Giving your kitchen a facelift can do more than provide a nice aesthetic experience to walk into every day. Stocking your kitchen with the best cookware, decorations and necessities on the market can inspire you to experiment with your recipes, host more dinner parties or even be the secret to getting yourself to spend less money on takeout.
That being said, walking into a kitchen store can be a bit intimidating. It seems like there is truly an appliance for every niche cooking style and dish, from shaped waffle makers to fancy ice makers and specialty mini griddles made specifically for breakfast sandwiches. With so many options out there, it can be hard to know what will truly transform your kitchen for the better and what will simply create unnecessary clutter.
You may already have your eye on a few must-haves, like ceramic non-stick pans, a high-quality knife set, or a fancy new air fryer. In addition to those essentials, here are a few more things you must put on your wishlist if you’re looking to transform your kitchen into a cooking haven:
1. Ceramic Non-Stick Pans
If you haven’t already switched to ceramic non-stick pans, we’ll be honest: you don’t know what you’re missing. These game-changing tools will not only make your cooking easier by preventing sticking and burning but also help you cut calories because you don’t need to use oil with them. Ceramic non-stick pans will also help you avoid the toxic chemicals emitted with other cookware materials.
Plus, ceramic non-stick pans come in various fun colors, so not only will you get a pan that makes cooking much easier, but you’ll get something that looks good in your kitchen and elevates your mood when you’re cooking your early morning eggs.
2. A Great Set of Knives
If you’re even the most amateur of cooks, upgrading your knife set to something sharp, sturdy and durable is an absolute must. It’s not an exaggeration to say a great set of knives will completely change the way you cook. It can even increase the amount of enjoyment you get out of the process of cooking.
If you want to start slow and invest in a few staples at a time, experts recommend at least getting a high-quality serrated knife, chef’s knife and paring knife. These three knives will not only make chopping, peeling and cutting so much easier, they’ll ensure you’re staying safe, as the old saying really is true: a dull knife is a deadly knife.
3. Seasoning, Chopping, and Handy Materials
How many times have you found yourself squeezing a dozen limes by hand, peeling a handful of potatoes or smashing garlic by hand and wishing you had some sort of magic tool to help speed along the process? While not necessary, there are so many helpful tools on the market nowadays to take the pain and effort out of those pesky prep steps.
Examples include potato peelers, electric handheld whisks, lemon/lime squeezers, avocado scoopers, and apple peelers. These fun items are great to put on your list if you’re having a housewarming party or moving into a new space after a wedding. They may even make some of the most annoying parts of cooking enjoyable!
4. A Designated Kitchen Speaker or TV
If you’re lucky enough to put a small TV in your kitchen, you should try to do so – especially if you love to entertain, have people over or even just cook or bake alongside your friends and family. This TV can be used for so much more than just catching up on your favorite show. At the same time, you wait for your pasta to cook – use your kitchen TV to follow instructional cooking YouTube videos, play music or music videos or even simply put on a photo slideshow to add to the mood of your party or special night.
If that’s not your style, purchase a wireless speaker you can use to play tunes while you cook or even catch up on your favorite podcast to pass the time while you do all the prep work.
While some people prefer to keep TVs, phones or speakers out of the kitchen as much as possible to create more of a peaceful family space, you can work with these things to add to your events and nights in a special way.
5. One Gadget to Replace Them All
Air fryers are one of the hottest kitchen appliances on the market right now, and it’s easy to see why. Not only do they crisp food without the unhealthy oils traditional frying requires, they also virtually eliminate the need for toasters or toaster ovens, which can ultimately save you money and space in the long run.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, anything that makes cooking easier and more enjoyable is going to completely transform the experiences you have in your kitchen. Investing in a few big and small tools to make this a reality will set you up for tastier meals, less headaches and more quality time with the people you love.