5 Best Kitchen Essentials For Your New Home When You Move
Whether you’re moving out on your own or moving into a new home with someone else. The kitchen is going to be the most important room to get right first. So, I want to look at the best kitchen essentials for your new home with a basic kitchen essential guide.
Where possible you want to dodge living on takeaways for days, weeks, or months on end. The quicker you can fill your pantry and fridge with food. Then get to the kitchen essentials that you need to start preparing meals the better.
The list below is not exhaustive, but you really should have these ready to be unpacked from the first moving box. Or at least gone to the shops and bought what you need to start cooking in the kitchen straight away.
Best kitchen essentials for a new home
Kitchen Knives and Kitchen Cutlery
First on the list is kitchen knives. Without at least a decent chef’s knife you won’t be able to prep meats or vegetables for cooking.
You also want to have a set of cutlery that you can use to eat with. There is nothing worse than making a nice spaghetti bolognese on the first night. Only to find you have to eat it with your fingers because you can’t find your cutlery.
If you haven’t already got the knife set sorted, you can pick up a set cheaply at most local supermarkets.
Also, if you are unpacking boxes, a decent sharp knife can be used for cutting tape.
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Chef’s Knife
For a chef’s knife, I’d recommend that – MOSFIATA 8″ Super Sharp chefs Knife– Priced well, at $27.99. Comes with a finger guard and knife sharpener. Made from German high carbon Stainless steel. Available from Amazon.
Cutlery set
A cutlery set- You need folks, knives, and spoons to eat with. I’d go with something like the SANTUO 20 piece silverware set for 4. Made from dinning stainless steel flatware. You’ll have everything you need for $22.99 for the set. Available from Amazon.
Cutting board
Being able to prep on a decent cutting board is a great way to protect your kitchen cabinet tops. Also, it’s the most hygienic way of prepping food before cooking. You have a couple of options here :
Wooden cutting board
The most popular and my favorite. They are the most durable and hard-wearing, as well as hygienic to prep food on. Just remember to wipe them off after each prep session. You do not want to cross-contaminate your food.
Plastic boards
Still ranks high for hygiene. They are on the cheaper end, they will almost always show scuff and cutting marks pretty quickly. So can look a little tacky.
Bamboo and rubber
These types of cutting boards are on the lower end hygiene-wise. They are also suited for anyone on a limited budget.
Depending on how you prep your food, might mandate you needing a few different sizes. Also, you can always use one for red meats and one for white meats.
Nb: I hate glass cutting boards. They are gimmicky at best and have no place in your kitchen.
Recommended
I love the Sonder Los Angeles Acacia wood cutting board. Its thick design, with a juice groove, which catches meats runoff. It’s a little pricey at $59.95 available from Amazon, but it’s so worth it.
Frying pans + Saucepans
Being able to put your hands straight on your favorite frying pan is a huge help, for getting back into a routine. If you are like me, you might have a few different types and sizes of pans.
Egg Frying Pan
Imagine it being only half unpacked and it’s early morning. Nothing better than whipping up bacon and eggs, or a 3-egg omelet.
For the best egg frying pan you really want a nice-sized non – stick egg pan. Never go too big with your egg pan as it makes it difficult for cooking eggs overheat. A good size egg pan is about eight inches.
Heat-resistant material like Aluminium made is perfect for even heat distribution. They won’t overheat quickly. You can throw them into the oven if you want to keep what you’ve cooked warm.
If you have the budget to spend. You can for something like a granite-ceramic alloy nonstick pan. They are becoming quite popular. The beauty of a non-stick egg pan is you can quickly whip up multiple batches pretty quickly.
Also, the right style of egg pan is very easy to clean.
I love the Gothan Steel Mini Egg and Omelet pan from Enson, available from Amazon for $9.95.
Fish Frying pan
Who doesn’t like a seared crispy-skinned salmon? A decent fish frying pan is usually a heavy-bottomed iron pan or stainless-steel pan. They heat up evenly, preventing hot spots that will cook your fish unevenly.
Before cooking fish make sure your oil is hot enough, that way it won’t stick to the pans.
A perfect pan from Amazon is the Wilton Armetale Gourment Grillway gill pan for $38
Cast-iron Skillet
One of my favorite pans to cook with. A heavy cast-iron skillet will be many thinkers and heavier than your other frying pans. If I could only have one pan to use, it would be a cast-iron skillet.
I love searing a decent piece of rump steak, on my cast iron. Then lowering the heat to let it cook, as a cast-iron skillet will keep the heat a lot longer.
I prefer a smaller size cast iron skillet something the nine Inch Le Creuset enameled cast-iron skillet for $149.85. Yes, it’s expensive you can get cheaper, but it’s recent quality and will go the distance.
Standard frying pan
I also keep a standard size standard frying pan that I can cook things in. Usually, a bigger big size can handle pasta dishes or stir-fries. For the standard pan, I like the Blue Diamond cookware nonstick ten inch from Amazon for $19.88.
Saucepans
Make sure you have on hand at least one size saucepan with a lid. It becomes really easy to boil some pasta or veges for a quick meal. Something like the Carote 2-Quart saucepan with a glass lid for $13.99.
Toaster and Jug
Want eggs on toast and a nice coffee to start the day. Then you need to make sure you can plug in your toaster and jug (unless you have a stovetop jug).
I keep a 4-slice toaster on hand, but if you are on a budget a 2-slice toaster is fine. Make sure you get something that has a wide mouth as well, you might want to toast up some English muffins or thick-cut raisin bread.
For a decent jug that will boil water consistently and will last. I am a fan of Breville but go with your budget on this. Anywhere from $10 and up will get you into something that will boil water.
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Essential kitchen tools
Don’t forget you will need some prep tools on hand as well. I’d recommend at least the following
- Grater
- Peeler
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
Usually, kitchen tools like these are thrown into the second draw under the cutlery draw. It doesn’t matter if you have a full kitchen tool draw or not. Take your time to add to them as you go.
The wash-up
So as far as kitchen essentials for your new home. The above five items should be able to get you out of trouble for at least the first few days to a few weeks.
You can always add to your kitchen equipment as you settle in over the long term. So, work out your budget and stick to it. Cake baking tins or woks can be added as your plan to cook those types of meals.
Now the above is your starter kitchenware tools list. Planning for food is a very different story I will cover that later.
Just remember there is no other room that will get used as consistently as your kitchen. It usually gets the most foot traffic as well as the place where everyone will congregate.
Take the time and set it up how you really want it.
