Essentials For Your First Kitchen
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when stocking your first kitchen: it’s hard to know what is a truly essential tool and what can wait. Of course, every cook will have a slightly different list depending on personal preference and cooking patterns, but here’s some items that are almost universally recommended. In addition to using this for your own first kitchen, these make great graduation gift ideas!
Pots and Pans
While the large cookware sets are very tempting – and can be a bargain if looking at the per-piece cost – most cooks won’t actually use all the pieces enough to make the total price worth it. Instead, consider picking and choosing only those essential pots and pans you actually need.
Non-stick Fry Pan
Get a 10″-12″ size for maximum flexibility. This is an essential item for cooking eggs or a stir fry. Don’t go crazy with the price: regardless of the quality, every non-stick finish starts to lose its effectiveness within a few years, requiring replacement.
As an alternative, consider a cast iron skillet. They need careful seasoning and care, but the surface can perform as well as any non-stick finish. They can also last for decades, but are heavy.
Saucepan
You need a solid saucepan or two, each with a lid. Choose the exact size based on how big your household is, but a 3-quart and a 4-quart will give you the most flexibility.
Large Pot
You might see them sold as stock pots or dutch ovens, but a 6- to 12-quart size pot is a necessity if you plan on making big batches of pasta or chili (or boiling a lobster or two).
Knives
This is another category where it’s easy to just get a big set, but narrow your purchases to only the most essential kitchen knives when first starting out. You’ll soon figure out if you need to add to your collection.
Chef’s Knife
The workhorse of the kitchen. Focus on comfort and balance in your hand when shopping. While the full-tang models are pretty, they’re not necessary and not an exclusive indicator of quality. Company’s such as Victorinox offer models with excellent blades but lightweight, molded handles. You do want a blade that can be honed and sharpened.
Paring Knife
You’ll use this tool for tasks such as peeling vegetables and coring tomatoes. You want something that is nimble in your hand and that can also be honed and sharpened. Blade lengths of 3.25″ to 3.5″ are usually the most comfortable, but test several options.
Serrated Knife
You’ll need a serrated knife for slicing bread, tomatoes, and other crushable foods. The most useful and controllable blade length is 10″ to 12″. Serrated knives can be honed but not sharpened, so you will have to replace it more often than other styles. Shop with replacement costs in mind.
And don’t forget a cutting board! Wood or polypropylene are classic choices.
Tools and Gadgets
Anyone who has been in a kitchen supply store or any kitchenware department knows there’s a never-ending supply of kitchen gadgets out there. Start small and grow your collection as you get more experience. Here’s a core set of tools to start with:
- Tongs
Get a locking pair about 12″ long. - Spatula - type for turning pancakes
If you’re using a non-stick pan, get nylon to protect the surface. - Spatula - type for scraping bowls
Silicone is stain- and heat-resistant. - Large Spoon
Get nylon to protect non-stick surfaces. - Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups
Stainless steel is a bit more expensive than plastic but is easier to clean and will last much longer. - Mixing Bowls
Glass is heavy and can chip but is inexpensive and can go in the microwave. Stainless steel is lighter and very sturdy but can’t go in the microwave. It can go in the oven and be used to make a double-boiler in a pinch. - Baking Dish
The classic 9″x13″ size is a basic. Many people swear by Pyrex, but steel can easily double as a small roasting pan, including going to the stove top to make the gravy. - Vegetable Peeler
A paring knife can generally do the job, but a peeler might be a bit easier to handle for many people.
There’s always other items that some might consider “essential” – salad spinner, digital thermometer, etceteras – but each person should built a collection of kitchen tools that meets their own needs.