I would definitely add a blender to the list. It is something I use regularly. But I think you compiled a great list! (A set of silverware is important, too:) )

I've never owned a toaster oven. I would an electric hand mixer and blender to the list.

I would add one or two rimmed baking sheets-- they're great for roasting vegetables, baking cookies, even sliding a frozen pizza into the oven on a lazy night.

I don't own a blender or a toaster oven. I think I would add a cookie sheet to the list.

And if you really want a great cooking experience, those mini food processors are revolutionary!

I would switch wooden spoons for a set of kitchen utensils - fish slice, mixing spoon, ladle and a slotted spoon.

Also couldn't live without a cheese grater (with various sized sides so you can zest citrus fruit too), and a kettle!!!

I love my toaster oven. I use instead of the regular oven whenever I can. It's ridiculous to heat up the whole big oven to cook a chicken breast.

I would replace the french press with a drip cone. You need a filter, but much simpler to make coffee right into your cup and way easier to clean up.

https://shoponline.melitta.com/product/64007/COFFMKRSPROVER

Personally I prefer stove-top espresso makers to cafetieres (coffee presses), I think it makes better coffee and is slightly less hassle in the morning.

I'd have to add a 9x13 pan to the list too! I like my glass one the best. You can bake or roast in it!

Just a note, the best place to stock up on stuff for a new apartment's kitchen is Goodwill! A lot of times college students will throw out perfectly good items because of time constraints (or laziness), or when older folks move into a nursing home or pass away the family has to donate perfectly good items. It's all usually in great shape, but you can get most items for less than a buck!

I couldn't agree more about the toaster oven. I'm in a similar position, moving around a lot, sometimes with roomies, sometimes without, but man, that little toaster over has yet to disappoint.

It's always interesting to live by yourself for a couple weeks and then realize "I use spoons at an alarming rate. MORE SPOONS!"; sometimes it take some trial and error to figure out your own habits I guess.

Start minimalistic. The first time you can't do something because you don't have the implement, decide whether you need to own one and, if so, get it. (If not, borrow it!)

Stocking up on somebody else's necessities is a waste of money and limited storage. (I'm 62, and never used a French press in my life. But I have a Keurig for guests, while I prefer a specific flavored instant for my one cup per day... Everyone's necessities are different.)

I totally agree with the comment about buying used, but Goodwill rarely sells things for less than a buck.

About the toaster oven: Make sure it's a good quality one, and unplug between uses. Those things are total fire hazards.

Other than that, I'd add to that list of essentials:
-Salt shaker
-Eggbeaters, electric mixer, and/or wisk
-Can opener
-Bottle opener/corkscrew
-Spatula
-Oven mitts
-Glass graduated measuring cup
-Cutting board

I would add a wooden spatula as well as a wooden spoon. Also a microplane grater--for cheese and lemon zest. Vegetable peeler is useful as well. I have never owned either a toaster oven or a coffee maker (but then I tend to be a tea drinker). Otherwise good list.

Best housewarming gift anyone gave me for my first apartment: a big, heavy, iron Dutch oven (doesn't have to be Le Crueset but nice if it is). I was pretty broke back then and made lots of rice/beans, soups and stews in that thing to eat all week. Also it's good for roasting a chicken and slow braising on stovetop. I still have it!

I totally agree with the comment on buying used for kitchen supplies and dishes. It's a good place to search for high quality vintage buys. I've seen really beautiful sets of dishes, glassware, pans mixing bowls and other supplies at my local store. A lot of times people throw out things that don't suit their style anymore, but it might suit yours! Check their calendars too. I know the Goodwill by me has 50% off sales twice a month.

I second the toaster oven. But I'd also add a hand blender. God I love that thing. I also love shopping for kitchen stuff at Goodwill. I'd much rather get an old stoneware mixing bowl or pastry cutter with 'history' than a new one at Target (although I'll take any excuse to go to Target). And if it breaks, well, you only spent a few bucks on it!

This list is definitely missing any sort of oven supplies. Need a cookie sheet and a 9 x 13 glass or ceramic baking dish.

Also, a cheese grater and measuring cup and spoons.

And potholders to go with those oven supplies :)

This list is subjective depending on what type of cooking you do. I do not own a toaster oven or wooden spoons. I actually use chopsticks for most of my cooking. I find a rice cooker essential and mini food processor an bamboo steamers as items that are nice to have.

