We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. An itty bitty knife sharpener, because nothing says "IDK how to cook" like smushing your veggies and dangerously sawing through hard fruits and meat with a dull knife.
2. A Lodge cast-iron skillet for achieving a delicious sear and crust you won't get on a regular nonstick skillet...so stop trying. If you don't want to look like a total noob, don't cook all your food in the same pan; different ingredients and recipes call for different equipment and techniques.
3. A versatile Always Pan from Our Place that'll get the job done and look good while doing it. In the same way that you should use a cast-iron for certain foods, other recipes will call for a classic nonstick skillet — so make sure you have one. (This also has the added benefit of a steamer basket, a built-in easy-pour spout, and a nesting spatula.)
4. A meat tenderizer to make your $10 steak taste like it cost 10 times that. It's a simple step that can make your meat so much more satisfying, so you're really missing out if you don't own a tenderizer!
5. A 3-in-1 burger press if you're firing up the grill this summer with — gasp! — regular burger patties. Sure, you can make boring hamburgers or you could bite into a cheesy stuffed burger. Don't make your tastebuds miss out because you didn't know this existed. (Pssst! You can even use it to make sliders!)
6. A sweet pepper chowchow from Wanda's Cooking so you can take your cooking to the next level. You are 100% telling me you don't know how to cook if you aren't garnishing your dishes with this deliciously sweet and tangy blend of sweet peppers, vinegar, and onion.
7. An air fryer because it'll satisfy your love of crunchy, fried foods but do it without all the grease. You can make all your restaurant faves — like chicken wings, crispy breaded eggplant, charred veggies, and even donuts — with this magical appliance. It's even great for reheating foods that usually get soggy in the microwave, like pizza!
8. And a set of magnetic air fryer cheat sheets for ensuring your foods emerge perfectly cooked instead of still raw or burned to a crisp because you guesstimated the cook time.
9. A veggie dicer that'll uniformly chop your veggies so you don't ruin a recipe because you messily hand-chopped your onion and the smaller pieces burned while the larger pieces are undercooked.
10. Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel Seasoning to sprinkle on everything, and I mean everything. It's great dusted on top of avocado toast, eggs, bagels, chicken, fish, veggies, and the list goes on.
11. And speaking of Trader Joe's, their Everything But The Elote Seasoning if you want to add the flavor of Mexican street corn to your favorite foods. This flavorful mixture of salt, chili pepper, cheese, chipotle, and cumin makes plain corn a treat, but it's also a tasty topping on popcorn, veggies, meat, eggs, and nuts — and that list barely scratches the surface.
12. A 7-in-1 Instant Pot so you can actually eat dinner in a timely manner. It tenderizes frozen meat in minutes and makes mouthwatering stews in under an hour so you don't have to subsist on pasta when you come home late and can't be bothered to cook a real meal.
13. The ~Guac-Lock~ because no one wants to top their tacos with brown, sad-looking guac! This container pushes out the air that causes your avos to oxidize so you can enjoy guac and mashed avocados for toast for days without browning.
14. And a dishwasher-safe OXO avocado slicer for anyone who believes avocados are an integral component of every meal — including desert. Cook safely with this handy tool and prevent avocado hand (a real thing, y'all!).
15. A jar of Za'atar, a deliciously complex Middle Eastern spice blend that'll probably be gone before you know it — that's how good it is. This specific mix is made with thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac, and will make a mouthwatering addition to meats, bread, olive oil, yogurt, and more.
16. A perfect egg timer to ensure that every egg you make from here on out is your preferred level of "doneness." (No more rock hard yolks when you dream of a runny center.) The face on the timer will change colors to indicate how cooked your egg is, removing any guesswork. Medium-boiled egg of my dreams, I'm coming for ya!
17. A garlic press if the hassle of chopping garlic has put you off this tangy bulb vegetable. There aren't many dishes that won't benefit from the addition of garlic and this press removes all the inconveniences of mincing it so you really have no excuse to *not* toss some garlic into the pan. Your tastebuds will thank you!
18. A trio of spice crayons because seasoning your food is an absolute cooking must. You can, of course, buy spices in bulk at the store but isn't shaving some thyme (there's a pun here, I know it!) on your burrata more fun? Turns out you can play with your food.
19. A Victorinox 8-inch chef's knife for the person who owns one knife. A properly stocked kitchen needs different kinds of knives for different kinds of cuts, just like you need different kinds of cookware. This classic blade will help slice and dice like a pro and can last you years with proper care.
20. A variety pack of microwaveable A Dozen Cousins ready-to-eat seasoned beans that'll prove once and for all that there's a better option than a sad frozen, flavorless burrito for dinner. Or, use them to zhuzh up leftovers so you can finally clear some fridge space.
21. A tangy garlic sauce from EssieSpice to breathe new life into your leftovers. It's also a delicious addition to poultry, fish, soups, eggs, and even pizza, and it requires zero prep.
22. An enameled cast-iron Dutch oven if one of your 2021 resolutions was to cook more. *slaps Dutch oven* This bad boy can cook you practically anything you want. Bread? Done. Stews? Done. An entire bird? Done. Braised meats and veggies? Done! Seriously, please stop asking.
23. A brown sugar softener so your cooking plans aren't derailed by rock hard sugar. This will keep brown sugar moist for three to six months so you never have to put your cakes, pies, crumbles, muffins, cobblers, or marinades on hold.
24. A magnetic kitchen measurement chart because sometimes that recipe calls for 250 grams of flour and you're just like...speak American, please...
25. A pack of reusable toaster bags for anyone who dirties every pan in the kitchen when they crave a grilled cheese at midnight. Now you can make your ooey gooey sandwich in the toaster instead of creating a pile of dishes you know you won't get to until the morning...if then.
26. A set of magnetic measuring spoons that'll ensure you're really adding 1/4 teaspoon of salt instead of trying to fill half of the 1/2 teaspoon and hoping you got close enough.
You, a bona fide chef, after reading this post:
