Invest in some quality tools
Don't waste time on cheap, inferior products
It really is worth spending a bit of money and purchasing a couple of very important key items for your kitchen, especially if you want to improve your cooking. I think there is an old saying about how a good tradesman never blames his tools (or something like that). In my opinion that's because a good tradesman isn't going to use bad tools and nor should you in the kitchen.
Personally, I think the three most import things that every single kitchen needs are...
- A really good quality and well balanced chef's knife.
- A perfectly flat heavy based non stick fry pan.
- A large flat food grade chopping board.
The first two you need to spend some decent coin on but in the long run they will all save you time and money because you'll be working so much more efficiently and you won't be throwing out ruined food. Want more detail than that...?
Ohhh Yeah!!!
You don't have to purchase the absolute top of the range but you should probably spend around the $100 mark. Go into quality establishments and talk to someone who knows their shizzle. Ask for a knife that's well balanced, holds its edge well and go for something that feels comfortable in your hand.
Oh Heck No!!!!!
There are endless amounts of good quality fry pans on the market these days... so what do I mean by solid base? If it is thick on the bottom and holds some weight then it will generally have better heat distribution, which in short means no rapid burning. It will also hold its shape over time, giving the food a constant even cook. Stay far away from anything lightweight, you'll just end up throwing it out in frustration when it warps and constantly ruins your food.
And seriously - why? oh why? do so many people waste their time struggling on tiny chopping boards! It’s not rocket science people! Buy a cheap board sure, but get a decent size.