The love for cooking goes beyond the cookbook. Apart from the technical skills that one can easily develop in the culinary classroom or through practice at home, the heart of cooking lies in the kitchen equipment required to create masterpieces. 

By definition, kitchen equipment is anything that helps with kitchen tasks like cutting, heating and more. These include, but are not limited to, ovens, fryers, toasters, and cookers. Having been around for centuries, kitchen equipment has gone through major advancements to evolve into labour-saving tools that are essential to every abode. With the advent of electricity pushing forth more innovative equipment that takes a weight off of a cook's shoulders, you can now find kitchen equipment of all shapes and sizes in Singapore.  

What are the four categories of kitchen tools and equipment?

Check out any guide on all the electronics in Singapore and you are bound to find a few kitchen equipment listed as must-have home appliances. From cookware and bakeware to kitchen utensils and food storage solutions, there is a range of kitchen use inventions that help make cooking experiences all the more appetising, but where do you start?

Whether you are a home cook or a professional chef running an F&B outlet, one thing’s for sure — every kitchen space needs organisation, storage and a wide variety of specialised equipment to get the job done without any hassle. As such, looking into the four categories of kitchen equipment will help you create a comprehensive list of must-haves to equip your cooking space with. These four categories of equipment include food storage, food preparation, cooking and maintenance and miscellaneous. 

As its name suggests, the food storage pillar is all about storage options that are designed to keep your ingredients fresh till used. The food preparation category focuses on all the essential tools needed to turn your finest ingredients into stellar dishes and meals to be devoured. 

Then comes the big-ticket items that fall under the cooking category which include ovens, fryers, toasters, grills, and the like, which ensure your food comes out fully cooked. Lastly, the maintenance and miscellaneous category is all about the post-cooking to-dos. From cleaning to sanitising, kitchen equipment in this category maintains optimal hygiene and cleanliness in the kitchen space.

Ever wondered what kitchen tools, cookware, and kitchen equipment famous chef extraordinaire like Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver use at home? The immaculate kitchens of these well-known celebrities are fit for a Master Chef because it contains everything needed to bring excitement to one’s culinary adventures. 

Take inspiration from the top chefs, celebrate International Chefs Day, and design a cooking space that’s fully equipped. Explore the range of professional-quality kitchen upgrades from PowerPac and Mayer available on iShopChangi: 

An Asian household staple

For avid cooks in Singapore who take great pleasure in whipping up sumptuous feasts at home, a stylish rice cooker with high levels of functionality is a must. Some of the biggest names in Japanese technology competed and took several inventive leaps to bring the first automatic rice cooker to the market. Regardless of all of these attempts, one thing’s for sure — the dawn of the ‘rice cooker revolution’ has taken the hassle out of having to cook rice on a stovetop. 

Despite their simple form, rice cookers are an elegant solution to a tricky task. Home cooks looking for a 2-in-1 rice cooker can consider the PowerPac Rice Cooker with Steamer 1.2L which comes with a food steamer to cook vegetables, fresh poultry, and other foods. The Mistral 1.2L Rice Cooker from Mayer is another great compact option that is designed with a spherical ball shape for better cooking results. 

Own a restaurant? The PowerPac 5.6L Commercial Rice Cooker with ‘Non-Stick’ Inner Pot is a perfect choice to cook rice in bulk!  

Turn on the heat

Every appliance in a chef’s kitchen serves a purpose that makes the cooking and prep process as fuss-free as possible. So before you shop till you drop and buy every possible kitchen equipment and appliance you can get your hands on, it’s best to start with the basics. We’re talking about the most fundamental piece of equipment, a cooktop or stovetop. 

If you don’t already have an induction cooktop, the PowerPac Ceramic Cooker 2000 Watts is an amazing infrared cooker that leverages far-infrared light to heat up food. Multi-functional in design with its touch control and timer functions, cook and grill without any worries about dealing with gas or fire. 

