A no-fuss list of affordable and quality kitchen essentials for your home! Everything on this kitchen equipment list are items I use and my personal favorites.
Do you know what kitchen essentials you need to have in your home? This list will tell you! I get asked about what my favorite kitchen equipment items are, so I decided to put together a detailed list for your reference.
Keep in mind that while some things are good no matter what brand you get, quality matters when it comes to pans and knives. Don’t be afraid of saving a little longer for a really nice pan or knife, it will last you forever! Most of the links to products in this post are affiliate links, read more about affiliate links on my website here.
You can find all the links to every item in my Amazon shop here!
Kitchen Essentials: Cookware
Skillets
Having a quality skillet can make all the difference in your cooking. I highly encourage you to cook with stainless steel pans, but any route you go, get a good one. A quality pan will be heavy – a heavy pan conducts and holds heat well.
- Cast Iron Skillet
- No-Season Cast Iron Skillet
- Calphalon Skillet
- All-Clad Stainless-Steel Skillet with Lid
Pan Sets
- All-Clad Stainless Steel Cookware Set
- Calphalon Stainless Steel 10-Piece Set
- Calphalon Stainless Steel Roasting Pan
Dutch Ovens
A good {read: heavy!!} dutch oven is perfect for cooking all of those quintessential comfort meal dishes. I love dutch ovens because they look beautiful {ha!} but also because of their versatility in on the stovetop and in the oven. While I do have a big stockpot that is oven safe, the thick-walled dutch oven does a better job cooking for long periods of time at low temps in the oven.
- Staub Coq au Vin {5 3/4 Quart}
- Staub Round Cocotte {7 Quart}
Odds and Ends
- Cast Iron Reversible Grill & Griddle Pan
You can find all the links to every item in my Amazon shop here!
Kitchen Essentials: Knives
A good knife is worth its weight in gold when it comes to kitchen equipment! I cannot adequately express my love of a good knife. You guys, I am that weirdo who brings my own knives with me when I’m asked to cook for people away from home. It is that big of a deal!
And, a good knife is a safe knife. Be sure to keep your quality knifes sharp and you’ll be set. One quality knife is better than a set of bad ones. If you can only get one, get the Santoku. Its versatility in the kitchen is unmatched.
- Wusthof Acacia Gourmet Knife Block Set
- Wusthof Classic Chef’s Knife
- Wusthof Classic Paring Knife
- Wusthof Classic Hollow-Edge Santoku
- Wusthof Kitchen Shears
- Wusthof Classic 4-Piece Steak Knife Set
- Wusthof Four-Stage Handheld Sharpener
You can find all the links to every item in my Amazon shop here!
Kitchen Essentials: Bakeware
When it comes to bakeware, the quality can make the difference between a recipe turning out well and a disaster. I love USA Bakeware because it is thick material that never warps in the oven, they bake evenly, and they are easy to clean. And, as always, I love an American made product.
I only have one pie plate on here, but in all honesty, I have about 1.893 million. I looooove pie plates. So when it comes to choosing a pie plate, choose the one you love best! Just be sure you have a deep pie plate and a shallow pie plate to meet all your baking needs.
- USA Pan 6-Piece Bakeware Set
- USA Pan Rectangular Cake Pan
- USA Pan Square Cake Pan
- USA Pan Round Cake Pan
- USA Pan Loaf Pan
- USA Pan Standard Muffin Pan
- USA Pan Jelly Roll Pan
- USA Pan Half Sheet Bakeable Nonstick Cooling Rack
- Fluted Glass Pie Dish
You can find all the links to every item in my Amazon shop here!
Kitchen Essentials: Kitchen Tools
You may be asking yourself how different all these tools can be, but I have favorite brands and I’ve linked them all up here! These are my go-to, tried and true. They won’t break after years of use, they do the job well, and you will use each of these kitchen equipment items over and over in your home.
When choosing measuring cups and spoons, it doesn’t really matter what kind, as long as the measurement is etched into the cup and spoon. This will ensure it never fades or rubs off, so you can quickly grab the cup or spoon you need without a hassle. If you’re wondering….yes I am speaking from experience here. ha!
- Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer
- ChefAlarm Thermometer
- Manual Can Opener
- Mini Silicone Spatulas
- Whisks
- Tapered (Dowel) Rolling Pin
- Wooden Spoons
- Microplane Soft-Handle Zester Grater
- OXO 6-Piece Grater-Slicer
- OXO Good Grips Pro Swivel Peeler
You can find all the links to every item in my Amazon shop here!
- Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup
- Stainless Steel Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Stainless Steel Colanders
- Fine-Mesh Strainer
- Wood Cutting Board
- Non-Skid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Clear Stackable Bowls
- OXO Pastry Blender
- Stainless Steel Bench Dough Scraper
- Cooking Twine Refill
- PaperChef Parchment Paper Roll
You can find all the links to every item in my Amazon shop here!
Kitchen Essentials: Kitchen Appliances
Most kitchen appliances are non-essential, meaning you can do the jobs they do by hand or with another kitchen tool. But here are the few kitchen appliances that I use all the time and have really grown to love. If I had to choose just one, I’d choose the immersion blender. I use that so often for small jobs in the kitchen, and it’s so affordable!
- Kitchen Scale
- KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer
- KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer
- Cuisinart Mini Food Processor
- Cuisinart Smart Stick Immersion Blender & Chopper
- Cuisinart Programmable Slow Cooker
- Instant Pot Ultra
I hope you found this kitchen equipment list helpful as you decide what to purchase for your own kitchen! I actually really love putting these kinds of posts together – it’s like shopping for my own dream kitchen essentials. Happy cooking and baking my friends!
Anonymous says
Hello, what type of portable stove you use that are shown in your pictures?
Alli says
Hi! I use a Cusimax Electric Hot Plate.