Tasting Table Survey: The Kitchen Items Most People Will Splurge On

If you're a fan of home cooking, chances are you've put care into building the arsenal of appliances, knives, tools and utensils, cookware, and other accessories that make work in the kitchen so much faster and easier. Whether your personal favorite kitchen helper is a sturdy cast iron skillet, a trusty multi-use Instant Pot, an old-school slow cooker, or maybe even a reliable slotted spoon, we think we can all agree that a well-stocked kitchen is a must for serious cooks.

As anyone who has built their supply of kitchen tools, gadgets, and appliances knows, it's not always cheap to do so. While you can easily grab a quality chef's knife for under $20 (via The Kitchn), coveted items such as an enameled cast iron Le Creuset Dutch oven or a high-speed Vitamix blender can really add up, costing as much as $380 and $650, respectively. 

Here at Tasting Table, we were wondering which kitchen items our readers are willing to shell out the big bucks for, so we asked 615 of them in a poll and the winning category was one that home cooks make use of day in and day out.

Have you invested in a collection of pots and pans? That's the category of kitchen items that the majority of respondents — 228 of them, or 37% — said they're most likely to spend on, according to a Tasting Table poll. It's not hard to understand why, with quality brands such as All-Clad stainless steel cookware and perennial favorite Le Creuset consistently ranking in best-of lists — but also costing a pretty penny (via Architectural Digest).

Many respondents value their morning cup of coffee — enough to be inclined to pay more for a quality coffee maker. Nearly 29%, or 177 voters, said they'll splurge on a drip, K-Cup, espresso, or other type of machine. Almost 14% of respondents value the utility of a great knife, more than 10% love a fancy oil or vinegar, and 9.76% will spend more on an excellent stand mixer.

With all this talk of kitchen equipment, we're thinking it's time to add some essentials such as a Microplane grater or even a pricy sous vide machine.