Our Tiny Kitchen Essentials: What We Actually Use (Baker vs Chef)
Tiny kitchen, no space, too many tools…
It’s been almost two years since we moved in together, and there is still no shortage of STUFF. Honestly, it probably would have been a different situation if we had moved into a brand-new place together. Instead, the baker moved into the chef’s Brooklyn apartment, where his grandmother had lived before him. Every shelf, drawer, and cabinet was already full, and combining (and organizing) two lives and two kitchens has been… a challenge.
The baker has been lucky enough to inherit tools from her grandpa’s bakery that are not only built like tanks (they truly don’t make them like they used to), but also carry a lot of sentimental value. The chef has upgraded his tools throughout his career, been gifted knives from other chefs, and still keeps a few beloved pieces from his late grandmother’s kitchen. That seasoned rice pot isn’t going anywhere.
Needless to say, we have duplicates. We’re real people. This is far from a perfectly minimalist apartment, and we promise to be honest about what we actually use, what’s worth the space, and what isn’t. In a tiny kitchen, every tool has to earn its place—and if something new comes in, something else usually has to go.
Must Have Tools
Chef’s Knife
Why We Love It
A true multi-purpose tool and one of the most-used items in our kitchen.
Baker Says
Even a baker needs to chop sometimes! I love a tool that can do it all—it means fewer dishes at the end because this one knife handles almost everything.
Chef Says
My knives are my best friends and an extension of my right hand. This is the most versatile tool in the kitchen, and I use it every single day.
Rubber Cutting Board
Why We Love It
Keeps our knives sharper longer by reducing stress and damage to the blade.
Baker Says
Technically, I’m not allowed to use it because I’m also not allowed to use the fancy knives. But what makes the chef happy makes me happy.
Chef Says
No limitations. I can chop away freely knowing my knife blades won’t get damaged.
Why We Love It
Sometimes the smallest tools become the real kitchen MVPs.
Baker Says
I can’t say enough good things about this spatula set. I use it every day for everything—cleaning out my French press, scraping batter from the mixer paddle, or getting the last bit out of a condiment jar.
Chef Says
A million-dollar tool. You’d be surprised how much food (and money) you save by scraping every last bit.
Cooking Essentials
Why We Love It
Practical, durable, matching, and good quality. ’Nuff said.
Baker Says
This was one of my first real “adulting” purchases when I got my own place. It’s a reliable set with a good variety of sizes for everyday cooking.
Chef Says
Heavy pans hold heat well and cook evenly. Great for beginners and experienced cooks alike.
Handheld Knife Sharpener
Why We Love It
Compact, safe, and easy to use—even for nervous beginners.
Baker Says
Way less intimidating than using a steel.
Chef Says
If my knife scars could talk… This sharpens evenly in just a few swipes and is much safer for home cooks.
Baking Favorites
Why We Love It
A true kitchen workhorse with endless sweet and savory uses—and somehow worth sacrificing the counter space for.
Baker Says
It’s always a good day when the mixer comes out. The extra power has saved me countless hours of elbow grease.
Chef Says
I rarely use it myself, but I appreciate anything that makes kitchen tasks more efficient. Also, hearing the mixer run usually means I’m about to get baked goods.
Why We Love It
We probably own one too many, but they’re endlessly useful and somehow always in use.
Baker Says
Indispensable. There’s not a single recipe where I don’t reach for at least one.
Chef Says
Like Russian nesting dolls—I love that they stack neatly, and every size serves a purpose.
I’m lucky enough to have heavy-duty sheet pans passed down from Grandpa’s bakery, but if you’re buying new, the closest match I’d recommend is Wilton sheet pans.
Why We Love It
Sturdy, reliable, and able to handle high oven heat without warping.
Baker Says
I genuinely couldn’t live without sheet pans. Cookies, cakes, roasted vegetables—there’s always one in use.
Chef Says
If something’s going in the oven, I’m probably using a sheet pan. They’re also perfect for prepping meats and staging ingredients on grill days.
Tiny Kitchen Game-Changers
Why We Love It
Our apartment has very limited ventilation, so this has been a huge help for smoky stovetop cooking and late-night chef experiments.
Baker Says
When my mom first visited the apartment, her biggest concern wasn’t the new man—it was the fact that the kitchen had no hood. She insisted this become an immediate purchase… no regrets.
Chef Says
You can actually see it pulling the smoke in, which means it’s doing its job. It saves our neighbors from hearing the smoke alarm every time I throw something onto a hot skillet.
Why We Love It
In a tiny kitchen, finding storage anywhere you can is essential. These turned unused space into an easy-access prep zone for our spices.
Baker Says
Who needs travel magnets when you can have shelf magnets? This created storage space where there wasn’t any before, and I genuinely love it.
Chef Says
Easy access to spices while cooking, and I especially like that everything stays visible instead of getting lost in a cabinet. Great use of dead space.
Why We Love It
Keeps our knives organized, visible, and within reach of the prep zone. Functional and aesthetic.
Baker Says
When I first moved in, there were loose knives living directly on the countertop. I constantly imagined one falling and stabbing me in the foot. The knife magnet solved both the clutter and my anxiety.
Chef Says
Knives belong on the wall. It feels more professional, keeps everything accessible, and frees up counter space.
Why We Love It
Every inch matters in a tiny kitchen. We had a narrow gap between the washer (yes, our washer is in the kitchen) and the pantry cabinet, and this slim cart turned it into surprisingly useful storage for baking ingredients and tools.
Baker Says
One of my favorite purchases. It hides away neatly but somehow holds an unbelievable amount of stuff.
Chef Says
I love that it disappears into the space instead of interrupting the kitchen flow. Perfect for storing smaller items while maximizing every usable inch.
Organization & Extras
Why We Love It
Going through all our spices and checking expiration dates was truly eye-opening. Nobody needs three containers of turmeric and three half-empty cumins.
Baker Says
Maybe it’s a girl thing, but nothing makes me happier than everything matching. Every morning when I pour my coffee, this shelf makes me feel calm instead of stressed by kitchen chaos.
Chef Says
Perfect size, easy to grab, and much more organized than random spice containers shoved in a cabinet.
Why We Love It
Everything needs to be charged these days, but cords stretched across limited counter space made no sense in our kitchen. This was just practical.
Baker Says
I use this way more than I expected. It’s perfect for plugging in my phone while making coffee, washing dishes, or during an all-day baking marathon.
Chef Says
I like not having cords all over the countertops and near the food.
Final Thoughts
Living and cooking in a tiny kitchen has taught us one very important thing: every inch matters.
We don’t have the luxury of endless cabinet space or drawers full of specialty gadgets, so every tool in our kitchen has to genuinely earn its place. Some are sentimental hand-me-downs, some are professional upgrades from restaurant kitchens, and some are surprisingly practical apartment finds we now can’t live without.
These are the tools we actually reach for, use daily, and recommend to anyone trying to cook, bake, and stay sane in a small space.
Shop Our Tiny Kitchen Essentials
Must-Have Tools
- Chef’s Knife
- Rubber Cutting Board
- Spatula Set
Cooking Essentials
- Calphalon Cookware Set
- Handheld Knife Sharpener
Baking Favorites
Tiny Kitchen Game-Changers
Organization & Extras
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