Kitchen Essentials – How to Set Up Your Dream Kitchen
(Last Updated On: March 29, 2021)Whether youâre moving into your first apartment or youâre moving to a new house, the kitchen will be an important part of your new home.
Our checklist of kitchen essentials has all of the tools, utensils, cookware, and gadgets youâll need to whip up some delicious meals.
Below weâll cover the necessities you should have for your first kitchen as well as some nice-to-haves that will help expand your cooking repertoire.
Our list below has two categories for every section â Essentials are things you shouldnât be caught without, and Splurge items that you could consider buying if you have room in your budget, think youâll use them, or want to up your game as a chef.
Weâve kept our budget for our essential items capped at $500, so if youâre outfitting your kitchen for the first time you wonât have to break the bank.
Shopping for quality
Youâll always need to eat, and no matter where you live youâre going to have a place to cook.
When we created our list of kitchen necessities, we wanted to make sure we considered the quality of every item as well as the cost. In most cases, youâre better off spending a little more on a utensil that comes with a lifetime guarantee and is going to last for decades over a cheap product that will only last until your next move.
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, the author of The Food Lab, is a world-renowned chef and food experimenter. Many of the items on this list are recommended as part of his essential toolkit for any aspiring chef.
Most of the items are under $15, are battled-tested by professional chefs, and will last you for years.
Kitchen Utensils List
Utensils are one of the most used tools in the kitchen. They donât need to be fancy or expensive, but if youâre like us, buying the right items can make your time in the kitchen much more enjoyable.
Tongs
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We love OXO kitchen products. These budget-friendly 9â Stainless Steel Locking Tongs by OXO are a steal at under $15, are sturdy enough to flip a steak, and have nearly replaced all of our other kitchen tools.
Spatulas
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Our spatula of choice is OXOâs fish spatula. Itâs slotted, which means you can drain off any liquids before transferring them to a plate.
Itâs stiff enough to handle a thick cut of meat but flexible enough to wedge into the nooks and crannies of your pan.
We also recommend getting a silicone spatula to use for non-stick pans so you donât scratch the surface. Again, OXO makes a sturdy, high-quality silicon spatula that we love.
And weâre not the only ones â itâs rated 4.5 stars on Amazon with nearly 1,500 different reviews. At about $10, itâs a great value buy.
Ladles
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For soups, stews, chili, and other liquids, youâll want something to scoop your delicious creation out of your pot and into your bowl. Again, itâs OXO to the rescue with this nylon ladle for $7.
Itâs hard to argue with over 1,000 reviews rating it at 4.5 stars on Amazon.
Utensil holder
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Now that you have all these great tools, make them easy to reach with a utensil holder for your kitchen counter.
We think this jumbo stainless steel utensil holder looks great on our counter, but they come in tons of flavors.
Splurges
Whisks
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In most cases a whisk isnât necessary, you could get it by using a fork. But if youâre a baker, pancake enthusiast, or just like the convenience of a whisk, we recommend this basic 9âł whisk for $9.
You only need one whisk in your life, and this one will do you just fine.
Cooking chopsticks
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It might seem odd to some, but chopsticks make an excellent cooking utensil. Great for stirring, tossing, or placing food, theyâre especially useful when cooking in a wok or other rounded pans.
We like these 14â stainless steel chopsticks for cooking.
Skimmer
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For soups & stews, we also recommend having a skimmer on hand as well, in case you want the liquid to drain before scooping something up.
These can also be very helpful when frying foods. There are plenty to choose from, but we like this highly rated steel strainer with a bamboo handle for under $10.
Kitchen Knives and Cutlery
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There are a few basic knives every kitchen should have, and they donât need to break the bank.
When considering a good knife, we look for a sharp, sturdy blade, a comfortable handle, and durable construction.
These knives will hold up through years of use, can be resharpened over time, and many come with a lifetime guarantee.
8â Western Chefâs Knife
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Sturdy, sharp, and pointed at the tip, these knives are great for cutting through meat, bone, and hearty vegetables. Theyâre built to rock back and forth as you cut, and generally have some heft to them.
