The Basics: Pots and Pans and Kitchen Tools

Last month, we were taking dinner over to a friend’s house when she asked, “Are there any ingredients you might need that I could have on hand for the dinner?” 

After thinking for a moment, I responded, “No, we will bring all the ingredients, but could you buy a cutting board for salad prep?”

That got me thinking, what are the basic tools and gadgets that every kitchen NEEDS?

To me, here are the basics:

Utensils:

 • wooden spoons

 • metal pancake flipper

 • spatula (for scraping out battered bowls)

 • soup ladle

 • whisk 

 • 1 set each of measuring cups & spoons

 • 3 serving spoons

Knives:

 • chef’s knife for chopping vegetables

 • paring knife for smaller items

 • bread knife

 • potato peeler

 • knife sharpener

Gadgets:

 • hand mixer

 • can opener

 • box grater

Pots & Pans:

 • 1 small

 • 2 medium

 • 1 large

 • 1 skillet

 • 2 rectangular roasting pans

 • 2 cookie sheets, with edges

Other:

 • large wooden cutting board for veggies

 • medium plastic cutting board for meat

 • 1 set of mixing bowls, ranging from small to large

Appliances I use frequently and could not live without:

 • submersible blender

 • food processor

 • stand mixer

 • espresso machine

 • spice grinder

There are a multitude of other tools that you and I have in our kitchens, things that are supposed to save us time or effort.  If your kitchen is feeling cluttered, get a box and pare down what you have to the necessities, like this list. Put the box away and only take out what you need, when you need it. 

After a few months, you can give away the things in the box that you no longer need.