Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from John and Dana Shultz. John and Dana share simple, delicious recipes on their website Minimalist Baker.
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Minimalism isn’t just about the number of things you own. It’s about paring down to the essentials and finding contentment in owning less. This applies to every part of your life, for example, your wardrobe, the items in your room, and even your kitchen.
Practicing minimalism in the kitchen doesn’t require sacrificing your ability to make incredible meals. In fact, having less clutter in the kitchen actually makes it easier to get in there and cook up something wonderful.
Simplifying into a minimalist kitchen always starts with removing the utensils and appliances you aren’t using and don’t need. This means your kitchen can be decluttered very inexpensively with only a little time and thoughtful consideration.
Below is a list of 16 kitchen utensils we don’t own (and we run a cooking blog!). The list is partially inspired by A No-Frills Kitchen Still Cooks, a New York Times article packed with tips and suggestions for keeping a simple kitchen.
This list is neither exclusive nor conclusive. Rather, it’s merely a starting point to hopefully inspire you to reevaluate how much you keep in your kitchen. Be honest with your situation and only keep the tools you are using to create a minimalist kitchen.
16 Kitchen Tools We Do Not Own
1. Kitchen Aid Mixer. Not owning this guy is pure heresy in the food blog world, but we survive just fine. Replacement: A $13 handheld mixer.
2. Crock Pot. It’s big, it’s bulky, and you probably only use it once a year. Replacement: Varies by dish, but usually a large pot will suffice. If you really need one, borrow it from a friend.
3. Knife Block. These can be more bulky than necessary. Replacement: Keep our knives in the silverware drawer.
4. Excessive Pots and Pans. We simplified down to 3 pots and 3 pans. Replacement: Clean cabinets.
5. More than 8 plates, glasses, and bowls. We love to host. Rarely do we have more than 8 guests, but even when we do, we still have options. Replacement: Use specialty disposable plateware.
6. Extra coffee/tea mugs. Again, we decided we rarely ever need more than 8, and we don’t even have that many. Plus, these can double as glasses if you have more than 8 guests!
7. Bread Maker. Bulky and likely eating up cabinet space. Replacement: Bread recipes that don’t require a maker such as our 7-ingredient Muesli Bread!
8. Toaster oven. If you don’t regularly use this, then it’s just eating up space. Replacement: Regular toaster or a traditional oven.
9. A wok. Although a fun device, it’s rarely used. Replacement: The largest pan you own.
10. A Juicer. Big, bulky, and hard to clean. Replacement: If you love to juice, you can juice without a juicer.
11. Espresso machine. First, you probably don’t use this as much as you thought you would. Second, to get a really good espresso you usually need very high quality equipment and the time to adjust your grind/machinery to get that perfect shot. This simply isn’t practical for the average coffee lover. Replacement: Sell the espresso machine and go to a coffee shop when you want good espresso.
12. Grilled cheese maker. You don’t need this. Replacement: Almost any pan.
13. Rice maker. Only keep this if you regularly make a lot of rice. Replacement: Prepare rice in a traditional pot.
14. Doughnut pan. When is the last time you made doughnuts? Exactly. Replacement: Go buy doughnuts when you want them, or try a pan-free version.
15. Quesadilla maker/ Panini press. Ah! Replacement: You can get the same effect by using a skillet, tin foil, and pressing down on a pan on top.
16. Egg scrambler/milk frother/other trinkets. Be honest, you don’t really use these things. And they are only taking up space. Replacement: Just a little creativity.
+1. Fine china / heirloom dishes. This was intentionally saved for last, because it’s likely the emotional attachment is greater than the pragmatic realization that you are not using them. This quote has helped us in this area: “The truth is, neither our love for the person, nor their love for us, nor our memories, are in the possession.”
I want to finish by admitting we keep things that others might consider superfluous, but we use them every day and continue to enjoy them. Ultimately, we feel that should always be our guiding principle and hopefully one that empowers you to question the same.
What else can you/have you removed from your minimalist kitchen?
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You can find more of John and Dana’s fabulously wonderful recipes on their website, The Minimalist Baker.
Trina says
On the other hand, I TOTALLY AGREE with most of this list, especially the excessive pots/pans/cups. But I’m also keeping my crockpot.
What I would add to the list is DISHWASHER. I am the dishwasher, and I’m OK with that. Not only does it save us money, but at times it’s the only “me” time I get with 3 children.
Sandi says
We never use our dishwasher. I actually LIKE to wash dishes by hand.