Mark Bittman wrote a great article a few years ago about shopping for kitchen essentials on a budget:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09mini.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
You may need to register on the times website for access... But it gives some good suggestions for what to focus on and where to source the stuff cheaply.

I agree that some 'must haves' are subjective. But it's interesting seeing what people put down. If I think about what I use while cooking most of my meals:

Colander
small and medium metal mixing bowls
wooden spoon
non-stick spatula
slotted spoon
Chef's knife
paring knife
hand peeler
cheese grater
Can opener
corkscrew
Omlette pan (non-stick)
Heavier larger pan
small sauce pan
larger pot for boiling water
microwave (although I could probably do without and just heat on the stove)
baking sheet
and my most recent purchase, a non-stick grill pan - which I do love

I occasionally reach for something else, but these get the most use on a daily basis.

Add a water kettle - I like my electric one but a regular one works too.
I would also add towels, pot holders, and a handheld mixer (get one with a food processor and blender attachment).
And a fire extinguisher.

Great list but as a tea drinker I might replace the cafetiere with an electric kettle. I recently broke a good quality pepper grinder and felt bereft for the week it took me to replace. A garlic crusher with the olive stoner bit, a micro-planer/grater for cheese and citrus and although far from basic I have grown rather attached to my old Braun hand-blender.

Toaster oven is a must-have for quick lunch on corn tortillas. The trick is to toast TWO at once in a stack, so they don't dry out. One side of each will toast while the other sides steam each other. Yum. However, wooden spoons are not really sanitary, and there are so many silicon utensil choices in the kitchen shops and discount stores now that there is no reason to use wood. My tiny kitchen in an elegantly decrepit apartment building in Uptown (meaning "upriver") area New Orleans is only 6 x 6, but I make room for both an immersion blender for quick chocolate and/or fruit smoothies and a serious blender for carrot and green vegetable smoothies.

Colanders take up so much space for just one use. Assuming you're of normal strength and not disabled, I would always opt for a crescent strainer instead. Something like http://i.imgur.com/WUABd.jpg is easy to store but ideal for draining everything from berries to vegetables to pasta.

I would skip wooden spoons and go right for silicone -- I'd look for a set that has a slotted spoon, a normal spoon, one or two "rubber" spatulas, and one normal spatula.

And of course a cookie sheet. For a small/starter kitchen, a good dishtowel is fine in place of oven mitts.

Not just a toaster oven but a four-in-one oven, like the Cuisinart; it's much more useful. (From May-October here in the Arizona desert, my full-sized oven is never used.)

And absolutely have a working fire extinguisher. I've needed mine only once in my lifetime, but that once was invaluable.

TONGS!

Definitely add potholders, a 9x13 (or 8x8) pan, pizza sheet, and cookie sheet. Homemade pizza (I make margherita) can be very good for you and yields ~4 meals.

And maybe it's just me, but I'm not the biggest fan of my cast-iron pans for everything but vegetables and eggs. About the only thing I feel comfortable using mine for is heating up quesadillas.

Personally, I LOVE my slow cooker and don't know what I'd do without it (esp during the colder months).

It's great because I can just throw some stuff in it, let it cook while I'm at work all day, and come home to a lovely hot meal. Also great when I know I'm going to have an tiring day and am not going to want to come home & cook but still want to have real food.

Any leftovers can be for lunch, re-purposed into other meals later in the week, or frozen.

This is a great list and I feel pretty pleased that I ended up all of these when I moved into my first apartment.

The toaster oven, which I may not have thought to get--mine was inherited from grandma, has been fantastic. It doesn't heat up my tiny kitchen in sweltering Houston like the oven does and makes things nice and crispy, unlike microwaves. 3.5 years on, I still don't have a microwave.

I also love my French press. Bodum's basic one (Brazil?) is very simple to use and clean out. If you're going to go that route, I'd suggest getting a coffee grinder. The beans stay fresh a lot longer if they're kept whole. Also have an electric kettle. It's so much faster and more precise than heating water on the stove. (Again, no microwave here.)

Not necessities in a first kitchen, but things I use all the time and am SO glad I bought: a small rice cooker and an immersion blender. I can make so many different things using both and they don't take up a lot of space.

Cast iron skillet

Electric kettle, teapot, tea cosy and tea infuser (not a fussy one with lid, just a stainless steel basket type). Get loose, go bagless! A thermos or thermal carafe is nice instead of teapot and cosy.

