Everything below is something we own and use regularly — nothing here is included because a brand paid for placement. Most categories have a budget pick and a splurge pick; buy based on how often you'll actually use it, not which one sounds nicer.
Sheet pans
Sheet-pan dinners are half of what's on this site, so this is the one category worth not skimping on. These sheet pans are durable, still fit in the dishwasher, and are oven-safe to 500°F without warping — we use them constantly and recommend them without hesitation.
For smaller jobs — roasting a single side of vegetables instead of a full sheet pan dinner — these quarter sheet pans are the right size and a breeze to clean.
Dutch oven
The gold standard here is Le Creuset, but at $400+ it's not for everyone.
- Budget: This 6-quart Dutch oven is far more affordable and we've used it plenty with great results.
- Splurge: This one is the real deal — if you can swing it, it's something that lasts the rest of your life.
Sauté pans
No kitchen is complete without a solid set of sauté pans.
- Budget: These All-Clad pans are solid, oven-safe, and stylish enough for any kitchen. We used these for years before upgrading.
- Splurge: These Hexclad pans are on the higher end of the price spectrum, but we've gotten amazing results, plus the added benefit of being able to use metal utensils on them.
Baking dishes
Sheet pans handle most things, but every kitchen still needs a baking dish. This 9x13 dish has held up extremely well for baked pasta dinners.
Soup & stock pot set
We make soups, pasta, and sauces often enough that a good set of pots is non-negotiable.
- Budget: These Hexclad-style pots aren't as durable as the real thing, but they're about a third of the price.
- Splurge: These Hexclad pots are the ones we reach for most.
Knife set
A good knife set that covers all your prep needs makes everything downstream faster.
- Budget: This set is a solid starting point under $100 — it won't be revolutionary, but it gets the job done.
- Splurge: This set has genuinely high-quality blades. At around $400 it's not cheap, but it'll last decades.
The one weird one
A giant spatula. With sheet-pan meals on the menu so often, a spatula this size for transferring food straight to plates comes in handy more than you'd expect.
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