When it comes to cooking at home, half the battle is having the right tools. You don’t need a kitchen full of every gadget under the sun, but a well-chosen selection of the right tools can completely change the way you prepare and cook meals. They save time, cut down on frustration, and often make your food taste better because you can prepare it properly. Whether you’re brand new to cooking or you’ve been at it for years, these are the food prep essentials everyone needs in their kitchen.
Knife set
Kitchen knives are essential for cutting food and packaging. There are all kinds of specialist knives that you can buy for certain tasks like filleting and boning. However, the three most essential kitchen knives everyone should own include:
- A chef’s knife: For general chopping and slicing.
- A paring knife: For delicate cutting, peeling or trimming.
- A bread knife: For sawing and slicing bread.
Look for knives that feel comfortable in your hand; weight, balance, and grip are all personal preferences. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive brand, but do sharpen it regularly (either with a honing steel or a proper sharpener). It’ll make every meal prep session smoother.
The best knives are typically made from high quality steel that stays sharp for a long time and does not break. Knife sets can be stored in a block or on a magnetic rack.
Kitchen scissors
For safely opening packaging and for precise food cutting tasks, it’s useful to have a pair of kitchen scissors. These sometimes come within knife sets, but are more commonly sold separately.
Some scissors are multipurpose and will have integrated bottle openers or nutcrackers. As with knives, make sure the scissors are made from high quality steel.
Chopping board
To save your countertop, it’s worth investing in a chopping board. Read reviews to find the best chopping board if you want something that is durable and easy to clean.
It’s possible to buy colour-coded chopping boards for different applications, such as for dealing with raw meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. This can help reduce cross-contamination.
Vegetable peeler
Peeling vegetables with a knife isn’t easy and may even increase the risk of developing an injury. Using a purpose-designed vegetable peeler can save time and is much safer.
It’s worth investing in a high-quality peeler if you’re going to be doing a lot of peeling – cheaper peelers aren’t always very robust and may blunt easily. Some kitchen knife sets may include peelers.
Mixing bowl
Mixing bowls are another essential utensil in a kitchen that can be used for a variety of tasks including mixing sauces and creams, preparing doughs, whisking eggs and tossing salads.
You can buy mixing bowls in a variety of materials. Steel bowls are durable and easy-to-clean, plastic bowls are affordable and lightweight, ceramic bowls are ornate and heavy, and glass bowls are see-through and microwavable.
Whisk/mixer
For mixing tasks, you’ll need either a whisk or a mixer. Which one should you choose? It depends on your needs and preferences.
- Whisks are manually operated and can provide more control. They’re also not as noisy as mixers.
- Mixers are typically electronically operated. They can help speed up mixing tasks and save your hand from aching when mixing harder substances like doughs.
Colander or Sieve
Draining pasta, rinsing vegetables, or washing rice – it’s all much easier with a colander or sieve. A sturdy colander with handles is great for big jobs, while a fine-mesh sieve is ideal for smaller grains or for straining sauces. Many people like having both so they’re covered no matter what they’re cooking.
Slicer/grater
Finally, it’s useful to own a slicer or a grater. These can be used for tasks like grating cheese, finely dicing vegetables and slicing foods into thin strips.
Slicers and graters are sometimes integrated into one utensil, or can be purchased as two separate utensils. They come in various different shapes from mandoline slicers to rotary graters. Some are better suited for certain uses; for example, nutmeg graters are designed specifically for grating nutmeg.
Final Thoughts
Equipping your kitchen with these basic prep tools doesn’t just make cooking easier, it makes it more enjoyable. With the right gear at your fingertips, you can tackle recipes with confidence, prep ingredients quickly, and cut down on waste. You don’t need every gadget marketed on late-night TV, but a solid selection of essentials, like a sharp knife, chopping board, and mixing bowls, will make all the difference. Once you’ve got the basics, you can add extras as your cooking style evolves. After all, the best kitchen is one that helps you cook the food you love with ease.
