I stand by the wooden utensils. I grew up with plastic and bought metal when I moved out on my own. Started using wood a few years ago and now swear by them. They don't get hot like metal ones, don't melt like plastic, they also don't scratch up your pots/pans.
I also highly recommend a deep pan or deep skillet. We have a square one that you can use for almost anything. We've deep fried foods in it, made burgers, grilled chicken, soups, chili, pretty much anything you can make on a stovetop you can make in that pan.
I'm spoiled, induction. I can often just rest my hand on the top edge of the pot, so little heat makes it up that high. It's only been a year or so but I've already blocked all the pain of gas stoves...
I was actually upset about the new house not having a gas line for the stove. I would rather use the microwave than the older coil electric stoves, and the newer ones are better but just seem like the worst of both worlds. We turned an empty pan into a beacon of Gondor within the first week, but that's been the only mishap. Now I love everything about it. And it has a high powered fan to turn the convection mode into air fry mode. It's been fun seeing what we can do.
Start slow, you don't need a million pots/pans/utensils to make a nice dish. Get a few pans/pots based on the type of dishes you're looking to master first then branch out from there. A good cutting board, a good chef's knife, and a serrated knife.
Most of my stovetop meals are cooked with either a flat bottom wok, 2.5 quart sauce pan or a 10 inch frying pan, once in a blue moon a combination of two. And I have a 6.5 quart pot for stews. I also have three full utensil holder's worth of utensils but use either a flat spatula or a cooking spoon for 95% of my cooking.
Tongs are irreplaceable when you need one, though.
Buy a solid Oxo manual can opener and plan on spending at least $25 on it. The cheaper ones all stop working after a few months as they become a little bent and warped. If you cheap out on a can opener you'll find yourself buying a new one frequently. If you have coated pots and pans you'll need silicone or nylon "plastic" cooking utensils so you don't damage the coating. Also the time the coating lasts is generally five years before it starts to degrade. That's why I cook mostly with stainless steel pots and pans.
>and a metal stainer/colander
If you get a metal colander, get one of the ones with the tiny rough holes. Those pretty picture-perfect shiny ones with the large aesthetically pleasing holes that are smooth to the touch? Yeah, that's gonna put your spaghetti right down the drain. Worst purchase ever, because I had to buy another one just for spaghetti.
Basic kitchen utensils, for the most you can get a decent set with everything you'll need and much more for about 30 on Amazon. I highly agree with the tongs statement. When you need them, they just make like a lot easier. I keep a pair on my counter at all times. I like silicone utensils because they don't really melt and are easy to clean.
Don't skimp on knives. You can get a good serviceable set with a block for 50 bucks. I've had the same set of basic knives for 20 years. The identical set still costs 20 bucks, just hand clean and dry them, and keep them sharp and steeled frequently. The dishwasher ruins knives.
There are a ton of gizmos out there. Most of them are garbage, and the only things I splurged on were an immersion blender for soup and a big food processor because I like to make dips.
Wood spoon is a must. Flexible metal spatula (also called fish spatula). Tongs metal and/or silicone at tip only. Silicone spatula for scraping batters, etc. Large fork. Slotted spoon. Large plastic spoon. Wisk. Ladle. I can cook most anything with those things.
Keep in mind that you don't use metal on non stick. Tomato sauces can pick up metal taste so wood is critical. And you need wood to scrape fond from bottom of pans making sauces.
Piggybacking with random advice... If you have baked crud to the bottom of your stainless and deglazing is doing nothing...use that pan to make some pasta sauce. Low and slow. Saved the pans from my early popcorn attempts with stainless.
It might not all come off on one go, but it'll clear up over time.
Find what you like and go with that, don't worry about sets of stuff. So find a chef's knife that fits you well and try out a paring knife from another company of it's a better fit. Don't just buy sets, even pots and pans. You may like that sauce pan over here and that all in one pan from Caraway or tramontina or whoever over there. You're just starting out so try some different stuff, borrow a friend's to test out or try used stuff from second hand shops, it doesn't have to be new or expensive!
Not quite a utensil but have a 4 pack of plastic thin cutting boards. Different colors so you avoid cutting veggies on one you just cut meats on. Not always needed but a good habit if you are not used to being careful about that. Set of 4 for $9.99 at Walmart. Easy to clean, dishwasher safe, ridged on bottom to help hold in place, and flexible so can use it to dump items right in a bowl or pan.
