Swearbee
You don’t need a whole kitchen at once. Buy one thing. Use it. Then buy the next.
Here is a simple order, cheapest first. Every pick is named by lists we counted across 177 websites. We didn’t test any of it. Prices are rough bands, not live Amazon prices.
Start here: three picks under $50
1. Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet: named by 21 lists (+1 weaker). Rough price: under $50.
See on Amazon ›
This is the most-named product on the whole site, out of 163. It’s a pre-seasoned cast iron pan that goes from stovetop to oven to campfire.
It’s now like 7 years later and my skillet shows no signs of giving up…
— mynameisash, owner of a Lodge skillet for about 7 years (Hacker News, 2021; source)
2. Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife
Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife: named by 7 lists. Rough price: under $50.
See on Amazon ›A no-frills 8 inch chef knife with a grippy plastic handle. Four of the 7 lists tested it hands-on. Seven is well above the typical pick on this site, which is named by 4.
3. Bialetti Moka Express
Bialetti Moka Express: named by 7 lists. Rough price: under $50.
See on Amazon ›
An eight-sided aluminum stovetop coffee pot, an Italian kitchen icon. Three lists call it iconic. Two tested it.
I’ve used a 6-cup Bialetti Moka Express for the last 6 years…
— falsedan, owner of a Bialetti Moka Express for 6 years (Hacker News, 2014; source)
Next: the first big pot
4. Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven
Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven: named by 8 lists. Rough price: $50-$100.
See on Amazon ›An enameled cast iron pot at a friendlier price than the French big names. Six of the 8 lists tested it hands-on. Stews, soups and no-knead bread are the usual jobs.
Thinking about the next step up? Read Lodge vs Le Creuset before you spend more.
Later, if you want to spend
5. Le Creuset Dutch Oven
Le Creuset Dutch Oven: named by 16 lists. Rough price: over $300.
See on Amazon ›Third on the whole site. Six of the lists tested it hands-on, six call it iconic. Only two products on the site have more lists.
6. Vitamix Blender
Vitamix Blender: named by 11 lists. Rough price: over $300.
See on Amazon ›
A powerful countertop blender. Five of the 11 lists tested it hands-on. It’s last in this order only because of price.
I have one that’s seen nearly daily use for about 15 years and is still going strong.
— beloch, owner of a Vitamix for about 15 years (Hacker News, 2020; source)
The whole order, at a glance
| Step | Pick | Named by | Rough price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lodge Cast Iron Skillet Amazon › | 21 lists | Under $50 |
| 2 | Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife Amazon › | 7 lists | Under $50 |
| 3 | Bialetti Moka Express Amazon › | 7 lists | Under $50 |
| 4 | Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven Amazon › | 8 lists | $50-$100 |
| 5 | Le Creuset Dutch Oven Amazon › | 16 lists | Over $300 |
| 6 | Vitamix Blender Amazon › | 11 lists | Over $300 |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How we got these
We read tested roundups, “buy it for life” lists, iconic-product lists and sales charts. Then we counted how many websites name each product. One website counts once per product. See How we count.
The order here is by price, not by list count. We chose it so you spend little first. The counts just tell you how many websites back each pick.
Want more? The full list of 163 picks has filters for price and kitchen.