Instagram reels are full of experimental new recipes that taste good and can take a lot of patience to make. For instance, crispy rice is one of the viral recipes we all have seen, where the pot is literally turned upside down to get its golden crust. If I told you that a recipe doesn’t require the skills of a chef and that only good kitchen equipment will do wonders, would you believe me? You indeed need some creativity to cook extraordinary recipes, but kitchen utensils play a very significant role in implementing the recipe. For instance, cooking curries in stoneware or earthenware gives them a much better taste, and you can taste the difference right away. The same applies to cutting vegetables with a sharp knife with refined skills. A perfectly even layered cooker or pot prevents food from tasting differently because it ensures even-tone cooking, which is extremely important. Hence, every single entity or object in your kitchen is essential, and it can really alter the way you present or cook. I am sharing with you 52 (35+17) kitchen essentials today, which are the foundation of a perfect kitchen, and I promise that after you have these items, you won’t need anything else. But before that, let’s examine this list and why you should read it.
Why You Should Trust Me and Read This List?
If you have paid attention to other lists over the internet, you’ll see that half of them do not contain the products you need, and others like Wirecutter trick you with their reviews. In most of the lists, products were just copied and listed with a brand name but poor quality. Knowing that every person has different habits of using things, reviewing isn’t just about analyzing one product for yourself. Rather, it is about taking into account hundreds of thousands of reviews from others before you can rely on a particular product. I’ll tell you something else: in these times of false advertising, many Amazon products even come with paid reviews, which makes it extremely difficult to choose. As Sahaj reviewed the best bed frames and couches in different articles, he literally gave you an inside peek at the publication industry, when it comes to the selection of products. I am certainly not diving into that again, but you can refer to those articles to learn about it.
About this list, I have chosen reviews of kitchen essentials from a number of review websites, and checked every single product’s materials and usability, which makes this list one-of-a-kind on the internet, and trust me, you can’t get better than this. To summarize, I put myself in your place and picked the best on the web. Also, for many products, I haven’t used a price range because a particular prize product is the best in the market. And yes, in a few points, I have explained a lot about choosing a kitchen essential on your own, which makes you decide easily when it comes to offline markets. The only con of my list is that I haven’t used these kitchen essentials, but rely on factors such as materials they are made out of, how the brand stands on their promises, and if the customers are happy with the purchase.
52 Best Kitchen Essentials That Your Kitchen Needs.
1. Stainless Steel Pot.
Stainless steel pots work wonders if you know how to handle them, and so they are worth every hype. It is because you can’t cook many things on a no-stick, and ceramics are too expensive, and of course, can get damaged, lastly, cast iron is not for everything. What’s left are stainless steel pots. The most frequent problem among the utensils of cheap and quality-less Stainless Steel pots is their light crust, which leaves food rusting in them. Hence, it is important to choose only quality stainless steel pots, which include characteristics such as even cooking, easy washing, heat resistant and tight-grip handles, as well as beautiful design. Lastly, my best kitchen tip for cleaning stainless steel pots is to fill them with water and add a few drops of liquid soap and lemon peels after cooking. Boil it at a good temperature and leave it aside for a few minutes. Clean it after this rest time, and you won’t have any stains or problems cleaning it.
I am providing you with options for three different prices.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Farberware, Tramontina |
| Medium | Cuisinart |
| High | Fissler |
2. Cast Iron Pan.
A cast iron pan is a must need; whether you shallow fry, grill your meat, or just saute the vegetables. There are a few things to take care of in your cast iron pan, which makes it much easier to cook for eternity. I am using my Grandma’s kitchen cast iron pan, which is around the age of 40 years and it still cooks perfect food every time. Once you buy a new cast iron pan, first, add oil all over the surface; preferably canola oil, or any other inexpensive oil. And then heat it on high flame until it literally smokes or you can coat the pan in a nice thin layer of the oil and bake at 500 degrees (f) for about an hour. After it cools down completely, you can remove the oil and clean it with a cloth. Now, these seasoned cast iron pans are not only great for stovetop cooking, but they can also be used for oven baking. There is not much to take care of as people suggest, as it is one of the easiest kitchen essentials I ever come across.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Lodge |
| High | Le Creuset |
3. Dutch Oven.
Dutch ovens are especially prone to problems like chipping, uneven heat distribution, and design elements that make using the lid while cooking impossible. But the quality ones that do not possess any kind of problems are excellent cookware when it comes to one-pot meals, starting things on the stove, and finishing in the oven, slow cooking and stews, bread making, and the list goes on. What it’s not good for is anything that requires rapid temperature changes; it holds onto heat.
