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\u201cI don\u2019t know where to start with stocking my kitchen!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have enough money to stock my kitchen!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a crappy set of equipment from college, is that good enough to get started?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
If you think stocking your kitchen is overwhelming, I have good news.<\/p>\n
It takes far less money or equipment to properly equip your kitchen than you realize.<\/strong><\/p>\n
For starters, there are very few things you need at first. And you probably have most of them already. You probably just need a couple more additions to be ready to cook 95% of the dishes you\u2019ll ever need.<\/p>\n
All the massive lists I see on how to stock your kitchen make me want to bang my head through a wall. You don\u2019t need a bread knife. You don\u2019t need a blender. And you certainly don\u2019t need a mandoline.<\/p>\n
The amount of tools you need in your kitchen are remarkably small, and can be broken down as follows:<\/p>\n
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- Three pieces of cookware<\/li>\n
- One knife (and three knife \u201caccessories\u201d)<\/li>\n
- Six utensils<\/li>\n
- Seven \u201cmiscellaneous\u201d items<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Do You Have to Buy a Whole New Kitchen?<\/h2>\n
Throughout this article, I\u2019m going to make specific recommendations, but don\u2019t feel like you have to go out and buy all of them.<\/p>\n
In all likelihood, you already have most of what you need on hand.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Even the poorest post-grad has picked up a cheap set of nonstick cookware and plastic utensils somewhere along the line. And while I\u2019d certainly suggest you upgrade when these things wear out, I don\u2019t want you using \u201cI don\u2019t have the right equipment\u201d as an excuse for not cooking.<\/p>\n
The recommendations for cookware and knives I will make in this article fall into the following three categories:<\/p>\n
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- Top of the Line<\/strong>\u2013The best tool on the market, regardless of price.<\/li>\n
- Best Value<\/strong>\u2013A lower-cost alternative that will give you the best bang for your buck.<\/li>\n
- Good Enough<\/strong>\u2013If funds are tight, I\u2019ll suggest the cheapest reasonable option out there.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Of course, if you are looking for rock-bottom prices and are starting from scratch, you\u2019ll be tempted to buy the cheap stuff from Target or Ikea.<\/p>\n
And I\u2019ve got some thoughts on that\u2026<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t Buy Cookware Sets (Unless\u2026)<\/h2>\n
You don\u2019t need three sizes of pots and two sizes of pans. It\u2019s overkill. It\u2019s the type of thing that overwhelms people and makes them say they \u201ccan\u2019t cook\u201d before they even try.<\/p>\n
In a perfect world, I\u2019d suggest you pick up your cooking tools separately. It\u2019s the only way to get high-quality stuff that will last forever and make cooking easier and more enjoyable.<\/p>\n
That being said, I know we don\u2019t live in a perfect world.<\/p>\n
If you do have a lightweight, nonstick cookware set with plastic utensils (which you probably do), don\u2019t worry. I\u2019m not going to send you out to completely restock your kitchen.<\/strong><\/p>\n
You can put most of that stuff to good use, but be aware that it won\u2019t last too terribly long if you start cooking a lot.<\/p>\n
For most people, your best bet is to start with what you have, buy what you\u2019re lacking, and upgrade over time as things wear out.<\/strong><\/p>\n
If you are severely cash-strapped and not interested in geeking out too much on cookware, the best way to get started cooking is just outfit yourself as cheaply as possible and move forward.<\/p>\n
A Look Ahead\u2026<\/h2>\n
Over the next few days, I\u2019ll be publishing several articles on how to painlessly stock your kitchen with equipment, with specific recommendations.<\/p>\n