I am a home kitchen cook, have been for a couple of decades. I never wanted to make homemade noodles or grind my own meat. I just want to be able to make a meal the family looks forward to eating.
After considering what basic kitchen tools I needed, I made a list of what would be convenient in the beginning, what basic kitchen tools I added as I cooked along, and what kitchen tools and gadgets I could add once I could afford to add them to my kitchen lineup to make cooking more convenient.
This basic list doesn't include everything. Of course, a kitchen needs serving plates, flatware and glassware, scoops and spoons to serve food with, serving bowls and dishes. This list is just the beginning for a home kitchen cook.
In later years, after I cooked and things worn out, I realized that there are certain kitchen items that a kitchen should not skimp on. That way they last a long time, and you really get your money's worth. It took a few years, but I appreciate the value of buying the best now.
Basic Cooking Kitchen Tools
I have these pieces, but I bought them individually and ended up paying more. I like them because I can use them with both my stainless steel cookware and my non-stick skillet without scratching the surface of the pan.
You get a Nylon Slotted Turner, Nylon Basting Spoon, Nylon Slotted Spoon, Nylon Tongs, S/5 Measuring Spoon, S/4 Measuring Cups, Can Opener, Flat Grater, Peeler, and Whisk. If you don't get this starter set, you can buy the individual pieces you need one at a time.
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Two of my favorite kitchen tools or gadgets are my Deluxe Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Measuring Spoon Set,
and my Anchor Hocking Gift Boxed 3-Piece Open-Handle Measuring Cup Set that my honey bought for me. Small glass prep bowls with lids
Libbey 6.25-Ounce Small Bowls with Plastic Lids, 16-Piece Set
Measuring Cups
You only need one, but three is a whole lot of convenient. This is a good set. OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set
Meat Thermometer
Weber 6492 Original Instant-Read Thermometer
Oven Thermometer
Cooper-Atkins 24HP-01-1 Stainless Steel Bi-Metal Oven Thermometer, 100 to 600 degrees F Temperature Range
Wooden Spoons
OXO Good Grips Wooden Spoon Set, 3-Piece
Mixing Bowls
You want different sizes and lids so you can store the food and stack the bowls in the refrigerator.
Spatulas
OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Silicone Spatula Set
Baking Sheet with Lid
I probably use my cookie sheets 3 or 4 times a week. I have three, two without lids and one with a lid. I love the one with the lid because when I make food like enchiladas and store a tray full in the refrigerator, I can still set other things on top with mushing the enchiladas. This makes the lid a real space-saver and worth the few extra dollars.
Baking Mat
Artisan (2 pk.) Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat Set, 16 5/8 x 11
Knives 
My son, Tim, got me two fabulous knives for Christmas and I absolutely love them. One is big for cutting big food like a beef roast, and I use the medium size for slicing the apple for my honey's lunch. Both are indispensable. You'll need others, but good knives are an absolute must-have.
Timer
Presto 04213 Electronic Digital Timer
Grater, Strainer, Colander, Pastry Brush
I use my Progressive International Deluxe Grater almost as much as my OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Double Rod Strainer. What a handy kitchen tool this guy is. But my 5-Quart Stainless Steel Colander is handy, too. I have an OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush and flour sifter, too. They are in the drawer when I need them.
Cutting BoardYou really want at least two cutting boards. One for meat and one for fresh food like chopping lettuce. I also have a small one for quick chops and slices. A big solid cutting board is the first one.
Hand Mixer
My hand mixer is about to hit the graveyard, so I plan to get this Cuisinart HM-90S Power Advantage Plus 9-Speed Handheld Mixer with Storage Case.
Saucepan with Lid
Cuisinart 719-16 Chef's Classic Stainless 1-1/2-Quart Saucepan with Cover
Skillet with Lid
T-fal Nonstick Cookware with Glass Lid A9108263, 5-Quart,
Square Baking Dish
Pyrex Easy Grab 8-inch Square with Blue Plastic Cover
Long Baking Dish
Pyrex Bakeware 4.8 Quart Oblong Baking Dish, Clear
2. Basic kitchen tools to add
Bread Knife
Chicago Cutlery Walnut Tradition 10-Inch Serrated Bread/Slicing Knife
Potato Masher
OXO Good Grips Wire Potato Masher
Pots and Pans SetOne of the most important tools in the home kitchen are pots and pans. A good set makes good food, makes it easier to cook good food and taken care of, can last a lifetime, maybe a generation or two. Learn more about how to choose the best pots and pans here.
Casserole Baking Dish with Lid
Pyrex Easy Grab 2 quart casserole with glass cover
Countertop Blender
Pureeing is great, too. When you puree vegetables, they go from ordinary to velvety with the touch of a button. Pureeing involves two basic steps: simmering the vegetables (say, squash or broccoli, sweet potatoes or cauliflower) until they're tender, and blending them with broth until they're smooth.
