It depends on your cooking habits. But generally, you can't go wrong with a good chef’s knife, a spatula, a pair of tongs, a whisk, a ladle, and a peeler. If you bake, a rolling pin and a pastry brush would also be nice to have." says Norah.
Oh, and if you're wondering what the experts consider an over-indulgence or just quite frankly, unnecessary, it's this, according to Executive Chef Steve Chiappetti of the Albert Restaurant in downtown Chicago: "Garlic press. You don’t need one. Sliced garlic is better when cooking your traditional pasta and honestly, just use the flat part of a knife to smash the garlic. It’s easier and you won’t have to deal with cleaning all the garlic bits that get stuck in the traditional press.