Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on any Amazon links on my website and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It’s a great way to support my blog, so I can keep sharing delicious recipes with you!
Here are (just over) 50 items that are essential for all cooks! Whether you’re just starting out your journey in the kitchen, looking to upgrade or add, making a bridal registry, looking for a gift for the foodie in your life or just looking for the best of the best of a certain something, this list is for you!
I’ve spent half of my life learning, experimenting and playing in the kitchen and I’ve compiled a list of my must-haves…the kitchen items I use all the time and can’t live without!
*This post contains affiliate links.
Starting at the upper lefthand corner:
- Baking Steel – The Original Ultra Conductive Pizza Stone
- This is the ultimate tool for creating those perfectly crisp crusts on pizza and breads! The only way I can even come close to replicating those amazing Neapolitan-Style pizzas at home is with this baking steel. You can use it as a hot griddle for cooking breakfast on the stove, or put it in the freezer to keep frozen desserts cold when serving. I usually leave my Baking Steel in the oven at all times and haven’t experienced any issues with baked goods cooking unevenly or burning. Check out the website for other size options to purchase and lots of recipe inspo, and you can buy the official Baking Steel cookbook, Baking with Steel, for tons of ideas!
- Zyliss Lock N’ Lift Can Opener with Lid Lifter Magnet
- Okay so I’ve used a lot of can openers in my life and generally have hated them all…until this one! It is so easy to use, compact to fit in drawers and has tons of positive reviews on Amazon.
- Duralex Stackable 10-Piece Glass Bowl Set
- These are all-purpose bowls that are good for EVERYTHING! You’ll find just about any size you need for whatever you’re making, and they’re heat-safe so you can put them in the microwave and on the stovetop over a saucepan to create a double boiler. Oh, and plastic wrap actually sticks to them!
- Global Kabuto 7-piece Knife Block Set
- These are definitely an investment, but will last a lifetime and are so sleek-looking! The knives are crafted completely out of steel, so there’s no wood handle to deal with cleaning. Did I mention how beautiful these are?! The best knives ever.
- OXO Good Grips Box Grater
- A good box grater is essential in every kitchen, especially a cheese lovers’ kitchen. This does double-duty for grating vegetables too. And it has a nifty container that attaches to the bottom for measuring and storage.
- Boos 24 x 18-1/2-inch Reversible Maple Cutting Board
- A wooden cutting board will be one of the most used tools in your kitchen-it’s the perfect surface for cutting just about everything and is heavy and sturdy so it won’t move around on you with that sharp knife in hand and will last forever. Save that meat for the plastic cutting boards below!
- Le Creuset 5-1/2-quart Enameled Cast-Iron Round Dutch Oven
- This is 100% an heirloom item that has a hefty price tag but will seriously last for generations. The company has a fantastic warranty program in case of manufacturer defects or (accidental) damage to the pan. Le Creuset pans are absolutely gorgeous and you can pick whatever color(s) suit your fancy! Anyone that owns one will tell you they’re well worth the price tag for their even cooking and ease of cleaning. This Dutch oven is an all-purpose pot that you can cook so many recipes in-soups, stews, sauces, and pasta.
- Le Creuset 5-quart Enabled Cast-Iron Braiser
- Like I said above, Le Creuset pieces are all-around workhouses in the kitchen…and they can stay on your stovetop as a statement piece when not in use. I used to watch Giada de Laurentiis cook in these Le Creuset braisers on her cooking shows and told myself that one day I would have one too! I love the braisers in all sizes because you can cook just about anything you would use a skillet or sauté pan for.
- OXO Good Grips Salad Dressing Shaker
- Skip the store-bought salad dressings and start making your own with these awesome shakers! You can measure, mix and store the dressing right in this container. How did I live without this before?!
- OXO Steel Salad Spinner
- This is probably the one item I resisted buying for so long because, like, why?! Why do I need a salad spinner to take up space in my kitchen when I have a perfectly good colander or the greens come “pre-washed”? Now that I have one, it quickly became one of my top 5-used items in the kitchen. You can use it for your salad greens, herbs and vegetables. The spinner is super easy (and might I say fun?) to use and does a great job of drying whatever is taking a spin. Plus you can rinse and dry the stainless steel bowl and mix and serve your salad right inside! I love the steel version because it’s so sleek and perfectly prep-to-table ready.
