The most important element you need to cook a delicious meal is your desire to take care of yourself and the ones you love. That said, good, basic tools can make your time in the kitchen go more smoothly and quickly than you might imagine. Preparing to work in the kitchen is the most difficult part, but once you’re ready, you really can cook anything. These are the tools we use every day:
A GOOD, SHARP CHEF’S KNIFE: We love our Global 8-inch chef’s knife and Hammer Stahl santoku knife. A good knife will last a lifetime if it’s taken care of properly, so never wash it in the dishwasher; only rinse it with soapy water and wipe it clean. In addition, store it in a knife block to keep it from getting dinged up in a drawer. We also have a few inexpensive ceramic knives in regular rotation.
A GOOD-QUALITY FOOD PROCESSOR: Save for a knife, this is our favorite kitchen tool. It saves so much time by doing a good deal of chopping, cutting, slicing, and mixing for us. We even make pizza dough and pie crust in it. We use the Cuisinart 14-cup food processor nearly every day and have spotted the same model in more than one professional kitchen.
A WELL-CONSTRUCTED, MOSTLY METAL BLENDER: The Hamilton Beach Commercial model has never let us down, and we have burned through many lesser blenders in the past. Look for a stainless steel cup and metal gears.
A SET OF STAINLESS STEEL MEASURING CUPS AND MEASURING SPOONS: Whether you’re following a recipe or writing your own, a good set of measuring cups and spoons is key to the success of your dish. Dry ingredients should be spooned into the measuring cups and spoons and then leveled off with a knife.
A LIQUID MEASURING CUP: Liquid ingredients should be measured using a clear cup with measurements marked on the side. Follow this technique and you’ll have accurate measurements every time.
AN 8-QUART STOCKPOT: Look for one that is heavy and preferably made out of stainless steel. Make sure it comes with a lid that fits tightly. It will last a lifetime if it’s cared for properly. We received the All-Clad stockpot as a gift, and we love it.
A 10-INCH AND A 12-INCH FRYING PAN: All-Clad makes a set of these two particular sizes of pans, which can usually be found for under a hundred dollars. They will never warp or wear out, and there is no coating to chip off. Simply use a tablespoon of salt and a paper towel to clean any stubborn bits. You can even wash them in the dishwasher. We also like Bialetti Aeternum pans for scrambled eggs and omelets.
AN IMMERSION BLENDER: This tool is indispensable when we’re making sauces and soups and want a silky-smooth texture. It also keeps us from having to transfer hot liquid into a blender, which can be a dangerous task. We have the Hamilton Beach Smart Stick, which is accompanied by a few useful attachments.
A 3-QUART SAUCEPAN WITH LID: Grits, rice, sauces, and a million other things will be made beautifully in this mid-sized saucepan. It’s nice to have two of these on hand in case you’re working on a dish with multiple components. Make sure you find one that's heavy for its size and comes with a lid. We own a few different models of this stainless steel pan, and they all perform well.
KITCHEN TONGS: Think of these as an extension of your hand. We use ours every day to turn items in the frying pan or flip items on the grill, and we even stir with them if they’re handy. They’re just good for everything and are really inexpensive. Get the plain aluminum tongs; they’re available at any kitchen supply store.
PARCHMENT PAPER: This item is indispensable in our kitchen. Line baking sheets with it to make sure nothing sticks. Roll out pizza dough on it for a foolproof way to slide your pizza into the oven with no problems at all. For baking anything from cookies to bread, it’s a game-changer in the kitchen. It saves on both oil usage and clean-up time.
A BENCH SCRAPER: We use this as a multi-tool. If we have a bunch of chopped vegetables that need to be transferred to a pot, we grab the bench scraper. We also use it for its intended purpose, to scrape dough off of a cutting board. For quick clean-up, it works well on butcher blocks and cutting boards.
A SET OF 17 × 12-INCH RIMMED BAKING SHEETS: Whether we’re making a big batch of mushroom meat, baking our favorite biscuits, or browning cookies, these work-horse pans are all we need.
LARGE AND SMALL SPRING-ACTION ICE-CREAM SCOOPS: Believe it or not, we rarely use these to scoop ice cream. Rather, they’re great for portioning veggie burger patties, ravioli filling, cookies, or muffins.
A SERRATED PEELER: It’s really the only peeler we use. The serrated blade allows us to easily peel soft vegetables like tomatoes and peaches. It’s also good for peeling just about everything else.
AN OUTDOOR GRILL: If you don’t own an outdoor grill, frankly, you’re doing yourself a disservice as a home cook. The open flame adds so much flavor to everything it touches. We use ours to smoke tomatoes, mushrooms, and peaches, as well as to grill up a mess of eggplant or make Smoky Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas.
A PIZZA STONE: We keep one in the oven at all times. It helps regulate the temperature, and there is no substitute for a hot pizza stone when you’re making pizza or bread in a home oven.
A GRATER AND ZESTER: We have one for zesting citrus and one for grating hard cheeses, and honestly, we wouldn’t want to cook without both of them within reach. They make these two kitchen tasks a breeze.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS: Other helpful items include a few stainless steel mixing bowls, silicone spatulas, whisks of all sizes, metal spatulas, a box grater, a colander, small prep bowls, glass food storage containers, wire cooling racks, and a couple of cutting boards.
There are some other special tools used in our recipes, where we will list any special equipment.