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    32 Things For Anyone Trying To Cook More In 2021

    Kitchen essentials to bring more homemade "yum" into 2021.

    1. A pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet with a seemingly endless list of uses from baking to braising that's ready to use right out of the box, so you can get straight to cooking up your family's favorite recipes.

    2. A culinary essentials spice kit that'll take your meals from so-so to WHOA by stocking your cabinet with top-quality versions of commonly used spices from around the globe.

    3. A nonstick T-fal cookware starter set if you're finding that the single skillet you make every meal with just isn't cutting it anymore. This 12-piece set has everything you need to start cooking like a pro, at a price that won't accidentally bankrupt you in the process.

    Three different-sizes pots, two different-sized skillets, a dutch oven, a spatula, and a spoon

    4. A bamboo cutting board with seven color-coded mats that prevent cross contamination and make food prep organization a breeze. Plus, all these cutting mats store inside the wooden base, saving you tons of space.

    A bamboo cutting board with a green mat inserted on the top with a knife and vegetables on it next to six different colored mats each with a different food icon in the bottom right corner

    5. A do-it-all apron turned trusty kitchen assistant with extra coverage, loads of pockets, an easy-to-reference conversion chart, and even, built-in oven mitts!

    6. A 3-in-1 avocado tool so you can split, pit, and slice avocadoes with ease. Now the only hard part is eating the avocado in that small window between not ripe and rotten.

    7. An Instant Pot Ultra that does the work of 10 kitchen appliances in one compact cooker, saving you invaluable kitchen space while making it easy to whip up delectable meals fast.

    Instant Pot sitting on a countertop among an array of different prepared food dishes

    8. A high-quality multi-purpose knife that'll quickly earn its keep as your reliable go-to for virtually all your slicing, chopping, dicing, and carving needs.

    A stainless steel knife with a black handle sitting on a cutting board

    9. A compact knife sharpener that's easy to store and will keep your blades in tiptop shape. I didn't know vigorously sawing through potatoes wasn't normal until I learned you actually should be sharpening your knives, like, ALL the time!

    10. A bunch of Rubbermaid food storage containers with leak-proof lids that are microwave-, dishwasher-, and freezer-safe and won't stain after a week of storing your saucy leftovers!

    11. A pair of concrete salt and pepper cellars that'll safely house your two most important spices and ensure they're always out and ready to go.

    Two small black and white round containers with corresponding lids leaning against the side

    12. A pack of reusable silicone lids that have a seemingly endless list of uses. Top off a saucepan, store leftovers, keep food warm while cooking — all without needing to go to battle with pesky cling wrap!

    13. A handy-dandy digital meat thermometer with a backlit display to instantly tell whether your meat is cooked through. No need to poke and prod your chicken breast wondering if it's going to give you food poisoning with this around!

    14. A 6-quart slow cooker that'll make cooking delicious homemade meals as simple as 1) dump in your ingredients 2) set it 3) forget it, until the delicious smell of whatever's cooking brings you back.

    15. A few quality washed linen dishtowels because you'll find that all of a sudden when you start cooking the dishtowels you've had hanging in your kitchen as decorations actually become can't-live-without essentials.

    16. A crab spoon holder to sit on the edge of your pots and pans and fearlessly guard against some of cooking's most annoying perils. Spoon drippings? Not today! Bubbly spillover from a pot boiled over? Nah. Crabby, here, doubles as a steam releaser!

    17. An EveryPlate meal kit subscription for those nights where takeout feels really tempting but you know you should probably cook. Having a batch of ingredients and recipes ready to go (without the trip to the grocery store) makes the choice a lot easier.

    A hand drizzling sauce with a spoon onto a rice bowl topped with meat and vegetables

    18. A set of airtight storage containers that'll keep your dried goods fresher for longer. These will get even the messiest of pantries on the path toward #organizationgoals.

    Six OXO Pop Containers of various sizes filled with a mix of dry ingredients from pasta to chocolate chips

    19. A three-piece OXO peeler set because who wants to waste unnecessary time peeling fruits and veggies with a knife? These little guys will give you a perfect peel every time, without digging into your produce and wasting food.

    20. A comprehensive set of rainbow mixing bowls and measuring cups that are small kitchen friendly – they rest neatly together to save space!

    21. A dishwasher-safe scrap collector you can easily attach to a drawer to make scooping food scraps off the counter a breeze!

    Small bin in green attached to a counter with food scrape inside of it

    22. A set of angled measuring cups with measurements you can read both from the side and above, so you can quit that awkward dance of crouching down by the counter to accurately check if you have the right amount.

    23. A do-everything Always Pan designed to replace eight pieces of cookware. Saute, steam, serve, and so much more with this nonstick beauty, which comes with a lockable lid, steamer basket, pouring spout, and a nesting spatula with a built-in rest.

    24. An organic cotton oven mitt and potholder set designed by renowned Black artist Synthia Saint James that is so bright and beautiful you'll actually remember to grab them as you make a mad dash for the oven to retrieve your only slightly burnt muffins.

    A quiltedven mitt and potholder printed with a bright multicolor motif

    25. A handmade utensil and tablet holder to make it easier to follow all those online recipes you've got saved on Pinterest, and keep your tech safe when making a mess in the kitchen.

    The utensil holder filled with wooden spoons with a tablet nested in the front surrounded by a cutting board and citrus

    26. A variety pack of vegan pancake mixes to make cooking breakfast fast and delicious. Don't want pancakes every day? No problem! All three flavors double as waffle mix.

    27. A Japanese-designed tower drying rack that'll make cleanup a little easier with space for loads of dishes and a built-in steel drip tray for catching excess water. Now, your countertop won't become a small pond every time you lay wet dishes out to dry.

    A black dish rack in the shape of an X with plates and mugs on it

    28. A magnetic knife strip that'll organize your cooking tools with the added benefit of making your kitchen look like a 5-star restaurant!

    A hand placing a knife against the magnetic knife strip mounted on a tile wall

    29. A Dash rapid egg cooker to make your morning egg prep 1,000x easier. Get boiled, poached, or scrambled eggs in just a couple of minutes, and weighing in at just ONE POUND, it's perfect for small apartment kitchens, dorm rooms, or RV travel!

    The egg cooker in black filled with six eggs

    30. If your dirty oven is preventing you from cooking, a fume-free oven cleaner to cut through tough, baked-on grease and stubborn stains without making your home smell like a vat of chemicals.

    31. A garlic crusher and peeler set that'll turn garlic mincing into an easy job, instead of a sticky and smelly one.

    32. A handheld OXO can opener because if you've made it this long without one, congratulations! But if you're about to start cooking regularly, you're eventually going to need to break into a can of tomato paste or beans.

    You after discovering cooking can actually be kind of fun:

    Looking for more stuff to help make your house a home? Check out the best places to buy inexpensive furniture online, the best places to buy couches online, cute home decor you’ll wish you knew about sooner, or check out all of our home content for even more great ideas.