Anyone will tell you that a good set of knives is the cornerstone to a kitchen, and I’m especially convinced of this lately, thanks to a recent cooking experience that was nothing short of other-wordly. I was helping out in a friend’s kitchen recently when she handed me the greatest cooking tool I have ever encountered: the Kyocera ceramic knife.

These genius Japanese knives leave their steel counterparts in the dust, with a ceramic blade that is both longer-lasting and easier to clean. Most importantly, they make for chopping that’s smoother and easier than ever seemed possible, speeding up the cooking process in a huge way and making chopping, normally the territory of the sous-chef, unexpectedly fun.

When it actually comes time to sit down and eat (unfortunately, you will have to stop chopping eventually), I’m also a big fan of Wusthof’s line of steak knives. Everything in this line is meticulously designed, from the stain-resistant serrated blades to the stainless steel handles, both efficient and sleek enough to do justice to your undoubtedly excellent choice of steak. Side bonus: they also allow you to blow your friends’ amateur grilling efforts out of the water. And what’s barbecue season without a little healthy competition?

Most recently, I was inspired by a friend who peppers his apartment with Diptyque candles, a habit he formed after surreptitiously doing away with his roommate’s plug-in air freshener. Candles have always been a great way to add instant ambiance to a space, whether it’s a dinner party or a last-minute, wine-fueled rooftop party, and none fit the bill as well as Diptyque.

The entire range smells fantastic, and it doesn’t take much to give your entire place a fresh scent that lingers without being too overpowering — the Mimosa one is ideal for this time of year. I also love the simple, vaguely Deco black and white design, which fits in instantly with pretty much any design scheme you already have.

And, when you find yourself scrambling, I’ve found these to be a great fallback when it comes time to pick up a last-minute host/hostess, wedding, or birthday gift, with enough variety in scent to suit the taste of just about anyone you’re shopping for — they’ll never realize that you forgot to shop for them sooner.

Whatever the case may be, chances are you’re due for an upgrade somewhere. I’m not suggesting you cash out your retirement savings, but set aside a little dough for some of the home essentials and you’ll be good to go until you move in with a girl and she helps you realize that basically everything you own is junk and you should really just use all of her stuff. When that happens, do yourself a favor and hide the samurai sword in your golf bag; she’ll never think to look in there and by the time she realizes you didn’t get rid of it she won’t care anymore.

In the meantime, check out some of our favorite home and kitchen gear buying guides after the jump.

• Coffee Grinder Buying Guide for those times when fresh ground coffee is all you want
• Espresso Maker Buying Guide for those times when waking up quick is all you want
• Hand Mixer Buying Guide for the times when a food processor is too much
• Food Processor Buying Guide for the times when a blender ain’t right
• Kitchen Knife Buying Guide for slicing, dicing and carving
• Microwave Oven Buying Guide for burritos and oatmeal
• Slow Cooker Buying Guide for making chili for your boys on any given Sunday this fall
• Cookware Buying Guide for making eggs for your girl on any given Saturday
• Entertainment Center Buying Guide for having something to look at when you eat
• Coffee Table Buying Guide for having somewhere to put your drink and your feet

I am a guy who appreciates the old school. When I was making my coffee the other day I realized how awesome it is to make it the old fashion way. No, I don’t harvest the beans myself and then grind them with a stone, but I do love to make a cup o Joe with my stove-top Bialetti coffee maker. The coffee is “strong like bull” and I doubt if you’ll need another cup, like you do when you’re drinking drip. Bialetti’s boil water in a lower chamber forcing hot vapor filtering through grounds and into the upper chamber through a flute, delivering a delicious old school brew. Though you can get Bialettis in single serve form I’ve seen whoppers that serve 6. Grab one. Change it up.

That said, if you are young and still figuring it out, you probably already know to buy one of these guys. What you might not know is that you can also do it with a bit of style. If I can steal from Japanese lore, and invoke the spirit of the ninja now, I would recommend selecting a futon that doesn’t look like a futon at first glance – a convertible. They look a bit more grown up and won’t scare off the fairer sex. These days the style of the western futon is evolving at a surprising rate. Choose wisely grasshopper and you can find something both stylish and functional.

This modern-yet-classic piece from Design Within Reach will cost you a pretty penny, but just picture a pretty Penny sipping a dark and stormy with you while Miles Davis plays you into the morning.

There’s something about a gamine in a party dress draped over the arm of a leather couch that makes life worth the living. I also wouldn’t rule out a Mid-Century number (something from the 50s to early 60s), like the kind you’ll find in Don Draper’s office. Now that guy knows something about style.

For me a barstool shouldn’t be a mid-century complication. It should be functional, easy to get into, and above all have somewhere to rest your dogs. You’re decorating your man cave, not an Ian Schrager boutique hotel. Super simple, with a hint of style. Something you don’t have to climb up on, something upholstered for your bum, and something that swivels so you can see if your good lady is coming downstairs to check on you. I’d suggest a dark wood with an oxblood seat, like something out of your favorite Irish dive. You want something that will keep your friends comfy and drinking, not aching and looking for the exit. Who knows? Maybe sperm whale foreskin is that mystery material that does just that.

It’s so choice, you guys. It heats up in a snap and the weight on the handle is such that you feel like a bonofied shhhtud when you’re making a repast for two. If she sees you use All Clad, most likely she’ll think this isn’t your first sojourn into the kitchen, and that you’re just kind of an interesting fellow that has good taste (which you are) and doesn’t make a big fuss about it. And if food isn’t the way to her heart, maybe wielding the thing like a pro should some would be assassin swoop in for brunch will be enough to blow her hair back.