A Checklist of Other Kitchen Essentials Beside the Cookware.

Most times, when we are shopping for our kitchen, the first thing we think to buy is the cookware and that’s expected because we cannot deny that if we were to categorise kitchen essentials based on priority, cookware and the cooker/stove will be top of the list. However, other things are essential in the kitchen to make our cooking more convenient and reduce the time spent cooking. I mean, even chefs - who enjoy cooking, by the way - seek ways to make the job easier; the idea is always to work smarter and not harder. So, if you have any of these kitchen essentials listed in this article, you are on your way to having the dream kitchen; a fully functional kitchen.

Blender

You can hardly cook a well-made Nigerian indigenous food without blending something. And while there is an option of grinding with a grinding machine; there is an easier and cheaper option of having a blender in your home for all the blending that needs to happen in your kitchen. Some people might think about the price of getting a blender but when you add up all the ₦50/₦100 you have to part with to grind every other day for years, you might as well be pound-wise now and save a lot of money later.  

Electric Kettle

You will need to boil water for different purposes, including to drink, prepare tea, pap, custard, oat, cereal, and even to bathe. Sure, you can use a pot, but imagine using the pot you use for your soups to boil water for cereal; it just doesn’t sound or feel right. And the advantage the electric kettle has over the usual kettle is how fast it is in boiling water. So, if you have not considered an electric kettle in your kitchen, this is the time to do so. 

Microwave

Microwaves are very useful to reheat, defrost, and even cook certain meals. I’m sure you will agree that it is easier to reheat your meals in a microwave than to put your food on the stove/cooker every time you want to reheat. Besides that, there are many other uses of microwaves that you will be interested to know, including peeling garlic and cutting onions without tearing up.  

Knife Set

Some have only one knife in their kitchen and they think that is sufficient. I believe this is because they haven’t used a set of knives to see how convenient it is to use the appropriate knife for specific actions. For example, getting a knife set will save you from struggling to use a big knife to slice meat or using a smaller knife to break through the bone of a meat or using your knife to cut through bread.

Refrigerator

Yes, a refrigerator, even though it probably should not be on this list because while not the first thing on the list of kitchen essentials, is still up there on the list. The major argument for having a refrigerator in your kitchen is the fact that it will save you from wasting food that you could preserve with the help of a refrigerator. 

Juice Extractor

There is so much talk about including fruits and vegetables in our diet. But many people still find it difficult because of how boring eating fruits or veggies is. Well, here comes juice extractor to the rescue. Instead of going through the boring route, you can juice them and enjoy a cold drink while eating something less boring. The way I see it, a juice extractor provides a win-win situation. 

Scissors

You are probably wondering why scissors is on this list, I will explain. Think about all the times you have had to struggle to cut the sachet or pack of an ingredient or food item - Noodles comes to mind - and you will understand why a pair of scissors is essential in a kitchen. Plus, you will agree that a knife is not as effective in this case, getting a pair of scissors will save you from a lot of stress. 

This list is, by no means, exhaustive. So, tell me in the comment below. What else do you have in your kitchen that you consider essential?