The journey to new home ownership is both exciting and, let’s face it, a tad overwhelming. Fear not, aspiring home chefs! Our experts have put together the ultimate list of kitchen essentials to set yourself up for culinary success. We’ve got all the must-have gadgets and a few often-overlooked tools to ensure you have exactly what you need to whip up any dish. Since we love saving money almost as much as we love delicious home cooking, you can be sure the items on this list will also get you the best bang for your buck. After all, you’ve got many more rooms to furnish. But for now, let’s get cooking on those kitchen essentials!

 

Small Appliances 

Blender

A high-powered blender is a must in any kitchen. From smoothies to pureeing sauces, and even making nut milks, a good blender is a kitchen staple. Our top blender pick is this Ninja Mega Kitchen System. This professional-grade blender can pulverize ice in seconds and can make up to two pounds of dough in less than a minute. This system also comes with a food processor attachment.

Air Fryer

The air fryer tops our list of kitchen essentials because of its sheer versatility. It can fry chicken, roast vegetables, crisp up frozen foods, and much more, all using minimal oil. We love this Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 6-Quart Airfryer. The 6-quart capacity is large enough to complete any cooking task, plus it has an eye-catching design that looks great on a countertop. Get it in seven colors at Walmart for $69.99. 

Stand Mixer

The stand mixer is a game-changer for anyone who loves to bake. It’s no secret that the KitchenAid Stand Mixer is the undisputed champ of stand mixers, but they can be quite pricey. Our insider tip is to check QVC for deals on the KitchenAid. We frequently find them bundled with various attachments that amount to some serious savings. 

Food Processor

You can delegate a variety of rigorous tasks like kneading, chopping, and shredding to your food processor. They can also be used as a pseudo-blender to puree sauces and blend liquids. Our top pick is this Ninja Food Processor. It has a large 9-quart capacity and a powerful 1000-watt motor base that will stand up to any chopping challenge.

Coffee Maker

For caffeine-lovers like us, the coffee maker is the top essential kitchen appliance of all time. This Keurig K-Duo Brewer is our favorite coffee maker because of its versatility; it brews a full pot of coffee or a single K-cup. Get it at Kohl’s for $215, and keep an eye out for those Kohl’s Cash bonuses. 

Toaster

A good toaster is essential, not just for toasting tasty bread, but for also warming up toaster pastries and frozen waffles for a quick breakfast. We love this Cuisinart 4-Slice Toaster because the four-slot capacity makes it easy to cook toast for a family. Get it for $39.99 at Amazon. 

Hand Mixer

Your stand mixer will conquer most mixing tasks, but the hand mixer is a convenient thing to have around for whipping up mashed potatoes, frostings, and whipped cream. Plus hand mixers are generally pretty inexpensive. We like this Cuisinart 7-Speed Hand Mixer which you can get for $23.99 at Kohl’s.

 

Pots & Pans

Cast-Iron Skillet

A good cast iron skillet can sear steaks, roast vegetables, and even bake bread. We recommend getting a set of different sizes, like this Pioneer Woman Cast-Iron Pan Set, so you’ll have the perfect size skillet for whatever you choose to cook. Get it at Walmart for $39.98.

Dutch Oven:

A Dutch Oven is great for cooking stews, braising meat, and deep frying. This Lodge Cast-Iron Dutch Oven is a great pick because it’s oven-safe up to 500 degrees. It’s also available in three colors.

Nonstick Pans

The nonstick pan is an essential piece for any home chef. They’re great for cooking delicate foods like fish as well as scrambling eggs and cooking pancakes. We love this 10-Piece Carote White Granite Cookware Set because it has a stunning design and is free of PFOS and PFOA which are chemicals that are commonly found in non-stick cookware.

Baking Essentials

Quality Bakeware Set

This Rachel Ray 10-Piece Bakeware Set has all the baking essentials for a kitchen that you could possibly need. It has a muffin pan, loaf pan, cookie sheets, and round cake pans. Get it for $99 at Amazon.

Cookie Scoop

A cookie scoop helps create uniform sizes when baking cookies, portioning out cupcake batter, and shaping energy balls. We like this Cookie Scoop Set because it also comes with a small scoop for creating melon balls and a large scoop for scooping ice cream. It’s available at Amazon for $21. 

