I thought I’d share my most commonly used kitchen items. So if you’re setting up home, sending a student to College/University or just wanting to know for a specific recipe, this may help. (BTW this is all cheap supermarket/Pound World stuff, not high-end equipment!)
Measuring:
- Spoons (either actual cutlery and a tablespoon or a set of measuring spoons)
- Measuring cups
- Scales: make sure you can read them: Size of display, whether it’s metric or imperial, digital or not….get familiar with them (mine are cheap digital ones from Argos but they do liquid measurements as well 🙂 )
- Measuring jug: For yeast activation in pizza, pancake batter, gravy…the list is endless. Mine is a cheap plastic one but if you want to by Pyrex (or similar) you can use it to microwave and steam stuff in too.
Baking:
- Wooden Spoon
- Large and small mixing bowls (same as jug, Pyrex is useful)
- Baking sheet/oven tray
- 12 hole bun/muffin tin
- 2 cake tins with removable bases (makes life so much easier)
- Pastry Brush
Frying and Oven cooking:
- Large and small frying pan or griddle
- Oven-proof dish (I actually love mine, most of our food is cooked in them!)
- Large roasting tin
- small square pan (For tray-bakes like brownies or can be used as 2nd roasting tin!)
- Large saucepan with lid
Utensils: (probably as a set)
- Toasting/carving fork
- Masher
- Slotted spoon
- Fish slice/Egg slice/spatula (whatever you want to call the thing you flip omelettes with!)
- Grater (Box ones are easier to hold)
- Basic knives: At least a small paring knife, a bread knife and a carver (for things bread knife can’t handle…like swede and meat with bones in)
….And that’s about it! All of this will only set you back around £40 (assuming baking trays and utensils are £1 or less each, which they are in Pound stores, Argos and all supermarket basic ranges!) If you’re reading my blog as an established house-holder then try to replace as you go or invest in extras.
Some people may point out I have no whisk on my list, that’s because I very rarely use one! I beat cake mix with my wooden spoon and whisk eggs and batter with a regular table fork, but if you want one, go ahead: They’re definitely in the ‘a quid or less’ category! 🙂
If you are looking a bit further ahead, I recommend 2 products:
- A hand blender with different attachments (for puree like soups, coarse chopping and my Braun one has a whisk and a mini food processor attachment I use for guacamole ) My first was a wedding present and it only gave up last year! HAD TO replace it, like immediately! They’re around £20-£30 in Argos well worth the investment in my opinion.
- Slow cooker: Again £20-30, don’t go nuts on one! Just getting to grips with mine (never occurred to me I could use it as a bain-marie to steam puddings until Mr B bought me a slow cooker recipe book!) but I can tell you Sunday roast has never been so easy!
I hope this helps you explore cookery, or if you’re a seasoned cook perhaps it will help you eliminate the unnecessary?
Happy munching! x
A Peace of Life 