I have a few bits of kit in the kitchen that make cooking actually enjoyable. A handful of awesome tools can make a huge difference to whether you love or hate making a meal. Commercial cheffing shops often have cheaper things sturdy enough to take a beating, so they’re worth visiting if you have access to one.

Here are my go-to pieces of equipment that save my arse in the kitchen time and time again. Of course there are bits and pieces like wooden spoons, tongs, ladles etc but I would fucken be here all day announcing everything in my kitchen if I did.

1. A sharp knife

The number one thing that makes life so much easier, safer and adds such a huge amount of joy to your time in the kitchen is a sharp knife. You don’t have to travel to the ends of the earth to find the perfect blade, nor do you need to sell your car to afford a decent one.

The real name of the game is that it is sharp and you keep it sharp. A blunt knife does your head in while also being unsafe – surprisingly more than a sharp one, would you believe. Some are easier to sharpen than others. If you are looking for a good workhorse, spend a few bucks on a half-decent stainless or carbon steel chef’s knife. If you decide to go for carbon steel, be warned that it takes a bit more effort to maintain.

Also, hot tip: don’t throw your good knives in the second drawer down with all the other stupid shit, as this kind of behaviour is what sends it in the express post to the capital of Bluntville. And don’t put it in the dishwasher either.

2. Knife-sharpening gear

There are a zillion things out there that do the trick, and the best is a sharpening stone and a steel but if you can’t be fucked with all that nonsense, there are loads of easy-to-use sharpening wheels and devices on the market. Another hot tip is that your local butcher usually has a knife sharpening service.

3. A fat wooden chopping board

I think glass chopping boards straight up should be banned. The clanging, banging noise alone when using one makes my hair stand on end while I die inside waiting for the thing to smash. I love a big, heavy wooden one so it doesn’t slide around like a dickhead. You can throw a tea towel or non-slip mat underneath if it’s skidding about. A solid investment well worth the money. Super thin chopping boards tend to warp after a while so I like the thicker ones.

When it comes to cleaning it, don’t soak a wooden board in water unless you want to be cutting on a misshaped pain in the arse; a little warm water and soap and then stand to dry gets you out of trouble. Keeping it oiled with a little mineral oil stops the water soaking into the wood, too.

4. A half-decent set of pots and pans

I get away with using mostly a big frying pan or saute pan with a lid, wok, large stainless steel stockpot and a cast-iron casserole dish or Dutch oven. Again, you don’t have to spend a ton, as long as it’s durable and can handle a bit of a workout. If you live in a share house then good luck with Teflon.

I use a mix of stainless steel and nonstick pots and pans, depending on what I’m cooking, but a good big non-stick frying pan can make things a lot easier. Of course, don’t use metal implements on the non-stick or you will scrape it off and end up eating it.

Another no-no is heating up an empty non-stick pan too hot, as this can fuck up the non-stick surface and it’s not amazing for the old lungs to breathe in either. A wok is also a ripper and very versatile – it doesn’t just have to be for stir-fries.

I swear by the huge stockpot, too. If you can score one, it comes in very handy for a tonne of different dishes. The cast-iron pot isn’t totally necessary but it is a nice thing to have. They stay nice and hot when you’re cooking so are great for not losing heat when adding cool ingredients – keep an eye out for sick cheap ones.

5. A food processor, decent blender, or stick blender

The food processor or a decent blender will help make quick work of chopping and blending. The stick blender is a killer for soups, sauces and even mayonnaise. It also saves you having to ladle hot soup in and out of a pot.

6. Whisk

Just have one.

7. Electric beater

Unless you’re on the gains train, then I recommend using one for a lot of baking stuff. Whipping cream is a flog without it.

8. A decent grater or microplane

A microplane is the one-stop shop for grating and zesting and also awesome for shaving the skin off your knuckles if you slip.

9. Stainless steel mixing bowls

Get all the sizes, they are cheap and really helpful. If you’re like me and have all your shit in bowls ready to rock, these will have your back.

10. Measuring jugs, cups and spoons

’Cause measuring.

11. Baking trays

A good flat one and a nice big deep one work for most stuff. Stainless steel is pretty great if you can find reasonably priced gear.

12. Kitchen scales

Such a huge win. You don’t need to fork out your life savings for one. Just so rad for helping to take the guess work out of stuff.

13. Mortar and pestle

Not only does it make you look like a real foodie nerd, a mortar and pestle is great for smashing seeds and herbs and creating flavours that are out of this world. If your pepper grinder is a piece of shit like mine, then the mortar and pestle takes charge easily. And it’s fun to play around with spices in it – highly recommend.

You certainly don’t need to have all this shit to cook but it definitely helps make life a little easier, and feeling stoked with some solid gear is a nice feeling when you go to cook up some radness again.

• This is an edited extract from Smash Hits Recipes, a graphic novel cookbook by Nat’s What I Reckon, illustrations by Bunkwaa, Glenno, Warrick McMiles and Onnie O’Leary. Available on 14 November through Penguin (RRP $49.99)