Mixing Bowls

Having the correct-sized bowl for mixing and food preparation makes the cooking process so much easier. We love this Pioneer Woman Melamine Mixing Bowl Set because it has an adorable design and comes with lids for easy storage. Get it at Walmart for $24.96. 

Measuring Spoons

A set of measuring spoons is a must to ensure the proper amount of ingredients in any recipe. We love this Stackable Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set because the pieces are made of stainless steel and are double-sided. They’re also magnetic and can stack together for easy storage. 

Silicone Brush

A silicone brush helps easily distribute sauces and egg washes. The silicone material is easy to clean and is suitable for high-heat cooking. We like this Hotec Basting Brush Set because it includes two different sizes. Get it on Amazon for $7.99.

Measuring Cups

If you’re going to be following any kind of recipe, you don’t want to be without a set of measuring cups. We like this KitchenAid Measuring Cup set for $3.99 on Amazon.

17. Rolling Pin: A rolling pin is a key utensil for any home baker, but it can also be used to crush items like garlic or tenderize meat. Our top pick is this Farberware Classic Wood Rolling Pin which you can get for $12.99 at Amazon.

 

Cooking Utensils 

Knife Block

Getting a good quality knife block, like this Henckels Definition 7-Piece Self-Sharpening Knife Block Set, will ensure that you have all the essential kitchen knives to create chef-level dishes at home. This set has a built-in knife sharpener so you don’t have to worry about constantly sharpening them by hand. Get it for $89.99 at HSN. 

Whisk

A whisk is a must-have for mixing together things like vinaigrettes, pancake batter, and gravy. Our pick is this NileHome Stainless Steel Whisk Set because it comes with three different sizes of whisks. Get it on Amazon for $7.99. 

Pizza Cutter

Of course, you can use a pizza cutter for slicing up your favorite pizza, but it also comes in handy for cutting dough, cutting quesadillas, or cutting up pancakes for small kids. Our pick is this ergonomic Kitchy Pizza Cutter Wheel because it fits in the palm of your hand and has a blade cover for easy storage. It’s available for $9.99 at Amazon. 

Tongs

Tongs are a versatile tool that can be used for flipping food while cooking, serving salads, tossing pasta, turning meat on the grill, and much more. We like this pair of OXO Softworks 12” Tongs because the extra-long length makes them ideal for turning meat on the grill. The nylon heads are also high-heat resistant and won’t scratch cookware. Get them for $12.94 at Walmart.

Spatula

Not all spatulas are created equal, and depending on the type of things you plan to cook, you may want to get a few different types. For flipping things like fish, burgers, or pancakes we recommend this OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Flexible Turner for $12.99 at Amazon. But for baking, you’ll want something like this OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Silicone Spatula Set for $27 at Amazon. These curved silicone spatulas are ideal for scraping bowls and spreading batter. 

Garlic Press

Mincing garlic by hand can be tedious and time-consuming. Investing in a solid garlic press is a game-changer in the kitchen because it is an enormous time saver. We like this 2-in-1 Garlic Press because it minces and slices. It also comes with a silicone garlic peeler and an attachment for easy cleaning. Get it at Amazon for $14.99. 

Meat Thermometer

A meat thermometer will ensure the perfect cook on all your proteins. This Kizen Instant-Read Meat Thermometer has an average of 4.7 out of five stars from over 74,000 Amazon reviews. Get it for $17.

Mesh Strainer

A mesh strainer has a variety of uses beyond just rising fruits and vegetables. You can use them to sift flour, strain sauces, and drain pasta. We like this Cuisinart Mesh Strainer 3-Pack for $11.99 at Amazon because it comes in three different sizes. 

Slotted Spoon

A slotted spoon is ideal for lifting vegetables from boiling water, straining poached eggs, and removing fried foods from oil. This Farberware Slotted Spoon will do the trick for $3.99 on Amazon.

Box Grater

We prefer a box-style grater over other graters because they are easier to handle. This Gorilla Grip Box Grater is $12.99 on Amazon and can grate, shred, slice, and zest. It has a non-slip bottom and comes with a container to catch and store ingredients. Plus it comes in seven fun colors!

Can Opener

The can-opener is an essential tool for pretty much any cook. We’d recommend that you go for a name-brand, as the dollar store versions never seem to hold up. This KitchenAid Can Opener goes for $9.68 on Amazon and has over 64,000 five-star reviews.