20 Useful Kitchen Gadgets That People Actually Swear By
Cooking is an art and these appliances will help you make your Mona Lisa.
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We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their favorite kitchen gadgets. Get ready, because here are the (amazing) answers!
1. A compact air fryer, because they're Twitter's favorite kitchen appliance for a reason.
From what I hear, air fried Uncrustables are really tasty.
"Hands down the best $70 I have spent for something in the kitchen. Brussels sprouts, potatoes, chicken — you name it, and chances are there’s a way to air fry it." —lyssanicoleh
"Delicious crispy snacks that taste deep-fried but aren't! I have made healthy sweet potato fries and zucchini chips!" —m458a64ca7
Get it from Amazon for $48.31+ (available in five colors).
2. A julienne peeler to remove razor thin slivers of fruits and veggies with ease. If you're not into eating the skin, definitely invest in this.
3. A garlic twist because mincing garlic is annoying and this gets the job done in seconds. Reviewers say it puts garlic pressers to shame.
It's also compatible with ginger, herbs, nuts, chili peppers, olives, onions, and more! Plus you can choose how finely you want everything chopped.
"I got it as a housewarming gift, and it’s so great that I gave a bunch as Christmas presents. No more mincing sticky garlic, and it works for tear-free shallot mincing, too!" —Ellen S.
Get it from Amazon for 18.50 (available in clear and green).
4. A splurge-worthy chef's knife that's so good, it'll make your existing knives look like they cut with plastic.
You know what makes this knife even better? It's dishwasher-safe!
"A good knife set is a must have and I don't know about other grocery stores but Big Y (New England) will sharpen your blades for free at the butcher's!" —Jennie S.
"Honestly, the only thing I need is a really good, sharp knife." —xcansuk12
Get it from Amazon for $47.99 (also available in other knife styles).
The is our cheap pick for the best chef's knife on BuzzFeed Reviews!
5. An ergonomic can opener – it's easy on the joints, a truly amazing feat if you've ever used a can opener.
6. A compact manual food chopper that lowkey looks like a lawnmower that cuts onions, peppers, cauliflower, and other things that aren't grass.
"This handy gadget can chop up large pieces of fruit, vegetables, boneless meats, herbs, nuts, and even ice. It gives you full control over the consistency — you can get anything from large chunks to a fine mince depending on how many times you pull it. In addition to cutting up veggies for salads, it can make pesto, hummus, salsa, and guacamole. It also comes with a sealing storage lid to keep ingredients fresh in the container." —Derek Spiewak, Facebook
Get it from Amazon for $17.02+ (available in two colors).
7. A rice cooker because getting the perfect rice every time means saving food, aka saving 💰💰💰.
This Zojirushi rice cooker can make three cups of rice at a time. You can use it to make porridge, white rice, sweet and brown rice, and more.
"I always used to worry about under- or over-cooking my rice, but now I can plug my rice cooker in and let it work its magic." —Alyssa O.
Get it from Amazon for $135.99. Or check out a cheaper option.
8. An Instant Pot – it pretty much does it all. Finally, they can use a single pot to make soups, stews, sautees, meats, steamed veggies, and even warm up food. Anyone living in a small space will appreciate a tool that will replace seven appliances — save kitchen space and 💰.
Rice cooker? ✔️ Pressure Cooker? ✔️ Sterilizer? ✔️ Slow Cooker? ✔️ Steamer? ✔️ Saute? ✔️ Yogurt Maker? ✔️ Warmer? ✔️. It's dishwasher safe and comes in various sizes.
Read our full review of the Instant Pot!
"I’ve used it almost every single day since I’ve gotten it! It’s my new favorite cooking device! It takes so little time to prepare just about anything!" —bayleaw2
"Being able to cook (almost) everything in one pot is nice, but more than that, the way it transforms cheap cuts of meat into buttery tender deliciousness is more than worth the cost." —Dora Breckinridge, Facebook
Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in four sizes).
9. A veggie spiralizer that makes eating zucchini, squash, carrots, and other typically boring foods 10 times more fun.
"This spiral slicer has dual stainless-steel cutting blades for thick or thin pasta strands. It's dishwasher-safe and can be used on zucchini, squash, carrots, and even potatoes!" —Kathryn I.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
10. A sous vide precision cooker – it cooks food in a vaccuum sealed bag to maximum tenderness for peak flavor. Reviewers loved how easily they could adjust the temperature.
Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This method ensures maximum tenderness and moisture retention — without worry of overcooking.
"A sous vide cooker. Any brand with loads of good reviews is fine. This is the perfect cooking method for anyone who is concerned about food safety but doesn't enjoy overcooked food. You submerge your meat (or veggies) in a water bath, which is held at a time and temperature that allows you to safely kill any harmful bacteria while being physically unable to overcook your food since you're often cooking in the 130-145F range." —frontrow333
Get it from Amazon for $64.65.
11. A no-fuss Crock-Pot that'll make amazing queso, chili, or soup in the background while you go about your day.
The stoneware and glass lid are dishwasher-safe!
"YES! The true master of the kitchen!" —peacedaisy
Get it from Amazon for $44.99.
12. An apple divider for those who prefer thin, dippable slices over biting into whole fruit.
"Honestly, it’s life-changing. Slicing apples was always one of those small annoyances that I didn’t realize was annoying until I actually did it. Not anymore!" —Pilar De La Cruz, Facebook
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in two colors).
13. A covered cake pan so genius, it has a guideline grid on the edge to make sure everything is cut evenly.
This pan also comes with a cutting tool!
"I bake every week for my office, and Perfect Slice bakeware makes it possible to get the right number of treats every time! This product has seriously made my life so much easier! At this point, I can’t imagine baking with anything else!" —viggyp
Get the covered cake pan from Target for $39.99. Or check out the entire collection at Bed Bath & Beyond.
14. A handheld pot strainer for draining the pasta without having to dirty up a whole other appliance. Bonus: it's easy to handle, wash, and store.
Sorry not sorry!!!
"So much easier and faster than a regular strainer. It's plastic and lightweight, and you just hold it against the side of the pot to strain instead of making the strainer dirty (which is a pain to clean already). One of the best kitchen gadgets I own!" —Amylynn M.
Get it from Amazon for $14.
15. A manual food chopper because it's ten times easier to use than a fork when it comes to mashing potatoes, seasoning meats, and making baby food.
This food chopper is made of food-safe nylon and has no sharp edges. It's safe to use with nonstick cookware.
"The Chopstir for breaking up frozen ground meat if you forget to get it out of the freezer or if you're just impatient. It's amazing and I love it." —Cassandra C.
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in three colors).
16. A fish spatula that SpongeBob would totally drool over. I can't think of a better way to lift soft cookies, burgers, and more.
"A fish spatula. Gets under ANYTHING." —Brian Kane, Facebook
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in two styles).
17. A nonstick baking mat so you can keep your counters clean whilst channeling the spirit of Buddy the Cake Boss.
This mat is made of food-grade silicone and can withstand temperatures from 40 degrees F to 480 degrees F (–40 degrees C to 248 degrees C). It has measurement guides along the edges.
"I have trouble fitting parchment paper to the metal sheets, so they save a lot of paper." —Dayna Morris, Facebook
Get it from Amazon for $12+ (available in five sizes).
18. A garlic press and peeler set because the less you have to touch garlic, the less you'll smell like it two days after you finished cooking.
"This stainless-steel garlic press works with unpeeled garlic as well!" —Amanda Wherle, Facebook
Get it from Amazon for $12.97.
19. An 8-cup food processor to prepare hummus, purees, salsas, and more in no time — thanks to its 350 watt engine. It's got a tube so you can easily add ingredients as the recipe calls for them, without making a mess.
This processor has an 8-cup capacity and all the parts are dishwasher-safe. Read our full review of the Cuisinart Elemental food processor for more deets!
Get it from Amazon for $82.49.
20. And a rotating oven that will ensure your pizzas are evenly cooked every single time without having to turn on the oven.
"I don’t know life without a Pizzazz. My friends make fun of me, but they still heat up their entire kitchen preheating a stove for one frozen pizza. My pizza is done by the time they put theirs in the oven. So who is the smart one? Plus, it cooks any frozen premade food. Taquitos? Pizzazz. Frozen chicken patties? Pizzazz. Oh, you want fries with that patty? Pi-freaking-zzazz. The moral is: Get a Pizzazz and change your life." —Evan M.
Get it from Amazon for $53.89.
You, after testing out the new sous vide cooker:
Reviews here have been edited for length and/or clarity.