Adjusting the amount of broth determines whether you end up with a soup or a side dish. If you want to put a little olive oil in your puree, fine. Avoiding fat isn't a good solutions. It's about choosing when to use fats and when not to. Food processors are terrific for chopping, but for a really smooth puree... you need to pull out the blender.
My kitchen sports a tired blender, but it's a good one so it's lasted these twenty or so years and still works fine. But it's in the sunset of life and will need replacing soon. If you're using a traditional KitchenAid KSB560ER 5-Speed Blender with Polycarbonate Jar, Empire Red, whirl hot vegetables in batches, filling the blender part only halfway (this keeps the liquid from spirting all over the place).
Tip: Add a garnish―choose something with a contrasting texture and color, like pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs. Chopping the seeds distributes the crunch and makes a small sprinkle seem like an abundance; heating the seeds brings out their flavor and aroma.
Baster
Norpro 5898 Stainless Steel Baster
Bottle Opener with Cork Screw
Waiters Corkscrew by HiCoup - Premium Rosewood Handle All-in-one Corkscrew, Bottle Opener and Foil Cutter
Can Opener
This is the best can opener ever, and my kitchen has seen more than a few over the years. Hamilton Beach 76606Z Smooth Touch Can Opener, Black and Chrome
3. Kitchen tools and gadgets to add that make cooking convenient
Food Scale
Immersion Blender
Standard Countertop Mixer
Of course, mixers are a big part of the kitchen and cooking well. I have the
KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer, Empire Red that I got just a few months ago. Okay, this was a bit of an extravagance, but I wanted one for years and years. I decided now is the time, and I am so glad I did. It makes cooking a breeze. A real breeze.Cooling Rack
Baker's Secret 1061483 10-by-16-Inch Nonstick Cooling Rack, Set of 2
Roasting Pan Roasting Rack
Norpro 275 Adjustable Roast Rack
Kitchen Scissors 
My daughter-in-law, Tara, got me a pair of kitchen scissors a couple of Christmases ago. I don't know what I did without them. A huge time-saver for sure. I love them and use them every single day... more than one time. They must be at the top of any kitchen tool list.
Knife Sharpener 
I used to use that long stick type knife sharpener. Need I say that my knives were never very sharp... even after I used that stick thingie. I really didn't think it mattered much. Boy was I wrong. A sharp kitchen knife is essential. Must-Have. So I bought this Presto Pro EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener. Now, my knifes are always sharp. It is easy to use [even for me].
Potato RicerBuy yourself a RSVP International 11.75-in. Endurance Jumbo Potato Ricer for your next meal with mashed potatoes. It a great gadget to have in your kitchen, it looks like a giant garlic press, is really affordable, and is easy to use: There’s nothing better for cook's table than smooth airy mashed potatoes.
Cookie Scooper
I also recommend an OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop. I have two, a large one and a smaller medium size.
Steamer Basket
Another great gadget is a Stainless Steel Collapsible Steamer basket that sits in almost any pot or pan and works great for your steamed veggies. I eat a lot of vegetables and this works great. Steaming has a nutritional advantage besides requiring no fat. "It retains among the highest amounts of nutrients of any cooking technique," so says many nutrition specialists.
Steaming creates a closed environment that envelops the ingredients in moisture. It's the ideal technique for fish and vegetables — foods that tend to dry out easily. Do not to let the pan run dry of water. As a reminder of when to add more water, toss a few marbles or coins into the pan before you add the steamer. The force of the boiling water causes them to jingle jangle; they quiet down when the pan dries out.
Also, consider a Bamboo Steamer Set.
It's large, stackable trays allow you to steam meat or fish on one layer, vegetables on another. I love mine!Tip: Drizzling a few drops of olive oil over steamed food just before serving imparts far more flavor than sautéing the ingredients in an entire tablespoon of fat.
Salad Spinner
Invest in a OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner.
Salad spinners are quite inexpensive and work wonders for your green salad. Coffee Grinder
You use a coffee grinder for more than just the morning coffee. It can be a time-saver. KRUPS F203 Electric Spice and Coffee Grinder with Stainless Steel Blades, Black
Slow Cooker 
There's no doubt that a kitchen can function quite well without a slow cooker, but now that I have one, I say that every home kitchen cook needs a slow cooker. It just makes life in the kitchen so much easier and a lot of fun.
Fun because the slow cooker is a can't miss. Everything I make in my slow cooker comes out delicious. Thanks to my son, Steven, who got me one for Christmas last year, my time is the kitchen is a breeze. I just love my slow cooker.
Pressure Cooker
All American 921 21-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner
Food Processor
I also have a food processor that's getting tired (because it's over 20 years old). I couldn't get along without my Cuisinart Food Processor.
Rolling Pin
J.K. Adams FRP-1 Maple French Rolling Pin
Lemon Juicer
Prepworks from Progressive International CJ-3 Citrus Juicer
Egg Slicer
This is so handy. I use it to slice eggs and strawberries and cheese. Harold Import Company, Inc. Westmark W1020 Egg Slicer
Blow Torch
Round Cutters
Love these! Get an Ateco 5357 11 Piece Plain Round Cutter Set.
