Forget Smeg, If I Was To Start My Kitchen From Scratch In 2026 These Are The Products Id Be Getting Instead

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As someone who reviews home appliances for a living and has a particular interest in reviewing kitchen productsI’ve been lucky enough to try out a lot of different products over the years, from swanky coffee machines to the best air fryers.

This includes big brand luxury names like Smeg and The Crucibleas well as tried and true value favourites such as Salter and ProCook. In my opinion, there are great products to be found everywhere and at every budget.

I like to think I’ve mostly curated my kitchen by now – though I’m always making a few changes here and there. Most recently by swapping out some of my plastic and non-stick items to less chemical heavy or ‘non-toxic’ kitchen products.

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In general though, my kitchen is well stocked with all the gadgets and cookware I could ever need.

However, if I was building my kitchen from scratch or wanted to upgrade my most-used products, there are some brands and things I would probably avoid and some I would recommend to people over and over again.

Cookware

If I had to start again with my pots and pans, I’d hand curate my selection, rather than buying sets. There’s almost always something you don’t need in a set and it could end up costing you when you realise you need to buy additional pans anyway.

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I’d think about what I cook most, in my case, pasta dishes and slow cooked meats and buy based on what I need. A couple of pans for everyday cooking and a larger pot for when friends or family visit.

You can also check out my fully tested and reviewed line-up of the best pans and best casserole dishes for inspiration.

Utensils

There are so many utensils in my house that I no longer reach for but equally, there are a few I couldn’t live without. For me, a good set of wooden spoons, some pan-friendly tongs and a ladle are among my most used items.

Much like my pans, I base my preferred utensils around what I cook the most. Stocks, pasta, one-pot meals like risotto.

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Coffee machine

Every kitchen worth its salt should have a good coffee machine – if you like coffee, of course. If I was to repurchase a coffee machine or get one for the first time, these are the models I’d consider.

You can also ready my full tested roundup of the best coffee machines and bean-to-cup machines for options.

Air fryer

I review a LOT of air fryers, so believe me when I say, if you don’t already have one it’s well worth getting one. Every friend I’ve convinced has said having a decent air fryer has changed their lives.

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To put it into context, I have a huge range cooker, but I still use my air fryer multiple times a week as there’s only two of us in the house. If I had to buy one for a brand new kitchen, these are the best options to consider.

You can read my full list of recommendations of the best air fryers, best ninja air fryer and best non-toxic air fryers for inspiration – all tried and tested by me.

Cutlery

I’m very particular about my cutlery, to the point where when I moved in with my partner several years ago, we agreed to buy separate cutlery sets, because we couldn’t agree on which ones to get.

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If, like me, you take your cutlery very seriously, these are my recommendations.

What I’d avoid in my 2026 kitchen

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years as a product reviewer it’s that brand names don’t always equal the best quality.

Instead It’s important to focus on functionality over a particular style. What’s , trends come and go, so investing in something that is good quality, rather than picking something because of a brand name is always the smarter move.

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Brands aside, I’d also caution against buying expensive items based on looks alone. While the odd bowl or cup can be replaced with relative ease, larger and expensive items such as high end frying pans and even things like your washing machine should be bought with quality in mind above all else.

I’ve even fallen for this trap. When I first moved into my home, I spent several hundreds of pounds on a washing machine that matched my fridge, only to find it wasn’t well suited to my needs at all.