Must Have Kitchen Implements for a New Home
You are about to move into your new home and your kitchen is waiting to be outfitted. Before rushing out to your nearest home center, sit down first and plan what you will need. This will save you time, money and effort. The following is a guide on how to outfit your new kitchen the right way.
Make sure that you measure the square footage of your kitchen accurately. You don’t want to buy new appliances only to discover that they won’t fit in the intended space. Have your appliances delivered to your home. Doing it yourself may result in injury or damage to the appliance or to your kitchen. The delivery will be worth the extra charge. Double check to make sure that the sub-flooring can support the weight of your new kitchen purchases. This will prevent sagging and damage to your home’s infrastructure in future years.
Many people have more pots and pans than they do actually need resulting in needless clutter and of course, expense. Your new kitchen should have a 10- inch sauté pan with a snugly fitting lid, a 2 to 3 quart saucepan with a lid and an 8 to 10 quart stockpot. Your sauté pan can double as a frying pan as well as an omelet pan. Use your saucepan for sauces, rice and heating up leftovers. Use your stockpot to stew and simmer, as well as boiling pasta, steaming artichokes and much more. To maximize the space, you can hang your pots and pans using hooks. This will also allow you easy access.
Food processors take much of the time and drudgery out of preparing meals. Make sure yours has adequate power for doing a variety of jobs. Your food processor should feature a six to eight cup dry ingredient capacity with enough power to puree, liquefy or crush ice. If you are a motivated cook and aspire to more than survival mode, a stand-up mixer may be well worth the investment. A stand-up variable speed mixer will knead dough with the power needed for the job. Extra attachments for kneading dough and mixing batter will save your hands while giving your dough just the right consistency. Cooling racks are important so your cakes and pies will cool evenly and a good convection oven is also worth the consideration if you are a serious cook. A convection oven distributes the heat of the oven more evenly and have a better final result. A hand mixer is always useful for whipping up fresh cream or making smaller dishes that require a little extra care. Your six-speed mixer should include a “slow start” feature.
Some of the basic tools to have are the following:
- a chef’s knife
- vegetable peeler
- grater
- measuring cups and spoons
- utility knife and paring knife
- whisk
- tongs
- soup ladle
- mixing bowls
- chopping board
- can opener
- corkscrew
- colander
- vegetable steamer
A good dishwasher is a boon to a good cook. Though some items will always require hand washing, a dishwasher will save you much of the cleanup time that everyone dreads. Don’t forget that cooking at home is not only fun, it will save you significant money over the long term. Even a bad meal out is still expensive.
Trudeau Silicone Oval Ridged Trivet Safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit: The indispensable little kitchen helper. This oval trivet has raised tips to eliminate heat transfer. It is available in 3 different colors and has a solid interior body Dishwasher safe. 6 by 8 inches.
Trudeau Silicone Oven Mitt with fabric lining striped safe to 480 degrees F or 250 degrees C: A great new gadget, one of those inventions you will wonder how you managed without. The heat resistant silicone mitt is safe up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit or 250 degrees Celsius. The Double layer of fabric liner provides the same comfort as a traditional oven mitt. Buttons allow secure and easy release. Raised grip edges. The silicone mitt part is dishwasher safe and the fabric liner is machine washable.
Here are some of the recommended brands that you should look into:
R. H. Forschner 8-Inch Chef’s Knife, Black Fibrox Handle by Victorinox: The R H Forschner by Victorinox Chef’s Knife features an 8-inch blade that is 2-inches wide at the handle. High carbon, stainless steel blade is hand finished at Victorinox in Switzerland by skilled craftsmen. A special tempering process is used to produce an edge that can be resharpened over and over again, so the knife can keep its original sharpness throughout the entire life of the blade.
J.A. Henckels Twin 3 piece Starter Set: The J.A. Henckels International Fine Edge Synergy 3-pc. Knife Set is a great starter set. The blades are durable stainless steel and the contoured, riveted handles are easy to grip and include a partial stainless steel cover for style and durability. Knife set includes: 2-3/4″ paring, 6″ utility and an 8″ chef.
