Mar 238 min read

17 Items to Add to Your Kitchen

These are 17 items to add to your kitchen that will make life easier, tastier, and more efficient! Click the affiliate links below to add them to your Amazon cart and start making your kitchen a pleasure to be in. Over the years I have found brands that are just amazing for several reasons, the top being because they are peanut-free! Secondly, they are good quality products that have stood the tests we have put them through in our home. And last, they are priced at an affordable price that will not break the bank. Unfortunately, when it comes to tech items or gadgets you will have to spend some higher end dollars because well you get what you pay for. In all my years I have used the off brands and brand name products only to find out the brand name item was the winner in both quality and power. I have wasted many dollars to buy the cheaper name gadget that “promised” to be comparable to the brand name. Epic fail!

The first item that is a must in the kitchen for many reasons is the KitchenAid stand mixer. There are several different kinds, depending on what you are looking for and how much power you need in your kitchen adventures. So, with the stand mixer you can essentially spend anywhere from $300 to well last I looked at prices close to $1,000. As of right now I am currently saving for one of the more expensive stand mixers as my baking needs have long surpassed my current KitchenAid stand mixer. I have heard that there are some other known brands that are catching up to the power and quality of KitchenAid, but I can’t attest to that as I've never used anything but my KitchenAid. A stand mixer is very versatile in the kitchen, and you use it not only for baking but also cooking. It comes with numerous attachments that make life in the kitchen a breeze, however I will say don’t go attachment happy, just get the ones you really need or don’t get any. I honestly don’t have any attachments, but I have been poking around seeing if I really want to pick a few up and make it a bit easier in the kitchen. The stand mixer can be used for a multitude of things including making batters, frostings, doughs, fillings, pasta, and grinder just to name a few. It makes it easy, instead of standing in one spot putting in some serious muscle work you can put the ingredients in, set the speed, and do something else while it is mixing. Before you purchase one, I highly suggest you take the time and research which model will best fit your needs and what you will be making with it. You absolutely need to make sure you have enough power to do what you need to in the kitchen without burning out the motor. This is definitely on the higher priced tools for the kitchen but well worth it in the end.

Next gadget I highly recommend is a kitchen scale. These are one of the best tools to have in your kitchen because it can make the difference of hoping it turns out like the last time and turning out like the last time. I started to bake using a kitchen scale about 2 years ago and let me tell you it made a huge difference in my baking. Now every time I bake something it is just as good as the last time. Every time you measure a cup or tsp of something it doesn’t always weigh the same and that can make a difference in the final products. I read this article from a pro baker, and they talked about how important it is to bake by using a scale over using cups, tsp and the other measurements. I figured well let’s give this a shot and see if it really does make a difference or are they just trying to sell a product. I hopped on Amazon bought like a $13 dollar scale and never looked back. This is something very important to mention so when you buy your scale and start using it you don’t mess it up. Don’t ever mix while it is on the scale, weigh your ingredients and take it off the scale when you are ready to mix it. You can throw off the calibration and then your scale is garbage.

Timers, yes plural. You can get a 2 pack for cheap; they do not have to be fancy. Their only job is to keep the time and beep when it is time for you to take it out of the oven, put it in, mix other ingredients, or whatever the job is you need to do that you set the timer. The reason I say get a 2 pack is because there are plenty of times when you will need multiple timers at the same time. Yes, you can use your phone but there is a high chance that you will cancel that timer out and now you’re screwed. Yes, you can use your stove timer if it has one. But are you able to carry your stove with you around the home or outside to the garden? The 2 pack timers allow you to carry them wherever they need to go and allows you to keep multiple times at the same time.

Organic cotton kitchen towels are a good thing to have in the kitchen. You can use these for so many things. I use mine to cover my doughs as they are rising so I don’t have to use plastic wrap. They are reusable and machine washable, so they last for years. I also use them to wrap my breads in after they are done baking. All around these are great items that will be used frequently in the kitchen.

My partner got me a French rolling pin for Christmas a couple of years ago and let me tell you that thing is awesome. The fact that I don’t have to shift the dough around so much is a win. It maneuvers so smoothly, the control on it to turn and change directions is awesome. It does handle a lot differently than a rolling pin. At the end of the day, I prefer the French rolling pin over the standard one, I highly suggest getting one and taking it for a spin on your next dough or pie crust you roll out.

Fleischmann's Instant Dry Yeast I have been using this brand for quite a while now. I like how I can get it in bulk either on Amazon or even at BJ’s. In the time that I have been using it I haven’t had a bad batch, nor had it gone bad in the time frame I have it. I have in other cases had the yeast go bad even being in the fridge before I was even halfway done with it. And to be honest, yeast doesn’t last long in my home. I make all kinds of breads and flour-based foods that use yeast, so it goes just as quickly as my 25 lb sacks of flour!

