This post is all about the best kitchen essentials that I use practically every day that will make cooking a positive experience and make your life easier. They would also make great housewarming gifts, graduation gifts, or the perfect gifts for loved ones during the holiday season.
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In the last few years, my interest in cooking has grown exponentially. I’ve always loved watching cooking shows and videos and reading recipe books. However, I didn’t dig into it until after college and moved into my first apartment. Also, my boyfriend and I have grown to love cooking together in the last few years.
When I first started cooking in that first apartment, I had crappy pots, pans, knives, etc. that made cooking way harder than it needed to be. I’ll never forget trying to cut into a sweet potato with my horrible knives and having to microwave it until it was finally soft enough to cut. It was a learning experience, to say the least.
As I’ve gotten older and cooked more and more, I’ve slowly upgraded my kitchen essentials as I could afford them (or asked for them as gifts). So, I have created this kitchen essentials list for all of you so that you don’t have to waste your time, money, or frustration on appliances or utensils that aren’t worth it.
Whether you’re looking for yourself, or in need of gift ideas, these kitchen essentials are a great addition to any kitchen!
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1. Non-Stick Pots and Pans
Non-stick pots and pans are number one for a reason. I used cheap, flimsy pans for about two years. Then, my boyfriend and I bought a decent set of non-stick pots and pans that were massively on sale at the time, and it was single-handedly the greatest purchase of my adult life. I am not exaggerating. I despise when something I’m making sticks to the bottom of the pan, and then having to soak said pan forever to then try and scrape the residue off as best I can. Even writing that raises my anxiety levels. Non-stick pots and pans are an absolute must, regardless of your cooking skills. EVERYONE needs these!
We recently upgraded to the Green Pan Non-Stick Pots and Pans and we absolutely LOVE them!! They are amazing! I had used my Mom’s Green Pan pans at her house when I was visiting, so I decided to get some for myself. I am SO glad I did! Seriously, they’re amazing! You can NOT go wrong with these!
It is important to note that most non-stick pans claim to be “dishwasher safe.” However, I highly recommend hand washing your non-stick pots and pans whenever possible. In my experience, hand washing has helped my pots and pans last a lot longer. Non-stick pans can be an investment, so I want your investment to last as long as possible.
2. A Good Set of Knives
Knives are a close second because knives are also incredibly essential when cooking. I chose to have a knife block, and I fell in love with the set of knives my grandma used at her house and legitimately asked for the same knives for my birthday that same year. I will include the link to them here.
This set comes with a sharpener, which I recommend having, as well. Having sharp knives will make your life so much easier.
Also, I cannot express enough the importance of hand washing your knives as much as possible. Similar to non-stick pots and pans, knives can be an investment. Hand washing and sharpening your knives will prolong their usability.
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3. Plastic Cutting Boards
In my household, we use a ton of cutting boards. I recommend the plastic ones since they are dishwasher safe. My boyfriend and I make chicken a lot, and I feel a lot better putting the cutting board in the dishwasher after preparing chicken on it, as opposed to using a wooden cutting board and trying to hand wash it. Plus, anything that can go in the dishwasher makes my life easier, and I’m all about that.
Furthermore, I recommend getting a variety of sizes of plastic cutting boards for all the different tasks you’ll use them for.
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4. Silicone Plastic Utensils
Silicone plastic utensils are a must. These include spatulas, whisks, tongs, basting brushes, and more.
My main reason for liking these is being able to throw them in the dishwasher after use. Plus, I love having fun colors. It just makes me happy to use them.
Lastly, they’re safe to use with my non-stick pots and pans. They’re the best! And they’re usually a decent price.
5. Small Glass Ramekins
I love small glass ramekins! They are so handy. They’re great for all kinds of random tasks in the kitchen. Measuring out ingredients, a bowl to melt your butter in, putting dipping sauces into, the possibilities are endless. An absolute need in anyone’s kitchen!
6. Meat Thermometer
A meat thermometer is a must in any kitchen! One is because of the importance of the safety of eating thoroughly cooked food. This also helps prevent from having to cut into food to see if the meat is cooked, and a digital reader makes it so simple. We use this every time we cook chicken, or any other meats, which is often.
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7. Scissors
I technically don’t use scissors much as an actual cooking utensil, but having a pair of scissors makes my life so much easier in the kitchen.
The number of times I use scissors to open random things when I’m cooking, organizing, or cleaning in the kitchen is always made evident when I suddenly don’t have any to use and get frustrated in the middle of trying to open something. Trust me, get some scissors.
I will sometimes use mine to open chicken packets or other perishable products, so I recommend getting some you don’t necessarily care about so you can wash them and throw them in the dishwasher, but also can be easily replaced.
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8. Storage Containers with Snap-On Lids
Storage containers with snap-on lids are a definite MUST in any kitchen. These are sturdy and have been leakproof in my experience. A variety of sizes is ideal for leftovers, meal planning, or packing lunches. I like the plastic ones better, especially for packing in lunches. The glass containers can be heavy with food in them. Whichever you choose, you cannot go wrong with these.
