While you might think you need a big set that covers all sizes and shapes of pots and a whole bunch of pans, what do you REALLY need? Examining these cabinets once again had me purging and questioning…What are the most essential pots and pans?
Essential tools you need more of
- 12-inch slope-sided skillet (The sloped sides make it possible to “flip” veggies just by shaking the pan a certain way…my son’s favorite kitchen skill! You either need two of these OR just 1 plus a 10.5-inch slope-sided skillet. I never have a clean skillet when I need it!)
- 2 glass 8×8 baking dishes (You might even want 3!)
- 2 or more loaf pans (Metal or glass doesn’t matter but if you bake any breads, you need at least 2)
- 3 nesting glass mixing bowls with their top edges flush (Pyrex makes a great set of these)
- 2 lipped “baker’s half” sheets or jelly-roll pans (I prefer the insulated ones like Airbake to guard against burning foods on the bottom.)
- 3 non-stick cooling racks (Stacking ones that collapse are best use of storage space but whether it’s cookies or potatoes halves or chicken breasts, it’s great to have something where you can lay things out to cool faster.)
- Silicone baking sheets (You need one for every baker’s half sheet! Super easy clean-up!)
Only need one but it’s a “must have”
- 1-quart (small) saucepan with lid
- 2-quart (medium) saucepan with lid (Big enough to boil 1 dozen eggs!)
- 1 gallon or 5-quart dutch oven (Really this is just a big saucepan with two handles sort of like a soup pot, but a soup pot is generally bigger and all metal…I find that harder to clean if you’re browning anything in it.) (BTW, I prefer Teflon or any other kind of non-stick cookware for most of my pots and pans…less work in the cleanup!)
- 8-inch skillet (Great for fried eggs in the morning or a single burger or chicken breast!)
- 11.5-inch 3.5- to 4-inch deep skillet with lid (This holds about the same as the dutch oven but in a little different formation. If it’s okay for the contents to be “stacked,” the dutch oven is fine. If you want to lay out several chicken breasts flat so they are browned, use this deep skillet so you can add veggies once the meat is cooked.)
- Glass 11×15 baking dish
- Glass 9×13 baking dish
- Glass 8×11 baking dish (Pyrex and Anchor Hocking make some glass baking dishes with plastic covers. I learned by experience it’s best to wash the covers by hand to make them last longer.)
- 2-quart Corningware dish (These are deeper than the glass baking dishes for those times when you want a casserole to stay more moist.)
Ask yourself – “Would I really use these?”
I no longer bake (except for Hawaiian banana bread) so I’ve gotten rid of a lot of baking things, but if you bake, great…this list includes at least the basics.
- Small roasting pan (Mine is blue with white speckles and I’ve seen many like this. Great for roasting potatoes but not big enough for a large bird of course.)
- 2 metal cake pans
- 2 metal pie tins
- 1 deep dish glass pie plate (These can be used for certain casseroles as well!)
- Muffin tins (metal or silicon, mini or standard)
- “Bake and take” metal baking pan 9×13 with top
The best kitchen tool I ever bought
Don’t miss the most important tool here that is almost hidden! It’s the incredible roll-out drawers that let me access even the tools in the back of the cabinet without killing my back! (I got mine at Aldi for $20 each…they come around once a year usually in December.) This might be an item you want to save until you’re in your own home though.
That’s a monster list…and as you can see by my photos, I need to replace or update a couple of things. But having the right tools can make all the difference in the world. Start assessing and filling in the gaps in your cooking “toolkit” today!
Check out more essential tools…
