The 9 Items Your Kitchen Needs
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The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where families and friends come together to cook and enjoy delicious meals. Whether you're moving into a new space or starting on your culinary journey, it’s important to have all the right kitchen necessities. Keep reading to see what kitchen must-have items you need to get cooking.
Kitchen Necessities for Every Home
Cookware Sets
Whether you want to boil pasta, fry an egg, steam vegetables or warm soup, pots and pans are essential for any kitchen. Used on stoves to cook a variety of meals, pots and pans are the most important kitchen necessity. Opt for a cookware set to have a selection of sizes, allowing you versatility when devising a meal. If you'd prefer to stick to the basics, choose a multi-purpose pan (such as a deep sauté pan) and medium-size pot to get you started. Those will cover the most ground.
Mixing bowls are a versatile kitchen item and can be used for more than just mixing together cake batter; they can also be used to marinate meat or to toss a salad. Get a set of three differently sized bowls to allow for all of your mixing or prepping needs. In addition to preparing food, mixing bowls can be used as serving dishes or to store leftovers in the refrigerator.
A good set of knives is a must-have for any budding chef. The right knives will make chopping, cutting and general prep significantly easier and more efficient than an old, worn-down set of knives. Knife sets come with a variety of different knives for various cutting and slicing needs. Knife sets can be stored in kitchen blocks, which sit on your counter for easy access and offer a special slot for each knife. If you’d rather get a few knives separately, opt for the essentials – a chef's knife for cutting, a serrated knife for slicing and a paring knife for mincing smaller food items.
Cutting boards are a kitchen necessity as they protect your counters from any damage or scratches caused by knives. They're slender, making them easy to tuck away in cabinets when not in use. Leave a wooden shopping board out on your worktop for a farmhouse feel. If you love to entertain, cutting boards can double as serving boards for cheese, bread or fruit.
Tip: Want to learn more about different types of chopping boards? Read our cutting board buying guide.
Kitchen Tea Towels
Kitchen linens, like tea towels, are overlooked as an essential but are extremely useful for any kitchen. They eliminate paper towel usage by giving you something to dry your hands and dishes with. If you don’t have potholders or trivets, tea towels can be used as makeshift potholders or trivets to help protect your worktops from hot pans. They're easy to store in a drawer but can also be used as decor if hung neatly from your oven or cabinets.
If you love trying new recipes, you’ll need exact measurements for certain ingredients. Measuring cups allow you to measure those ingredients accurately, making them a kitchen must-have item. Some measuring cups measure dry ingredients and others measure liquids. Measuring cups for dry ingredients and fats (think peanut butter or shortening) will measure ingredients differently than measuring cups for liquids, which are often made of glass and measure substances such as water or oil. Measuring spoons are for smaller measurements like tablespoons and teaspoons and come in sets of four. They can be used for both dry and liquid ingredients.
Start your morning with a fresh cup of coffee Having a coffee maker in your kitchen will guarantee an energy packed start to your day. This essential appliance will also come in handy when taking care of guests.
Tip: Take your coffee knowledge to the next level with our coffee grinder buying guide.
Baking Tools
If you love to bake, you need bakeware in your kitchen to make sweet treats. Look for the basics like a baking tray, cooling rack and a muffin tin to enjoy the classics such as cupcakes, muffins and cookies. They're slim enough for easy storage and cover the basic baking essentials. As you broaden your baking skills, invest in other items such as a stand mixer or bread pans.
If you're someone who loves to have leftovers or meal prep for a few days at a time, food storage is a must-have. Invest in a set of food storage containers that fit your food needs best, like glass containers, so you can enjoy your meals again and again. Food storage containers will help keep your fridge organised and prevent you from throwing away food.
Tip: Ready to fill your kitchen? Then take a look at:
- Use These Knives to Sharpen Your Culinary Skills
- How to Choose the Best Food Processor
- Everything to Keep in Mind When Buying a Fridge
