‘Tis the season for food! Sales shopping! Gift giving! Engagements! If you will be enjoying any or all of these things this season, this post is for you. I’ve got 14 essential kitchen tools that will make cooking good food (and giving amazing gifts) easier!
I’ve become rather passionate about really good kitchen tools. When Adam and I got engaged, I did a ton of research on what good cooks deemed essential. We didn’t really have room for trial and error. Our tiny kitchen meant that we had no drawer space for cherry pitters and avocado slicers. Anything we received literally had to fit on the countertop, in the hall closet, or under the bed.
The essential kitchen tools listed below are the items I reach for most often. They get used at least once a week, and I’m still excited when I pull them out. If you’re creating a wedding registry and don’t know where to start, I recommend starting with these items. If you’re looking for gifts to buy for a new graduate or new homeowners, I’d also start here!
And now, some caveats.
If you aren’t engaged, you don’t have to close this tab. You are not excluded from building an arsenal of great kitchen tools because you don’t have a wedding registry. If making good food matters to you, these things are within your reach. Work those Black Friday sales. Put these items on your Christmas list. Save $15 a month for kitchen upgrades. But don’t you dare believe that your life as a competent cook can’t start until you get married.
Also, for the record, you don’t need fancy gadgets to make good food. Hand-me-down pots and pans are great. Thrift store wooden spoons will get you far. But if you want to invest in some tools that will open up new recipes, make cooking more efficient, and help you feel like you belong on Top Chef, this is where I recommend spending your dollars.
Full disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a few pennies from qualifying purchases through my links. Purchasing through a link does not raise the price for you, but it does send a small commission my way!
Anna’s Kitchen Essentials
1. Instant Pot
I first heard about the Instant Pot from some fellow teachers. They absolutely raved about it. At first I thought they must be overreacting. Certainly, the ability to hard-boil eggs in 3 minutes was not that revolutionary. But then Kendra Adachi at the Lazy Genius also recommended it as one of her essential kitchen tools. (P.S. The linked post was super helpful as I was building my kitchen.) So I registered for one.
And lo, my life was changed. This guy is like a slow cooker for people who aren’t good at planning ahead. We use the Instant Pot at least once a week. It makes utterly delicious crack chicken, tender tacos al pastor, and super-quick barbecued chicken. We love it. Find at Amazon or Bed Bath and Beyond.
2. Dutch Oven
I get a small thrill of joy whenever I get to use our Dutch oven. It’s gorgeous and it works magically soups and stews. Plus, it goes from stovetop to oven! You don’t need a Le Crueset to get in on the action, either. We have a Lodge one that is just as lovely. (The Internet backs me up on this.) Just thinking about it makes me want to whip up Smitten Kitchen’s risotto. Find it on Amazon (we have the 6 qt. and get lots of leftovers).
3. Flat whisk
I have a strong aversion to balloon whisks. They’re difficult to clean, annoying to store, and no more effective than an ordinary fork. Enter the flat whisk. I thought this Scandinavian design was a normal feature of a kitchen – after all, both my grandma and my mom had them. Turns out, most people have never heard of them. But I cannot understand why these things are not universal. They just work so much better. If you want to support a local Minneapolis business, Ingebretson’s has this, which I use every time I make eggs. Otherwise, there’s a stainless steel version on Amazon or at Bed Bath and Beyond.
4. A gigantic wood cutting board
Adam claims that I am obsessed with cutting boards. He might have a point. When you have a chance, upgrade to a gigantic wooden cutting board. This hits the perfect balance between beautiful and practical. You can chop a billion vegetables on it – or you can serve a gorgeous charcuterie board on it Plus, it’s better for your knives and better for your soul. I use this from Bed Bath and Beyond, but here’s a similarly large one from Amazon. For cutting meat, I would really love this guy, which can go in the dishwasher but doesn’t retain as much gunk as plastic.
5. High-quality knives
People have very strong opinions about knives. Just go read the Williams-Sonoma or Crate and Barrel reviews. I grew up using Chicago Cutlery, so that’s what we’ve got. I’ve been super happy with it! And if you don’t want to drop all the cash for a knife block, get yourself one good knife at a time over a few years. It will make chopping much more enjoyable. On this episode of the 10 Things To Tell You podcast, Bri McKoy has some great recommendations for which knives to get. (Plus, the rest of the episode is fun – many of my kitchen favorites align almost entirely with hers!). Here’s my set from Amazon and Bed Bath and Beyond.
6. A good blender
I love a good smoothie, but our college-budget blenders took actual years to blend frozen fruit. Having something a bit more powerful makes an immense difference for your sanity and the texture of your smoothie. You don’t have to go all in for a Vitamix here (though if you can afford it…can you send me one?). My mother-in-law recently sent us a Ninja, and the single-serving cups are super speedy. Since we got it, my smoothie making has increased exponentially. Here’s ours on Amazon.
7. KitchenAid
I know, I know. They are gigantic and expensive. But they are the staple of wedding registries for a reason. Here’s the key: you have to make space for it on your counter. The thing weighs a bajillion pounds. If you have to haul it out to use it, it will live untouched in a cabinet.
But trust me. Once you’ve made cookie dough or bread dough or meringue with this, your life will never be the same. I recommend the Artisan model if you even think you’ll make bread. Here it is on Amazon and Bed Bath and Beyond, though my dad found ours during a huge Kohl’s sale.
8. Bench scraper
I liked this for cleaning off the counters, slicing through bread dough, and moving chopped veggies from a cutting board to a pan. Find at Amazon or Target.
9. Grill mitt
These are meant for grilling, but we use them instead of oven mitts. Imagine having full use of your hands and covered wrists! Find at Amazon.
10. A good can opener
I did not understand the magic of a good can opener until I got a good can opener. Then I did not subconsciously dread opening cans anymore. The end. Here’s ours from Amazon and Bed Bath and Beyond.
11. Meat chopper
Could you use a wooden spoon to break up ground meat as it browns? Yes. Is this thing more fun and effective? Yes. Will your husband wonder why you have a small torpedo in the sink? Yes. Find it at Amazon and Bed Bath and Beyond.
12. Immersion blender
We have both an immersion blender and a food processor, but honestly? I think you can get by with just the immersion blender. We originally got this with soup in mind – am I the only one who shudders at the idea of pouring hot soup into a blender? – but the real miracle has been the attachments. There’s a whisk attachment if you need just a little bit of whipped cream. There’s a blender attachment if you need finely whacked onions. And if you need something bigger? Just use your actual blender! Here’s ours from Amazon and Target.
13. High-quality pots and pans
By no means are these essential. I cooked for years with hand-me-down pots and pans, and I did just fine. But having one really nice nonstick pan where the Teflon is not flaking off is a gift. (No, literally, it’s a gift to your health.) My whole family has been converted to the All-Clad anodized pans. Even if you have a tendency to scorch your food, they clean up beautifully. I have this pair, which you can get from Amazon or Bed Bath and Beyond.
14. Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat
If you are interested in why good food tastes good, you need this. Samin explains the science behind food without being too technical or too condescending. She gives you practical advice that you can apply the next time you turn on the oven. (Are you salting your pasta water until it tastes like ocean water? Try it!) Everything about it – including the illustrations – is wonderful. It’s truly one of my essential kitchen tools! Find it on Amazon or at your local bookstore.
Want more easy ways to improve your kitchen game? Check out my meal planning guide!
What are your essential kitchen tools? Tell me in the comments or @annaleighsaxton on Instagram!
