Kitchen Equipment

What I consider to be essential kitchen equipment. A good shopping list for either determining what to get when you’ve moved or what to keep when you’re downsizing. I try to buy things that are durable, easily recyclable or compostable, and versatile.

These are the things I consider essential:

• Knife (cai dao)
• Cutting Board (wood, any size)
• Mortar and Pestle (large, granite, rough inside)
• Scissors (simple, japanese nigiri are good)
• Peeler (Y-shaped)
• Cast Iron Skillet (with pouring spouts and comfortable handle)
• Cast Iron Dutch Oven (at least 5qt)
• Baking Sheet
• Prep Bowls (one large, one medium, one small)
• Wooden Rolling Pin (one solid piece, no separate handles)
• Wooden Utensiles (shallow spoon, ladle, spatula, slotted spoon, long chopsticks)
• Board Wax (for conditioning cutting board and wooden utensils)
• Textiles (tea towels, dish towels, cleaning cloths)

And, of course, to eat food you could get away with just bowls and chopsticks if you’re being really minimal, but a set of two forks, knives, spoons, mugs, plates, and bowls per person is the most versatile.

Some nice-to-haves include a blender/food processor, more baking sheets/cake pans/pie pans/etc., a whisk, a grater, a handmixer, an immersion blender, a large stock pot, and a pressure cooker.

Knife

Get a Cai Dao (Chinese Chef Knife). They are versatile, often inexpensive, and easy to take care of. They are perfect for everything from thinly slicing veggies with precision to rough-chopping produce that’ll be thrown in a soup. The large, flat blade also doubles as a bench scraper allowing you to chop and transfer with ease.

I’m a fan of the CCK1303, but there are plenty of other models out there. Mercer, Dexter, Victorinox, and Shibazi are all commonly recommended brands alongside CCK. Whichever knife you choose, do some research before you buy (r/chefknives is great for this). This is a tool you’re likely going to use every day and if it frustrates you then cooking becomes a chore instead of something fun.

Cutting Board

Avoid materials other than wood or bamboo. Wood is not less sanitary than rubber or plastic and is better for the environment; pretty much everything else (e.g. glass) destroys the edge on your knife. Some people think that there is a difference between hardwood (e.g. maple, oak) and softer woods (e.g. pine) in terms of being better for your knife’s edge, but there is no conclusive testing and the effect is likely insignificant.

In terms of size: get whatever fits your space and is comfortable for you. A very large butcher block is great for prepping a lot of things at once but smaller ones can be picked up and moved around more easily. It’s entirely up to preference.

References

• Comparative studies on hygienic qualities of wood and plastic cutting boards in a laboratory
• Plastic and wooden cutting boards
• Cutting Boards of Plastic and Wood Contaminated Experimentally with Bacteria
• Hygienic aspects of using wooden and plastic cutting boards, assessed in laboratory and small gastronomy units