45+ Kitchen Essentials: Must-Have Cooking Tools, Utensils & Gadgets For People Working From Home

These essential cooking tools and must-have kitchen gadgets & utensils will help save you time preparing your favorite recipes and save money at the supermarket while enhancing your epicurean life as a remote worker working from home.

As a former professional chef who’s changed careers and adopted the remote work lifestyle, I can attest that working from home has its benefits.

But one potential downside is that you have to cook your own meals…unless you plan on wasting your entire paycheck on ordering delivery.

That’s why it’s essential to invest in high-quality kitchen essentials, strategic cooking tools and utensils, and excellent epicurean equipment, or else your WFH culinary life could easily become blander than a salt-free saltine.

Because here’s the thing:

Even if you’re a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef like me, these kitchen essentials will undoubtedly make your home cooking life so much simpler and better — because they’ll help you save time in whipping up gourmet meals, make it much easier to cook creative cuisines, and even stretch your budget and save you money in a number of ways.

In this article, we’ll discuss 45+ essential kitchen tools that everyone working from home should own, from food prep basics like a stainless steel mixing bowl set, measuring cups and spoons, to cookware like a nonstick pan set, cast iron grill pan, and a set of baking sheets, and high-quality utensils for putting together epic meals, like good quality knives, metal tongs, a heat-resistant silicone spatula, and a sturdy whisk.

Some of these tools are so life-changing in the kitchen that they even allow you to break some cardinal cheffy rules and still make bomb-ass food. (Lookin’ at you, Instant Pot…).

So, whether you’re a beginner home cook or more accomplished in the kitchen, you’ll be able to elevate your epicurean existence when you invest in these essential cooking tools.

Ready? Let’s dig in!

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What kitchen utensils, gadgets, and tools are essential to cooking at home?

I may have changed careers a decade ago to become a freelance writer, copywriter, and consultant, but as a former personal chef for a pro athlete who cooked in a number of restaurants, I still love to cook.

Just ask my wife, who gets home-cooked bougie breakfasts, lavish lunches, and delectable dinners on the daily. (Although she’s recently told me that pancakes can’t actually be such a regular part of our diet, but I digress.)

The thing is, my passion for cooking has shifted more toward wanting to be able to cook amazing food fast instead of making complex meals, especially since these days I’ve got numerous work-from-home jobs that include SEO consulting clients and article deadlines to manage, and that’s on top of growing this here blog.

Like you, the last thing I wanna be doing on a weeknight is freaking out about dinner at 7:30 when all I really wanna do is unwind and chill with my boo after a long day of staring at screens.

With that out of the way, let’s get into the 45 essential cooking tools, kitchen utensils & gadgets that are must-haves for anyone working from home.

45 Must-Have Kitchen Tools & Essential Cooking Stuff: Equipment, Utensils, Storage & Gadgets

Whether you’re setting up a new kitchen for success or you’re looking to fill in your existing arsenal of kitchen tools, the following list of kitchen gadgets, tools, and cookware will address every possible need you’ll encounter in the kitchen.

1. An Instant Pot

If there’s one piece of kitchen equipment you need to buy, it’s an Instant Pot. This magical little appliance can do it all, from whipping up a whole chicken to whipping up a batch of steel-cut oats for breakfast.

Because the Instant Pot is essentially a pressure cooker with a bunch of other functions built in, like saute, slow-cook, and sterilize, you can pretty much cook anything you need to with this must-have cooking tool.

One might even say that it renders other kitchen items, like a rice cooker, a big pot, and a saute pan, to the non-essentials category, and if you live in a very cramped space with a tiny kitchen, you can definitely get away with using you Instant Pot for virtually everything these other items can do.

I bought one for my mom as a gift so she could try it before I got one myself, and it didn’t take long for her to start raving about it so much that she literally bought one for me the next chance she could.

Not only that, but she also sent over all sorts of Instant Pot accessories, like a special insert for making poached eggs, a cool yogurt maker, a non-stick extra insert pot, and an extra stainless steel insert, to boot.

Needless to say, I’m fully immersed in the Instant Pot universe, and I use my Instant Pot at least once or twice a week. The beauty of this thing is that it cuts down cooking times significantly, especially for those cheap-but-oh-so-delicious pieces of meat that typically need tons of time to be cooked to perfection where they become tender, like flank steak, lamb shanks, and other meats that typically takes hours to braise or roast.

The amount of time I save with the Instant Pot has truly changed my life. Plus, it’s super easy to clean and maintain, and the list of dishes you can make with it is endless.

I just made chili in it last night and it took me less than 45 minutes.

I also love making Cuban-style black beans in there, and I can opt for using the better-tasting, better-textured dry beans without worrying about soaking them overnight, since the Instant Pot’s pressure cook setting can blast them into beany submission in about an hour, pre-soaked or straight out the bag.

That reminds me: Remember when I mentioned that certain kitchen tools on this list allow you to break long-established rules of being a chef?

Check it: Let’s say you really wanted to cook some shredded chicken tacos, but you forget to defrost the chicken breasts.

Well, if you own an Instant Pot, you’re all good. Why?

Because you can literally toss frozen-ass chicken (or any other frozen meat) into the Instant Pot, add a cup or so of broth or stock, season it as you would if it was defrosted, and let ‘er rip in the pressure cook setting for about 20 minutes (consult each recipe accordingly to see the recommended cook times) and it comes out as good as if you had actually let it defrost overnight in the fridge.