9. Rimmed Baking Sheets
I practically use rimmed baking sheets daily. They are so versatile, and rimmed is essential so that nothing falls off of the pan. If you choose to line them with aluminum foil or parchment paper, it makes for easy cleanup. EVERY kitchen needs a set of these!
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10. Blender
My boyfriend and I use our Magic Bullet Blender almost daily, mostly for smoothies, so I wanted to include it. It works great and is a fraction of the size of a regular blender. It’s perfect for what we need.
We leave our Magic Bullet Blender on the counter since we use it daily, and it takes up little space. That being said, it can easily be stored away.
I don’t think you need a crazy expensive and fancy blender. I used the same Oster blender from Walmart for years, and it worked just fine for me!
Sometimes cooking just isn’t in the cards, so being able to make a smoothie is a great alternative. It’s easy to get more fruits, vegetables, and other nutrients into your day.
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11. A Good Can Opener
A can opener seems minor, but trust me, having a decent can opener makes your life a lot easier. Using a crappy can opener can be frustrating. It’s a kitchen essential that usually gets forgotten, but it can have a positive impact on anyone’s kitchen.
I’ve been using a “smooth edge” can opener, and it’s great. I don’t have to worry about cutting myself on the can. Highly recommend!
12. A Good Vegetable Peeler
In addition to the can opener, a vegetable peeler can be an afterthought.
Having a sharp vegetable peeler that works can make your life so much easier! Especially if you’re peeling multiple things, like potatoes, carrots, etc. Any task that can get done in a fraction of the time is a win in my book.
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Bonus Section: More Kitchen Essentials
Above are the top 12 kitchen essentials I could not live without. With that said, there are a few other items I still love to use in my kitchen almost daily that make my life easier. I wouldn’t qualify them as “necessary” as the first 12, but they’re still great to have in your kitchen!
Bonus #1. Air Fryer
I’m adding this Ninja Foodi 7-in-1 11 qt. DualZone FlexBasket Air Fryer with 2 Basket Dividers air fryer because we have it and love it! It’s great because it can cook the two zones at the same time, or it can cook together as the 11-quart Megazone setting. It has 7 different cooking functions, and “With the Smart Finish Cook function, you can cook two different foods at different temperatures simultaneously.” I highly recommend it!
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Bonus #2. Food Chopper
A good quality food chopper can be so helpful to your life when cooking! If you’re having to chop for a recipe, this helps expedite that process exponentially. Especially if you’re still working on your knife skills, this can finely chop things with fast precision. My knife skills are still a work in progress, so I love this thing!
Cleaning these things can be tricky, so I recommend getting one that can go in the dishwasher when possible.
Bonus #3. Frother
I love matcha lattes (and/or matcha milk teas), so I use my Handheld Powerful Milk Frother almost every day to make my matcha at home. It specifically helps combine the matcha powder with the water in the first step of making a matcha.
Before using the frother, it was difficult to stir the matcha enough with a spoon to get the small random clumps out. Plus, the frother makes my matcha coffee shop quality, in my humble opinion. If you make matcha at home or want to start with the crazy prices for the drink at any coffee shop, you need this!
That said, it is helpful with other beverages, as well. I didn’t get a stand to go with mine, and I regret that because I don’t ever have a great place to put it, so I recommend getting the one with the stand!
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Bonus #4. Funnels
Funnels for the kitchen are one of those things that you don’t necessarily use every day, but when you need a funnel you NEED a funnel. I highly recommend it! These funnels come in multiple sizes and collapse, so they take up little space.
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Bonus #5. Microfiber Towels
This one is not a utensil, but it is still a kitchen essential nonetheless. I love microfiber towels so much.
They’re great for cleaning the kitchen (and bathroom) in general. These wipe down surfaces amazingly. I don’t have to scrub nearly as hard when something spills on the counter while cooking, even after it’s sat for a while and hardened or gotten sticky.
You can never have too many of these towels! I prefer the larger size, although my small microfiber towels are still great!
Bonus #6. Somewhere to Write Your Meals
Writing out your meals, on this dry-erase board, for example, is essential in any neurodivergent home. I have anxiety and depression. Because of this, I have a hard time remembering what I have in my kitchen, and once something is out of sight it’s out of mind.
It can also be overwhelming to decide what to eat on any given day. So I “meal plan” in a way that works for me. I will write down every meal I can make with the groceries and supplies I have in my house for that week or two.
I don’t designate meals to certain days because life happens and it doesn’t happen perfectly, so writing a general list allows more flexibility.
I do this on a dry-erase board so I can reuse it and change things easily if need be. However, you could easily do this on a notepad, in a notebook, on your phone, etc.
It takes the anxiety and stress off of me if I write it down, and then reference my list and decide the meal I’m capable of making that day. Then, once I make it or run out of those ingredients, I can erase it or cross it off my list.
And there you have it, the ultimate list of Kitchen Essentials!
I absolutely love these kitchen essentials. They have helped make cooking more enjoyable, and my life that much easier.
I know that they will be a perfect addition to your kitchen. Or, as a perfect gift for a loved one, a housewarming gift, a graduation gift, or a surefire gift during the holiday season.
What is something in your kitchen you seriously couldn’t live without? I’d love to hear it! What would you add to my list? Which one of my kitchen essentials are you going to get for your kitchen?
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