What are my favorite things in my kitchen? I am asked all the time what things I use in my kitchen that I love and what things I couldn’t live without! So here is a list of my favorite small appliances, pots, pans and a few more kitchen essentials!
I have shelves full of small appliances. Some I love, one I hate (here’s looking at you Instant Pot) and some are just plain handy! So here is my list of favorite small appliances along with my pots and pans!
Slow Cooker
I am asked all the time what Slow Cooker I have. Should I admit that I have 4!? They range from super pricey (All-Clad brand) to just a cheaper version you can pick up at most big box stores. And guess what one I love? The cheaper one I got at Walmart!
I love this slow cooker because it’s easy to use (nothing to program and nothing digital) and heats evenly without hot spots!
One of our favorite slow cooker meals is my Slow Cooker French Dip or Pork Chops in the Slow Cooker!
Food Processor
I think a kitchen essential is a good food processor! Mine is nothing fancy but blends up and purée’s fabulously! It is perfect for fresh salsa and making sauces and jams!
My boys favorite salsa recipe is made in my food processor (also can be made in blender)!
Air Fryer
Kitchen Favorites can’t be mentioned without the one thing I could not live without! I LOVE my Air Fryer! It is probably one of my most loved things I have in my kitchen! I have a smaller one and a bigger one and they fry food so crispy with out frying food! Mine is simple (everything I have is pretty simple and nothing super fancy) and easy to use! No rotating rotisserie options, no racks and shelves…just a simple basket! Get an air fryer, you won’t regret it! It will for sure become one of your kitchen favorites!
My boys love this air fryer too, and they all know how to use it! They love to cook frozen chicken nuggets, frozen fries and tater tots, pizza rolls, bagel bites, mozzarella sticks and taquitos (try my yummy Cream Cheese and Chicken Taquitos) or try my Air Fryer Chicken Fingers!
Here is my air fryer! I have the 7 quart and the same one in a 3 quart!
Blender
Every Kitchen needs a blender! I love my Ninja! It blends well (even ice) and it is sturdy and we have had it for years! We don’t have any of the fancy attachments and I don’t think I will ever need them or want them!
Try this tasty Restaurant Style Salsa in your blender!
Stand Mixer
Of course I have a Kitchenaid! Every kitchen needs a good stand mixer! It mixes up everything well from bread dough, cookie dough and frosting! It does all the hard work of kneading bread dough and you can whip up recipes so much faster than doing it by hand!
Mine is actually white (not exactly what is pictured). They now have such cute colors out and mixing bowls that I am tempted to upgrade! I don’t have any attachments but the pasta maker is the first one I would buy!
Sheet Pans (Half Sheet Pans)
Have you tried my Peanut Butter Fingers, Banana Bars, Sheet Pan Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin Bars or Sheet Pan Fajitas? These are just a few of the recipes I have on the blog that use a half sheet pan! Here are the sheets pans I have and love! I also have a sheet pan that came with a rack that I bake my Chicken Wings on!
A good sturdy sheet pan is a necessity in your kitchen!
I also have a lid for my sheet pans. I love using this lid when I have sheet pan cakes that I don’t want the frosting coming off on the foil! If you don’t have one, you need one! You can buy it in a set!
Look at these tasty sheet pan recipes!
Roasting Pan
A good sturdy Roasting pan is a must have! I use mine all the time for my yummy Roast in the Oven! I recently bought a new one that is non-stick. (My old one had a non-tick surface that I hated). This is my new one and so far I love it! In my opinion a non-stick pan is not good for a roasting pan because you have to be careful to not scratch the surface (which I did, so I needed a new one)!
Here is a look at my yummy Roast in the Oven! You need to try it!
Pots and Pans
Every kitchen needs a good set of pots and pans! I am pretty basic with kitchen things. I don’t need to have the fanciest or most expensive pots and pans! As long as it cooks evenly, and does the job then I am sold!
My Kitchenaid pots and pans are simple but awesome! They are not non-stick, they are solid and cook evenly. I love the glass lids so I can see the food cooking and simmering! (The handles on my set are a bit different than these pictured. These are a newer set.)
I hate non-stick skillets except when I am making scrambled eggs, omelets, or grilled cheese! That is about the only time I like a non-stick skillet! Mine is nothing fancy but it works!
Griddle
You have to have a griddle in your kitchen! This one of my favorite small appliances that I don’t use often but is a necessity! Mine, once again, is nothing fancy! But it heats evenly, and does what it needs to do! Mostly I use mine for pancakes! Try my Homemade Pancake recipe! It is delicious and is made with simple ingredients you have in your kitchen…and no buttermilk needed!
You need to make my pancakes!
Rice Cooker/Steamer
Does a rice cooker count as a small appliance? I say yes! I love my rice cooker! It doubles as a steamer which I use quite often! Mine is probably 20 years old and still going strong. It is a cheap one, but it cooks rice perfectly. It has measurements for brown rice or other rice. It has simple functions-nothing fancy or digital (which I actually prefer…I think that makes me old 😂). It comes with a cup to measure the rice, a rice scoop to use when serving and a steamer basket that is so handy!
This one below is my exact one, just a new model! Like I mentioned, mine is 20 year old and has been used a lot so you know this thing will last!
Go Shopping-Stock Up
Stocking your kitchen with some good small appliances doesn’t have to cost a fortune! Go shopping and get your kitchen set up with this essentials! Having reliable equipment makes cooking so much more fun, easier and the food will turn out better if its being cooked with something that works good!
If you only buy one thing off my list BUY AN AIR FRYER! It really is the most used small appliance in my kitchen!
Stay tuned for another post with my favorite small kitchen gadgets as well as a post about a few ”fun” extras we have in our kitchen!
Also, as an amazon associate I do earn a small amount from qualifying purchases! Don’t feel like you have to get them on Amazon! Target and Walmart both have almost every one of my favorite small appliances at great prices (the model just may be a bit different!)
