Having the right tools in the kitchen will ensure you get the best results from all your hard work. You wouldn’t expect a window washer to wash your windows with a squirt gun and dirty rags. How safe would you feel if your mechanic used a needle and thread to attach those new tires to the rims on your car?
As a home chef you need to stock your kitchen with the right tools in order to consistently crank out good tasty meals on a regular basis.
I can still remember when I first met my husband, he had just moved out from his parent’s home into his very first apartment. I wanted to do something nice to celebrate his new place so I told him I would come over to cook him dinner. He owned one spatula and one frying pan. When I asked him where his condiments were, he pulled open a kitchen drawer filled with ketchup packets from McDonalds, hot sauce packets from Taco Bell, and a few salt & pepper packets, LOL.
Cooking a delicious meal doesn’t require a bunch of expensive fancy gadgets, but you do need a few basic high quality tools of the trade. Today I’m sharing my top 10 list of the most important kitchen tools that every cook needs in their arsenal. If you invest in these tools, you will have the bare bone basics needed to make 90% of most every recipe you come across.
8” Chef’s knife. This is the single most important tool in your arsenal and the one item that I encourage you not to skimp on. It will be one of the bigger expenses when it comes to purchasing the tools for outfitting your kitchen. Almost every single recipe you will prepare will require some sort of slicing, chopping, mincing or dicing. If you do not have a good knife to do this, cooking will become a huge chore for you. There is the added risk of cutting yourself with a dull knife. Most cuts happen because of a dull knife rather than with a sharp knife. You would think it would be the other way around, but you would be wrong.
My favorite knife is this Henckels classic 8 inch chefs knife. I use it every single day! It’s the single most important kitchen tool in my arsenal. It’s affordable, comfortable in your hand and works beautifully. Henckels stands behind their product with a lifetime guarantee on their knives and will replace it if you ever have a problem. The blade on the one I received as a wedding gift broke after 35 years. I sent it to them and they shipped me a replacement, no questions asked. Now that’s what I call customer service!
Cutting board. Once you have a good knife you need a safe surface to cut on and a surface that won’t dull your knives. There have been numerous studies to determine the best cutting board. Some studies tout the use of plastic cutting boards, while others tout the benefits of wood. I prefer wood, hands down! Not only is wood easy to clean and sanitize, it will not dull your knives and because it’s a natural material it just looks beautiful! I have my collection of wooden cutting boards leaning up against the backsplash on my kitchen counters. I love the character they have with the cut marks from years and years of use.
TIP: Keep your wood cutting boards safe and bacteria free by spritzing them with a solution of bleach and water after each use. This is especially important after using it to cut raw meats. Once every couple of weeks, moisturize the wood with a food safe mineral oil to keep it looking beautiful and prevent warping or splintering and extend their life for years and years.
Frying pan. I probably use my frying pan more than any other pot or pan I own. It’s perfect for frying and sautéing. It’s a very versatile pan that you will reach for over and over again. When looking to purchase one, look for one that is heavy, has a nice thick bottom and made of solid stainless steel. This will conduct heat most evenly so there will not be hot spots to contend with. The thicker pans will prevent foods from burning. Skip the non-stick varieties, they end up chipping over time, which studies have shown are not a healthy option; they are usually constructed from lightweight aluminum, and foods burn easily because they are so thin.
Saucepan with a lid. You will use a saucepan for cooking a variety of vegetables, gravies, sauces, and rice. They are great for boiling and simmering various foods. When looking to purchase one, look for one that is heavy, has a nice thick bottom and is made of solid stainless steel.
Large stockpot with a lid. You will use a stockpot for braising soups and stews. Boiling water to cook pastas and potatoes. If you plan to braise roasts, stews and chops from the stovetop to finishing in the oven, look for an enameled cast iron pot, also called a Dutch oven. Investing in a good one will ensure that it lasts you for decades! Just be forewarned, enameled pots are not cheap! A 7 quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven will set you back $400, but you can find very good enameled cast iron Dutch Ovens for under $100 like this one.
These first 5 kitchen essentials are investment pieces. Do not skimp on these items. They will become the backbone of your kitchen arsenal that you will reach for again and again. Investing in quality pieces will ensure better results in the kitchen and will last you for decades. The remaining 5 items on the list are also essential, but it is not necessary to spend as much on them. They can be replaced easily and inexpensively when they wear out or break.
Mixing bowls. Have fun with this. Purchase a set that nests so that it takes up the least amount of space in your cupboards. Pick out something in bright colors that will cheer up your kitchen when you use them. I prefer ceramic or glass bowls but you could easily use plastic if you prefer. Glass will last longer, but get heavy when filled with ingredients. Plastic may not hold up as well but it is lightweight and easier to pour liquids from them using only one hand.
Spatula. From flipping burgers, to flattening bacon, cooking scrambled eggs, turning eggs over easy, to breaking up ground beef in the frying pan, a good spatula is a workhorse in the kitchen.
Tongs. Tongs are another utensil that you will reach for time and time again. Use them for turning foods as they cook, removing cooked foods from a pan to drain on paper towels. Tongs are a versatile tool to have in your kitchen.
Wooden spoons. An assortment of wooden spoons are handy for stirring just about anything on the stove top; soups, stews, gravies, and sauces.
Colander. How do you drain boiled potatoes, or pasta without a colander? You don’t, that’s how! This lowly utensil comes in so handy. Try to get a larger one rather than a smaller one. It’s helpful and reduces the annoyance factor if you can dump an entire pot of water with a pound of cooked noodles into it without any of the pasta sliding out over the sides. It’s the little things that make life better, isn’t it?
So there you have it, my short list of must have essential tools for the home chef. Yes, that would be you! If you are cooking delicious meals at home for your family, then you qualify as a home chef! Is every meal perfect? Of course not, but having the right tools to do the job will help you create delectable dishes that your family and friends will love!
I couldn’t live without my chef’s knife and cutting board. I use them for every single meal I make. What are your favorite kitchen tools? Which one’s do you reach for over and over again? Do you have any recommendations you want to share? Did I forget a critical kitchen tool? Please let me know!
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