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You'll feel like a contestant on a Food Network show in no time.
Promising review: "Best and most versatile one out there. I’ve had a few great pans; this is more than that. You can cook so many different things easily. I love experimental cooking, and I also love trying to make foods from cultures I’m not experienced with. The size, shape, depth, 'accessories' sold with it, and additional pieces they offer to work with it make it the most versatile one out there. It makes cooking any food from any recipe a million times more simple. Super easy to clean too with a nonstick surface that’s better than any other out there." —Anna C.
Get it from Our Place for $99 (originally $145; available in seven colors).
To peel with the tube, just place the clove inside and roll the tube against the counter a few times.
Promising review: "LOVE this product! I like the size of the garlic chunks that you get with this masher, and I LOVE how easy it is to clean compared to other garlic mashers. I love that you don't need to use your fingers to peel the garlic. My mom has been cooking with garlic with every meal for 50+ years and wants one now too!!" —Mama Miller
Get it from Amazon for $7.49.
You can use it to sharpen both straight-edge and serrated knives. Use the coarse sharpening slot to sharpen dull or damaged knives with just a few pulls, and then use the fine slot to finish and polish the edge.
Promising review: "I've never sharpened my Calphalon knives. I've had them for three to four years. The last time I cut meat I worked up a sweat because the knives were so dull. Tonight I sharpened them and the chicken cuts like butter!!! I'm in heaven!" —wine.wife
Get it from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in four colors).
This unit comes with three interchangeable chopping blades, three grater blades, and two slicer blades. It also comes with holding containers to house all the blades, a cleaning fork, and a safety holder.
Promising review: "I got this because I am slow at chopping veggies with a knife and it works great. It takes no time at all to have fully diced onions now. When I have a bunch of stuff to chop at once, I can just chop, let it go into the catch bin below, chop the next thing, etc., and when I'm done, dump everything into my pot for dinner. Cleaning is also super easy. The pieces come apart for individual cleaning and you can throw the whole thing in the dishwasher." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.97.
Promising review: "These baking mats are absolutely fantastic. The quality is superb, and SUCH a good price. I use them for just about everything I put in the oven: oven pizzas, cookies, you name it! I also love that besides food sliding easily off the nonstick surface, they help protect all my baking sheets and such. It’s also super handy to just throw them in the top shelf of the dishwasher or even just wipe clean. Update: I’ve had these mats and used them almost daily for nearly a year now. They still look brand new and I have had no problems with staining, melting, or wear. When using them, I cook most items at 375 degrees but have used them at up to 425 degrees several times with no issues so far. These things are fantastic and have paid for themselves many times over in the superior nonstick surface, ease of cleanup, and the cost of parchment paper and or/aluminum foil I used prior to discovering these." —Jezzhani
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $13.89.
Promising review: "This baking mat solved a lot of my troubles when I needed to roll out dough for breads or pie crusts. It has a circular measure on it for several different sizes of pans so it's virtually foolproof. It's easy to clean, too. I just wash mine in the sink and lay it outside to dry. It also clings to the kitchen countertop so there's no problem with sliding around while I am rolling out dough." —pianogirl
Get it from Amazon for $12.98.
This dispenser will also help you make the batter faster — just add the pancake mix and the wet ingredients, then shake to combine!
Promising review: “So, my son absolutely loves Mickey and I couldn't wait to make him some Mickey pancakes using my new pancake pen! I love that both ends open for easy batter pouring and cleaning! It also allows me to keep the batter for longer if I don't use it all at once. No spilling or splattering, just perfect Mickey pancakes and the excitement on my son's face is all worth it!” —Kelly Daniel
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three colors).
I love this little appliance! It heats up fast, it cooks the waffle batter in minutes, and it barely takes up any space in my cabinet. Fun tip: The waffles are the perfect size to use as the "bread" in a breakfast sandwich.
Promising review: "This mini waffle maker saves me time, energy, and money every morning! I use my protein pancake mix to make a quick egg-and-cheese sandwich or enjoy classic waffles with fruit. Such an easy cleanup and perfect for my small apartment kitchen." —cm
Get it from Target for $10 (available in seven colors) or Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 12 styles).
To clean the towel, soak in hot water and a degreaser soap for 15 to 20 minutes.
Green City Living is a small business based in Denver that specializes in reusable and eco-friendly home goods. They donate 2.5% of sales to Climate Emergency Fund, an organization that supports climate activists.