As someone who went to culinary school, worked in fine dining, and was a legit pro chef for years, I never imagined I’d be admitting I’ve done this on my own blog, but I’ve forgotten to defrost meat more times than I can remember (memory problems, anyone?), and I’ve been saved from my wife’s and my own hanger by the Instant Pot in every one of these instances.

I recommend a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 one with all the bells and whistles, including a sterilizer setting (great for sterilizing baby bottles, as well as jars if you plan on making your own jams, jellies, or pickles), and trying out your favorite recipes for stews, soups, chili, and other dishes where the cooking typically takes much longer.

The Instant Pot comes with over 800 recipe ideas so you’ll never run out of cooking ideas.

Price: Get yours now for $99.95 with free shipping.

2. Air Fryer

Love fried foods but not the oil and mess that comes along with them? Then you need an air fryer in your life!

This handy little gadget uses hot air to cook food, so you can get all the flavor of fried foods without any of the guilt or extra calories. And cleanup is a breeze, with many air fryer inserts being dishwasher safe – just another reason why an air fryer belongs on this list of kitchen essentials.

While there is an Instant Pot that comes with an air frying function, I personally didn’t think it cooked foods as cook as my standalone air fryer, the Gourmia 7-Quart Air Fryer with Digital Display, another gift from my mom that proved to be highly impactful in the kitchen.

However you currently feel about vegetables, love or hate, an air fryer will immediately improve your relationship with those healthy-yet-polarizing natural delights, especially hearty greens like broccoli and brussels sprouts

Plus, you know when you get fried food for takeout, and when you get home it’s all sad and soggy and gross and you feel like you kinda wasted your money?

Well, an air fryer eliminates all those bad food vibes because it can literally bring dead-ass fried food back to life.

Seriously, just pour your lifeless Cajun fries into the air fryer basket, pop that fried chicken cutlet from your Popeye’s chicken sandwich and place it next to them, and let it all rip in the air fryer for like 2 minutes, and your fries will be good as new, and your chicken will be given a juicy new life, only to be quickly devoured as part of your newly revived sandwich.

Price: Get yours now for $119.99 with free shipping.

3. Rice Cooker

If you’re like me and eat rice at least once a week, then you need a rice cooker. From long-grain white rice and short-grain arborio to aromatic jasmine and basmati, a rice cooker can cook them all to sheer perfection.

Sure, you can cook rice by following the package directions and using a regular pot on your stovetop. But how often does that go right? Usually, you’re left with a sticky, burnt crust on the bottom that’s nearly impossible to scrape off without days of soaking, and what’s left of the cooked rice is often mushy and nasty.

That’s where a rice cooker saves the day. This kitchen gadget takes all the guesswork out of cooking perfect rice, it will never boil over, and it’s super easy to clean too.

Let me address that you can cook rice in the Instant Pot, but if you’re like me, you’ll typically be using your Instant Pot to cook something else that goes with rice like chili, soup, braised meat, or some kind of stew.

Personally, I’m usually using my less-expensive Aroma rice cooker at the same time as the Instant Pot to get perfectly cooked rice for whatever else I’m cooking.

Like the Instant Pot, the rice cooker is more than just a rice cooker, which makes it a versatile companion for your Instant Pot. It comes with a plastic steamer basket insert that can be used to quickly cook up vegetables in the healthiest fashion or to perfectly steam up store-bought frozen dumplings.

I also love that the Aroma rice cooker has a 20-cup capacity for cooked rice (10 cups uncooked), so you can make bulk batches of rice and have enough to last for at least a week.

The best part of having leftover rice is that it’s exactly what you need for making amazing Asian-style fried rice (you can’t make it right with freshly cooked rice), and as someone who worked the wok station in a fine dining Asian fusion restaurant for a few years, I’ve cooked my fare share of the stuff.

I’ve had this $39.99 Aroma rice cooker for years and it has never made a bad batch of rice, so scoop one up for yourself if you love

Price: Get yours now for $39.99.

4. High-Quality Chef’s Knife (or Santoku Knife)

No kitchen is complete without a good chef’s knife. This all-purpose knife can be used for everything from cutting lemon and lime wedges to chopping peppers and onions and slicing meat.

When choosing a chef’s knife, look for one that feels comfortable in your hand and is the right size for your hand. Also, make sure the blade is made of high-quality stainless steel.

I still use my culinary school-issued knife set from 2007 that includes a full set of Messermeister Meridian Elite, which includes a 9-inch chef knife, 7-inch santoku knife, rigid and flexible boning knives, a utility knife, paring knife, serrated break knife, large slicer, and sharpening steel.

While I highly recommend Messermeister Meridian Elite, you can also find other great knives knives from another German manufacturer Wusthof, which makes a great two-piece knife set with an 8-inch chef’s knife and 4-inch utility knife.

A santoku knife is similar to a chef’s knife, but as you can see in the image above, it has a completely different shape and a slightly thinner blade that makes it perfect for slicing and dicing vegetables.

I fell in love with using my santoku over my chef’s knife for a few years, and now I use both equally depending on what I’m cooking and how I feel.

If you do a lot of vegetable cooking, then I definitely recommend investing in a good santoku knife because it will make your food prep life so much easier!

Price: Get your chef’s knife now for $119 or pick up the santoku knife I use, a Messermeister Meridian Elite 7-inch, for $149.95.

5. Cutting Boards

A good cutting board is a kitchen essential, and you can never have too many. I like to have at least two – one for meat and one for everything else.

When it comes to material, I used to prefer wood or bamboo because they’re gentle on knives. But these days, you can score something made sustainably using kitchen plastic scraps and renewable sugarcane that looks chic and feels amazing to work with.