We like the J.A. Henckels Classic 8âł Knife, with its full tang blade and triple-riveted handle. Itâs has a comfortable grip with a bolster that makes it easy to maneuver while chopping.
We think itâs the best chefâs knife you can buy for $50, and it comes with a lifetime guarantee.
7â Santoku Knife
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Santoku knives come from Japan, designed by chefs to slice, dice, and mince. Unlike a western chefâs knife, santoku blades are not meant for chopping through bone or hearty vegetables like carrots or squash.
However, their straight, sharp edge makes them great for chopping just about anything else, and they are far more agile and maneuverable than a typical western chefâs knife.
Having each style of knife in your kitchen means youâll have the right tool for each job.
Our pick for santoku knives is the Victorinox 7â Fibrox santoku knife with its ice-tempered carbon blade makes for a high qualified knife that handles well.
Victorinox (makes of the Swiss Army Knife) includes their patented Fibrox non-slip grip on this knife, giving it a textured handle that is comfortable to use while still allowing for a firm grip.
- VERSATILE KITCHEN ESSENTIAL. Slicing, dicing, mincing -- this knife can do it all. This Santoku knife's combines the features of a cleaver and a chef's knife with a unique shape that allows it to be...
- GRANTON EDGE. Featuring a Granton edge that prevents food from sticking to the blade and minimizes friction. The flat cutting edge doesn't rock, creating a highly efficient chopping motion and is...
- EASY HANDLING. This knife features an ergonomic Fibrox Pro handle for a non-slip grip -- even when wet. This exceptional knife is weighted and balanced for easy handling and comfort.
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Steak knives
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Great steak knives are worth the investment, and shouldnât set you back much. J.A Henckels, the maker of our pick for a western chefâs knife, makes a beautiful 8 piece steak knife set.
We like these for the same reasons we like their chefâs knife â full tang blade, sturdy rivets, a comfortable handle, and a lifetime guarantee.
Splurges
Paring Knife
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Bigger isnât always better. We like this 4 in. Victorinox paring knife for peeling fruits and vegetables or making other fine cuts.
Bread Knife
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A long bread knife is great for cutting up soft bread, hard bread like baguettes, cutting sandwiches in half, or even slicing meats in a pinch.
The Victorinox bread knife is great, but at nearly $50 is a little indulgent. This 8â bread knife from OXOÂ will do the job just fine.
Itâs highly rated with nearly 600 reviews on Amazon and comes in under $10.
Meat Cleaver
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If youâre sold on a santoku knife, but looking for an alternative to the western chefâs knife, a meat cleaver is a great alternative pairing.
Handy for cutting through thick meat, bone, and hearty vegetables, but also surprisingly good when it comes to finely mincing herbs or other vegetables.
A basic heavy-duty meat cleaver should last you a lifetime, and for just under $10 itâs worth having in your kitchen on the off chance you need it.
Appliances
We do not consider any of these items essential, these all fall squarely in the Splurge category. You may consider a toaster oven, microwave, coffee maker, or blender, but weâve found we can get by without them.
This is especially true if you donât have a lot of cabinet storage or counter space, single-function appliances are hard to justify.
However, there are two items we want to call out because they are multi-purpose, and they have changed the way we cook for the better.
Instant Pot
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We canât help but highlight our favorite kitchen appliance to date â the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot Duo 9-in-1 won our top pick for best pressure cooker, and for good reason â this little pressure cooker has garnered itself a cult following, with nearly 500,000 people on their Facebook group and plenty of sites dedicated to Instant Pot Recipes.
And itâs popular for good reason â it requires almost no set up, itâs easy to use, and is a 9-in-1 appliance â use it as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, egg cooker, sautĂŠ, steamer, warmer, sterilizer and it makes cake too!
Because itâs so diverse, you can cook just about anything with an Instant Pot â from obvious dishes like soups and carnitas to more surprising meals like beef gyro or rotisserie-style chicken.
On top of everything else, the Instant Pot is built to be convenient â some models can be controlled with your smartphone.
This makes it easy to prep a meal before work, start the cooking process on your way home, and come home to a delicious homemade meal. The Instant Pot will be your new best friend in the kitchen.