Promising review: "These are amazing!!! They work! And no stains!!! I was concerned that since I don’t use Dawn or a big-name-brand dish soap, my Earth-friendly soap might not cut the grease as well, but that was not the case! My Bacon Sponge is perfectly clean and spotless! I love it! So glad I ordered two! I couldn’t be more pleased!!!" —cattealover
Get it from Green City Living on Etsy for $12 or from Amazon for $13.50.
Promising review: "I've been a vegan for 13 years and I can't believe I went this long without a tofu press. So much more enjoyable cooking with tofu after pressing it. This press is different than all the rest as it has a tray that catches all the water. You can put the whole thing in the fridge and it's hassle free. Take it out the next day and drain the liquid and you're good to go. The other presses require a plate underneath and some require tightening and adjustments as it presses. I'll admit after reading some of the reviews here of users with broken Tofuture presses I was hesitant to order but I've just been careful with mine and haven't had any problems so far." —Conner
Get it from Amazon for $27.94.
This handy kitchen gadget has seven functions: rice cooker, pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt maker, and warmer!
Promising review: "I love my Instant Pot. I own a traditional pressure cooker that I rarely used because I felt like I needed to constantly watch it, so I was reluctant to invest in an Instant Pot. I am so glad I did. I have used it at least twice a week since I bought it and sometimes three or four times. I have done everything from cook hard-boiled eggs to cook ribs to bake a cheesecake. I almost never use my other slower cooker, because I can brown meat right in the Instant Pot and use the slow cooker setting. My most used accessories are the steamer basket ($15.52), springform pan ($13.59), extra liner ($29.99) and extra sealing ring ($11.99). The least used is the hard-boiled egg steamer rack ($19.99; the steamer basket holds a lot more and is easier to use). If my Instant Pot died tomorrow, I would feel certain that I had more than gotten my money's worth and immediately buy another." —mickey
Get it from Amazon for $69.99+ (available in three sizes).
You can cook up to six eggs at a time. Make hard-boiled eggs, soft-boiled eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, or individual omelets in a matter of minutes!
Promising review: "If you eat hard-boiled eggs often this is absolutely 100% worth the money just for that. Eggs come out perfect every time. No green rings. No rubbery whites. Easy to peel every time. It's easy, faster than boiling water, and every egg turns out the same. Makes other kinds of eggs too, and according to the booklet you can steam veggies and other things in it too. But OMG even if you only ever used it for hard-boiled eggs it's worth it. I don't think I've ever given a product 5 stars like this before. Also, skeptics: Yes, I know boiling eggs isn't hard. It's the consistent results with even less effort that's remarkable." –Crockery
Get it from Amazon for $15.97+ (available in eight colors).
You can even use the back of it to stamp out perfectly round pieces of dough to fill with the delicious fillings.
Promising review: "This was a great purchase for the price. I was making empanadas and folding them by hand, which didn’t look too good. This set helps me cut them easily into circles and then easily presses them closed. Consistent look each time! I like that there are three sizes in the set so I can make them according to my mood. Easy to wash and use. Would highly recommend for the price and functionality!" —Sox
Get a set of three from Amazon for $7.44.
Pssst: this is actually one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2021! The set comes with the Almost 4" knife, the serrated 6" knife, the 8" knife, and the stand.
Material Kitchen is an Asian-owned small business that sells high-quality kitchenware meant for home cooks.
Promising review: "I bought this as a gift for my son and love the quality and beauty of the knife stand. So sleek and streamlined and will be perfect for his small urban apartment. The knives feel great in your hand and look great too. This is a great gift and will be his first great quality knife set. Can’t wait to give to him!" —Marianne C.
Get the three-piece knife and stand set from Material Kitchen for $195 (available in three handle colors).
Promising review: "These have been a GAME CHANGER in this house!! My son has always begged me for Uncrustables but my wallet didn’t agree with them. I LOVE being able to make them at home and customize them to exactly what they would like them filled with! I make two weeks' worth of sandwiches at a time and store them in sandwich bags in the freezer so in the morning during the school year we can just grab and go! Love them!" —Katherine Smaczniak
Get a set of three from Amazon for $19.96.
The water drains straight out of the maker, so no need to dirty a colander!
Promising review: "I don't want to get all gushy over a pasta maker, but man...I really love this gizmo! I try to limit my monthly food expenditures and the Fasta Pasta helps me work in at least one inexpensive pasta meal every week. If not more. First of all, I like spaghetti — either with normal Prego-type sauce or sometimes just with butter and Romano cheese sprinkled on. But I'm lazy and impatient and don't like things that take a long time to make, with a bunch of steps and a big cleanup afterwards. The Fasta Pasta is perfect for me. I get the exact amount of correctly measured spaghetti; it's faster than boiling water in a big pot then having to watch and stir the pasta; the pasta comes out perfectly cooked every time; and the cleanup is a snap. No big pot; no colander; no spaghetti fork to lift out the pasta. Just the easy-to-clean Fasta Pasta and a pot to heat up the sauce. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!" —Smilin Sam
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
It makes cooking and baking so much easier, and your measurements will be more accurate! The set comes with 1-cup, 2-cup, and 4-cup angled measuring cups.
