Essential Cookware and Kitchen Tools

• Essential cookware and kitchen tools can be confusing for minimalist cooks starting without prior knowledge.
• Refining cooking techniques, creating simple recipes, and meal planning helps identify necessary tools for a fully functional kitchen.
• The kitchen essentials are organized into prep tools, cookware & bakeware, cooking tools & utensils, appliances, and other essentials.
• Items in each category are categorized into recommended, premium, and budget picks.

Chef's Knife

• A high-quality chef's knife is sharper, heavier, and easier to use than a cheaper one.
• The Global G2 8-Inch Chef’s Knife is recommended for its reasonable price, ease of handling, and maintenance.
• A budget option is the Victorinox 8 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife, a highly-rated choice under $40.

Cutting Board

• A durable and well-designed cutting board is essential for every cooking task.
• The OXO Good Grips cutting board is dishwasher safe and made from odor-resistant polypropylene.
• A premium cutting board option is the Proteak edge grain cutting board, requiring more care but offering higher quality.

Can Opener

• The Kuhn Rikon 5-in-1 can opener pulls tabs, crowns caps, unscrews tops, and opens jar lids and cans safely.

Measuring Cups

• The Kitchenmade stackable stainless steel measuring cups have smart features that eliminate common frustrations.
• They feature one-piece stainless steel construction, a thin profile, a pouring lip, and nesting capabilities.

Measuring Spoons

• The Prepworks stainless steel measuring spoons set includes measurements from ¼ tsp to 1 tbsp.
• The spoons are magnetic, nested, double-sided for liquids and solids, and dishwasher safe.

Mixing Bowls

• A set of high-quality mixing bowls is essential for salad dressings, spice rubs, marinades, sauces, and storing leftovers.
• The Luminarc 9-piece mixing bowl set, made of glass, won’t absorb stains and odors and stacks easily.

Colander

• A colander is essential for draining pasta or washing vegetables and salad greens.
• The OXO Good Grips 5-quart stainless steel colander has ergonomic non-slip handles and "feet."

Vegetable Peeler

• A vegetable peeler speeds up prep time for potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables.
• The Kuhn Rikon pirahna "Y-Peeler" is simple, high quality, dishwasher safe, and ergonomically designed.

Potato Masher

• The Prepara flip potato masher is made of high-quality stainless steel (with no BPA), is dishwasher safe, and flips for easy storage.

Whisk

• An ergonomically made whisk is essential for salad dressings, sauces, eggs, desserts, etc.
• The OXO Good Grips 9-inch whisk fits well in the hand and is dishwasher safe.

Salad Spinner

• A salad spinner prevents greens from going soggy by drying them effectively.
• The OXO Good Grips salad spinner is operated by pressing the button on top and has a brake and locking mechanism.
• The salad spinner's strainer basket can be used for draining pasta, and the bowl for serving.

Grater

• A multi-purpose grater avoids the need for single-purpose tools like zesters and chiffonades.
• The Cuisipro 7-in-1 box grater can grate citrus, and fine, coarse, ultra-coarse, parmesan, shave, slice, and has a ginger grater.

Shears

• The OXO Good Grips kitchen and herb shears are used for cutting meat, vegetables, stripping herbs, and cutting flower stems.
• The shears are sharp, heavy duty, comfortable, and the blades separate for easy cleaning.

Citrus Juicer

• The Prepworks citrus juicer includes printed measurements and fits lemons, limes, and oranges.

Garlic Press

• The Kuhn Rikon garlic press makes crushing garlic easier but is not essential since garlic can be cut/pressed with a chef's knife.

Paring Knife

• The Global GS-38 3 1/2 inch paring knife is Japanese made and can be used for peeling, chopping, and fine work like coring.
• A budget alternative is the Victorinox 4 inch paring knife.

Bread Knife

• The Global G9 8 3/4 inch bread knife is for slicing bread, cakes, or pastries.
• A cheaper alternative is the Victorinox 10.5 inch bread knife.

Honing/Sharpening Ceramic Rod

• The Messermeister 12-inch ceramic honing rod maintains a quality knife.
• The honing rod realigns knife edges and sharpens knives because it's made of ceramic.

Knife Sharpener

• The KitchenIQ sharpener is recommended due to its high rating and low cost.

Stainless Steel Skillet

• A stainless steel skillet is used for frying, searing, sautéing, and browning.
• Cuisineart’s Multiclad Pro skillet is made of high-quality stainless steel and has a "helper" handle.
• All Clad’s stainless steel skillet is a premium option.

Sauté Pan

• A saute pan has a wide flat bottom and vertical sides, making it easier to cook sauces and braise meat than a skillet.
• Cuisineart’s Multiclad Pro series sauté pan offers superior value.
• All Clad’s 4-quart tri-ply bonded sauté pan is a premium pick made in the USA.

Small Saucepan

• The Cuisineart’s Multiclad Pro 1 ½ quart saucepan is recommended for small portion cooking.
• All Clad’s 1 quart tri-ply bonded sauce pan is a premium small saucepan pick.

