My First Home - What do I need for the Kitchen????

theoretica

You don't need to get everything at once-I suggest you start with the minimum and see what you are missing. I lived in one student flat where the professional furnishing it managed to provide 6 pairs of scissors in the kitchen but no tin opener...

Some charity shops are much cheaper than others, and if you don't mind starting with stuff that is a bit worn and nothing matches it can be worth asking what they have in back they haven't put out for sale.

I improvise quite a bit- no reason you I know of you can't use the casserole pot as a mixing bowl or keep leftovers in the fridge in a bowl with a plate on top.

gozaimasu

I think when you move in and get all these items, there will be one night you are cooking and think "oh no, I need a _________"!

I had pretty much everything and then one night I was cooking and realised I didnt have a garlic crusher (yeah I know I don't really need one, but I wanted a garlic purée, rather than squashed by hand and then chopped...) so I rushed out to the shop to buy one.

I think everyone has covered everything you might possibly need for your kitchen, so I won't add to the list!

Sheets and towels I'd say two sets of each is fine. Dishtowels I'd have 3 - one to use at the moment, one clean spare, and the other in the wash.

Once you've got all the basics, you'll go along and realise there are other things you might need....everytime I've moved I swear I've planned everything I thought I needed with lists etc, then it turned out I needed this that and the next thing and didn't realise until the very moment I needed it!

One thing I found very useful was a set of really cheap tubs to store things in or to freeze them or to take to lunch with me. Asda do some smart price ones; basic but very good.

misskool

For many years as a student I survived on
1 good knife
1 saucepan-medium
1 wok

2 sets of crockery
1 large pyrex bowl

Don't try to buy everything at once, I think you'll work out what you 'need' and use most will only come clear when you've been in your kitchen 2/3 months.

I now have significantly more things than the list above

Snowy_Owl

As well as all of the above get yourself a set of about 6 /7 cloth dishclothes - will save you a lot on spongey ones!!!! Once grotty, they can just be thrown in2 the washing machine and done with the next load!

Snowy

Cat72

I agree on good knives -but you dont need to buy a lot I have two large knives and one small sharp one and that has done me for years.

Also try the poundshop -they have loads of cheap cutlery ,baking & cooking stuff they also do loads of containers at 99p ,for feezing/storing food.

Butterfly_Brain

Wilkinsons has a great range of kitchenallia at a reasonable price, it is good quality too.
My ideas for a kitchen starter set:

• A good set of quality stainless steel saucepans
• Wok
• Tefal Thermal spot Frying Pans, they really are worth the money
• A good set of kitchen knives and knife sharpener
• Chopping Boards of various sizes and a Bread board
• Scales
• Colander
• Sieve/s
• Kettle
• Glasses
• Slow Cooker ( especially if you work)
• Roasting Tins
• Casserole Dish
• Pyrex Bowls
• Pyrex Jug
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Spatula
• Rolling Pin
• Slotted Spoon, Fish Slice, Potato masher etc
• Apple Corer
• Baking Tins - Muffin, Sponge, Loaf ,Baking sheets etc
• Hand Blender
• Hand Mixer
• Toaster
• George Foreman Grill, brilliant use mine all the time
• Egg Cups
• Canisters - for tea, coffee and sugar
• Cafettiere
• Place mats
• Tea Towels

Katie-Kat-Kins

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Wilkinsons has a great range of kitchenallia at a reasonable price, it is good quality too.

My ideas for a kitchen starter set:

• A good set of quality stainless steel saucepans
• Wok
• Tefal Thermal spot Frying Pans, they really are worth the money
• A good set of kitchen knives and knife sharpener
• Chopping Boards of various sizes and a Bread board
• Scales
• Colander
• Sieve/s
• Kettle
• Glasses
• Slow Cooker ( especially if you work)
• Roasting Tins
• Casserole Dish
• Pyrex Bowls
• Pyrex Jug
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Spatula
• Rolling Pin
• Slotted Spoon, Fish Slice, Potato masher etc
• Apple Corer
• Baking Tins - Muffin, Sponge, Loaf ,Baking sheets etc
• Hand Blender
• Hand Mixer
• Toaster
• George Foreman Grill, brilliant use mine all the time
• Egg Cups
• Canisters - for tea, coffee and sugar
• Cafettiere
• Place mats
• Tea Towels

You'd have to be a pretty keen cook to actually NEED all that! This is MSE we should be suggesting she buy only things she really needs and makes everything work.

Why on earth would she need an apple corer!!?? I don't even know what one looks like but if I'm eating and apple I eat around the core, if I'm cooking with apples, I quarter them and cut out the core - tada no need for a corer.....

Baking tins and rolling pins aren't much use if she isn't going to bake, not many full time working young couples bake.

I really think she should buy some basics and add to it when she notices a need for it. Like the previous poster said about the garlic press.

pennystretcher

I completely agree with the IKEA start box -idea. (The basics are all there, but you can get the same contents cheaply from Poundstretchers and Poundland etc.)

I would buy Pyrex measuring jug and oven dishes - if you think you need any to being with - they will last for ages and are pretty cheap..

Use charity shops if you can when you "buy the first round of utensils" - when you find your own style and your colours/makes/designs for the kitchen stuff, it makes it easier to donate things back to the charity. (And if you want to replace utensils/dishes sooner rather than later, your heart won't break thinking that you just bought that new...)

I know some people absolutely refuse to buy dishes from charity shops, but it's not any different to eating in a restaurant where 600+ other people have already used the spoon you are using ...just wash things first with disinfectant and then with normal washing up liquid when you take them home...

Please let us know how you get on...

pennystretcher

nimbo wrote: »

wine galsses (i really hate drinking wine from timblers fro some reason)...

...or worse, from mugs!!

I found designer glasses I really, really liked and bought 3 extra ones, so I won't cry my eyes out when I break a glass or two!
(yes, you did read right - WHEN I break a glass or two. It's always the favourite ones that break, never the old ones I want to get rid of!)

sunshinejoclaire

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20027536

I just want to recommend the above colander from Ikea if you are passing that way - we bought one when we moved in together and it still looks like new nearly 5 years later with almost daily use

The other thing I bought when we moved in together was 2 pasta bowls from Whittards for about £6 the pair. They are excellent and great for pasta and suace on the sofa in front of the tv