The Mayer Induction Cooker comes with similar features but its five cooking functions — hot pot, stir fry, soup, rice and boiling water — and ten levels of power and temperature, takes the guesswork out of cooking. 

Oven to bake and cook up a storm

A high-end oven with a range of capabilities is another item on the most-wanted list for a chef’s kitchen — and for a good reason. Making the task of cooking for crowds more convenient, a convection or microwave oven will allow you to cook virtually anything faster. 

When looking out for an oven, seek out ones with eye-level designs so that monitoring progress is a breeze. For a sleek and stylish microwave oven that supports speedy defrosting, check out the Mayer 20L Microwave Oven. If you are a cook who prefers volume and robustness in their oven, then electric ovens like the Mistral 32L or Mayer 33L are great options. 

Goodbye oil, hello air!

Said to make food crunchy without requiring any deep-frying, let the ‘magic box’ known as the air fryer work its magic as you lead your way into a healthier lifestyle. Embrace the goal of International Chefs Day of inculcating healthy eating habits amongst the masses with an air fryer that uses little to no oil while still adding some much-needed crunch to your food. From the PowerPac Air Fryer Oven with Rotisseries 18L to the Mayer 2.6L Air Fryer, let our range of air fryers crisp its way into your heart! 

For something a tad bit Sci-Fi-esque, go digital with the Mayer 5.5L Digital Air Fryer that comes with seven preset functions, an automatic cut-off switch, overheating protection and a whole lot more features. Experience the crispy and crunchy textures that are craved by most all around the world.  

Getting things crispy with a toaster

Crust on or crust off? Whether you love a delicious PB&J as a quick pick-me-up or prepare sandwiches for the kids to take to school, a toaster is an essential kitchen equipment. This is because toasters rid you of the need to whip out a frypan just to get your bread toasted to a drool-worthy golden hue. The PowerPac 4 Slice Pop-Up Bread Toaster lets you go all out with four slots and browning controls. 

Planning to have your kids make their own pizza dish but think it's too early for them to start baking in the oven? The 12L Air Toaster from Mayer does not only come with overheating protection that makes it safe for the little ones but also lets you air fry, toast, bake and roast, all with one machine! Remove the wire rack in the middle and roast a chicken or toast multiple ‘bread pizzas’ at the same time — the choice is yours. 

Looking to up the ante? PowerPac has just the solution for you — the Bear 5 in 1 Toaster Breakfast Set with Non-Stick Frying Pan & 6 Stage Heating Control. Steam your eggs or fry your bacon strips on the side while you toast your bread, all at the same time.     

Whisk at lightning speeds

Calling all bakers! Can we hear a whip, whip, hooray! Forget hand-mixing your batter with a spatula or whisking your egg whites with a fork till your arm becomes sore all in an attempt to get a stiff peak. Reach out for the PowerPac Hand/Stand Mixer with Bowl, PowerPac Hand Blender 600W or PowerPac Hand Mixer with 5 Speeds & Eject Function to bake up a storm in your kitchen. The perfect addition to any baker’s collection of tools, these appliances come in handy when baking or when you need a quick way to mix or puree your foods.  

Juice things up in a whizz

On a strict liquid diet? Perhaps you’re tired of burning a hole through your wallets by getting a nutrient boost from well-known smoothie stalls? Whatever the reason may be, PowerPac and Mayer have a wide selection of blenders that lets you literally blend and go! 

The PowerPac Personal Juice Blender with 2X BPA Free Jugs and the Mayer Personal Power Blender do just that with their blender that can be detached and transformed into a bottle that you can take on the go. Blend your favourite fruits and vegetables, put a lid on them, and voila! 

Already hit your daily recommended intake of fibre? The PowerPac Juice Extractor with 2 Speed Selector and Stainless Steel Blades filters out the fibre and extracts every ounce of juice from your fruits and vegetables while still retaining its nutrients, vitamins and minerals so you’ll still get a health boost out of your concoction.