20 Must-Have Tools For a Vegan Kitchen
Your kitchen is as good as the tools in it. I have listed down the 20 must-have tools for a vegan kitchen. While some of them are super essential, there are some you could live without. But I’d still suggest adding them to your cooking arsenal.
When we say vegan kitchen, we mean a kitchen where your vegan philosophy trickles down into everything. This may be focusing on quality or buying eco-friendly tools and gadgets. Or this could also entail investing in tools that are specifically designed for vegan dishes.
When it comes to buying tools and accessories for my kitchen, I don’t think about cost so much. Frankly, it’s better to get something quality for once and use it for years than get something cheap only to buy another a month later.
20 Must-Have Tools For a Vegan Kitchen
So without further ado, here are 20 great vegan kitchen tools, marked by different categories:
Appliances
Of course, your biggest expense when it comes to tools in the kitchen is investing in all the essential appliances.
Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender
For all your juicing needs, the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is the perfect fit. With ten variable speed controls, it gives quite a variety of blending options. More importantly, the stainless steel blades on this thing are incredible, so even the hardest ingredients will turn into a smooth fluid with a few whirls.
It comes in 48 and 64 oz. size options. I believe the 48 oz. one should be more than enough for a single person or a small family.
Also, it has a pulse feature, which you can use to chop vegetables to tiny bits if you don’t own a food processor or chopper.
Cuisinart DFP Food Processor
While Cuisinart has a wide range of food processors, this one is by far the best and my personal favorite. When it comes to appliances, the simpler the design, the better they are for me. And that’s exactly where this powerful processor excels.
With simple buttons, it’s just easy to operate. It comes with a slicer, chopping/mincing blade, and a shredder plater for shredding. The 14-cup capacity is pretty generous. Also, the plastic parts are all BPA-free, making this a safe choice for your vegan kitchen.
Mueller Austria Multi-Purpose Immersion Blender
Yes, your regular blender should be enough to blend and puree stuff, but I find immersion blenders better in certain circumstances. For instance, when making soup, I find it a lot more convenient as I can just blend ingredients right there in the pot. No need to transfer it to a jug. Plus, I can control the consistency more dynamically.
This Mueller Austria Immersion blender is one of the best. It also comes with whisk and frother attachments, making it a great choice for those who like to make a lot of desserts. The design is sleek and ergonomic, which adds to the convenience this small appliance offers.
Krups Simply Brew Coffee Maker
Nothing looks chicer on a kitchen counter than a beautiful coffee maker. This Krups Coffee Maker will liven up your mornings with freshly dripped coffee. The design is space-efficient and contemporary.
You can choose from the five-cup or ten-cup (for the whole family, of course). What really makes this a vegan-friendly appliance is that it has a permanent, reusable filter. So no more buying boxes of coffee filters from the market.
Oh, and it literally just takes a minute to brew fresh coffee.
Philips Turbostar Air Fryer
Air fryers aren’t just some trendy food appliances but an actual healthy device to prepare food. The Philips TurboStar Technology Air Fryer checks all the needs for a quality fryer, offering an even cook on all sides.
I love its design, which is minimalistic yet so aesthetically pleasing. You have all the controls on top and the timer knob on the handle. And if that’s not enough, it’s also fairly easy to clean (detachable parts are dishwasher safe).
Cookware
Buying the right cookware is so difficult for a vegan because, honestly, there are more wrong options than there are right. So here are some tried and tested essentials for your vegan kitchen:
T-fal Initiatives Aluminum/Ceramic Cookware Set
Some people like to collect pots and pans over the years, combing ceramic and stainless steel. However, if you’re looking for a bargain, buying a whole cookware set like this T-fal is a smart choice.
It’s essentially made of aluminum with a ceramic interior that acts as a non-stick surface. Once you use ceramic pots, you’ll forget those Teflon ones.
This set includes two frying pans (8.5 inches and 10.5 inches), an 11 inches fry pan with a glass lid, a quart-covered saucepan, a 2-quart covered saucepan, a 5-quart Dutch Oven with a lid, and four nylon utensils to meet all your cooking needs.
The best part is that all these utensils are free from PTFE, PFOA, and cadmium.
Lodge Pre-Seasoned 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Well, your vegan kitchen cannot be complete without the good old cast iron skillet. These are oven-safe and have no hazardous coatings. Plus, the flavor that you get, even when roasting vegetables, is simply amazing.
This 12.5 inches Lodge cast iron skillet has a very ergonomic handle and comes with a handle holder, so it’s good for beginners as well who haven’t yet mastered the art of stir-frying with just a pan and no tools.
A research study in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics indicates that cooking in iron may help iron-deficient individuals (anemia). This is great news for vegans who are no stranger to iron deficiency at times.
AmazonBasics 6-Piece Bakeware Set
Again, like cookware sets, it may make sense for some to get the whole baking set. If you’re that person, you should get this six-piece set. This should cover all your baking needs, whether you make veggie lasagna or banana cupcakes.
