What kitchen appliances and tools do you really need?

**disneysteve** · 10-02-2009, 10:19 AM

I think the true essentials are:
oven
microwave
hand mixer
stand mixer
toaster oven
quality knives
quality cookware
basic cooking utensils

All the other big stuff is fluff. Nice to have but not absolutely necessary to prepare good quality meals.

I think the most important thing to invest money in is the knives and cookware.

**Caoineag** · 10-02-2009, 11:47 AM

Mandolin slicer - Keeps the flesh on my fingers and allows me to slice far quicker than even my nicest knife.

1 Santoku (veggie) knife and 1 Chef's knife. These are wants not needs but both definitely cut down the risk of cutting myself while fighting a dull knife.

Microwave, measuring cups, basic cooking utensils, stove and oven, whisk, glass and metal mixing bowls and basic cookware. - Self-explanatory

Cheap unglazed quarry tile (for artisan bread and brick oven pizza).

I used to think mixers were necessary but I am actually really good at hand whisking and the type of bread we make uses time instead of intense kneading to be made.

Oh and the glass and metal mixing bowls are because the plastic ones wear out too quickly. We cook from scratch at my house to make up for eating out.

Like you we believe a simple kitchen is a beautiful kitchen.

**Cassandra** · 10-02-2009, 01:21 PM

Hehe, I have a whole folder of bookmarked items for the kitchen that I would like to someday get. These are truly wants as I have all the kitchen stuff I need.

I think the essentials are:
-Good knives. A chef's knife, a paring knife, and a bread knife (especially if you will be making bread). Also a steel rod to sharpen your knives on (very important to keep them sharp!).

-Wood cutting board. I bought a plastic one and really regret it. I plan on buying some wood cutting boards when I can. Buy a wood cutting board, preferably two, and if you take care of it it will last a long time.

-Tongs, spatulas, spoons, whisks, measuring cup, and measuring spoons.

-Good set of pots and pans. Doesn't have to be a matching set. Cast iron is great but does require some care. I have a set of non-stick pots and pans from Costco (gift from my dad) and I love them. Stay away from buying cheap pots and pans because they won't last as long.

-Oven, stove, microwave.

I almost forgot: some basic bakeware. A cookie sheet, a loaf pan, muffin pan, etc.

The above are what I consider essentials. You don't need a lot of kitchen gadgets to be able to make good food. Stand mixers, bread machines, blenders, etc. are nice, but not necessary.

I highly recommend getting a crock pot. I have one and have used it three times in the past week. Best $20 I spent. I made homemade spaghetti sauce a few nights ago in it and this morning I put a whole chicken with some veggies into the crock pot before I went to school.

**PrincessPerky** · 10-02-2009, 05:40 PM

I have no crock pot...eh wouldn't mind it, but have managed fine without for years. But then I have no job, so not often away from a meal while it is cooking (not that I wouldn't mind leaving and finding food ready when I got back)

My essentials, things that get used nearly every meal...decent chef knife, paring knife, and a big umm serrated kinfe thing..no idea what you call it, but it is the third most used knife in the house, big soup pot, and the cast iron frying pan, but if you don't know how to keep em seasoned, don't waste your money. I have no room to store stuff, but the cast iron can be stored in the oven along with the baking stones, and no one minds if I forget to take them out till after I am ready to put the muffins in the oven!

Speaking of muffins I love my silicone muffin liners. And no one else I know does. I have witnessed folk using my muffin liners in awe of how easily they peel back from the muffin, but when they try their own, nothing works right. I think my muffin recipe seasons the silicone (I can even use them for some kinds of cupcakes!) Point is, don't worry if someones gadget of the year doesn't work for you.

Generally speaking with the kitchen I consider an item I am constantly using essential, no matter how others see it. I also figure if I am missing an item, just how bad is the work around? If not such a big deal, then I don't worry about it.