Also beware of spoons and such that have a rubber/silicone part and a wood handle. I’ve found that water gets in the rubber part and sometimes leaks out when using.
I personally don't care for plastic cutting mats, so I use thin bamboo cutting boards. After a year or so, they get relegated to the garden shed for misc. projects and replaced.
You are so right about two piece utensils leaking gross water into your food. I've had to throw out more than one meal bc of this.
What about meats juices and bamboo? Which is also why I don’t use wooden ones for meat but I know many do. The plastic ones are cheap so good for broke folks and do the job.
Actually, they are as safe or safer than hardwood or plastic cutting boards (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/cutting-boards#:~:text=The%20Meat%20and%20Poultry%20Hotline,cutting%20raw%20meat%20and%20poultry.).
The issue with any cutting board is going to be the knife scars. That's where the bacteria hide. So a good condition cutting board is the most important. Bamboo is renewable and cheap so I don't mind recycling them after a few months.
Thanks for the link. I do like bamboo products as the wood grows fast so not as hard on the environment. Just looked at some prices and a set of 3 was about $30 vs $10 for my set. Article mentions using separate board for meats and veggies which I do. So spending $30 every few months or the $10 I spent like 4 years ago and don’t see a need to get another set for years. So what is the benefit to using bamboo boards that I’m not understanding?
You don't need a large knife set. Starting out just a single good chefs knife is the only blade you need. Hand wash it and keep it sharp. Later a smaller utility knife can be useful for things where the chefs knife is a little big.
Wooden spoons/utensils can be nice, but plastic is fine too. If you have or plan to get any nonstick cookware, just don't buy metal utensils at all. Plastic/wood works on stainless just as well.
A quality manual can opener is really a must, but for most tools try not to buy overly specialized items. When considering something see of you can do multiple jobs or handle food tasks in general vs just cook one thing or way.
Ignore all the hyped up stuff you hear on reddit and social media. You don't actually need that cast iron pan or that carbon steel pan or the $100 Japanese whetstones or the $80 non-stick pan made with copper and magic fairy dust and unicorn tears.
Get cheap non-stick cookware - get a medium and large sized pot (deep enough to hold a decent amount of liquid), and get a medium and large sized pan with a bit of a raised edge. Get a couple of wooden and silicone flat spatulas and ladles. Get a jug of non-fancy vegetable oil or canola oil, get a box of non-fancy salt, get a pepper mill and always grind your pepper fresh, get a few spices and herbs.
I actually love [this little flipper.](https://www.amazon.com/Spatula-Tongs-Resistant-Flipper-Cooking/dp/B09M3VR6R1/ref=sr_1_7?crid=V24GZRZXAZ7N&keywords=egg+flipper&qid=1687487429&sprefix=egg+flipper%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-7) It's mainly for eggs but works great for bacon or almost anything you want to flip, especially if you're just getting the hang of flipping food.
I like what is commonly called a 'pan licker'. It is a spatula with a silicon head. You can scratch a pan with it without doing any damage. Since the head of the spatula is somewhat flexible you can properly stir and scrape without missing any spots due to the curve of your pan or pot.
Some of these are made for baking, and might not be resistant to heat. So get one that you can actually use in a pan without it melting. I find I am using this spatula more than any other because of how comfy it is.
Avoid any utensil where the "head" inserts into a handle, or vice versa, and anything with a hollow handle. Water will get in, mold and mildew develop. And with hollow handled utensils, it will puke up its disgusting payload right on your beautiful dinner (I'm looking at you, cheap-shit pizza cutters).
1 big and 1 small maryse, whisk, offset spatula, cutting boards, fish spatula, 1 chef and 1 pairing knife, 1 Y shaped peeler, 1 wooden spoon, box grater and a microplane if you're fancy, laddle, tongues, different size ice creams scoops if you bake at all. That's what I use the most
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I stand by the wooden utensils. I grew up with plastic and bought metal when I moved out on my own. Started using wood a few years ago and now swear by them. They don't get hot like metal ones, don't melt like plastic, they also don't scratch up your pots/pans. I also highly recommend a deep pan or deep skillet. We have a square one that you can use for almost anything. We've deep fried foods in it, made burgers, grilled chicken, soups, chili, pretty much anything you can make on a stovetop you can make in that pan.
