Whether you love to cook or simply want to equip your home with the essentials to make cooking much easier every day, stocking your kitchen cupboards with must-have cooking tools can transform your kitchen's functionality and simplify your cooking experience.
The good news is that you don’t need to buy every tool or gadget on the market. Instead, by simply investing in a key selection of versatile kitchenware, you can save time, money, and effort without compromising on delicious, comforting meals.
Dutch Oven
A Dutch oven is the type of cookware that, once you own it, you don’t know how you ever lived without it. This heavy-duty pot is suitable for a wide range of cooking techniques and is ideal for all households. It is traditionally made of cast iron that is already coated, meaning you don’t need to worry about ‘seasoning’ it like you typically would with cast iron skillets.
It is ideal for stewing, braising, and slow-cooking dishes, as well as baking the perfect loaf of homemade bread. Its heavy build and tight-fitting lid ensure heat is evenly distributed throughout the cooking food while retaining essential moisture. This creates tender, flavorful meals and golden-brown loaves that are crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Cast Iron Pans
If you have yet to invest in a cast-iron pan, take this as your sign to finally take the plunge. These incredibly handy pans are a fantastic alternative to non-stick pans, and are available in enamel or non-enameled variations.
While both offer fantastic heat-distribution and are 100% oven-proof, enameled pans, like the iconic offerings from Le Creuset, don’t need to be seasoned, which can be a complicated process to maintain for anyone unfamiliar with the seasoning process. Alternatively, non-enameled cast iron is a natural source of iron, increasing the overall iron levels of food based on cooking time, acidity, and moisture.
Knives
When cooking, you will likely need to use a knife of some kind. High-quality knives aren’t cheap, so if you only have the space and money for one knife, select a good chef’s knife. You will turn to it for 90% of your food prep, so it is essential to select a high-quality option and take care of it.
However, many chefs highly recommend investing in a serrated knife and a pairing knife as well, which both serve very different, but functional roles, in the kitchen. Serrated knives can be used to cut items like bread and tomatoes with ease, and pairing knives are fantastic for smaller, more delicate jobs, where a larger knife simply won’t work.
Food Processor / Blender
A food processor is an incredibly versatile and time-saving multitasker that can slice, chop, shred, grate, and blend a wide range of foods in mere minutes. They are ideal for making homemade sauces, dressings, and nut butters; grinding herbs and spices; creating dips and sauces; and grating cheese in seconds. When purchasing a processor, it is important to choose a bowl size that fits your family size.
N the other hand, a high-quality blender is an indispensable gadget in any kitchen. It can be used to create smoothies, sauces, batters, soups, and more in a matter of moments, perfectly combined to your desired consistency.
If you would rather avoid the bulk and expense of a traditional blender or processor, instead opt for an immersion or stick blender. Not only do they take up minimal storage space, but they also allow you to blend food right in the mixing bowl, pot, or measuring cup. This significantly simplifies clean-up as you simply need to pop off the blade for quick cleaning.
Mandolin
The mandolin is a versatile and time-saving kitchen gadget that allows you to slice fruit, vegetables, and cured meats quickly and precisely. By creating uniform slices, they not only enhance the visual appeal of your finished dish but also ensure that food cooks evenly.
While mandolins are sold with plastic safety grips, it may be worthwhile to invest in a pair of cut-resistant gloves for slicing produce to ensure your hands are well protected against sharp blades.
Non-Stick Frying Pan
Many people avoid using non-stick frying pans because they don’t know how to use them properly. But the truth is, every household needs at least one of these highly versatile pans in its arsenal.
Not only are they ideal for breakfast duty, cooking restaurant-quality eggs and pancakes, but they are also fantastic for sauteing vegetables, searing meat, and making sauces. Be sure to use non-abrasive cooking utensils when working with non-stick pans to prevent unwanted scraps and lifting of the non-stick coating.
Salad Spinner
A colander may work well enough to dry lettuce and salad leaves, but a proper salad spinner is far more efficient and can dry a multitude of food items that need to be rinsed before eating, such as fruits, vegetables, and fresh herbs.
Furthermore, it will save you from using paper towels to dry produce and can double as a colander should your main option be in use. Ensure you properly clean and dry your salad spinner components before storage to prevent unwanted mold and bacteria growth between uses.
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