Kitchen Essentials are the gadgets and tools I wouldn’t want to cook without. The items I reach for most often or enjoy using the most. Many of them are multi functional but there are a few specialty tools that are worth every bit of space they take up in the drawer.
I do find that a few of my essential items are not used often. But, when you need something done correctly, it sure makes the project easier. A lot of our kitchen activities vary by season. So, we do a lot of canning and preserving in the summer and fall, baking in the cooler months, and far more grilling when the weather is warm. And, I love having all of the necessary tools close to hand for all of these activities.
I’ll try to stick to my favorite kitchen essentials. There are many resources for equipment reviews, gift guides, and durability tests that are excellent reference points. What I’ve listed are items we use regularly, not any type of scientific review. And, I’ll also provide some links to Amazon. These links are affiliate advertising. They are designed to provide means to earn advertising fees and possibly a commission. However, I would make these recommendations regardless of any possible income. They’re simply the items I enjoy using.
I have a number of favorite gadgets that have made life in the kitchen much easier and more enjoyable. Some may be frivolous, but many are absolute must have tools. A few good knives are an absolute necessity. But, knives are like good shoes, if they aren’t comfortable you won’t enjoy them. So, it is important to hold a knife and make sure it fits your hand and feels comfortable before you invest in a quality knife. I also highly value our workhorse appliances like the Kitchen Aid stand mixer and Cuisinart Food Processor as well as good quality measuring implements. Sturdy cookware and bakeware as well as a good supply of sheet pans and cooling racks also make for more reliable cooking.
I made economy tools work for many years and they work fine. But, when I was able to upgrade my tools, cooking became much more enjoyable. Still, I have many hand-me-down pots and pans that I use regularly, but I sure do enjoy the upgrades I’ve made.
Linked Kitchen Essentials
- First and foremost, I appreciate a great knife. My chef knife is my favorite cutting tool and I use the 8″ and 6″ varieties every day. The bread knife, a meat slicer, and the tomato knife are essential, but for daily use, if I can only choose one knife, it’s the Henckels Classice 8″ chef knife.
- For big batch shredding, slicing a ton of root vegetables, making pie crust and some basic dough, the food processor is a workhorse. I don’t have the fancy, bells and whistle model, but I have a similar model to what my grandmother and mother have used all my life. Without fail, the Cuisinart Food Processor gets the job done.
- The essential tool for bread dough, cookies, cakes, and large scale mixing is our KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Hands down, the most useful small appliance in our kitchen. We have attachments for meat grinding, fruit processing, and, my favorite, the ice cream freezer bowl. It’s a great tool for anything you want to create
