The best part about kitchen utensils is that there is a little gadget or a professional cookware item for every task. At the same time, it’s best to shop for kitchenware based on what you actually need for a variety of reasons. For one, you could be moving into your first place of your own and need to buy everything from scratch. Durable knives and a cookware set may already take up a large chunk of your budget. What if you’re moving and some of your stuff is in storage or you’re looking to de-clutter? Whatever your reason is, we’ll help you pinpoint what we think are the absolute cooking essentials to make the process of narrowing down the list easier for you. These are also the items that we think are worth splurging on to make sure you aren’t shopping for replacements every few months.
Cookware
A non-stick frying pan is an item that home cooks can’t go wrong with. It makes breakfast an absolute breeze and you limit the consumption of oil. No more need to scrape food from the pan and ruin it in the process. With proper care, a non-stick pan won’t require replacing for at least a year. Just make sure not to use metal cooking utensils with it. Next, you’ll need a stew pot or a saucepan. Having both is ideal, but if you want the absolute necessities, then just one deep stovetop pan is good to go. Cooking soups and chowders on winter nights or boiled eggs require cookware that’s much deeper than a pan to hold water so don’t leave this item off of your list. A cast-iron skillet is yet another cookware essential that many will agree on every cook needs in their kitchen. These pans are durable enough to pass down through generations and are versatile enough for making dishes of any kind. All in all, these three are your cookware must-haves, you can then begin to expand and stock up on more specific types of pots and pans. For example, a saute pan, blini pan, or specialty cookware like woks.
Bakeware
Not every space has an oven and not everyone does a lot of baking, but if neither of these relates to you, then you’ll certainly need some bakeware basics. Bakeware essentials are divided into three categories: the tools you need during prep work, tools you need during baking, and optional are the tools you need for decorating. For prep work, you’ll need items such as a kitchen scale, measuring cups, sifter, dough scraper and cutter, whisk, and more. Afterwards, you need dedicated bakeware for cooking. To start with, we recommend having a handy sheet pan and a ceramic or glass baking dish. The best part of both is that they can be as useful for baking sweets as much as for savory dishes. Springform or regular cake pans are also a great addition if you bake cakes in particular. If not, then they are not an absolute necessity at the moment. Finding the specific bakeware and decorating tools you are looking for is difficult to achieve from just any shop. Such as a specific nozzle for your piping bag. That’s why we recommend ordering from an online kitchen store in Canada if you are locally searching for a specific bakeware item that you can’t find.
Kitchenware
When it comes to kitchen utensils, there’s an endless supply of tools available in the market that you may be tempted to buy. These utensils are prepared to handle the most specific tasks such as coring apples or scooping ice cream. That’s why it’s best to prioritize what kitchen utensils you need to avoid clutter in your drawers. Our must-haves for kitchenware that you will need the most are a spatula/turner, grater, wooden spoon, chopping board, whisk, ladle, and peeler. This is not an exhaustive list and other kitchenware products such as measuring cups and mixing bowls are also important if you do a lot of baking, for example. Knives are a crucial item on this list since there’s hardly any task in the kitchen that doesn’t require a knife. Getting yourself a knife set complete with its own block is a perfect choice since it will come with all of the necessities. Make sure you have one sturdy knife, such as a chef’s knife, that can handle anything that comes its way, a paring knife (or two) for more intricate tasks, and a butter knife. Additionally, you can get a butcher knife, bread knife, and fish knife for these more specific tasks in the kitchen based on need.
Tableware
Tableware is a necessity but luckily it is on more of the affordable side of your kitchen essentials list. It also depends on how many pieces of tableware you need. For a two-person household, you’ll certainly need fewer cups, plates, and cutlery than for a five or six-person household that throws regular dinner parties. You may want to expand into barware and mixology basics if you mix together delicious drinks and cocktails at home. Tableware also includes items that are not only for eating and drinking but rather items that make your table complete. This includes salt and pepper shakers, wooden serving utensils, oil and vinegar pourers, and more.
We’ve decided to put all of this together in a cohesive list for you to have at your side during your next shopping trip or decluttering:
- Non-stick frying pan
- Cast iron skillet
- Stewpot or saucepan
- Baking sheet
- Glass or ceramic baking dish
- Spatula or turner
- Grater
- Salt and pepper shaker
- Cups and plates of choice
- Table cutlery
- Knife set
- Chopping board
- Ladle
- Peeler
Choose quality over quantity and invest in your kitchenware and cookware basics before expanding your cookware collection. You can make just about anything with the cookware essentials we mentioned above.