Set Yourself Up for Cooking Success in 2024 with These Kitchen Essentials, Starting at $9 - Food & Wine

Cooking is an incredibly daunting task when you don’t feel fully confident in what you’re doing. But it doesn’t have to be, especially if you prepare yourself with the right mindset and the right kitchen tools to help you execute it. 

And whether you want to make specific recipes or just want to learn everyday techniques, there are a select few cookware, gadgets, and appliances everyone needs to own in order to become a good home cook. You don’t need to go out and buy every single one at once, but you do need at least a few of these things to get started. I’ve outlined a list of those 15 essentials, all of which have been rigorously tested by us, that way you can outfit your 2024 kitchen with confidence. 

Essential Kitchen Tools 

• Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler, $9 at amazon.com
• Mercer Culinary Genesis 6-Piece Forged Knife Block Set, $191 at amazon.com
• ThermoWorks Thermapen One, $87 (originally $109) at thermoworks.com
• Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven, from $250 at lecreuset.com
• Escali Primo Digital Food Scale, $25 (originally $27) at amazon.com
• Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet with Hot Handle Holder, $25 (originally $41) at amazon.com
• Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor, $198 (originally $250) at amazon.com
• Tramontina 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set, $306 (originally $510) at amazon.com
• Great Jones Hot Dish, $75 at greatjonesgoods.com
• Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester, $17 at amazon.com
• Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender, $300 (originally $350) at amazon.com
• Nordic Ware 2-Piece Aluminum Half Sheet Pan Set, $22 (originally $25) at amazon.com
• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer, $350 (originally $450) at amazon.com
• Latent Epicure Battery Operated Pepper Grinder, $20 (originally $25) at amazon.com
• John Boos Chop-N-Slice Maple Wood Cutting Board, $87 (originally $121) at target.com

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler

Amazon

This list does assume that you have some basics, like a silicone spatula, whisk, and wooden spoon, and maybe in that list would be a vegetable peeler. But frankly, it probably needs to be replaced anyway and you should replace it with this one. It’s our favorite pick for its value, and it’s also my favorite peeler in general. It has a y-shape that makes it easy to curve along all produce shapes and sizes no matter your skill level. It’s also sharp and durable. It’s essential for so many recipes, like peeling carrots for mirepoix or peeling apples for homemade applesauce. You can also use it to shred ribbons of vegetables like cucumber, carrots, or even zucchini, which fits in a variety of dishes.   

Mercer Culinary Genesis 6-Piece Forged Knife Block Set

Amazon

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to invest in the quality pieces you will need most often in the kitchen, and knives definitely fall in that category. If you’re just starting out, grabbing a set with all of the key pieces will help you be as prepared as possible as you make your way through recipes. When testing to find the best knife set, this Mercer set ranked as our favorite for a compact option, and the price point makes it a great pick if you’re just starting out. You’ll get all of the basic knives you need for a variety of techniques including a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a bread knife, a utility knife, and a block to store it all. 

ThermoWorks Thermapen One

ThermoWorks

A thermometer is important for cooking proteins to the proper temperature, both for food safety and also to avoid any overcooking. You might see chefs gauge the temperature of a steak with just the touch of a finger, but that skill requires practice over time. Using a thermometer will make sure you know exactly when something is ready to be pulled off the heat. This Thermapen is our favorite for the job, plainly because during testing, we found that its speed and accuracy couldn’t be matched. It’s not inexpensive, but what I can say is that it’ll last you for years — my family still has ours after nearly a decade. 

Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven

Le Creuset

Stews, soups, and sauces really need a heavy-bottomed pot to cook evenly, and you can’t get any better than a Le Creuset Dutch oven. It’s our favorite splurge-worthy pick (this is to say, it’s a splurge, but it’s worthy of the splurge). We’ve had the brand’s Dutch ovens in our family since the 90s, and we’re still using them every week. The reason it can cook foods well is mostly thanks to its high quality cast iron base. It heats and holds its temperature throughout the whole time, unlike other materials,, which is essential for foods that stew, bubble, or bake away for hours. The enameled coating just makes it easier to get up any fond, those flavorful bits that gather at the bottom of your pan, as well as to clean the pot when you’re done cooking. It has a tight lid to keep moisture locked in, which is important for tasks like stewing and braising.  There are a wide variety of sizes to shop, but I’d recommend the 5.5-quart size for a beginner because it's not too small or too big so it’s great for nearly any recipe. 

