Cookware and Bakeware

Invest in the best cookware and bakeware. That means good, heavyweight pans for everything from skillets to pie plates. Flimsy aluminum bakeware is a bad investment—it’s inexpensive but cooks unevenly and wears out quickly, too. A flimsy skillet or saucepan will wreak havoc when making caramel—the sugar on one side of the pan can burn before the other side has even melted.

I do not recommend going out and buying a whole battery of professional kitchen equipment. But if you keep your sights on the best, it will serve you well for years.