Whether you’re starting off with a new homestead kitchen to stock, or you just need to refresh your current set up, this list of country kitchen essentials will help you save precious time and money by showing you exactly what you need – and nothing you don’t need!
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Let’s get right to the list and start with the cornerstone tool of every country kitchen:
1. KitchenAid
This gorgeous 5-quart Artisan Series stand mixer is essential to any country kitchen must-have list! It will become your best friend and MVP when it comes to all the homemade baked goods you’ll be creating. From sourdough bread and puff pastry, to Dutch Babies and good ol’ fashioned apple pies it will be your time (and arm muscle) saver for sure. A major plus is all the stunning vintage and modern colors it comes in!
2. Water Bath Canning Kit
I’ve owned this Granite Ware 9 Piece Enamelware Water bath Canning Pot kit since, no joke, 2016. It’s been my steady and reliable go-to kit for water bath canning for all these years and I can’t recommend it enough. Water bath canning is the gateway to pressure canning, and rightly so! (Click here for a list of my favorite items to water bath can).
This canner is essential to my country kitchen not only because it’s held up so well over the years but because it comes with all the tools you need in one, simple kit.
3. Pressure Canner
What else could come after the Queen of Canning than the King? The All American 1930: 21.5qt Pressure Cooker/Canner is one of the best investments I made for my homestead. It’s exclusive metal on metal sealing design (no rubber gaskets to fail), easy to open and close lid, being made in the USA, and the fact that it is designed to work safely on gas, electric, and flat top ranges (just check your range’s weight limit), made it a win-win-win for me. My only regret is not going BIGGER sooner! I have my eye on the 25 qt – if you can swing it, I highly recommend going BIG so your canning time is even more productive.
4. Wide Mouth Mason Jars
Ball is for sure the go-to brand for dependable, reusable mason jars that last you many years of canning. Wide mouth is the way to go if you want to save yourself stress, messes, and headache when you want to use the jars for freezing as well.
Both pints (2 cup, 16 oz) and quarts (4 cup, 32 oz) will work in either of the canners above.
Besides traditional canning, I tend to use the pints for glasses, flower vases, measuring cups, and dry goods storage. The quarts also double for sourdough starter jars, vases, iced coffee cups, and storage, so it’s hard to say which I use more day to day, but for canning purposes, the quarts are my go-to. With a large family, I just like to have extra on hand instead of having to open two jars, if that makes sense!
5. Natural Teak Wood Utensils
I hate admitting that it took me so long to go to teak in the kitchen! I wish I thought of it sooner. All my other wooden utensils would crack, wear, discolor, and ultimately start to smell. Yuck. Teak wood utensils are non toxic and much more naturally durable to wet conditions. This set is safe for non stick surfaces (think cast iron and stainless steal), and very budget friendly.
6. Cast Iron Cooking Set
If you’re scouting out cooking sets let me save you some time now and recommend cast iron! You can go from stove top to oven to even camp fire with these and no they don’t take a ton of maintenance. If you’re a busy homestead mom like me, you want fast and efficient in the kitchen and that’s what cast iron offers. Click here to read how simple it is to maintain your cast iron.
Here’s a great cast iron starter set from Lodge, which is made in the US:
I also recommend this super handy reversible cast iron grill/griddle for pancake mornings or burger lunches:
7. Cast Iron Dutch Oven
OK I know I’m sounding obsessed here with the cast iron recs but it’s because it’s worth it! And a good, solid dutch oven deserves its own spot on the country kitchen essentials list.
I use Lodge’s 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid because it’s 1) a US company, 2) non toxic enamel , 3) much more budget friendly than other popular brands out there.
I use mine the most for sourdough bread baking but it is recommended for marinating, baking, and serving. It’s rated for 500F with an oven safe lid as well.
The 6 quart is large enough for a double batch of sourdough or even to roast a whole chicken!
8. Must-Have Cookbooks
Every country kitchen needs to have Tieghan Gerard’s cookbooks! Half Baked Harvest Super Simple: More Than 125 Recipes for Instant, Overnight, Meal-Prepped, and Easy Comfort Foods: A Cookbook.
She will show you how to use pantry staples, farm fresh ingredients, and time saving techniques to whip up the most amazing meals. These are the only cookbooks I keep in my kitchen!