Escali Primo Digital Food Scale

Amazon

If you’re wondering whether a scale is a kitchen essential, it absolutely is.  As someone that’s been trained in baking and pastry, I’m well aware that precision is of the utmost importance, and scales are the only way to achieve it. I use mine everytime I bake, but also quite often when I am cooking. I’ve weighed out portions of cheese for mac and cheese, pasta for individual dishes, bread for panzanellas, fruit for homemade jams and pies, burger portions, and so much more. There are also a ton of baking techniques that cross over into cooking (think: homemade gnocchi and bread doughs). And it’s even important for making a good cup of coffee in the morning. This Escali scale is our favorite and the one I personally own because it delivers on both ease of use and accuracy. You can measure ounces, grams, and pounds with ease. It’s lightweight and fairly compact too, making it an all around ideal choice for most folks. 

Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet with Hot Handle Holder

Amazon

Every kitchen should have a cast iron skillet, plain and simple. The material sears and bakes foods with the perfect golden brown crispy crust that other materials just can’t achieve. A classic Lodge pan — our absolute favorite cast iron skillet, even compared to expensive models — is perfect for beginners. It heats evenly and has helper handles that make it easier to carry and pour spouts that make it easy to get rid of grease, all without a staggering price tag. Pick one up and use it to sear salmon, fry chicken, saute vegetables, and more. Or use it to bake cornbread to eat with chili.  

Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor

Amazon

A food processor can really speed up the process of a variety of tasks. While you don’t need one for every recipe, it’s a tool that’s honestly fairly irreplaceable in the kitchen. You’ll need them for homemade pesto, dips and condiments like hummus or salsa, breaking down bread for homemade breadcrumbs, chopping vegetables for a sofrito (the Italian version of mirepoix, which is finely chopped), or crushing whole tomatoes. It makes lightwork of all of these tasks, and our favorite one is this Cuisinart model. It's straightforward, with just an on and off button and a pulsing button, with a generous capacity. It also comes with a variety of attachments that boost its versatility, like a shredding blade you can use for carrots or cheese, and so much more. Why not start off with the best of the best? 

Tramontina 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Amazon

Many chefs swear by stainless steel because it's a versatile, durable material. Because of the material, you can cook a wide variety of foods in it on your stovetop or in your oven. Plus the heat is often easier to control compared to materials like nonstick thanks to its layers of inner and outer material. It’ll also last in your kitchen, which you can’t necessarily say for other materials like nonstick, making it a better investment overall. The Tramontina sets are our favorite because the cookware features all of the qualities you want to look for in stainless steel. The pans and pots heat evenly, they’re easy to maneuver, and clean up easily. This set comes with nearly every piece of cookware you need, including 8- and 10-inch fry pans, a 3-quart covered braiser, 1.5- and 3-quart covered saucepans, and a 6-quart covered sauce pot. 

Great Jones Hot Dish

Great Jones 

Some of the best meals are made in a casserole dish, and we love this one from Great Jones the most for its ability to get you those crusty, perfectly baked edges and interiors. No more flimsy throw-away pans — this dish really can help you bake everything from lasagna to au gratin potatoes to perfection. It’s made with ceramic which will help retain and evenly heat as you bake, plus there’s no tapering in the pan, which’ll help bake everything evenly as well. It’s the perfect size at 9 by 13 inches, so it’ll work well for most standard recipes you plan on making. It also has sturdy handles for easy maneuvering. Everyone needs a baking dish like this if you want to take cooking more seriously. Not only can you use it for those baked dishes, but it’s also great for roasting chicken, vegetables, and potatoes for an easy meal.

Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester

Amazon

It’s time to level up your grater. This unique zester has small holes that give you the finest shred of whatever you graze over the surface, which makes it the best tool (trust us, we put it to the test) for zesting citrus like lemon, spices like nutmeg, and cheese like parmesan. Its shape also makes it easy to use, since you can just lay it over top of a bowl. You’ll definitely come across recipes that call for freshly zested or grated ingredients, and you don’t want to overlook having this tool for the job thanks to its fine design. I also love mine for getting fine almost paste-like cloves of garlic and ginger for dressings, sauces, and more because it results in an even flavor distribution with minimal chunks. 

Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender

Amazon

Every kitchen needs an upright blender to help smooth out sauces, smoothies, soups, mixed drinks, and so much more. I swear by the Vitamix blenders because they make for a very easy, fuss-free blending experience. While they’re surely a steep investment for anyone just starting out with their at-home cooking career, I can assure you that they’re absolutely worth their value. With other blenders, there have been plenty of times where I am making a recipe and things just aren’t coming out quite smooth enough or aren’t blending fast enough, which can add to the stress of cooking. You’ll never have that experience with this blender.  I use mine all the time to get extra silky vodka sauce, to make ice cream bases, and to whip up pumpkin soup this time of year. The best Vitamix for a beginner is the Explorian E310. It’s simple to use and it pulversizes everything I need it to with ease, yielding some of the most smooth silky textures I’ve ever seen. It’s as easy as it gets. 

Nordic Ware 2-Piece Aluminum Half Sheet Pan Set

Amazon

Every kitchen needs a set of sheet pans, and not just for baking cookies. You’ll end up using them to roast vegetables and they are often at the heart of a one-pan meal. We love these Nordic Ware sheet trays most because they bake evenly, are lightweight, won’t warp, and have a sleek easy-to-clean surface. I own them too, and I use them for so many different kitchen tasks I can’t even count them all. 

Latent Epicure Battery Operated Pepper Grinder

Amazon

Instead of buying pre-ground pepper, you really will notice the difference in your cooking if you grind your own. The right amount of freshly ground pepper can take a dish from a five to a 10 with ease — there’s a reason why it's a core seasoning. When pepper is freshly ground, you can really taste the sharp spice of the whole berry, which can enhance the way foods taste on your tongue. This is our favorite grinder  because it results in a consistent grind and holds a nice amount of peppercorns so you don’t have to constantly refill it. You can choose between fine and coarse depending on the recipe, and it’ll grind it at the click of a button. Use it to build flavor in soups and stews, on proteins, or to top dishes like pasta. You can shop it as a single grinder or in a set of two.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer

Amazon

Every kitchen needs a mixer, and while you could grab a hand mixer to start out with, I will always recommend a stand mixer over it.  In my opinion, a stand mixer is much better than a hand mixer since it’s much more consistent and allows you to multitask. You’ll need it in the kitchen for cooking — think compound butters, dip bases, homemade sausages, and more. This KitchenAid mixer is one of our tested favorites in general for its generous 5-quart size, excellent speed control, and ease of use. And the possibilities are endless once you get into attachments — eventually you’ll add pasta makers, vegetable spiralizers, and more to make your life much easier. 

John Boos Chop-N-Slice Maple Wood Cutting Board

Target

Last but not least, every kitchen needs a sturdy cutting board, and this Boos model is our favorite. Its maple wood material makes it thick and durable, plus it has enough weight to keep it from sliding around your countertop.  Its material also means it's not  too hard on your knives but is strong enough to handle all of the kitchen tasks you’ll throw at it, which can’t necessarily be said for plastic cutting boards. Because it’s easier on your knives, it’s a better investment in the long run. This board is a nice size at 20 inches by 15 inches, so you’ll have plenty of room to prep, plus it’s completely reversible, allowing you to use both sides. We also like the price point, which compared to other wooden cutting boards, especially from the brand, is less expensive. Overall, it’s a great board to get if you want a wooden one, which I think everyone should. 

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiRGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvb2RhbmR3aW5lLmNvbS9uZXcteWVhci1jb29raW5nLWVzc2VudGlhbHMtMjAyNC04NDE1NTkx0gEA?oc=5

2023-12-31 10:00:00Z
CBMiRGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvb2RhbmR3aW5lLmNvbS9uZXcteWVhci1jb29raW5nLWVzc2VudGlhbHMtMjAyNC04NDE1NTkx0gEA

Bagikan Berita Ini