Know a new college graduate who is beginning their independent life, perhaps in their first proper apartment? Or a newcomer from a distant country who must assemble a brand-new kitchen from scratch? Or perhaps a friend who has just developed a passion for cooking but lacks the necessary equipment?
The products in this list are ideal for novice cooks in one manner or another. It is separated into two parts: The first outlines the items we believe to be absolutely necessary—no excess, no frills, and nothing that won't be utilized repeatedly for years to come. The second list includes a few things that, while not strictly necessary, will make cooking a lot simpler.
The Must-Haves
A Chef's Knife
A chef's knife is a type of kitchen knife used for slicing, chopping, and mincing vegetables and other food ingredients. It typically has a wide blade that tapers to a point.
Chefs usually use this type of knife to perform many different tasks because it is the most versatile. These knives are designed to be long and thin with an acute point so they can cut through things like bones or fish heads with ease. The blade of the chef's knife can also be curved in order to make it easier to access difficult-to-reach spots such as the middle of squash or large fruits like pineapple.
A Serrated Knife
Although a chef's knife is more useful and necessary, a nice serrated knife, often known as a bread knife, is difficult to replace: Its saw-toothed blade is the best at slicing through the tender crumb of fresh bread or the skin of a ripe tomato.
A Cutting Board
A lot of people are reluctant to buy a wooden cutting board because they think it will be difficult to clean. But the reality is that you can use soap and water to clean the board, and then dry it with a cloth.
There is nothing improper with investing in a stylish and expensive wooden cutting board. It's not just for decoration, but also for practical reasons such as preventing damage from knives or other sharp kitchen utensils.
A Nonstick Skillet
A nonstick skillet is a frying pan with an interior surface that does not allow food to stick to it. The coating on the inside of the pan is made of silicone or another material that has been applied in such a way as to make it easy for food to slide off when it's ready. Nonstick pans are typically coated with Teflon and are popular because they are easy to clean, durable, and safe for use with metal utensils.
An Enameled Dutch Oven
The best pot for slow braises and soups is an enamel-coated cast iron Dutch oven, like these short ribs with Chinese spices. The hefty cover and thick walls of the pot make it perfect for low-and-slow heat transfer in the oven, making stews and pot roasts more tender and juicy with less evaporation.
Rimmed Baking Sheets and Wire Racks
The best baking sheets for cookies, cakes, and other delicate items are made of silicone because it is non-stick and will not warp when heated. Silicone is also a good material for baking sheets because it can withstand high temperatures without breaking.
Wire racks, which are usually made out of metal, have a lot more benefits than rimmed baking sheets do because they allow heat to circulate around food more evenly so it cooks faster and more thoroughly than any other type of pan would be able to.
Sturdy Tongs
We investigated the top tongs because a well-made set of tongs functions as a heatproof extension of your own fingers. These OXO stainless steel locking tongs are the gold standard in quality thanks to their sturdy design, slip-resistant grips (ever try to hold onto a pair of stainless-steel-only tongs with greasy fingers? ), and scalloped edges ideal for picking up the largest bone-in pork roast or the most tender spring asparagus stalks.
A Slotted Fish Spatula
Every professional chef has a fish spatula in their knife kit because it's one of the most important (and fortunately affordable) kitchen tools. It's flexible enough to flip delicate pieces of fish without breaking them and sturdy enough to scrape a smashed burger off the bottom of your pan without missing a morsel. Additionally, it works wonders for wiping extra grease from cooked steaks and chops: No need to take the meat off the spatula first; just take it out of the skillet, pat it dry with a paper towel, and place it right on the serving plate. Grease can easily drain off the spatula thanks to its broad grooves.