I’m talking about the reBoard from Material Kitchen, perfect for any environmentally conscious home cooks who want to equip their kitchens with something that’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

I love the reBoard in the dark blue-green color “Deep” and the vibrant green known as “Reimagine Justice,” but you might prefer the Sand, Coral, Tide, or the pinkish beige known as “To Pó-Po, with Love.”

The reBoard is 14.75″ long, 10.75″ wide, and 0.375″ thick, perfect dimensions for chopping and slicing whatever you need for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Plus, it’s dishwasher safe, giving it a leg up on its wooden cutting board counterparts.

Price: Get yours now for $35 or 3 for $80.

6. Immersion Blender (a.k.a Hand Blender or Stick Blender)

An immersion blender or hand blender is a must-have kitchen gadget if you like to make soups, sauces, and smoothies.

This handheld blender lets you blend right in the pot or container, including your handy Instant Pot, so there’s less cleanup. And it’s much cheaper than a traditional blender too!

Grab this affordable Cuisinart 2-Speed Immersion Blender that I use because I’ve had mine for years and you don’t really need anything more powerful than this to get the job done.

Price: Get yours now for $49.99

7. Nonstick Pan Set

If you don’t have a nonstick pan, now is the time to invest in one. Nonstick pans are necessary for cooking things like eggs, pancakes, delicate fish filets, and grilled cheese sandwiches – all of which can be difficult to make in a regular pan without sticking.

When choosing a nonstick pan, make sure to get one that is known to be durable, since I can’t tell you how many cheap ones I’ve damaged, broken the handle off of, or scratched to oblivion over the years before I invested in this two-piece set of durable nonstick pans from Anolon.

With an 8-inch and 10-inch nonstick pan set, you’ll be able to make the best omelets, pan-fried fish, and pancakes possible, without the headache of having to scrape off gnarly crusty bits when you’re cleaning up.

Price: Get yours now for $99.95 with free shipping.

8. Vitamix Blender

If you’re as serious about making smoothies, soups, and sauces as I am, then you need a Vitamix blender.

Not only is this blender smart, as in you could hook it up to an app that tells it exactly how you want it to blend, but it also allows you to do things that other blenders can’t, like make the most amazing nut butter ever and grind coffee beans to perfection.

Like me, you may have tried other blenders before, only to have them break when you attempt to make a smoothie with ice cubes, malfunction after a month of use, or simply suck at blending what you want. I’ve gone through more cheap blenders than I care to admit, and I even once invested over $100 in a Ninja blender that broke on me after just a few months.

Because of its price, I was initially hesitant to throw down on the Vitamix. But sometimes there are sales, and I was able to take advantage a couple of years back and treat myself and my wife to a Vitamix A2500 Blender from the Ascent series at a decent discount.

Now that I own one myself, I’m fully onboard that they’re 100% worth the investment, and I’m always amazed by how well they work, including the custom blending functions you can access from the app.

It also helps you save money on certain products, such as expensive nut butters that you can easily make yourself by purchasing less-expensive bags of nuts and literally just tossing them into your Vitamix blender and letting it rip, no added sugar or fats necessary.

It also makes a marvelous chimichurri, pesto, or mole, among countless more recipes that will have you using this thing multiple times a week.

Price: Get yours now for $499.95 with free shipping.

9. Set of Metal Pots and Pans

Every kitchen needs a good set of pots and pans, and I like to have a few different sizes on hand so I can make anything from a small meal for two to a large feast for the whole family.

When it comes to material, I prefer stainless steel because it’s durable and easy to clean, and I avoid aluminum, as it can leach into food.

Thankfully, you can score an entire set of stainless steel cookware with just about everything you need, save for those nonstick ones we talked about earlier – for some reason, those are usually sold separately from the regular metal cookware.

That’s why I invested in the sturdy Anolon Nouvelle Copper 11-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set, and after nearly 6 years of constant, daily use (I am a former chef, after all), these imported cooking tools are proving that they were worth every dollar spent.

The Anolon 11-piece cookware set features:

• a 1.75-quart saucepan with lid
• a 3.5-quart saucepan with lid
• an 8.25-quart stockpot with lid
• an 8-inch skillet
• a 12-inch skillet with lid
• a 3-quart saute pan with lid and helper handle

All the pieces in the set are oven-safe up to a temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, dishwasher-safe, and suitable for all cooktops, including being safe for induction cooktops.

While I noticed some negative reviews on Macy’s about this set, I can’t say I’ve experienced the same issues, and TBH, it sounds like some people were trying to cook stuff in these stainless steel pans that were meant to be cooked in nonstick cookware, like French toast and omelets.

Stainless steel pans need to be heated up without oil, and once they’re hot, oil can be added. If done correctly, the oil will seal the pores of the pan, and the food you cook will not stick if you let something called the Maillard Reaction take place.

This requires a bit of patience, but learning the technique is well worth it for cooking better-tasting food since you can’t get as good of a sear on proteins with nonstick pans as you can with these.

Price: Get yours now for $379.95 with free shipping as of publishing time.

10. KitchenAid Stand Mixer

If you’re into baking and pastry, then the KitchenAid Stand Mixer is an absolute must-have kitchen tool to add to your culinary cache.

With 10 speeds and a 5-quart mixing bowl, I recommend the KitchenAid KSM150PSCG Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer. You can get it in Canopy Green like I did (pictured above), but if Peter Pan’s preferred pigment doesn’t do your decor right, you can find 24 more appealing hues to choose from, like deep red Grenadine, bright orange Tangerine, and cool Glacier Blue.

