Basic Kitchen Checklist

This checklist has all the essential equipment needed to outfit a kitchen.

Setting up your first kitchen, or even editing the kitchen equipment in your home to make sure you have the essentials, this checklist includes everything you'll need for most basic cooking tasks.

Cutlery

Don't be lured by big knife sets, even if they seem to be a great value. You really only need a few pieces of cutlery for the majority of tasks. The most essential kitchen knives are:

• Chef's knife or Santoku knife: Choose the size that's most comfortable for you (between 6 and 8 inches is the most popular). A Chef's or Santoku knife (which is basically a Japanese-style chef's knife) can be used for chopping vegetables, cutting up or slicing raw or cooked meat, mincing garlic and herbs, among other tasks.
• Paring knife: With a blade of 2 to 4 inches, the paring knife is good for smaller mincing and slicing tasks, such as cutting up a small amount of herbs or a clove of garlic or slicing cheese, or for hand-peeling fruit.

• Serrated knife: Pick a straight, longish blade (8 to 10 inches) and use this knife for slicing meats, bread and soft fruits and vegetables like tomatoes or melons.

• Kitchen shears: A pair of scissors dedicated to the kitchen is a must. Choose a pair of shears specifically designed for the kitchen; it comes apart for easy cleaning and often has added features like a nut cracker or a bottle opener. You can use kitchen shears for snipping herbs, cutting open food packages, snipping string, trimming fat from meat and chicken, even cutting pizza into slices.

Cookware

As with cutlery, it's better to buy a few basic pieces of cookware and build from there as you determine what else you need. Choose the best-quality cookware you can afford so that it'll perform beautifully and will last a long time. The most versatile choice is uncoated (not nonstick) stainless steel cookware that is oven-safe. That way you can use it both to cook on the stove but also in place of, say, a roasting pan or a casserole dish for oven recipes.

• Nonstick Skillet: Essential for making egg dishes and stir-frying. Try to find an oven-safe version so that you can use it for frittatas or tarte tatins. A 10-inch diameter is a versatile size for households of 2 to 4 people. A good alternative to a nonstick skillet is a seasoned cast iron skillet.
• 2- or 3-quart saucepan with lid: Use this for heating soup, cooking vegetables and grains and making sauces or custards.
• Large pot or Dutch oven with lid: A size of 7 to 9 quarts is just right for boiling pasta or potatoes, making soup, stews and stocks, and braising meats.

Cutting Board

Epicurean

Choose one large cutting board for all your chopping needs; a good rule is for the board to be at least 3 inches wider than your longest knife. Wood or bamboo is the least damaging to knives, but plastic can go in the dishwasher. Another good option is the Epicurean line of cutting boards, which are sturdy, lightweight and dishwasher safe.

Wooden Spoon

A wooden spoon (or two or three) can be used for stirring just about anything. As an alternative, look for a bamboo, heatproof plastic or silicone spoon. A spoon with a deeper bowl can be used for scooping up food.

 

Ladle

Essential for scooping liquids, whether it's portioning pancake batter onto the griddle, serving up soup or stew, or spooning stock into risotto. The most useful ladle are ones whose bowls measure a specific amount, such as 4 ounces (half a cup), because then you can also use the ladle to roughly measure ingredients or portions. If you can't find this type of ladle in a kitchenware store, look for one in a restaurant supply store.

Whisk

Used for mixing thin batters, beating eggs, emulsifying vinaigrettes, stirring sauces or custards. It is also handy for stirring dry ingredients together for a baked good – because it can break up big chunks and aerate the dry mixture, it is a quick (though not as thorough) substitute for sifting. Metal balloon whisks are the most classic, although silicone coated versions are nice if you think you'll be making sauces or custards in a nonstick pan.

Vegetable Peeler

Most chefs and experienced home cooks like the Y-shaped peelers, which are comfortable to hold and give good leverage for the most efficient peeling.

 

Measuring Cups

Pick a sturdy set made of metal or hard plastic, with a flat bottom so that they can stand on their own. Some sets have a line marking the halfway, so that you can use a one-cup measuring cup to also measure half a cup. Basic sets include 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup and 1 cup sizes; some sets also include 3/4 cup and 2 cup sizes, both of which will come in surprisingly handy.

 

Set of Mixing Bowls

Choose a nesting set of at least three mixing bowls that are attractive enough to double as serving bowls. Bowls that come with lids are even more useful because they can also be used to store leftovers or transport salads and other dishes to a picnic or party. While mixing bowls come in a variety of materials, you can't go wrong with stainless steel bowls, which are inexpensive, lightweight and virtually indestructible.

 

Multi-sided cheese grater

A box grater will let you make fine or thick shreds, and some even have a rasp side ideal for grating garlic, nutmeg or chocolate. Another helpful feature is a grater with a built-in compartment at the base which collects and measures the grated food.

 

Baking Pan

For casseroles, sheet cakes, lasagna, and roasts. If you only buy one, tempered glass is probably a more versatile option as it will cook thick, saucy dishes like casseroles more evenly than thin metal. The classic size that's most common in recipes is 9 by 13 inches. You'll need one for making brownies, cornbread or smaller casserole recipes. An 8- by 8-inch pan in metal will suffice.

Can Opener

Find a handheld version that is sturdily made and easy and intuitive to use. Many can openers have a magnet on them, which makes lifting the lid easier. A bottle opener on the handle is a bonus.