Okay, today’s post starts with a little exercise. No, I’m not going to ask you to get on the treadmill—after all, where would you hang all those clothes piled on top of it? It’s very simple and you won’t even break a sweat. Ready?
Quick, go to your kitchen. Think of all the great meals you’ve made in there, the happy recipe accidents that ended up even better than the original, the day you finally conquered pie (yay!), and all the smiles on people’s faces after you’ve fed them something they love. Now look around and tell us:
What are some of the things in your kitchen that you consider absolutely essential? Stuff you just can’t live without?
Got it? It can be anything at all: tool, gadget, appliance, food item, or even something as simple as a step stool. (I have tall cabinets and not-too-tall legs. Things are constantly beyond my reach.)
Now here’s a follow up question:
What is the one kitchen item you don’t have but wish you did?
I’ll start us off. I have lots of tools and gadgets I love (like cookie scoops and Mason jars of all sizes) but I have to say I can’t live without my rice cooker. What can I say? I’m a rice girl. Sure, I know how to make rice in a pot. But I’ve been using a rice cooker almost all my adult life and I love the convenience of not having to worry about a pot on the stove and always having warm rice available.
I pretty much just make do with whatever I have, so I had to think hard to figure out what I wish I had. Does a wood-burning pizza oven count?
Betsy loves her Le Creuset Dutch oven, especially this time of year. It’s perfect for soups, braises, everything! She adds, “I’ve never had a high power blender, so I’d love to have one of those someday. I think I’m waiting for my old one to conk out on me.”
Ree chimes in too! “I can’t live without my inexcusably high stack of half-sheet pans/baking sheets. They are worn and scratched and well-loved. I use them for cookies, roasting vegetables, baking biscuits, roasting chicken legs … everything!”
Now we want to hear from you! What’s essential in your kitchen, and what’s at the top of your wish list? Let us know!
189 Comments
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Karen T. on 12.12.2013
I love my baking stone and spatulas from Pampered Chef. I need (want) a stand mixer.
NancyW on 12.12.2013
My first thought would be my wooden spoons..I use them everyday…But at the top of my wish list is…a kitchen-aid mixer… I have wanted one since my hand me down mixer died…It was my mom’s…
Taneasha on 12.12.2013
My one can’t live without tool is definitely my KitchenAid stand mixer. I love that thing. It has been a workhorse in my kitchen for years. Also, mason jars. I use them for storing everything from dry pasta, to spices, to leftovers. Love them.
Things I’ve mentioned just in the last few days that I don’t have are cookie/ice cream scoops , a ricer, and a food mill. I also really need a large saucepan.
Donna on 12.12.2013
Oh, my, there are so many things I use and need in my kitchen…… a great frying pan is used everyday in my house and parchment paper! I would LOVE double ovens…….especially this time of year!
Kathy D. at the Ranch on 12.12.2013
Kitchen Aide mixer. Definitely. Would love to have the pasta attachments. We’ve bought and used the grinder/stuffer attachments already. Perfect.
Robbin P on 12.12.2013
Well, I guess I couldn’t function in my kitchen without my step stool! The one gadget I really, really want is a flat spatula. I’ve been looking and cannot find exactly what I’m looking for.
Janet Ford on 12.12.2013
My Grandmothers fork. It is very sharp and is great to test when something is done.
Janine O on 12.12.2013
It just occurred to me that my favorite kitchen tool is the internet with sites like TK. I get so many great recipes that I wouldn’t have access to otherwise. My wish list includes a mandolin and better saucepan. Any suggestions?
Dottie on 12.12.2013
For cookware, it would be my LeCreuset Dutch Oven (5.5qt is a great size for my family). For tools, I think it would be a great selection of knives – not necessarily LOTS of knives, but the 4 I use most are a Wustof Santoku, a boning knife, a paring knife and a serrated bread knife. If those things are sharp, I can do anything!
Natalie on 12.12.2013
I can’t live without my non-stick skillet. My one major want is a Le Creuset dutch oven.
AprilM on 12.12.2013
My husband will get me just about any kitchen item I want. Most of my favorites are already listed. I love my Chef’n Strawberry Slicer.
They make garlic peelers? Do they work well? Santa may be putting one of those in my stocking.
SVF on 12.12.2013
I can’t live without my Norpro wood handled spatula. And they don’t sell them anymore! It’s the perfect shape and size for scraping off brown bits, and flipping pancakes, and serving brownies and with a wood handle, it stays cool, but strong.
Phoebe on 12.12.2013
I love my knives, but sure wish I had a Kitchenaid…. I can think of so many things I’d use it for!
