So, You Just Got Your First Apartment—Here’s What Your Kitchen Actually Needs
This is Starter Kit, a series where our editors share the food, drink, and kitchen essentials they recommend when you’re setting up from scratch. Here, we chat with experts on how to outfit a first-apartment. Whether you're a new grad or moving out for the first time, this renter-friendly checklist will make your new kitchen feel like home.
There comes a moment in every recent grad’s life when they realize adulthood is, unfortunately, not just vibes. Suddenly you’re standing in the kitchen section of Target wondering whether you need a Dutch oven and if owning three mismatched forks technically counts as “fully furnished.” Somehow, you’re expected to build a functional kitchen from scratch—with approximately 14 square inches of cabinet space and whatever money left from your security deposit.
The good news: You do not need a 12-piece cookware set and a fancy espresso machine that costs as much as your paycheck. The best first-apartment kitchens are built slowly and strategically, with hardworking tools that earn their keep in small spaces. We tapped experts for the essentials worth investing in now—from the multitasking pans to the tiny-space storage upgrades that’ll make your kitchen feel slightly less like a dorm room with a stove.
Your First Apartment Starter Kit
Don't panic—it's less complicated than you think. This is basically everything you need to outfit your new kitchen.
✓ Cooking basics
✓ Kitchen utensils you'll actually use
✓ Appliances that earn their counter space
✓ Pantry staples
✓ Hosting and dining essentials
✓ Small-space organization upgrades (if you need 'em)
Start with the basics
A sheet pan, a chef's knife, a cook-anything-and-everything pan—these are the cooking essentials every first “real” kitchen needs.
Emily Ziemski, food writer, recipe developer, and the author of the culinary Substack, More or Less, recommends starting with a small lineup of dependable essentials instead of buying a massive cookware set right away. “There are some tried-and-true basics you’ll want—a chef’s knife, a good quality cutting board, a stainless steel pot, a skillet of some kind,” she says. Beyond that, she encourages recent grads to think about how they actually cook before adding more gear. Are you still in your sourdough era? Get a Dutch oven. Love slurping on soup? A nice stock pot might be more useful than a second skillet.
Ziemski warns against falling into the trap of buying a full “set” of anything just because it feels grown-up. And if you want to splurge, do it on your cookware. “Cheap pans can have coatings that flake off easily or materials that damage and warp quickly, so you'll end up replacing them sooner rather than later,” she says. It will mean a bigger chunk of change upfront, but it also means a longer life expectancy (and, y'know, no toxic flakes in your food.) “For a skillet, I try to find a carbon steel or titanium-coated one, as those have more durable nonstick than say, Teflon.”
Strata Carbon-Steel-Clad Frying Pan (10.5")
Amazon
Goldilocks
3-Quart Saucepan
Goldilocks
Nordic Ware Naturals 3-Piece Baking Sheet Set
Amazon
Material
MK Free Board
Material
Amazon
Bloomingdale's
Glad
Mixing Bowls With Pour Spout
Amazon
Misen 8-Inch Chef's Knife
Amazon
Misen
Kitchen tools you'll actually use
A zillion wooden spoons and a fancy garlic press can be tempting, but here's what you should really prioritize.
Beginner cooks should focus less on gadgets and more on simple tools that make everyday cooking easier. Ziemski's ideal starter setup includes basics like a spatula, whisk, spoon, Microplane, and—perhaps most importantly—a colander. “You will be making pastas,” she says. She also recommends an instant-read thermometer, especially for newer cooks still building confidence in the kitchen. “Undercooking proteins is a big woe for novice cooks,” she explains, noting that a thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking meat and helps people learn what properly cooked food actually looks like.
OXO
Good Grips 3 QT Plastic Colander
Amazon
ThermoPro TP16S Digital Meat Thermometer
Amazon
OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Can Opener
Amazon
Microplane Classic Zester
Amazon
Houjip
Magnetic Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
Amazon
Smart, multi-use appliances
In a small apartment kitchen, every appliance has to earn its footprint.
This is where you have to get picky. Shamika Lynch, founder and principal designer of Maximizing Tiny, a small-space-focused interior design firm in New Jersey, famously does not like single-use appliances ("They take up too much space.”) Instead, she's a fan of multi-use appliances that can do more than just one thing.
For something that works as well to roast tonight's dinner or reheat last night's the BA product testing team loves the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Compact.
