Equipping the Kintsugi Kitchen: Starting from Nothing (Equipment edition)

We have an interesting mix of people here at the K. One of the most interesting intersections is folks who have lived on their own for a long time and folks who are just starting out, by choice or otherwise. I've been thinking for the past few weeks about bits of practical knowledge that can be passed along from those of us who passed through the test of living on their own and made a shitload of mistakes but lived to tell the tale to those just starting out so they can avoid mistakes and live OK on their own.

Therefore, I present for your consideration, the Equipping Your Kitchen from Nothing thread!

This thread is not about getting the greatest things ever, which you will keep forever. It's about the basic sorts of things you need for your first apartment's kitchen. This thread is about kitchen equipment, not food items or other consumables (that is going to be a separate thread). This thread assumes you have nothing, but it does assume your apartment has:

1. Working sink and drain;
2. Stove;
3. Oven;
4. Refrigerator.

With that introduction, I think you should obtain:

10 inch skillet with lid
5 quart pot with lid
2 quart saucepan
small casserole dish
baking sheet
Mixing bowls (one big and one small)

These should be sufficient for your beginning pots and pans needs. These are all thrift shop items. Without knowing brands, when buying these used, you should 1) avoid non-stick coatings, and 2) prioritize mass--heavier is better.

Decent chef's knife
Pancake flipper
Stirring spoon
Set of three spatulas
Can/bottle opener (combination type)
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Cutting board
Cheap storage containers

I don't know how to describe the sets of three cheap spatulas you can get at the dollar store other than "set of three".

A "decent" chef's knife means you don't have to spend a lot of money (It's nice to have an expensive and good chef's knife and mine was fucking expensive and I love it) but a super cheap one will drive you nuts. A Victorinox one will run you about 30-40 dollars, which is a lot for someone just starting out, but worth it because this will be your main tool.

Don't spend a lot on the storage containers

Plates, bowls, glasses, cups, silverware (service for 4)

You're going to need these and service for four means (1) you don't have to be crazy compulsive about washing your one plate immediately, and (2) you can have guests.

Dishrack
Towels
Sponges

Because you have to clean up. The towels can do double duty as hot pot grabbers.

Thoughts? Additions?

EDIT:

Kaylotta noted the lack of measuring tools.
lmc noted the lack of a smaller vessel for boiling water.
Cutting board added courtesy of achemicalheart
Several folks noted the lack of can/bottle opener

 

Kettle for boiling water with. If you drink tea, you are now set up. If you drink coffee you also want one of these guys:

The kettle can also make you the lowest of spoons food, cup noodles.

 

How about having a 2 quart saucepan instead of a dedicated kettle? A kettle is nice, but only useful for boiling water. A saucepan can be used for lots of other things as well.

 

I'd recommend at least one glass measuring cup - the 2C/500mL is the most often used. Also good to have are a cheap set of dry measuring cups and a set of measuring spoons.

I'd also recommend at least one oven-safe pan, like a baking pan - these can often double as non-baking cooking pans. (ovensafe casserole dishes work too.)

If you can invest in any small appliances (beyond a kettle like @littlemissCodeless suggested), I'd first go with a crockpot. Then, if you have the spare cash I'd go with a breadmaker. I scoffed at breadmakers for the longest time before I got one and realized A) how much money I saved on bread and B) I didn't have to spend the spoons on kneading.


edit re rigs' post: definitely a saucepan is a great idea if no kettle. i feel like we are already getting into the "these are nice if you can afford them" level of kitchen readiness XD

 

Yeah, I totally left out measuring tools and you are going to need those! Off to edit the OP

 

In my experience as someone very spoonless, I often wind up with all my saucepans dirty, but my kettle still clean because well, nothing but water in it. Also a kettle, once turned on, can be safely completely ignored because it will turn itself off when done, unlike a running stove.

Aand hot water if either your stove breaks or forwater reason you do not have hot water just then. (unless lack of hot water is caused by no electicty I guess)

 

Ah! You're thinking of one of those electric ones.

 

Yup! I know they´re not that common in the US, and you can use a microwave for heating up water if you have one, but I find mine very handy. I don´t have to remember not to put certain materials in it or fiddle with any settings, a great bonus if you´re absent minded.

 

Electric kettles are very common and a basic appliance in a lot of countries. The first appliance I got was one.

 

If spoons are am issue I definitely recommend one of those sponges with a handle and soap reservoir.

 

I highly recommend an electric kettle as a starter item if such are available at a decent price in one's location. You don't have to worry about superheating your water, they shut off automatically, heat water pretty fast, don't take up much room, and you can use the water for instant oatmeal or ramen or whatnot.

 

I'd say make sure you have a paring knife and a serrated knife in addition to your chef knife. They aren't absolutely necessary, but it can be a pain in the ass to always have to get out your big knife when you just want to cut the seeds out of an apple or a tiny piece of cheese or something. And non-serrated knives are not good at cutting things like bread or tomatoes. Plus they can be used to open plastic packages if you lose your scissors! Which happens to me all the time :P

Also I recommend a blender as one of those "if you have the cash" items. Smoothies are one of the best low-spoons "need to put calories/protein/vegetables into my body" foods imo. And blenders are relatively easy to clean if you don't let shit dry on - just half-fill it with warm water and a little soap, turn it on a middle setting for like 30 seconds, and rinse it out.

 

Seconding the blender, if you can afford one. there's a lot of stuff you can do with one.

The second appliance I got was a rice cooker, and it's honestly one of the things i use the most in my kitchen. not only for rice (i know it's not a staple food everywhere), but also soups and stews. best thing for low-spoons cooking when my brain is all foggy and i don't trust myself with the stove, because it also turns off automatically like the kettle.

 

My life changed when I got a rice cooker. I never knew rice could be that solid and un-mushy, and then... miracles. (I blame my electric stove, which makes rapid temperature adjustments difficult :P)

Also! A casserole dish! Just a 9x9 square one, or a bigger rectangular one, depending on how much casserole (and cake, and other baked goods) you see yourself making. But a casserole dish is one of those things you can't really substitute any other kitchen item for, at least in my experience. A sufficiently sized container that will neither melt nor explode in the oven: pretty much only a casserole dish.

 

A rice cooker is pretty awesome, as would be a cheap drip coffee maker. But I'm trying to think of the bare minimum you need to have a working kitchen.

 

Strangely enough, I've never been able to figure out how to work our cheap rice cooker and have always had better luck with a saucepan and a timer. But that's just me.

 

Either a kettle or a coffee maker, depending on your hot drink of choice, a toaster, a microwave if you can afford one, a corkscrew and bottle opener (usually you can find a combination one) at least one ladle (idk about you guys but here you can buy a big pack of all your basic cooking utensils for pretty cheap), GOOD sponges, trust me, it makes a difference, more cups than you think you'll need, and a halfway decent knife block.

Fuck, we forgot silverware. We're geniuses, you guys.

Edit: i know some of these things arent strictly necessary. Im trying to think of things where nothing else does their job and that youll get enough use out of to make them worth it

 

Yeah, I saw over there you mentioned your kitchen having a stove after i posted; in the two weeks or so i lived in this apartment while i was actually furnishing it (so, before Stove) all my meals were either cup noodles or made in the cooker xP

 

oh. broom and mop. v necessary

 

I'm not sure if that falls under specific kitchen stuff or general household stuff.