Kitchen essentials can be pricy, but finding the happy medium of good quality AND affordable is possible.
Whether you are moving into a new home, first apartment, or are just searching for some affordable kitchen gadgets and best kitchen appliances, you will find it all in this post!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.
Best Kitchen Essentials
Where is the Best Place to Buy kitchen Essentials?
Maybe one day I will buy from places like Williams-Sonoma or Crate and Barrel, but that day for me is far far in the future. My broke, post-grad, future medical student in lots of debt, self, LOVES to buy from Target, Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, and sometimes Walmart.
Places like Marshall’s and Home Good are good places to get the occasional kitchen accessory but I get the bulk from the other stores. I move often too, so buying kitchen essentials is something I literally have to do every year or two!
Budget Friendly Brands
Cheaper brands from Target:
Middle priced brands from Target:
What to Buy First When You Are Starting From Scratch
Top 10 Things to Buy First
If you are on a tight budget, you could easily get away with buying these 10 kitchen essentials and buying all the extras later! The espresso machine and casserole dishes can wait, but things like pots and pans and silverware are must-haves!
- Pots and Pans
- Dinnerware: Plates, Bowls, and Cups
- Tableware: Forks, Knives, and Spoons
- Knife Set
- Toaster
- Microwave
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Cutting Board
- Cooking Utensils
Believe it or not, you could get all these kitchen essentials for less than $300! I researched my favorite places to shop from and everything you need below costs a total of $238.95 not including tax. That is SUCH an amazing deal if you are moving and trying to keep costs as low as possible.
Tight Budget – Totals to $238.95
I also made sure to ONLY pick from two places so it’s not a hassle to order from a million different stores. Each item above is either from Target or Bed Bath and Beyond which you could also probably shop locally!
Next Step Up – Totals to $475.94
The total for these items still only comes to $475.94 which is not so bad if you are starting from scratch!
How to Save Money and When to Splurge
There are definitely things that are worth splurging for, but there are also plenty of ways to save money when you need to. It also depends on your living situation. You are probably going to shop differently if you are moving into a small rental apartment versus your forever home.
I personally live in a small rental house and we avoid accumulating nice kitchen things because we will be moving soon. On the other hand, the next place we live we will be there for four years so we’ll get to shop for things beyond the essentials.
3 Amazing Ways to Save Money on Kitchen Essentials
1. Buy things on sale
Stores like Kohl’s, Walmart, and Target are already fairly affordable. If you wait for special sales on top of that, you can find really good deals!
2. Buy Used Items
Maybe you don’t want to keep hammy downs forever, but if you have to save money initially then buying used items is always a great option. OfferUp and Facebook Market are awesome places to find good deals. A lot of people that are moving just need to get rid of stuff so they sell cheap!
3. Ask for Big Item Things for Christmas
Nothing cheaper than free right? Get your essentials, then ask for a few bigger things for Christmas, birthday, or a housewarming party.
Top 3 Kitchen Appliances That Are Worth the Splurge
In my opinion, kitchen items that you will use often, for a long time, and will make your life easier are 1000% worth splurging on. Maybe not right away if you are just moving in, but you can slowly add those nicer items over time.
These are the first things I plan to buy when we move into our next place!
In the long run, an espresso machine saves you money if you are the kind of person (me) that would go to Starbucks everyday otherwise.
The stand mixer is also worth the splurge even with my cheap AF, broke girl, mindset. I always baked with my grandma when I was a kid so a stand mixer is a must-have in my mind.
Lastly, as much as I love to buy things cheap (like blenders) spending a little more makes such a big difference in this case. I hate trying to make smoothies with cheap blenders that can barely handle a few ice cubes!
The Ultimate Kitchen Essentials Checklist
After the bare necessities come the extras that make life in the kitchen much easier. Below are all the cooking and baking essentials to get for the kitchen!
Cooking Essentials
Olive Oil Holder Set
We keep these right beside the oven for daily cooking.
Utensils jar
Salt and Pepper Grinders or Holders
I like having both in the kitchen. The grinders are kept close to the oven for daily cooking and the salt and pepper holders are nice to have when you need to measure for a recipe.
Pizza Pan
I never knew you could put pizza straight on the racks until recently. I’m still not a fan though because the cheese melts, falls to the bottom, and makes the whole kitchen smoky which sets the fire alarm off. I’m all for using a pan!
Food Thermometer
I love these because they are cheap and it takes the guessing out of whether or not your meat is cooked all the way through. Salmonella? No thanks!
Strainers
Butter Dish
Anyone else hate trying to spread cold butter on their toast? I definitely do! These things are a life saver IMO!
Spice Rack
Having the tiered spice rack is really nice to easily see and grab what you need!
Sink Caddy
Fun fact: one of my pet peeves is when my boyfriend leaves the sponge in the bottom of the sink. I can’t complain because it means he was doing the dishes which is great, but I got one of these for an easy fix to avoid the sponge going in the sink anymore!
Drying Rack
I’m not a huge fan of these yet because I don’t like the fact that clean dishes are sitting out and making the kitchen look messy. That being said, it is nice not to have to wash and dry if I’m feeling lazy haha.
Baking Accessories
Hand Mixer
A much cheaper option if you aren’t ready to splurge on a stand mixer yet!
Baking Pans
I don’t even bake that often any more but having a cupcake pan is still a must for the occasional muffins I want to make!
Pie and Cheesecake Pans
Rolling Pin
Definitely a must have if you are a frequent baker!
Thanks for Reading!
Whether you were hoping to find a list of kitchen essentials for new home, for first apartment, or to find where to buy affordable kitchen appliances, I hope you enjoyed this post!
What will you be getting for your kitchen next?!
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