Kitchen Essentials List Items You Actually Need

Whether you’re a pro in the kitchen or just dipping your toe into the cooking arena, there are some basic kitchen essentials that we all need.

Moving into a new home, your first apartment or starting college, this in the kitchen essentials list you’ll need to get your new kitchen and your cooking up to scratch. So we’re not looking to spend a fortune. A reasonable price so Ikea and Amazon are the best places to go for the essential kitchen tools.

With room to add more kitchen items later down the line of course. Depending on your love of cooking.

This list also covers the absolute basics for if you haven’t the time to cook. (If you’ve just moved into your first home, then you probably haven’t.) You still need to eat from something right?

Table of Contents

Everything You Need: General List Of Essential Kitchen Items

1. Saucepan Set

With a good saucepan set, you can cook a quick meal. Like pasta, rice or porridge. As long as you have at least a couple of saucepans in different sizes. All you need is a small and large saucepan.

2. 18 Piece Dinnerware Set

A basic dinnerware set is a must in any kitchen regardless of how much you cook or not. Getting a plain dinnerware set to start with is a good option. Because if anything gets broken you won’t be too upset about it.

3. Stockpot With Handles

For kitchen basics a stock pot is the best option for making soups and similar recipes. You can graduate to a dutch oven later if you need to.

4. Wooden Spoon Set

Some things are better stirred with a wooden spoon. For stirring anything milk based wooden spoons are needed.

5. Stainless Steel Colander

For washing your veg and straining your pasta.

6. KitchenAid Knife Block Set

You can buy your knives individually but it’s easier to buy a knife set. Knife blocks will include everything from sharp knives and a bread knife.

7. Baking Pan Sheet Set

Even if you’re not baking, those oven meals need something to sit on.

8. Vegetable Peeler

If you’re not handy with a paring knife a peeler is going to save you lots of time and allow you to keep most of your vegetables.

9. Stainless Steel Shears

If you’re not handy with a paring knife a peeler is going to save you lots of time and allow you to keep most of your vegetables.

10. Steel Roaster Tin

Great from your chicken roast to your roasted vegetables for Sunday dinner.

11. Slotted Spoon

Helps to get rid of any extra water that might be making your vegetables soggy.

12. Silicone Tipped Tongs

For frying and turning over a good cut of meat.

13. Glass Mixing Bowl Set

Having a stainless steel bowl set or a glass mixing bowl definitely needs to be in your kitchen.

14. Highball Glasses

Any kind of drinking glasses are fine. But highball glasses are good just because they’re bigger.

15. Pizza Tray

If you’ve ever tried putting a round pizza on a rectangular baking tray you’ll get why this is on the list.

16. Non Stick Frying Pan

A good quality frying pan is always good to have on hand.

17. Oven Gloves

Oven gloves you’ll need for safety of course.

18. Glass Mugs

The modern glass mugs look so good. But any kind of mugs will do for your kitchen.

19. Non Stick Grilling Pan

Grill pans are a nice addition to the kitchen if you don’t like using too much oil to cook your food.

20. Cutting Boards

Having a different cutting board for each food category makes it so much more hygienic. The chopping boards from Joseph Joseph are my favourite.

21. Glass Casserole Dish

I love how this glass casserole dish comes with a lid. Great for a potluck.

22. Can Opener

Absolute essential. Needed in every kitchen.

23. Tea Towels

Handy for drying the dishes. Or using them underneath a mixing bowl to stop it from slipping.

24. Cutlery Set

Starting off with a small cutlery set is good for when you have guests over.

25. Wooden Chopping Board

It doesn’t have to be a bamboo cutting board. But a wooden board for cutting bread is a kitchen essential.

26. Stainless Steel Box Grater

Box graters are good for the coarse and fine grating you can get when using it.

27. Electric Kettle

You could always use a saucepan for boiling your hot water. But having an electric kettle is so much easier and quicker.

Those are the kitchen essentials I go by. If you’re a home cook pro then you already have those items and might only need a couple extras. This is a full list of kitchen essentials by category.

Kitchen Utensil Essentials List

Kitchen Cookware Items List

Food Preparation Items

Kitchen Extras

Bakeware Essentials

I like to bake every now and then. The odd pie and cake. But I’m nowhere near a baking expert. When it comes to baking this is the only time when I follow the exact recipe.

From personal experience, I know scales are a must and measuring is everything. And a good heavy duty rolling pin will save you a whole heap of effort!

Kitchen Storage And Pantry Organization

For a well stocked pantry and to keep your kitchen organized some of these items will definitely come in handy:

Kitchen Cleaning Essentials List

Serving essentials

Kitchen Appliances

Large Kitchen Appliances List

Small Appliances and Kitchen Gadgets

That’s the full guide to the kitchen essentials list, for wherever you are. Starting in a new home or just organizing your kitchen.

Chloe

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