Reddit reviews Kamenstein 30020 Revolving 20-Jar Countertop Spice Rack Tower Organizer with Free Spice Refills for 5 Years,Silver

I personally use wooden utensils in place of silicone ones. They equally don't scratch up non-stick surfaces and can be more affordable.

I'd also get a stainless steel high walled pot like this. It doubles as a frying pan and a sauce pan, which means less storage and clutter. I do 90% of my cooking in this.

Like others have said a crock pot or Instant Pot. I have both and if I had to choose one I'd get the Instant Pot. It does more faster.

If you like making smoothies, purees or sauces a blender can be invaluable. But outside of that it's not necessary. I've been a home cook for a decade and only recently got one because I wanted to experiment with making my own hot sauce.

I would also get a few wide mouthed mason jars. They make for fancy cups, great storage for meal prep, or fermenting/pickling. I'd get a few 16 oz and 32 oz. Not an absolute necessity unless you're into fermenting/pickling. If you just need meal prep storage then any glass container will do fine. I prefer glass because it's safer for microwaving.

Also a really nice to have is a splatter guard for your microwave like this. It has the added bonus of steaming your food a little and of course keeps your microwave clean.

A spice rack will keep your spices organized and can add a world of flavor to your cooking even if you're just making beans and chicken breast all the time. Something like this will get you started.

Stay away from as many single-use gadgets as you can. They'll just end up breaking on you and cluttering up your limited kitchen space.

Other kitchen tips to make cooking cheaper/easier/quicker without spending extra money include reusing glass jars (pasta sauce, oil, etc.), having a dedicated rag/towel for wiping up oil and grease, and planning out meals in advance whether it's writing them down on paper or making food in bulk. Like any other skill it takes practice and time to get it down right. I've burnt plenty of things when I first started. Have fun!

Looks nice. When I first went out on my own, I bought a McCormick spice rack for about $30, that unbeknownst to me, had easily $100 of spices in it. They still offer a version but the prices have gone up. I did find this rack on Amazon that even comes with 5 years of refills, but I cannot vouch for the brand or quality. $40. Just throwing it out there. https://www.amazon.com/Kamenstein-20-Jar-Revolving-Spice-Refills/dp/B00008WQ3L/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503601633&sr=8-3&keywords=mccormick+spice+rack

That really depends on what you consider "affordable" and "good quality." If you're used to on-the-shelf jarred spices, you can get some pretty decent ones from a dollar store to start, then replace them with fresher ones as you go through it. Salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, oregano, garlic powder is what I'd start with.

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When I set out on my own, I got a great gift of a full spice/herb set from Kamenstein (I think it was this one) that had free refills for 5 years - you pay S&H unless you get a big shipment 1x/year. It came with labels, jars, and a rotating display. Honestly, it's not enough to last you 5 full years with 1x/year refills, but it's definitely a good start, and I'd say it's worth the cost.

Similar to /u/IteMaledicti, I never buy the jars of spices from the grocery store anymore. I bought something similar to this or this about 15 years ago and I still have it. It came with spices but I've used all of them a long time ago. Now, I go to the grocery store and buy spices in the bulk section. I can either buy a jar for $4 or spend $.30 for the same amount from the bulk section. I also buy only what I need. For the spices that I don't use very often, I get maybe a spoonful. For those that I use a lot (oregano, curry, ginger, garlic, etch), I get about 3 spoonfuls. I also have a label maker so I mark the top of each lid with the spice in it. Wash out the containers when I run out.

Because of this, I have an organized spice rack where I buy enough spices before they go bad and it is much, much cheaper than buying bottles one by one from the store.

I'd personally recommend not getting a "big, cheap set of spices"

When I got married I put a nice, well equipped spice rack on my registry and ended up getting it. It contained about 20 different spices each in a 3-4oz glass jar, like this one.

Two years later, the foil is still on about half of the original spice set.

IMHO you'd be better off spending a bit more for higher quality spices that you know you'll actually use. I found a place local to me that deals in spices and it's the only place I'll buy 'em now.
Everything is wonderfully fresh and reasonably priced.

Do a quick search and try to find something similar in your area, or you can order online at the link above.

Good luck!

I'm not sure why you won't listen to what everyone is telling you. Spices don't cost anywhere near that much.

Search for "spice rack with spices" on Amazon. This one, for example, has 20 spices in decent sized containers, along with the rack itself, for $27. This amount of spices will last a college student at least a year, probably more, and they even offer refills (though you have to pay for shipping).

https://www.amazon.com/Kamenstein-20-Jar-Revolving-Spice-Refills/dp/B00008WQ3L/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1521417940&sr=1-7&keywords=spice+rack

And for Canadians, we have the same for $60: Kamenstein 20-Jar Revolving Spice Tower with Free Spice Refills for 5 Years https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00008WQ3L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_yi-Nzb9EK581X

Or, if you're willing to forgo 4 spices, $30: Kamenstein 20-Jar Revolving Spice Tower with Free Spice Refills for 5 Years https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00008WQ3L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_yi-Nzb9EK581X

Note: Reviews indicate there are no free refills available for Canadians despite the listing clearly stating free refills (there is potentially a $12 shipping fee if you insist)

Spices. I remember moving into my first college apartment and snagging a loaded spice rack at Sam's. It was probably the best purchase I've ever made.

So I started digging on Amazon for you: https://smile.amazon.com/Kamenstein-20-Jar-Revolving-Spice-Refills/dp/B00008WQ3L/

There are several similar options, but that's not a bad deal at all to get you rolling.

It is.