Kitchen Essentials List | Basic Ultimate Kitchen Tools

A Kitchen is a room or part of room use for Cooking and Food Preparation in dwelling or commercial establishment. The room or area may also be use for dining, entertaining and laundry. In this page we discuss about Kitchen Essentials List | Basic Ultimate Kitchen Tools.

Kitchen:

A kitchen is room or part of room use for cooking in commercial establishment. A modern middle class residential kitchen is typically equip with stove, sink with hot and cold running water, refrigerator and worktops and kitchen cabinets arrange according to modular design. Many households have microwave oven, dishwasher and other electric appliances.

The main functions of kitchen are to store, prepare and cook food. The room or area may also be use for dining, entertaining and laundry. The design and construction of kitchens is huge market all over world. In some instances commercial kitchen equipment such as commercial sinks are use in household settings. It use as it offers ease of use for food preparation and high durability.

Commercial kitchens are found in restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, hospitals, educational places, workplace facilities, army barracks and similar establishments. These kitchens are generally larger and equip with bigger and more heavy duty equipment than residential kitchen. For example, large restaurant may have huge walk in refrigerator and large commercial dishwasher machine.

In developed countries, commercial kitchens are generally subject to public health laws. They are inspect periodically by public health officials and force to close if they do not meet hygienic requirements mandate by law. The kitchen combines elegance and functionality, blending granite counter tops and marble flooring with stainless steel appliances, glass and wood cabinets.

Kitchen Essentials List:

Oftentimes, you will hear people talk about how much more affordable it is to cook at home than to eat out but having a kitchen well stock with kitchen essentials is really only way to make home cooking achievable and enjoyable. A lot of people ask me what items I feel are essential to my kitchen and having recently move. I got to experience first hand what it meant to make do with not lot of stuff.

With a lot of our kitchen utensils, gadgets, and accessories packed away in boxes, we realized that cooking at home requires a few handfuls of essentials. Nowadays everywhere we look there’s someone telling us to buy their product that will supposedly make our lives easier. I am sure all of following sound familiar:

Basics:

Cutting board:

If you are going to cook at home need couple of cutting or chopping boards for chopping, dicing and mincing. I recommend having at least two one for meat and other for produce. A nice big wooden cutting board can be display as piece of art in kitchen but you can find perfectly affordable one. I also love thin plastic ones Ikea sells. They are cheap enough that you can replace them often.

• Wood chopping board
• Polyethylene cutting board 
• Ikea bendable plastic chopping boards

Measuring cups and spoons:

Most cooking requires measurement and I think everyone should own basic set of measuring cups and spoons. You will need them if you want to follow virtually any recipe. You are not looking for beautiful heirloom pieces here. These are purely functional.

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons

Spatulas:

While I probably own close to dozen spatulas, I could probably make do with just handful. Silicone spatulas are great at getting getting into nooks and crannies and they clean so easily. I also like to have one flexible spatula and one hard one for flipping, tossing and turning.

• Silicone spatulas
• Good Grips Large Silicone Flexible Turner
• Slotted spatula

Wooden spoons:

You can get all fancy with your wooden spoons but you don’t have to. I use wooden spoons to stir soups and stews and find that they are usually first thing I reach for when I am cooking.

• wooden spoon

A basic skillet:

If you are going to cook vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, chicken or tofu, you will likely be doing it on your stovetop in skillet. A super basic one will get heavy rotation.

• Basic non-stick skillet

Small saucepot:

For sauces, oatmeal, melting butter or warming up leftovers, small stockpot is definitely kitchen essential. Bonus: if you choose not to invest in tea kettle, you can use it to boil water.

• Small stockpot

Large stockpot:

We use our large stockpots to cook soups and stews. If I am going to cook something that requires transferring to an oven, I recommend investing in a Dutch oven but it’s certainly not necessity.

• Large stockpot

Knives:

A good knife set is essential to home cook but I had argue that you could really get by with two really good knifes. A large chef’s knife and paring knife.