The most significant thing to note about a Dutch oven before buying is its size according to your family. In terms of quality, make sure you buy the ones, which are enameled or not but have even heat distribution with a pretty handy design to use. I am giving you a few options in the market for three price ranges, which are the best in terms of their quality despite price gaps, but the only thing that makes them different is their appeal.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Tramontina |
| Medium | Lodge |
| High | Le Creuset |
4. Earthern Pot.
The earthen pots have been used for long periods in different regions, and trust me, they change the entire dish, making it taste far better. They let your food remain hot for longer periods and have an even distribution of heat. The best things to cook in them are slow roast, soups, spice roast, or even mixed veg curries. The only thing to take care of is its first usage. After purchasing an earthen pot, wash it with plain water, then soak it in buttermilk for a day. Afterward, discard this buttermilk and apply oil evenly over the entire surface, including the handles, if they are made of clay. Let it sit for a few hours, then heat it on a low flame for a few minutes. Cook whatever you want now. To wash, you just need lemon peel and no soap! I know it’s tough to manage, but trust me, the food you cook in them is just lavishing and comforting.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Swadeshi Blessings |
| High | Lake Tian |
5. Non-Stick Pressure Cooker.
A pressure cooker can do all its jobs, like pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice cooking, sautéing, and steaming. Now, in the market, there are many options for electric or manual pressure cookers. So, I am giving you a few best options for this kitchen essential, which have a really good life and warranty. But before you choose between Electric and manual, let me tell you that the electric cooker isn’t a replacement for a slow cooker. I mean, they don’t have a thick stoneware vessel at the bottom, which the slow cookers have, making food cooked evenly. Also, electric cookers have a problem when it comes to their cleaning. However, few brands have come up with electric cookers that are multifunctional, so a brownie point for the customers as they think of buying an electric cooker.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Instant Pot |
| High | Ninja |
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Presto |
| High | Kuhn Rikon, Fissler |
6. Oven.
Choosing a microwave or OTG oven is hard when it comes to durability or cooking quality. Among all the brands, if one chooses LG and Samsung, they are surely gonna regret it as they are more prone to break. Secondly, it is better to get a multi-functional oven, which can help you to cook several dishes in no time.
Note: The low-end option is a temporary replacement of the oven with a very low price and gets heated up pretty fast, but you have to check for the cooking dish every time.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Black+Decker |
| Medium | Breville |
| High | Miele, Bosch |
7. Blender.
Blenders are a must for the kitchen whether you make mouth-watering dips, nut butter, or smoothies or want to blend hot foods like soups and sauces or emulsify your own mayonnaise or salad dressings. The only key to a perfect blender is it must be able to process even larger amounts of food with a buttery consistency. And yes, there is a question in lots of people’s minds whether they could buy a quieter blender. So the answer is All Blenders Are Loud! Hence, don’t run into false advertisements claiming blenders to be quieter.
Note: Nutribullet cannot process large batches of food blending.
| Price | Products |
| Low | Nutribullet |
| Medium | Ninja |
| High | Vitamix, Blendtec |
8. Knife Set.
The only thing that matters to me while cooking is a good knife. There are hundreds of options when it comes to knives, but I have picked the most versatile and sharp ones, which can literally chop or slice like anything. If you are looking to buy a knife in offline stores, go for a top-notch design with comfy handles, so you can cut without cutting yourself. Well, surely, that’s a strenuous task as many knives go blunt or get ruined over time, so I am giving a few options, which are best and hot-selling in the market. Also, the recommendations below don’t need any knife sharpening for years, but if you are probably stuck with your old knives, then you can use this 4-in-1 knife sharpener to polish your old knives.
Note: Yoshihiro Dalstrong Knives are not meant to be used by beginners. Further, I did not list low-range knives as they can often lead to hurting yourself due to their lack of engineering.
| Price Range | Products |
| Medium | Victorinox Cutlery Block Set, Single Victorinox Knife |
| High | Wüsthoff Knife Block Set, Single Wüsthoff Knife |
| Yoshihiro (Not for beginners) |
9. Casserole Dishes.
Casserole dishes are significant and versatile in the kitchen essentials list as they ease up the cooking period while offering attractiveness in your kitchen. Whether you cook hot pots, pasta, or lasagna, casserole dishes work for every kind of dish. The advantage of casserole dishes is the fact that you can slow cook in them while keeping them in an oven and also serving or eating from them. Many people select ceramics over glass casseroles as they think that glasses break in the oven, but that’s certainly not true. The only thing about glass casseroles is that you can’t cover them up with the lid and then cook them in the oven as they get really hard to open.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Pyrex |
| Medium | Emily Henry |
| High | Le Creuset, Lodge |
10. Baking Essentials.
Baking needs patience and good equipment, that can actually make delicious desserts and breads. There are a few kitchen essentials needed for baking, which I am adding to this point with their utility.
