Top Ten Kitchen Essentials for Homemakers

It is always hard to know which kitchen essentials are worth investing in and which aren’t. I’m going to share my top ten, would purchase again, kitchen essentials for homemakers.

cracked eggs on a counter

The first several years of my marriage, I was learning my way around the kitchen.

I only had the basics: pots, pans, cookie sheets, and a few mixing bowls.

Once my desire to know my way around the kitchen more grew, so did my kitchen items.

I wanted to learn new skills, which meant that I needed a few more tools in my kitchen arsenal.

There have been a lot of gimmicky kitchen gadgets that have tempted me, but I’ve always tried to keep my kitchen edited with only what I actually need and use.

It’s so easy to allow a kitchen to become cluttered and only keeping those useful items stored in the kitchen helps to eliminate that issue.

condiments on a kitchen counter

My Top Ten Items:

  • Heavy Duty Mixer (I have had my Bosch for a decade and love it so much)
  • Food Processor
  • Wooden Drying Rack
  • Simple Cotton Towels
  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Stainless Steel Stock Pot
  • Mason Jars
  • Good, Timeless Cook Books
  • Coffee Pot
  • Coffee Grinder

Now, let’s break each item down as to the specific item I own and why I love it!

crusty bread on a cooling rack

Bosch Mixer

I added my Bosch to my kitchen a decade ago. I had no idea how essential it was going to be to my homemaking, especially since I love making breads from scratch.

It is a beast and can make a ton of dough, which is ideal for a from scratch cook that makes bread items for a large family.

If you don’t bake bread much, you wouldn’t need a mixer this heavy duty, but I do love that it has a lid and flour doesn’t fly everywhere.

It makes huge batches of cookie dough, pizza crust, and muffins which is good when you have four little people who devour said food.

This is the exact mixer that I own. If I didn’t make bread so much, I would have gotten this one.

Food Processor

A food processor is another item that I asked for to fill out my kitchen essentials many years back.

My parents got me a Cuisinart and I have loved it and used it a million times.

It is great for chopping nuts, making salsas, kneading small amounts of bread or dough, and so much more.

I am a huge proponent of buying good quality and having less quantity. This processor and my mixer are examples of that.

If you’re looking to be in the kitchen a lot, invest in good tools so that you can enjoy your time cooking.

a wooden drying rack by a sink

Wooden Drying Rack

I got a wooden drying rack years ago because I have so many “hand wash only” dishes and I wanted something that was attractive to air dry my dishes on my counter.

This is the drying rack that I use and it’s still holding up after five years!

It was cheap and I like that I can fold it up and pop it under the sink when I’m not using it.

cotton towels and a dryer ball

Cotton Towels

I used to use clunky, thick towels and then I decided to give a simple cotton towel a try. I have never gone back.

They are the only towels I use in my kitchen and they are pretty, as well.

cast iron on electric stove tips

Cast Iron Skillet

It was only a few years ago that I got my Nene’s skillets. I was intimidated and had no idea how to use them.

I had just switched from non-stick to stainless and I was only beginning to know how to use stainless without major sticking.

I was stressed that my life was going to consist of always scraping off burnt food from pans.

Here’s the deal… cast iron is totally worth all of the praise it has gotten and I truly believe that once you go cast iron you never go back.

It is not hard. The main rule is to preheat and use lots of butter or fat. I wrote an entire post all about cast iron, if you are interested.

This is a pan most similar to the one I use the most in my kitchen as a homemaker.

Stainless Steel Stock Pot

Stainless steel is another good option for homemakers who want to keep the toxins out of their cooking.

When I switched from non-stick, stainless was the first purchase I made.

I purchased a huge stock pot and this thing has made so much yummy food, from stocks to soups to goulash.

This is the stock pot I own.

It has held up so well and allows me to double up on whatever I’m making without it overflowing.

mason jars as a spritzer cup

Mason Jars

Whether using them for glasses to drink out of or for storing things like sourdough and bone broth, mason jars are a must have kitchen essential for homemakers.

They look pretty on a shelf and are so useful. I like having multiple sizes so I have jars for any purpose I need them for.

The small ones are great for homemade jams and salad dressings.

The medium ones are perfect for drinking and the large jars are great for yogurts and more.

Ball offers a mason jar variety pack which is great!

homemaker in a kitchen with a cookbook

Cook Books

Y’all know my love for good cook books.

I won’t list all of my favorites, again, so I will link to my cook book post.

I know I sound like a broken record, but they really do make all of the difference for “from scratch cooks.”

From bringing inspiration to your kitchen to helping you scale up your cooking skills, they are so helpful.

Find my recommended book post here.

woman in a kitchen with a coffee pot

Coffee Pot

My morning love language… hot coffee.

I have used a variety of coffee making vessels, but right now I’m using my Russel Hobbs coffee pot.

It is pretty and retro looking and makes a good pot of coffee.

I also love my automatic pour over coffee maker. The coffee is strong and delish.

The last one I want to mention is my french press. I love making a slow cup of coffee in my french press.

Russell Hobbs | Pour Over | French Press

open window over kitchen sink

Coffee Grinder

I know it’s way easier to buy pre-ground coffee, but it just isn’t as good. I wish it were, but it isn’t.

We grind our coffee once/week and it always tastes sooooo good.

The coffee grinder we use is THIS one. It’s a bit noisy, but it gets the job done and has held up well.

These are items that I have had and used for years. They are items that I would gladly purchase again if need be.

It can be difficult to know which items are worth adding to your kitchen and which ones aren’t, but these are used over and over in my “from scratch” kitchen.

Other shopping guides for homemakers

My Favorite Kitchen Things

Cooking Pans

Pin for Later

kitchen with shiplap and baking ingredients

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. 🙂

Do you have any kitchen essentials that you can’t live without?

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