15 Cooking Essentials Every Kitchen Needs

If you’re moving into your first home or just renovating and want a whole new arsenal of kitchen equipment at your disposal, then you’ll need these cooking essentials.

1. Kettle

The first of our cooking essentials you need to get your hands on is a kettle. You will quickly find that a kettle will become your best friend in the kitchen as it can come in handy when making a variety of dishes. Whether you are making pasta, porridge, or a nice cup of tea, a kettle makes everything easy with boiling water on demand.

2. Knives w/ Chopping board

One utensil you will often find yourself using is a knife. A chef’s knife will come in handy for most meal preparations, so make sure to invest in a high-quality one that will last you as long as possible. When you are using your new knife, make sure to cut your ingredients on a chopping board so you don’t damage your worktops. If you’ve just invested in a new kitchen then it is essential that you protect your new surfaces. This will also preserve your knife and make clearing up easier.

3. Grater

A multiple-sided grater can save you a great deal of hassle. Whether it’s cheese, vegetables or fruits a standard box grater can meet the requirements for a variety of recipes.

4. Mixing Bowls

When preparing food, especially if you are into baking, then having an array of mixing bowls at your disposal will come in handy. They are not just for cake mixing though as they offer a simple solution for organising and temporarily storing ingredients.

5. Whisk

Combine your mixing bowls with a sturdy whisk to aid the blending of ingredients or perhaps incorporate air into a mixture. Make sure to work on your technique though to avoid making a mess of your kitchen.

6. Tongs

You’ll thank yourself for getting a hold of a pair of tongs. They protect your hands from burns and make turning food, regardless of the environment, a cinch. Never again will you have to attempt (often unsuccessfully) to flip your food with a fork.

7. Colander

Another cooking essential is a colander. You can’t boil pasta, vegetables etc. without having a great colander on hand to drain the hot water away safely. It can also be utilised to wash your fruits and other ingredients too prior to making dishes.

8. Can Opener

Opening many canned goods can be a laborious, messy, and often dangerous task without the proper equipment. A good can opener will quickly become your best friend as it will make accessing your canned goods easy and fuss-free. It also allows you to stock up on easy to store foods such as beans, vegetables, soups, coconut milk etc.

9. Spatula

Spatulas are a great multi-purpose kitchen utensil. They can be used for scraping, spreading, turning, folding, and even mixing your ingredients where necessary. Obtaining one that can resist high temperatures is also key, so it doesn’t melt i.e. silicon.

10. Measuring jugs

Measuring jugs are necessary for ensuring you are including the right volume of your ingredients in your recipe. This is especially important to do when baking. If you find that you require more than 1 measuring jug then make sure to get ones that are stackable for easy storage.

11. Vegetable peeler

When cooking, time can be precious. Therefore, utilising a vegetable peeler to prep your carrots, potatoes etc. is a great way to speed up your process. You’ll find yourself using this particular cooking essential on a regular basis.

12. Baking tray

A baking tray is one of the most essential cooking items on this list. You can use it for baking and cooking a variety of delicious food i.e., chips, vegetables, pizza, cookies etc. Take care when removing from the oven though and make sure to use oven gloves (an extra addition to our list of cooking essentials) to reduce the risk of burning yourself.

13. Pans

It is important to acquire an appropriate selection of pans in different sizes to cover all your cooking requirements. For example, at least 2 sizes of saucepans for making dishes like pasta etc and then larger frying pans that can resist higher temperatures. A grill pan also comes in handy for popular BBQ dishes like burgers, sausages, meatballs etc.

14. Pots

Don’t forget to get obtain a pot large enough for making the soups, stews, and boiling a variety of produce i.e., potatoes. Purchase one that helps hold in the heat with its thick design and a secure lid.

15. Thermometer

Last but not least, if you are cooking large meats then a wise investment would be a thermometer. This nifty tool will save you from guessing when your food is cooked enough all the way through by reading the temperature right at the centre. The perfect tool to have on hand when hosting a dinner party or cooking a Sunday roast for the family.

If you want a wonderful new kitchen to utilise this array of cooking essentials in, then book a free design appointment at your nearest Kitchen Depot showroom.