Whether you're a gourmet chef or prefer to let Wing Wong Kitchen do the majority of your cooking, there are some essential items that every kitchen should have, even if only to give the impression that you actually know what you're doing. Kitchen implements should be basic and functional to start, and as your expertise and interest grow, so should the quality and range of your implements. There's no point in having the $350 copper roasting pan if you only cook store-bought spaghetti and bottled sauce. If you don't cook frequently, your friends and family will think you're pretentious, and if you're only a decent chef, the copper roaster will cause your dinner guests to expect a meal that would make Daniel Boulud envious. With that said, there are a few basic kitchen tools that should be in every kitchen, novice or accomplished chef:

	1-2 quart saucepan with lid (Farberware, $25): Start off with an inexpensive to moderately priced pan and hold off on the good stuff until your skill level requires it or you manage to score the Calphalon from your wedding registry. This is an essential for boiling water, cooking pasta, and heating sauces and soup.
	Can Opener (OXO Good Grips, $10): This is a no-brainer. How else are you going to open up the Campbell's chicken noodle? Although you can go cheap here, you'll realize soon enough that the extra couple of dollars spent on a comfortable, ergonomic opener will be well worth it.
	10-12 Inch Nonstick Frying Pan (T-FAL, $25): Nonstick is the key word here, especially if you're not the best cook and prone to burning your food. Besides the obvious breakfast foods (pancakes, sausages, eggs, etc.) and burgers, you can also reheat most leftovers in a quintessential frying pan. Switch to a cast-iron skillet later if that floats your boat, but because those don't go in a dishwasher and do take some special handling, they're not really a beginner's item.
	A Good Knife (Eversharp by J.A. Henckels, $20): A while back, this was a common complaint from guest cooks in my kitchen. My advice: just make sure it's sharp. A good knife will provide you with a method to do most cutting techniques. As you progress, you can opt for specific kitchen tools to make mincing, julienne cutting, etc. easier. Plus, a large, sharp kitchen knife can be an invaluable aid in putting those guest cooks in their place.
	Spatula ($3): If you're picking up or flipping piping-hot items using a fork, you're wasting unnecessary time and effort. If you're using your bare hands, you're out of your mind. Here, stick to nylon or another material suitable for nonstick cooking surfaces. Also, we're talking about the "flippy" kind of spatula, not the rubber scraper type, which is also extremely handy but not quite a necessity.
	Measuring Spoons (Pyrex, $3): Who knows? One day, in a fit of madness, you may decide to actually cook and try to follow a recipe. In that event, these are indispensable, and will often mean the difference between chicken with a touch of curry flavor and curry with a chicken flavor. Although really good cooks can lay on the ingredients by eye or taste, the other 90% of us need the consistency provided by teaspoons and tablespoons.
	A Mixing Bowl ($7): Useful whether you prepare elaborate meals or serve microwave popcorn. Size isn't too important, but if you only have one, you should probably go for a medium to large-size bowl in a material that is microwave safe. In a pinch, it can also double as a fruit bowl or serving dish.
	A PYREX Measuring Cup ($7): One of the most indispensable items. I use mine to boil water* and melt butter in the microwave in addition to actually measuring ingredients. *WARNING: Be careful when heating liquids in a smooth glass container, such as a Pyrex measuring cup, in the microwave. Water and other liquids may superheat above the boiling point and explode when the microwave door is opened or the container is removed. To avoid this situation, try stirring the liquid immediately prior to heating or put a microwave-safe utensil or item in the liquid during heating (a wooden popsicle stick will work, and it's free). Now, back to our article.
	A Nonstick Cookie Sheet (Nordic Ware, $7): Non-chefs can use a cookie sheet to reheat things like pizza (so the cheese doesn't drip through the oven shelf and make a mess of the oven) or make slice-n-bake cookies. Those of you who've actually turned on your oven know what I'm talking about and may upgrade to the style with a ventilated bottom for more even heat distribution when baking, use Silpat, a flexible nonstick liner made of fiberglass, or even use a pizza stone for baking pizza.
	A Four-Sided Grater (Cook's Club, $7): There really is no good substitute for grating. Doing it by hand with a knife is so tedious that most people would be reduced to tears before they finish. A four-sided grater gives you incredible bang for the buck and can usually go into the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
	Colander or Large Strainer ($8): This is an often-overlooked item, but it really makes draining pasta and washing fruit and vegetables much easier. Plus, a sufficiently attractive one will convince your trendy friends that you're the type of person who can tell an Aalto from a Van Der Rohe.
	Vegetable Peeler (OXO Good Grips, $8): While you can peel vegetables and fruit with a good sharp knife, an honest-to-goodness peeler is an inexpensive item that doesn't take up much room in the kitchen and will save you a lot of time. This is one item where you want to spend slightly more at the start. Look for an ergonomic design that sits well in your hand (important if you're peeling a lot of potatoes or making an apple pie) and is actually sharp on both sides, unlike the claims of many peelers, which is important if you're a lefty like me. A peeler can also be used to make decorations like chocolate curls for desserts or citrus curls for cocktails. Although you can also use a peeler to make lemon, lime, or orange zest, you really want to invest in a zester if you find yourself doing much zesting.

Again, these are the few basic items every kitchen should have. The first things I'd probably add to that list to make your job in the kitchen easier would be a good garlic press (the OXO Good Grips garlic press is excellent and really gets almost everything out of each clove), a decent cheese grater (Mouli or Zyliss), a whisk, and a good basic cookbook (The Joy of Cooking or The Fannie Farmer Cookbook are classics). I've left out appliances on purpose since you can start by hand for everything and work your way up to those luxury items, plus, for those short on kitchen space, appliances take up precious counter or cupboard space.

However, there IS one exception to this rule. A microwave is an absolute necessity in a modern kitchen. If you really can't afford one, or just don't have the space, make sure you live near a 7-Eleven, although you'll lose precious time waiting for the big guy with bedhead and plumber's crack to reheat his burrito first.