Kitchen essentials for a poor college student who wants to cook like an iron chef?

Question

During college years funding is low but the need to cook like a pro can be essential. (Let's say to meeting your future wife/husband?)

What are essential devices the kitchen should have but will not break the already broken bank?

Community List Includes:

• quality knife set (essential for all most cooking)
• a knife sharpener (a cheap but not so-cheap one does the job)
• crock pot (great for the set it and forget it cooking when you are on the go)
• measuring cups/spoons (eye-balling is great but sometimes you need refined measuring)
• casserole dish
• mixing bowl
• skillet (cast iron preferred)
• essential herbs/spices (preferably from parents kitchen)
• cutting board (decent size, but not too big that it is too big to fit in the sink and wash)
• spatula (metal and wood)
• knife sharpener (ceramic preferred or diamond coated)
• 3 plates (1 for you, 1 for guest, 1 for serving)
• tupperware/containers for tomorrow's lunch
• cutlery for 2

Community wiki and I will try to update the list as user's comment!

Answer 1

Two sous chefs, a camera crew in your face, and if you want to lose, an ice-cream maker?

Honestly, if you're a "poor college student", wanting to cook like an iron chef is a pipe dream. You should be focusing on cooking good, decent food. The goal is a replacement for microwave burritos and takeout pizza, not 5-star cooking.

College student could mean lots of things: (1) lack of experience / skill. (2) lack of equipment. (3) lack of storage space. (4) lack of a full kitchen. (5) Needing to move your things multiple times per year. (6) lack of money.

We know #6 is true, based on 'poor', but what about the rest?

All are going to yield much different answers. I think I managed to get through cooking in a shared kitchen one year with:

1. a mini-fridge
2. a skillet
3. a mid-sized pot w/ lid
4. a wooden spatula
5. a turner / metal spatula
6. cutlery for 2
7. a cheap chef's knife.
8. a cheap paring knife.
9. a cutting board.
10. 3 plates
11. a measuring cup from camping (plastic, 1c., w/ markings for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4c.)
12. a sierra cup
13. a few drinking cups.
14. salt
15. a few herbs and spices raided from my parents.
16. some containers so I could make extra and have lunch/dinner the next day (so I wasn't cooking every night)

If you have access to an oven, and you're going to be baking, you might need other things, but it's going to all depend on what you restrictions are.

Answer 2

I really liked Joe's answer, but had a slightly modified list when I was in college:

• 1 10" chef knife - $35
• 1 large cutting board (plastic...I know, wood is better for the knife, but plastic was convenient and cheaper) - $20
• 1 10" deep non-stick skillet - $20 from Costco
• 1 3-qt non-stick pot - $40
• Service for 2 - 2 forks, knives, spoons, plates, cups - $20 from Pier 1?
• Set of cheap wooden utensils - $10 Target
• Mineral oil for said wooden utensils, $5 from IKEA
• Rice cooker - your mileage may vary, but if you can afford it, splurge $120 on a Zujirushi. They really are that good.

Total cost with rice cooker: $270

Total cost without rice cooker: $150

This got me through most of college - cooking a lot of one dish meals, stir-fry, and pasta.

If you're going to add anything to it, I'd add potholders/trivets, a few dish towels, and a large pot for boiling spaghetti and linguine (the 3 quart was better for smaller bite-sized pastas than the long noodle-y ones). This could add anywhere from $20-$50 depending on whether you find these at a garage sale or in a store.

Answer 3

I've found most of this stuff for great prices at IKEA, as you my budget is very limited. In my opinion the best knives you can find for the price:

• Chef's Knife (japanese style), the materials are excellent, damascus V-10 steel and pakkawood for the handle, well balanced. I think it's a great deal if you haven't much money: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90131068 $50
• Paring Knife, the steel is not as good as Chef's knife but it's great for the cost, the blade is very sharp: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70131069 $13
• Honing steel in ceramic (there's also a diamond coated one), it's essential, the knives are harder than stainless steel: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30167003 $8

Measuring spoons the same, there is a list of choices, I own that http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30085875 $5, but there is a great choice of measuring items (I've spotted a meat thermometer that isn't bad at all).

Mixing bowls, same story, you can own some of them metal (there are plenty of sizes) from the same store. There are some cast iron skillets and grills, but I can't say so much, anyway the prices are good also on standard places.

Answer 4

Cast iron skillet, great for searing meats, bacon, and as a bonus it can go from stovetop directly into the oven. See this thread. You can find a good Lodge cast iron skillet for under $30.

I don't feel an entire knife set is necessary, just 2 or 3 really good knives. Specifically a chefs knife, and a paring knife. A lot of people also recommend a good bread knife. See this thread. A decent set can run $500 or more; you can get two really good knives for half that.

Almost forgot to mention, to go with the good knife/knives you want at least one good quality cutting board. If it's wood, get some mineral oil or something similar to make it last (seemingly) forever.

As someone else mentioned, you might be dealing with restrictions on what you can use. If you don't have an oven, a cast iron skillet won't be of much use, but an electric griddle will be invaluable. If you only have a microwave, this Microwave Browning Dish is probably a great thing to have on hand. I recently got one as a gift, but haven't gotten a chance to use it yet - but I've been reading great reviews online.

I also can't live without my kitchen scale. I have an expensive one, but started with one that was about $30. This might not be necessary for a beginner cook, but once you get used to having one it can really speed things up - it's also much easier to get exact measurements. A large onion can vary in size, but an ounce of onion is always an ounce of onion.

Answer 5

• Skillet (if a stove is available, which it is in most apartments or perhaps a dorm kitchen)
• 8 x 8 pan for baking brownies or a square cake (friends do have birthdays, after all)
• Plates and utensils for at least 2. Remember the dining hall frowns on stealing.

Both of the above could be taken from a parent or other relative's collection of cast offs or extras.

I'd actually cut the required knives down to one. I have good friends who cook nearly every day and survive on only a 5" Santoku.

Answer 6

I found a casserole dish and a bowl large enough to mix the ingredients in (or use a hand-blender without ingredients flying everywhere)

The casserole dish is perfect for simple casseroles, desserts, meat, stand for beer chicken, etc. I have used mine to death.

Answer 7

If you want a power tool, I'd recommend an immersion blender. For a pretty reasonable price, you can find one with a small "food processor" attachment as well as the blender, and you'll be able to make pretty much anything common that requires grinding or blending. (Hummus, breadcrumbs, pureed soups and sauces...) They're not as big or heavy as a full-sized blender, and comparable in price to anything but a really cheap one.