The KitchenAid Stand Mixer comes with a coated flat beater, a coated dough hook, a 6-wire whip, and a pouring shield, with the flat beater and dough hook being dishwasher-safe.

I treated myself to one of these amazing pieces of kitchen machinery when I got a 10K raise after my first year as Head of Content & SEO at a B2B SaaS company, and it proved to be one of the best gifts for when I started working from home after I was able to escape the 9-to-5 and become my own boss.

Not only does it make the best cookie batters, it also is capable of doing countless other kitchen tasks with its special extra attachments, like a pasta maker, meat grinder, slicer, and other additional add-ons.

You can also score a glass mixing bowl to use with your KitchenAid if that’s your thing.

Price: Get yours now for $749.99 with free shipping.

11. Heat-Resistant Silicone Spatula Set (Better Than Rubber)

A good set of heat-resistant silicone spatulas is a must for any home cook. These versatile tools can be used for everything from stirring a pot to flipping a pancake.

I like to have at least three – one small, one medium, and one large. That way, I’m always prepared for whatever gastronomic adventure comes my way.

This awesome silicone spatula set from U-Taste features four handy silicone/rubber spatulas that are BPA-free, nonstick, and resistant up to a temperature of 600 degrees Fahrenheit, so you won’t have to worry about them melting on your stovetop or dishwasher.

Price: Get yours now for $13.99 to 23.99 depending on the spatula color, with free shipping possible after the order minimum is reached.

12. Stainless Steel Whisk

A whisk is an essential epicurean tool for anyone who likes to cook or bake. It’s perfect for whisking eggs, making sauces, and combining ingredients.

I recommend getting a stainless steel whisk because it’s durable and easy to clean, like the OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk in black.

Price: $11.95

13. Metal Can Opener

A metal can opener is a must-have kitchen gadget for anyone who cooks canned food, which is pretty much everyone.

It’s much easier to use than an electric can opener, and it’s also more durable. I’ve had at least 3 electric can openers break in my lifetime, and maybe it’s just me, but I find that there’s something enjoyably primal about using a handheld can opener when

While I do prefer using dry beans, sometimes canned beans are all I have in the house, and they’re almost just as good when you’re hungry. (Most people wouldn’t notice the difference, anyway.)

Plus, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, and corn are all-star pantry players, and not all of them come with a convenient pop-tab top that renders the can-opener unnecessary.

I recommend getting a can opener that has a wide, sturdy grip, which is why I own the KitchenAid Classic Multifunction Can Opener and Bottle Opener.

If I feel like crackin’ a beer (or root beer) when I’m making chili, I can pop the cap off with the same can opener I use for any canned beans and fire-roasted tomatoes joining the party — and I’ll likely pour some beer into the Instant Pot I’m cooking it in for good measure (and extra flaves, especially if it’s a good dark beer).

Price: Get yours now for $19.99 or less.

14. Serrated Vegetable Peeler

A serrated peeler is a kitchen gadget that I didn’t know I needed until I got one issued to me in my utensils set for Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Compared to regular peelers, it’s an absolute revelation when it comes to peeling fruits and vegetables, especially those with delicate skin, like tomatoes and peaches.

If you do a lot of cooking with fresh produce, then I definitely recommend investing in the serrated peeler I use from OXO Good Grips. It will make your life so much easier because you won’t ever struggle to peel anything again!

Price: Get yours now for $11.99.

15. Stainless Steel Baking Sheets & Bakeware

Every home cook needs a good set of baking sheets and bakeware for roasting veggies, making banana bread, and whipping up molasses cookies, brownies, and other sweet treats. I like to have at least two baking sheets – one for sweets and one for savory stuff – and I use them so much that I just let ‘em live inside my oven.

It’s important to get high-quality, durable baking sheets and bakeware that are easy to clean, which is one of many reasons I opted for the USA Pan Nonstick 6-Piece Essential Bakeware Set.

This set includes everything you need for baking:

• A cookie sheet
• A half-sheet pan
• An 8″ square cake pan
• A 9″ x 13″ rectangular cake pan
• A 1-lb. loaf pan
• A 12-well muffin pan

Price: Get your baking sheets and bakeware set now for $125.95 and up

16. Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

Mixing bowls are another kitchen essential that you can never have too many of. I like to have at least three – one small, one medium, and one large. You can fit them into one another to take up less storage space, and each size mixing bowl is great for preparing different foods.

Stainless steel mixing bowls are my personal favorite because they’re durable and easy to clean, and if need be, you can use them to store food, as well.

If you want to use what I use at home, pick up this set of 5 restaurant-quality stainless steel mixing bowls from Williams-Sonoma, just like the ones I used when working in fancy fine-dining establishments.

The largest one is great for mixing salads with lots of lettuces and leafy greens (and even serving them), or marinating large quantities of meats, fish, or vegetables, while the medium-sized mixing bowls are perfect for making things like berry chicken salad, spicy gochujang cucumber salad with peanuts, and other salads that don’t use leafy greens as the base.

The small mixing bowls are versatile, too, in that they can be used for marinating smaller portions, such as shrimp, or mixing up ingredients for dipping sauces (and then using them to serve those sauces, as well).

Price: Get your mixing bowl set now for just $59.95.

17. Set of Stainless Steel Serving Spoons & Utensils (Slotted Spoon & More)

A quality set of serving spoons and utensils is important for any home cook, and especially those who like to entertain.

I like to have at least a slotted spoon and a regular spoon so I can serve anything from salad to soup, along with a ladle, serving fork, and pasta server, and the Oneida Chef’s Table 8-Piece Serving Set will address all your serving needs.

