Good Things Come In Cheap Packages–The Best Thrifty Kitchen Equipment

Who says expensive is always better?

I get it. Learning how to cook rarely comes for free.

While most people at least have some cheap pots and pans and plastic utensils, you’re still probably going to want to upgrade over time.

Fortunately, you can get some seriously quality stuff for bargain prices.

And I’m not talking good stuff, I’m talking the best.

I’m usually not a big shill for any particular brands (I think it’s more important to get started than it is to find the “best” gear), but today I’m naming names, and giving props to the pieces of equipment that outperform all their more-expensive competitors.

Lodge Logic 10-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet

There are few items more essential to a home kitchen than a large pan.

With it, you can fry up thin cuts of meat and most vegetables.

Most people will just pick up the cheapest non-stick pan they can find at Target or Ikea, and while this can get you started just fine, you can find a better option for the same price.

A cast-iron skillet will not only allow you to fry, but is also oven-safe and will allow you to roast as well.

It’s like getting two kitchen tools for the price of one.

And when it comes to cast-iron, there’s really only one name in town: Lodge.

Sure, you can find vintage cast-iron on eBay, but you’ll pay more, and if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll end up with a sub-standard product.

Although some purists might scoff, you’d best get yourself a Lodge 10-inch cast iron skillet. It will last you the rest of your life, and will be one of your most used kitchen tools.

Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler

A good knife is sufficient for every cutting need any home cook will ever encounter.

Except for one.

Peeling is a task that cannot be reasonably performed with the same large blade you use for slicing, dicing, chopping, and mincing.

And although many people will suggest you get yourself a paring knife for the task, I argue that you are much better off with a vegetable peeler. They are cheaper and much better suited for the task.

And it turns out that the best peeler is also one of the most inexpensive!

The Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler is a marvel of modern engineering. Unlike the more-common straight peelers, the y-shape ensures a more even distribution of force across the food you are peeling.

The blade is also super-sharp, and is insanely good at only removing the peel, and minimizing the amount of the food underneath that is stripped away.

You can usually find three-packs for about $10 or so, which is a steal and more than enough to last you until the end of time.

Wooden Spoons

It seems like rubber/silicone/whatever cooking utensils are all the rage these days.

Hell, with everyone cooking on nonstick cookware, I’d understand why they’d be so worried about accidentally scraping any of that gunk off and getting into the food.

But let’s say you’ve seen the light and ditched the nonstick aluminum pan for a similarly-priced but more useful cast-iron skillet? (Am I repeating myself? I feel like I’m repeating myself.)

And you’ve even gone the whole hog and got yourself a nice enameled Dutch oven too?

Well then, you’ve got no need to worry about being too dainty with your food. If anything, you want something a little sturdier for stirring and moving stuff around.

That’s where wooden spoons come in handy.

Wooden spoons, like everything else on this list, will last you a lifetime. They won’t melt like rubber, and they are sturdy enough to deglaze a pan and get all those yummy bits into a tasty sauce.

I honestly don’t think there’s much difference between different brands. You might want to get both rounded ones and ones more squared-off corners for different shapes of cookware.

I got mine at Ikea years ago, and they show no signs of breaking down any time soon.

ABC Valueline Mixing Bowls

Mixing bowls are one of the things that I put in my “slightly less minimalist” kitchen tools list.

You can do okay without them, sure, but having a few on hand will make your life so much easier.

Instead of trying to keep piles of cut-up meat and veggies on the cutting board or trying to dice everything up as you need them, mixing bowls allow you to do prep ahead of time, so that everything is ready to be thrown in your Dutch oven (or cast-iron skillet!) as you need it.

You can also use them to make sauces, salsas, salads, and a whole lot more things that don’t just start with the letter “s”.

On first thought, a mixing bowl is a mixing bowl. As long as it is large enough to hold everything you want to put in it, then who cares what you use?

And I’d totally agree.

But if you don’t have any mixing bowls and are looking to buy a set, then there is no better option than ABC Valueline’s options.

These bowls are made of a lightweight metal, which means they are easy to use, won’t break or chip, and won’t absorb any funky odors or flavors from what you made last week.

And best of all? They are some of the cheapest mixing bowls you will ever find!

Prices vary, but you can expect to pay little more than $10 for a set of three that will suit most of your cooking needs.

Aeropress Coffeemaker

I honestly don’t understand why people spend so much money on fancy coffeemakers.

Okay, it must be nice to be able to set the time it brews the night before so it’s ready for you the moment you wake up in the morning, but overall you aren’t saving any time.

If you’re a morning person (or have the willpower to set your alarm clock five minutes earlier), and you prefer to have a cup of coffee that tastes decent, then you might want to upgrade.

For years, the French press was the go-to coffeemaker for people who wanted to spend less and have a better cup of joe.

But the coffee world has become increasingly geeky the past few years, and one of the insane tools to come out of this world is the Aeropress coffeemaker.

For about $20, you get a coffeemaker that not only brews a ridiculously good cup of java (since it can use a fine grind, short brewing time, and low water temperature), but is also super-simple to clean up.

The Best of the Rest

Although I haven’t used one, the Victorinox Fibrox chef’s knife gets consistently high reviews, and since it will only set you back $25, it is probably the reigning champion in the “bang for your buck” category of kitchen knives.

Of all the pieces of equipment that I suggest in my minimalist kitchen equipment guide, the enameled Dutch oven is the one that is most difficult to buy cheap, but not all hope is lost.

It used to be that Le Creuset was the only brand available, and they charge a serious premium. You can expect to spend more than $200 for a 5–1/2 quart enameled Dutch oven (or as they call it, French oven). Ouch!

Fortunately, things have changed, and several budget brands have released high-quality Dutch ovens for a fraction of the price.

The one that gets the most raves is the one made by Tramontina. At 6–1/2 quarts, it holds more than the Le Creuset, and only costs about $50. However, I’ve never been able to find it available anywhere.

Perhaps word has gotten out and demand is outstripping supply, but I would suggest looking elsewhere if you can’t find one available with a quick Google search.

I have a Lodge 6 quart enameled Dutch oven, and as I write this, you can find them several places online for less than $60, including shipping.

Consider that this is about the same price as you’d pay for a similarly-sized slow cooker, only it can do so much more.

Just get one!

Lastly, every place I’ve ever lived has had a large wooden cutting board built into a kitchen cabinet. Perhaps I’ve just been lucky, but double check to make sure you don’t already have one of these before you run out and buy one!

Bang for Your Buck

It’s easy to get “gadget fever” when learning how to cook.

When every buyer’s guide out there is pushing super-expensive equipment, it’s no wonder most people think that conquering the kitchen needs to involve an entire paycheck (or two).

But some of the highest-quality pieces of gear come in the cheapest packages, and this guide will help make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck.