Stocking a Kitchen With Amazon Basics Essentials

Best for
Small apartments with limited storage

Best for
Households that want to restock rarely

The Amazon Basics Trash Bags in the 200-count box are the stock-up option. Each bag holds 13 gallons, measures 24 inches wide by 27 3/8 inches tall and has a 0.9 mil thickness, with a red drawstring for tying and lifting. The 13-gallon tall kitchen size fits the most common kitchen cans.

There is one inconsistency to know about. The listing title says unscented, but the description mentions a clean fresh scent. The listing does not settle which version ships, so if fragrance matters to you, check the box details on the product page before ordering. The full box weighs 9.48 pounds and measures 9.1 by 9.1 by 6.8 inches.

This box suits roommates or anyone who cooks daily and wants one less errand for months. If closet space is tight, the 120-count box below has the same bag in a smaller carton.

• 200 tall kitchen bags, 13 gallons each
• 24 x 27 3/8 inches, 0.9 mil thick
• Red drawstring closure

Best for
First apartments needing every knife

The Amazon Basics 14-Piece High Carbon Stainless Steel Kitchen Knife Set gives you a full lineup in a pinewood block. It includes an 8-inch chef’s knife, an 8-inch slicing knife, an 8-inch bread knife, a 5.5-inch utility knife, a 3.5-inch paring knife, six 4.5-inch steak knives, 8-inch kitchen scissors and an 8-inch sharpener.

The blades are high-carbon stainless steel, and the handles are full tang and triple-riveted, which the listing says gives a balanced weight and better control. Care matters: Amazon recommends washing the knives by hand and drying them right away, and wiping the block with a damp cloth and letting it air-dry upside down at least once a month.

This Amazon Basics knife set suits a first apartment where you need everything from bread slicing to steak night at once. If you only cook simple meals, the chef’s knife and paring knife will do most of the work, but the set saves separate purchases later.

• Chef’s, slicing, bread, utility and paring knives
• Six steak knives plus kitchen scissors
• Sharpener and pinewood block
• Full tang, triple-riveted handles

The Amazon Basics Trash Bags in the 120-count box are the same 13-gallon tall kitchen drawstring bag as the 200-count version: 24 inches wide, 27 3/8 inches tall, 0.9 mil thick, with a red drawstring. Only the quantity changes.

The same scent question applies. The title says unscented while the description mentions a fresh scent, so confirm on the product page if that matters. The listing does not give the carton dimensions for this size.

Pick this box if you live alone, have little storage or want to try the bags before committing to the bigger pack. Heavier cooks and shared households will run through it faster and may prefer the 200 count.

Best for
Hosting a few friends on game night

The Amazon Basics 18-Piece Complete Kitchen Dinnerware Set provides service for six in a white porcelain coupe style. You get six 10.5-inch dinner plates, six 7.5-inch salad or dessert plates and six 5.9-inch bowls.

The porcelain is described as AB-grade, combining a lightweight feel with durable strength. It is dishwasher safe, freezer safe and microwave safe, and the plates can withstand heat up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit. The set does not include mugs or cups, so plan to pick those up separately. Keep your dishwasher stocked too, and our look at Amazon Basics dishwasher pods covers that side of cleanup.

This Amazon Basics dinnerware set suits anyone hosting a few friends for game night or co-op sessions. Solo cooks may find six place settings more than needed, but the extras help when dishes pile up.

• Service for 6, 18 pieces
• Dinner plates, salad plates and bowls
• Microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe
• Plates rated to 572 degrees F

Best for
New cooks building a full pan set

The Amazon Basics Non-Stick Kitchen Cookware 15-Piece Set covers the pots and pans a beginner needs. It includes an 8-inch fry pan, a 10-inch fry pan, a 1.5-quart saucepan with lid, a 2-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart casserole pan with lid, a 5-quart casserole pan with lid, and a 5-piece utensil set that includes a pasta server, soup ladle and slotted turner.

The nonstick coating helps food slide off, the soft-touch handles stay cool during extended cooking, and a spiral bottom is designed to spread heat evenly. Two limits stand out: it does not work on induction cooktops, and it is designed for handwashing only. If your apartment has an induction range, this set is not the right match.

This Amazon Basics cookware set suits new cooks on gas or electric stoves who want everything at once. Hand-washing with a good dish soap liquid keeps the nonstick surface in better shape.

• Two fry pans and four lidded pots
• Stay-cool soft-touch handles
• Spiral bottom for even heating
• Not induction compatible, hand wash only

Best for
Meal preppers tracking portions

The Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale is a flat counter scale with a stainless steel platform and a wide LCD display. It weighs from 2 grams up to about 5,000 grams, or 11 pounds, with a readout accuracy of 1 gram.

It displays pounds, ounces, grams, fluid ounces and milliliters, and the tare button lets you zero out a bowl so you measure only the food. It runs on two AAA batteries, which are included, and measures 8.3 by 7 by 1.3 inches. The plastic parts are listed as food-safe and BPA-free.

This Amazon Basics kitchen scale suits anyone meal prepping, tracking portions or following baking recipes by weight. If you never measure ingredients, it is the item on this list you can skip first.

• 2 g to 11 lb capacity, 1 g accuracy
• Five measurement units
• Tare function
• Two AAA batteries included