Equipment buying guide

Finding reviews
In addition to the specific recommendations in our buying guides, there are a number of sites that post great reviews of kitchen equipment (from major appliances all the way down to things like spatulas). Wirecutter publishes very thorough reviews of tons of household items, including many kitchen items and is a great first stop. Cook's Illustrated also does great reviews of kitchen gear, although they're behind a paywall. Serious Eats also does more sporadic equipment reviews. Of course, the reviews on Amazon or other sites can be a good indicator too.

Be skeptical of sets
Sets are often padded out with extra pieces that you don’t really need (and don’t forget, everything in the box is a “piece.” That includes lids and the knife blocks!) To judge the value of a set, compare the price to the prices of only the pieces you would actually buy separately. If the set is more expensive, that means you’re paying extra for things you don’t really need. If the set is cheaper—congrats!—you’ve found yourself a good deal.

Professional isn't always better
It may be tempting to shop where the pros shop, but the pros have a very different use case and working style than you do. There are some commercial-grade items that are great for home kitchens too, but they're more the exception than the rule. You shouldn't plan to do all your shopping at the restaurant supply store, and it may be better to steer clear of them exactly until you've figured out exactly what you need.

Don't cheap out
As the old saying goes "buy cheap, buy twice." If you buy cheap stuff, you'll often spend more in the long run because it'll break or you'll decide you want to upgrade. Generally speaking, buying the best that you can comfortably afford upfront will save you money at the end of the day. High quality kitchen stuff isn't always cheap, but much of it will last a lifetime and is an absolute bargain on a per-use basis.

Buy slowly
It can be tempting to run out and buy everything at once, but you'll end up with less junk you don't need if you buy slowly and focus on items that are preventing you from cooking what you want to cook. If you don't know what you'd use something for before you buy it, you aren't gonna magically figure it out once it arrives.

Cookware

 * USA and global
 * Europe

Knives

 * USA and global