Medium Saucepan

• The 4-quart Multiclad Pro series saucepan from Cuisineart is recommended for medium saucepan needs.
• The saucepan is made of stainless steel and aluminum, designed for easy pouring, and is dishwasher and oven safe.
• A premium medium saucepan pick is the 4-quart medium saucepan from All Clad, made in the USA.

Large Pot

• A large pot is needed for cooking soups, stews, pastas, or sauces in large quantities.
• The Cuisineart Multiclad Pro series is recommended and is dishwasher and oven safe.
• A premium large pot option is All Clad’s 6 quart tri-ply bonded pot.

Cast Iron Skillet

• The Lodge’s 12 inch cast iron skillet is made in the USA, pre-seasoned, and has heat retention abilities for stovetop and oven use.

Grill Pan

• A grill pan is great for those without a barbecue for summer dishes like burgers, roasted salmon, and marinated vegetables.
• The non-stick 11-inch grill pan from Calphalon is easy to use, affordable, and easy to clean.

Baking Sheet Pan

• A baking sheet pan is used for roasting and baking food in the oven.
• The Nordic Ware 100% pure aluminum sheet pan is commercial quality and a large size.

Muffin Pan

• The Oxo Good Grips Pro Muffin Pan's coating allows for easy food release.
• Its steel promotes even heat distribution.

Casserole Dish

• A casserole dish is used for baking or serving one-dish meals like lasagna or casseroles.
• The casserole dish from HIC is made of fine white porcelain and is broiler, microwave, and dishwasher safe.

Broiler Pan

• A broiler pan is used under the high-heat broiler in the oven.
• The broiler pan from Range Kleen is sturdy, easy to clean, and doesn’t warp under heat.

Stockpot

• A stockpot is a large pot (usually 12 quarts) ideal for homemade broth or large portions of soups.
• The Cuisineart Multiclad Pro line offers a 12-quart stockpot.
• A premium pick is the 12-quart stockpot from All Clad.

Spatula

• A spatula is a cooking implement with a wide, flat, flexible blade for mixing, spreading, and turning.
• The Tovolo spatula is heat resistant up to 600 degrees fahrenheit.

Stirring Spoon

• The Tovolo stirring spoon is stainless steel and silicon, heat resistant, dishwasher safe, and won’t scratch cookware.

Slotted Spoon

• The Oxo Good Grips Silicone Slotted Spoon helps to make cooking easier and safer.
• It is safe to use on non-stick cookware.

Tongs

• The Zyliss tongs have silicone tips to prevent scratching and a high degree of heat-resistance.

Ladle

• The Tovolo ladle is built with a combination of stainless steel and silicone and won’t melt in a pot, pan, or dishwasher.

Oven Mitts

• The recommended oven mitts from Kitchen Elements are made of silicone with a cotton interior and are dishwasher safe.

Trivet

• Bambri’s bamboo trivets are functional, fashionable, and easy to clean.

Splatter Guard

• The fine mesh splatter guard from Progressive International stops splattering hot oil and food.

Thermometer

• The #1 best seller meat thermometer is ultra fast and accurate.

Immersion Blender

• An immersion blender blends or purees food in the container used for preparation.
• The Cuisinart two-speed blender is versatile and easy to clean.
• The Breville all-in-one processing station is a multi-speed immersion blender with attachments.

Kitchen Scale

• The American weigh scales digital pocket scale measures raw food and coffee beans.

Blender

• The Oster Versa blender performs just as well as a Vitamix at a lower price.
• The Vitamix Professional series 750 blender is the premium pick.
• A budget alternative is the Ninja Professional Blender.

Food Storage Containers

• The Kinetic glass containers are dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and oven safe.
• The Snapware glass food storage containers are made in the USA, are dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and oven safe and are made from BPA free Pyrex glass.

Aluminum Foil

• Stocking up on high-quality foil from Reynolds is recommended.

Parchment Paper

• The Kirkland parchment paper is high quality, comes in high quantity packaging, and is reasonably priced.

Towels

• The "flour sack" towels are 100% cotton, very reasonably priced, and work exactly as kitchen towels should.

Sponges

• Scotch-Brite’s Dobie all purpose pads have scouring ability but work well as a delicate sponge.

Heavy Sponges

• Scotch-Brite’s heavy duty scrub sponges scour tough jobs.

Dish Rack

• Polder’s advantage dish rack has a dish rack design and looks stylish.
• The Zojila Rohan dish rack is made of brushed stainless steel and features an innovative drain system.

Ice Cube Tray

• Rubbermaid’s ice cube trays are designed to release the cubes with a single twist.
• OXO’s silicon ice cube trays have a silicon lid to seal water and allow easy cube removal.

Small Trash Bags

• These small trash bags from Glad are perfect for apartment dwellers who only have room for a small trash bin.

Large Trash Bags

• These large trash bags from Glad will fit your large trash bin perfectly.

Small Trash Bin

• This stainless steel small trash bin from Simplehuman is designed for apartment dwellers using small trash bags.
• It is elegantly designed, highly rated, and comes with a 5-year warranty.

Large Trash Bin

• This large trash bin from Simplehuman is perfect for people who have the space for a full-sized, high-quality trash bin.
• This bin also comes with a 5 year warrantly and will fit your large trash bags perfectly.