San Francisco Salt Company Chefs Salt I found this company in my search for good quality salts that were also made in peanut-free facilities. I’ve been using this brand of salt for about 7 years now and love it. They have many different kinds and come in seasoned salts. Obviously, for baking I just need plain salt, so this is what I’m listing. But do yourself a favor and check out their line.

King Arthur’s Organic All-Purpose Flour and Organic Bread Flour. I will start off by saying not all of King Arthur’s products are safe. You must go on their site and look at the allergen information they have that states what is peanut-free and what runs on the same lines or facilities. These flours are processed in a peanut-free facility at the time of this article. I love this flour. I have used it for over a decade. I love the all-purpose flour; I use this the most. It has always produced a great product and I have never had any problems with the flour itself as far as not being fresh, mold, going bad before used, or bugs. I have branched out a few times and used a couple of the flours that are safe, and I didn’t like the final product using the other flour. The only other brand I will use is Azure Organic and I am in the process of setting up my affiliate partnership with them so I will be linking the products I use from them also.

Chosen Foods Non-GMO 100% Pure Avocado Oil, I love this brand. The only reason I do not use the organic avocado oil by Chosen Foods is because it was processed on the same lines as peanuts and at the time of my checking they did not protein test the lines. The nonorganic avocado oil however is made in a peanut-free facility. I have never had any issues with the freshness of this oil, or it turning rancid before I used the bottle. I find this oil to be smooth and fits everything from baking to sautéing. It stands up well to the heat. I have tried another brand and decided it was best we part ways, and I would never leave Chosen again!

Pompeian organic EVOO is my go-to brand for olive oils. Yes plural, as there are different olive oils used for different things such as sautéing and another kind for marinades and dressings. The Pompeian line is peanut-free according to the company at the time of writing this article. I love using this oil and we use it multiple times a day as we follow the Mediterranean way of eating and that is olive oil-based because it is one of the healthiest oils to use. And it has a good smoke point.

Starwest Botanicals Garlic Powder ORGANIC U.S., Organic Onion White Granules, Organic Basil Cut, and Organic Garlic Minced are just a few spices and herbs I use from this company. Starwest is a bulk company that is peanut-free at the time of this article. I have been using them for close to a decade and love the quality of them. I use herbs and spices when I cook and bake so I always buy in bulk. I have a huge cabinet dedicated just to mylar bags full of bulk herbs and spices. I have never had any issues with the products, they come always fresh and last for a very long time. I have never had any issues with the product being out of stock. They even have dried teas that are scrumptious!

Micro Ingredients USDA organic certified nutritional yeast flakes. I have a few different brands of Nooch, and so far, I like this one the best. I love how I can get it in bulk, and it is always fresh when it comes and no issues. It has a good flavor and goes well with everything I have ever used it in. In fact, I need to order more as I’m almost out!

All the links in this article are affiliate links for Amazon. I may receive a small commission off the products you purchase from clicking the link. In doing so you make it so I can keep providing you with information and recipes. Thank you in advance. I appreciate you so much for taking the time to sit and read.

Always remember any food, HBA or any other product that could potentially run on the same lines as peanuts. Make sure you have confirmed these products are safe. At the time of posting these links, all products were made on peanut-free lines and facilities. Anything I have listed here will only be checked for peanuts as this is our only allergy. Y’all enjoy these products and I will keep adding more posts as we find more products and trial them so we can give our honest opinions.

Amazon

KitchenAid® 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer - https://amzn.to/4albfui

Ozeri Pronto Digital Multi-function Kitchen and Food Scale - https://amzn.to/3TJ72eL

Escali Primo Digital Food Scale Multi-Functional Kitchen Scale - https://amzn.to/3THoa4j

My Weigh KD-8000 Digital Food Scale - https://amzn.to/3Trwynv

2 Pack Classroom Timers for Teachers Kids Large Magnetic Digital Timer Blue Pink - https://amzn.to/3vjGEP6

AMOUR INFINI Flour Sack Dish Towels Pack of 6 Organic Cotton Kitchen Towel - https://amzn.to/3Tjnele

French Rolling Pin (18 Inches) –WoodenRoll Pin - https://amzn.to/492HZYw

Fleischmann's Instant Dry Yeast - https://amzn.to/49VjUE4

San Francisco Salt Company Chefs salt - https://amzn.to/3TJdoLc

King Arthur’s Organic All-Purpose Flour - https://amzn.to/4a0uwl2

King Arthur’s Organic Bread Flour - https://amzn.to/3UoBV8v