Your Kitchen Must-Haves / Dream Kitchen

So, I just saw this post on Smitten Kitchen this morning which describes the blogger's must-have kitchen necessities. Like many of us, she is short on space, and tries to stick to essentials of a high-quality that are multi-purpose rather than very specialised items. This got me thinking about far too many things that I want for the kitchen (or I dare say, NEED to have!) and so I have made an Amazon wish list of all the stuff I hope to get next year.
As a side note, I also love seeing really unneccessary kitchen things and having a laugh. DH and I have some serious crack about those banana holder - carrier things (they have them at Sainsburys now!) Why do you need a briefcase for a banana?!  So you could list some items you find totally unneccessary, as well, if you like. 

Must-haves in my kitchen:
Pyrex mixing bowls
Various bakeware - loaf pans, cake tins, baking sheets, casserole dishes, etc.
Flat griddle - I have a flat (not one of those ridged ones they have here) that I brought from the states and wouldn't be without it for things like pancakes, quesadillas, etc.
Cast iron skillet
A good masher
wooden spoon
food processor (yes, I know this isn't a necessity, but I do live without a microwave, and I like using the food processor if I have a lot of veg to chop or cheese to grate. It makes life so much easier!)
a good measuring glass
digital scale

My wish list:
nice, proper chef knife with some sort of good sharpener
cake plate with domed cover
cookie jar
a good dutch oven
a stand mixer (ha! wishful thinking on that one! those babies cost a fortune!)
a jam making kit (jars, long wooden spoon, funnel, etc.)
lots of little things like a Y-peeler, ice cream scoop, cookie scoop, tongs, barbecue fork, etc.)
a good set of round cookie cutters

What about you?

I'm a kitchen gadget junkie!! 

Stuff I use weekly if not daily:

Good sharp knives
Microplane (for zesting citrus, really fine chocolate/parmesean, grating nutmeg, etc)
Lime juicer (hand held - like a little grip thing that turns the lime inside out) - I use a lot of lime juice!
Really good can opener
Really sharp peeler
Food processor
Digital scale
Wok
Steamer

Stuff I don't use as often but wouldn't part with:
Fancy blender (the cheaper ones don't crush ice, etc well)
Stand mixer (lucky wedding present)
Tortilla press
Cherry pitter (I actually use it more for pitting olives)

Stuff I'm glad I have but could live without:
Bread maker
Ice cream maker

Must have:

range cooker. Had one put in with our new kitchen and would really miss it. Mind you, I've only used the other big oven once, when our neighbour's husband died. She couldn't cook so I cooked their Christmas dinner. I timed our dinners to be ready 45 minutes apart and could never have done it without the second big oven! I use the mini oven and first large oven all the time, usually together.

tongs: I use them for everything from stir frying to dishing out spaghetti.

wooden lemon ream: so much better than a juicer.

mezze luna: great for chopping stubborn herbs and chocolate and things.



Would like:

A walk in (or, at least, a floor to ceing wall mounted) larder. I get so annoyed having to haul everything out of the base unit larder we have to get at the stuff at the back. Plus I end up buying stuff I already have because I can't see it at the back  

I want (and think Santa is bringing me!) a tiny blender for doing small amounts of stuff, like mushy peas or sauces.

My dream kitchen would have
 -a wide farmhouse sink with attached draining board (you know the type I mean)
 -A true pantry.  My very first flat after uni had one. Loved it.
 -Gas hobs, electric oven
 -Lots of free counter space
 -Be very organized with the cabinets to prevent that counterspace from being eaten up by clutter.

My less than dream kitchen now still needs-
-A few more good knives
-Heavy duty kitchen shears--I keep forgetting to pick these up
-A few more cast iron skillets
-A couple good lidded caseroles
-Some tins
-A few more air tight containers (bigger ones)
-A food processor
-cake pans
-Crockpot
-a multi-tiered steamer
-Tongs
-Decent wooden cutting board.  Less of a priority as I have some plastic ones
-a microwave
-A compost thingy in the garden.  Mr. A wants to do worms instead.
-Shelf for window herb garden and then the window herb garden

I already have a lot of stuff that has come to be vital.  I really try to keep it as un-stuffacated as possible.  You probably won't find many things in our kitchen that doesn't get used at least once a month.

I think my other kitchen must have would be a dining room so I can move the table out of the kitchen :lol:

I think my other kitchen must have would be a dining room so I can move the table out of the kitchen :lol:

Yes! That would be ever so nice.

I would love to have a walk-in pantry, but we at least have a shallow regular pantry that is sufficient, though I need to start cleaning it out more often! 

I'd like a double sink, ideally. And a double oven type cooker would be so nice. And a bigger fridge and freezer would be handy!

But, I love my kitchen, actually.... it just has a nice quality, with all integrated appliances and there is quite a bit of cabinet space in there, to be honest, so I am pretty satisfied, though my organisational skills could use improvement. I love the track lighting in there, too (I'm a nerd for lighting thanks to being a photography major) and it's the main reason we ended up renting this house! Though, the garden looks pretty atrocious, and it happens to be the view from the kitchen window, which spoils it a bit! 