Promising review: "This is a very inventive design for something that cooks use every day. I originally purchased the 2-cup model of the Oxo measuring cup and liked it so much that I decided to buy the set. These are so much more usable than the Pyrex or Anchor traditional glass measuring cups because they so much easier to read. I have some Anchor measuring cups that are 20+ years old and the red markings have faded and are really hard to see. Since the Oxo can be read from the top, the measuring cup can rest on the counter for accurate measurement. No more holding it up in the air like a mad scientist measuring out liquids! Even the rubberized handle is well designed. Since these are made from clear plastic, they are very lightweight. The handle goes all the way to the counter to stabilize the measuring cup. It's very well thought out." —Bocaboy
Get the set from Amazon for $20.84.
Just move the bottom of the cup up and down until it lines up with the measurement you're trying to get. It's dishwasher safe, BPA free, and comes apart completely for thorough cleaning.
Promising review: "This is the greatest kitchen tool ever! I cook and bake often and was forever having to first dig for, then clean endless numbers of measuring cups; I actually had three sets. No more though. I just need this one extremely well made, adjustable measuring cup. It works perfectly for me for all kinds of things, such as flour, butter, syrups, dressings, oils, etc. If I am baking, I will first use it to measure the dry items. I then just wipe it out with a paper towel and measure out the butter, etc. This way involves less washing. The suction is as effective as day one, and the units of measure on it are clear and not at all faded." —Gabriella W.
Get it from Amazon for $12.95.
It's also very safe to use thanks to the finger guard it comes with, and it has measurements on the inside of the cup. Plus: All the different caps can stack on top of each other for easy storage.
Promising review: "LOVE THIS. I absolutely love this. So far I've used the thicker spiralizer, two of the grater things, and then the juicer. I love how easy this makes keeping everything together. And it's sharp so it actually cuts through things without you needing to work super hard to do it. The only thing I don't love is that the spiralizers are a bit hard to clean, but I guess that's with all of them? Not sure, this is the first I've owned. But, overall, I'd recommend it :)." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
Promising review: "My husband and I cannot stop baking. This arrived over a week ago and we have made two loaves or dough or jam daily! I can't speak for its longevity (I hope it's excellent, it seems sturdy!) but this puppy can crank out some delicious household staples. Pizza dough, fresh bread, *French* bread, bread with fruit or nuts, CAKE, and yes even JAM!! Amazing! It can tackle anything. Cleanup is ridiculously easy, just don't scratch the nonstick surface! The recipes need some tweaking to calibrate with your specific machine (I found that most needed more moisture), but some of the mistakes are still tasty! I was skeptical of the jam-making feature and ended up being extremely impressed." —Ether
Get it from Amazon for $84.99.
Each bread kit includes all-purpose and whole wheat flours, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, baker's yeast, baking paper, and a recipe. Their ingredients are sourced from local and farmer-founded businesses around the US. The process takes 15 minutes of active work plus 3 hours 45 minutes resting, rising and baking.
Dough Dealer is a woman-owned small business that tested out hundreds of recipes to find the perfect recipe for their no-knead bread kit. They partner with small and farmer-founded companies, and they offer carbon-neutral shipping.
Promising review: "I have never tried making bread before — and am very inexperienced in the kitchen — so the idea that I was able to do it easily is a big credit to how amazing the Dough Dealer kit is. Very simple instructions (I struggle sometimes with other meal kit directions) and the bread tasted great!" —Marc
Get the bread kit from Dough Dealer for $18.99.
Choose from four functions on the toaster oven: convection bake, broil, toast, or keep warm. It can easily fit a 9-inch pizza, four slices of bread, or a variety of other snacks and meals.
Promising review: "I love my toaster oven. It has a sleek stainless-steel design that goes perfectly with the decor I have in my apartment. The variety of settings makes it even better. This is why I chose to invest in a toaster oven instead of just a toaster. You can do SO much with it. I use it for toast/bagels, proteins (fish, chicken, etc.) and vegetables. It's also useful because I can avoid turning on the bigger oven which has a bigger impact on the power bill. I will say, it's not the easiest to clean (not the hardest either) because it's stainless steel, but if you buy a good cleaning product you're fine." —Claudi Padilla
Get it from Amazon for $44.90+ (available in two colors).
