A complete guide to setting up your kitchen in a new home, covering cookware, utensils, small appliances, pantry staples, storage solutions, and cleaning supplies to get cooking on day one.
Last updated:
0 of 27 completed0%
Copied!
Cookware Foundation
Buy a 10-inch skillet with a lid
A 10-inch skillet handles meals for 1-4 people. Stainless steel is best for searing and deglazing, cast iron for high-heat cooking, and nonstick for eggs and delicate fish. Pick one to start.
Get a 2-quart and a 4-quart saucepan
The 2-quart handles sauces, oatmeal, and reheating. The 4-quart handles soups, pasta for 2-3 people, and steaming vegetables. Lids for both are essential—food cooks 25% faster covered.
Buy a 6-8 quart stockpot or Dutch oven
A Dutch oven ($50-$80 for enameled cast iron) doubles as a stockpot, slow cooker, and bread baker. It handles batch cooking, one-pot meals, and soups for 4-6 people.
Get a sheet pan and a 9x13 baking dish
A half-sheet pan (18x13 inches) handles roasting vegetables, baking cookies, and sheet-pan dinners. An aluminum pan heats faster and more evenly than glass for most oven cooking.
Buy a colander and at least 2 mixing bowls
A stainless steel colander lasts forever and handles boiling water without warping. Nesting mixing bowls (small, medium, large) save storage space and cover prep work for any recipe.
Utensils and Knives
Get one good chef's knife (8-inch) and a paring knife
An 8-inch chef's knife handles 90% of cutting tasks—chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing. Spend $30-$60 on a single good knife rather than $30 on a block set of mediocre ones.
Buy a knife sharpener or honing steel
Get a large cutting board (at least 12x18 inches)
Stock essential cooking utensils
Start with a wooden spoon, silicone spatula, metal tongs, slotted spoon, ladle, and whisk. Silicone and wood are safe for nonstick surfaces; metal works for stainless steel and cast iron.
Buy wooden spoon, spatula, and tongs
Get a ladle, whisk, and slotted spoon
Buy a can opener, vegetable peeler, and measuring tools
A set of measuring cups and spoons costs $8-$12. Get stainless steel over plastic—they are more accurate, easier to clean, and will not warp in the dishwasher.
Get a set of plates, bowls, glasses, and flatware for 4-6
Service for 4 is the minimum; 6 gives you a buffer for guests. White dishes are versatile and easy to replace piece by piece. Budget $50-$80 for a quality stoneware set.
Small Appliances
Buy a toaster or toaster oven
A toaster oven ($40-$70) replaces a toaster and handles small baking jobs, reheating pizza, and broiling without heating up the full oven. It uses 50-75% less energy than a full-size oven.
Get an electric kettle
An electric kettle boils water in 2-4 minutes versus 8-10 minutes on a stovetop. It uses 50% less energy than a microwave for heating water and is essential for coffee, tea, and instant meals.
Buy a blender or food processor (pick one to start)
A blender handles smoothies, soups, and sauces. A food processor handles chopping, slicing, and dough. If you only buy one, choose based on what you make most often. A good blender runs $40-$80.
Consider a coffee maker if you drink coffee daily
A drip coffee maker costs $25-$50 and makes 8-12 cups. At $4-$6 per coffee shop drink, home brewing pays for itself in 5-10 days. A pour-over cone ($10) is the cheapest entry point.
Pantry Staples
Stock cooking oils and vinegars
Extra virgin olive oil for salads and finishing, a neutral oil (vegetable or canola) for high-heat cooking, and one vinegar (balsamic or apple cider) cover most recipes. Each bottle lasts 3-6 months.
Buy essential spices and seasonings
Start with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. These 8 spices cover most world cuisines. Ground spices lose potency after 2-3 years.
Stock dry goods (pasta, rice, flour, sugar)
A 2-pound bag of rice, 1 pound of pasta, and 5 pounds each of flour and sugar are solid starting quantities. Store in airtight containers to prevent pests—transfer out of bags within a day of buying.
Buy canned goods and condiments
Stock canned tomatoes (diced and crushed), canned beans (black and chickpeas), chicken or vegetable broth, soy sauce, and hot sauce. These items have 1-3 year shelf lives and form the base of dozens of quick meals.
Storage and Organization
Buy airtight food storage containers
Glass containers with snap-lock lids are microwave-safe, stain-resistant, and last 10+ years. A set of 8-10 containers in 3 sizes (1-cup, 2-cup, 4-cup) covers meal prep and leftovers.
Get plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and zip-lock bags
Buy gallon and quart-size bags for freezer storage. Gallon bags hold 2-3 portions of soup or stew. Aluminum foil doubles as a baking sheet liner to reduce cleanup time by 5 minutes per meal.
Install a shelf organizer or lazy Susan in cabinets
A two-tier shelf riser doubles usable cabinet space for $10-$15. A 10-inch lazy Susan in corner cabinets makes spices and bottles accessible without pulling everything out.
Kitchen Cleaning Supplies
Buy dish soap, sponges, and a dish drying rack
Replace sponges every 2-4 weeks—they are the dirtiest item in most kitchens. A compact drying rack costs $15-$25 and beats using a towel, which can trap moisture and grow bacteria.
Get dish towels and a kitchen trash can
Keep 5-6 dish towels in rotation and wash them every 2-3 days in hot water. A 13-gallon trash can with a step pedal lid is the standard kitchen size and keeps odors contained.
Buy surface cleaner appropriate for your countertops
Granite and marble need pH-neutral cleaners—acidic sprays etch the surface and cause permanent dull spots. Laminate and quartz handle most all-purpose cleaners. Check your counter material first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kitchen items do I need on day one in a new home?
Pack a "first night" kitchen box with a chef's knife, cutting board, one pot, one pan, a spatula, dish soap, sponge, paper towels, a few plates, cups, forks, and a can opener. Add instant coffee or tea bags, a kettle (or microwave-safe mug), and a few shelf-stable meals like pasta and jarred sauce. This box should travel with you in the car, not on the moving truck, so you can cook a basic meal the first evening without unpacking everything.
How much does it cost to fully stock a new kitchen?
A well-equipped kitchen with quality mid-range cookware, utensils, small appliances, bakeware, and pantry staples costs $1,500-$3,500 when buying everything from scratch. The top three investments that affect daily cooking are a good chef's knife ($50-$150), a tri-ply stainless steel skillet ($60-$100), and a 5-7 quart Dutch oven ($60-$300). Buy spices and pantry staples gradually as recipes demand them rather than purchasing a 30-jar spice rack upfront — most pre-made spice sets include items you'll never use.
What small kitchen appliances are actually worth buying?
The three appliances with the highest daily utility are a quality toaster or toaster oven ($40-$100), an electric kettle ($25-$50), and a food processor or immersion blender ($30-$80). An Instant Pot or similar multi-cooker ($80-$120) replaces a slow cooker, rice cooker, and pressure cooker, saving counter and cabinet space. Skip unitaskers like egg cookers, quesadilla makers, and banana slicers — a single good skillet handles all of those tasks.
How should I organize kitchen cabinets for efficiency?
Store daily-use items (plates, glasses, coffee mugs, everyday pots) between countertop and eye level for ergonomic access. Keep cooking utensils, oils, and spices within arm's reach of the stove, and group baking supplies together in one section of cabinetry. The lower cabinets closest to the dishwasher should hold plates and bowls for easy unloading, while rarely-used items like holiday serving dishes and specialty appliances go on the highest shelves or in a pantry closet.