InstantPot

Next essential kitchen tool: electric pressure cookers. The only brand I’ve used is Instant Pot and they have been worth every penny. I chose Instant Pot because they use high-grade stainless steel components, so you don’t have to worry about contaminants from non-stick surfaces or cheap metals leaching into your food (extra important when cooking at high temperatures). I've been using mine daily for many years.

6-Quart

I use my 6-quart Instant Pot to make big batches of beans and soups in record time. I freeze most of those (in my pyrex containers, see below) and defrost throughout the next week or two, saving me tons of cooking time.

3-Quart

I use my 3-quart Instant Pot mostly as a rice, whole-grain, and potato cooker, making fresh batches every 1-2 days. Often, I’ll have both sizes running simultaneously, cooking me 2-3 nights of dinners (and/or packed lunches) at a time.

Blenders

A good blender makes plant-based life more delicious. I use mine for smoothies, hummus, soups, salad dressings, and sauces.

Vitamix

I’ve been a Vitamix fan for a decade and got a lot of use out of my variable speed blender (which I bought refurbished, at a discount). The large capacity container is wonderful for big jobs and weekly meal prep. And now there’s even a stainless steel container available, perfect for hot jobs like blending soup.

Nutribullet

My husband bought himself a Nutribullet two years ago and I must admit, I fell in love. Even though the capacity is smaller, it’s a workhorse and now does the majority of our blending, making everything from nice cream to milling whole grains into flour to daily flaxseed grinding. Its size is perfect for making creamy, oil-free salad dressings and sauces in small batches. It’s a great addition to any kitchen.

Water

One of the foundations of Devotional Self Care (and health) is hydration. Because hydration is so important to detoxification, metabolism, and general health, I prioritize my access to clean, hydrating, tasty water.

Berkey Water Filter

The Berkey filtration system is the best balance of cost, easy maintenance, and functionality that I found. I trust the Berkey brand to use high-quality stainless steel and provide authentic, lab tested filtration elements. The Royal size works best for our (very thirsty) family of four (plus dogs) because it holds enough to fill all of our water bottles when we’re leaving the house in the morning. Our water isn’t fluoridated, so we only use the black Berkey Elements (filters), but this link includes the PF-2 Fluoride and Arsenic Reduction Elements in case you need them.

Mineral Drops

Wild waters from springs, aquifers, and streams are often full of minerals from their contact with the Earth. Since our waters and soils are generally mineral-depleted these days, I opt to add minerals to my filtered drinking water. It took a little getting used to, but I now prefer the taste and silky texture of mineralized water. 

(Note that I use less than the recommended servings on this bottle, so each bottle lasts me a couple of months. Larger sizes are available if you want to buy in bulk.)

Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottles

I drink so much more water when it's cool. Living in a hot climate, this can be tricky. So if I want cool, palatable water available even while I’m out and about, I need an insulated water bottle. I trust the brands Hydro Flask and Yeti to use high-quality stainless steel (to prevent exposure to cheaper metal blends that could leach heavy metals). Since I use my water bottles for many years, I’m happy to spend extra for the highest quality. My favorite style comes from Yeti and has a small, smooth opening for easy, spill-free sipping and a large opening for very easy cleaning.

Non-coated stainless steel styles are also easily recyclable after their years of service.

8-Inch Chef's Knife

The primary knife you need is a good 8-inch chef’s knife. It’s a game-changer for food prep. Professional-grade knives are perfectly balanced, ergonomic, and have full-tang steel, which means they’re durable enough to last a lifetime (or longer). Quality knives make food prep a pleasure instead of a chore.

A sharp knife with well-balanced weight also makes chopping much safer, since you don’t have to use force to cut through your produce and the knife is much less likely to slip and cut a finger.

In a chef’s knife, I look for full tang steel, which means the blade and handle are one continuous piece of steel. This means the knife is well-weighted and the blade will never break off from the handle. I also insist on a full bolster that runs all the way to the heel, which gives me a comfortable grip and no sharp or rough edges near my fingers (this can cause blisters and sores if you’re chopping professionally). Ideally, the bolster to spine transition is smooth and rounded to prevent painful pointer-finger chafing.

Wusthof 8-Inch Chef's Knife

Because good quality knives last a lifetime, I’ve only ever used my Wusthof 8-inch Chef’s Knife. I’ve used my knife HARD every single day, both in professional kitchens and at home and it’s still going strong.

My knife style is no longer available, but I bought my husband a different Wusthof as a gift a few years ago, and it has been just as excellent.

Paring Knife

Next you need a 3-inch paring knife, which is the standard, small pointed kitchen knife. It’s used for small, more detailed work that requires agile control of the blade, like peeling potatoes.

I have used expensive paring knives and cheap paring knives and have never noticed a difference between their usefulness or ergonomics, though when purchasing for my own kitchen, I always opt for full tang steel for longevity of my investment and to prevent accidents.

Bread Knife

If you make your own bread, a good bread knife is wonderful, but you don’t need a pricey one (in my experience).

Bread knives are serrated and also cut tomatoes beautifully.

But be careful! Serrated blades are viciously sharp!

Utility Knife

There are some chores I won’t use my expensive, sharp chef’s knife for, because they dull the blade too quickly. Stuff like cutting pineapple skin or peeling pumpkins. For that, I have a cheap 6-8 inch chef’s knife on hand.