The Best Kitchen Essentials for Cooking, Baking & Entertaining

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There are certain things in my kitchen that I reach for over and over again. A favorite Dutch oven. The wooden spoons I automatically grab when I start cooking. The baking dishes that go from the oven straight to the table. The spatula that somehow gets used almost every day.

Over the years, I’ve realized that a well-stocked kitchen isn’t really about having more things. It’s about having the right things—pieces that work well, last, and make cooking, baking and entertaining a little easier.

I recently went through my own kitchen cabinets and drawers and used them as inspiration to completely update my Kitchen Favorites collection. Some of these are products I personally own and love, some are similar to pieces I’ve collected over the years, and others are products I would choose today if I were replacing or upgrading something in my kitchen.

You’ll find everything from affordable everyday tools to beautiful investment cookware, baking essentials, knives, food storage and serving pieces for entertaining.

SHOP ALL OF MY KITCHEN FAVORITES HERE⁠

Cookware Worth Investing In

If there is one kitchen category where I think quality really matters, it’s cookware. A good Dutch oven can handle everything from soups and stews to braised meats, sauces and bread. Cast iron retains heat beautifully and, with proper care, can last for years. I’ve included several Dutch oven and enameled cast-iron options in my collection at different price points, including classic pieces from brands such as Le Creuset, Staub and Lodge.

I also like having a combination of cookware rather than buying every pan in exactly the same material. Stainless-steel sauté pans are wonderful for browning and making pan sauces. Cast iron is hard to beat for high-heat cooking. And I still like keeping a good nonstick frying pan around for eggs and other foods that benefit from an easy-release surface.

A large roasting pan and reversible cast-iron griddle round out the cookware I consider especially useful for anyone who cooks regularly.

Baking Dishes That Can Go Straight to the Table

I still love practical glass bakeware—I use it all the time—but there is something wonderful about pulling a beautiful ceramic casserole dish out of the oven and placing it directly on the table. That’s why I included both everyday baking dishes and prettier oven-to-table pieces in my collection.

A classic 9 x 13-inch dish is one of the most useful things you can own. I use that size for casseroles, baked pasta, desserts, roasted vegetables and so much more. I also like having smaller ceramic baking dishes for side dishes, baked dips, cobblers and desserts.

Staub and Le Creuset make especially beautiful ceramic pieces, and they bring a little color to the table without requiring you to transfer food into another serving dish.

I also included an insulated casserole carrier because once you have a great casserole dish, you eventually need to take it somewhere. It’s one of those practical entertaining pieces that you may not think about until you need it.

The Small Appliances That Earn Their Counter Space

I am selective about small appliances because I don’t want my counters filled with things I rarely use. The appliances that make my Kitchen Favorites list are the ones that can genuinely save time or do a job significantly better than I can do by hand.

A stand mixer is wonderful for baking and heavier mixing jobs, while a hand mixer is often quicker for smaller recipes. An immersion blender is one of my favorite tools for soups and sauces because you can blend right in the pot. So I included appliances that make sense for the way people actually cook today. I do have to highlight this Ninja Air Fryer, as it’s easily one of my most-used kitchen favorites. My kids use it for toast, I use it to air fry wings, reheat leftovers, bake, and even dehydrate homemade fruit roll-ups. It really is the star of our kitchen because it does the job of several appliances in one—and when we’re not using it, the whole unit flips up against the backsplash so I get my counter space back.

The goal isn’t to own every kitchen appliance available. It’s to find the ones that fit the way you cook.

Everyday Kitchen Tools I Actually Reach For

Some of my favorite things in the kitchen aren’t expensive at all. A really good silicone spatula, a sharp vegetable peeler, measuring cups that are easy to read, a whisk that feels good in your hand and sturdy tongs can make an enormous difference when you cook regularly.

One of my personal favorites is olive-wood cookware. I brought home a set of real olive-wood utensils from Greece that I absolutely love, so I found a similar olive-wood utensil set for my storefront. They’re beautiful enough to leave sitting out in a crock, but more importantly, they’re gentle on cookware and feel wonderful to use.

