Stocking Your Kitchen with Cookware 

You don’t need a large number of bowls, utensils and small appliances to cook well, but you do need the correct tools for the task. Well-made equipment will last for years, even a lifetime. Quality cookware can provide years of trouble-free service if you buy high-quality items and follow the warranties.  Here is a primer on basics you should have for a starter kitchen, a more advanced kitchen, a busy family kitchen and a kitchen for entertaining.  

Range-top cookware: 1-quart covered saucepan, 2-quart covered saucepan, 4- or 6-quart Dutch oven, 10 –inch ovenproof skillet with cover, 8- or 10-inch sauté’ pan.  

Starter kitchen Note the difference between baking pans and baking dishes. A baking pan refers to a metal pan, and a baking dish refers to an oven-safe glass or ceramic container. When you use glass or ceramic cookware in the oven, reduce the recommended baking temperature by about 25 degrees for the best results. An easy way to begin setting up a kitchen is to buy one piece of cookware, a preparation tool or a necessary small appliance every payday. If you have a shortage of helpful gadgets, pick up one or two with your weekly grocery shopping or when you shop for discounts.