Cooking is a fundamental life skill. You can’t be relying on takeout and other people’s cooking for the rest of your life. Especially since more people have start making meals at home since the coronavirus pandemic, sales of cookware, especially cookware sets, have soared. For those looking to get in on the fun, these are all of the things you need to buy to get breakfast, lunch and dinner on the table every day. And even if you’re already well-stocked on cookware essentials, there are some upgrades in here for you, too.
Cookware Sets
Cookware is such a huge industry that a number of celebrities have slapped their name on pots and pans and made bank. In theory, cookware sets are great. They contain everything you need — from varying sizes of pots and pans — and each piece is built nearly the same for consistency of use. Then again, some sets don’t let you customize exactly what you want or need. Luckily there are a few good sets out there if you’re really not looking to get into the nitty gritty of shopping for pots and pans.
The Budget Pick: Calphalon Simply Pots and Pans Set
Courtesy
When it comes to cookware, keep in mind that lids count as a “piece.” So this 10-piecee Calphalon set is really four lids, three pots, two pans and a skillet — and frankly, that’s more than enough to whip up an amazing meal. Calphalon has a reputation for being a high-performing, yet affordable, cookware brand that can hold its own among the heavy hitters. Its Simply collection is made of hard-anodized aluminum that’s as durable as it is nice. Plus, each piece can withstand temperatures up to 400° so they go from stovetop to oven without a problem.
The Value Play: Equal Parts The Cookware Set
Courtesy
Simply put, when your cookware looks nice, you’re more likely to use it. Equal Parts’ original selling point was giving those who bought their cookware access to the Text-a-Chef program, which granted them access to instant help from cooking coaches. It turned out most people already had a fairly good grasp on cooking, so the brand went about changing its cookware in response to reader feed back. Now, the non-stick, Teflon-free, line of pots and pans are better than before. They have a chip-resistant interior, ergonomic handles, smoothed-out edges, streamlined lids, and yes, they look really good.
The Best: All-Clad Copper Core
Courtesy
All-Clad is the Holy Grail of stainless steel cookware. The brand did invent cladded cookware in 1967, which means metals are layered to give optimal stovetop performance (i.e. fewer heat spots, even heating, screaming hot temperatures). The Copper Core line takes things to another level because of the aforementioned copper core. The use of copper takes the regular stainless steel to another level. Expect faster heating, even better temperature control and exceptionally even heating. You don’t need to be a Michelin-starred chef to own this line, but you do need a fairly big wallet.
Pans
You could get away with owning one pan. Whether it’s stainless steel, non-stick or cast iron, you can make do with whatever pan you decide to buy. Here are three that’ll work as hard as you do.
The Budget Pick: Made In 10″ Frying Pan
Courtesy
Made In is to cookware what Everlane is to clothing. The brand might not say it outright, but Made In is basically a direct response to the exuberant price of All-Clad pieces. Thanks to its direct-to-consumer model, Made In’s prices are much more approachable than the legacy cookware company, but its pieces operate pretty much identically. There are even cheaper stainless steel skillets, but few come close to Made In’s.
The Value Play: All-Clad 10″ Skillet
Courtesy
At one point, we would’ve said get an All-Clad skillet over Made In if you care more about brand names than anything else. Now that Made In has reached nearly the same notoriety as All-Clad, it’s hard to make the same argument. But if you absolutely need to get a pan that says “All-Clad” on it, then feel free to spend the extra money on it. The brand’s been around for over half a century, and no single company will ever bring down its legendary status.
The Best: Our Place Always Pan
Courtesy
The Always Pan is less of a pan and more of an all-in-one cooking tool. The 10-inch pan has a domed lid, nesting steam basket and a detachable wooden spoon. If you need to sauté, sear, steam, boil, fry or braise, you can do it with this. At $145, it’s not expensive per se, but when you take into account how many pieces of cookware it replaces, it’s a pretty good deal.
Pots
If you’re only going to buy one pot, go big or go home. It’ll make it annoying to cook a box of pasta, but you’ll never be scrambling to find something big enough to make soup.
The Budget Pick: Cuisinart Stock Pot
Courtesy
This classic-looking pot clocks in at a cool $60. It has an aluminum base to help with even heat distribution while the stainless steel interior gives the pot its rust-resistance. The rim is tapered so you don’t wind up with have your food dripping down the side of the pot.