I also added a traditional spider strainer with a long wooden handle. It’s incredibly useful for noodles, dumplings, blanching vegetables and removing foods from hot oil or water.

And because I use battery-operated salt and pepper grinders in my own kitchen, I included an automatic set in the collection as well. These are the little conveniences that don’t seem important until you get used to having them.

Knives, Cutting Boards & Food Prep

You do not need a drawer filled with twenty different knives. A really good chef’s knife will handle most kitchen jobs. From there, I like adding a paring knife for small tasks, a serrated knife for bread and tomatoes, and perhaps a specialty knife or two depending on what you cook.

The cutting board matters too. I like having different sizes so I don’t have to pull out a huge board just to slice a lemon, but I also want a substantial board when I’m preparing dinner.

I included a selection of knives, cutting boards and prep tools in my Kitchen Favorites so you can choose what makes sense for your own cooking style rather than buying a giant set filled with pieces you may never use.

Baking Essentials I Keep Coming Back To

Baking becomes much easier when you have a few reliable basics. Good sheet pans, cooling racks, silicone baking mats, measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls and a dependable whisk cover an enormous amount of baking. Then you can add specialty pieces based on what you actually make.

I keep things like springform pans, Bundt pans and ramekins because I use them for specific recipes. Your kitchen should reflect the way you cook.

Food Storage & Kitchen Organization

Food storage may not be the most glamorous kitchen category, but it is one of the most useful. I like clear containers because you can actually see what you have. They work for leftovers, meal prep, pantry organization and storing ingredients.

Vacuum sealers are another tool that can be surprisingly useful, especially if you buy in bulk, freeze meat, preserve garden produce or simply want food to last longer in the freezer.

I’ve also included smaller storage pieces, freezer tools and organization products that help keep a busy kitchen functioning without turning every cabinet into a jumble.

Serving Pieces for Easy Entertaining

This is one area of my Kitchen Favorites that I recently expanded because good serving pieces make entertaining so much easier.

I love serving dishes that are versatile rather than tied to one holiday or occasion. White platters and bowls are especially useful because they work with almost any table setting. I mix mine with blue-and-white pottery, wood and warmer metallic accents.

For parties, I like having at least one large platter, a substantial serving bowl, a cake stand, a gravy boat and a pitcher. A tiered serving stand is also wonderful because it adds height to a buffet and lets you fit more food into a smaller space.

I’ve also included a rotating appetizer server, charcuterie pieces and gold serving utensils. They make a simple spread feel a little more special without requiring formal entertaining pieces that spend most of the year sitting in a cabinet.

The goal is easy entertaining—pieces that look beautiful but aren’t too precious to actually use.

A Mix of Investment Pieces and Affordable Finds

You definitely do not have to spend a fortune to create a good kitchen. There are a few categories where I’m willing to spend more because I expect the piece to last for years. A Dutch oven, a great knife, a stand mixer or high-quality stainless cookware can be worth the investment.

But some of the most useful items in my collection are inexpensive. A vegetable chopper, silicone spatula, measuring spoons, peeler or spider strainer can completely earn its place in your kitchen without costing very much.

That’s why I intentionally included both splurge-worthy pieces and affordable everyday finds in this collection.

You can replace one thing at a time, build your kitchen slowly and choose the pieces that make sense for you.

Shop My Kitchen Favorites

My Kitchen Favorites collection has grown into a mix of the things I already use, pieces similar to favorites I’ve collected over the years, and products I would personally consider when replacing or upgrading something in my own kitchen.

Whether you’re setting up a kitchen, replacing worn-out cookware, looking for a useful gift, upgrading your baking supplies or getting ready to entertain, I hope it makes finding good options a little easier.

SHOP MY COMPLETE KITCHEN FAVORITES COLLECTION HERE⁠

And as I continue finding things that genuinely make cooking and entertaining easier, I’ll keep updating the collection—because the best kitchen isn’t the one with the most stuff. It’s the one filled with pieces you actually enjoy using.