T-Fal Initiatives 10-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out: Achieve even heat distribution with this special Initiatives cookset by T-Fal. The Thermospot heat indicator ensures even heat distribution and prevents warping. Pans have a deep gourmet shape with straight sides to reduce spills, and comfortable stay-cool handles. The high-dome stainless steel covers feature a steam-venting knob to help control cooking. Set includes 7.5″, 9.25″ and 10.75″ sauté pans, 1-qt. and 2-qt. covered saucepans, and 5.33-qt. covered Dutch oven. Imported.
Farberware Classic 10-Piece Cookware Set: Durable aluminum construction provides even heat distribution; nonstick coating inside and out. 1-, 1-1/2-, and 2-quart covered saucepan, 5-quart covered Dutch oven, and 7- and 10-inch open French skillet. Securely riveted handles incorporate silicone to offer a comfortable, stay-cool grip. See-through glass lids allow for monitoring cooking without losing moisture or nutrients. Oven-safe to 350 degrees F; limited lifetime warranty; dishwasher-safe.
Whirlpool DU930PWSB Black 24 Built-in 5 Cycle Dishwasher: Towerless Power Clean wash system makes it easy to wash extra large loads. High Temp Wash Option adds thermostatically controlled heat to your wash cycle. Super Capacity standard tub fits up to 12 five-piece place settings at once. AnyWare silverware basket fits inside the door to allow 100% usable space in the lower rack. Control Lockout. Cycle Status Lights. Quiet Package: Quiet Wash, 65db.
Avanti DW181SS 18″ Built-in Dishwasher with 7 Automatic Cycles (Stainless Steel): The DW181SS offers enough room for 8 standard place settings yet measures only 18 wide, perfect for kitchens with limited space. It features 7 automatic settings, nylon coated upper and lower racks, a one-piece silverware basket, a 3-stage filtering system and a rinse aid dispenser. Extra long leveling legs offer height adjustment for easy installation. With both the interior and exterior constructed of stainless steel, this dishwasher remains sleek and stylish for years to come. Designed for built-in undercounter applications.
KitchenAid Cook For The Cure Measuring Tool Set: The KitchenAid Pink Cook For The Cure gadget collection measuring cups and spoons set are made of pink high impact resistant ABS for durability. The 4 measuring cups set include easy to read 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 1 Cup. The set of 5 measuring spoons include 1/4, 1/2, 1 Teaspoon, 1/2, 1 Tablespoon. The measuring cups are connected by a removable leveler, which helps in accurate dry ingredient measurement. Both the cups and spoons nest together for easy storage or can be hung from the attached loop. For every KitchenAid Cook For The Cure item sold, KitchenAid will donate 10% of the retail price to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Show your support in the fight against breast cancer, with the purchase of these attractive and functional measuring cups and spoons. One year replacement warranty.
Cuisipro Stainless-Steel Measuring Cups and Spoon Set: Finely designed Cuisipro measuring spoons and cups are a pleasure to use, crafted in solid, high-quality polished 18/10 stainless steel. Heavy and stable on countertops, these utensils feature sturdy handles that will never break or bend. The unique oval design of both spoons and cups lets you scoop ingredients easily from canisters, jars and bags. The gently curved handle on the measuring spoons curl under, so that each sits securely on the counter without tipping over. Each set of spoons and cups are attached to a special clip designed to come apart easily. Cuisipro tools are built to last a lifetime. Spoon sizes: 1/8 tsp., 1/4 tsp., 1/2 tsp., 1 tsp., 1 tbsp. Cup sizes: 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.
OXO Good Grips Locking Tongs with Nylon Heads: Not only do these 9-inch tongs cushion hands and provide thumb rests, which are useful when gripping heavy objects, but the nylon heads won’t scratch nonstick cookware. Doubling as a hang loop, a tab on the bottom pulls out to lock the stainless-steel tongs shut, allowing them to slip easily into a drawer. The nylon heads are heat-resistant to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and the tongs are dishwasher-safe.