9. Instant Pot Ultra
No kitchen essentials list is complete without the Instant Pot! If you don’t yet have one or are looking to upgrade yours, the ultra is the way to go. It’s a 6qt 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, and more. My favorite function is honestly the yogurt making – simple set and forget is the best!
10. Greek Yogurt Maker
Homesteading is all about living as self-sufficiently as possible and that means making from scratch the things we could buy at the store, for pennies on the dollar.
Let me tell you, making homemade yogurt (thank you Instant Pot) with local organic milk, and then straining it with this simple Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Basket Greek Yogurt Maker. The end product is a delicious, thick and creamy yogurt for a fraction of the cost of store-bought Organic Greek.
11. Food Processor
Good thing this country kitchen essentials list isn’t in any particular order, because it’d be so hard to rate all these workhorse tools! Every kitchen needs a decent food processor, and this is a great one to invest in. Hamilton Beach is a solid name in the world of appliances, especially non-toxic appliances. The Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper is BPA free, has a 12 cup bowl, and has 2 speeds.
12.Food Dehydrator
Another homestead staple tool, the food dehydrator is SUCH a fabulous time saver and helper in the kitchen. From drying apples rings in the fall, to preserving summer herbs from the garden, this machine always seems to be busy in our home.
That’s why I prioritized the Samson Silent 9 Stainless Steel Tray Dehydrator with Digital Timer and Temperature Control. It runs very quietly so that it doesn’t dominate the kitchen, has 9 trays, and super easy digital controls.
13. Ball Mason Jar Reusable Tops
These pop on, pop off reusable tops are so versatile and handy in the kitchen! If you recall, I mentioned how many non-canning uses exist for mason jars, and it’s so nice to have an easy, and adorable lid to pop on if needed! Whether it’s for a pint jar of chia seeds soaking in the fridge, or a lid for my quart of homemade ketchup, these lids make me smile.
14. Bread Dough Bowl Covers
These covers are super handy – and beautiful for any country kitchen! I use them for my sourdough while it ferments overnight in the fridge but they can also be used in place of traditional plastic wrap in a variety of situations!
Handmade SpaZa Dish and Bowl Single Cover, Plastic Free, 100% GOTS Certified Cotton:
15. Homemade Ice Cream Maker
If you have the 5qt Tilt Head Artisan Series KitchenAid, this is a must-have attachment! The KITCHOOD Ice Cream Maker Attachment will make Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Gelato.
We use it all year to make healthy, delicious, money-saving homemade ice cream in a variety of flavors.
16. Extra Large Stock Pot
A good stock pot is essential to any kitchen, but a great extra large one is essential to every homesteader’s kitchen! The NutriChef Stainless Steel Stock Pot is 15 quarts, has a see-through lid, thick bottom to reduce burning, and is made to handle whatever you throw at it!
I originally purchased mine for making large batches of bone broth, but I also use it for extra large batches of apple sauce, marinara sauce, and soups and stews. It’s extremely helpful if you are making large batches for canning.
17. Seed and Nut Grinder
This may not be at the top of your list but trust me, you’ll use it! From grinding up raw pumpkin seeds from my animals to cinnamon sticks and even coffee beans when needed, this powerful little machine is a must have for any country kitchen!
Check out the Cuisinart Spice and Nut Grinder here:
18. Coffee Machine
The best way to wrap up the list is with coffee essentials, am I right? The Cuisinart Grind & Brew Thermal 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker has been a pivotal piece of my country kitchen since 2016.
If simplified mornings are your goal, this machine is programmable to grind and brew the exact amount of coffee you want with at the exact time you want. All you need to do is keep the hopper full of fresh whole beans and pour water into the reservoir at night.
Cleaning is simple as well – I love that that Cuisinart thought of everything!
19. Stove Top Espresso Maker
For the times when you just want a simple stove top espresso or you want to bring a simple coffee solution camping with you, you need to have this luxurious Italian bonVIVO Intenca Stovetop Espresso Maker on hand.
That wraps up our list of 19 of the Best Country Kitchen Essentials. I hope you got several great ideas for stocking your new homestead kitchen or adding to your existing one!