For example, I accidentally lost my measuring spoons in the garbage disposal, the second set (one measure at a time, but now down to none). Since then I have been using a regular teaspoon, I am not making gourmet cakes so it really is not a problem. (my cookies, muffins, brownies, and cakes do get rave reviews on flavor, I'm just not any good at the dinners) Though I have been eyeballing cinnamon and such for a loooong time. Dunno what my mother did to her measuring spoons, but we never had em handy when we needed em.
We also never had the right measuring cups..not sure why.

Another point is the cutting board, sure I would love a good wooden one, but, well I had a glass one given as a gift. It shattered, so I had none for awhile. I used a corel plate. not the end of the world (turned upside down when I needed to use the chef knife) I was given some plastic ones (by someone who saw me using the plate) I don't mind them.

Anyway, just because you haven't got the cash, don't think you can't cook. My MIL has no idea how to use a chef knife and seems to manage just fine with smaller knives. My ex step mother never had a paring knife, managed to pare stuff just fine with a big one. And neither woman had any desire to switch to 'my way'. 40 or 50 years of cooking taught them they didn't need more than they had.

BTW on size of pot, you can always cook a small thing in a big pot, but you can't always cook a big thing in a small pot..so even though you are a family of two, I recommend making the frying pan, cutting board, and sauce pot bigish

**Daylily** · 10-02-2009, 06:21 PM

Skip the rice maker. I have one and it is not worth the space it takes up.

I find a food processor is the one thing that I don't use very often but I'd be very sad if I didn't have one.

PrincessPerky - I think there is still value in having a crock pot even if you are home all day. There are days when I have time to put something together in the crock pot in the morning when I am home.... but wouldn't have the time in the late afternoon/early evening to throw together a meal due to the way various activities and such are scheduled in my day. In fact, Sunday is the day that I am almost always at home for the day and that is the day that I use the crock pot most frequently.

**disneysteve** · 10-02-2009, 06:28 PM

Originally posted by PrincessPerky View Post

Anyway, just because you haven't got the cash, don't think you can't cook. My MIL has no idea how to use a chef knife and seems to manage just fine with smaller knives. My ex step mother never had a paring knife, managed to pare stuff just fine with a big one. And neither woman had any desire to switch to 'my way'. 40 or 50 years of cooking taught them they didn't need more than they had.

You know, this is a really great point. My mother is an excellent cook and a great baker and as far as I'm concerned, her kitchen is stocked with crap. I'm spoiled. I admit it. She doesn't have a single decent knife. Any one of my knives cost more than all of hers put together. My grill pan cost more than her entire cookware set. Her mixer is as old as I am and it wasn't high end then. But she can turn out a feast or bake cookies and cakes that she hands out to everyone in her building around the holidays.

If you are determined, it really doesn't matter what you are using. The talent matters more than the materials. A good cook can make a good meal with lousy tools. A lousy cook can't make a good meal even with the best of tools.

**scfr** · 10-02-2009, 08:54 PM

Originally posted by Radiance View Post

Something that is well worth the money because it saves times or allows preparation of stuff that saves money.

A pressure cooker is a tool not yet mentioned that fits these parameters. It cuts cooking time down dramatically.

The tools you value the most will depend on what types of foods you prepare. In our house a rice cooker is at the very top of the list of "must-have" appliances because rice is a staple food that we eat every day. On the other hand, because my husband does not care for baked goods, a stand mixer would just be a dust collector.

**LuxLiving** · 10-03-2009, 12:36 PM

Worst come to worst I could do pretty good with my chicken fryer (large deep sided skillet with lid), a sharp knife, a med sized bowl and a whisk, a fork, and a can-opener. Throw in a couple of rubber spoons - one slotted, one plain, and I could get down the cooking road a far piece.

**MonkeyMama** · 10-03-2009, 04:30 PM

The interesting thing for us is that most of our kitchenware is cheap, but we get a lot of compliments on it. Like our silverware and knives came from Target - I believe form our wedding registry. Guests always rave about our knives as if they were expensive. Same for plates and silverware and such. (I remember buying the plates on deep discount at a department store).

The only thing we have really upgraded due to poor quality is baking sheets and pots and pans. Which now our guests raves about as well.