If you find yourself peeling often, I would suggest you purchase a peeler.

• Chef’s knife
• Paring knife

Whisk:

A whisk is great, basic kitchen utensil that I find hard to live without. Use it to whisk eggs to make pancake batter and to make simple salad dressings.

• Whisk

Tongs:

In last few years, I have realize just how much I love my tongs and can not live without them. We use ours to flip meat, chicken and fish for taking waffles out of waffle maker and for creating an arms reach between us and scary crustaceans.

• Tongs

Colander:

A big colander should definitely be on your essentials list. Use it to drain noodles, wash berries and vegetables and strain broths. If you have room, I had recommend getting one large one and one small one.

• Colander large
• Colander small

Grater:

We have at least 4 different shredders or graters that we use for different things but old school flagship boxe grater will go long way. You can use it to grate cheese, shred carrots and zucchin, and even zest lemons.

As you get more adept in kitchen. I would recommend buying few different zesters, shredders or graters that are made specifically for each use but basic grater is great place to start.

• Box grater
• Microplane zester
• Fine grater

Mixing bowls:

One of things I quickly realized when we move is how hard it is to cook without mixing bowls. I need to toss vegetables with olive oil or mix batter for pancakes or toss together meatball ingredients.

These are my two favorite mixing bowl sets and I had recommend getting set or sets. Since I promise you will end up using them all.

• Parker mixing bowls
• Plastic mixing bowls

Glass or Pyrex baking dish:

If you are going to use your oven, you’re going to need at least one baking dish. My favorite is this set from Pyrex. That we use to bake fish, chicken and vegetables. Also use for make cinnamon rolls and more.

They come in bunch of different sizes but I think this set of two will suit most needs.

• Glass baking dish set

Food processor:

There are lot of kitchen gadgets I feel like I can not live without but when push comes to shove. I believe that food processor is jack of all trades that could be your key kitchen appliance.

If you factor in attachments your food processor comes with you can use it to puree, shred, blend and even make pizza dough.

• Food processor

Pepper grinder:

A lot of our recipes call for freshly ground pepper because let’s face it. It is way better than pre ground stuff that might as well be 10 years old. There are tons of beautiful and basic pepper grinder options out there. Trust me on this one.

• Pepper grinder

Potholder:

You can definitely do fold over towel technique but for holding hot things and especially for pulling stuff out of oven. I believe everyone needs at least 2 potholders.

• Potholder
• Oven mitts

Baking sheet:

Even if you are no Martha Stewart, I encourage you to buy baking sheet. You will use it to make an essential batch of cookies.

Sure! but you will also reach for it when you want to roast piece of fish or vegetables. If you are into making your own granola.

• Baking sheet

Salt:

You might be thinking salt? Yes! salt. Virtually everything you cook will require salt. Your kitchen is not complete without it.

Nice to have:

Extra large stockpot:

This comes in really handy for making large batch recipes but also for preparing chicken stock, cooking crab and lobster. I have also found them to be great for frying since oil is further away from top.

• Extra large stockpot

Cast iron skillet:

This falls in ‘Nice to have’ category but I had argue quite essential in our kitchen. A cast iron skillet is surprisingly affordable and allows you to achieve an enviable browning on all sorts of things. Like potatoes, hash browns, french toast and peppers.

• Cast iron skillet

Hand blender:

If counter space is an issue, hand blender is an excellent option for pureeing. A lot of hand blenders come with an attachment cup making it easy to make smoothies and salad dressings.

• Hand blender

Cookware set:

If you want one and done deal, you will probably save yourself money and time in long term. If you invest in cookware set as oppose to buying pans and skillets individually. You can start with 5 piece set or go big with 10 or 14 piece collection.

The Cookware set is a main part of our daily life and Kitchen Essentials List.

• 10 piece cookware set

For baking:

Muffin pan:

You might question ‘Essential’ nature of muffin pan but I can tell you it is one of most versatile pans you will use.

In addition to making muffins, you can use it for baking eggs and use it in place of any ‘specialty’ pan when recipes call for it. You can also use it for making cupcakes.