Mixing Bowls.
The stainless steel bowls are preferable because they make whipping cream easier, but the only concern is that plastic wrapping around them is a pain. However, a few authentic glass mixing bowls are also an option. Also, before you buy mixing bowls, kindly know the right size.
Note: Pyrex is best in glass with a lower price as it’s non-reactive, but it is very heavy. One con of them is their sensitivity to temperature changes.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Pyrex Sets |
| High | Tramontina, Babish |
Spatula.
Spatulas are a must-have for baking, but make sure that you own a heatproof one.
Bench Scrapper.
A scraper is a must if you love baking sourdough or bread. Aside from moving the sticky dough, it easily carries the chopped vegetables or fruits to your final destination. Make sure you do not get wood ones as they break easily and don’t have a long life.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | KitchenStar, KitchenAid |
| High | Rösle |
Other Baking Essentials.
| Products | Low Pricing | High Pricing |
| Parchment Paper | Katbite | NA |
| Cookie Scoop | Vollrath | Pampered Chef |
| Loaf Pan | Nordic Ware | Lodge |
| Rolling Pin | Karryoung | J.K. Adams |
| Whisk | Coson Home Store | Vollrath |
| Muffin Tins | Nordic Ware | USA Pan |
| Measuring Cups | Norpro, X-zrew | All-Clad |
| Measuring Spoons | Spring Chef | NA |
11. Food Processor.
The food processor is literally a help to all those who want to grind anything without a hussle. A few tips before you buy a food processor is that don’t get a small one as it is of no help. Buy at least 14 cups of minimum-capacity food processors. The under-100-dollar food processors are crappy and can end any day without any closures. So, it is better if you buy a high-motor food processor with a reputed brand name. You can chop large quantities of food or even grind the batters for homemade falafels.
12. Stainless Steel Strainer.
Buy any heavy stainless steel strainer, with good handles and pour anything over it. The only thing that matters is not using it in the dishwasher. There is another option, which is a silicon strainer, but they just pick up the food smell. Coming on, if you buy a stainless steel strainer, make sure you get the colander type that is made from a stamped sheet with holes instead.
13. Oil Dispenser.
The oil dispensers have the problem of breaking the pouring spout if its quality isn’t good, or sometimes the quality of the material is so bad that the oil literally sticks to it. Hence, glass oil dispensers are best, but they do break when not handled carefully. Hence, the Aozita oil dispensers are best as they are visually appealing, unbreakable, and dishwasher-friendly. On top of everything, the dark green bottle is suitable to store olive oil too.
| Quality | Product |
| Best and Suitable Pricing | AOZITA |
14. Seive.
Sieve helps a lot when it comes to baking or even making tortillas. Now, you can always buy a stainless steel sieve as they are more durable and low-maintenance. Don’t go for fancy brass seives because of their look and low cost or the perforated sieve. Many people would still prefer non-metallic mesh sieves, but they do not meet E11 or 3310-1 requirements for the material type or wire diameter as the stainless steel sieves. However, do know the fact that every sieve, including the perforated sieve, helps you to attend some part of the cooking job.
15. Spoon.
Spoons come in hundreds of best options. You can always check the material and usability. Don’t go for plastic. The silverware is best when you want antique spoons for special dinners, but do check if they are authentic. For normal usage, you can opt for stainless steel spoons, as they are far better than ceramic spoons or other options. I have listed Mercer for this kitchen essential, as you get the quality of a premium spoon for almost half the price. Plus, they come in matte black color, making them stand apart in looks.
| Quality | Product |
| Best and Suitable Pricing | Mercer |
16. Spice Rack.
When you buy a spice rack, the only concern is the size of jars and bottles, as the non-standard jars never fit. Hence, to solve the problem, I would recommend you keep only essential items in the spice rack. Well, a better idea is to get a nail display rack and put your spices jar over it. It is certainly a DIY, but works well if you are a creative soul. If not, prefer the listed item that does not requires even an installation.
| Quality | Product |
| Best and Suitable Pricing | YouCopia |
17. Electric Kettle.
It’s important to take into account the material of an electric kettle before purchasing it because a lower-grade electric kettle will literally burn your tea or coffee in it. The electric kettles must have sufficient temperature settings to keep everything warm every time. One of the points I wish to tell you here is that please don’t buy Bonavita kettles, despite its popularity, as many customers literally had unwarranted failures within no time.