High powered blenders can be expensive and counter hogs, but an immersion blender can whip up smoothies and soups at a lower price with a smaller footprint.
The one single-use appliance we'll make an exception for is your coffee maker. Just be sure to save the four-digit espresso machine for your next place—the petite (in size and price) Zojirushi Zutto gets the job done.
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Compact
Breville
Williams Sonoma
Zojirushi
EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker
Amazon
Breville
Control Grip Immersion Blender
Breville
Williams Sonoma
Sur La Table
Amazon
Dining and hosting essentials
Pro tip: Leave Grandma's fine china at your parents until you get more space.
Focus on versatile essentials you’ll actually use instead of overbuying formal dinnerware or giant matching sets. “We really have to be the gatekeepers of our own home and take inventory of what we use,” Lynch says. A few sturdy plates, bowls, glasses, and everyday serving pieces will go much further in a small space than specialty items that only come out twice a year. She also encourages renters to think critically about sentimental hand-me-downs: If you use your grandmother’s silver every morning, keep it—but if it’s taking up half your cabinet space for one holiday dinner annually, it may be better stored elsewhere until you have more room.
Oh, and don't forget to have cleaning supplies handy. After a gathering, a drying rack and a Scrub Daddy will be your BFFs, especially if you don't have a dishwasher.
Oneida Colonial Boston 45-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 8
Amazon
Amazon Basics
Glazed Stoneware Coffee and Tea Mugs, Ceramic 4-Piece Set, 16 oz
Amazon
Rubbermaid Brilliance 10-Piece Food Storage Container Set
Amazon
Momo Lifestyle Small Dish Drying Rack
Amazon
Scrub Daddy
Scrub Daddy Dye Free Sponge
Amazon
Super Shine Liquid Dish Soap, Dewy Daze Scented, 16 fl oz
Amazon
Pantry staples
When in doubt, pasta.
A thoughtfully stocked pantry can make even the sparsest first apartment kitchen feel usable. Ziemski recommends starting with essentials like kosher salt, cracked black pepper, vinegar, and a few versatile spices or spice blends. “Good quality olive oil, always,” she says, adding that you don’t need to splurge on fancy packaging: Decanting a larger bottle into an inexpensive squeeze bottle works just as well.
She also recommends keeping easy proteins on hand, like canned beans or tinned fish, which can quickly turn pantry odds and ends into a real meal. Combined with basics like pasta, rice, or grains, these staples make it easier to throw together simple dinners without relying entirely on takeout.
Kosterina
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosterina
Barilla Al Bronzo Mezze Rigatoni
Amazon
Lundberg
Jasmine Rice, Regenerative Organic Certified – 32 Oz
Amazon
Fishwife Albacore Tuna with Spanish Lemon
Fishwife
King Arthur
All-Purpose Flour
Amazon
Small-space organization upgrades
The stuff you need to put all your other stuff away (relatively) nicely.
When you’re working with limited cabinet space, organization matters almost as much as the gear itself. Lynch says using your walls can free up valuable storage space, pointing to wall-mounted pot racks as one of her favorite solutions (just make sure they go into the studs on the wall, since they can get heavy). She's also a fan of under-sink organizers, cabinet risers, and plate stackers, which help maximize every inch of valuable space.
For kitchens that simply don’t have enough counters or storage to begin with, Lynch recommends adding standalone furniture pieces that function like built-ins. “If your kitchen doesn’t have enough counter space, I love bringing in a standalone island or bar cart,” she says, noting that even a slim cart against a blank wall can create extra room for pantry items, small appliances, or coffee supplies. And for the dozens of spices you're sure to rack up over time? Ziemski insists on a spice rack.“If those spices aren't out and easily accessible, they will be forgotten about," she says.
Ikea
FÖRHÖJA Kitchen Cart
Ikea
Amazon Basics
3-Tier Metal Rolling Utility Cart
Amazon
OROPY 31" Wall Mounted Pot Rack Storage Shelf with 2-Tier Hanging Rails
Amazon
HuggieGems
Metal Magnetic Spice Storage Rack
Amazon
Yamazaki
Undershelf Organizer
Yamakazi
Acacia Wood Magnetic Knife Strip
Amazon
Choose your first-apartment fighters
- The best, non-toxic nonstick cookware, even if you're on a tight budget
- Instant Pots that make whipping up a weeknight dinner easier than ever
- More editor-approved pantry essentials if you still have absolutely no idea where to start
Source: This story originated with Bon Appétit.
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