, so can be considered disposable if you take food to an event.
My go-to appliance is a gas stove, of which I do not have. I hate my electric stovetop. It doesn’t cook evenly so when I cook, I have to be at the stove at all times to move the pan around so things cook evenly.
By the way, Me and my family LOVE your website and the recipes. Your website has helped me save so much money and time at the grocery store and my family loves the recipes. We have made alot of slow-cooker meals and the pasta dishes so far, and everything has been a hit. I am going to start with the breakfast meal preps so we can all have a quick and healthy breakfast in the morning, especially for my 13 year old, when school is back in after the Christmas break. I am so glad I found this website. Thank you11