>>21535409
Assuming you're starting from nothing:

Essentials
>Corelle Dish set
>Flatware set
>Drinkware set
>Food storage containers (recycle restaurant ones if need be)
>$30-40 Victorinox or Mercer 8-10" Chef Knife
>Bread knife with pointy teeth (not wavy)
>Can opener (I love the Kuhn Rikon, but it's $25, you can just get a shitty $5 one)
>Cheap Teak cutting board
>2-3qt pot (go stainless, go clad if you can swing it)
>10-12" Clad fry pan
>6qt Enameled Dutch oven (cheap Lodge one is fine)
>Sheet pans in whatever size you want. Don't think too hard about this one.
>Ladle, Tongs, Cheap set of wooden and silicone spatulas/spoons
>Cheap peeler. Kuhn Rikon is cheap and good.
>Cheap set of mixing bowls (at least 3)
>Pyrex 1 and/or 2 cup measuring cup

Nice to haves/preference dependent
>8qt SS stock pot (get clad if you can swing it, but not at all necessary. Buying a whole chicken is often the same price as 2 pre-butchered breasts. You can simply just cut its tits off and use those and turn the rest into stock and get way more value, or even better butcher the whole thing and get waaay more value)
>8-10" Teflon fry pan
>4ish quart sautee or saucier pan is better for hamburger helper style meals than the essentials.
>Blender and/or Food Processor(Unless you're doing big batches, just get an immersion or a Ninja nutri-blender: those do almost as good as a Vitamix in small batches. Don't bother with a stand blender unless you can afford a Vitamix or other good brand). Food processors can be handy, but you'll know if you need one.
>Good thin metal spatula/scraper and/or fish spatula
>Fine Microplane (or other cheap brand)
>Ramekins (handier than you'd think)
>Measuring spoon set if you bake or have zero intuitive measuring sense
>Kitchen scale for similar reasons (plus dieting if need be)
>Instant read thermo (cheap ones have good ratings, but I only have experience with Thermopen)
>Pyrex casserole set

A lot of this stuff you can buy used on Ebay for big savings as well.