My Favorite Kitchen Essentials

Hey friends! I thought I would take a minute today to share with you MY FAVORITE Kitchen Essentials. I share a lot of recipes on here and I try to show you what tools you need in each post, but I don’t show every detail or every single tool I use. If you have ever seen my house or looked at my post of 6 Steps to organize your home, you know I have A LOT!! I love buying kitchen gadgets, but I will admit, you don’t need all the things I have. I just have a bit of an obsession.

See below for all the items I tend to use over and over. Whether you are starting off you new married life with a new kitchen or you just took up the hobby of cooking more. Whether you are looking to stock up on a few items or looking to take your kitchen pantry to the next level, I hope these lists can help you decide the things you need to the most.

Affiliate links are used in my post. What does that mean? If you purchase through my link I will receive a small commission and it doesn’t change the price for you at all! However, I only ever recommend products/services that I absolutely LOVE and use myself or would use myself! If you choose to support me through purchasing through my links, it allows me to continue to bring you info that you enjoy and hopefully use. So I thank you for any and all support.

Must Haves Under $20

Here are some must-have tools that I use soooo much AND they are all under $20 so they are not an investment for you, but make such a difference!1. Stainless Steel Garlic Press ($9) / 2. Non Slip Cutting Mats ($14.99) / 3. Plastic Mixing Bowls ($8) / 4. Non-Stick Tongs ($12.95) / 5. Angled Measuring Cup ($10.97) / 6. Slotted Utensils ($10 each) / 7. Citrus Zester ($14.95) / 8. Apple Corer-Slicer ($14.95) / 9. Measuring Spoons ($7.99) / 10. Measuring Cups ($8.99) / 11. Citrus Juicer ($15) / 12. Egg Separator ($5.99)

1. Stainless Steel Garlic press – Target, $9.00 – Please stop buying minced garlic in a jar. Just get yourself one of these and buy those garlic bulbs. It’s fresher. It’s cheaper. It’s just better.

2. Non Slip Flexible Cutting Mats – Amazon, $14.99 – I use these soooo much. They are dishwasher safe. They are small. They are perfect for cutting veggies or fruit for prep or for cutting up a piece of chicken or meat for my toddler.

3. Plastic Mixing Bowl Set of 3 – Target, $8.00 – I bought these from Target a while back and use the ALL THE TIME! You cannot beat that price either.

4.OXO Nonstick Tongs – Williams-Sonoma, $12.95 – Everyone needs a good set of tongs, or 3 or 4. You use them for everything while cooking.

5. OXO Angled Measuring Cup – Amazon, $10.97 – This measuring cup is the best I have had. I love how you can see how much is in it from the top and not just the side

6. Open Kitchen Nylon Slotted Utensils – Williams-Sonoma, $10 each – I have these in white (only because they didn’t have black when I bought them YEARS ago). They have held up so well and you will use them almost every day! –

7. Microplane Citrus Zester – Target, $14.95 – You know all those recipes that call for lemon zest? This is what you need for that.

8. Apple Corer-Slicer with Cover – Crate & Barrel, $14.95 – Raise your hand if you HATE cutting an apple. We eat a lot of apples in our house. Get one of these. You will thank me. I can slice an apple in literally 10 seconds.

9. & 10. Measuring Spoons & Cups – Target, $8.99 & $7.99 – Everybody needs a good set measuring cups & spoons. These black Hearth & Hand ones are really cool.

11. Rabbit Citrus Juicer – Crate & Barrel, $15.00 – I am constantly juicing lemons or limes for water, pasta, tacos, etc. This is the chicest Juicer I have seen.

12. OXO Egg Separator – Amazon, $5.99 – Here me out…I know what you are thinking…why do I need this?? Well, you don’t. You can certainly use your hands, BUT this makes it so much quicker, easier and less messy. I use it way more than I thought I would. It’s inexpensive and makes life just a bit easier, so why NOT!?

Everyday Essentials

Here are my “EVERYDAY” essentials. And I mean E-V-E-R-Y-D-A-Y! Some of these are investment, so aren’t, but they are things I truly use every day of my life.1. Everyday Baking Dishes / 2. GreenPan Saucepan / 3. Cast Iron Family Pan / 4. Baking Pan / 5. Cooling Rack / 6. Chef’s Knife / 7. Pot Holders / 8. Oven Mitts / 9. Meat Thermometer / 10. Colander / 11. Skillet Set / 12. Glass Mixing Bowl Set

1. Everyday Baking Dishes – Crate & Barrel – These basic white baking dishes are perfect for every day, but could also look pretty on a holiday buffet.

2. GreenPan Saucepan – Sur laTable – I have been slowly switching to ceramic and loving it. These Greenpan pans are my go-to.

3. Cast Iron Family Pan- Target – I am a southern girl, so a cast-iron is a MUST. This has recently become my go-to one. It’s huge and fits everything I need at one time. I love that it has a handle on each side because those things get heavy. –

4. Baking Pans – Williams-Sonoma – I use these for roasting vegetables, sheet pan dinners and cookies. So many uses and I love this one because….gold.

5. Cooling Racks – Target – Everyone needs some cooling racks for placing hot pans out of the oven. These can be used on top on baking pan to cook bacon or chicken wings also.

6. Chef’s Knife – Williams-Sonoma – I have a few of these cheap knives from Williams-Sonoma. I love them. They cut great and are inexpensive so I feel ok using them for everyday cutting needs. They also come with these covers which make throwing them into a drawer easier than the fancy knives.

