8 Editor-Loved Affordable Kitchen Essentials

It’s easy to overspend in the kitchen. I would know: I test products for a living, and I’ve products ranging from $2 trivets to $500 skillets come through my kitchen. The upside of trying all of these products, though, is I’ve learned what qualities make a particular item great — and when something is high-quality but reasonably priced, it earns my emphatic stamp of approval.  Below, I inventoried eight items I’ve tried fancier versions of, and the affordable versions I’d recommend instead.

Editor-Loved Affordable Kitchen Gear

Tramontina All-in-One Plus Pan

I nearly bought the editor-loved Our Place Always Pan, but then I came across Tramontina’s All-in-One Plus. It’s replaced more than half of my cookware for a fraction of the price of higher-end ceramic-clad cookware. I can make Dutch babies or a frittata for breakfast, steam dumplings for lunch with the steel insert, and braise chicken thighs for dinner. In addition to the steaming insert, the Tramontina also includes a wooden trivet, a snug lid, and a wooden cooking utensil that won’t scratch the pan’s interior. I haven’t looked back.

Shun Cutlery Small Hinoki Cutting Board

I extol wooden cutting boards to anyone who will listen as an easy way to avoid microplastics. But some end-grain boards can cost as much as a chef’s knife. While Shun Cutlery’s knives are quite expensive, the brand’s hinoki cutting board is shockingly affordable. Hinoki, a fragrant, naturally antibacterial Japanese cypress, is soft and forgiving on knives, keeping blades keen much longer than surfaces with no give. This board is not just gentle on my knives, but on my wallet.

Duralex Picardie Glass Tumbler, Set of 6

I’ve tested drinking glasses at different price points and fallen in love with delicate glasses as thin as a hair’s breadth. But nothing beats my Duralex Picardie glasses. I’ve had sets in different sizes for years, and every single glass has resisted chipping and scratches. My tiny 3-ounce glasses double as demitasses for espresso or ramekins to set the sweetest panna cottas I’ve ever seen. The taller glasses are perfect for water or juice. Every version has a timeless charm at an unbeatable price.

Anchor Hocking Batter Bowl

Spouted milk glass and stoneware batter bowls may add a rustic charm to Sunday pancakes, but a single one can run almost a hundred dollars. Thankfully, I love Anchor Hocking’s 2-quart glass bowl. The side is embossed with graduated increments for easy measuring, and it comes with a sturdy handle and snug lid to make prepping, pouring, and storing easy. I don’t make breakfast without it.

Tramontina Signature Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Skillet

A stainless steel skillet is a real kitchen workhorse: They need next to no special maintenance and work for ingredients that other materials can’t handle (for example, acidic tomato dishes don’t work in cast iron). This pan from Tramontina is a go-to for me, offering excellent, warp-free heat conduction at a fraction of the price of higher-end brands. While Tramontina makes multiple useful sizes, the 10-inch skillet offers the most bang for its buck, balancing plenty of surface area with dishwasher-friendly dimensions.

Lodge Cast Iron Loaf Pan

I think everyone should have a cast iron loaf pan. They’re a low-lift way to add a golden-brown crust to banana bread, and they’re dependably nonstick after a little bit of use, which makes releasing delicate loaves or gooey lasagnas easy. Lodge’s $20 pre-seasoned pan is a wonderful intro to cast iron baking.

Purgreat Cast Iron Scrubber

Cast iron only becomes a lifetime investment if it’s well taken care of. One of my favorite ways to free my skillets of crusted-on food (sometimes, eggs just want to stick) is with a handled chainmail scrubber. At just $14, it’s half the price of fancier mesh dishcloths, and I find the handled construction easier to use. The large links provide real scrubbing power without unseating my seasoning. I like this one from OXO, too, which uses bristles instead of chainmail.

365 by Whole Foods Market, Unfiltered Extra Virgin California Olive Oil

I’ve tasted many — many — olive oils, and in my day-to-day cooking, I go through gallons of the stuff. So trust me when I say that sometimes, you can skip the pricey stuff. Whole Foods 365’s unfiltered, California EVOO is one of my trusted staples. It’s fresh, balanced, and lightly peppery, neutral enough to work for sautéing, roasting, and emulsifying. It even moonlights as a baking oil for me. It’s a reliable, popular olive oil that I know is dependably fresh and accessibly priced.