The Kitchen Navigator's Guide™ to setting up your first kitchen

My top 30 top recommended tools to get you started. 

1. Lamson 10" Chef's Knife
   Available from restaurant supply stores [most are open to the public]. They have white plastic handles, aren't too sexy, but it's a good starting place. I found one listed for $21.00
2. 10" Stainless Steel Frying Pan
   Preferably one with a lid and metal handles. NO TEFLON. You can cook in it, fry in it, sauté in it, braise in it, roast in it... It's indispensable.
3. 4 Quart Sauce Pot
   Heat cans of soup, boil corn-whatever, this is another work horse tool.
4. A Cutting Board
   Actually-2. One, plastic for meats. A wooden one for veggies and baked goods. This will save your counters and will also reduce chances of cross contamination with the veggies and the meats. No matter how light you think you can slice, you will ruin your counter top.
5. 10" Metal Tongs
   Be gentle with your food and kind to your finger tips.
6. Wooden Spoons
   The work horses of the spoon world. Besides, you have to have something to lick the batter with...
7. A Large, Slotted, Metal Spoon
   You've gotta' stir boiling liquids with something...
8. Salt and Pepper Shakers
   You'll just need them-okay?
9. Measuring Cups and Spoons
   -One set of graduated cups for dry measuring
   -One larger cup for liquid measuring
   -One set of spoons for smaller measurements
10. A Vegetable Peeler
    I recommend the peelers from OXO. They're comfortable and sharp.
11. Oven Mitts
    Pot holders are okay, but when you've gt to pull a hot pan out of the oven, these will protect you from the pan AND the oven itself.
12. A Thermally Insulated Baking Sheet
    [A baking sheet with 2 layers of metal]
    This helps prevent burnt cookies and pizza [DO NOT repeat DO NOT use a pizza cutter or metal spatula on this-ever. Promise me.]
13. A Silicon Spatula
    This will save your pans and baking dishes.
14. A Casserole Dish
    Ceramic or glass, it's your choice. Regardless, when you have to cook a large piece of meat or lasagna, nothing else will do.
15. A Trivet
    Hot pots and pans on the counter will result in a ruined counter. Hard to explain away to your landlord when you get ready to move.
16. A Colander
    From straining spaghetti to washing vegetables you can't beat it. In a pinch, a metal version works as a steamer.
17. A Potato Masher
    It's not just for potatoes, can help break down all sorts of cooked vegetables.
18. A Box Grater
    For shredding cheese, making coleslaw to or slicing potatoes, this tool will last you years and make your cooking chores much easier when you need it.
19. A Set of Metal Mixing Bowls
    You'll mix in them, store things in them and find a hundred uses besides mixing.
20. A Dish Drying Rack
    The name says it all.
21. Dish Cloths and Kitchen Towels.
    About a half dozen will last you. They don't have to be expensive, but I suggest cotton.
22. A Strainer
    Get one with a handle. You can drain hot , vegetable, get lumps out of gravy. It's good for fishing out whatever you need to get out of liquids.
23. A Kitchen Scale
    When baking, you should always measure by weight, not volume.
24. A Funnel
    These things are cheap and worth every penny.
25. A Paring Knife
    From cutting up apples, to cleaning strawberries, you'll put this knife to a lot of use.
26. Kitchen Shears
    Don't buy regular scissors and expect them to hold up in the kitchen. The blades are usually thicker and the handles are made for easy gripping with wet hands.
27. A Whisk
    It mixes, it aerates , it whips milk, it sifts flour. You'll grow to use it more and more.
28. A Corkscrew
    One of those with the "arms" on the side. It also has a bottle opener. You'll be the master of all bottles you encounter.
29. A Digital Kitchen Timer
    Look for one with multiple timers. Trust me, keeping track of different cooking times will leave you confused, hungry and frustrated.
30. A Digital Probe Thermometer
    You can't tell if meats are done just by looking. Professional chefs do it by touch-you aren't a professional chef. The thermometer will have suggested cooking temperatures printed on it. Use those until you get the hang of it.