Promising review: "Rice cookers are fantastic. I used to cook rice in a pot and I would invariably make subpar rice. This rice cooker makes fantastic rice, my only recommendation would be to use stock (chicken or vegetable) instead of water to give the rice a lot of extra flavor. It does a really great job of cooking rice perfectly and consistently. You can't beat the price either." —JP
Get it from Amazon for $29.92+ (available in three styles).
Promising review: "This mini torch is easy to use with an adjustable flame. It's not too fancy shmancy, but it's not expensive either. It does everything I need it to do including lighting candles that have burned too far down to reach with a match (although I know that's not its intent at all). Unfortunately it doesn't arrive with butane; but once you fill it, it lasts a pretty long time!" —Vero
Get it from Amazon for $20.99.
This meal kit subscription offers gluten-free, dairy-free, meatless, calorie-conscious, and carb-conscious meals, so whatever your dietary preferences are, they'll have something for you! Each shipment includes portioned and labeled ingredients and the instructions to cook the meal. Most meals take 30 minutes to cook, but there are also 15-minute meals as well as oven-ready meals that you just pop right into the oven when you're ready to eat.
Promising review: "Excellent flavors, easy to make, good variety of meals, arrive fresh and correctly prepared every time. Couldn't be more pleased. Has saved me time and money during the busy weekdays!" —Jessica
Get it from Home Chef for $6.99+/per serving.
Promising review: "Best addition to our kitchen in a long time. For the price you can’t beat this. It is definitely a one- or two-person item, so if you have a family buy a bigger one. Fries and tots in 15 minutes and no preheat!!! Even cookie dough in a matter of minutes! Love it!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $59.95.
First-Rate Gifts is an LA-based small business that sells cooking cheat sheets so you can easily reference cooking times for frequently made ingredients.
Promising review: "Wonderful, exactly what I needed and close at hand. Fits nicely on my refrigerator!" —Lucia C Creech
Get it from First-Rate Gifts on Etsy for $19.99 (available in four colors).
You can even pop these in the washing machine for a thorough cleaning.
Promising review: "Not sure how these gloves would work with a buzz saw, but wearing them has changed my life as an oyster shucker (which is why I bought them). Absolutely perfect! I can hold the oyster in my hand and go for it without fear of the shell slicing my hands. The knife has slipped a few times to stab me, and it stopped that as well. Super easy wash-up as well." —Footsie
Get them from Amazon for $11.49 (available in sizes S–XL and four styles).
Promising review: "Functional and chic with bright color design. Easy to use. Easy to clean. I always hated when I would make food and I did not have anywhere to put the spoon. It was a battle between either getting my counter/stove dirty with whatever was on the spoon or getting the spoon dirty if something was on the counter. I saw a lot of spoon rests that were easily going for double this price and this one works just as well as the more expensive ones. My daughter loves the color and the design." –Vessie
Get it from Target for $8.99.
Promising review: "I have tried a million different tools and gadgets for help in opening jars of all sizes, and each one had its own issues! Finally, someone has invented the perfect jar opener that is simple and requires no space in your kitchen drawers or counters. There was one person who suggested placing the opener with the sharp end of the 'V' closest to you and with it placed in the front, in the right corner under your cabinet. I followed those directions and it works perfectly and easily. I have already placed an order for another one for a gift or my sister." —moorecats
Get it from Amazon for $14.87.
Read our full EZ Off jar opener review here.
Promising review: "This is a great item for lightly spraying salads, roasting vegetables, or adding some oil to a prepared plate of pasta. Avoids using more oil than necessary so that’s a savings right there. I also use it to put a light coating of oil on all my cast-iron cookware to prevent rust. Best of all, it looks great on the dinner table. Lots of uses which really makes it an asset in the kitchen. It seems that it should last a while so I think it is worth the few bucks spent." —Clancy
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
Promising review: "This is a perfect size for a small counter. It stores both blades and the cord wraps nicely. It is large enough to chop a large onion. It has a variable speed which is great for controlling particle size. It seems well-made; very little vibration and is very attractive." —D Powell
Get it from Amazon for $44.99+ (available in four styles).
MudPotteryAndGlass is a small business based in Mendocino, California, that specializes in unique glass and ceramic gifts.
Promising review: "Thank you for the herb stripper. I used it to make my mother's recipe for parsley potatoes and it worked wonderfully. I will order again!" —Cynthia Huddleston
Get it from MudPotteryAndGlass on Etsy for $17.50 (available in eight colors).
