I’m sure you will agree that spending time in the kitchen is way more fun when you have the right tools. In this blog, I will review 15 essential tools for your vegan kitchen. These tools will make life easier and more enjoyable so you can create the best tasting meals with ease.
Many years ago I took a raw-vegan chef certification because I was obsessed with learning how to make the most delicious, yet healthy, meals while I was writing my first cookbook.
However, as I was cutting up numerous veggies and trying to prepare these dishes I was frustrated with my cheap, dull knives, my food processor that burned out on me every second use and my blender that hardly broke food down.
I researched a variety of knives, blenders, food processors, juicers and other tools that are must-have’s to have in the kitchen and decided it was time to up my game and invest in some decent kitchen equipment and tools.
Essential Tools For Your Vegan Kitchen
Below is a list of some what I think are the essential tools for your vegan kitchen. Although you may not need all of these tools, and you could probably get by with the tools you already have, from my own personal experience these tools will make food prep and cooking so much easier.
Some of these tools include:
1) A High Quality Knife Set.
I can’t express to you the difference having a good quality knife makes when it comes to cutting, peeling and chopping. When I got my first really good set of knives all I wanted to do was chop veggies.
Suddenly this was a fun task that so many people hate doing. My favourite affordable knife brands are Cutco and Pampered Chef.
These knives are not only stunningly beautiful but they come with excellent guarantees. Although these knives require some initial investment they are worth every penny.
You don’t need to start with the full set, just choose one or two knives you think you would use the most and start there.
My favourite knives that I think are a great place to start are:
- Chef’s knife
- Santoku knife
- Paring knife
- Bread knife
Click here to check out my current favourite knife set.
2) High Speed Blender. 
If you don’t have a Vitamix you are missing out. I am known by many as the smoothie master. Every time I do a smoothie making party people are in awe of how smooth and tasty my smoothies are.
As much as I want to take all the credit, I can’t. Yes, I know how to add the perfect ratio of ingredients into the blender but place these same ingredients in regular ‘ol blender and it just wouldn’t be the same.
My preferred choice and recommended blender is by far the Vitamix. Yes, a Vitamix is a considerable investment but it is worth every penny!
There are so many things you can do with this blender. You can make smoothies, soups, dressings and so much more! It will come with a recipe book to help get you started. Or, check out the many recipes I’ve shared with you and notice how much I use the Vitamix.
Below is a picture of the one I have. This one is a little old now so you might find ones that look a little different online.
3) High Quality Food Processor.
You may not think you need a food processor, especially one that costs a few hundred dollars, but when you get it you will wonder what you ever did without it.
Sure you can work with a cheap, low quality food processor; however, if you use it a lot you will likely burn out the motor.
Imagine this… you are in the creative process and the perfect dish is coming together nicely. You have all the ingredients in your food processor, you press the button, it starts going and then suddenly it stops! What are you going to do? You have company coming over and you want to make the perfect dinner! So, you rush out to the store and end up buying one of the top models in the store to ensure this never happens again.
This may not have happened to you but it has happened to me in exactly the way I told it! When I started using a new, high-quality food processor it was so much better that I vowed to inspire others to invest in a good one so they didn’t have to experience what I went through.
Ok, that may be a bit dramatic but it’s true.
My favourite brand of food processor right now is CuisineArt. When I did my research it looks like the Kitchen Aid is close in quality and likely also a great choice.
Below is a picture of the one I have and the average cost is about $399. However, it never hurts to shop around a look for sales. You never know what kind of deal you will get.
4) Mandolin Slicer. 
I have to admit although I do use my mandolin slicer a lot I still like to cut my veggies using my good knives. However, if you are cutting up large amounts of veggies, and you want them cut perfectly or in a special way such as julienne, french fries or a flat cut, the mandolin slicer is the best tool to have ready to go.
Just a word of caution… be sure to use the hand guard because if you don’t, you may slice off a finger, or at least a nail. Trust me… it happens.
Below is the model I have. I bought this one at the Calgary Stampede trade show many years ago; however, there are many different models that are just as good. They seem to have come way down in price over the last few years.
Click here to check out a variety of my favourite fruit and veggies slicers.
5) Juicer.
I started my plant-based journey by drinking fruit and veggie juice every day. There is nothing like a freshly made green juice. It is so refreshing, hydrating and nourishing.
Juicers range from about $100 to $3000. I personally don’t think it’s necessary to send thousands of dollars on a juicer when a less expensive one will do just fine but it does depend on what you want to juice.
If you want to juice root veggies and fruits then a centrifugal juicer, like a Breville, will work fine.
If you want to juice more leafy greens as well as fruits and root veggies then I would suggest a slow juicer, like a Hurom or Omega.
For wheat grass I would get a really slower juicer or a wheat grass specific juicer that is specially designed to only juice wheatgrass for best results.
Centrifugal Juicer vs. Slow Juicer: What’s The Difference?
Centrifugal juice extractors are the most common type of home juicer. A fast-spinning blade spins against a mesh filter using centrifugal force to pull the juice from the flesh of the fruit or vegetables.
The problem with this type of juicer is that the speed at which the juice is extracted destroys some of the enzymes and the heat may oxidize the nutrients in the fruits and vegetables. And it’s unable to process nuts or leafy greens.
The only benefit of this juicer is that it is usually more affordable that the cold press, or slow, juicer.