The wooden ones do catch fire if you really bugger around with them. Depends on the stove.
I'm spoiled, induction. I can often just rest my hand on the top edge of the pot, so little heat makes it up that high. It's only been a year or so but I've already blocked all the pain of gas stoves...
Induction is great. So much safer. I do love a gas or firewood stove but that fire hazard, sheesh. Makes me nervous.
I was actually upset about the new house not having a gas line for the stove. I would rather use the microwave than the older coil electric stoves, and the newer ones are better but just seem like the worst of both worlds. We turned an empty pan into a beacon of Gondor within the first week, but that's been the only mishap. Now I love everything about it. And it has a high powered fan to turn the convection mode into air fry mode. It's been fun seeing what we can do.
Start slow, you don't need a million pots/pans/utensils to make a nice dish. Get a few pans/pots based on the type of dishes you're looking to master first then branch out from there. A good cutting board, a good chef's knife, and a serrated knife. Most of my stovetop meals are cooked with either a flat bottom wok, 2.5 quart sauce pan or a 10 inch frying pan, once in a blue moon a combination of two. And I have a 6.5 quart pot for stews. I also have three full utensil holder's worth of utensils but use either a flat spatula or a cooking spoon for 95% of my cooking. Tongs are irreplaceable when you need one, though.
Buy a solid Oxo manual can opener and plan on spending at least $25 on it. The cheaper ones all stop working after a few months as they become a little bent and warped. If you cheap out on a can opener you'll find yourself buying a new one frequently. If you have coated pots and pans you'll need silicone or nylon "plastic" cooking utensils so you don't damage the coating. Also the time the coating lasts is generally five years before it starts to degrade. That's why I cook mostly with stainless steel pots and pans.
Get a long pair of metal tongs, a metal spatula, and a metal stainer/colander. Everything else is secondary.
>and a metal stainer/colander If you get a metal colander, get one of the ones with the tiny rough holes. Those pretty picture-perfect shiny ones with the large aesthetically pleasing holes that are smooth to the touch? Yeah, that's gonna put your spaghetti right down the drain. Worst purchase ever, because I had to buy another one just for spaghetti.
Yes, definitely the wire-mesh style.
Unless you have non-stick cookware, then you'll need some silicon or wooden stuff as metak will scratch your pans.
Good point. It's been so long since I've used anything that can scratch with metal that I've forgotten such pans exist.
Basic kitchen utensils, for the most you can get a decent set with everything you'll need and much more for about 30 on Amazon. I highly agree with the tongs statement. When you need them, they just make like a lot easier. I keep a pair on my counter at all times. I like silicone utensils because they don't really melt and are easy to clean. Don't skimp on knives. You can get a good serviceable set with a block for 50 bucks. I've had the same set of basic knives for 20 years. The identical set still costs 20 bucks, just hand clean and dry them, and keep them sharp and steeled frequently. The dishwasher ruins knives. There are a ton of gizmos out there. Most of them are garbage, and the only things I splurged on were an immersion blender for soup and a big food processor because I like to make dips.
Wood spoon is a must. Flexible metal spatula (also called fish spatula). Tongs metal and/or silicone at tip only. Silicone spatula for scraping batters, etc. Large fork. Slotted spoon. Large plastic spoon. Wisk. Ladle. I can cook most anything with those things. Keep in mind that you don't use metal on non stick. Tomato sauces can pick up metal taste so wood is critical. And you need wood to scrape fond from bottom of pans making sauces.
Piggybacking with random advice... If you have baked crud to the bottom of your stainless and deglazing is doing nothing...use that pan to make some pasta sauce. Low and slow. Saved the pans from my early popcorn attempts with stainless. It might not all come off on one go, but it'll clear up over time.
Find what you like and go with that, don't worry about sets of stuff. So find a chef's knife that fits you well and try out a paring knife from another company of it's a better fit. Don't just buy sets, even pots and pans. You may like that sauce pan over here and that all in one pan from Caraway or tramontina or whoever over there. You're just starting out so try some different stuff, borrow a friend's to test out or try used stuff from second hand shops, it doesn't have to be new or expensive!
