[erex78]

Love the sentiment behind the post - cooking is great life skill to get good at, but I think the "Essential Gear" is definitely far from "essential" (and maybe this will help the new cook from being too scared of the list).

Here's my version of the "minimum viable set": 1. big, sharp knife 2. cutting board 3. wooden spoon 4. pan.

IMO, the particularly dispensable: "instant read digital cooking thermometer", "micro-plane zester", "fish turner spatula", "large heat-safe glass measuring cup", "honing rod".

Again, still love the intention. Nice post!

[tylertringas]

Agree that's the true minimum viable set, and you can cook a lot of things with just that. But I think if a novice cook was trying to work through the cookbooks I recommended, they would find it frustrating not to have some of the other stuff I recommend. My "minimum viable" is sort of "your lack of X won't be a substantially annoying obstacle from completing most of the recipes in these essential books"

[spockz]

Actually, that honing rod is very useful to keep that nog big blade serviceable for longer in between sharpening. I do agree with the mvs though bear in mind that having a few of these will greatly speed up cooking times.

[iamacyborg]

You don’t need a honing rod, use the bottom of ceramic tableware instead.

[spockz]

I suppose this works with the cheaper, softer steel, knives. But does it also work for the harder steel professional knives?