20+ Must Have Kitchen Essentials for Home Chefs
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These are our favorite must have kitchen essentials for home chefs. Everything from cooking pans, bakeware, dishes, and kitchen tools!
If you’re favorite room in the house is your kitchen, then this post is for you! We’re talking about all the home chefs who love to cook homemade meals and bake pastries in their free time, or even for a living!
We consider ourselves home chefs, (after all, a huge part of our blog is inviting people to make our delicious recipes in their home too) and we thought we would share some of our absolute must have kitchen essentials with you. These are things that we can not live without in our kitchen and some things that we are currently obsessed with.
We’re all about having an aesthetic kitchen and bakeware, so you may notice that a lot of these items will look stunning together in your home as well. Whether you’re looking for some new cooking pans, bakeware, dishes or new kitchen tools, we’ve got you covered!
This post is all about kitchen essentials for home chefs.
Must Have Kitchen Essentials for Home Chefs
Small Kitchen Appliances
1. KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Ever since we got our KitchenAid stand mixer, baking in the kitchen has become so much easier! If you don’t have one yet, this is your sign to get one, because it makes the process so much simpler. Every home chef and baker needs one!
2. Cuisinart 10-Cup Food Processor
For years we had a mini food processor and one day we crammed so much stuff in it the motor started burning and the machine began to smoke. That was enough convincing for us to get a larger, 10-cup food processor like this one. It makes protein balls, salad dressings and hummus in no time!
3. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
We have been obsessed with Breville’s traditional toaster oven for years, but this newer version even includes an air fryer. So whether you’re making homemade personal pizzas at home, a loaf of banana bread or air fryer tortilla chips, this oven air fryer can do it all!
4. Vitamix Professional Series Blender
We love our Vitamix! Not only does it make the most perfect smoothies, but it can make soups, dips, sauces, ice cream and so much more. If you’re looking for an appliance that can blend foods without any trouble, this blender is the one! It does have one of the highest price tags out there, but it’s one of the best investments we’ve made!
5. 6-Quart Crock Pot
When we think of crock pots, we think of fall and winter gatherings with friends and family. Not only is it one of the cheapest appliances out there, but we feel like every home chef needs one in their kitchen.
We absolutely love using ours to make slow cooker tacos, meal prepped dinners, and Christmas candy to share with our friends during the holidays.
6. Smeg Espresso Machine
This is by far the best small appliance in our kitchen and we’ll probably love it the most forever. We barely order coffee out anymore because we make our morning and afternoon cappuccino right from home. It’s by far the BEST investment we have made in our kitchen.
Best Cookware & Bakeware Sets
7. Caraway Home 7-Piece Ceramic Non-Stick Cookware Set
Not only is this Caraway non-stick cookware amazing quality, but it looks adorable in your kitchen too! It comes in so many fun colors, so you can choose the one that you love the most.
We personally love the cream color with the gold detail on the handles. It certainly will elevate the look of your kitchen and make you feel fancy when you’re cooking!
8. Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Grill & Griddle
We love to grill chicken, vegetables and even fruit when friends come over, and absolutely love how convenient this seasoned grill comes in handy. All you have to do is place it over your oven burner and you’ve got the best surface to grill.
If you love the make pancakes or eggs in the morning, the griddle is the best option for that. It also fits right over your oven burners so you have a flat cast iron surface to make your breakfast!
9. Caraway Complete Bakeware Set
We seriously can’t get enough of the Caraway items, and this bakeware set is no exception! This set has it all and will look so stunning in your kitchen. Plus, you can choose the set that matches the Caraway Cookware Set too!
10. Williams Sonoma Stoneware Baker Set
We are HUGE bakers! Baking is our absolute favorite thing to do (besides designing homes), and having beautiful stone bakeware is a must. It elevates the look of your baked goods and it’s beautiful enough to leave in the dish while you serve it to friends and family at the table.
11. Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Every person NEEDS a cast iron dutch oven. There are so many expensive dutch oven options out there, and we own some of them, but this dutch oven from Target is by far our favorite. It’s only $50 and is amazing quality! It’s perfect for making soups, bread and so much more.