Johanna on 12.12.2013
The one item I could not live without is my chef’s knife! It’s a-mazing!
The one item that I am dying to own but cannot justify splurging on – especially at this time of year – is a nice, heavy, dutch oven! I love to make soup and chili but my stock pots just don’t have the bottom to withstand the heat and time!
Madeleine on 12.12.2013
My sharp Henkel knives and my Kitchen Aid mixer. I love them a lot! Actually I love a lot of items in my kitchen because I love to cook and I collect kitchen gadgets. But, I do not have a food processor and I do not know why. I think it might be essential. I think I need to add it to my Christmas wish list!
Betty on 12.12.2013
Can’t live without, my knives and large end cut cutting board my son-in-law made. End cut make such a difference from regular wooden boards (did you know studies are showing wood is better than plastic now and harbors less bacteria? Wood has antibacterial properties and even after being in the dishwasher still has some) and kitchen scale (my daughter has Celiac’s and most gluten free flours should be weighed instead of measured) plus it’s nice to weigh a lot of things. I LOVE my Cuisinart food processor but I know I could live without it. What I would like: a better blender – even though I have an immersion blender (btw, for those of you who want one, get one, I picked a Cuisinart up for my son for $20 at TJ Max for Christmas, face it you throw more produce out than that in a couple month…at least I do. ) I also picked up my Le Cruset dutch oven and even a 9 qt STAUB there for SO much less than any place else. You just have to stalk the store)
mnheather on 12.12.2013
I always have to have plenty of paring knives on hand. The one thing I wish I had in my kitchen is a gas stove.
Karen Johnson on 12.12.2013
I love my IRON SKILLET, it will cook everything and take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’! My mircroplane and my Chef’s Knife!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay) on 12.12.2013
I love my food processor and stand mixer! After I received them they both sat in their box for a couple of years but man! Once I started using them, they never left my counter…what was I thinking!! I also could not live without my hand chopper – for quick jobs like garlic and onions which I seem to use in something just about every day – wham, wham, wham – done!! Like you I can make so with what I have and improvise, so the one thing I wish I had but don’t would be a new refrigerator, ours is on it’s last legs. That or a really nice set of knives.
So funny yours is a rice cooker, I have never had one or tried rice from one that I am aware of, now i am intrigued!
Yvette K on 12.12.2013
Love my mixer and tongs, but wish I had some better spoons and spatulas
marina on 12.12.2013
I can’t live without: my Wusthof knives and my Le Creuset dutch oven and my teflon coated tongs. Also just started using a french press for coffee AND tea & so far I LOVE it!
Wish I had: cookie scoop, food processor (no counter or cupboard space so prob not going to happen), long-handled tongs, couple of bigger cutting boards, small spatula for cutting/serving cake, roasting pan with rack & a wok.
Lucca Rossi on 12.12.2013
My essentials are my knives, stand mixer, pasta maker, whisks & dutch oven. On my wish list is a decent food processor. I have an old small Hamilton Beach that has smoke coming out of it every time I use it!!
Sue P on 12.12.2013
I couldn’t do anything in the kitchen with my knives and cutting boards but what I would really like to have is a food processor.
Pat O. on 12.12.2013
Whisk and garlic press are essential as is a good mixer. I wish I had a Kitchen Aid stand mixer.
Kristi J on 12.12.2013
I can’t live without my cast iron skillet. I can’t really think of a day that I haven’t used it in some capacity. I would love a full-sized food processer. I have a mini; I NEED the real thing with all the funcionality…
Janis on 12.12.2013
I love my food processor and my chopping knife. The one thing I do not have that I dream about on a normal basis is a kitchenaid stand mixer.
Martha H on 12.12.2013
I love my balloon whisk. I would really love to have a a really good espresso machine. That way I can have a good cup of coffee after a tasty dinner!
Erika (TK) on 12.12.2013
I love a good cup of espresso too but I’ve always balked at the high prices of the machines. But there’s hope! I was in Italy recently and everywhere I looked, they were using a simple stovetop percolator contraption to make some of the best coffee I’ve had. I just got one here and will hopefully try to recreate that coffee experience.
monze on 12.12.2013
I wish I had a large cast iron skillet with enamel on outside. I this dumb glass top stove and they say not to use my cast iron. What? I love my cast iron!
Terri on 12.12.2013
Big Boss Deep Fryer
Pam Dub on 12.12.2013
I’d love to have more scoops. Of course, an ice cream scoop is great, but they are also good for scooping things like cookie dough, fruit, and frosting.