In the utensil set, you’ll get a:

• 9-inch serve spoon
• 9-inch slotted serving spoon
• 9-inch serve fork
• Pasta server
• Gravy ladle
• Casserole spoon
• Salad server spoon
• Salad server fork

Price: Get your serving utensils set now for just $27.99.

18. Measuring Cups Set

Measuring cups are necessary kitchen items for anyone who likes to cook or bake. While I admit that I typically “eyeball” my measurements in most recipes, there are plenty of chefs who are always precise in their measurements, while many dishes call for the precision that can only come with measuring the ingredients.

Pick up this 4-piece set from OXO Good Grips with stainless steel measuring cups in 1/4-cup, 1/3-cup, 1/2-cup, and 1-cup, all you’ll need for measuring accurately in any recipe.

Then, grab this 32-oz (1-quart / 4-cup) measuring cup for portioning out larger quantities of liquid and dry goods.

Price: Get your set now for just $22.99 and your 32-oz measuring cup for $15.

19. Measuring Spoons

Like measuring cups, measuring spoons are necessary for any home cook who likes to bake and cook with precision. It’s ideal for measuring smaller amounts of ingredients like flour, sugar, spices, and baking powder, or liquids like soy sauce, hot sauce, or sesame oil in marinades and sauce concoctions you create.

I recommend getting a set of stainless steel measuring spoons because they’re durable and easy to clean, like this perfect set containing 7 measuring utensils sized 1/8-tsp, 1/4-tsp, 1/2-tsp, 3/4-tsp, 1-tsp, 1/2-TBSP, and 1-TBSP.

Price: Get your measuring spoon set now for just $19.95.

20. Stainless Steel Tongs

You can use tongs for everything from flipping meat on your cast iron grill pan to serving salad. They’re one of the most versatile kitchen tools out there, and they’re super easy to clean too.

I recommend getting a pair of tongs that are at least 12 inches long like the kind I own, the OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs with Silicone Head. With this perfect pair of stainless steel tongs, you’ll be able to reach into deep pots and pans without burning yourself, and the silicone head ensures you won’t scrape your nonstick cookware’s coated surface and cause damage.

Price: Get your now for $16.99.

21. Instant Read Thermometer

A thermometer is a vital kitchen gadget that can literally save your life. That’s because certain meats must be cooked to a specific internal temperature, and if they don’t reach it, it could potentially cause severe food poisoning.

Having a quality food thermometer is crucial for cooking meat, fish, and poultry to perfection. You’ll also want a good thermometer for baked goods like brownies, as well as for making candies and other confections.

You can buy a different thermometer for each culinary purpose, but instead of wasting money, you can get the best kitchen thermometer on the market in the Thermapen® ONE from ThermoWorks.

With readings in just 1 second flat, it may be the closest thing to a true instant-read thermometer on the market.

It’s also backed by a 5-year warranty, comes in 11 vibrant colors, and has an uncanny temperature accuracy of ± 0.5°F (± 0.3°C), making it the ideal choice for home cooks who want serious precision.

For a lower price, you can get ThermoWorks’ ThermoPop®, which provides accurate temperature readings in 3 to 4 seconds

Price: Get your Thermapen® ONE for $99.99 and up and for a cheaper thermometer alternative, snag a ThermoPop® for just $21.

22. Food Storage Containers

A high-quality set of food storage containers is essential for any home cook who likes to meal prep. They’re perfect for storing chopped fresh ingredients for cooking, leftovers, packed lunch for work or school, and portioning out snacks.

I recommend getting a set of containers that are microwave-safe, freezer-safe, and dishwasher-safe, lids included.

That’s why I recommend this Pyrex Simply Store 18-Pc Glass Food Storage Containers Set, featuring everything you need in a mix of round and rectangle shapes for easily fitting in your fridge or freezer, including:

• (1) 7-Cup round
• (1) 6-Cup rectangle
• (2) 4-Cup round
• (2) 3-Cup rectangle
• (2) 2-Cup round
• (1) 1-Cup round glass container
• Fitted Lids for all 9 containers

Price: Get yours now for just $43.99.

23. Pyrex Bakeware with Storage Lids

A set of Pyrex bakeware is super helpful for any home cook who likes to bake. They’re awesome because you can cook in them, and then pop on perfectly fitted lids for easy storing of your baked goods, casseroles, lasagna, roasted meats/vegetable, and other leftovers.

I recommend getting exactly what I got: this Pyrex Bake and Store 19-Piece Set, featuring a:

• 3-cup rectangular dish
• 3-qt. oblong dish with cover
• 9.5-inch flavor-saver pie plate
• 7-cup round bowl with cover
• 1-cup round bowl
• 8-inch square dish with cover
• 2-cup round bowl
• 4-cup round bowl with cover

Price: Get your Pyrex bakeware and storage set now for just $49.99.

24. Metal Cheese & Vegetable Grater

A good grater is a grate tool for any home cook who likes to make their own sauces, soups, and salads. It’s perfect for grating cheese, slicing veggies uniformly, and grinding nuts into powder for recipes.

I recommend getting this 4-sided metal box grater from OXO because it’s durable, easy to clean, and comes with a storage container that has a non-slip base and measurement markings, and a lid for storing what you grate or slice.

Price: Need a grater that’s greater than the one you got? Grab this one now for $22.99.

25. Salad Spinner

A good salad spinner is vital for any home cook who likes to make their own salads. It’s perfect for washing and drying greens, fruits, and vegetables.