Promising review: "My husband IS the obsessive chef! He is always very precise and careful in his cutting. If a recipe calls for dicing potatoes into 1-inch chunks...that is what he will do. I really bought this for him as a joke because of how precise he is, but he LOVED it. He truly uses the gridlines and the measurements to accurately dice his food. Additionally, its a nice lightweight cutting board. If you know a perfectionist chef, this is a GREAT gift idea." —TJ Callahan
Get it from Amazon for $27.
Promising review: "I had never even heard of a bench scraper until I took a cooking class but now I grab for it every time I cut up garlic, onions, or other veggies (scoops up diced and minced items much faster than doing multiple trips balancing chopped veggies on the flat side of the knife). It also helps separate the discard cuts from the 'keep' pile as you go along, and is great for quickly salvaging spilled herbs from the countertop." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $10.65.
Did you know this set of five-blade shears is the equivalent to 10 knife chops?
Promising review: "I like to grow herbs and use them in salads, soups, and many other recipes. I received these scissors as a birthday gift, and can't believe how fast and easy it is to cut up cilantro, basil, parsley, lovage, etc. My husband tried them today too for the first time while making guacamole, and found that slicing the cilantro went very quickly. The storage case cleaner is very efficiently designed, too. I ordered four of these sets to give as gifts." —Lucille P. Nawara
Get it from Amazon for $15.87.
Promising review: "I know — it is a little strange to love a veggie brush but the bristles have just the right stiffness and 'give' to clean potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc. I haven't used it on corn on the cob yet but I think it will do quite well without damaging the kernels. (If not, I'll do a follow up on this review.) As with most Oxo products, it is ergonomically designed and even fits in my smaller, chunky hands — so much so, I believe it would be good tool for arthritic cooks." —D. Lofthus
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
It's also ~grate~ for fine cheese shavings, easily minced ginger, and more. Plus you'll feel like a very fancy profesh chef as you use it!
Promising review: "Oh my gosh. I never thought I’d have such intense feelings for a lemon zester. This thing is AMAZING. don’t bother looking at the other zesters just get this one. It’s so nice that it has a sheath to cover it. And oh my gosh this thing works so well. It showed that lemon who’s boss. I’m not even kidding. I zested a lemon with a regular small holed cheese grater yesterday before this came and then today I used this one and the zest from the regular cheese grater was like 2 tablespoons but with this zester it was like at least a cup. It’s so easy to use and the handle has a nice grip to it. Not too heavy or too light. Never thought I’d be so passionate about a kitchen tool." —Gabrielle
Get it from Amazon for $10.98.
Promising review: "No matter how carefully I watch the pot, it seems to ALWAYS start to boil over the very second I turn my back for that slight moment. I saw this little hummer and ordered it immediately. What a WONDERFUL invention!!! I have not had one issue with boilover since I bought it. I LOVE it! Two things: 1) when you initially put it on pot rim, create a seal by pressing down around the rim and 2) do NOT lift rim while in use. If you need to peek, lift the center lid. Otherwise you could break the seal, which might cause a boilover. You will absolutely LOVE this item! I give it 10 stars!" —M. Goulet
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
You can also use this as a panini press!
Promising review: "This is an amazing griddle. I bought this when my roommate and I first moved into our apartment. The reason for this purchase was two-fold: We had no grill in the common apartment ground area, plus we weren't allowed to have a grill on the balcony and we wanted a waffle iron. The plates interchange very easily, are nonstick, and despite being over a year old, heavily used, and cleaned in the dishwasher, they still remain in great condition. It is easy to use and I can honestly say it was one of my best purchases for the kitchen." —ELL
Get it from Amazon for $99.95.
You can also use this to safely cut bagels and slices of meats that you're trying to cut through the middle of!
Promising review: "This item is the best kitchen helper. First time using it I was apprehensive about it really working, but it works like a charm. Put my tomatoes in first literally slicing them immediately, then my green olives...perfect. I know I will be making more salads and healthy veggie trays with this food cutter." —Cynthia
Get it from Amazon for $12.95 (available in seven colors).
Promising review: "I loooovvvve my slow cooker! So easy to use and makes my life so much easier! I love coming home from work and picking up the kids to dinner already cooked. Settings are easy to set, after desired cook time, food stays warm until ready to eat. Surfaces are easy to clean and pot interior washes out with out too much scrubbing. You can fit a lot of food in here. Easily cooks a large chicken with potatoes and veggies, plenty of food for my family of five." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $42.99+ (available in two sizes).
To get inspired with recipes, check out our roundup of 23 Dump Dinners That Require Zero (Or Very Little) