Something must be in the air because I’ve gotten a few dozen emails the past couple weeks asking for a complete run down on must have kitchen items! Some readers are in the process of registering for their wedding, or upgrading their kitchen, or they’re like me and getting a head start on their Christmas wish list 🙂 No matter what the occasion, I tore through my kitchen and landed on a handful of MUST HAVE kitchen tools! Here we go…
Global – my favorite knife set of all times. Period. End of discussion
This Dutch Oven shows up in all my snapchats, FB Live and youtube videos and I can’t live without it
All-Clad is my forever love when it comes to cookware.
My favorite cast iron skillet
If you haven’t noticed, we use a LOT of lemon in my recipes – so a lemon press is a life saver
All I want in life is a Copper KitchenAid mixer – but until I get around to upgrading the color, I LOVE my green one!
A good blender is MANDATORY!!
And an immersion blender is great for soup season!
My Panini Press gets used for everything from making panini’s to heating up leftover food.
I love a good Le Creuset
Easily the best spatula in the world. I now own 5.
From straining a small batch of pasta to fishing out peas, these strainers are everything
Everyone always asks about my salt cellar – HERE IT IS!
A microplane grater is perfect for making lemon zest, getting tiny bits of ginger and many other things
I was late to the glass prep bowl game – but these might be the most used thing in my kitchen now that I own my own set!
Only the best toaster of all times – and one day I’ll have enough people over for breakfast to actually use all 4 slots. Until then, I just feel fancy
Thomas swears by this coffee maker – that’s his responsibility in the kitchen, I just reap the rewards
What did I miss?!? Shout out any must-have items below if I forgot anything!! xx
I use a heavy rock to smash garlic, which also separates the skin from the clove.
What about serveware? Any suggestions for newly weds that will be hosting their first Thanksgiving!?
oooooo yes!! I have a the whole Mercer line from Crate and Barrel for serving and love it http://www.crateandbarrel.com/dinnerware-collections/mercer-dinnerware/
I need everything on this list!!
I love the All-Clad pans and your salt cellar! One thing I’m looking for is a why to reduce oil splattering when I do a quick sauté or fry. I don’t use a lot of oil. Just a bit of coconut or olive oil, but I still get a lot of oil splattering all over my stove. Not fun, lol!
xo,
Mariam
So this is why I knew I loved you as my love for Global knives was firmly-cemented before I started following your blog! Just a couple comments 🙂 I have many friends whom love their All Clad and I can tell that you also love Williams-Sonoma HOWEVER my love is for Sur La Table. It’s just a thing with me. I was exclusively cooking with Le Creuset and cast iron skillets before I discovered Demeyere cookware – EXCEPTIONAL. NO rivets, even cooking, a dream to clean, cooler handles. You should check it out altho I know once you start investing in one line – hard to switch. But their Industry5 wok is really, really great. Second! I LOVED my Breville toaster – big fan of that brand as well – until…drum roll please…I tried one of their smart toaster ovens! It is unbelievable and will change your life- promise- especially with only two of you? Sometimes you don’t want to heat up a big oven and that little speed demon is the answer and great toast! Thanks for the other ideas <3
Gaby! I’ve contemplated purchasing a cast iron skillet for several years but have yet to pull the trigger. So many recipes require a cast iron skillet (ex.: your pizookie, a Dutch baby) and I really want to broaden my horizons. There seems to be so much noise about why not to get a cast iron skillet (difficult to clean, too heavy, etc.). Can you offer any encouragement in the other direction? It is a really versatile kitchen tool, isn’t it? My pizookie won’t taste like the last dish I cooked in the skillet (i.e., Mexican chicken), will it?
omg I use it for everything! I prefer it to my saute pans at times. It makes the best steaks or anything that requires searing!! And it handles heat like a champ. Also… FYI I like the finex because it’s pretty – but there are $30 cast iron skillets at Crate and Barrel that do the job just perfectly!!
Thanks for the feedback!
Kitchen scissors, pepper mill, instant read thermometer.
Hi Gaby, I loooooove you! like code red stalker status, beware! BUT is there anyway you can do a post like those for us budget friendly cooks? Or if you can make a list of budget friendly swaps? or which ones you MUST splurge and which ones you can get away with a lower cost version? THANKS for being awesome!
SUCH A GOOD IDEA!! yes!! stay tuned
Ahhh thank you for this!! I had asked about wedding registry items and this is perfect 🙂
Whatever happened to the spiralizer? 😎
I have a fabulous zester grater and could not live without my stick blender and its mini processor attachment.
Hey Gaby,
What about non-stick pans? Do you have any you suggest? It’s so hard to find good ones without all the nasty chemicals.
Thanks!
That’s exactly why I don’t buy them. I use my cast iron for most everything and then my All Clads and just scrub them really well when cleaning!! I’ll do some hunting for a great non-stick!
I keep contemplating the prep and cook machine I saw in one of your videos. How did you like that?
it’s expensive but it’s really nice and makes everything easy!
You forgot to include the cutting board. I feel like people ask a lot about it too during lives
I’ll add it!
What’s Gaby’s go-to food processor?
FYI: I purchased an all-clad SS pan today thanks to your always good advice. Thanks Gaby!