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First Apartment Kitchen Essentials: Everything You Actually Need (and Nothing You Don't)
14
items Everything a first kitchen actually needs and nothing it doesn't. Built for college kids, new grads, and anyone starting from an empty cabinet. One good version of each thing, at prices that make sense for a first place.
Sections
4
Cook
Prep
Store and Serve
Read on the Blog
Cook
Four pieces of cookware cover almost every recipe.
The one pan that will outlive the apartment. Under $25, goes from stovetop to oven, and gets better the more you use it.
Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, PFAS-Free
The eggs-and-pancakes pan. Restaurant-grade nonstick for about $30, and it's the one most test kitchens pick over fancier brands.
Tramontina 10-Inch Non Stick Frying Pan
Pasta, rice, soup, and boxed mac and cheese all happen in this pot. The lid matters; buy the one that comes with it.
Cuisinart MCP194-20N MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel
Roasted vegetables, sheet pan dinners, cookies, reheating pizza. Buy two if there's room; they stack.
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet
Prep
One good knife and the basics that make cooking faster.
Skip the knife block. One sharp chef's knife does 90 percent of the work, and this is the one culinary schools hand out. Around $45 and it lasts decades.
Victorinox 8 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, Black
One for raw meat, one for everything else. Dishwasher safe, with a juice groove that actually catches juice.
OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Plastic Cutting Board Set
Mixing bowls that double as serving bowls and storage. Glass, so they go in the microwave and don't stain from tomato sauce.
Pyrex Sculpted (3-Pack) Glass Mixing Bowls Set
Beans, tomatoes, and soup all come in cans. This one cuts without leaving a sharp edge, and it won't break in a year like the cheap ones.
OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener
Store and Serve
Leftovers, lunches, and plates that don't chip.
Cook once, eat three times. Glass reheats cleanly, the lids snap, and they stack in a small fridge. This is how a first apartment eats well on a budget.
Glass Food Storage Containers 10 Pack
Plain white plates that don't chip, don't weigh a ton, and look fine when you start hosting. Six place settings in one box.
Corelle Winter Frost White Dinnerware Set
Read on the Blog
Beginner-friendly cooking basics from Wholesome Family Meals.
Learn these eleven and you can cook without a recipe. Start with searing and roasting, since that's what the skillet and sheet pan are for.
11 Essential Cooking Techniques Every Home Cook Should Know
Crowding the pan, not salting the water, cold butter. The mistakes everyone makes the first year, and the quick fixes.
11 Common Cooking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
If you add one appliance later, make it a slow cooker. These are the dinners that come home to a full apartment and an empty effort meter.
10 Best Crockpot Dinners for Busy Families
Lunches that survive a backpack and a shared office fridge. Cheaper than buying lunch by the second week.
20 Mason Jar Meal Prep Ideas for Easy Work Lunches