For the past 39 years, I’ve eaten out of plastic containers. I’ve never kept many kitchen tools in my home and honestly never cared. Now that I’m recently married, though, I’m in the market for real kitchen equipment—while making sure it doesn’t look like Martha Stewart threw up in my home. (Love ya, Martha.)

One thing I’ve realized is that there’s absolutely no need to buy everything from a bougie cookware retailer like Williams Sonoma. Some stuff, yes. Splurge on items that will last you generations and look good, too. Otherwise, be a cheapskate.

What You Actually Need

Without a doubt, invest in the right pots and pans. I’ve been cooking more traditional Korean stews at home lately, and I’m in love with donabe (clay pots), especially ones from Blissio. A Dutch oven, the Euro-sibling of the donabe, is equally awesome, and Le Creuset has you covered for these and stockpots. Mix and match; these pots are kitchen decor in themselves. Aluminum warps and scratches easily—bad for your decor and your health—so for other pots, you should treat yourself to Mauviel copper. These pieces look stunning, heat evenly, and are so worth the investment.

Courtesy of Korin Courtesy of William Sonoma

For pans, steer clear of Teflon; you’ll throw those away within a year. What you want are the kind you can both use on the stovetop and put in the oven. Like All-Clad stainless steel, for example. Or cast iron, which is great for everything from scrambling eggs to searing steaks. Pretty much all the heavy-duty American-made cast-iron skillets will last forever. And they’re nothing fancy—you can pick yours up the next time you’re at a hunting store.

For food prep, you’ll want a strong cutting board. Too many people buy crappy plastic boards, and I’m here to tell you that utilitarian hardwood is the way to go. Wood boards not only look better but are also thought to be more sanitary. And unless you put them in the dishwasher, they shouldn’t dry out and split. Boos Blocks makes boards you’ll keep out as design pieces even when you’re not using them.

What You Can Do Without

Resist the temptation to buy a full cutlery set on QVC. You only need three knives at home: a sharp, sturdy chef’s knife; a paring knife from Victorinox; and a ten-inch serrated bread knife. They’ll get you through everything.

Courtesy of William Sonoma

All the other stuff? Whisks, spatulas, can openers, metal bowls? Buy these items cheap from a restaurant-supply store—every city has one—or on Amazon if you live in the sticks. Don’t get me started on big fancy machines like bread makers, espresso makers, ice cream makers, and sausage grinders. If you want any of the food that originates in these machines, that’s what restaurants are for.

Lastly, save all plastic take-out and delivery containers—they’re the best way to store food. And please buy a real pepper mill. It annoys the shit out of me when someone has a beautiful kitchen but uses a crappy pepper mill or, even worse, the pre-ground stuff. Pepper tells you volumes about a person.

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