The last thing I want to think about while moving in New York City is which kitchen utensils are mine, and which are the relics of past and current roommates. By the end of a lease, a kitchen drawer looks like a squirrel's springtime garage sale. Rusty peeler, but no cheese grater.
In a place like New York City, such energy must be reserved for dragging a dresser up four flights of stairs.
Ideally, I could click a button and somebody else would ship me everything I need. In this fantasy, they'd be affordable, best-in-class, and thorough. I'd open the box, put things away, and never think about them again — until I'm wielding lightweight tongs I didn't know I owned four weeks later, admiring how easy they make the job.
This is what actually happened when I discovered Potluck and was sent their $80 Utensil Set during my latest life-sapping move. It included everything I didn't want to think about buying: a colander, mixing bowls, wooden spoon, and more. It looks nice. It performs really well. And on average, each item costs under $7.
We wrote about Potluck earlier this year. It's an affordable cookware startup, which was founded by two former Glossier senior managers, Minsuk Kim and Jessica Sheft-Ason, to deliver on affordable, exceptional kitchen basics. The company says their offerings are made in the same factories that make kitchenware for other top brands, but Potluck is priced at about half the cost.
To make the smartest use of simplicity, Potluck consulted cooks to understand how they cooked at home and how they cooked in professional kitchens. The insights led to strategic product design, like opting for tri-ply stainless steel construction over five-ply because one cook from Chez Panisse told them it was all she used during her time there. In the end, it's a line of the best of the basics. Nothing flashy or especially Instagrammable, but the products you'll nonetheless reach for time and time again.
Like many other startups, Potluck's offerings are simultaneously sparse and a great deal. Shoppers can choose between a few bundles — the kind of structure that lowers your average cost by mixing high-end hero products with lower-lift essentials.
Potluck's complete offerings are as follows: a comprehensive 22-Piece Essentials Bundle ($270), a seven-piece Cookware Set ($160), three-piece Knife Set ($60), and a Utensil Set ($80). The downside is, of course, that you can't buy items a la carte; you have to commit to a set. This means replacing an item won't be as simple as reordering it, though that shouldn't be an issue with how long the items are meant to last. And, on the flip side, bundling can save money, time, and keep you prepared long-term.
Below, I walk you through each of the utensils included in the Utensil Set. Overall, I highly recommend checking them out if you're looking for easy, well-designed cookware without a big price tag.
This may be my favorite item in the set. Its micro-perforated mesh drains all the water quickly but doesn't let nearly any strands of pasta escape. It's durable and extremely lightweight.
Potluck's fish spatula is made from a flexible steel blade and an attractive riveted wooden handle that aids in temperature control. It's thin and adaptive and allows you to maneuver easily in the pan with delicate foods (as well as thick foods).
As Insider Picks editor Sally Kaplan can attest, fish spatulas are arguably the only spatula you need. Her $7 purchase from Amazon — which looks identical to this one — is what she considers the best of many tools in her kitchen.
This is a good example of an exceptionally designed basic. It has a rubber pad at the top to keep it from skidding, a comfortable no-slip grip on the handle, and super sharp medium-size holes that can easily take down a bag of carrots or a Mount Rushmore-sized parmesan block.
This is a no-frills, stainless steel ladle with a 5-ounce capacity and a handle hook that keeps itself from falling sideways into your soup.
It's also one product I wouldn't have bought for myself but needed — and happily used — a few weeks after I unboxed the set. One of the major perks to a bundle is ending up with a full toolkit of above-average products for a low average cost. That was the case here.
A set of lightweight stainless steel measuring cups in ¼ cup, ⅓ cup, ½ cup, and 1 cup sizes.
A set of lightweight stainless steel measuring spoons in 1 teaspoon, ⅓ tablespoon, ½ tablespoon, and 1 tablespoon sizes.
A lightweight, stainless steel mixing bowl. It's a good size for mixing batter.
Another lightweight, stainless steel mixing bowl. It's a good size for tossing salads.
This is your average stainless steel peeler with a U-shape to accommodate your wrist and knuckles. It's ergonomic, works smoothly, and the peeler doesn't flip over on itself.
This 10-inch spatula is heat-resistant up to 500 degrees and gets the job done well. However, the design here — though standard — may not be the best option available overall. Since the top paddle is inserted on top of the handle, it leaves room for food particles and ingredients to become wedged in the hard-to-clean space in between.
We typically recommend checking out the GIR silicone spatulas, the result of a Kickstarter campaign aimed at making the single, perfect silicone spatula. Among other upgrades like a fiberglass core that keeps the handle cool, its most important feature is that it's made from a single piece of non-toxic, BPA-free silicone.
These 12-inch tongs are made from durable stainless steel, with a sliding ring for easy storage. Thankfully, I haven't noticed the ring slipping into place by accident.
This is a 14-inch birch spoon that stays cooler than metal in a pot and won't scratch nonstick pans.