The cold press, or masticating juicer, extracts the juice by crushing and pressing the fruit and vegetables to yield the most juice. Because there is no heat produced the enzymes and nutrients stay intact.
It is excellent for juicing dark leafy greens, making fresh nut milks and is much quieter than the centrifugal juicer.
Although this is the better juicer it is a significant investment as it is much more expensive.
6) Dehydrator.
A dehydrator is a tool you can use to keep your food raw. Raw food is cooked at temperatures lower than about 118 degrees F.
Until I became a raw-vegan chef I had no idea what lovely raw foods I could make in the dehydrator. Snacks like kale chips, raw crackers, dried fruit and granola taste much better when they’ve been dehydrated as opposed to cooked in the oven.
My favourite dehydrator is the Excalibur. It costs about $400, depending on the size you get, but it’s well worth the money!
7) Spiralizer.
A spiralizer is a fun tool to have in the kitchen. This tool will have you making fancy raw zucchini dishes and topping salads like a professional chef with spiralled carrots and beets.
There are many different types of spiralizers. Some can get pretty pricey but you can get basic ones at an affordable price.
Click here to see my favourite spiralizer.
8) Glass Jars.
I am a big fan of mason jars, or glass jars in general. I use them for so many things. The large mason jars, which are about one litre, are perfect for sprouting seeds such as sunflower, buckwheat and pea shoots.
You may also choose to keep flour, sugar, spices and other ingredients that usually come in a bag in some of these jars so your cupboards look tidy and clean.
Often I have hosted fun events like salad in a jar parties where everyone brings five jars, a couple of ingredients and you make salads to last a few days.
Glass jars are a fun way to make and take your salads on the go!
Click here to check out my favourite make and take jars.
9) Cutting Boards.
Since you will have your beautiful new set of knives and be excited to get chopping, a nice cutting board will be essential. .
I prefer wood cutting boards as they are easier on the knives. Glass ones, although really easy to clean and look nice, tend to make your knives dull.
Click here to check out my favourite wood cutting board.
10) Pots And Pans. 
Any chef will tell you that having a nice set of pots and pans is well worth the investment.
I would suggest finding a high-quality set you really like and purchase one piece at a time until you have the entire set. Unless you decide to just buy the whole thing up front… that’s always a great option too!
Some key pieces to start with include:
- Large pot
- Small pot
- Steamer set
- Large skillet
- Small skillet
Click here to check out my favourite cookware sets.
11) Bakeware.
Once you become vegan you will likely be excited to make all your favourite desserts vegan style. I know I was!
This is why you will want to have some nice bakeware pieces in your kitchen.
Some of the basics you will want to have handy include:
- Mixing bowls
- Baking pans (one large and two small)
- Cookie sheet
- Muffin tin
- Spring form pan
Click here to see some of my favourite bakeware pieces.
12) Measuring Tools.
Having a good set of measuring cups and measuring spoons will be a lifesaver when you are making the perfect dish.
Although I definitely encourage you to have fun in the kitchen and not always worry about exact measurements, you will want to measure ingredients until you get to know you what tastes good.
Some essential measuring tools include:
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Click here to check out my favourite measuring tools.
13) Spatulas, Wooden Spoons and Flippers.
Spatulas, wooden spoons and flippers are essential must-have tools for your kitchen. Without them you won’t be able to stir, mix or flip your delicious food.
I know for many years I used old spatulas, spoons and flippers that I had been handed down from my mom; however, when I invested in a whole new set it was a brand new cooking experience.
There is something so special about having all your favourite tools ready and waiting to be used. Then when you pick them up you feel like you belong in the kitchen.
It’s these simple pleasures that will keep you coming back to the kitchen and preparing delicious, healthy, whole-food meals.
Click here to check out my favourite sets.
14) Storage Containers. 
A big part of making fresh meals and eating at home is the left overs! Some dishes taste better the next day after all the spices and flavours have had time to soak in.
This is why you will need a good set of storage containers. Small ones are perfect for storing chopped veggies. Medium containers are perfect for packing lunch for the you and the kids. Large containers are great for storing baked goods or large batches of rice to use over the next few days.
Unless you can find a high-quality plastic that is BPA-free, glass storage containers are the best choice.
Click here to check out my favourite storage containers.
15) Love.
I know, love isn’t really a tool; however, I believe it is an essential part of the cooking process.
Many years ago when I was dealing with an eating disorder I was advised to start cooking. The premise was to learn to love the food I was preparing. Learn as much as I could about the ingredients, prepare the food with love and enjoy the process. The purpose of this was so that I would learn to love the food I was putting gin my body rather than hate it.
The energy of love brings a light energy to the food that you can actually taste. And when you make food for the people you love, including yourself, you are not only feeding them you are also feeding your soul.
You’re All Set!
Now that you have all the essential tools you need for your vegan kitchen you are ready to get cooking!
These basic tools will give you a great start to creating meals that will impress your family and friends and make being in the kitchen a fun and enjoyable experience.
If you have any questions about my favourite tools that I have recommended here please feel free to send me a message and ask me anything!
Stay tuned in to this blog for more tips to help you on this journey to Living Meatless and healthy abundance.
Do you have any personal favourites tools for the kitchen? Let me know what they are in the comments below.
Until next time,
Namaste,
Rachel Joy Olsen, BSc., MBA
Vegan, Author, Health & Wellness Coach
Read my “Frog Killer To Compassionate Vegan” story