Basic Equipment

Every good cook needs a few basic tools. Assuming your kitchen already has a stove top and an oven, here is a list of utensils and appliances you really can't do without.

 Mixing bowls. I prefer stainless steel, crockery,  or glass to plastic. Plastic will absorb strong odors and flavors over time. If you can't afford a set of nested mixing bowls, get the largest one you can find.

Measuring cups. If you only want one, a sixteen ounce glass measuring cup like the Pyrex pictured here will be the most versatile. You can also get these in eight ounce sizes.



For more precise measuring of dry ingredients when baking, a set of nested stainless steel measuring cups is preferred. Dry ingredients are sifted into these utensils and leveled off with a knife or spatula. This is difficult to impossible when  using a graduated glass measuring cup.

You will also need measuring spoons. These come in sets, with one tablespoon being the largest in the set and 1/4 teaspoon being the smallest. It's also nice, especially if you are cooking for one and need to halve or quarter a recipe, to get a set of mini measuring spoons.

You will find many uses for a basic set of wooden spoons and rubber or silicone spatulas.

You will also want a metal spatula or two for things like flipping pancakes or grilled foods, or transferring cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks.



A wire balloon whisk is a really good utensil to have. It makes quick work of mixing simple batters for

things like pancakes, crepes, or fritters. It can also double as a potato masher if you get one with stiffer wire. They are essential for making cold or hot emulsions like mayonnaise, gravy, or simple white sauce, and with enough elbow grease, you can whip cream, just like people used to do before electricity was discovered.

It goes without saying that you ought to have a basic set of sauce and saute pans. Don't skimp on quality here. A good set of cooking pans will last a lifetime if properly used and cared for. The material from which
they are made is a matter of personal preference. Some people like stainless steel, others like copper, enameled cast iron, or non-stick anodized aluminum. Just be sure your pots have heavy bases, so that heat will be distributed evenly and food will be less likely to be burned. When choosing a set, make sure they offer
a double boiler set, preferably with a steamer basket insert. You will want a double boiler for messing around with chocolate or delicate sauces that are easily scorched in pots that are in direct contact with heat. And the steamer insert is very convenient for steaming vegetables or leftovers, especially if you don't have or want a microwave. Stale bread can also be freshened with steam.

In addition to your cooking pots you will want a colander for draining boiled foods like vegetables or pasta...

and maybe a smaller mesh strainer for draining finer foods or removing pulp from liquids.


A good set of knives is also essential. If you can't manage to acquire a whole set in one purchase,

you should make sure to start with a large chef's knife, a serrated bread knife, and a small paring knife. A Chinese cleaver is good to have for smashing food that needs to be finely minced. Lay something like garlic cloves on your cutting board, place the flat of the blade on top, and pound with your fist. Then proceed to mince.
If you can afford a good one, a mandoline is a wonderful tool to own. I really love mine.  You can shave paper thin slices of tomato, cucumber, and onion for salads or sandwiches, and it is easy to slice any vegetable to be added to a stir fry or other dish where the thickness needs to be uniform in order to ensure even cooking.

Baking Equipment

If you are interested in baking, there are a few items you will need in addition to those listed in the Basic Equipment post.
Get yourself an oven thermometer. Ovens can't always be relied upon to have accurate temperature gauges, and while a variation of a few degrees won't have much impact on baking a potato, if the heat is too low, your cakes and breads won't rise, and if it is too high, your cookies will burn.

You will also want to ensure that your range is level. Ranges have adjustable feet that can be screwed in or out, so check that your range is level with a simple spirit level you can find at any hardware store. I used to have to time my baking with the tides when I lived on my houseboat, as the vessel would rest on the mud at low tide at enough of an angle to create some very interesting cakes. A kitchen timer might be handy as well, if you are going to be out of earshot of the timer on your range when your food will be done cooking.

For mixing simple batters, a hand held egg beater might be all you need for

anything you can't do with
the balloon whisk. This tool does a fine job with most pancake, cake, muffin, or quickbread batters that don't need lots of whipping.


If you are going to be trying to whip creams or gels, or attempt recipes that require fat and sugar to be creamed at high speeds for several minutes, you will probably want a mixer.

I definitely recommend the KitchenAid line of stand mixers. I've got my grandmother's old one, which looks like the one pictured at the left, only mine is white. I prefer the glass bowl. I was fortunate to find another glass bowl and a set of accessories my grandmother didn't have at the Hornitos Flea Market.
Granted, mine is older than I am, and was manufactured for the KitchenAid line by Hobart, which supply professional bakeries with equipment, so that may be why it has been so reliable. KitchenAid mixers are no longer manufactured by Hobart, so you might want to call KitchenAid and make sure the model you are interested in is all metal construction.

Though you can use a wire mesh strainer for sifting flour, having a flour sifter makes sifting flour before measuring a simple task. Get one with a sixteen ounce capacity, which will allow plenty of room for sifting all the dry ingredients in a recipe when the recipe calls for it. Don't wash this tool when it is full of flour. The flour will turn to glue and clog the wire mesh. Brush all the remaining flour out with a pastry brush, and rinse it very well.

You will want a pastry board for kneading bread dough or rolling out cookie dough, pizza dough, or pie crust. Get one at least 2' x 2' so you will have plenty of room for kneading or rolling. You can choose from marble or hardwood.

Get your self a rolling pin too. I prefer a wooden one of solid construction, rather than the wooden or marble types with a rotating spindle in the center. A solid wood rolling pin can be used to pound stiff dough or break apart frozen fruits or vegetables that have stuck together in a solid block without any damage to the rolling pin.

You will also need a few muffin or cupcake tins, cookie sheets, bread, cake, and pie pans, and racks to set your baked goods on after they are removed from the oven.

Get yourself some oven mitts so you don't burn your hands when removing baked goods from the oven. You may think you can get away with using a dishtowel, but you will be surprised at how quickly heat will transfer from something fresh out of a 400 degree F oven through the towel to your hands.

Toothpicks and wooden skewers are good to have on hand to test the doneness of cakes and breads. Paper cupcake liners, pre-cut rounds of parchment paper cake pan liners, and rolls of parchment paper that can be cut to fit your cookie sheets make removing your baked goods from their pans foolproof, and make cleaning up simpler too.