Kitchen gadgets are mostly wastes of space in my opinion. Save the cash for a blender and get something that you'll have and use for years instead, like a really nice enamel Dutch oven. You don't need tons of different items for specific types of things. All I really need to prepare a five star meal is a knife, cutting board, strainer (far more versatile than a colander), and one to two pans.

Basically, less is much much more in your first kitchen.

Tongs, spatula, one really good Chef's knife, cutting board, fire extinguisher, whatever pots and pans you use the most, bowl, colander/strainer, quality pot holders.

Measuring spoons and cups. When I moved into my first dorm two years ago it was a small surprise that, whoops, you need a measuring cup, even just to make Kraft's homestyle mac n cheese.

I personally do not drink coffee so I would replace the french press for a electric kettle, although I also have a drip-thing(?) in case my guest like to drink coffee. And I would also like to add a refrigerator. Having my first kitchen I was so happy I did not have to share food anymore.
I thing the fire extinguisher or fire blanket are a good suggestions.

For all the people who suggested wooden spoons are unsanitary, you're right. They're a dangerous new innovation that clearly harbours germs, and it's only a matter of time before everyone works out that they're poisoning people.

OH WAIT...

Why are Americans so obsessed with germs?

Tongs!! Restaurant-issue only; stay away from both cheap mass-market ones and fancy expensive ones. I can't cook a thing without mine; that's why I own two.

And get a solid, thick, cross-cut wooden cutting board at least two inches longer on diagonal than your chef's knife. It should be heavy enough not to move around your counter and should last many years.

Such a great list! When I first started out on my own a toaster oven was a luxury. I really needed a microwave and a crock pot! Love my wooden spoons! Still need a whisk, a pancake turner/spatula, and a cookie sheet. Don't ever forget the ever needed can opener! No cooking without one! Also, a few dish cloths, towels, and pot holders need to be standard equipment! I also use a small muffin pan since muffin mixes are inexpensive and versatile.

Large cast iron dutch oven with lid
Small cast iron skillet
cast iron loaf pan
small stainless steel saucepan with glass lid
1 small and one medium size stainless steel stock pots (both are Ikea 365)
good sharp chefs knife
good bread knife
good can opener
good vegetable peeler
3 glass measuring cups (one 1 cup, one 4 cup, one 8 cup) -- bigger ones do double-duty as mixing bowls
1 wide and 1 narrow silicon spatulas
1 ladle
1 whisk
1 set measuring spoons
1 cutting board for onions and garlic and one for everything else
1 colander
1 electric kettle
1 stovetop espresso maker
1 ice cream maker (not really necessary, but oh so nice)

tons of Ikeas .49 cheap white hand towels. I prefer them to real dishtowels because they are more absorbent and who cares if they get trashed.

That's basically all my kitchen equipment. I started out with a toaster oven, but realized I wasn't using it enough to keep it so gave it to my mom and dad to replace theirs.

I love cast iron because you can use it for just about any kind of cooking from frying to soups to baking and as long as the cast iron is well seasoned, clean-up should be a breeze.

I've managed to live w/o 2 and 5. Ha!

and 9 and 10!

I agree with MandaPanda- slow cooker! Put the beans in with the chopped veggies before bed. Dinner is served the next night! Can make soup & stews in it as well. Also, I love my rice cooker. But we eat a LOT of rice. It's good for making our other South American staple grain- quinoa! Wooden spoon controversy- hey, people have been using wooden spoons for centuries. Ok, so those people from a couple of centuries back are dead now. But they didn't die from wooden spoons. LOL! Problem is solved if you keep a set separate for cold items (like salad serving) and a set for cooking. Also, don't set them in a basin of water to soak. Wash immediately with warm water & stand up (with handle pointing down) to air dry. I oil mine occasionally with a bit of olive oil. Been using the same sets for years & still not dead. At least I don't think I am.

Unless you live in the desert, like one commenter above, having a toaster oven and a real oven seems like a huge waste. All that counter space... ack. The real thing isn't so scary and doesn't take that much longer to heat up. I put toaster ovens in the same category as mini doughnut makers- a waste of space. or electric kettles, or keurigs. Is coffee so difficult? Keeping my counters as clear as possible for the actual making of things seems like a better use of space. Perhaps if my kitchen was gigantic I would have room for the counter clutter of electric things that save a minute or two of my life?