7. Yarn Dye Pot Holders – Target – You need these for getting things out of the oven but also placing hot plate on top of. Chip & Jojo make super cute and great quality ones.

8. Pinstripe Oven Mitt –Target – Everyone needs a good set of oven mitts!

9. Meat Thermometer – Amazon – This is a MUST-HAVE when cooking meat. You always need to have one on hand to check your internal temp. This is essential for not over cooking or under cooking meat.

10. Cream Steel Colander – Target – I use colanders every day to drain pasta or wash fruits & vegetables. And I love anything Jojo does.

11. Calphalon Ceramic Skillet Set – I use a skillet everyday for something. I have used Calphalon products for years and have loved them. These ceramic ones are on my list.

12. Glass Mixing Bowl Set – Williams-Sonoma – You will see these mixing bowls in every one of my recipe posts. I use them to prep all my ingredients. I love them. Everyone needs a set.

On the Countertop

While I try to keep clutter off of my countertops, you need a few pretty items that can sit out on your countertop while still being functional!1. Spoon Rest / 2. Dansk Niklas Canister / 3. French Press / 4. Knife Block / 5. Salt & Pepper Grinder Set / 6. Silo Canisters / 7. Stoneware Canisters / 8. Bread Basket / 9. Wide Fruit Basket / 10. Pinstripe Terry Dish Towel / 11. Waffle Weave Dish Towel

1. Utility Kitchen Spoon Rest – West Elm – I have this exact one and use it every day.

2. Dansk Niklas Canister – West Elm – I thought these were interesting and cool.

3. Stelton Theo French Press – Crate & Barrel – We French press a lot. I have several Bodums, but it is nice to have a fancier looking one for dinner parties and get-togethers. I really like this one.

4. Knife Block – CB2 – How pretty is this knife block??? It’s cool and prettier than that basic wood block we are used to.

5. Bottle Salt & Pepper Grinder Set – I bought these several years ago and they sit next to our cook top and I use them constantly. They are neutral and pretty and super functional.

6. Silo Canisters – Crate & Barrel – These are pretty and classic.

7. Stir Stoneware Canisters – CB2 – If it’s marble, i love it. These are really pretty.

8. Lorena Bread Basket – CB2 – I use this every day for apples and bananas, I also use it on holidays or dinner parties for rolls or bread. –

9. Wide Fruit Basket – Need Supply Co. – Simple and modern design. It’s perfect for a modern kitchen.

10. White Pinstripe Terry Dishtowel – CB2 – Neutral and will look pretty in any kitchen. –

11. Waffle Weave Dishtowel – CB2 – I have several of these that hang on the dishwasher for wiping wet dishes

Appliances that are “Nice to Have”

Here is my list of appliance that I find super helpful as a busy working mom. They make life just slightly more helpful. Are they a MUST?? Probably not, but if you have a gift card to Williams-Sonoma or extra cash to spend, this is where you should start building that ‘next level’ kitchen essential pantry. These are the TOP 8 you should definitely start with.1. Food Processor / 2. Instant Pot / 3. Coffee Grinder / 4. Kitchen Scale / 5. Rice Cooker / 6. Griddle / 7. Ice Cream Maker / 8. Waffle Maker

1. Food Processor – If you want to make salsa, pesto, baby purees, etc. You WILL NEED a food processor. I even grate cheese and knead dough in this thing. It really is an amazing tool to own.

2. Instant Pot – Amazon – I had to include it. Let me tell you, I DID NOT want one of these. My mom insisted on getting me one for Christmas. I just thought it would be another appliance that took up too much space in my pantry. I have since been converted. I LOVE THIS THING! It make food so fast for easy weekday meals and also makes food delicious. The amount of flavor that is imparted in such a small amount of time is incredible. They hype is real, people. –

3. OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder – Amazon – Essential for grinding fresh beans (especially if you husband became a coffee snob in recent years).

4. Kitchen Scale – Williams-Sonoma – I love my kitchen scale. When I have a recipe that calls for 2lbs of chicken and I just have a 9lbs worth in a pre-packaged container, I can easily measure out 2 lbs worth. Or for those bakers who like to be all British and measure by weight, this is for you. And it’s shiny and gold. Win, Win.

5. Cuisinart Rice Cooker – Amazon – We make A LOT of rice. This is easy to sit and forget. I can certainly cook rice in a pot, but I feel like you have to watch that a little more than this. Once this is done cooking is automatically switches to ‘warm’ setting. I don’t ever have to think about it. We got this one 12 years ago as a wedding gift and it still work beautifully.

6. Presto Countertop Griddle – Target – Somebody gave this to us as a wedding gift. It was NOT something registered for, but we ended up loving it. I’ve had many a pancake party and this allows you to make so many at a time. –

7. Cuisinart 2 Qt Ice Cream Maker – Amazon – We all know I love to make homemade ice cream (check out all my homemade ice cream recipes). It’s so easy to make homemade, kids love helping and its just fun. I have had this exact ice cream maker for 10+ years and I love it. –

8. Cuisinart – Belgium Waffle Maker – Target – I promise this is not a commercial for Cuisinart. I just have found that they are a really good brand and hold up very well. Moving on….I love waffles. “They are like pancakes with syrup traps” Bonus points to whoever knows the comedian who made that quote. I always make extra and freeze them so they are easy to pull out and throw in the toaster for a quick breakfast. See my sweet potato waffle recipe here.