18. Dinnerware.
You will come across hundreds of dinnerware in the market which are pretty expensive and beautiful. But let me tell you one thing here all those sooner develop cracks in them, leading to breakages within no time. The only durable dinnerware that is even dishwasher-friendly is Corelle. As a matter of fact, the customers got so frustrated with its durability that they bought new ones, and they cracked, but Corelle still carried on as usual. You will be bored with Corelle over time, but these simply don’t break!
| Quality | Product |
| Best and Most Durable | Corelle |
19. Crockery.
Crockeries add a lot of color and accent to the kitchen with a meaningful purpose. There are a few crockery sets available, but to be honest, I don’t have a lot of suggestions for durability since these break easily. However, I found the extremely pretty Crockeries website, which you can refer to. Meanwhile, you can always visit home centres for crockery shopping but mark my words those claiming durability are falsely advertising because ceramics can’t be durable!
| Quality | Product |
| Best and Trusted | Health Ceramics |
20. Soup Bowls.
Since I have already told you most things about dinnerware, I won’t be repeating the same thing here. However, Corelle still stands apart in durability for these kitchen essentials.
| Quality | Product |
| Best and Most Durable | Corelle |
21. Colander.
While choosing a colander, make sure you buy a good grain-sized colander with large handles so that you can use it effectively. I am adding a stainless steel colander here that looks exceptionally premium and leaves you with no complaints.
| Quality | Product |
| Best, Durable, and Nice Looking | Bellemain |
22. Mortar and Pestle.
Mortar and pestle have always been useful for grinding spices or making pesto or guacamole. In many cases, we might wonder why we shouldn’t use a blender instead since it doesn’t require additional effort. So to answer the confusion, let me give you a statement that it’s all about texture. Not every time we need a buttery smooth consistency on our food as the grainy coarser texture tastes better in many options. Among the widely available options among mortar and pestle, I strictly advise you not opt those beautiful marble ones as they break over time and make the process of grinding really lengthy. On the other hand, also don’t move for shiny gloss finished mortar and pestle as food literally slips out of them. The best ones are stone grinders. To begin using them, soak some rice in water for a few minutes and grind the wet rice in them as if scrubbing the body of the mortar and pestle. Rinse it with water. As a result, all dirt in the structures will be removed. Also, you can look through the options below but it would be far better if you could literally buy from a local Mexican or Asian shop as they have much better quality.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Cole and Mason |
| Medium | Priority Chef |
23. Zip Locks For Cold Storage.
Many people recommend zip locks, but I personally believe that they can leach chemicals into your food if you store warm food in them. These chemicals can build up to a dangerous level and cause food poisoning. However, this can be avoided by simply opting for an organic storage option, Beeswax wrap, that are also reusable and promotes no chemical growth.
| Quality | Product |
| Best Beeswax Wrap | Bee’s Wrap |
24. Ice cube Trays.
In the 50s, people used to have metal ice cube trays. They used warm water to pop out the ice from them. However, I don’t think they are available now in good shape. You can always use silicon ice trays as they are easy to handle and come in a variety of shapes.
| Quality | Products |
| Round and Square Silicon Ice Cube Mold | Glacio |
| Easy Release Ice Cube Tray | Rubbermaid |
25. Equipment Like Peelers, Garlic Mincer, Slicer, Masher, and Can Opener.
In my experience, the smallest thing in our kitchen has the most utility. Now, I am dedicating this entire point to the peelers, garlic mincer, slicer, masher, and can opener, but none of them goes into price ranges as even low-priced ones can be good, so no need to pay more.
| Category | Products |
| Peeler | Kuhn Rikon, Seki Japan |
| Mincer | Kuhn Rikon |
| Slicer | Börner |
| Masher | Priority Chef |
| Can Opener | Kuhn Rikon |
| Muslin Cloth | Olicity |
26. Cutting Boards.
Cutting Boards are the best kitchen essentials that serve to cut vegetables. The porous nature of the wood has harbor bacteria, which does not need to be properly finished and sealed. Normally, people use mineral oil and beeswax in the process for the hardwood cutting boards manufacturing, which does not allow impurities to settle unlike plastic. Hence, wood is best among the cutting boards, but it is more expensive than plastic ones. Also, the acrylic boards harbor dangerous contaminants, which is why you should not possess them at all. To use a new wooden cutting board, first, soak it in oil for a day, and use it after cleaning with a muslin cloth. Even if your wood cutting boards are aging, you can increase its shelf life through this process.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Royal Craft Wood |
| High | John Boos |
27. Cleaning Scrubbers and Waste Dustbins.
Cleaning scrubbers and dustbins must be chosen wisely as their material can stink and really make the kitchen smell. So, when it comes to buying a dustbin, its material must be heavy plastic, which doesn’t stink, or metal of course. About the scrubber, the best option is Scrub Daddy without a doubt.
