When we purchased our house, we just moved to Madrid, so we barely had anything. We were starting from scratch, so it was a good time for me to actually think about the items I wanted in my kitchen.
Since we live in a small apartment, it was very important to choose the items carefully because space was sacred. Here are the top 10 kitchen items that I felt deserved space in my small kitchen:
1. Handleless Pans
Tefal Ingenio 19 Piece Pan and Accessory Set
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These handleless pans have saved a lot of space in my small apartment kitchen. It comes with metal lids, plastic covers, removable handles, and utensils. When you remove the handles from the pans, the pans can go inside the oven and can also be used as a serving platter. When you place the plastic covers on the pans, it doubles as storage that you can place inside the refrigerator. Without the handles, they stack up nicely on top of each other, saving so much space. In order for the pans not to scratch each other, I use these pot and pan protectors. This is a must-have for every apartment dweller.
2. Set of kitchen knives
Cuisinart Advantage Color Collection 12-Piece Knife Set with Blade Guards, Multicolored
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Some people have kitchen knives on their counter placed inside a wooden block. Some have the kitchen knives hanging on a magnetic strip. I have children so I don’t like kitchen knives hanging out in public. I prefer to store them safely inside the drawer. I also don’t use a lot of knives. I can actually live with a paring knife and chef’s knife. This Cuisinart kitchen knife set is perfect for me. It has blade guards that protect the blade in case my children accidentally get them from the drawer. I’m a mom on a budget and this set is not so expensive. Whenever they get a little bit dull, I can easily sharpen them using a knife sharpener and they’re good as new.
3. Knife Sharpener
TYIAUS 4 Stage Kitchen Knife Scissor Sharpener
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I don’t use the knife sharpener a lot, but having a knife sharpener has saved me from buying and buying knives. As can be seen above, my kitchen knives are not expensive. It can get dull after some use. But with this kitchen knife sharpener, I can easily sharpen my knives, and they go back to their original state as if they’re brand new. I sharpen my knives once every two months, and this knife sharpener is effective. It’s a basic tool one should have in their kitchen.
4. Instant Pot
Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Quart 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilizer
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The Instant Pot is a game changer in the kitchen. If you still don’t have it, you’ve gotta run to buy it. It can pressure cook, slow cook, saute, and all sorts of things. It’s a one-pan dream and can take the guess work out of pressure cooking. You can cook things in the Instant Pot that would take hours in the oven. You can even bake desserts in the Instant Pot. There are so many recipes in the internet making any dish you might want in the Instant Pot. If you’re a busy mom like me, you need this in your life.
5. Sandwich maker
Brentwood Panini Press and Sandwich Maker Non-Stick, Black
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The sandwich maker is my savior when it comes to feeding my toddler. It’s really hard to feed my picky toddler. He doesn’t like eating food that’s on the table. The easiest food to feed him is a sandwich. This sandwich maker makes the sandwich really appetizing. Grilled cheese is so easy to make here. You just put the cheese slices between two loaves of bread, put it in the sandwich maker, and you have melted cheese with perfectly crusted bread. No need to get the pan and heat the stove. I always make turkey-grilled cheese sandwich for my child. I even bring this sandwich maker with me when we go on vacations and drive to new destinations. My toddler can ask me in the middle of the night for a sandwich, and this can whip up a sandwich in less than 5 minutes. It’s perfect for a mom like me with a picky toddler eater.
6. Mr. Coffee One Touch Espresso Maker and Cappuccino Machine
Mr. Coffee One Touch Espresso Maker and Cappuccino Machine
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This coffee maker is the most affordable espresso maker and cappuccino machine that’s durable and makes quality cappuccino / lattes automatically. My full review can be seen here. I’ve had it for 6 months, using it everyday, twice a day, and it still makes amazing coffee. I host friends here a lot, and they always compliment me with the coffee that I serve. You can make your own cappuccino or latte by mixing your own combination of milk and coffee in the portions that you want. Although it has pre-programmed portions, I always mix my cappuccino manually. You can make a Starbucks mocha frappuccino by just adding chocolate syrup. If you have the budget, splurge and go for it. It’s not as expensive as Delonghi or Breville, but it’s still an impressive coffee machine that makes quality coffee.
7. Crisper Basket with Baking Pan
G&S Nonstick Crisper Basket with Baking Pan, Copper, 2 Piece Set
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I don’t have an air-fryer because it just takes up so much space in my small apartment kitchen. So whenever I need to make something similar to air-frying, I use my copper crisper basket with baking pan. I’ve used it to broil my chicken after pressure cooking it in the Instant Pot. I use it to broil my chicken kebabs or my pancetta. It makes food crispy and it’s easy to use. I put the food there, broil it, the juices go to the pan, while the food gets browned. It’s a staple in my kitchen and I feel, a proper substitute for an air-fryer.
8. 5-in-1 Multifunction immersion Blender
VAVSEA 5-in-1 Multi-function Immersion Hand Blender
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This is definitely a kitchen staple because it can replace many gadgets in a kitchen: food processor, blender, and hand immersion blender. I was looking for a food processor but a lot of the ones in Amazon were expensive and bulky. The mini-food processor here can make hummus, grated parmesan cheese, and pesto, to name a few. The blades are really sharp. I’ve used the hand immersion blender to puree soups. Since I also don’t have a countertop blender, I’ve used the same hand immersion blender to make smoothies. I’ve thought about buying a countertop blender but it would be a waste of space since this already performs that function. I definitely cannot live without it.
9. Electric kettle
BELLA 1.7 Liter Glass Electric Kettle
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An electric kettle performs only one function – it heats water. But it still deserves space in my small kitchen. I entertain friends a lot at home and most of them are tea drinkers. I could heat water in a pot on the stove, but why bother? This one can heat water easily and fast. You just put some water inside, plug it in, and turn it on. I don’t use it everyday, but none of my kitchen tools work as a good substitute for this, so it is a basic kitchen item I need in my life.
10. stand mixer
HOWORK Stand Mixer, 8.45 QT Bowl 660W
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I don’t bake a lot, but when I do, I use this stand mixer. I was salivating over a Kitchen-Aid, but I couldn’t really justify the cost. This is a perfect substitute for the Kitchen Aid at 1/4 of the cost. You can make breads with the dough hook. You can beat egg whites with the whisk attachment. You can use the mixer for almost everything that has to do with baking. It is a little bulky, but all stand mixers are bulky. You could get a hand mixer which is cheaper, but I find the hand mixers not to be strong enough to make dough. So although I don’t use stand mixers a lot, I still need them in my life in the rare occasion that I want to bake a cake or make bread from scratch.
There you have it, my top 10 kitchen items. If you have a small kitchen and are building your kitchen inventory, I recommend to start with these kitchen items. You’ll find that you can make almost everything with my top 10 kitchen items.
