IF SOMEONE COOKS FOOD in your house, this list is for you! Based on years of collecting, experimenting, ditching, investing and trying new stuff again, these are my must-have, best-of kitchen essentials. Most aren’t cheap but they’re excellent tools and literally guaranteed to last a lifetime. That’s my kind of investment.
All-Clad Stainless Steel Cookware
10 piece set $1450, BUT DON’T STOP READING YET >> On sale for $949 at Williams-Sonoma now
I’ve had lots of cheap pans. From them I’ve scraped food, burned food, unevenly cooked food and sometimes the highly toxic non-stick coating itself. I’ve also thrown away lots of cheap pans. Now I’m done. Before we got married and moved overseas, my then boyfriend, now husband, bought me a set of All-Clad cookware for my birthday. An anti-clutter bug, I think he secretly hoped I would winnow my supply of junky pots and pans down to a few good things. And, done.
Good Cook Bamboo Spatulas, set of 4
The best for getting every last drop out of every nook and cranny. Plus the wooden handle doesn’t get too hot on the side of a pan.
Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
$350 >> On sale now for $299 at Williams-Sonoma
I’m lucky because three of my girlfriends got together and gave me this gift several years ago, just when I was starting to be obsessed with enjoy baking. I’ve been mixing ever since, and not just because it makes me feel like Ina Garten. The hands-free aspect of this tool cannot be undersold. Plus, the steady, strong mixing–along with whisk and bread hook attachments–makes this the sturdiest tool in the house.
Wustoff Classic Japanese Chef’s Knife
$140 >> On sale for $79 at Crate & Barrell now
If I were to recommend one knife, this would be it. Big enough to handle a butternut squash, nimble enough to slice carrots, it’s the go-to knife in my kitchen. I’ve got a little Wustoff collection started and love these knives so much that I’ve started giving them one by one to my mom and mother-in-law for Mother’s Day. Like almost everything on this list, they’re not cheap but they are guaranteed and if you have a problem (say, your husband drops it on the tile floor and the handle cracks), take it back to get a replacement for free. No receipt, no questions. Just a new knife.
Bakers Secret Mini Muffin Pan (24 muffins)
My mother-in-law brought this pan when she came to help after our second baby was born. Ten months later, the only time I stop using this handy little number is when it’s in the dishwasher. Baking 24 cups at a time, instead of the tedious task of re-filling my 12-cup version–and easily slipping each mini-muffin out–has been a time/life saver!
OXO Mixing Bowl Set
There are three, they won’t slip on the counter and you can pour from them (hello pancakes!). That’s really all that needs to be said.
Nordic Ware Bakers Sheets
Quarter sheet (13×9) $12 >> $8 at Amazon.com right now
Other than the knife above, I probably use these sheets more than anything else in my kitchen. I have two, I love them and here’s why. They’re thick and sturdy (a theme, I know), easy to clean (a stainless steel scrub pad works wonders and won’t harm them) and deep enough that you can even bake brownies in them. I use them to roast vegetables, meat, and basically anything else that needs to be baked. Use parchment paper or Silpat liners for the easiest cleanup ever. (I also have the half sheets, which are double in size…but they don’t fit in my miniature European oven so they’re waiting patiently to be relocated to the US when we move in 2012.)
OXO Vegetable Peeler
It’s comfortable in your hand, much faster for peeling apples and carrots than those vertical styles and if that’s not enough I’ll leave you with these three words: cuts through squash.
Wilton Easy-Flex Silicone Mini Bundt Pan
I have a collection of silicone pans and most of them are garbage. (Really, I need to purge. And also STOP BUYING the cheap stuff!) Wilton, famous baking company that it is, makes one of my most used and definitely most borrowed pans. I love the shape and size of these flutes. They’re ideal for gift giving or making individual desserts for a dinner party. Best of all…they’re actually no stick which cannot be said about the imitators currently residing in my cupboards.
Le Cruset Cookware
Prices vary at Williams-Sonoma but don’t miss the 25% off sale going on now!
This cookware is classic for a reason, it’s the best. Made of enamel covered cast-iron, the pots heat evenly, lids never bubble off, and the whole thing will last forever. If not, you’ll get a replacement for free. I have the orange set, another birthday gift from my boyfriend-turned-husband (we dated for a long time!) but it didn’t start out that way. He heard me say I’d love a big Le Cruset pot so he got me one, a bean pot. There were tears, followed by the set below. I’m happy/relieved/less embarrassed to report that no one has cried on a birthday since. Happy holidays!
MORE CHRISTMAS IDEAS:
- 15 Christmas Gift Ideas for Mini Foodies in the Making
- 5 Great Kids’ Books About Food
- Instant Holiday Treat: How to Make a Brownie Mix Healthier In Seconds
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