Ina Garten's kitchen faves under $50 — shop her cookware, pantry essentials and more

Updated

Wed, February 26, 2025 at 3:08 PM UTC

A good cast iron skillet is key in the kitchen, and this one from Lodge has Garten's heart. This brand has been churning out quality kitchen goods since 1896, so it knows what it's doing. This tough-as-nails skillet can be used anywhere — on the stove, over the grill, in the oven or even over a campfire. It's the ultimate multiuse tool, whether you're searing a steak, dry-frying mushrooms or making the best darn scrambled eggs ever. 

Cast iron is incredibly durable and excellent at heat retention to ensure consistent cooking. It comes pre-seasoned, so you don't have to fiddle around oiling it up.

“I can’t think of anything that’s not great paired with All-Clad. It’s just great equipment,” Garten shared with Williams Sonoma Taste. She loves this cookware set because it's easy to clean, cooks evenly and retains heat beautifully. 

Garten often raves about the stainless steel skillets, but don't overlook the brand's nonstick designs. This versatile pan has earned 4.5 stars overall from Amazon shoppers. "Easy to use, easy to clean, cooks beautifully," wrote a five-star fan. "Truly nonstick."

Related: The best nonstick pans of 2025, tested and reviewed

Serve a salad with soggy lettuce? Ina Garten would never. Instead, she shared on her website that this OXO spinner is a must-own. Using it is shockingly simple. Just dropped in freshly-washed lettuce — or any wet veggies for that matter — attach the lid, then price the knob at the top to spin. That will cause the interior to spin, ridding your produce of extra water and moisture, which collects in the outer bowl. Genius, right?

Like Garten, shoppers at Amazon can't get enough of this No. 1 bestselling gadget: It's earned more than 30,000 five-star ratings. One shopper raved, "Works great! Easy to assemble and very durable. Very useful for all kinds of veggie cleaning. Seals very well. Plastic material is very strong and sturdy, not cheap."

"I use it all the time," Garten raved about this slim, easy-to-store kitchen scale. When precise measurements are important, you'll be glad you have this tool in your arsenal. People who've purchased this item on Amazon say it's accurate and reliable. 

"I bought this as a gift for my sister," one customer commented. "She loves that she can put her own bowls on here, zero out the weight and then add items to weigh as she goes. Also, that the display can be pulled out a bit and allow for larger vessels on the scale makes a huge difference."

Garten doesn't have just one of these "long ring" timers in her kitchen, she has two! "These are really important," Garten explained, in a video for NYT Cooking. "I don't want to put something in the oven and forget about it."

If you're forgetful as well, then snag this inexpensive essential while it's less than $10 at Amazon. Though Garten is a fan of this particular brand, customers give it mixed reviews. Many appreciate that the alarm lasts long enough for them to hear, while others say the noise just isn't loud enough for their liking.

Just like kitchen timers, Garten has multiple Taylor oven thermometers. "No matter what it says on the dial, the oven itself can be totally different," she shared with NYT Cooking. 

Garten isn't the only cook who relies on this gadget. According to Amazon, more than 4,000 of these thermometers have been purchased in the past month. Folks who already own it give it high marks for accuracy and value. "Holy moly, I needed this thing," wrote one shopper who suspected something was awry with their oven. "I trust this nifty little thermometer. It seems to be correct based on how my baked goods are coming out."

We've all been there, wrestling with plastic wrap to cover a plate or bowl only to have it fold in on itself and become completely unusable. Ugh! Luckily, Garten has the perfect fix — this handy dispenser which she said, "I use it all the time."

Others who own it sing its praises as well. "Anyone who has ever struggled with a box of plastic wrap should get this. Works perfectly and saves a lot of money over time, not having to purchase plastic wrap as often. The first roll lasted me 8 months," one shopper explained. 

Another added, "So convenient! Just pull out the desired length, push down and tada! No wrestling around trying to yank the Saran Wrap anymore! I have purchased four more to gift to friends and family."

While the rest of us are snacking on regular ol' raisins, Garten stocks her pantry with these Zante currants. The vegan, gluten-free treats are great on their own, but can also be used in homemade granola, baked goods or to top a salad.

"Great in oatmeal cookies instead of raisins," wrote one Amazon reviewer. Another added: "These are fresh and taste amazing. I love to bake with them."

Want to take ribs, chicken or chops to the next level? Swipe on some Stubb's BBQ sauce, which we spied during Garten's pantry tour for NYT Cooking. The tasty Texas-style condiment is a flavorful blend of tomatoes, vinegar, molasses and black pepper that's gluten-free and made without any high-fructose corn syrup. 

Fans on Amazon give it 4.4 out of 5 stars, with one calling it a must-have with a "perfect balance of flavor and smokiness." Another loyalist commented, "This barbecue sauce is so tasty, and I will buy it again and again." 

Yes, there's no doubt Garten could whip up her own homemade jam, and it'd taste incredible, but here's a fun fact: She also keeps good old-fashioned Smucker's in her pantry. 

Given that the brand has been making jams and jellies since the 1920s, it's not surprising that Garten is a fan of their tried-and-true formulas. Amazon shoppers are too. "The jam itself tastes exactly like you'd expect, very sweet and strawberry-like," one person explained. "It has fragments of strawberry pieces throughout, so if you're not a fan of that, maybe try to find strawberry jelly somewhere. I, however, am a huge fan of bigger fruit pieces in my fruit spreads, so I thoroughly enjoyed the strawberry pieces."

P.S.: In the mood for a PB&J? Her pantry is stocked with Skippy Peanut Butter too.

The cooking star fell for the light, lovely Olio Santo Extra Virgin Olive Oil over 20 years ago and has been devoted to it ever since. Now, when her recipes call for "good olive oil," we all know which one she really means.

This is a light, cold-pressed California oil that fans say is tasty enough for fancy recipes and straight-up dips alike.

Feeling fancy? Treat yourself to this canister of Fleur Del Sel, which Garten described as French sea salt that she uses to finish things. "It's kind of just lightly briny," she explained.

The other salts Garten keeps in her kitchen? Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt which she described as "less salty" than other brands, and Maldon Sea Salt Flakes for making pastries "look gorgeous and taste great."