Pairing knife
Why you need it: When you need more dexterity and precision than a chef's knife can provide — such as when you're peeling and coring apples, coring tomatoes, deveining shrimp, or removing patches of fat from a roast.
What to look for: The blade should be flexible for easy maneuvering in tight spots (such as tomato cores) or for handling curves (when peeling apples).
Large skillet Why you need it: A must when cooking steaks, chops, and cutlets. Good for vegetables, too. The most important pan in your kitchen.
What to look for: For maximum browning (and maximum flavor), you want stainless steel with an aluminum core (known as a clad pan) or an aluminum disk — both improve heat distribution. Look for a pan with flared sides, which speed evaporation and keeps food from steaming in their own juices. Should have heavy bottom and handle that can under the broiler or in the oven.
Small cast-iron skillet Why you need it: For delicate jobs, like frying an egg or cooking fish, or small jobs, like searing a single steak.
What to look for: You could buy a nonstick skillet and be prepared to replace it every few years as the coating wears off, but a pre-seasoned cast-iron pan does just as well and will last a lifetime. In the old days, you needed to season cast-iron pans yourself — a messy process that involves rubbing the pan with oil and heating and cooling it several times. Now, many manufacturers are doing the seasoning for you.
Saucepan Why you need it: It's for more than just sauces and gravies. Use this pot to cook rice, boil vegetables, or make a small batch of soup.
What to look for: We like easy-to-clean, nonreactive stainless steel and find that 3 to 4 quarts is the best size. Make sure to buy a pan with an aluminum core or disk (which improves heat distribution). Look for a pan with a long handle that allows you to lift the pot — even when it's full.
Large soup/pasta pot Why you need it: How else are you going to boil a pound of pasta, cook corn on the cob, or make a big batch of chili.
What to look for: Stainless steel is easy to clean and as long as the pot comes with aluminum core it will distribute heat evenly. Make sure handles tilt upward so they sit well in your hand when you go to pour out the contents. And make sure to buy a pot with a lid — many soup pots are sold without one.
Jellyroll pan Why you need it: This one pan can be used to roast potatoes or a whole chicken or bake a batch of cookies or biscuits.
What to look for: A bigger pan (preferably one 18 by 13 inches and at least 1 inch deep) is the most versatile size. Avoid nonstick surfaces — they cause cookies to overbrown and can't be used with roasting racks. A heavy-gauge, light-colored aluminum pan is your best bet.
Cutting board
Why you need it: You can't cut on your countertop!
What to look for: We like plastic because you can throw the dirty board in the dishwasher. Easy to sanitize and remove odors, such as onion and garlic. Although you can pick up good boards almost anywhere, we really like the counter-gripping feet on a nonskid cutting board. Choose the largest board that will fit in your dishwasher .
Why you need it: When you need more dexterity and precision than a chef's knife can provide — such as when you're peeling and coring apples, coring tomatoes, deveining shrimp, or removing patches of fat from a roast.
What to look for: The blade should be flexible for easy maneuvering in tight spots (such as tomato cores) or for handling curves (when peeling apples).
Large skillet Why you need it: A must when cooking steaks, chops, and cutlets. Good for vegetables, too. The most important pan in your kitchen.
What to look for: For maximum browning (and maximum flavor), you want stainless steel with an aluminum core (known as a clad pan) or an aluminum disk — both improve heat distribution. Look for a pan with flared sides, which speed evaporation and keeps food from steaming in their own juices. Should have heavy bottom and handle that can under the broiler or in the oven.
Small cast-iron skillet Why you need it: For delicate jobs, like frying an egg or cooking fish, or small jobs, like searing a single steak.
What to look for: You could buy a nonstick skillet and be prepared to replace it every few years as the coating wears off, but a pre-seasoned cast-iron pan does just as well and will last a lifetime. In the old days, you needed to season cast-iron pans yourself — a messy process that involves rubbing the pan with oil and heating and cooling it several times. Now, many manufacturers are doing the seasoning for you.
Saucepan Why you need it: It's for more than just sauces and gravies. Use this pot to cook rice, boil vegetables, or make a small batch of soup.
What to look for: We like easy-to-clean, nonreactive stainless steel and find that 3 to 4 quarts is the best size. Make sure to buy a pan with an aluminum core or disk (which improves heat distribution). Look for a pan with a long handle that allows you to lift the pot — even when it's full.
Large soup/pasta pot Why you need it: How else are you going to boil a pound of pasta, cook corn on the cob, or make a big batch of chili.
What to look for: Stainless steel is easy to clean and as long as the pot comes with aluminum core it will distribute heat evenly. Make sure handles tilt upward so they sit well in your hand when you go to pour out the contents. And make sure to buy a pot with a lid — many soup pots are sold without one.
Jellyroll pan Why you need it: This one pan can be used to roast potatoes or a whole chicken or bake a batch of cookies or biscuits.
What to look for: A bigger pan (preferably one 18 by 13 inches and at least 1 inch deep) is the most versatile size. Avoid nonstick surfaces — they cause cookies to overbrown and can't be used with roasting racks. A heavy-gauge, light-colored aluminum pan is your best bet.
Cutting board
Why you need it: You can't cut on your countertop!
What to look for: We like plastic because you can throw the dirty board in the dishwasher. Easy to sanitize and remove odors, such as onion and garlic. Although you can pick up good boards almost anywhere, we really like the counter-gripping feet on a nonskid cutting board. Choose the largest board that will fit in your dishwasher .
Other items
- Measuring cups (liquid and dry)
- Heatproof rubber spatula (better then wooden spoons)
- Instant-read thermometer (a must-have for anyone who cooks a lot of meat or chicken).