Sous Vide
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Using a sous-vide has changed the way we cook, especially for larger groups. To cook using a sous-vide, you place your food in a sealed bag and use a water bath to heat it to the perfect temperature.
It becomes impossible to overcook a cut of meat with a sous-vide, itâs the easiest way to get juicy, tender meals with almost no stress.
Itâs definitely not for everyone, but the cost of a sous-vide appliance has dropped dramatically in the last few years. The Anova cooker with Bluetooth, our favorite sous vide, usually sells for $150.
You can often find it on sale at Amazon, so itâs worth checking to see if you can get a deal on it.
If you decide on a sous-vide, we highly recommend you try these sous vide ribs from Serious Eats.
Pots, Pans, and cookware
Of all the things youâll buy to outfit your kitchen, the easiest place to blow your budget is with your pots and pans.
With all the different sizes, shapes, metals, and types of cookware, itâs hard to know what you will need, what youâll use day-to-day, and what to avoid buying.
Our picks below are enough to account for most of your cooking needs. We think âless is moreâ when it comes to pots and pans â you can always expand your collection over time if you find you are consistently missing something to cook a dish.
But we can assure you, thereâs no rush to buy that specialty paella pan right out of the gate.
Pans
Cast Iron
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Cast iron skillets canât be beaten. Theyâre sturdy, easy to clean, they last for generations, and they donât break the bank.
If youâre on a tight budget, you can try to find these at a local swap meet or thrift store â just make sure youâre ready to go through the process of cleaning & seasoning a used cast iron skillet.
We like Lodge brand skillets for a number of reasons. We recommend the 12âł skillet from Lodge, which is big enough to make most dishes but still small enough to use in a standard size oven.
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Lodge pre-seasons all of their cast ironware, which makes it easy to use and ready to cook without the box. At under $30, itâs hard not to love these things.
Adding a potholder makes using a cast-iron skillet much more convenient, so either buy a skillet that includes a silicone handle cover or make sure to buy a potholder separately.
Non-stick pans
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Even though we love our cast iron skillets, itâs nice to have a non-stick pan on occasion. A good non-stick pan is a great compliment to a cast-iron skillet and comes in particularly useful for cooking eggs, sauces, or delicate meats.
Again, no need to spend big here. This Cuisinart 12âł nonstick skillet is a classic â well made, can be baked in the oven up to 500 degrees and comes with a helper handle to make it easy to maneuver when itâs hot.
Itâs rated at 4 stars on Amazon with over 800Â reviews, and for about $35 itâs the only non-stick pan youâll need.
Pots
Saucepot
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A 3-quart saucepot will be your go-to for boiling water, whether itâs too hard to boil eggs, whip up some pasta, or cook some sweet potatoes. They also come in handy when making sauces or small batches of soup.
Our top pick is a 3-quart stainless steel saucepot from Cuisinart. It has a high-quality build and includes a pour spout on the side to help avoid spills. Itâs a great deal at about $35, especially considering it comes with a straining lid.
Stockpot
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Itâs always good to have a large pot on hand for soups & stews. A basic stainless steel stock pot will handle almost anything you throw at it, no need to get splurge here.
Baking sheets
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They are truly all the same. Get this great set of 3 backing sheets from Amazon for $15 and donât overthink it.
Splurges
Small cast iron skillets
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We love our cast iron skillets so much we canât help but get more of them.
An 8â skillet comes in useful when youâre preparing multiple dishes at once and need a second pan, and these 3.5 inch skillets are great for baking personalized dishes that can be served in the skillet, like an egg bake or corn bread.
Kitchen necessities
Cutting board
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You donât realize the importance of a good cutting board until itâs too late. For us, a good cutting board has a large work area, does not slide around on the counter, and is easy to use.
Our top pick is a 10.5â x 14.5â cutting board from OXO. Itâs large, has rubberized edges to grip the counter, and cleans up in a snap.
It also has a nice channel around the perimeter of the board to make sure any liquids wonât leak onto our counter (think juicy meats that youâre slicing to serve.)
Bench Scraper
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Ever used a knife to scoop something up off of a cutting board? Scraping your knife blade across a hard surface is a great way to dull it or even chip it.
