Ready, Willing and Table: Our Top Kitchen Essentials!

A Quick Disclaimer: Ahead of the Carve have purchased all of these items personally.

Most of these items can be found in our store, but we would not recommend them if we did not believe in the products! We have also provided alternative links for both high and low cost versions.

Kitchen Appliances

A list like this must always start with appliances. There are so many to choose from: stand mixers, blenders, food processors, rice cookers, toasters, the list goes on! What you're favourite appliances are really depends on what you like to cook.

If you're looking to keep it minimal, or are just starting out, this list is what we've found most useful and items I've kept in rotation from my university days to now with a family:

1) Electric Fry Pan

Pros: Versatile, large capacity, non-stick

Cons: Hand-wash only (electrical components), large storage space

Myself personally, I love a recipe that can be cooked all in one pan, or two maximum. So for me, investing in an electric frypan that is non-stick and large capacity is a must. In my experience there are really only two options: your cheap Kmart or Target frypan, or a bigger name brand like Sunbeam. The difference? For me personally, not much (look how similar they are below). They both last about the same time (the non-stick tends to hold about 3 years max), but the branded ones will give you better heat control due to better quality materials.

I use this close to every night: you can cook anything in it, and at large capacities (think 15 minute stir-frys, link to my recipe here), but you can also use it to quickly cook all your meat in one go!

Target Electric Banquet Frypan, $29

Sunbeam Banquet Frypan, $69 (available at Ahead of the Carve)

[reference left] Target. (n.d.) Electric Banquet Frypan. Retrieved October 6, 2019, from

https://www.target.com.au/p/electric-banquet-frypan-taref-85/56791808

[reference right] Target. (n.d.). Sunbeam Banquet Frypan. Retrieved October 6, 2019, from

ttps://www.target.com.au/p/sunbeam-banquet-frypan-fp59-5/37429140

2) Stand Mixer

Pros: Easy to use, dishwasher safe components, versatile (KitchenAid only)

Cons: Bench space/storage space, can get expensive

I LOVE to bake. It's really important to mix all ingredients thoroughly and consistently, so a hand mixer never quite does it for me, especially when making icing (I use a LOT). I use the KitchenAid stand mixer, which I love for many reasons:

1. It comes with two bowls which lock in to the machine (I love these for pre-mixing wet and dry ingredients)

2. Multiple speeds. A common frustration with cheaper mixers is not having enough choice in mixing speeds.

3. Easy to clean. All the components can be cleaned in the dishwasher, but also aren't difficult to quickly hand-wash when you need to re-use.

4. The mixer is designed to give you versatility. It comes with all the essential accessories, but you can also buy all sorts of attachments to adapt the machine to make pasta, ground meat, juice, etc.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend going too cheap when buying a stand mixer. They are an investment that you will either thank yourself for buying or kick yourself for choosing not to. A good mid range option is this Breville mixer, and if you're patient you'll easily find both of these for good sales.

Breville: The Scrape Mixer, $349 (available at Ahead of the Carve)

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, $595 (available at Ahead of the Carve)

[reference left] Myer. (n.d.) The Scraper Mixer: Silver. Retrieved October 6, 2019, from https://www.myer.com.au/p/breville-the-scraper-mixer-bem430sil

[reference right] Myer. (n.d.). Artisan Stand Mixer Red. Retrieved October 6, 2019, from https://www.myer.com.au/p/kitchenaid-ksm160-artisan-stand-mixer-red-5ksm160psaer

Kitchen Tools & Equipment

When it comes to tools & equipment my advice is simple: invest in good quality items where it matters. Again, what matters to you will entirely depend on what you cook. What I will say, is buy those home brand 'starter bundles' at your own risk - you'll end up with so many things you don't use or need, and the things you do will be poor quality and not really work.

I made this mistake when I first started uni, thinking I'd gotten a great deal, to find out that all the utensils were a flimsy plastic - think a potato mashers that with the rigidity of jelly. If I were looking to start again on a budget, I would get smaller, separate bundles, for things like dinnerware (don't forget to check they're dishwasher safe), and buy better quality items that I used frequently (like that potato masher).

Now for my essential recommendations:

1) Good Quality Knives

Pros: Easy to use, safer to use, long term investment

Cons: expensive, require maintenance

You won't understand how important good knives are until you've used them. If I were to add up all the money I spent replacing blunt knives, plus the subjective cost for ease of use and minimised injuries, it's worth the money. And don't forget to invest in a proper knife sharpener.

Any brand you'll find in Ahead of the Carve (or any kitchenware shop, we just like ours more *wink*), can be trusted, and even better, get some solid tips on using and caring for your knives while you're there. A 9 piece set is more than plenty, and a much better price than buying separately.

If you're not ready to take the plunge, grab a chef's knife and a paring knife, or to learn more about knives, look at my Knife Buying Guide blog post.

So there you have it - a basic guide to my favourite and most important kitchen essentials. If you enjoyed this post, or want more essentials lists, leave a comment below!