I recommend getting OXO’s salad spinner in either white or my favorite color, green, because it’s both dishwasher-safe and BPA-free, and it comes with a non-slip base so you don’t lose your lettuce leaves all over the linoleum. Plus, the basket can be used as a colander, and the lid comes apart for ease of cleaning.

Price: Get your salad spinner now for just $29.99.

26. Pasta Strainer / Colander

A good colander or strainer is a kitchen essential that every home cook needs. I like to have both because they come in handy for so many different tasks, from draining pasta and canned beans to rinsing fresh fruits and vegetables.

I recently found this gorgeous green collapsible silicone colander from OXO that’s 3.5 quarts, large enough for most home cooks, yet small to store since it folds up flat.

Price: Need a new colander? Grab yours now for just $27.99.

27. Digital Food Scale

A good digital kitchen scale is important for any home cook who likes to bake or follow recipes. It’s perfect for measuring ingredients, portioning out food, and making sure you don’t add too much of something to a recipe.

I recommend getting this 5-lb-capacity food scale because I’ve used it for years and it’s proven to be accurate and durable. If you think you’ll need to weigh out ingredients that are heavier than 5 pounds, get the 11-lb-capacity kitchen scale with a pull-out digital display instead.

Price: Need a new digital food scale? Get this 5-lb-capacity food scale now for just $32.99 or the 11-lb-capacity food scale for just $55.99.

28. Garlic Press

A durable garlic press is great for any home cook who likes to use lots of minced garlic, ginger, and shallots. So if you find yourself cooking lots of Chinese and Thai food or any other cuisine that uses lots of aromatics that are tedious to peel and chop, this could be a huge time-saving kitchen tool.

I recommend OXO’s garlic press which is made with die-cast zinc and has a massive chamber for crushing cloves, fresh ginger root, earthy shallots, or anything else you find yourself pulverizing in the kitchen. It’s also easy to clean – just flip it around and rinse it to get any extra bit outta there.

Price: Get your garlic press now for just $18.99.

29. Microplane Zester & Grater

Microplane is like the Kleenex or Band-Aid of kitchen tools because chefs refer to it by brand name versus what it actually is: a handheld stick-like zester and grater that’s perfect for home cooks who find

themselves grating cheese, zesting lemon, lime, and other citrus fruits, and grating ginger often.

And believe me, once you start zesting lemon into your pancake batter, lime into dipping sauces, and orange into your salad dressings, you’ll see why having a Microplane truly levels up your kitchen game.

Available in 24 cool colors, the perfect Microplane zester for you is the one in your favorite hue, and I recommend the Retro Green, Turquoise, or Ombre ones for ultimate style.

Price: Get your Microplane zester now for just $15.99.

30. Ice Cube Tray

Ice isn’t just for coffee, cocktails, and frosty beverages — sometimes you need it to “shock” foods that you blanch so that you stop them from what chefs call “carryover cooking,” and sometimes you need to quickly cool down veggies that you steam so that you can use them in a cold recipe.

If your refrigerator doesn’t have a built-in ice maker, then you’ll want to invest in a good ice cube tray or two to make your own.

I recommend getting what I have, this silicone ice cube tray set with lids from glacio, because silicone trays are more versatile than a traditional tray set, the lids keep the water from spilling out of the tray when you fill it up before freezing it, and you can easily pop frozen cubes from the tray without any hassle.

Plus, a silicone ice cube tray comes in handy for all sorts of other cool culinary projects, from freezing herbs to making ice cubes out of strong coffee and stock.

Price: Get your set of silicone ice cube trays now for just $15.99.

31. Chopper Tool

Lots of chefs would say that a chopper is not an essential kitchen tool because you can chop anything you want with your knives, and “real chefs” don’t use chopping tools.

Still, most home cooks aren’t classically trained chefs with years of restaurant experience like me, and that’s exactly why the chopper tool is a crucial kitchen tool for almost everyone else.

For those who don’t have serious knife skills and don’t wanna spend time slicing strawberries or take a chance at chopping off their fingers for the sake of cutting cucumbers, this handy kitchen gadget can save you time behind the cutting board and in the emergency room having your fingertip sewn back on after a mishap.

Fun fact: I once chopped off the tip of my thumb while working at a mediocre restaurant, long before going to culinary school and learning how to safely use sharp, big-ass knives.

It was a veeeeery tiny bit, thank goodness, but still, it was quite gruesome, mostly so because I was making a buffalo chicken wrap at the time, the spicy sauce only being a slightly less vibrant shade than my gushing blood.

A server who I only knew as Fluffy stepped up and drove me to urgent care right away to get fixed up, and to this day one of my thumbs has a flatter edge to it than the other. If we ever meet, I’ll let you see if you can spot it.

In order to avoid a fate similar to novice knife handler Erik, I recommend getting this manual chopper tool from OXO. It’s easy to use, affordable, and comes up clutch for all sorts of tasks, from chopping vegetables for stir fry to making salsa and soup.

It also helps when chopping pesky ingredients like nuts that want to shoot all across your cutting board and fly onto the floor, as the chopper keeps everything contained underneath its sharp stainless steel blade that rotates after each press.

Price: Need a nice new chopper tool? Get yours now for just $22.99.

32. Other Useful Kitchen Knife Set – Paring Knife + Utility Knife + Serrated Bread Knife

In addition to a chef’s knife and a santoku knife, there are a few other kitchen knives that are very useful for any home cook. These include a paring knife, a bread knife, and a prep or utility knife.