• Muffin pan

Round and loaf pans:

Most of your baking needs with be accommodate by just two types of pans. A standard 9 or 10 round pan and loaf pan which you can use to bake breads.

• Round springform pan
• Loaf pan

Rolling pin:

If you are going to make dough, you will probably need rolling pin. Sure, in time of need, you can just use wine bottle but it’s really nice to have rolling pin on hand. It is very workable part of Kitchen Essentials List.

• Rolling pin
• French rolling pin

Sifter or strainer:

Many baking recipes will call for sifting flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. I actually don’t own sifter. I use strainer which happens to serve multiple purposes.

• Sifter
• Strainer

Mixer:

If you are doing lot of baking, I think it’s worth buying mixer. I love mine more than probably any other household appliance. Don’t have money or need? A handheld mixer is what my mom’s been using since before I was born. It serves me just fine when I am baking at her house.

• Stand mixer 
• Hand mixer

Microwave and Toaster:

Though I have and use both of these tools at  moment, I know that it is possible to survive without them. which is why they are not on essential kitchen equipment list. In these Modern days these are main and important part of Kitchen Essentials List.

While microwave may make process of reheating leftovers super fast and simple. You can also totally do it with pan, stovetop, baking sheet and your oven. And you can toast bread in pan or in your oven too.

Mortar and pestle:

I have use mortar and pestle just once in my life and that was while making curry from scratch at cooking class in Thailand.

Even though dish tasted great, crushing up all spices to make paste was time consuming and labor intensive. I could see myself doing it regularly at home.

Few good pots and pans:

A pot will be great for things like oatmeal, boiling eggs, quick sauces and small batches of rice. The larger pot will come in handy for cooking pasta, larger portions of grains, chilis, soups, stews and for popping popcorn. I bought pot and still have not use it so I don’t think you need to go bigger. Mostly use:

• Stainless Steel Pan and Pot.
• Nonstick Pan and Pot.

In terms of pans, I recommend stainless steel pan and nonstick skillet. Having nonstick pan is important for cooking eggs, fish, tofu and other proteins especially if you are beginner. But don’t spend too much on it because coating won’t last forever.

On other hand, definitely invest in stainless steel pan because those can last decades. Mine is going on five years old and it is in amazing shape. Stainless steel can be intimidating at first but it’s important to learn how to use as home cook. These are main part of Kitchen Essentials List.

I made mistake of picking up my first set of pans. Since I cook lot, they only last six months. Don’t be like me Spend little extra on pans that will actually last and you will actually save more money in long run. Make sure to get three of each in different sizes for your different needs think, small, medium and large.  As long as they are in different sizes and shapes etc.

Overview:

I often get ask about my essential kitchen tools:  things we absolutely could not cook without. Now that’s not an easy task, we have got lot of things in our kitchen. How on earth will I ever narrow them down? But if you look closer, there are things we use and then things we use on a regular basis. It is items that are constantly in and out of dishwasher.

The items that have migrate to most accessible shelves and drawers where they are easiest to grab. If you look for those items. Well, it’s pretty easy to see what gets use most often around here. These are our kitchen essentials. I plan to follow up this post with more specific Baking Essentials and even Pantry Essentials. Here is Kitchen Essentials List overview.

Use this post as foundation to build your own well stock kitchen. It’s also great gift guide. Perhaps may be you know newlywed couple or graduate just getting settle in their first apartment or take out reliant friend who wants to learn to cook. while this post is not sponsor and no brands have pay to be include here. Many of these products were receive as part of past or present brand partnerships.

Conclusion:

The main functions of kitchen are to store, prepare and cook food. A Kitchen is room or part of room use for cooking in commercial establishment. Commercial kitchens are found in restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, hospitals, educational places, workplace facilities, army barracks and similar establishments. In this page we discuss about Kitchen Essentials List | Basic Ultimate Kitchen Tools. In develop countries, commercial kitchens are generally subject to public health laws.

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