Basic Kitchen Tools and Equipment You Need in Your Kitchen

Top Chef to Master Chef, Jamie’s Kitchen to Hells Kitchen; the success of cooking shows worldwide has heralded a welcome rise in the popularity of good cooking. One result is that many people now cook more at home and dine out or order less carry out. In many ways this is a good thing – after all, not only is home cooked food often cheaper, tastier and more nutritious, but cooking can be a fun activity and provide a sense of accomplishment for the cook.

So, whether you want to start cooking in a kitchen you’ve only previously used to make coffee and pancakes, or are moving out and setting up a kitchen in a new home or apartment, to get going you need some basic kitchen items. A worry for some is that the kitchens of the TV Chefs seem to have every type of kitchen gadget and tool known to man. Do you need all of that, and can you afford it?

Happily, you don’t need to rush out and buy up the whole culinary store to start cooking, nor do you have to buy everything top-of-the-line. All you need is some basic items to get you started.

To try and keep within a budget and keep in mind that it’s better to spend more on items you will use regularly, such as a sauté pan, rather than any exotic gadget that looks impressive, but is hardly used.

Basic Kitchen Tools and Equipment

Pots and Pans

• A 12” sauté or frying pan with a lid. For ease of use and cleaning, a good non-stick pan may be best, but be aware that some frying pans have handles that make them unsuitable to place in an oven or under a grill.

• A couple of small and medium sized saucepans with covers. These do not need to be the most expensive, but heavier pans that will last are probably best to start off with. 

• Assorted Casserole/Baking dishes. Recipes commonly call for 8 x 8, 9 x13 and 2 quart sizes, but a set of 3 casserole dishes will be a good starting point – and won’t break the bank!

• Unless you plan to start on cakes and suchlike, you don’t immediately need a set of bake ware (cake tins etc.) – so get these piece by piece as you start experimenting with more cooking styles.

Knives

• A good knife set, with maybe an extra couple of utility knives. Need not be the really expensive ones. Start off with a cheaper set, like those that come in their own wood block for storage (but remember to get a set that includes kitchen scissors).

Utensils

• Serving spoons (slotted and non slotted) and a soup ladle

• Wooden spoons, spatulas and scrapers

• Small and medium sized Tongs

• Measuring cups both liquid and dry/measuring spoons

Miscellaneous

• Mixing bowls - Best to buy a set that fit inside each other as they are not expensive and save kitchen storage space.

• Set of stainless steel sieves

• Steel or plastic colander

• Oven mitts or pot holders (don’t forget these - using a normal kitchen towel to lift and carry hot dishes is not a good idea!).

• Vegetable peeler

• Grater with various sized holes

• Rolling pin

• Can opener

• Kitchen timer

• Metal whisk (or a cheap electric type)

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