I like to have a set of high-quality kitchen knives because they make prep work so much easier and more enjoyable. And when you’re working from home trying to balance cooking with meeting deadlines, running your own small and growing business, and maintaining a happy family, easy is always better!

That’s why I’m a fan of the Zwilling Four Star 7-Piece Set with Self-Sharpening Knife Block. The set comes with:

• 4-inch paring
• 5-inch serrated utility
• 5.5-inch fine-edge prep
• 8-inch chef’s knife
• 8-inch bread knife
• kitchen shears
• self-sharpening block

The self-sharpening block keeps blades sharper, and any chef will tell you that sharper = safer.

A dull knife is more apt to slip and do serious damage with its blunter blade, whereas a super-sharp blade will cut through anything like butta, giving you more control and less unpredictability.

Plus, it ensures knives are inserted correctly so that there’s no chance of messing up your nice new blades.

Price: Score this set now on sale for 61% off the regular price of $769 at just $299 for a limited time.

33. Cast Iron Grill Pan

A grill pan is a perfect kitchen essential if you love grilled food but don’t have an outdoor grill (or the weather is too cold for outdoor grilling).

Cast iron grill pans are my personal favorite because they heat evenly and retain heat well. Plus, they add those gorgeous grill marks to meats, bread, and veggies that we all love. Get this basic cast iron grill pan from a trusted cast iron purveyor, Lodge, perfect for any cooking surface and oven safe.

Price: Get yours for just $19.80.

34. French Press Coffee Maker

If you’re a coffee lover, then you need a French press coffee maker. This kitchen gadget makes the perfect cup of coffee, and it’s so much cheaper than going to a coffee shop.

To use a French press, simply add coarsely ground coffee beans and hot water to the carafe, wait a few minutes, then press down on the plunger to filter out the coffee grounds. It’s that easy, and if you’ve never tried it before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

It’s all quite therapeutic to slowly press down on your French press when your coffee is finished brewing.

I recently discovered a great budget French press from Ikea called the Upphetta made with heat-resistant glass and stainless steel with some plastic parts, and I like it way more than the all-plastic one I had I paid twice as much for and broke after two months.

So far the budget Ikea French press has held up nicely, and you’d think it would because it’s made of heat-resistant glass and stainless steel. I even bought a backup last time I went to Ikea in person just in case my first one ever breaks because they’re so damn cheap.

The only thing is the clean up — I have to use a spatula or wooden spoon (whichever isn’t in the dishwasher at the moment) to scrape out the coffee grinds into my touchless garbage can because coffee grounds are among the things you shouldn’t put in a garbage disposal.

To make French press cleanup a breeze, OXO decided to up the ante by creating a glass and stainless steel French press with a GroundsLifter, a device that works like a squeegee to suction out the leftover grinds and make dealing with clumpy leftover grounds a thing of the past.

Price: Get your Ikea Upphetta now for just $12.99 or snag your upgraded OXO Good Grips 8-cup French press with GroundsLifter for $41.99..

35. Coffee Grinder

If you use a French press coffee maker, a coarse grind is necessary for best results, and you won’t be able to buy pre-ground coffee that’s as coarsely ground as you’ll need.

That’s where a good coffee grinder comes into play, and I recommend getting something made for coffee that won’t get jammed up like the small ones I used to use. These days, I like the Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill Grinder for serious coffee drinkers like me. It’s easy to use, you can choose from 18 different grind settings, from ultra-fine to extra-coarse, to find your perfect texture for the best brew ever.

Price: Get your grinder now for $59.95.

36. Wooden Utensils Set (Spoons, Spatula, Etc.)

A set of wooden spoons and spatulas is a must-have for any kitchen. These utensils are perfect for flipping and serving food, and they’re much gentler on your cookware than metal utensils while still being super sturdy.

When choosing a wooden spoon and spatula set, make sure to get one that is made of high-quality wood. I like these beechwood utensils from OXO Good Grips because they’re durable and look beautiful. The 3-piece set comes with a regular and slotted spoon and a turner/spatula.

Price: Get yours now for just $16.99.

37. Set of Reusable Washable Dish Rags

A set of reusable dish rags is a kitchen essential. These dish rags are perfect for cleaning up spills and messes, and they’re much better for the environment than paper towels.

I like to get my dish rags in a set of 24 to 48 because it’s always handy to have a few on hand. Plus, they’re usually cheaper that way too!

Get this set of 40 12×12-inch white kitchen rags and see how much you save by using much fewer paper towels which are always expensive.

Price: Stop wasting money on paper towels and get this set of 40 kitchen rags for just $24.99 (cheaper than a 10-pack of Bounty paper towel rolls)

38. Fine Mesh Strainer / Sieve

A fine mesh strainer is an essential culinary tool for anyone who loves to cook or bake and it’s essential for lots of refined gourmet dishes.

This 8-inch stainless steel strainer from OXO Good Grips is perfect for sifting flour, sugar, and spices. It’s also great for straining soups and sauces and washing rice, quinoa, and other grains.

Plus, if your colander is in use or in the dishwasher, you can use your strainer to wash any fruit and vegetable when you return from the market.

I particularly like that it has a cushy handle because I used to have one with a metal handle and it wasn’t as easy on the hands. So they don’t call it “Good Grips” for nothing.

Price: Snag your stainless steel strainer with a soft handle now for just $21.99.

39. Touchless Sensor Kitchen Trash Can

A touchless kitchen trash can is a must-have for any home cook in the times we’re living in. This trash can is perfect for keeping your hands and trash can clean when you’re cooking.

