Your Kitchen Equipment is your toolbox – and having the right equipment can make or break your cooking experience.
Here is our list of Basic & Recommended Kitchen Equipment we put together to get you set up. The Basics are necessary for most cooking needs, while the Recommended items are helpful but not essential. To make your life easier, we included links to some high quality and affordable products we recommend which you can order online.
You can always come back to this list at any time, and improvise or borrow in the meantime!
Chef Knife | This is probably the most important kitchen equipment you need to own. A proper chef knife will increase speed, safety and comfort immeasurably while prepping food. If you buy nothing else, then get a chef knife!! It doesn’t need to be expensive, but it is important to get one where the metal goes through the handle, because this makes it more stable and easy on your wrists. | Buy Online |
Wooden chopping block | Using a wooden chopping block will make you feel like a gourmet chef and their weight makes chopping more secure and safe. | Buy Online |
Blender | If you don’t already have a blender at home, say hello to your new best friend. Blenders can help you to make smoothies, juices, bars & snacks which are super healthy and fast. There are cheaper models on the market (eg. Hamilton Beach) but this brand can handle anything you throw in it and seems indestructible. Lasts for years and worth the investment. | Buy Online |
Basic non-stick cookware set | You are going to need a basic cookware set, and preferably one which you look forward to using (so if yours is old, scratched or mismatched then now might be the time to consider an upgrade?) This is a non-stick set with handles that stay cool when cooking, perfect for the beginner chef. This is easiest to clean and avoid burning food (or yourself). | Buy Online |
Bakeware set | Use for baking, casseroles, muffins or egg muffins. | Buy Online |
Large measuring cup | Use for soups, stocks and larger quantities (up to 4 cups / 2 pints). Also useful because it includes conversions on the side. | Buy Online |
Grater | Cheese, chocolate, lemons… need we say more! We strongly recommend getting one with a solid base which is so much easier and more efficient to use. | Buy Online |
Wooden spoons | This is the most classical tool for stirring, tasting, combining, nurturing your soups, stews and pan dishes. Somehow, the wooden spoon is indispensable and makes everything taste better! | Buy Online |
Spatula | Like the wooden spoon, it’s hard to live without a good spatula in the kitchen. Use for items made in the pan like seared meats, sliced vegetables, pancakes and the like. | Buy Online |
Can opener | If you hate your existing can opener, or it’s rusty or you can’t find it, get a new one. Do it now! A bad can opener can ruin any cooking experience. This is one of those items where it’s worth investing a little bit more to get a quality product. | Buy Online |
Aluminum foil | Use on top of casseroles, meats, and to wrap veggies in oven to keep them from drying out and retain flavors while cooking. | Buy Online |
Parchment Paper | Use for baked items like fish, bars & muffins to stop them from sticking | Buy Online |
Zip loc bags | Use for freezing pre-made smoothie bags, and for storing and transporting snacks | We recommend sandwich sized and gallon sized bags, in the ziploc brand, available from your local supermarket |
Knife set | For some jobs, a chef’s knife is not the best. A simple knife set with a serrated knife and a couple small knives can prepare you for any situation. Set includes Chef Knife | Buy Online |
Knife sharpener | Because a dull knife is not only unpleasant to use, it’s also dangerous because the risk of slippage increases | Buy Online |
Stainless steel cookware set | This is a stainless steel alternative to the non stick cookware set. The main benefits are that the surface is free of the potentially toxic chemicals used in non stick cookware. In addition, the stainless steel handles are oven proof so you can put pans in oven for dishes that require finishing in the oven. | Buy Online |
Whisk | For whisking eggs, milk, mixtures, and batter. You know you really can get away with using a fork or even a blender, but you will get better results with a whisk. | Buy Online |
Tongs | Ok this item is completely optional, but for some reason (in our experience) we have discovered that some people (men in particular!) just love cooking with tongs, and can’t live without them. They are useful for turning pan cooked, firm items like steak or chicken or large vegetables. | Buy Online |
Oven mitts / Silicone pads | Use to take hot items in and out of the oven, or for the handles of stainless steel cookware. You can probably get away with dish cloths if you don’t want to make this investment (just make sure they’re dry or they actually conduct heat and can burn you). | Buy Online |
Meat thermometer | Again this is not strictly essential, but if you want to cook your meat perfectly (juicy and not dry) and/or are worried about eating undercooked meat, then this might be a good investment as you gain experience | Buy Online |
Food processor | Totally optional, however, it can help you quickly and easily make sauces, dips, health bars, and slice or shred veggies like a pro | Buy Online |