I love my tongs, my potholders and my paring knife! Peelers are good too. I have a regular peeler and a soft skin peeler. Don't forget the pyrex baking dishes. I have 2 sizes and I use them a lot!

I truly love all kinds of kitchen gadgets, but one of the greatest buys I didn't know at the time is my slow cooker. It can make soup, cook protein and bake cake and I don't have to hover, be hot or get sticky (and believe me, I love to cook). Love my shiny, red slow cooker, which I think I bought from Target 5-6 years ago. Still works wonderfully.

I wish I would've had a rice cooker in my first place, too. I would totally avoid cooking rice before, because I could never get it right on the stove. Then I met my husband, who's part Thai and introduced me to the rice cooker. We eat rice several times a week. It's so nice because I really love a bowlful of brown rice with some veggies and tofu.

pizza cutter! & cookie sheet is all I took my brother out to buy.

Toaster ovens are great for . . . toast (so you don't need a toaster) and other things; but not all come with broiler capability. That feature is worth the little extra bucks.

Gosh, I love everything about this topic ..love all the answers and helpful hints..this is totally Great!..I would be lost without my 9 by 13 pan by the way...

I love my toaster oven. And my French press. I forfeited a microwave so I could fit these "appliances" on my counter.

It's interesting to see what others are including on their list of essentials! It really highlights how differently we all prepare food. I prefer stovetop cooking to baking, so pans and skillets are really important to me!

This is such a hard list to decide on because it's so personal so I'll just give general guidelines.

NEVER NEVER NEVER buy sets. Always go al la carte. This is true with knives, pots and pans bakeware etc. Sets always skimp on things. That's why (thanks to gifts) I have unused knives, odd sized skillets I never use and sheet pans that are too small to do anything of value.

Buy yourself a good Chef's knife and at least one paring knife. I love my Victorinox 8" Chef's knife but I found I like my Messermeister better.

Buy high quality or buy cheap and buy twice (or thrice) It's your money. Personally I'd rather buy a nice Tramontina or (if I had the money) All Clad tri-ply skillet instead of buying a cheap pan that will warp in a few years.

Don't buy what you don't need and get rid of what you don't want. It's such a simple concept but hard to put into practice.

@ sabrina _K - nice to see someone else loving their rice cooker, too! People don't realize this, maybe your husband knows (and Thai food is AWESOME, by the way!), but other ingredients besides rice & water can be added during the cooking process. I like to throw in the salt, saffron, chopped onions, bok choy, daikon, garlic, cilantro,,, whatever at the same time as the rice. The flavors infuse better. Try Quinoa, also! Cooks the same as rice- 1 part grain, 2 parts water. Yum!

Here's what we'd recommend:

8 inch Chef’s Knife
Pots and Pans (see full list)
Cutting boards (see full list)
Tongs, Wooden and Metal Spoons (slotted and solid), Thin Spatula, Mixing Bowls (glass and metal)
Microplane Grater
Kitchen Shears
Large Grater
Serrated Bread Knife

You can see our full list here

Most frequently used in my kitchen:

Appliances: coffee maker, toaster, mini-processor (so handy for whipping up a curry paste or salad dressing), and a probably unpopular choice: the panini grill. I've never had a toaster oven.

Cooking: 3qt pot (non-stick), small frying pan, large straight-sided sauce pan with lid

Baking: cookie sheets, 9x13 and (oddly) a 10" tart pan

Utensils: tongs, microplane, juicer (the kind with handles you press together), plastic cutting boards that can go in the dishwasher, and another odd choice: A nut grinder. It's a little bin with a crank, the nuts drop into the jar below. I would never in a million years have thought I would get so much use out of this.

Serving & such: a never ending supply of large bowls, both plastic & glass. I find plastic to be very useful for popcorn, tossing salads, etc, and easy to clean, easy to lift & store on high shelves without danger :-)

Stuff I wish I'd never cluttered my kitchen with: odd, single purpose appliances like donut makers, bread makers, fryers. (The panini maker gets a pass because it can be used to grill veggies, meats, make sandwiches, etc.). Also, why go complicated when simple will do, so fancy corkscrews or unwieldy serving dishes (chip & dip set, punch bowl, large glass cake dome) are out.

A pizza pan!

There are many great suggestions here. But i'm assuming that you're talking about being on a low budget. If so I would suggest:

If you're NOT a baker: Use a wisker instead of a hand or stand mixer.

