Apartment kitchen essentials- The Ultimate Guide

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The kitchen is considered by some to be the “heart” of the home.

However, if you live in an apartment, your kitchen might require a little bit more care and attention than usual. Kitchens in apartments typically have less space, and the way a kitchen is laid out can also have an effect on how much stuff you can keep in there.

If this is your first time moving out on your own, you may have a difficult time determining which kitchen accessories are worth the investment.

Should you buy an air fryer or a coffeemaker as your next kitchen appliance? Perhaps you have a habit of scorching food, and as a result, you have no idea what kitchen appliances to buy.

This list of kitchen necessities includes must-have items as well as helpful tips that will assist you in loving your apartment kitchen, regardless of whether you are an aspiring chef or are attempting to strategize more storage space.

The electric coffee maker

The addition of a coffee maker to your morning routine will save you several minutes. Coffee makers are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and designs, allowing you to choose the best machine for your needs and preferences.

Rather than waiting for the traditional whistle, you should think about investing in an electric kettle, which can provide you with steaming water for your tea in a matter of seconds.

Even though the kitchen in your apartment is more compact than the kitchen in a house, that does not mean that you have to compromise on the style or elements that are important to you. If you want to turn your apartment into a home, hopefully, this list will help you fall in love with your kitchen so you can make some changes.

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Pressure cooker or slow cooker

With a slow cooker or pressure cooker, you don’t need to stand in the kitchen over the stove to prepare food; you can simply toss all of the ingredients into the pot, and then leave. Both of these kitchen appliances are capable of preparing a wide variety of dishes, such as soups, meats, rice, and chilli.

If you use a slow cooker, all you need to do is turn it on low in the morning before you leave for work, and dinner will be ready when you get back in the evening.

Rich flavours can be achieved with a pressure cooker in a fraction of the time required by a slow cooker (plus, for all you vegetarians out there, the pressure cooker won’t turn your vegetables into mush).

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Toaster

A toaster can be used for a variety of other things besides just making toast. In addition to that, they are fantastic for rewarming Pop-Tarts as well as frozen waffles.

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Storage baskets or
storage containers

Purchasing chic storage bins or baskets to hold items atop your cabinets or refrigerator is a great way to organise your kitchen in a manner analogous to that of organising a small closet. When organising the space inside your cabinets or the area beneath your sink, consider using smaller bins.

If you want your kitchen to have a sleek and modern look, try storing dry goods like pasta and spices in acrylic or glass containers.

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A high-quality cutlery set

Obtain a set of knives that is exceptionally sharp. Not only will purchasing quality knives make it simpler for you to cut meat and vegetables, but they will also help you save money in the long run because you won’t need to replace them as frequently.

Less expensive and lower-quality knives lose their sharpness more quickly, which increases the risk of injury (dull knives are more prone to cut people than sharp ones).

You could end up saving a few extra dollars, but it is strongly recommended that you refrain from purchasing cheaper knives.

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Food processor

Food processors are capable of performing tasks such as chopping, grating, slicing, and shredding in a matter of seconds. The convenient machines will save you time, and you can even use them to make sauces, pie crust, and filling all at the same time.

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Skillet made of cast iron and/or Dutch oven.

Your guests will be fooled into thinking that your grandmother prepared their meal if you use a cast-iron skillet and a Dutch oven.

Both of these ingredients are extremely versatile and have the ability to elevate flavours and textures to new heights. You could roast an entire chicken in your cast-iron skillet, or you could make a pot of hearty stew in your Dutch oven. Both are wonderful when braised as well.

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Air fryer

Air fryers are extremely versatile kitchen appliances, much like slow cookers and pressure cookers. Air fryers are versatile kitchen appliances that can perform a variety of tasks, including reheating pizza and making homemade chips.

Air fryers offer a more nutritious alternative to deep frying and are fantastic for the preparation of meals. They are very simple to use, and it is not difficult to clean them either.

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Spice rack

The ability to hang or spin a spice rack not only makes it simpler to access the spices, but it also adds a decorative touch to the space. Some companies will even send you replacement caps or even refills for your spice jars.

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Spoon rest

Another item in the kitchen that gets short shrift is a spoon rest, but many seasoned cooks find it useful.

A spoon rest prevents the spoon from touching any contaminants that might be present on your countertop.

In addition, using a spoon rest will protect your countertop from being damaged by food stains, which will reduce the likelihood that your security deposit will be reduced as a result. You can certainly put your spoon on a dish towel or a small plate instead of using a spoon rest, but the latter is the more aesthetically pleasing choice.