I personally could not live without my food processor, crockpot, and rice cooker. In that order. Could probably live without the rice cooker, but I personally love it. We do eat a lot of rice as well. I think that a crockpot is great even if you are home. Just means you cook in the morning instead of the evening. Food processor? I am the picky eater in the fam. I will eat anything chopped to pieces though. But it is good for picky kids. & bodes well for fancier recipes.

Radiance: your list of things you use reads much like mine. So the things above are all I really have to add.

Though we have a nice mixer, we RARELY use it. A whisk is all you really need.

I just remembered I bought metal measuring spoons and cups, because the OLD plastic ones melted and faded.

Did anyone mention a strainer? I think we use one like every day!

Reminds me, we use a turkey baster to suck up leftover grease while cooking meat. I thought this was normal, but a friend was over the other day and thought it was genius. Add strainer and turkey baster for my list. We do cook a lot of meat and pasta.

**MonkeyMama** · 10-03-2009, 04:31 PM

FWIW, my opinion or impression is that bread is VERY complicated to make, even with a bread maker. Not sure I would get one. It's just such a bargain in the store. Unless you just LOVE making bread.

**disneysteve** · 10-03-2009, 04:37 PM

Originally posted by MonkeyMama View Post

FWIW, my opinion or impression is that bread is VERY complicated to make, even with a bread maker.

That couldn't be farther from the truth. It takes about 10 minutes tops to measure out the ingredients and start the bread machine. The machine does everything else and you have delicious fresh bread in a few hours that is far better and healthier than the stuff out of a plastic bag in the supermarket.

**cptacek** · 10-03-2009, 09:03 PM

I vote for a crock pot. Go for one with a removable bowl so you can soak it in the sink to get it clean and not have to worry about the cord.

**marvholly** · 10-04-2009, 03:50 AM

I see NO mention of a fridge. Necessity.

VERY high priority for me was a freezer so I could stock up on rock bottom sale price meats.

I do not/never had a stand mixer but do have a hand mixer & (20 y/o) food processer.

Couple other things I use constantly & not l see listed:
collander (drain pasta)
veg peeler
scrapper type spatula
turner type spatula
large & slotted spoons
wood/silicone spoons (needed for coated cookware)
All of the above are available at my dollar store although I have upgraded the quality on most.

**PetMom** · 10-06-2009, 07:57 AM

I am really basic in some areas:

No microwave

No breadmaking machine -I can knead very quickly by hand.

No fancy kitchen mixers machine - my sis was a cake pro and even just
used the handheld electric mixers.

No sink waste disposal (just make sure to use drain trap).
As a matter of fact never ever need any Liquid Drano because on the rare occasion a fatty meat is cooked for Hubby I use a rag to wipe the grease off and dispose in trash.

No paper towels ever, use rags.

Do need:

a quality non stick pan. Watch though for it to flake or chip and dispose of it immedieately.

several sauce pans (small ones for reheating something)

baking sheets

osterizer blender (this works so well I have stopped using my expensive juicer I bought)

electric ice cream maker (one that requires rock salt) makes any occasion special - that old fahsioned hand cranking is a chore

a colander for rinsing

Meat thermometer (does away with the 'is this cooked or raw?' question)

a small freezer kept in garage

a pop up toaster (excellent for frozen bread slices made ready fresh in jiffy)

measuring cups/spoons

mixing bowl (use only one but have a several; also holds popcorn - a necessity for a home entertainment set up)

Air popcorn popper

glass bread baking dish

casserole dishes (corning ware is good)

I use only a small serrated paring knive for cutting things even chicken, also use this as a carrot peeler. Have a full set of knives and never use them - Hubby does though

I also have a cutting board but end up cutting things on a plate.

An outdoor grill for summer cooking

A lot of these items I mentioned last for years, watch out for the chefs out there that all seem to be selling us stuff we really do not need to cook items.

And of course don't forget cookbooks or copies of your favorite recipes.

One thing that does look interesting: those panera sandwich (bascially a tasty squished sandwich) makers. Also would make quesadillas quickly and other things.

What kitchen appliances and tools do you really need?