- Peugeot Paris U’Select 9-inch Pepper Mill
- I love my Peugeot pepper mill so much! This one is a beautiful, slightly glossy white, but they come in tons of colors and styles. The best thing about these pepper mills is you can *actually* get very coarse ground pepper pieces with this if that’s your style, and it totally is mine.
- Hölm Stainless-Steel Mesh Micro-Perforated Strainer/Colander Set
- These colanders do double-duty as fine strainers, which is why I love them. The holes are small enough to little ingredients don’t fall through, but big enough to drain your usual pasta or vegetables. This set has all the sizes you need to strain and drain everything you need!
- Zulay Metal Lemon/Lime Squeezer
- This juicer has two sizes for both lemons and limes and is heavy-duty to give you leverage to get as much juice as possible out of your sunny citrus!
- OXO Good Grips Wooden Spoons
- Anyone who cooks with any frequency knows wooden spoons are indispensable in the kitchen. They don’t scrape pots and pans, don’t get as hot as metal utensils and are easy to clean. This set has all the styles you need-my favorite is the wooden turner, which I use just like a round wooden spoon ALL. THE. TIME.
- Thermapen Mk4 Instant Read Thermometer
- These instant-read thermometers are incredibly accurate, give you a quick reading and come in a ton of colors. America’s Test Kitchen has consistently rated these as the top instant-read thermometers for years now through their vigorous equipment testings.
- Spring Chef Large Pastry Cutter
- This pastry cutter is large enough for just about any hand to use comfortably and the stainless steel cutters won’t bend or warp on you after use like some *cough* other ones I’ve used.
- Olivewood Salt Keeper
- Having salt close at hand is crucial to preparing a great meal. Salt cellars hold quite a bit so you don’t have to refill that often, and the swing-top lid makes it easy to access and seal off your salt at the right times. I also love this marble salt cellar with a stainless steel lid from CB2 for a more modern look.
- OXO Good Grips Digital Scale
- When I say I use this all the time, I really, really mean it. This scale is almost always within an arms’ reach-it’s essential for recipe testing and writing! And with this, you can take your baking to the next level by converting to the far superior metric system-start weighing your baking ingredients to achieve consistent, easily replicable results time and time again. And weigh your cheese!!! Actually, just weigh everything.
- All-Clad Copper-Core Nonstick Fry Pans
- For anyone who likes eggs and grilled cheese, nonstick fry pans are a must-have! Don’t be a hero…get one (or a couple) of these to ensure your recipes actually come out of the pan. These come in 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch sizes for whatever you need. I love All-Clad products and the copper-core sets are the cream of the crop.
- All-Clad Copper-Core 14-Piece Cookware Set
- The All-Clad Copper-Core pots and pans give you consistent heating and a beautiful look-but they are pricey. You can purchase as a set to save a little money, or pick and choose what pieces you want or need the most. This 14-piece set includes 8- and 10-Inch Fry pans, 2 and 3.5-Quart Sauce pans, 3-Quart Saute pan, 4-Quart Saute pan, a 12-Inch Chef pan and 8-Quart Stockpot, which should be everything you need to cook any recipe!
- Cuisinart Brushed Stainless Steel 14-cup Food Processor
- Cuisinart is the king of food processors for a reason-they are reliable, heavy-duty and last forever. A 14-cup food processor is a good size for most needs, but they are made in lots of other sizes in case you need something different. Do I need to even count the ways you can use a food processor?! Good, I didn’t think so.
- Large Cookbook Holder with Acrylic Shield
- I have a cookbook obsession and this holder is so useful for propping up my book and keeping my precious safe with an acrylic shield. It’s adjustable to hold just about any size cookbook, especially those heavy tomes/food bibles we’ve all seen at the library (or on my bookshelves).
- Utopia Kitchen 12-Pack Flour-Sack Towels
- You may have noticed the recent appearance of flour sack towels in many of my pictures…I didn’t realize how bad I had it for these babies until I started writing this post. They are the best towels! They’re lightweight, but sturdy enough to take a beating in the kitchen. And they’re beautiful for serving and photographing, if that’s your thing.
- LiveFresh Mesh Stainless Strainer Set
- Perfect for straining and draining smaller items, or dusting desserts with powdered sugar or cocoa powder-these strainers are made of fine-mesh so you don’t lose anything to the sink or floor! Plus, the set of 3 has a small, medium and large size.
- J.K. Adams Maple French Rolling Pin
- I have so many bad memories of trying to use my mom’s handled rolling pins; the handles went one way and the pin went the other! French rolling pins are one solid piece of wood with tapered handles that make rolling everything a cinch. You can pound meat and crush crackers and nuts with this too.
- Kirkland Signature Nonstick Parchment Paper
- Parchment paper may seem like a random addition to this list, but it’s vital to the success of almost all my baking endeavors! I love the Kirkland brand (from Costco or online) because it’s a bulk-size (obviously) and is heavy-duty.
- Reynolds Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil
- Aluminum foil is another staple in my kitchen! I often use it to line my baking sheets so save on cleaning time and avoid sticking, plus it’s recyclable (as long as it’s clean…enough). I generally buy the heavy-duty version and always stick with the Reynolds brand. Sometimes, you actually do get what you pay for.
- Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets with Lids (Set of 10- and 12-inch skillets)
- Cast-iron cookware has been around for centuries because it lasts for generations, can be seasoned to be virtually nonstick and retains heat like a boss. I use my skillets all the time for just about everything that could use a golden crust or hard sear, but don’t stick to using your cast-iron for just that! I have the 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch sizes with lids, but get whatever suits your fancy! Lodge is a trusted and easily accessible brand that is VERY reasonably priced.
- Jamie Oliver Stainless Steel Masher
- This potato masher actually mashes potatoes to a smooth consistency, which is more than I can say for lots of other ones I’ve tried! Again, this style has been 1st rated for America’s Test Kitchen throughout their kitchen equipment testings. Plus you can use it to mash tomatoes in tomato sauces, fruits for jams and jellies, and I’m sure a lot of other things I can’t remember right now.
- USA Pan Aluminized Steel 6-Piece Bakeware Set
- Aside from the fact that these have a ridged design that will be apparent on most of your baked goods (who cares?!), USA Pans are so great at giving you an even bake on everything. This set offers you the pans you need to bake everything from muffins, banana bread, cookies, brownies, cakes, cornbread and beeeeeyond.
- OXO Stainless Steel Serving Spoon + OXO Spoon Rest
- OXO makes a great product, as evidenced by the amount of products I’ve linked here. These spoons are multi-purpose, and go from prepping, to cooking to serving with ease. Plus this spoon rest keeps your mess contained and is easy to clean!
- OXO Stainless Slotted Serving Spoon
- The perfect slotted spoon for draining foods and fishing things out of liquids.
- OXO Steel Ladle
- We all need a good ladle, even if it’s for nothing more than our Thanksgiving gravy. I’m sure you’ll find tons of other uses for this one!
- OXO Good Grips Fish Turner
- Fish turners have the advantage of being very thin and flexible to get under delicate foods to move and turn them. This might become your go-to spatula for cooking!
- Microplane Classic Zester/Grater
- You can use this for zesting citrus and grating fresh nutmeg and cheeses. I highly recommend sticking with the Microplane brand because the quality is far superior to the off-brands. I had a knock-off brand that grated all the way through the pith of all my citrus…that one quickly landed in the trash.
- OXO Locking Tongs with Steel Head
- I love these locking tongs so much! They come in multiple sizes, but I especially love the 9-inch version because they’re more comfortable to use. I prefer the steel heads versus the nylon heads because they allow you greater precision when flipping and moving foods.
- Nordicware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet Pans (2-Pack)
- Are sheet pans the undervalued workhorse in your kitchen? They are in mine! Nordicware pans are thick, heat evenly and are easy to clean. And they really don’t warp! Buy as many as you can afford and have room to store.
- Nordicware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Quarter Sheet Pans (2-Pack)
- The quarter sheet pans are awesome because they’re small enough for one or two servings without all the mess or cleaning of the half sheet pans.
- Kitchenaid Artisan 5-quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
- I used to be scared of my Kitchenaid mixer-it was far too intimidating for little ol’ me to use. A dough hook?! A whisk attachment? A paddle?! I don’t know how to make bread or meringue! But once I finally gathered my courage and dragged that beast to the counter, I realized how indispensable it is and why it has such a following. You can literally use it to make whatever your heart (or sweet tooth!) desires. Plus there are countless attachments you can purchase, making this the most versatile tool in your arsenal.
- OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
- Okay, so I know I distilled the virtues of weighing your ingredients, but we all still need measuring cups and spoons. These are made of one metal pieces, so they won’t bend or break when you dip into heavy dry goods, like brown sugar.