Bench scrapers are built to scrape the sticky dough off of a work surface, but theyâre also great for scooping up chopped veggies or meat off the cutting board without ruining your knives.
Ramakins
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We might catch some flak for considering this an essential, but ramakins are great for holding chopped food when you need to make room on the cutting board. Our favorite is sold as âcustard cupsâ, $12 will get you 4 of them.
Mixing Bowls
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Another game-changer, we think this might be the best investment you make in your kitchen (next to a good cast iron skillet and some good knives).
A basic set of stainless steel mixing bowls will make your life easier when it comes time to marinate some meat, mix veggies, or toss a large salad, and theyâre incredibly easy to clean.
Our top pick features 6 different size bowls for under $25 â a very worthwhile (and budget-friendly) investment.
Tupperware
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With all this cooking going on, youâll need somewhere to keep the leftovers. Tupperware is an area where buying cheap usually means buying a new set every few months.
This 28 piece set from Rubbermaid is easy to wash, easy to store, is shatterproof, and should last you a while â for under $40 itâs a no-brainer.
Bottle Opener & Corkscrew
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Thereâs nothing quite as satisfying as a large stainless steel bottle opener that pops a top with ease.
For wine, we like this professional-grade wine key, and for under $15 it comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Measuring Cups/spoons
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A staple of every kitchen. No need to get fancy here â we like this stainless steel measuring cup set from Chefland.
Less than $10, highly rated by thousands of buyers, and eligible for Prime shipping on Amazon. What more could you ask for?
Ice cube trays
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We prefer silicone trays because theyâre much easier to get the cubes out of. This two-pack of trays makes 20 perfect cubes per tray.
Oven Mitts
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These arenât your grannieâs potholders (though she might enjoy these as much as we do). The Grill Armor Oven Gloves are wearable oven mitts that will protect your hand up to 932 degrees.
Are they ridiculous? A bit. But getting burned sucks, and having full use of all of your fingers when handling hot items is a game-changer.
Splurges
Instant read thermometer
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Donât ever overcook your dinner again. Having a thermometer in your kitchen solves two problems â the fear of undercooking your meat, and the disappointment of overcooking it.
This $15 instant-read thermometer is the best budget-friendly option. If you avoid overcooking one great cut of meat by using it, it has paid for itself.
Kitchen Scale
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A kitchen scale will change the way you cook for the better. Is it nerdy? A bit indulgent? Yes to both, but itâs the best way to get precise measurements in the kitchen.
This scale is a great option to test the waters with.
Garlic press
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If you cook with garlic regularly, you know that mincing it with a knife is a pain. A garlic press makes this process quick and easy.
An added bonus â using a press will keep your fingers from having that funky garlic smell for the rest of the night.
Salt Cellar & Pepper Grinder
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A minor purchase, but a major convenience. Having these at the ready will make cooking easier, and they look great on your table as well.
Tea Kettle
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If you regularly make tea or use a french press for coffee, you might consider getting a kettle â itâs far more convenient than whipping out your sauce pot every time you need to boil water.
Colander
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Our recommended saucepot comes with a straining lid, so you could get by without one.
But if youâre regularly making pasta, or want an easy way to wash and dry your fruits and vegetables, a colander or strainer could be a worthwhile investment.
A few other odds and ends:
- Kitchen rug / Standing mat
- Can Opener
- Magnetic hooks â great for hanging things off the side of the refrigerator.
- Step stool â Worth considering if you are storing your new kitchen goodies in hard-to-reach places.
Bon appetite
We hope you enjoy cooking in your new kitchen. Weâve hand-picked all of these items because we know they work.
Theyâre cost-effective, useful, well designed, and should last for years. Once youâve assembled your dream kitchen, itâs time to get cooking!
Didnât see your favorite kitchen utensil? If you feel like we missed something please drop it in the comments!
If youâre in need of some inspiration, we highly recommend The Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. Itâs by far the most fascinating look at the cuisine that weâve seen, and the New York Times says itâs âThe one book you must have, no matter what youâre planning to cook or where your skill level fallsâ.
What better way to celebrate moving into your new home and put your new kitchen to the test?
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