You may have gone into your first college apartments with a hodgepodge of kitchen gadgets gathered from your parents or what was left behind by the previous tenants. But if you’re hoping to do even basic cooking or baking, you’ll want to outfit your kitchen with some essentials. Go through this curated list to ensure you have everything you need to tackle the latest Pinterest recipe you found, or just a box of macaroni and cheese.
Pots and Pans
To start you’ll want this combination, which will give you everything you need to make most basic dishes:
- 1 small-medium saucepan, for heating cans of soup and making pasta.
- 1 large saucepan, for making pasta sauce or large batches of soup.
- 1 12-inch nonstick pan, for stir frying and making egg dishes.
- 1 cast iron skillet, a kitchen workhorse that’s great for cooking everything else.
A Good Knife
You can either keep buying cheap knives, or make an investment in a few nice chef’s knives that will last forever. A large chef’s knife can be used for everything from cutting meat to chopping garlic.
Knife Sharpener
The simple rounded stick version is inexpensive and very helpful. Especially because it’s easier to cut yourself on a dull knife, because it might slip off the surface of the food.
Measuring spoons and cups
Measuring properly is key for baking, and will help ensure your cooking projects turn out the way you want them to. It’s worth getting a slightly nicer set, so it won’t break under the pressures of heavier ingredients.
Wooden spoons
Wood spoons can handle basically any stirring and flipping you need to do in the kitchen. And when properly cared for, wooden spoons will last a long time.
Grater
If you’re planning on making pasta, freshly grated parmesan cheese will instantly upgrade the recipe. A grater can shred carrots, cabbage, garlic, or ginger, plus a small one zest citrus.
Colander
Use it to drain cooked pasta, canned fruits or beans, or to rinse rice or vegetables. Plastic or metal work just fine.
Mixing Bowls
Get two to three mixing bowls in whatever material you prefer – plastic, glass, metal or ceramic. You never know when you’ll need to mix something, even if it’s just a big salad or cookie dough.
Can Opener
Self explanatory. You’ll want to open a can of soup or beans eventually.
Rubber Spatula
Great for flipping, or getting the last of something saucy from a bowl.
Instant Pot
This one is optional, but it can really change your cooking game. It works as a rice cooker, slow cooker, and pressure cooker all in one. You can either quickly make a dish when you get home from class, without the need to stand there and stir, or slow cook something all day. They’re a bit more expensive, but once you start using it, you might find it hard to go back to your regular cooking routine. There are tons of delicious recipes to make in this gadget, and you can start with this list of 50.