Reaching a new automatic pilot that works for you, your health goals, your standard of living, requires having the right setting, the right scene, the right tools for the job.
So, I’ve put together a list of…
necessary pots, pans, tools, gadgets and small appliances for the kitchen
I came up with 2 lists:
- THE BASICS: The first list is for those folks who want the very very basic tools and or who have a very limited space for storing these items and or who do very minimal cooking.
- THE BASICS+: The second list is for those who will be in the kitchen cooking who follow recipes now and then.
Where to buy:
First of all, the items below are easy to find (online and at most kitchen stores/department stores). Be careful though, you’ll pay more at the kitchen stores that have prime locations (you end up paying for the locality/ convenience, and prestige). The links are not specific brands they just show the styles I like.
#1 — THE BASICS: tools and gadgets you need in the kitchen
All-purpose items:
- Food scrapper
- 7 or 8″ chef knife
- cutting board (this Obsessive Chef cutting board by Fred.com is a teaching tool)
- oven mitts (I like this style)
- mixing bowls (this one has 3 sizes with lids, and lightweight, dishwasher safe)
- paring knife
- multi-purpose kitchen shears /scissors
Cooking on the stove top:
- a 2-quart sauce pan, with a glass lid (go for stainless steel, this inexpensive looks prefect for the job!)
- a 12-inch fry pan, with glass lid, (go for stainless steel with a handle that is safe to go into the oven (this inexpensive looks prefect for the job!)
- a long-handled pair of tongs (this one is my favorite) (here are rubber-tipped tongs if you have a non-stick surface on your pans)
- a thin-edged slotted turner (spatula flipper) to flip eggs, pancakes, meat (for nonstick surfaces, I like this style: all one piece, no crevices for food to hide).
Cooking in the oven:
- one 9×13 glass baking pan with silicon lid (can be used to make cookies, roast veggies and or chicken, bake a cake, and more)
Washing:
- Bar Mop towels (for wipe ups and drying hands)
- cotton “flour sack” towels (for drying dishes, lint free
- a dish drying rack
- dish soap
- dishcloths (this Swedish style dishcloth is awesome)
For food storage:
- masking tape and sharpie
- ziplock bags (get 2 sizes: 1 quart. and 1 gallon)
- saran wrap
- aluminum foil
- pyrex food storage containers with tight-fitting lids (I like square ones)
#2 — THE BASICS+, add these items to the list above:
Cooking on the stovetop:
- a long-handled wood spoon
- a rubber scraping spatula
- a two-cup liquid measurement (this can be used for dry measurements, too)
Cooking in the oven:
- roasting pan
- baking sheets (jellyroll pans)
More info, and more items
Cutlery
A chef knife is a very personal piece of equipment. I urge you to go to your nearest kitchen store and try them on for size. There are many variables to consider:
- the tang (the handle varies in thickness and material /texture)
- the weight and balance of the knife will feel very different for each person
- a thick or thin blade, an Asian style or European/American style
- a long heel
- the length: I recommend 7 or 8-inch
- the material: ceramic, carbon stainless steel, stamped or forged
- the thick or thin bolster
- the curve of the tip and belly
https://healthykitchen101.com/parts-of-a-knife/
Cutting boards
- BAMBOO! get a large 16-inch x 12-inch, or so. Go for this size if you have the room on your counter. I like the type of with a groove to catch juices (like pineapple juice, watermelon juice, meat juice)
- or get a solid hardwood board
- I highly recommend a double sided board, with a groove on one side.
- I am not a fan of plastic cutting boards.
Measuring spoons and cups
- I like stainless steel for most of these things
Mixing bowls
- I like glass, ceramic and stainless steel. Stainless steel is the lightest.
- multi-sized bowls are good to have
- with lids is huge bonus
- have at least one extra-large stainless steel bowl (I have a 16-inch, 18-inch and 20-inch)
- 4-cup glass bowl with pour spout is good to have, but not mandatory
Pots, pans and skillets
- THE BEST, I believe, is cast-iron enamel coated, stainless steel is runner up
- One large stockpot (10- to 12-quart pot is more versatile)
- One 6- or 8-inch skillet (slanted sides)
- One 5-quart saucepan with glass lid
- I’ve been coveting this Dutch oven (flip it over and the cover doubles as a skillet, and the pot becomes the lid — will cook similar to a Moroccan tagine)
Small appliances
- Food processor (I have four: but my 7-cup machine gets the most use, and the smaller 2-cup is used at least once a month, ….skip the 13-cup size unless you are cooking for an army. I have found over and over again that the 4-cup machines are an awkward size, either too small or too big.
- High-speed blender (I favor the Blendtec — and use the 6-cup and 4-cup carafe)
- Immersion blender (I love mine)
- Spice grinder (most coffee grinders will do, just be sure to designate it for spices only b/c the coffee aroma is hard to deodorize)
- Rice cooker, stainless steel (I have similar to this one)
- Slow cooker
- Instant Pot
- Air Fryer
- Sous Vide
- Counter-top smoker
Hand-operated gadgets
- Garlic press (this one is cool — it slices, too!)
- Julienne peeler (this is what I use to make spiralized noodles)
- Zestor (I like the Microplane brand, and eventually you will need a replacement blade)
- Box grater
- Citrus press (this comes in 3 sizes and 3 colors: the yellow one is meant for lemons, green for limes and orange for oranges, (here is an excellent youTube video for the best juice press)
- Salad spinner (I’ve used several and favor this one for ease of use and clean up)
- Fine wire mesh colander/strainer (again, I like stainless steel, and use 2 sizes, this one for small jobs, and this larger one for rinsing produce and grains)
- Can opener (love this OXO)
Tools, utensils
- Wisk, medium size
- Fish bone tweezer
- crinkle cutter
Other
- Timer (two-in-one is best)
- Thermometer (many kinds out there, just need one that reads low and high temps, wireless probe huge bonus, this one is way cool)
- String, twine
- Parchment paper (I buy the non-bleached version)
- Nut milk bag
Glass storage containers
- with tight-fitting lids
- multiple sizes
- stackable
- square, rectangle are easiest to stack and store