On other kitchen needs:
Use a paring knife instead of a vegetable peeler.
Use a sauce pan instead of a tea kettle to heat water.
Use the flat side of a knife to crush garlic instead of using a garlic crusher/mincer.
Use the lid of a pan to strain liquids instead of a colander.
Use kitchen towels to replace for oven mitts.

If you have extra bucks to spend, have fun with all the gadgets out there. Just keep in mind that you only what to buy things that you will actually use,

crock pot and/or rice cooker (especially a good fuzzy logic one) can cook so many things in them, and not necessarily need to be present to do so.

oh and a further thought, when i was in china i had 4 things in tiny kitchen area. Fridge (came with my apt.). Electric kettle, first purchase could boil water for drinking, making instant noodles. Rice cooker was second, made soup, rice, pasta, porridge, steamer for Baozi. 3rd was induction "burner/wok" for anything else i couldn't fix in rice cooker.

This is a good list. I use a cast iron skillet a lot, and an old cast iron Nomar casserole. I rarely use small electric appliances --but all summer I do use a small bread machine ( a zoji mini) when it's too hot to bake I can still have fresh bread and cakes. I hang pizza, & baking sheets, madeleine pan, & muffin pan on the wall.

I'd add in a liquid measuring cup and a set of measuring spoons. Even if you don't bake, those are just really useful.

Personally, instead of designated mixing bowls, I've gradually worked up to having a 1, 2, 4, and 8 cup pyrex measuring cups. For all but the largest stuff, they work great and are dual purpose!

I have my own list:

1. Can opener.
2. Utensils
3. Plate and bowl
4. Rice cooker

That solved my food problems for a week until I get what I needed to get (aka Phase 2), like an oven toaster, some pots and pans, and a stove.

I would add an immersion blender to the list. It functions as both a food processor and a blender

I've seen some good suggestions. I would add kitchen linens such as tea towels and pot holders. Also a couple of casserole dishes - small and large, a cookie sheet, and a baking dish or two. A pitcher for lemonade, iced tea, or specialty drinks may be useful for entertaining. One gadget I've come to love is my kitchen shears. I didn't realize I used them so much until they broke. Now I miss them. Thrift stores are a great place to buy dishes, cups, and glassware. (Pick up a few wineglasses if you like vino). You may find a casserole dish or a bowl that may be useful. I like Goodwill, too. I just bought a muffin tin, new, for $2.06. Can't beat that. There was a big assortment of all sorts of kitchen items, from pots and pans to gadgets and decorative things. Yard/Garage sales &flea markets are also good places to shop. No need to pay full retail if you are on a budget.

I very much agree with this list! Although I have a few short additions that I've found out that I couldn't live with out in my minamalist kitchen.

Coffee/tea mugs. I drink one cup of coffee in the am and then tea constantly all the rest of the day. These are a must.
Garlic Press. Im just obessed with using fresh garlic.
Cork screw. I love wine. Plain and simple. Plus it makes my average cooking on some nights feel like they're special. Plus if i were to have company bring any we could gladly share a glass.
Loaf pan- I can make nearly anything in this. Casseroles, meats, quick breads ( Like banana and zucchini- yum) Even little pastries if I so wanted.

I actually don't have a toaster oven, but rather use my stove top and oven to reheat my leftovers. Has worked well so far. And if you don't mind watching it, you can make toast using the broil feature on the oven. Just have to flip it.

What I actually crave and miss most is a blender! Thats what I'd exhange on the list instead of a toaster oven. Maragritas anyone? ( Well i'd probably use it more for soup and smoothies.... )

A food thermometer.

I have never owed a colander or french press. I love my santoku knife, 2 cup pyrex measuring cup, and iron skillet.I break cheap manual can openers, I upgraded to an onieda one and have had it for years. I also replaced my plastic storage with glass. It's heavier but I don't have to worry about tomato stains. I use my toaster over (with rotisserie) more than any appliance. I had to have a crock pot, drink pitcher and bread maker but don't remember the last time I used them. I plan to add pineapple peeler and vitamix to my list of wants.

I have to say that the list looks good - I would add a magic bullet (I *love* my magic bullet, and it's cheaper than a blender. Doesn't do ice well, though) and a brownie pan. You know, a 13'X9'? It functions as both a brownie pan AND a cookie sheet - when you're on a budget that can make a huge difference.

Drink mixer! for a foam in every coffee and a greek cold coffee-frape :)

Yet, well mixed ingredients.