Appliances & Cooking Tools
(that make all the difference)
As you dive into the adventure of cooking, it can be frustrating to come across recipes which require large, fancy, and expensive appliances which require an investment you might not be ready to make right off the bat.
When I was in university and taking the leap into cooking experimentation - on a budget - I was trying to execute healthy and low carb recipes. If you’re simply making salads and a protein everyday you’re probably fine without any appliances, but the more you dive into the recipe trove and want to try different things like making your own power balls, falafels, blended soups, healthy muffins, etc. you may want purchase some small appliances and cooking tools to make your life easier:
Food Processor - I just recently invested in a larger more powerful ($70) one because I found my small one ($17) too limiting for making large batches of recipes - and not powerful enough to completely break down ingredients like yam and dates, or smooth out my butternut squash soup. But depending where you are at on the cooking spectrum, a small inexpensive one might work just fine for you. Especially if you are just starting out and only using it for things like chopping nuts or making your own pesto.
Food processor substitutes: a hand chopper ($20), a blender ($95) (I would recommend a more expensive blender if you are going to use it for more than smoothies), or even a hand-held blender ($30) might get the job done if your pulsating needs are minimal.
How you accomplish different steps of a recipe is also an opportunity for experimentation and creativity! Focus on the texture descriptions recipes provide you with, as that’s what should be guiding you. If the description of the ingredient is emulsified, finely ground, powdered, etc. you may require a more heavy duty unit to accomplish the outcome.
Mandolin - one of the first things I bought as I ventured out on my own was a mandolin, you can find them for pretty cheap, here ($40). I like a mandolin which has different blade cuts so that you can accomplish different results - such as: julienning, shaving, “fry”ing, or slicing at varying thickness levels!
If you are a stickler about how your vegetables are cut, or if you’re intimidated at the thought of trying to finely shave a zucchini with a knife in order to make “pasta” zucchini noodles (I sure am), a mandolin is a must-have (always use the guard when slicing on a mandolin - NO ONE IS BETTER THAN THE GUARD).
You can also buy spiralizers ($30) to make vegetable based pasta substitutes. I have yet to invest in one as my mandolin tends to do the trick, but it’s next on my list. Again it’s nice to have one with varying blade cuts so you can get different pasta shapes.
A high-quality big-ass Knife & a Pairing Knife - even having ONE big, good chef knife makes a world of difference, especially if you are dealing with a lot of vegetables in your day to day cooking. Even if you can’t afford a lot of fancy tools, I would definitely recommend investing in at least one big, sharp, knife which you can find for a reasonable price here ($45). The way that baby slices through a pepper skin or perfectly slices through tomato without squishing it is just so satisfying and leaves you with a much better end result (both visually and in texture). Pairing knives are also key for slicing up fruit or peeling the skin of veggies/fruit. Invest in a small set of pairing knives as well to have options - especially if the big knives intimidate you in the beginning.
Cast Iron Skillet - everyone should have a cast iron skillet, but you should especially have one if you live in an apartment and can’t have a barbecue (like me). Skillets are relatively inexpensive and last a literal lifetime, find one here ($24). They are amazing for getting that grilled feeling indoors or in the dead of winter. Also the more you use them, the more seasoned they become, and you get a lifetime of flavour transfer in your dishes. I like using mine for homemade burgers, breakfast skillets, or even just browning my meats. Bonus- they are heavy as hell and will give you arm goals if you’re lifting it regularly.
Non-stick pan - On the other hand, having a non-stick frying pan is also very key ($50). Where you want a cast iron for certain situations as I mentioned above, have a non-stick can be a little easier to work with. I like using mine for over-easy eggs and stir fry.
Spatula, Wooden Spoon, Tongs & Whisk- these are just a few of the classics that most people have, but if you don’t, you will definitely need. These items are extremely low cost and you will definitely get your use out of them, I use one (if not all) almost every time I cook. You can find a full set of all your starting kitchen utensil needs, here ($30). You can spend a little more on a better spatula, typically with a sharper metal edge ($16), which is nice for things like flipping eggs.
Cutting Board- non-negotiable, if you don’t have one already I’m not sure how you’ve gotten this far. They are cheap, save your cupboards, and make transferring your chopped ingredients to a pan or dish much easier than trying to scoop them off the counter. If you are really lucky your friend might buy you an engraved one for your birthday like mine did (Thanks Hayley, ILU, and my “Kate’s Kitchen” cutting board means more to me than possibly my future first born). Here’s a cool one with a food catch for $30.
Baking Sheet & Casserole Dish - if you are going to be using an oven, which I pray that you are, you are going to need some cooking vessels. For most recipes you can get by with a basic baking sheet ($15 for THREE) and/or a deeper casserole dish ($35). One more bonus oven baking item that’s good to have is a muffin tin ($13), if you are like me and love healthy muffins for breakfast. They are also great for making egg-bites or mini quiches if that’s your jam.
Measuring Cups, Spoons, & Mixing Bowl - as I mentioned in the measuring section above, it’s nice to have a set of measuring tools ($16 for spoons and cups) if you are going to be cooking and baking. On top of that, a big ol’ mixing bowl ($34 for a set of 5 in different sizes) is also an awesome investment (think BREAD, tossing veggies in spices and oil, or mixing up muffin batter).
Slow Cooker - as I mentioned in the temperature section above, slow cookers are a valuable asset especially if you’re a busy boss ass-bitch or just love multi-tasking and saving time in your day for other activities (or both). You can get relatively basic slow cookers for a reasonable price, here ($65, and this one is programmable).
Meat Thermometer - I’ve already beaten to death why you might want a meat thermometer, here’s one ($17).
Food Scale - Additionally, I’ve also already discussed why you might want a food scale ($20). Beyond a replacement for measuring tools, a food scale is helpful if you are trying to limit your intake of calories and/or trying to lose weight. I found that using a food scale provided a visual of what a certain amount of food looked like. Once I could imagine what 50 grams of chicken looked like and it’s associated nutritional value, I could then develop visual cues for when I was over-eating or keep better track of how many calories I was actually taking in.
It might be difficult to budget for all of these things at once if you are just starting out - but I bet that you can find a lot of these things for a low price or even for free. Garage sales, or your own grandparents and/or parents might have one thousand extras of certain things (like wooden spoons or measuring cups, mine certainly do) and they might be willing to pass some along.
Take stock of what you currently have, decide which items are worth investing money in and which items you could settle for a hand-me down or lower cost version. Also start looking at the recipes that pique your interest and see if there’s any tools or appliances they utilize that you might want specifically (including ones not listed above). Until you have a fully stocked kitchen, you can also get creative with the tools you have which can produce similar results as fancy appliances. For example, a plastic bag and a hammer can crush nuts pretty comparatively to a small food processor.
You will find over time you will accumulate tools and eventually have a very well-stocked kitchen.
Disclosure - I am not currently sponsored by any brands, and all of the suggestions provided above were based on the best value/rating I could find on Amazon Canada (all currency based in Canadian Dollars). Certain tools/appliances I have tried or used but I have not personally tested all of the recommendations, but everything I suggested had 4-5 star reviews.