Save or Splurge: Kitchen gadgets and gear

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, “I’m going to stop ordering in so often and make more of my meals at home” is a popular choice. Preparing food at home is often better value for your wallet and can help you to make healthier choices. In fact, once you get a system down (hello, meal prep!) it can be just as convenient as tapping away at that app, and you don’t have to pay any delivery fees!

Sticking to this goal, however, will be difficult if you don’t have the right equipment—which opens up a minefield of potential expenses that could result in you dropping as much cash on cute dishes, pans and gadgets as you would have on Pad Thai anyway.

That’s why we’ve cooked up this guide for maximizing your dollars without sacrificing quality or style when buying kitchen gear. The cherry on top? Using your PC Financial® Mastercard® (opens in a new window) to make these purchases means that, depending on which card you have, you can earn 10, 20 or even 30 PC Optimum™ points for every $1 of your purchases at stores that participate in the PC Optimum program, and 10 points everywhere else you shop¹.

Splurge on: Cookware that goes in the oven

The initial price might be a bit of sticker shock—you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on a single pot—but chosen wisely, one or two really good pieces of cookware will become the workhorses of your kitchen. Because they’re exposed to so much heat, quality really counts in this category, which may end up costing a bit more than the cheaper alternatives. If you are investing in a few key pieces, opt for a cast-iron skillet and Dutch oven, which will cover many recipes you’ll want to whip up. And, since the quality of what goes *in* to your cookware is just as important, you can redeem all those PC Optimum points you’ll have earned on gourmet-worthy ingredients at a grocery stores that participate in the PC Optimum program, like Loblaws® or Real Canadian Superstore®.

Save on: Cute dishes

If you’ve been tempted by the chic crockery on some influencers’ tables, we’ve got great news for you: The trend of vintage-style tablescapes means that, with a little effort, you can probably snag something really similar for a bargain. Since these pieces are all about looks, hold out for options that suit your style without costing as much as your monthly grocery bill. If you’re browsing online, it can be helpful to try a variety of search terms, since people often refer to the same item under all sorts of different names. For example, that mid-century modern serving tray might be filed under “50s platter,” “retro large oval dish” or some other variant. Your patience will be rewarded. Trust.

Splurge on: Knives

A craftsperson is only as good as their tools, and that holds true in the kitchen, too. A great quality knife set, or even just a few essentials like a chef’s knife, paring knife and serrated knife will be an investment, but with proper care they’ll be at your side for years to come—which we can’t say for the flimsier, duller budget alternatives. If you’re using your PC Money™ Account (opens in a new window) to buy these sharp essentials, you can earn 10 PC Optimum points for every $1 of your purchases², everywhere you shop, including online and in-store at retailers across Canada and around the world.

Save on: Gadgets with extremely specific uses

We’re looking at you, spiralizers and any kind of seasonal cookie cutter or baking tin. It can be tempting to think you’ll use these trendy items all the time, but be realistic with yourself before spending that coin. Are you really going to be the family who does hand-tossed pizza Fridays, or is the pizza stone just an expensive fantasy? If the answer is yes, by all means invest. If not, find a budget option, or make do with an alternative (e.g. a circular sheet pan for your pizza-making adventures) until you really get a sense of whether you’ll get sufficient use out of the real deal.

¹Earn a minimum of 10 PC Optimum points per dollar on all of your purchases charged to the President’s Choice Financial Mastercard® everywhere you shop. When you use your President’s Choice Financial Mastercard® at affiliated Loblaw banner stores, you will earn 10 points per dollar for President’s Choice Financial Mastercard® cardholders; 20 points per dollar for President’s Choice Financial World Mastercard® cardholders; and 30 points per dollar for President’s Choice Financial World Elite Mastercard® cardholders. 

²Earn 5 regular PC Optimum points plus a bonus of 5 PC Optimum points per dollar of your purchases with your PC Money™ Account. President’s Choice Bank reserves the right to cancel, change or extend regular and bonus points earning rates as of September 30, 2021. PC Optimum points will be deducted for any returns. Account must be in good standing at time of qualifying transaction and awarding of points. Minimum redemption is 10,000 PC Optimum points (worth $10 in rewards) and in increments of 10,000 points thereafter at participating stores where President’s Choice® products are sold. Some redemption restrictions apply; visit pcoptimum.ca (opens in a new window) for details, participating stores and full loyalty terms and conditions.