Cassie on 12.12.2013
I can’t live without my Kitchenaid mixer. It’s 23 yrs old and not as beautiful as the latest colors but a very loyal friend. I would love new knives.
Amy H on 12.12.2013
I love, love, love my stand mixer. I went for years without one and I will never go back. My next big investment will either be a rice cooker or a good blender. I could eat rice and grilled/ stir fried veggies for almost evey meal but hate waitingfor rice to cook. I also wwould like to be a little healthier and be able to make soup and smoothies from scratch. Decisions. ..
Sue on 12.12.2013
Love my food processor, use it almost every meal in some way. But I couldn’t live without spoonulas (those curved surface spatulas). I have like 6 or 7 and am always looking for one. I’d LOVE to have a set of really good knives.
Cyrena D on 12.12.2013
I meant to type my KitchenAid 600 … I don’t know why I think it hold 6 quarts lololol.
Cyrena D on 12.12.2013
I could not live without or do without my KitchenAid Stand Mixer (6 quart). There are so many recipes I don’t try or parts of a meal I don’t prepare because I don’t have a food processor!
Gloria R. on 12.11.2013
My most essential items in my kitchen are my mixer, food processor, dutch oven, cast iron skillet and my favorite knife. What would I like to have? A really good set of knives and a new mixer as mine has been used so much that I think it’s on it’s last legs… ohhh please make it last till after Christmas!
Naomi on 12.11.2013
I couldn’t live without my Kitchen Aid stand mixer! I know a lot of people think they’re too pricey, but I use it all the time, and they last forever! My mom has had hers for 32+ years and it still works great.
Teresa R. on 12.11.2013
Most definitely my kitchenAid mixer. I would love to have a Le Creuset Dutch oven to make stews and soups in!
BONNIE J. on 12.11.2013
WHEN THE BREAD MAKER CAME OUT, I THOT IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING!! ALSO LOVE MY FOOD PROCESSOR.
Kelley on 12.11.2013
I would so love to have a food processor!
Courtneyswampmom on 12.11.2013
I use my cast iron skillets/dutch oven and my Kitchen Aid mixer at least 4 times a week. So, I’m going with those as must haves. Though I also use my rice cooker twice a week too! I don’t have a juicer, blender or good processor and I wish I did! Or maybe some off the cool attachments to my Kitchen Aid!
Leslie W on 12.11.2013
I have 2 can’t live w/outs -my Pampered Chef mix & something large spatula – so old I don’t think they have them anymore and a very large plastic mixing bowl (brand?) with lid. As for my “wishes were horses…” I Oh So want one of Ree’s Pioneer Woman Kitchenaid orange flowerdy mixers, but don’t we all?!
Nancy L on 12.11.2013
My “can’t live withouts” include the great German knives I got in – Germany; bread maker (use it to make pizza dough), my stock pots in varying sizes, my mini-chopper & food processors, and my fantastic aluminum pizza plans
What I wish I had that I do not? A blend-tec blender as I need a super heavy duty and dependable one, new cabinets & storage, and a new set of all purpose pots and pans.
Lisa S on 12.11.2013
Love my stainless steel mixing bowls. Wish I had a food mill.
Debra K Messenger on 12.11.2013
my favorite tool in my kitchen is my very old heavy four quart pan handed down from my mother. It has made more jams and candy that I can count. I found one just like it at a yard sale and gave it to my daughter who has followed making jams and candy in hers. On my wish list is a new cutting board. My cutting boards were made by my husband and are worn out. sadly my husband is too crippled up to do wood working any more. I have put off replacing those cutting boards but it is time.
Heather on 12.11.2013
May be totally silly, but I cannot live without my wooden spoon. I do a lot of high-temperature candy making and it just can’t be done with any other type of utensil. Ok, wooden spoon and candy thermometer.
What I wish I had was a food processor. Mine died and I can’t afford a new one so I’ve been limping by with a small chopper — I’m thankful I have it and don’t have to chop nuts with a knife, though!
Colleen in WA on 12.11.2013
My six quart Nesco slow cooker/roaster is my favorite go to for cooking some many things. I really would like more good quality knives
Cyndi Evans on 12.11.2013
I want a VITAMIXER! But I love my Kitchen Aid Mixer! Bought back in the 90’s and I love it!
kat-in-texas on 12.11.2013
Both stainless and Teflon Calphalon pots and pans!!!
kat-in-texas on 12.11.2013
Awesome knives (like Wusthof Nakiri) and Kitchenaid mixer!!!