I use it again and again. Don't know what I did before.Poaching Pan
Poaching is another healthy way to cook. A good one is a Stainless Steel 10 Inch Poacher Skillet Set.
When you poach, the liquid gives food an exceptionally tender texture, which in turn infuses the liquid with its own flavor. Eggs are the most recognized food to poach. But eggs are not the only food you can poach.To poach, place chicken or fish in a large, shallow pan, add just enough water or broth to cover it, simmer gently so that only a stray bubble breaks the surface. (If you're making chicken, remove the skin before you poach it: You immediately cut the fat grams by more than half. A nice result.
All you need is a saucepan that's deep enough to submerge the ingredients and a watchful eye, so that only an occasional bubble breaks the surface (otherwise, the meat may become tough).
Tip: Instead of pouring the cooking liquid down the drain, turn it into soup by adding vegetables and perhaps some pasta for substance. Recent research indicates that when people eat soup, they tend to fill up quickly due to the volume of liquid. As a result, they consume fewer calories overall without feeling deprived.
Broiling Pan
Do you broil? Broiling doesn't require cooking oil, broiling is a great way to cook healthfully. It works particularly well with thin, lean cuts of meat like chicken cutlets, thin cuts of pork, and fish, which cook through before they dry out. Low-fat cuts sometimes lack flavor, so you may want to compensate by using a marinade, a glaze, or a spice paste (try hoisin sauce or rice vinegar). A plus: Less than 10 minutes of a broiler's intense heat creates something that's too often lacking in low-fat cooking―a crispy crust.
A Range Kleen Porcelain Broiler Pan with Porcelain Grill
has two parts: a slotted tray and a pan the tray rests on. The slots siphon off any fat that drips off the food. If you don't have a broiler pan, you can place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. To avoid hours of soaking and scrubbing, line the pan or sheet with foil.Tip: To reinforce the flavor of the marinade or glaze, baste the food frequently during broiling using a pastry brush or a paintbrush (a new one, of course). If you're serving the liquid with the meal, be sure to set some aside before you baste so you don't contaminate the cooked food with bacteria from the raw meat.
Cast Iron Skillet
I've had my cast iron skillets for years. I consider them a must-have for years. I have a small one, large one and one for grilling. The square skillet is great for bacon, and I use the dutch oven for roasting. Cast iron skillets are great for going easily from stove top to oven without fuss or muss. You want to get any cast iron skillet that has been pre-seasoned.
Mandoline
Another great tool is my OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer.
I use it to slice thin potatoes and julienne carrots.Organization and Kitchen Tools
Learning to be a good cook is a process. It does take some time and dedication. A cook needs to know what's going on with food, food at the grocery store and how to take care of food so it doesn't spoil before you eat it. I keep up-to-date with news about food, kitchen tools and related ideas for diabetics.
Having an organized kitchen and storing food correctly before and after it's cooked... changes things for the better.
Food Storage Containers Save Time and Money in the Kitchen
After a few years went buy, my kitchen was a disorganized mess and cluttered. It needed an overhaul. First, I did a little kitchen clean up. I organized my cupboards, refrigerator and freezer, and figured out which kitchen tools were outdated and useless, and which kitchen tools could make my life a lot easier. I tossed some and bought more.
I added a top-to-bottom can rack to the inside of the pantry door, four under-the-counter baskets and two floor baskets. I organized the items into groups, and now I not only can find things easier, but the pantry holds a lot more.
I did the same thing with the refrigerator and the freezer. Although, I went a bit farther with the freezer. I took inventory. I mean our freezer was a disaster. I had crab toes in there that must have been two years old. I would have never eaten them being that old.
After I took everything out, I trashed the old food items. I organized the shelves in the freezer with the same food types. For example, on one freezer shelf, I store breads. On another, meat is stored. Frozen veggies and so on.
Tip: Chop up onions and put them in a food storage container. When you need chopped onion for the recipe you're using, it saves time and frustration to be able to just pull out the container from the refrigerator or freezer and measure what you need. This works with many ingredients.
There's no doubt that kitchen tools make cooking a dream. It's fun, yes, but the right kitchen tools and gadgets do save me a bunch of time. Because it's easier to cook well with the right tools, I am becoming a much better cook. I love to cook, and my family loves to eat what I cook. That's a good result.
Kitchen tools do need replacing at some point. You just don't want to have to replace them in a year. I think if I had one recommendation concerning the tools, utensils and gadgets in the kitchen, I'd say to always buy the best. The best quality tools have a long shelf life, won't need replacing as often, and are more fun and easier to use.
I still have many kitchen utensils that I have on my wish list, but it takes time to add and replace tools that are not working like they should. Poor quality pans, for example, cook food unevenly and have hot spots . Unfortunately, my cupboards are stocked with low-quality pans. Good quality pots and pans are expensive. I could have saved the money I spent on replacements... and had the best if I'd have invested in high-quality pans from the beginning. Sorry am I. Get the best!