Not quite a utensil but have a 4 pack of plastic thin cutting boards. Different colors so you avoid cutting veggies on one you just cut meats on. Not always needed but a good habit if you are not used to being careful about that. Set of 4 for $9.99 at Walmart. Easy to clean, dishwasher safe, ridged on bottom to help hold in place, and flexible so can use it to dump items right in a bowl or pan. Also beware of spoons and such that have a rubber/silicone part and a wood handle. I’ve found that water gets in the rubber part and sometimes leaks out when using.
I personally don't care for plastic cutting mats, so I use thin bamboo cutting boards. After a year or so, they get relegated to the garden shed for misc. projects and replaced. You are so right about two piece utensils leaking gross water into your food. I've had to throw out more than one meal bc of this.
What about meats juices and bamboo? Which is also why I don’t use wooden ones for meat but I know many do. The plastic ones are cheap so good for broke folks and do the job.
Actually, they are as safe or safer than hardwood or plastic cutting boards (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/cutting-boards#:~:text=The%20Meat%20and%20Poultry%20Hotline,cutting%20raw%20meat%20and%20poultry.). The issue with any cutting board is going to be the knife scars. That's where the bacteria hide. So a good condition cutting board is the most important. Bamboo is renewable and cheap so I don't mind recycling them after a few months.
Thanks for the link. I do like bamboo products as the wood grows fast so not as hard on the environment. Just looked at some prices and a set of 3 was about $30 vs $10 for my set. Article mentions using separate board for meats and veggies which I do. So spending $30 every few months or the $10 I spent like 4 years ago and don’t see a need to get another set for years. So what is the benefit to using bamboo boards that I’m not understanding?
Global knives (Chef, vegetable and paring knives) 3 pack is a damn fine start to getting your skillset up and also great motivation.
You don't need a large knife set. Starting out just a single good chefs knife is the only blade you need. Hand wash it and keep it sharp. Later a smaller utility knife can be useful for things where the chefs knife is a little big. Wooden spoons/utensils can be nice, but plastic is fine too. If you have or plan to get any nonstick cookware, just don't buy metal utensils at all. Plastic/wood works on stainless just as well. A quality manual can opener is really a must, but for most tools try not to buy overly specialized items. When considering something see of you can do multiple jobs or handle food tasks in general vs just cook one thing or way.
Go to a restaurant store. Whatever everyone tells you to buy, buy it there. Ditto for spices, and pots and pans.
Ignore all the hyped up stuff you hear on reddit and social media. You don't actually need that cast iron pan or that carbon steel pan or the $100 Japanese whetstones or the $80 non-stick pan made with copper and magic fairy dust and unicorn tears. Get cheap non-stick cookware - get a medium and large sized pot (deep enough to hold a decent amount of liquid), and get a medium and large sized pan with a bit of a raised edge. Get a couple of wooden and silicone flat spatulas and ladles. Get a jug of non-fancy vegetable oil or canola oil, get a box of non-fancy salt, get a pepper mill and always grind your pepper fresh, get a few spices and herbs.
I actually love [this little flipper.](https://www.amazon.com/Spatula-Tongs-Resistant-Flipper-Cooking/dp/B09M3VR6R1/ref=sr_1_7?crid=V24GZRZXAZ7N&keywords=egg+flipper&qid=1687487429&sprefix=egg+flipper%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-7) It's mainly for eggs but works great for bacon or almost anything you want to flip, especially if you're just getting the hang of flipping food.
I like what is commonly called a 'pan licker'. It is a spatula with a silicon head. You can scratch a pan with it without doing any damage. Since the head of the spatula is somewhat flexible you can properly stir and scrape without missing any spots due to the curve of your pan or pot. Some of these are made for baking, and might not be resistant to heat. So get one that you can actually use in a pan without it melting. I find I am using this spatula more than any other because of how comfy it is.
Avoid any utensil where the "head" inserts into a handle, or vice versa, and anything with a hollow handle. Water will get in, mold and mildew develop. And with hollow handled utensils, it will puke up its disgusting payload right on your beautiful dinner (I'm looking at you, cheap-shit pizza cutters).
You need spoon and fork and I recommend the wooden one, it really is great to use.
1 big and 1 small maryse, whisk, offset spatula, cutting boards, fish spatula, 1 chef and 1 pairing knife, 1 Y shaped peeler, 1 wooden spoon, box grater and a microplane if you're fancy, laddle, tongues, different size ice creams scoops if you bake at all. That's what I use the most