Kitchen Things You Need That I’ve Had For 4 Years
Will keep this as short as sweet as I can while providing you the value you need! I’ve put together a short list of kitchen things I haven’t found the need to switch out at all throughout my time as a homeowner. I believe it would be helpful for you if you’re on the lookout for things that work in the kitchen.
I don’t scrimp on finding the best items that work for my home and new things find their way to my doorstep every other day. It speaks volumes when these things have stayed in our home consistently.
Dishwasher
I’ve consciously put this first on the list because it is life-changing for any kitchen, even if you have a live-in helper! The fact is, time can always be spent more fruitfully than on hand washing dishes. But for those of us who aspire to cook more at home, a dishwasher makes the entire experience exponentially more positive!
All the good things about having a dishwasher:
Use kitchen items without worrying about washing extra things, you cook & eat with ease at home!
Hot water washing beats handwashing with room temp.
Saves clean up time so it encourages you to cook more
Hosting and cooking for others becomes a joy and act of service to loved ones
Saves water
Reduce clutter in your kitchen, dishes come out dry and ready for storage
Unfortunately, we haven’t had the best luck with a long-lasting dishwasher. Our first dishwasher lasted less than 3 years, and our current dishwasher seem to have a wonky touchscreen that works fickle-mindedly. We do love our current one though.
Tip:
(1) Look for dishwashers with a utensil rack instead of basket that goes on the bottom rack to maximise space
(2) Free standing dishwashers are usually more affordable than built-in
Kitchen Bin
I think we should all be very specific with our needs when it comes to kitchen trash.
These are the things I lookout for:
Able to stand on its own
Light, so I can wash it everyday
Hanging type so I can use it anywhere in the kitchen
No lid!
I feel many homes look for bins that have closed lids. I personally feel that it is absolutely disgusting. It’s going to stink up so bad even if its just scrap from fruits and vegetables.
As a cat mom of 4, I totally see the benefit of keeping the bin closed. But honestly, if there is nothing in the bin that will attract my cats, my cats will not pay attention to it. If there is, we just tie up the bag, move the bin where they have no access to or spare a minute to go throw the bag away.
I can’t stand odours and will not allow my bin to smell like anything, even if it is washed clean. Odours can stay for the long term so not having a lid prevents any odour build up. If there is something gross in the bin like raw seafood, we always throw the trash as soon as possible.
Every night, I wash my kitchen bin and let it dry overnight. I’ve been using the exact one for 4 years and it does not have any odours or stains. We NEVER leave food in the bin in our kitchen overnight, no excuses.
All Purpose Spatula
I would love for everyone to try this spatula, it’s not quite the same as the ones I’ve used before I bought this. Granted, I never had to find another spatula after I bought into this brand.
Why I think you would love this spatula:
High heat resistance of 484ºC
It feels sturdy and durable
It can be used for cooking & baking
The gentlest utensil you should use on nonstick cookware
Dishwasher-safe
Because it feels so sturdy and durable, I use it freely and frequently in the kitchen. It doesn’t feel like those common spatulas that will bend when you’re folding heavy batter. Those, I will never let it near any heat source!
When baking, you always need something that won’t bend easily so you can scrape the sides of the bowl cleanly. When cooking, something sturdy like this will also make a good stir-frying spatula!
We have some of the items from this set and always love this brand
Diatomite Mat
For those of us with sink faucet handles that are above our countertops, we are always looking for ways to keep our sink area dry.
I’ve found diatomite mats to be the most helpful for us. I have to share that for this particular item, I have not been using the exact one for 4 years straight. Rather, I replace mine about twice a year but make sure it is always a diatomite mat.
Diatomite mats absorb water very quickly, leaving a dry surface in a couple of minutes. Because it is not a waterproof surface that collects water, it will not accumulate gunk. I feel this is the case for silicone or plastic.
I’ve received feedback over the years that diatomite mat doesn’t work for other homes. I was told it gets slimy or mouldy overtime.
Here are some suggestions to keep your diatomite mat from becoming slimy or mouldy:
Rinse it well at least once a day, I do so at the end of the day
Let it air dry in a position where all surfaces are ventilated, not placed in its usual spot - I usually just leave mine to dry on my sink side dish rack
Some spots and stains are sometimes inevitable, so I don’t like buying diatomite mats that are too expensive so I can replace them as needed. They can chip or break when dropped as well.
Still not going to be resistant to stains, just looks and feels nicer
Glass Containers
I’ll leave my recommendation for stainless steel containers in replacement of glass if you don’t enjoy the idea of having something so fragile and risky in your home:)
I do think glass has its place in the kitchen, though.
I find large glass containers so useful for baking, grilling and roasting. Once the dish has cooled down, I just pop on the lid and it goes straight into the fridge as leftovers!
Other benefits of glass containers:
Transparent, so we can easily see what’s in it
Easy to keep stain and odour-free, can be used for marinades
Lasting, provided we don’t shatter it
Versatile in the fridge, freezer, oven, microwave and dishwasher
Most of the time, affordable
Safe material, unlike plastic
I know plastic can be affordable and durable, but I don’t love the idea of heating it up in the microwave and having the potential of microplastics leeching into my foods. We try our best to reduce our usage of plastic in the kitchen. We’re not perfect, and probably can never be, but it helps to be more conscious!
We’ve truly collected a proper collection of glass containers over the years and can attest to their usefulness and versatility! I don’t think plastic containers have a place in our kitchen anymore (but we’re not going to throw the ones we have ofc).
Most of our glass containers are from the IKEA365 collection, but here are other recommendations:
Never used this, but it looks good enough that I would want to try
Most similar in looks & price to the IKEA ones we have
Microwave, fridge, oven, freezer, dishwasher-safe stainless steel container