This set includes a loaf pan (9 x 5 inches), two cake pans (9 inches), a roast pan (13 x 9 inches), a baking sheet (13 x 9 inches), and a dozen-cupcake/muffin pan. These are made with heavy-duty steel that really helps distribute the heat evenly.
Tools and Gadgets
While your appliances and cookware cover your basics, the tools take it to the next level. These are the must-have tools for a vegan kitchen:
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Professional S Chef Knife
Zwilling J.A. Henckels produces knives in Germany using German steel, and this is no different. If you want professional experience in your home kitchen, a good knife can make all the difference. And it’s best to invest in a chef knife, as it’s so versatile.
Its ergonomic three-rivet handle not only keeps the knife secure but also makes it comfortable for you to use for hours on end. Don’t worry about getting wrists strains from this, as it’s designed to be comfortable to use for a long duration.
A knife is one of those things I simply don’t compromise on, as I have had my fair share of low-quality knives that make it twice as hard to cut things.
OXO 3-Piece Turner Set
Instead of using plastic or rubber spatulas and ladles, go for wooden ones like these OXO 3-Piece Turner Set. It contains a spatula, turner, and slotted turner, basically everything you need to stir and mix ingredients in a pot or pan.
These are safe for non-stick utensils, unlike metal ones that just scrape the non-stick coating off. That’s a kitchen 101 right there!
Since these are wooden, it’s best if you washed them by hand instead of throwing them in a dishwasher.
Premium Garlic Press
Garlic is not only healthy but also a versatile ingredient that goes into your salads, curries, and pasta. So a garlic press is a super handy device to have in your vegan kitchen. You don’t need to prepare minced or pressed garlic in bulk as you can use fresh garlic every time you cook, thanks to this neat device.
It’s made of stainless steel and has a very simple design. Even the pressing operation is super simple with an ergonomic grill. You don’t even need to apply a lot of force. You can also use it for ginger, which is a bit tougher than garlic.
OXO Salad Spinner
Salads are an important part of your vegan diet, and that calls for a quality salad spinner. Now, you could manually do it in a bowl with salad spoons, but I find a salad spinner to be a lot more convenient. Plus, it’s not expensive either.
With a 6.2-quart capacity, you can fix a salad for a couple of people. Also, the clear plastic bowl can be used as a salad bowl, so that makes it even more valuable.
Spring Chef Swivel Peeler
You also need a quality peeler to peel those potatoes, carrots, and beets. This Spring Chef swivel peeler glides over the uneven surfaces effortlessly. More importantly, the blades are pretty sharp and accurate at peeling, so you really just peel out the peels and not the actual vegetable.
It has an ergonomic grip, so it’s also good for professional vegan kitchens where there’s bulk peeling happening.
Royal Craftwood Organic Bamboo Chopping Board
Even though most wooden chopping boards are made of wood, they should ideally be safe, but they are not. Splinters and peels are common after some time in cheap wood cutting boards. I found this organic bamboo chopping board to be the best. It’s made of organic bamboo wood and has a tough construction.
There are several size choices from small to xxx-large. I believe the large size should be ample for both compact and big kitchens.
KitchenAid Can Opener/Bottle Opener
This is a two-in-one kitchen tool to open cans and bottles. Since it’s from KitchenAid, the quality is pretty impressive. The turning knob moves very smoothly, and you don’t really have to apply any force as such. This hand-wash only, so don’t toss it in the dishwasher.
The integrated bottle opener saves space in your drawer as you don’t need a bottle opener separately.
Nuvatee Pasta Maker
A pasta maker is not essential for your kitchen, but if you’re one of those people who like to make everything from scratch, you’ll love it. This is a decent, not so pricey manual pasta maker with carbon steel blades.
With seven settings, you can make different types of pasta right at home. It has heat-treated gears that keep the device running smoothly even if you use it very frequently.
Simply Gourmet Measuring Cups
These Simply Gourmet Measuring Cups can ensure that your recipes turn out exactly right. After all, it’s all about the right ratio of ingredients.
This set includes seven pieces ranging from ⅛ cup to one cup. I don’t have anything against plastic measuring cups if they are BPA-free, but stainless steel ones are just more durable, so more value for money.
Vegan Gadgets
There are some gadgets that are pretty useful for vegans specifically:
Tofutures Tofu Press
If you have a plant-based diet, chances are you eat a lot of tofu. So you should invest in a tofu press that drains out all the excess water from a tofu brick. This is the original Tofutures Tofu Press that has a three-part construction to press your tofu.
Fullstar Spiralizer
Want to make veggie noodles? A spiralizer can help you cut your veggies in thin spirals. What I love about this particular spiralizer is that it’s compact and collects the vegetables in the container, so no mess!
Yonanas Fruit Soft Serve Maker
If you’re looking to make nice cream with a really great texture, get this soft serve maker. You can use a lot of different fruits with banana as the base in this neat device. Of course, it’s not essential but can help you avoid highly processed vegan ice creams by letting you make your own.
Wrap Up
These 20 must-have tools for a vegan kitchen can make your meal prep and dinner parties a delight. With the right tools (read quality tools), prep time can be reduced significantly. Besides, as an adult buying a cool kitchen gadget can pretty much make your day.