The Value Play: Great Jones Big Deal
Courtesy
Great Jones’ fully clad pot is like All-Clad but at a significantly lower price. It also differentiates itself with its sleek and ergonomic handles. The etched-in measurements are a smart touch for those who don’t have any measuring cups (or if you just want less to clean). Plus, there’s a cool kid rep that comes with Great Jones and that has to be worth something.
The Best: Le Creuset Dutch Oven
Courtesy
Each product category has its stalwart brand and product. For Dutch ovens, it’s Le Creuset. These weighty pots aren’t typically an everyday piece of cookware, but they’ll work for pretty much everything. Because it’s so heavy, Dutch ovens retain their heat for a long time, and the enameled cast iron makes sure things get super hot. You may recognize Le Creuset’s Dutch oven as the go-to for braises and stews, but it performs just as well at boiling water for pasta or getting a pot of rice going.
Cooking Utensils
It’s hard to determine what is true necessity when it comes to cooking utensils. Spatulas are a definite must, but everything else kinds a little fuzzy. Do you need a whisk? Some variation of a spoon? At the end of the day, it’s up to you and what you want to cook.
The Budget Pick: Equal Parts The Utensils Set
Equal Parts
At about $13 a piece, this is a true essential kit for cooking utensils. A lay-flat design is meant for easy stow away in drawers (but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a utensil holder), and they’re all dishwasher safe for an easier, faster cleanup.
The Value Play: Oxo Good Grips 15-Piece Everyday Kitchen Utensil Set
Courtesy
Everything Oxo makes focuses on intuitive designs and high-quality materials. This 15-piece set — 14 utensils and a holder — has everything you need and a couple things you might want in the future. We highly doubt someone just starting a kitchen setup might need a pizza slicer, but hey, it’s there if you need it.
The Best: Material The Icons
Material
These really are iconic cooking utensils. From a slotted spatula to a timeless wooden spoon, Material has you covered so you aren’t scrambling for a tool you don’t have. The additional knives nix the need to buy separate blades, so for $245, this is probably a better deal than you’d expect. Plus, everything is housed in a sleek and slim container because looks are just as important as functional.
Cutting Board
Wooden cutting boards are a classic. Nowadays, cutting boards come in all sorts of shapes and materials, but we find ourselves turning to the humble wooden cutting board more often than not. And we think you should, too.
The Budget Pick: Farberware Hardwood Cutting Board
Courtesy
For $20 you get a decent hardwood board with a grooved perimeter, so liquids stay on the board and not on the counter. Reviewers note that the board will show signs of wear, but with such a low price tag, you won’t feel so bad about tossing this when it’s cut to death.
The Value Play: Five Two Bamboo Cutting Board
Food52
If you want to make a cutting board that works well for the masses, then reach out to the masses. Five Two, the in-house brand of food blog Food52, makes some pretty good, millennial-appealing kitchenware for their matching budgets, and it reaches out to its audience to get feedback for what they look for in cookware. For the cutting board, it meant a juice groove, a pour spout and a phone holder — so you can follow a recipe or FaceTime your friends.
The Best: John Boos Block BBQBD
Courtesy
John Boos has been around since 1887, and it’s because the cutting boards are just so damn good. Made in the US, this Boos Block is made of sustainably sourced maple that’s been found to be one of the more durable materials for a cutting board. The board even has naturally occurring bacteria-killing enzymes. Take proper care of this board, preferably with some Boos Oil, and this board will take care of you.
Chef’s Knife
There is no perfect kitchen knife, but there are some pretty great ones out there. A chef’s knife is the first knife you should buy, and it’ll tackle anything from dicing vegetables to carving a chicken. It won’t excel at any one task, but it can successfully navigate whatever ordeal you put it through.
The Budget Pick: Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife
Courtesy
Hands down, Fibrox makes the some of the best affordable knives on the market. They work really well as in they stay sharp for a long time and they’re not a pain to use. It may chip sooner than you’d like, but then it’s just time to upgrade to the mid-tier pick.
The Value Play: Tojiro DP Gyuto
Courtesy
Welcome to the world of Japanese knives. The Tojiro combines the style of German knives with the capabilities of its Japanese counterparts. It’s a full tang knife, so expertly balancer, and comes with a stainless steel handle that’s easy to care for but still maintains its sharp-as-hell edge.
The Best: Mac Professional Hollow Edge Knife
Amazon
There are Mac knives, and then there are Mac Pro knives. With a 25-year warranty, the hollow edge is expected to last a long time. It has a high carbon stainless steel blade so it’s sharp and dangerous without being prone to rust and corrosion. The dimpled metal takes cues from santoku knives so wet food doesn’t get stuck as you’re chopping.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io