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Kitchen scale

Home cooks with experience measure ingredients by eye, but if you make baked goods, you should think about investing in a kitchen scale because it will allow you to achieve precision in a matter of seconds.

You’ll also spend less time cleaning up after yourself! The portioning of meat and vegetables is another excellent use for kitchen scales.

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Blender

Smoothies might be the only thing that comes to mind when you think of blenders. However, they have a much wider range of applications than that. In addition, I use my blender to purée things like salsas, sauces, and batters.

Because of the shape of the vortex, solids are pulled down towards the blades, which results in a consistently even and smooth texture.

To make matters even better, all that is required to clean it is the addition of hot water and dish soap, followed by 20 seconds of high-speed operation. After rinsing, it can be put to another purpose.

For further information, take a look at the blenders that our Test Kitchen deemed to be the best.

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Sharp Knives

When you have a knife that is nice and sharp, it is a lot simpler to perform cutting tasks such as dicing vegetables and slicing meat. (I figure that now is as good of a time as any to remind you to purchase that first-aid kit that your mother keeps harping on about.)

A chef’s knife made of stainless steel with a plain edge will serve your needs just fine; you do not require a knife of the highest possible quality to get by in the kitchen. When it comes to doing the preparation work, you can get away with just using one knife for almost everything.

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Measuring cups, spoons & liquid measure

Being able to actually measure ingredients will make your transition into home cooking much easier, particularly if you get into any kind of baking. This will make measuring ingredients a much friendlier experience for you.

Believe me, a tablespoon and a teaspoon are not even close to being interchangeable (by about three times, to be exact).

The elimination of guesswork from the cooking process is made possible by using measurements to obtain the flavours that were envisioned by the recipe’s creator. I favour the metal ones over the plastic ones because the numbers that are printed on the handles don’t wear off (from TK on Amazon.com).

Pots

When you first start paying your own heating bill, there is nothing that will warm you up like a bowl of soup. Pots, much like skillets, are extremely multipurpose cooking vessels that are considered to be among the most essential items in a kitchen.

Choose from a few different sizes, at the very least including a small and a large option. This will prevent you from having to make the sauce in a very large pan or from overloading a very small pot with boiling noodles or rice.

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Food Storage

Containers for stowing things away can be discovered in just about every kitchen. They maintain the food’s quality while it waits in the refrigerator to be eaten by you or someone else.

It is recommended that you purchase a set of storage containers that can be cleaned in the dishwasher so that you have a variety of sizes from which to choose. And just in case the individual you send home with leftovers never brings one back, here is one more.

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Serving Platter

If you are not going to serve your meal in a buffet style, you absolutely need to invest in a serving platter.

When it comes to moving your meal from the stove to the table, you will find that you need one of these more frequently than you might think. Additionally, they are an excellent choice for a snack tray to place on your coffee table for game day or for binge watching on Netflix.

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Microwave

The microwave is easily one of the most useful and convenient appliances that a home can have. Get one if it wasn’t included when you moved in to your apartment.

The majority of ready-made foods come with instructions on how to prepare them in a microwave. It is ideal for those evenings when you don’t feel like preparing an elaborate meal in the kitchen.

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Cookware

Every bit of the cooking that you do on the stovetop will take place in either a pot or a pan. These things ought to be at the very forefront of your mind whenever you consider the term “essentials.”

You can make eggs in a scrambler and braise meat with a frying pan. At the very least, you should have a frying pan that is 10 inches in diameter. This can be a non-stick pan or a skillet made of cast iron. Having a full range at 8, 10, and 12 inches will, however, provide you with the greatest amount of convenience.

You can bring soup to a boil in a sauce pot as well as boil pasta in it. You can also use it to simmer sauces. Again, having more than one size will give you more versatility, but a standard pot that holds 1.5–2 quarts is a great place to start with your cooking endeavours.

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Cooking Utensils for Your Kitchen

Kitchen implements for your culinary space
If you plan on using your new kitchen for any kind of cooking, you are going to require at least one of each of the following items:

Spatula
Ladle
Whisk
Tongs
Spoon
Wooden spoons

These cooking implements will be as helpful to you as a sword would be to a knight in your endeavours in the kitchen. Kill every possible dragon in order to save yourself from having to deal with any unnecessary stress.

In addition, you can get these essentials for less than two dollars each individually.

Wrapping up Note

When you move into your first apartment, there may be many things that catch you off guard, but the kitchen does not have to be one of them.

These essential kitchen tools will cover all of your cooking needs, from the most fundamental to the most advanced, ensuring that you are well-fed and prepared for the upcoming school year (or a new job).