Kitchen Tools We Swear By
12. Aspen Rimmed Nesting Mixing Bowls
We have had our eye on these rimmed nesting mixing bowls for several years now. Mixing bowls are a staple item that we use just about every day—whether we’re using them to marinate chicken or mixing up a batch of brownies, they are a must-have in any kitchen. Plus, they are such a good price and the classic, crisp white will match any kitchen.
13. Teak Wood Cutting Board
We are obsessed with our giant cutting board, because it gives us space to chop multiple vegetables without running out of room. This beautiful cutting board for Crate & Barrel is a kitchen essential you won’t regret buying.
14. Nerra Matte Black Colander
When we first moved into our apartment after college, we didn’t have a colander for two whole years. We kept telling ourselves we needed one, and when we finally got one, it was a game changer.
It may sound like a silly thing not to have in your kitchen, but when you finally get one it totally changes the game.
15. OXO Precision Digital Thermometer
This digital thermometer comes in handy every time we cook any sort of meat. We would never eat meat without knowing that the temperature of it was acceptable. Whether you’re cooking chicken, beef or pork, this thermometer will become your best friend!
16. Juvale 9-Piece Wooden Kitchen Utensil Set
We may have a slight obsession with buying wood utensils every time we see them. Not only do they look adorable in your kitchen, but they are perfect for cooking too.
We love that this set comes with 9 different pieces, because it has everything you could need. Plus, it looks beautiful too!
17. Acacia Wood and Gold Measuring Cups
We absolutely love these aesthetic acacia wood and gold measuring cups. They are so chic and will make baking so much fun!
18. Acacia Wood and Gold Measuring Spoons
If you’re on the hunt for some matching measuring spoons for your measuring cups, this gorgeous set of spoons is the perfect option. The design is so classic, but elevated by the touch of gold detail.
Must Have Kitchen Dishes
19. Atwell Ribbed Drinking Glasses
These are by far the cutest glasses we have ever bought! They are super trendy right now, and make drinks look and feel fancy. We use them to drink iced coffee, fruity margaritas and other iced drinks.
20. Glenna Mugs
We adore collecting cute mugs. Having a go-to set of gorgeous mugs is something we love to have on hand when friends come over.
We love the lightly weathered finish on these mugs. They add such a cozy touch to any kitchen, and are perfect for serving homemade cappuccinos, hot chocolate or hot tea.
21. Glazed Latte Pasta Bowls
We have a couple of these bowls in the matte finish, but love the way the glazed finish looks. These are the perfect mix of elegant and casual dishware, and are perfect for serving food when friends come over.
22. Stoneware Dinner Plate
Out of all the plates we own, we keep coming back to these plates from Target. They are so beautiful and the black color is so stunning. Plus, they are only $6 a piece! You really can’t get much better than that for a plate this good!
Our Favorite Kitchen Accessories
23. French Striped Organic Apron
We were never apron people until our aunt gifted us our first apron. It seriously changed our lives, and we didn’t know how we had gone so long without one. You never have to worry about the mess from cooking or baking splattering on your clothes.
We love this apron from Pottery Barn, because it also comes with an oven mitt and pot holder!
24. Market Dishcloths
Every home chef needs a good set of dishcloths, and we love these market dishcloths from Antrohopologie. They come in a set of adorable colors, so you can choose the one that matches the aesthetic of your kitchen best.
25. Mateo Large Acacia Charcuterie Board
You probably know by now, but we are obsessed with making charcuterie boards when friends come over. It’s the perfect way to get people to gather in your home, around the kitchen counter or dining room space.
We absolutely love how beautiful this large charcuterie board is. It’s the perfect size for serving large groups of people for game night or a supper on the weekends.
26. Baker Stripe Dish Towels
Lastly, every home chef needs a high-quality set of dish towels. These stripe dish towels from Anthropologie are so cut and come in multiple colors, so you can choose the one that’s best for you.
Whether you need to wash your hands while you’re cooking or are wiping the counter off after dinner, these towels will do the job well and look cute too!
This post is all about kitchen essentials for home chefs.
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