15 of My Favorite Necessary Kitchen Products

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There are so many gadgets out there, so many fancy dishes, and a whole lot of small appliances (which mostly just take up space on your counter).  While I love myself a fun kitchen gadget, like my vegetable spiralizer,  cherry pitter, and vacuum sealer, most of those things you won’t use every day and they take up a lot of space.  Here is a list of my 15 favorite necessary kitchen products. Don’t get me wrong, gadgets are fun and all the small appliances are certainly useful, but if you are a minimalist you won’t want all that stuff cluttering up your cabinet space and counter-top. (I probably have too many kitchen gadgets, but I like to always be prepared.  Ha!)

1. Nice Set of Pots and Pans

Don’t buy the cheapest pots and pans you can find.  You will use them every day and it is worth it to spend the money. I have had my Calphalon pots for almost 11 years and I still love them.  I have tried both non-stick and stainless steel pans (these require that you season the pan, which is essentially preheating it and then adding olive oil to create a non-stick surface.  It seemed like the food always stuck. Maybe I just didn’t do it right). I like the non-stick pans. Some people prefer stainless steel because they worry that the non-stick coating is toxic.  Today’s non-stick cookware is safe for normal cooking as long as your temperatures don’t exceed 500 degrees Fahrenheit. These non-stick pans are oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, but not safe for use in the broiler.

2. Good Set of Knives

This is also something you should invest your money in.  There is nothing worse than trying to slice or chop with a terrible knife.  Chef’s knives and paring knives are the ones I use the most. My block set is great, but I also love my pampered chef knives.

3. Manual can opener

I never use my electric can opener.  It really just takes up space and collects dust.  I always use my manual can opener.

4. Strainer

The strainer is probably one of the items I used most in my kitchen.  I have a few strainers. I use them for washing fruit, draining pasta, and straining the whey out of my homemade yogurt.  My fine mesh strainer is super useful too, especially when I am squeezing lemon juice into a recipe. It prevents the seeds from going into my bowl of ingredients.  I also use the mesh strainer to strain out raspberry or strawberry seeds and pulp when making a raspberry mousse or strawberry jello.  I have a strainer that clips to the side of the pot too, which is also pretty awesome.

5. Toaster

We use our toaster almost every day.  I recently bought a 4 slotted toaster and it is glorious.  I have 3 kids so it’s nice to be able to have all of their stuff ready to go at the same time, especially on busy mornings and when they are impatient (which is pretty much all the time.  Sadly, they probably get that from me. My husband is the patient one).  

6. Wire Whisk

My wire whisk is another thing I use often.  Whether it is to whisk up the ingredients for my Lemon, Mustard and Herb Baked Salmon or my Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup, having a good whisk is imperative.  I prefer a wire whisk over a silicone whisk.  It just works better.

7. Pizza Cutter

I love pampered chef items and this is the best pizza cutter. I know it’s just a pizza cutter, but the investment is worth it.  

8. Digital Meat Thermometer

This is the meat thermometer I have.  I am not even sure when I got it. It is simple to use and accurate.  I couldn’t live without this thermometer. I not only use it for meat, but to check temperatures when making homemade yogurt as well as to test the temperature of the liquid when making my English Muffin Bread recipe.

9. Rubber Scraper

Everyone needs a good rubber scraper.  These rubber scrapers are probably my favorite and the price it right.  I also like the pampered chef rubber scraper, but they are definitely a bit more expensive.

10. Serving Spatula

This is, by far, the best serving spatula.  This spatula is sturdy and works perfectly to serve bars, egg bake, or pretty much anything that you serve out of a 9×13 pan.

11.  Anchor Storage Containers

It is really a good idea to invest in nice storage containers. The Anchor storage containers are freezer friendly, dishwasher safe, oven safe (without the lid of course), and microwave safe.   I used to have every kind of tupperware/storage container there was, the cheap plastic glad containers, other plastic containers, and pyrex storage containers. I still have some pyrex storage containers and like them, but I like the anchor storage container lids much better.  

12. Baking Sheet

A baking sheet is really a necessity.  This is my favorite baking sheet. I love that this baking sheet is so large (15 inches by 21 inches), probably because I make everything in mass quantities.  I use this baking sheet for everything. (Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes, The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Monster Cookies, Healthier Caramel Puff Corn, Chex Mix, Lemon, Mustard and Herb Baked Salmon, Stromboli, Southwest Chicken Foil Packs, Homemade Soft Pretzels, Lemon Sugar Cookies, and many more).  If you are making cookies on this baking sheet, you need to get a silicone baking mat to go with it.  

13. Turner (or whatever you want to call it)

Everyone needs a turner. (Also known as a flipper or spatula.  There always seems to be a big debate on what to call it). These turners are the best I have found.  It is nice to have silicone ones, especially if you don’t want to scratch up your skillet or baking pan.  If you want to read a funny story about a turner and the different ways to flip garlic toast, check out my blog post, There is More Than One Way to Flip Garlic Toast.

14. Sponge

This sponge is fantastic.  It cleans well and will not scratch your pots and pans like a scotch brite scrub sponge will. Plus it pretty much lasts forever and it’s dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning and disinfecting a breeze.

15. Cutting Board

I use these cutting boards every day.  They are dishwasher safe and extremely durable. I have not had any issues with stains in the 7 months that I have had them.  I think the best feature is the deep grooves around the edge that catch any juices, whether that’s from watermelon, cantaloupe or raw meat.