5 Essential Kitchen Tools

There are a few things that you need in your kitchen besides just the food (and a good quality olive oil, of course!) to make your best meals. We’re talking about more than just pots and pans (although those are also important). These five essential kitchen tools will not only make cooking easier, but they’ll also make it better! 

1. Stand Mixer

Sometimes you can look at a stand mixer on sale online or at the store and wonder “why does this have to cost so much?” Well, I’ll tell you why: you can do almost anything with it! With the right attachments, you can mix, whisk, knead, stir, even make pasta! 

This tool is probably the most expensive on the list, but it’s definitely worth the investment. Especially if you plan on cooking in the kitchen more often than not or plan on doing a lot of baking. To top everything off, they generally come in a wide variety of colors, so there’s definitely one to match your kitchen decor, and you’ll want to leave it out on display.

2. Dutch Oven

A Dutch oven is a simple, but unique concept. Generally ceramic, but sometimes cast iron, this tool is basically a huge pot with a fitted lid. It’s great for making large batches of soup, or a loaf of bread, or just about anything. It’s all about getting even heat distribution all around the food from every direction no matter where the heat source is. You’ll find yourself turning to the Dutch oven again and again especially when you’re making food for lots of people at the same time.

3. Cast Iron Pan

Of course you need a good frying pan in your kitchen, but why does it have to be cast iron? 

Cast iron is a perfect way to get an even cook because, no matter what kind of stove you put it on, it does its best to evenly distribute the heat to every part of the pan. It also requires very little in the way of maintenance. The unique part of cast iron cooking is the seasoning. And we’re not talking about the cumin and paprika! Seasoning cast iron means laying down a layer of carbonized oil, giving it its black color and its naturally non-stick surface (most come pre-seasoned). This surface should not be cleaned with soap! It’ll wipe the non-stick carbonized oil right off. Instead, run some clear water over it and rub it down with the rough side of a sponge or a specialized chainmail cloth, wiping it completely dry afterward so it doesn’t rust. And that’s it!

4. Food Processor

Sometimes you gotta chop onions. And sometimes you gotta chop a lot of them. If you’re prepping a Thanksgiving meal for the whole family that requires a lot of different veggies to be chopped, you’ll appreciate the speed and effectiveness of a good food processor. It’ll do in seconds what might have taken a good half hour to do with a knife alone. Just drop the vegetable into the processor, push a button, and BOOM! Chopped vegetable.

5. Blender

You might wonder if you need a food processor and a blender in the same kitchen. The fact is that they do two very different jobs. With a food processor, you’ll end up with chopped food, with a blender you’ll end up with liquified food. Getting a good blender doesn’t have to be expensive, but the more money you put into it, the better the blender will be. So if you see a future for yourself in making really awesome sauces or smoothies, it would be best to invest in a really good one!

There is our list, five essential tools to have in your kitchen. Did we miss your favorite one? Please head over to our Facebook or Instagram page and let us know what is your must-have!