9 Things Kitchn Staffers Have Had Since Their College Days
The best kitchen stuff isn’t always the shiny new toy you just brought home from the store. Sometimes, it’s a tried-and-true piece that’s been with you a long, long time. The steady, good ol’ reliable thing that always gets the job done. The thing you’ve moved from apartment to apartment. The thing you’ve had forever.
We polled Kitchn staffers to find what items have been in their kitchens since college. Check out their answers — the picks are sure to last you a long time, too.
1. Proctor Silex Electric Kettle, $16
“It’s not the most attractive and I’d love to upgrade to a more stylish kettle that I can leave out on display, but this kettle just won’t quit! I use it pretty much any time I need to boil water — and it still works just as well as the day my wife got it, 18 years ago when she was still living in a dorm.” —Joe Lingeman, Studio Photographer
2. INGO IVAR table and chair set, $185 at IKEA
“This was my kitchen table and where I did all of my studying when I was in college. I even moved it 3,000 miles and took it with me to grad school. It’s been disassembled and reassembled about 10 times and still looks great. We even painted it white at some point! Now, it’s sitting on my screened-in porch — we put a tablecloth on it and it looks like an outdoor table.” —Lauren Kodiak, Managing Editor
3. Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Sauce Pan, $25 at Macy’s
“When I was a senior in college, I randomly saw that Macy’s was having a sale on stainless steel pots and pans from Cuisinart. I bought this saucepan and a larger one. I ended up never using the larger one and have since gotten rid of it, but I still use this one almost every single day.” —Ariel Knutson, News & Culture Editor
“This 11-piece set was standard issue in my culinary school kit. Surprisingly I didn’t lose a single cup or spoon during my time there and, almost 15 years later, I still have and use these every single day.” —Meghan Splawn, Associate Food Editor
5. Nutribullet 600 Blender 6-Piece Set, $50 at Walmart
“This space-saving blender has been a lifesaver since college. My favorite thing about it is that it fits in a tiny cabinet — but it also gets the job done super fast and relatively quietly! It’s the perfect blender for small-space living with roommates.” —Lauren Masur, Staff Writer
6. 10-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set, $40 at Williams Sonoma
“I bought this set of glass mixing bowls when I moved into my first apartment after college. My mom had a set of bowls like this when I was growing up and I really wanted my own. At the time, I was pretty broke, so treating myself to something like a set of glass bowls felt really fancy and special. Fast forward many, many years and these bowls (all of them!) have made it through seven moves and I still use them all the time.” —Kelli Foster, Associate Food Editor
“When I got this in college, I used it to toast garlic in olive oil to eat over spaghetti. Now I’m more likely to use it in the morning to fry an egg for one of my kids. After more than a decade of use, it’s still in pretty good shape.” —Ayn-Monique Klahre, Contributor
8. Wilton Icing Spatula Set, $20 for three
“I initially bought these for frosting cakes and cupcakes, but they’re also good for making layered dishes like lasagnas and spreading fillings in things like cinnamon rolls.” —Kaitlin Flannery, Senior Social Media Manager
9. VÄRDERA plates, $5 each at IKEA
“I’d be lying if I said they look good as new, but they are still holding strong more than a decade in! I keep meaning to buy new plates, but then I find something else that I’d rather spend my money on.” —Patty Catalano, Contributor
What about you? What kitchen supplies have you had in there since college?