Katie says
Every kitchen is different – our culinary skills, diet, likes and dislikes dictate our tool collection. I kept my stand mixer and crockpot but waved good-bye to my roaster, rice cooker, electric can opener, microwave, second set of dishes, mismatched coffee cups and spare flatware. I use my toaster oven all year, but primarily in the summer because it is too hot here to think about heating up the kitchen in the evening. A frying pan doubles as a wok and our tabletop grill gets a workout from spring till the snow flies.
Holly says
Of course, each person’s list will be different! I LOVE my KitchenAid mixer. I would add a pressure cooker as a “keeper” instead of the crockpot. As a “mostly vegetarian”, I find the pressure cooker’s ability to cook dried beans and grains in 15 minutes or less far handier than the crockpot’s facility with meat. Also, since my stove died two years ago, I have managed fine with a hot plate and toaster oven — so, I can do without the stove!
John says
Ah, the hotplate idea is really interesting! Thanks Holly!
Lisa F says
I am trying to justify keeping a fondue pot and a crepe pan that I rarely use but my family really enjoys. Maybe I need to get rid of some other things in my kitchen so I can put these where I see them and actually use them instead. Sort of like using the good china everyday.
John says
Great idea Lisa. If keeping these things are a priority, making space in your kitchen so they are actually a priority (and not cluttering your other space) seems like a reasonable solution.
Joslyn says
I had the recent joy of living without a kitchen of my own for 4 years and in that time I paired down a lot. There is so much I don’t own, like more than 2-3 baking spatulas, more than one flipping spatula, more than 6 place settings (never use disposable), food processor, a microwave, more than 2 skillets and 4 pots. Some of the things I’ve never been able to give up or added back in were crock pot, knife block, toaster oven, fine china, garlic press. I wish I could afford to add a stand mixer back in. I miss the one I was using every day. If you cook from scratch every day the way I do, there are certain tools that will give you several hours of your day back, but there is so much I live without or found I didn’t like owning.
Martha says
I cook everyday, and not simple dishes. I have none of these items, but with just my husband and I, we can be very minimalist. Recently got rid of two sets of dishes, so we just have a set for 4. I have some little gadgets I should get rid of like an avocado slicer though. Just got rid of my coffee maker since we dont drink it that often and when we do, we have a coffee grinder and a press and it tastes so much better.
If you feel yourself getting defensive about this list I’d explore why. Perhaps you’re trying to fight getting rid of stuff.
John says
Thanks Martha! Seems like you have the simple kitchen perfected. We do the same thing with our coffee. Good idea on the Avocado slicer!
Jamie says
I don’t know if this was mentioned yet, but what about the spices? I personally have 4 paprikas! Why? I also have a bunch of bottles I’ve never used or even opened. Coriander? Celery Salt? Powdered mustard? Gone! If I ever need them, I can buy them, or get the fresh article–basil and rosemary are so nice fresh!
Martha says
Good point. I buy the bulk spices that way I just buy a tiny bit and am not stuck with a whole jar.
John says
Such a great idea! Thanks Jamie!
Callie T says
I found this article helpful in evaluating what items are a priority in my kitchen and what I could use to minimize or eliminate. I certainly have too many dishes and my toaster is big and doesn’t get used very often. It makes me think I could probably make toast on a skillet over the oven range.
I do have two crock pots that I use frequently for cooking dry beans and making beef/chicken/veggie stocks. I find them essential! As others have said, to each their own.
Pamela R says
It’s funny, but many things on that list, I have made room for and gotten rid of SO much more. Microwave would be first on my list of things that I got rid of, but many people use a microwave often. We spend so much time in our kitchen and yet have always had small kitchens, so it is easy not to accumulate too much. That being said, a minimal list of kitchen items seems to be so personal. For people really into espresso, it doesn’t take long to pay for the machine at the coffee shop. Or, for people living without a microwave, a toaster oven is a way to reheat without heating the whole oven. I don’t have any of the three, I’m just saying that I can see the argument for keeping any of them. The point, you can’t keep everything. Examine the way you live and cook and decide what can go.
Interesting post. Thanks.
Heather says
Get rid of my KitchenAid Mixer?? Not in this lifetime. I use it every day for making breads, multitudes of recipes and ice cream. I’d make pasta and stuff sausages with it if I had the attachments.
A lot of what I do keep in my kitchen is limited to what I use on a regular basis. We ended up getting rid of a lot of cheap skillets, replacing them with a few nicer ones. Other items that got replaced were plastic measuring cups for durable metal ones, plates that chipped easily for white Cornelle dishes that can take a beating, etc.
I have a knife block because it keeps the knives away from little fingers and keeps them sharper longer. A crockpot is great for feeding a large family in a short amount of time, etc.
While this list is a nice guideline, it isn’t very practical if cooking is something you do a lot and if you have a large family.