| Category | Low | High |
| Cleaning Scrubber | Scrub Daddy | NA |
| Dustbin | Rubbermaid | Rubbermaid |
28. Aprons.
Aprons need not be overpriced as far as it fulfills the work of splash-guard to keep you from getting food all over your clothes. Now, you can always use cotton ones, but cotton-polyester is far better when it comes to cleaning. However, if you are a professional chef, then you can always choose a premium apron.
| Price Range | Products |
| Low | Maison d’Hermine, RUVANTI |
| High | Hedley & Bennett |
29. Salad Spinners.
Salad spinners are great when it comes to drying your greens and preserving them for the entire week. Depending on the design, they can be winners or complete duds. The gearing on some of them allows you to get some interesting centrifugal force, as opposed to those that spin so weakly that you might as well not bother.
30. Coffee Brewer.
Coffee makers come in fully automated or manual options. So, this time, we will look for options that are best in the market,. Also, I feel that there must be a separate article on coffee essentials, which I am thinking of, but in this section, I am giving you a few good options, that you can own blindly.
31. Towels and Kitchen Wipes.
Kitchen towels must be of cotton of high grade, which can easily be used for covering rising bread or laying out your rinsed veggies. Also, you need a 100% cotton terry cloth for drying plates or hands and finally a microfiber for cleaning and polishing. Now, if you have expertise in cloth buying, then you can simply choose to buy in offline stores, or I am adding a few good options for each case.
| Category | Products |
| Dish Towel | Homaxy |
| Bread Towel | Organic Cotton |
| Microfiber | MR.SIGA |
32. Thermometers.
When you are thinking about a perfect kitchen thermometer, the only thing, that matters is to own one, which pops up a quick reading and is highly accurate. Beware of the cheap ones, as they are inaccurate and extremely slow. Among all the thermometers in the market, the best one is from Thermoworks, as it is extremely durable, quick, and accurate.
| Quality | Product |
| Best Cooking Thermometer | Thermoworks |
33. Tongs.
If you are buying tongs, make sure you buy a heavy material like Silicone, aluminum, or stainless steel with heat-resistant rubber grippe handles. Many people use wooden tongs, but those have a difficult grip, so better leave that option. When buying tongs, you know that you don’t buy them so often, so you have to make sure that those are pretty durable.
34. Grater Box.
When it comes to grater boxes, OXO ones make a good one. Further, Cuisipro Grater is amazing, as it is durable and does its job pretty well. But please make sure you buy a cut-proof glove as the little vegetable or cheese remains can hurt your fingers.
35. Bottles.
The first thing to do in your kitchen is change your water bottles if they are plastic, as per this study. Stainless steel ones or earthenware bottles are great. So make sure you buy between those options. Among them, choose lightweight bottles, so you can carry them easily anywhere. Make sure you clean these stainless steel water bottles every few days with hot water and baking soda to eradicate any kind of filthy smell.
| Price Range | Products |
| Medium | Hydro Flask |
| High | Borosil |
Conclusion.
I hope I told you all the kitchen essentials needed to start cooking without any worries. However, there are still a few items like stove, refrigerator, storage boxes and jars, which you can get both offline and online. Make sure you are going for glass or steel boxes instead of plastic. Now, I have carefully curated this list in around 4 days, dedicating 10 hours per day. However, I will make sure that I renew this list with time if any good product in the market comes up. Meanwhile, do buy things and upgrade your kitchen and if you have any suggestions, ping me in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions.
A kitchen essential is any tool or machine that is frequently used while working in the kitchen and is crucial to cooking and preparing efficiently. These tools are not necessarily decorative, and lacking these tools can make any kitchen nonfunctional.
A fully functional kitchen needs a good set of knives, different types of spoons and bowls, a blender, a food processor, and many more supplies. I have listed 52 essentials that will make your kitchen need no more tools.
Kitchen tools are important to carry out the daily activities of the kitchen with ease. These tools should be of high quality so that the cook does not face any lag or hurt themselves while working.
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