Kitchen Must-Haves: Tools & Utensils I Can’t Live Without
I’ve been in the kitchen for over 10 years, and along the way I’ve built my kitchen with essentials that make cooking and baking easier and more fun. While working on my blog, I wanted to create a resource for anyone looking to stock their kitchen with the right tools for any cooking and baking project.
Shopping for kitchen gear can be overwhelming with so many options and price points, but after years of testing countless brands, I’ve found tools that truly last—some for a lifetime—making them fantastic investments! I am also a sucker for convenience, anything that can make my job easier—I’m all for it! You will find some of these time-saving utensils and equipment here as well.
These kitchen essentials not only refresh your own space but also make thoughtful gifts for any cooking or baking enthusiast. With the right tools, you can make your time in the kitchen fun, effortless, and inspired.
In This Post:
Small appliances: blenders, food processors, choppers, etc.
Pots & pans: obviously a cooking must-have! Multiple sizes included
Baking utensils: whisks, spatulas, measuring cups, etc.
Cooking utensils: peelers, thermometers, knives, etc.
Small appliances
Bullet blender: I LOVE this blender. I had a full-size Ninja blender, but didn’t like how bulky and hard to use it was. This Nutribullet is very powerful for its size, and has perfectly blended everything I’ve thrown at it (including big chunks of ice!)
Toaster oven/air fryer: this beast of a toaster oven has been invaluable in my kitchen. It bakes, toasts, roasts, air fries, and broils. I use it for everything from roasting a whole chicken, to toasting my homemade bread crumbs. Plus it’s cute!
Food processor: this little Black & Decker food processor works just as well as any higher-end processor. I have used mine for about 6 years and it is still going strong.
KitchenAid mixer: if you don’t have a stand mixer by now, I don’t know what to tell you. I use this thing for just about every baking recipe, and for other things like mashed potatoes or even shredded chicken!
Nespresso machine: while not technically related to cooking or baking, I’m adding this Nespresso because I absolutely cannot live without it. I have at least one coffee a day, and this makes it sooo easy to throw together my favorite coffee recipes.
Pots and pans
Stainless steel “omelet” pan": this is a quintessential kitchen pan, perfect for just about anything. I only use stainless steel or cast iron in my kitchen, I try to avoid as many toxic chemicals as I can in my cookware. Stainless steel is dishwasher safe, and you can use any kind of utensil on it without worrying about it scratching!
Cast iron skillet: every kitchen needs a cast iron skillet. This is my preferred cookware for searing, or for anything that goes directly from the stovetop to the oven (think searing a thick-cut pork chop and finishing it in the oven) I’ve also been loving this lately for baked goods like sweet rolls.
NordicWare sheet pans: these are large sheet pans perfect for cookies! I find most sheet pans too small, but these are about 13 x 18 inches, which is just about perfect for any use
Perfect-sized pot: if you’re not making huge batch of soup or broth, this pot is a perfect size for just about anything else. I use it the most with pasta, thanks to its handy dandy strainer built right into the lid.
Enameled dutch oven: the workhorse of my kitchen has always been my dutch oven. I love this one from Lodge, no need to spend hundreds of dollars on anything else in my opinion! I use this for breads, soups, frying, searing, baking, and much more. This will last you for YEARS.
Baking utensils
Ergonomic whisk: I know what you’re thinking, “A whisk is a whisk”, but this one is different. It’s designed to fit your hand, making use way more comfortable, especially when whisking vigorously and for a long time. Plus, it’s made out of stainless steel!
Pastry cutter: pie crusts and shortcrusts were something I struggled with for the longest time. Turns out, a lot of it has to do with your tools. I was using a fork to cut my cold butter into my dry ingredients, and it just was not working out. This heavy-duty pastry cutter makes it SO MUCH EASIER. 100% worth it.
Silicone spatula set: if you bake a lot, you know how valuable a silicone scraper/spatula is. This set has lasted me many washes, and it hasn’t started smelling or staining yet (unlike other silicone sets I’ve tried).
Silpat baking mat: I’ve always struggled with spacing my cookies exactly right on a cookie sheet. This Silpat mat helps calm down the perfectionist in me and makes it so easy to get perfect spacing. It works for any other baking, too, just ignore the spacing for those :)
Stainless steel measuring cups: these will last for YEARS. They are super durable and easy to clean and store, and won’t melt when you leave them by a hot burner.. (learning from experience)
Baking utensils
Elevated vegetable peeler: this thing is so handy. It has a pointy tip perfect for removing spots out of potatoes, and it’s very slim, making it easy to hold and maneuver
Silicone trivet set: not only are these perfect for putting hot pots and pans on, but they also are great for getting those tough lids off of jars. These come in many cute colors
Meater wireless thermometer: I never considered a wireless thermometer a necessity until now. All the guesswork has been taken out of my grilling when using this. Just last night I made the juiciest pork chops of my life using this thing, it worked perfectly! This thermometer connects right to your phone and comes with instructions and temperatures for all sorts of meats.
Knife set with scissors and sharpener: this is the first knife set I ever bought. Before I had this, I kept all of my knives in a drawer, which was messy and also dangerous! This set comes with scissors and a built-in sharpener! No more rummaging in the drawer and risking losing a finger for me! This also has a lovely natural wood tone, or it comes in many colors to match the vibe of your kitchen.
Burger/bacon press: I genuinely cannot live without this handy gadget. I bought this to press bacon while cooking, so the ends don’t curl up (a total game changer, BTW), but since then I have used it for pressing moisture out of foods, forming beef patties, cooking thin and crispy breakfast sausage patties, and more! It has more uses than you’d think.
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