Meal Kit Beginner? These Are the Kitchen Tools You'll Need to Start Cooking

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At CNET, we’re pretty big fans of meal kits. We’ve tested dozens to find our favorites across all categories, including ready-to-eat meals, vegan options and the best budget picks.

Made In

Because you still have to prepare the meals, there is some chopping involved in every meal kit. Whether it’s an onion, shallot, potatoes or a bunch of bok choy, you’ll need a solid chef’s knife to complete the majority of meal kits. These are our top picks.

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A cutting board goes hand-in-hand with a chef’s knife, so it’s another must-have. I personally prefer wooden cutting boards, but it is nice to have a small plastic cutting board on hand for when you need to cut raw meat or coat it in spices. With a plastic cutting board, the juices won’t soak into the board like they would with a wooden one and you can pop it right in the dishwasher when you’re done. These are our picks for the best cutting boards, which include both options.

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One of the best parts about meal kits, in my opinion, is that many of the meals require minimal effort, making them ideal for busy individuals, new cooks or anyone who simply doesn’t enjoy spending hours in the kitchen. Because there is often a focus on meals that take less than 30 minutes to prepare, we’re seeing more sheet pan recipes (my favorite). Just toss everything in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, then serve.

All-Clad

Not all meals are sheet-pan meals though, so you’ll still need a frying pan for when you cook stir-fry, meat or other recipe components on the stovetop. You can decide between nonstick, ceramic or stainless steel depending on your preferences. Or, if you’re looking for a full cookware set, here are our favorites.

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Many of the recipes I’ve tried use rice or noodles as a base, so a pot is another must-have, unless you plan to avoid those types of meals entirely (which I don’t recommend because they’re usually delicious). You could get away with one pot if needed, but I recommend having a couple in different sizes.

I use Caraway’s cookware set – CNET’s pick for best ceramic cookware – which includes a saucepan, frying pan, Dutch oven and a sauté pan.

OXO/Macy’s

In theory, you could use the aforementioned pot as a mixing bowl if you’re in a pinch, but I highly recommend investing in a mixing bowl, or a set of them, to make your life a whole lot easier. My mixing bowls double as popcorn bowls, food scrap holders and more, so I definitely think they’re worth the money.

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This is nice to have, but not a necessity since you can technically peel potatoes, carrots and other produce with a knife, but a peeler is a much safer choice, especially if you’re new in the kitchen.

Microplane

During my meal kit journey, I’ve also noticed that quite a few recipes call for the zest of one lemon to help elevate the flavor profile. You can use a dedicated lemon zester or a fine cheese grater for this step, but whatever you do, don’t skip it. It adds much more flavor than you might expect.