What I like in present kitchen:
1. Pine cabinetry original to house (retro!)
2. Dishwasher
3. Microwave
4. Set of Cuisineart saucepans I got from Marshall's for about $20 a piece
5. Set of 3 cast iron fry pans
6. George Foreman that has removable hot plates (so you can wash them)
7. Work table (counter height) on wheels with two drawers and two shelves underneath

What I need (hah!):
1. Floor that doesn't have seam coming unstuck up the middle
2. New counter tops -- especially something over the dishwasher
3. New stove with oven that works -- preferably a wall oven with gas cook top
4. New sink with garbage disposal
5. Window that doesn't rattle in the breeze
6. Pull-out larder shelving for storage of canned goods etc.

one word:

aga

I built my dream kitchen about 3 years ago, it has everything I would ever want in it, and its gorgoeus and HUGE to boot! how lucky am I!!!

The things I love are my integrated appliances, including a washer and separate wall vented tumble dryer, I love my six foot tall larder unit, my double oven and my island hob. Oh, not to mention my dishwasher. Its also a dining room with a big table, in addition its got lots of counter space and 2 skylights.

I love having a potato ricer, thats a must have. Also, Kitchenaid Mixer, pod coffee machine, flat screen telly, the usual stuff. I love buying kitchen utensils, so I have a ton of them, and my friends tell me I have more pots and pans than anyone could possibly need!!!

I love my kitchen, but I just wish it were bigger. No matter what you buy and how much you spend on a kitchen, you can't change its size - without adding an extension, of course, and that's not an option here given the layout of the house. If I had extra room, I'd like:

- a proper walk-in larder
- a Welsh dresser

However, it's still a great kitchen! I love:

- my ceiling-high pull-out larder
- my cream shaker units
- my solid birch worktops
- my green walls
- crazy bright curtains
- the two big windows with a view of the lights of Hayle and the estuary
- my old vintage jugs and china bits and bobs
- my new John Lewis saucepans
- my salad spinner
- my knives
- my KitchenAid mixer, blender and toaster - all red!
- and oh so many other things!

The only thing, aside from space, I've wanted is a huge American-style fridge/freezer with ice and water dispenser. And guess what?!?! I'VE JUST ORDERED ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S COMING NEXT WEEK!!!! I'M SO HAPPY I COULD SCREEEEEEEEAM!!!!!!
 

one word:

aga

 

Well there's my dream kitchen and what can I do to make my kitchen nicer right now

Well -in my kitchen right now I'd like:

A working oven    >:(grr bad repair man!!
An electric coffee maker

Things that would make my current kitchen better but aren't even close to fitting are
a dishwasher and a freezer! 

A walk in (or, at least, a floor to ceing wall mounted) larder. I get so annoyed having to haul everything out of the base unit larder we have to get at the stuff at the back. Plus I end up buying stuff I already have because I can't see it at the back  
 

THAT! and for the exact same reasons.

ROOM. Lots of room. I want to tie 3 cats together and be able to swing them without hitting anything.

Double oven

Double sink

Gas cooker with 6 hobs

American size ice box

Preparation table in the middle

Lots of lights

Proper extractration to outside

Well stocked with appliances, dishes, pans etc

And ROOM. Lots of room. I want it big enough to cook in and for someone to do homework at a table and not be in my way but near enough I can help them.

Breakfast bar

Separate but adjoining dining room

Nigella Lawson   

one word:

aga

We thought about getting one, but there are a lot of things you just can't do with an Aga. It broke my heart to have to admit that, as I really love the idea of them. But in practice, it just wasn't for us. They don't get hot enough for some things, for example, and inevitably, you end up needing a traditional oven as well. So we opted for a Rangemaster range style cooker - they're made by the Aga people. It has the same lovely look and is massive! Five rings plus a warming plate and two big ovens plus a grill!

So we opted for a Rangemaster range style cooker - they're made by the Aga people. It has the same lovely look and is massive! Five rings plus a warming plate and two big ovens plus a grill!

That sounds just like what I would like. Come on there is £39 million up for grabs tonight. I'm only asking for a fraction of that.

After years of lusting after kitchen stuff, my fiance and I have finally reached critical mass on kitchen gadgets! That being said, my must haves are all high quality things we use literally every day:

Seriously sharp professional knives
Le Creuset dutch ovens in a variety of sizes (some are Chasseur, some LC)
our giant professional oven (ex-catering as our boat used to be a hotel)
four enormous gas hobs

...and that's pretty much it. I think I could make do quite happily if that's all I had. I baked all sorts for years before an angel food cake forced me to buy a mixer, for instance!

cake plate with domed cover

Oh we looked for one of these for yeeeeeeears and never ever found one in the UK. I eventually just bought one at Bed Bath & Beyond in the states and stuffed it full of clothes in my suitcase. I get so many comments on it when other people see mine, everyone wants one!