Here’s an old conversation from last year about finances that also ties into balancing large purchases: https://juniorofficer.army.mil/discussion/living-conditions/#post-793

Here’s my take on your categories:
Kitchen –
CrockPot v2 – InstaPot or a digital crockpot. DO NOT get an IoT pot, it’s not worth the security issue and you’ll be too busy to remember to start or stop dinner anyway, and you can’t check the dish to see if it’s done early. A digital crock/instapot will cook at Low/High (or temp) for the specified hours, and then go to warm until you stop it or even more hours. Buy one (1!) cookbook, or have a go-to website or social media group to pair it. Cook’s Illustrated has excellent recipes you can riff off of, but Smitten Kitchen is very upfront with her recipes and timing.

Reliable Coffee Maker –  I only drink 1-2 cups of coffee a day. So for me, it’s a one-cup coffee maker when I can add my own grounds and be done, and a french press for when I have more time (got it second hand).   For others, that might be an insulated carafe when you can easily microwave a cup from the over a few days.  Either way, buy a good travel mug (recommend Contigo or Thermos), bulk coffee (2-5lbs), and  you will save a few hundred dollars a month.

A Good Skillet – Either Cast Iron (8 or 10″) with a lid is a must, or another all metal skillet that is OVEN SAFE.  This (and the knives, below) is all about expanding options of recipes that you can make. Being able to sautee onions w/veggies and seasonings, add a protein, and then throw that all in the oven will raise your cooking game while making cleanup easy. This, will in turn, raise your confidence and should also keep you healthy if you’re choosing good recipes.

Decent Knives – You don’t need to look like Emeril, a pairing knife and a chef’s knife will do just fine. Choose a brand that is durable and dishwasher safe. Get a dishwasher safe cutting board (about 8×11″) while you’re at it.

Tableware & cutlery & napkins – Just go get a table set from the PX of Corelle (or the like).  Also, buy a pack of cotton/linen napkins and rotate them into weekly laundry (wash when dirty) – you’ll save on paper products (just like the coffee). For utensils, the numbers on the stainless steel represent the quality of the metal. You don’t need “real” silverware, but you do need forks that can piece salad,  spoons that are deep enough to eat soup out of, and knives that cut cooked protein.

The big take away with my considerations is this: If you make your own coffee (most of the time) and make your own meals (most of the time), you will save hundreds of dollars each month.

Financially, the consideration is this. Investments rely on you being financially able to handle the small reduction out of your paycheck a month/alot at once. IMO, investing in a product or a item is akin to retirement investing – invest in it now so you don’t suffer later. This engine runs on the notion that you can financially handle paying upfront for a large purchase (or paying it off).  What that does mean though is you must balance what you put more value in (more high quality, get the use out of, etc.) versus what a potentially lower quality item that’ll still get the job done just fine.   Sure, I could get a new computer every time a new model comes out … or I can do my homework, learn about features, invest in an appropriate model, and then learn how to do upgrades (both hardware and software) to keep it functioning at it’s best, and then buy a whole new model when it is truly needed.