The 13 Best Cooking Tools for Beginners

When I was first learning how to cook, it was from the comfort of my parents’ well-stocked kitchen. That’s why, when a few years later—when I had my own kitchen to outfit—I was flummoxed when I didn’t just have XYZ pan or tool to make my favorite recipe. 

If you’re a beginner cook or are shopping for one, we thought it’d be helpful to round up 13 gadgets, cookware, and tools Serious Eats editors think you should own. This is the kind of list I wish I had, way back when.

While old hats in the kitchen might be happy to spring for a $400 blue carbon steel hand-forged chef’s knife, beginner cooks might be a tad more reticent (understandably). This grippy-handled chef’s knife from Mercer is a great introductory alternative—and it’s only $20. Sharp, easy to handle, and with enough panache to cut through hardy produce like melons and winter squash, it’ll give beginner cooks cutting confidence. It was my first chef’s knife, and I still turn to it when I don’t feel like wrangling my single-bevelled Japanese-style blade. — Grace Kelly, senior editor

You really only need a few pans to get started, and one of them is a cast iron skillet. For searing, shallow frying, pan roasting, and, heck, even cooking over an open flame, a cast iron pan can do it all. This one from Lodge is cheap and comes pre-seasoned (a boon for those new to cast iron!). — Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, associate editorial director 

A full-size, uber-powerful, and oh-so-expensive blender can be a hard sell for a cook that’s just starting out. If that’s you, get an immersion blender. With it, you’ll be able to blend the smoothest sauces, soups, and purees—and it still fits in a drawer or cabinet. Our top pick from All-Clad has a blending shaft that twists off, which is essential for easy cleanup. — Riddley

I recently had a friend ask if they should buy a ceramic-coated sheet tray, and the question barely left their mouth before my emphatic “no.” Unlike a coated pan, a simple, well-made aluminium baking sheet can handle high oven temperatures, plus it won’t need to be replaced if it gets scratched from metal utensils or abrasive scrubbers. This two-pack is an affordable investment that you won’t have to worry about replacing for years (or decades) to come. — Ashlee Redger, writer

There are so many good reasons to own a kitchen scale. Not only is using a scale faster than measuring cups and spoons when you’re measuring out ingredients, but it also ensures accuracy—that you’re using the exact amount specified in the recipe! This is an indispensable tool for cooks of all levels, but especially if you’re a novice and just getting the hang of things. — Genevieve Yam, senior editor 

Half of cooking is prepwork—like peeling and chopping vegetables. While I’ll sing the praises of a heavy, expensive wooden cutting board all day, there’s no need to splurge if you’re new to the kitchen. A dishwasher-safe plastic cutting board is all you need, and this one won’t slide around on your counter. — Rochelle Bilow, editor

Putting aside the absolute basics that any kitchen should have (essential pots and pans, spoons and spatulas, tongs, etc.), good thermometers are far too often missing from otherwise well-stocked kitchens. Every kitchen, I believe, should have two kinds: an instant-read thermometer that you can jab into meats, liquids, and other dishes to get important information about how cooked they are internally, and a probe thermometer that can not only track something like a roast over time as it cooks in an oven or on a grill, but—just as importantly—can monitor your oven temp (with the help of an ambient temp probe that you usually have to buy separately). I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve received confused emails from readers because food didn’t cook in their oven anywhere near the estimated time, which is almost always due to an oven that isn’t calibrated properly. It’s a problem that is way, way more common than most people realize, and can be identified and remedied with the right tools. — Daniel Gritzer, editorial director

One of the biggest hurdles I had to get over when I started cooking was the fear of accidentally poisoning someone with my food. Irrational for the most part, but the Thermapen ONE is a tool that gave me more confidence as I learned to deal with my sketchy oven’s settings. I’ve gifted one to both my sister when she got her first apartment and my 90-year-old grandmother, just because it is so helpful! — Amanda Suarez, associate visuals director

When I first started cooking more than a decade ago, I remember trying in vain to zest lemons with a dull box grater, sloughing off my knuckles in the process. That’s why every cook, no matter how junior, needs a rasp-style grater. It’ll make quick work of citrus zesting, and is key to fluffy shreds of hard cheeses, grating garlic, and more. — Riddley

Everybody needs mixing bowls! They’re a must for dressing salads, seasoning vegetables, mixing meatballs, and, of course, baking. This set from Pyrex costs under $20 and was a winner in our review—it’s the set I’d buy if I were just starting out. — Rochelle

I know Daniel listed tongs on his list of the “absolute basics,” but I am always surprised by how many people don’t have tongs in their kitchens. I use mine all the time—for tossing roasted vegetables on a sheet pan, turning meat and wedges or rounds of potatoes and winter squash, searing the fat cap on a steak, fishing noodles out of a pot, and more. — Megan O. Steintrager, associate editorial director

There are so many good reasons to own a food processor. It takes care of the kind of prep that can make cooking feel overwhelming at first—shredding cheese, pulsing together pie dough, making dips, grinding nuts, or turning a can of beans into a smooth spread in seconds. Instead of juggling multiple tools, you can rely on one machine to handle a wide range of textures, be it chunky or cohesive. — Laila Abrahim, associate editor

5 More Essential Cooking Tools Worth Mentioning

Why We’re the Experts

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director of Serious Eats.
• She’s been with the site since 2021.
• Riddley’s been testing kitchen gear for more than seven years.