- OXO Good Grips Cake Tester
- I’ve talked about my love of my cake tester in recipes before, but I’ll tell you again. It’s so nice to have handy in the kitchen to check your baked goods and test your vegetables for doneness. Plus it’s more sustainable than toothpicks and will reach farther into your muffin or cake to test without the risk of burning yourself.
- Williams-Sonoma Stainless-Steel Ultimate Silicone Spatula Set
- I love these spatulas, mostly because of how they look but also because they come in the perfect sizes and don’t stain! This set has a mini spatula and spoonula and full-size spatula and spoonula. Watch for Williams-Sonoma to have their 20% off sales and stock up with a few sets of these…you’ll use them all the time!
- OXO Good Grips Restaurant Turner
- I love this metal restaurant turner, partly because it makes me feel like a short-order cooking chopping and flipping stuff on a flat-top, and partly because the metal is the perfect combination of sturdy yet thin to get under delicate foods without the risk of the spatula flexing on you.
- USA Pan Bakeware Extra Large Sheet Pan and Nonstick Cooling Rack Set
- I have a few extra-large sheet pans and I use them quite a bit when those half sheet pans just aren’t big enough. This one comes with a removable cooling rack that does double-duty as both a cooling rack and baking rack. Perfect for cooking bacon…enough said!
- OXO Good Grips Multi-Purpose Stainless Steel Bench Scraper & Chopper
- Keep your bench scraper close to transfer all your chopped, minced and shredded ingredients to whatever vessel they need to get to! This OXO version has ruler markings too, in case you need to reference size while chopping, cooking or baking.
- Oliver Rocket Offset Spatula Set with Wood Handle
- Offset spatulas are great for frosting cakes, cupcakes and brownies-but they have so many other uses! Loosening baked goods from their bakeware, spreading batters in pans and flipping small items in skillets or pans-branch out and find out where these little buggers will go!
- Kuhn Rikon 10-inch French Wire Whisk
- I use this slim whisk constantly for whisking dressings and sauces in small vessels-it’s thin enough that you can handle with ease without flinging everything all over the place.
- Williams-Sonoma Stainless-Steel 3-Piece Whisk Set
- This set has a flat whisk for sauces and gravies and a French and balloon whisk for all your other needs. I love the ergonomic handles, which make holding these super comfortable, especially if you decide to make whipped cream by hand or something silly (and admirable) like that.
- OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Flexible Turner
- Just a good old all-purpose flexible turner for you here, folks!
- Hedley & Bennet Aprons
- I cannot express to you how obsessed I am with these aprons! They are beautiful, unique, colorful and comfortable…plus they clean up to look brand-new EVERY TIME. Because of the price tag, I was worried about actually wearing these in the kitchen and getting them dirty…but seriously, don’t. They are meant to be worn, used, loved and washed. Just follow the manufacturers’ instructions!
- OXO Good Grips Dough Scoops
- Get these in the small, medium and large sizes because you will use them for portioning so many things, especially cookies and muffins! The spring-loaded handle makes for easy release and rarely gets jammed.
- OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Peeler Set
- This set has a swivel, serrated and julienne peeler for all your veggies!
- Stanton Trading Plastic Cutting Boards
- These cutting boards come in every size you could dream of (and I pretty much have them all). Pick what works best for your needs! These are great for meats as they are plastic and dishwasher-safe, but they might become your go-to cutting boards for all your slicing, dicing and chopping needs.
- Finedine Stainless Steel Nesting Mixing Bowls, Set of 6
- These steel mixing bowls have all the sizes you need, plus save space because they nest together. I use these for most of my mixing, alternating with my glass mixing bowls when they’re better suited to the task.
- OXO SoftWorks 4-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set
- These angled measuring cups are great on your back because you don’t have to bend down to read your measurements! I especially love the mini 1/4 cup measure, which you can read down to the 1/2 tablespoon.
- Pyrex 4-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set
- Here’s the trust Pyrex measuring cups we all know and love…and probably grew up with. I like glass measuring cups when I need to heat a liquid up, as the glass doesn’t get hot too quick like the plastic cups. This set has the 8-cup measure, which is great for making teas or other beverages!
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I did it! This list took me awhile, friends, but I’m so happy to be sharing it with you! Thanks for reading to the end. I hope you find something you love on this list!
*Here’s the list again because that’s a lot of scrolling.