#Your First Kitchen

All the equipment and tools you need to get started

Measuring Cups & Spoons

Cooking's supposed to be an art, right? You can try to eyeball certain amounts, but that has its own risks: The food might not taste the way it should, or it may not cook properly, especially when you're baking. And because a cup of water isn't exactly the same as a cup of flour, you'll want to have separate measuring cups for dry goods and liquids.

Measuring cups and spoons should be clearly marked with both metric and U.S. standard units. A cup for liquids needs a spout for easy pouring and a good-sized handle for gripping. You can find measuring cups made of glass, plastics, stainless steel, and even clay.

Mixing bowls

Cookie Sheet & Cake Pan

If you like to bake, you'll need at least one cookie sheet or cake pan, and perhaps both. A cookie sheet may be the more versatile of the two you can bake cookies and roast vegetables but it can't be used to make cakes or brownies.

Standard cake pans are circular, rectangular, or square in shape and are usually made of metal, glass, or silicone. With metal pans, you can choose between regular and springform, which has an easier release mechanism.