Photo by Toni Cuenca

Instant Pot

It’s not possible to talk about essential kitchen equipment without mentioning the Instant Pot. This is a fantastic invention that is a combination slow cooker, steam cooker, rice cooker, pressure cooker, saute pan, and much more - one machine for so many uses means it has to be part of your kitchen equipment inventory. Rather than lots of machines, you can free up space with one, plus you’ll only have to learn how to use one piece of equipment, which will save you time. 

With an Instant Pot, you can make dishes designed to be cooked in that very machine, such as pork stew made in an Instant Pot with sweet potatoes and black beans. But you can also use it for plenty of things that aren’t specifically for the Instant Pot, but that it will cook perfectly anyway. The Instant Pot might be the most versatile piece of kitchen equipment you can buy, and it should certainly be at the top of your list. 

Chef’s Knife

If you want to cook properly and really feel like you’re doing a good job, you need the right tools. If you want to feel like a chef, a chef’s knife has to be the answer. Get the right one, and you’ll be able to chop, dice, slice, and mince with perfect precision, ensuring your recipes are exactly right and you can enjoy the process of making them, knowing you’re working in the same way a professional chef would. 

The truth is that although it might not seem like it, a good chef’s knife can make all the difference to the meals you make and how you feel about cooking. You’ll have a lot more confidence when you’re cooking with a great knife to help you. 

Cutting Board 

What do you use when it comes to cutting up ingredients right now? A plate? A piece of kitchen towel? The kitchen countertop? None of these things is good, and none of them are right. If you want to cut things up with accuracy in a safe and clean way,  the only option for you is a cutting board and, ideally, a set of cutting boards. 

When you’re choosing a cutting board, make sure the one you pick is durable, easy to clean, and big enough to let you chop up whatever it is you need to. Wood or plastic are good choices as they fulfill all these criteria, and they’re gentle on knife blades too. The last thing you want is a chopping board that damages the great chef’s knife you found that we mentioned above. 

We did say that ideally you should have more than one chopping board, and this is a safety and food hygiene issue. If you use the same board for cutting meat and vegetables (and especially if you’re cutting chicken), you could cross-contaminate the food. Even if this is then cooked, it could still make someone unwell. 

Non-Stick Cookware

You’ll need some pots and pans to cook with, and when you’re choosing the right ones, it’s best to opt for non-stick versions. When you cook with non-stick surfaces, the food does not - as you might expect - stick. This means you can use less oil or butter, and it also makes the pots and pans easier to clean when you’re done using them. 

The great thing is most kitchen cookware items come in non-stick versions, from frying pans to saucepans and much more. So no matter what your recipe calls for, you’ll be able to create it in a non-stick, healthier, and less time-consuming way.

Kitchen Scales

You might think that it’s fine just to throw everything in a bowl and be approximate about the measurements, but sometimes that’s not going to work, and it could be a disaster in terms of how the recipe turns out. 

Having kitchen scales is an excellent idea because it means you’ll always be as accurate with your measurements as possible. Not only that but if you ever start to create your own recipes, as more experienced cooks often do, you’ll be able to replicate them in the future because you have the exact measurements written down.