Amazon Kitchen Essentials

I'm all about being efficient in the kitchen and doing the most with the least amount of effort because I want to save that energy to host and enjoy dinner with my guests. No matter what your experience level in the kitchen, having the right tools can truly make or break your cooking experience. Here are my top Amazon kitchen essentials recommendations that will make your time in the kitchen efficient and easy, allowing you to focus on what really matters—connecting around the table!

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Cookware

• Cast Iron Dutch Oven: I use this all the time, from stews, soups, to any saucy dish. It's big enough to cook a hearty stew for a five-person dinner and small enough to store nicely in a small apartment.
• Cast Iron Skillet: Always good to have for searing, frying, and even baking.
• Stainless Steel Pan: My go-to is the 12 inch, but also have this in 10 inch and 8 inch versions for versatility.
• Saucepan: I use this more than I thought I would to make sauces, rice, boiling eggs, and more.
• Baking sheet: Essential for roasting, toasting, and baking.

Cutting and Slicing Tools

• Chef's Knife: my go to knife for almost everything.
• Serrated Knife: Essential for cutting bread and tomatoes.
• Mandoline: Makes life easier when I want perfectly thin slices for dishes like potato gratin.
• Cutting Board: Bamboo cutting boards are harder than most wooden boards, making them more resistant to knife dents.
• Bench scraper: Ideal for cutting dough, scraping off surfaces, and transferring chopped ingredients from the cutting board to the pan.

Food Prep Tools

• Tongs: I use this tool for everything; this one has a mini stand so it can rest on the counter without touching it.
• Flat Spatula: I like this one because it's small, flexible, and nifty for flipping.
• Spatula: Essential tool in my kitchen to make sure you get every last drop from the pan.
• Wooden Spoons: Essential tools that are gentle on cookware, great when scraping bits from the pan when deglazing for a sauce.
• Whisk: Sure you can use a fork to do this tool's job, but this will make your life easier! And if you bake, it's a no brainer tool to have.
• Slotted Spoon: Helpful when poaching eggs and making stews
• Mixing Bowls: I can't function in the kitchen without these. I love the small ones too for my mise en place and prep work.
• Fine Mesh Strainers: I use these more than I thought I would. From making a smooth sauce to a coulis, it's an essential tool.
• Microplane: I love this one to grate garlic, which is in a lot of my recipes! But ofc to zest lemons, and to top my pasta with parm.
• Garlic Press: I use this when I want an intense garlic flavor and I don't have the time to grate each clove.
• Lemon Juicer: Saves time and energy from forcefully squeezing limes and lemons.
• Stainless Steel Press: this is a new one for me and I don't only use this to make smash burger, but for pressing sandwiches, or anything you want that extra char / browning.

Measuring Tools

• Measuring Cups and measuring spoons: I know the wood and the gold is a bit extra, but they bring me joy.
• Glass Measuring Cup Set: helpful to have when measuring liquids accurately.

Temperature Tools

• Meat Thermometer: I love the wireless temperature monitoring for cooking meat to perfection.
• Oven Thermometer: Essential for knowing the exact temperature of your oven, as each one can be slightly different
• Thermometer: Good to have on hand for a quick temp check.

Appliances

• Coffee Machine: this is the one I use; it's definitely an investment but I barely order coffee out anymore!
• Food Processor: I love this big 14-cup one because of how much it can hold and allows you to make big batches of dip.
• Immersion Blender: Great for soups, sauces, and dips with minimal cleanup when you don't want to pull out your food processor.
• Hand Mixer: Mostly used for baking; great for making quick whipped cream with easy cleanup.
• Stand Mixer: I use this when I do some serious baking.

Storage and Miscellaneous Tools

• Wine Opener: hands down easiest way to open a wine bottle!
• Ice Cube Trays: Love these because you can easily pop the bottom of the tray to remove the ice cubes.
• Food Storage Containers: Good to keep organized in the kitchen.
• Airtight containers: I always store my leftovers in air tight containers to keep them fresh.