I like touchless kitchen trash cans because they’re easy to use and they’re more hygienic than traditional trash cans, and this 58-liter rectangular sensor trash can from simplehuman is the best you can get. The motor is whisper-quiet, plus it now comes with voice and motion controls, as well as a special refillable odor absorbent pod.

Price: Get your touchless sensor trash can now for just $300.

40. An Amazing Spice Collection

If you’ve ever talked to me about food and cooking, then you know I’m absolutely obsessed with spices. I’ve been ordering spices online for more than a decade, I’ve written articles about essential spice blends and spice subscription sets for BuzzFeed, and I have no problem licking seasoning off the palm of my hand in front of other people. (When you gotta taste, you gotta taste.)

Now that that’s out in the open, let me tell you about this awesome spice set from The Spice House known as the Best of Spice House Collection. This company is based in Chicago and has been around since 1957, originally owned by the Penzey family that also owns competitor Penzeys Spices.

This premium spice set features essential one-off spices such as ground Saigon cassia cinnamon, Tellicherry black peppercorns, granulated garlic, Hungarian sweet paprika, sumac, smoked Spanish sweet paprika, and ground cumin seed, along with the brand’s signature international spice blends that make it so freakin’ easy to whip up gourmet cuisines from around the world.

These blends include Lake Shore Drive shallot & herb seasoning, Gateway to the North maple garlic seasoning, Vulcan’s Fire Salt, Chipotle Garlic Barbecue Blend, Salmon Seasoning, Spiced Vanilla Sugar, Peri Peri Mozambique Blend, everything bagel, sweet curry, Garam Masala, Brisket of Love Barbecue Rub, Carne Asada seasoning, Greektown Mediterranean seasoning, Shawarma Seasoning, and Jamaican Jerk seasoning, giving you an internationally inspired array of options for easy dinners every night of the week.

Price: Get your Best of Spice House Collection now for just $200 (or $185 in flatpacks instead of glass jars).

41. Cold Brew Coffee Maker

If you love coffee but have a sensitive stomach like me, then cold brew may just be the solution. With less acidity, cold brew coffee is easier on the digestive system, and a solid cold brew coffee maker is the key to getting the perfect cup every morning.

When I reviewed cold brew coffee makers for BuzzFeed, I had the opportunity to test out about a dozen different models at various price points, and some performed way better than others.

Out of all the models, nothing came close to the KitchenAid cold brew coffee maker in terms of quality coffee taste and ease of use and cleaning, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a nice cup of iced coffee to start the day, get through the afternoon, or power through an all-nighter.

Its stainless steel steeper basket and handle and glass brew jar are nicely constructed, and the spigot lets you serve yourself cold brew coffee on tap from the fridge or countertop.

Price: Get yours today for $89.99

42. Baking Pin

A baking pin or rolling pin is necessary for anyone who plans on working with dough while also working from home.

This straight baking pin is made of maple, giving it a lovely look, and it has a precision feel that allows you to roll your dough to an even thickness.

Price: Get your baking pin now for $19.95

43. Silicone Baking Mat

When baking cookies and certain pastries, as well as other oven-cooked treats like parmesan crisps, a silicone baking mat is one of the best cooking tools you can have.

Why? Because nothing will stick to it, it’s heavier and easier to use than parchment paper, it’s reusable pretty much forever, and it allows you to get creative with heat and melty foods in fun ways (here’s lookin’ at you, homemade Cheez-Its).

Enhance your oven options with this 11.5-in x 16.5-in silicone baking sheet from OXO Good Grips that fits perfectly in a half-size baking sheet (a.k.a. a half sheet pan).

Price: Get it now for just $21.99

44. PUR Water Dispenser

Drinking enough water is crucial when you’re working from home, and it’s oh-so-easy to forget. On top of having a refillable water bottle, I also recommend getting a PUR Water Dispenser so that you don’t have to worry about drinking foul-tasting tap water that may be laden with stuff you’d rather not drink.

The 44-cup model is the largest one you can get, and it allows you to fill it less frequently while having clean purified water to drink whenever you need it (which is pretty much constantly throughout the day, all day, every day).

Price: Get yours now for just $49.99.

45. Silicone Oven Mitt and Potholder Set

A good pair of silicone oven mitts is essential for any home cook who likes to bake. They’re perfect for protecting your hands from the heat when you’re taking things in and out of the oven.

I recommend getting a pair of mitts that are both heat-resistant and waterproof. That way, you’ll be protected from any spills or splatters!

Price: $19.99

Best Kitchen Essentials and Must-Have Cooking Tools, Gadgets & Utensils for People Who Work From Home: Wrapping it Up

And there you have it!

If you work from home, these 45+ essential kitchen tools, cooking gadgets, utensils, and equipment will transform your home cooking from eh to extraordinary while sparing you from the savings-suck of mediocre delivery food.

Start with the most important staples like an Instant Pot, a set of pots and pans, nonstick included, and a great kitchen knife. Then, add in other vital kitchen items like a rice cooker, a grater, a Microplane for lemon and lime zest, and a digital food scale for portioning out your ingredients.

With the right kitchen tools and equipment, you’ll be able to prepare restaurant-quality meals with ease while saving countless hours of having to be hands-on while cooking.

Plus, you’ll also be able to stretch your dollars even more at the market since you can buy cheaper cuts of meat and make them fall-off-the-bone tender in the Instant Pot, and you can store food longer in airtight Pyrex bowls.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope this list of vital kitchen tools, gadgets, and utensils gives you the inspiration to transform your home cooking life while living the remote work lifestyle!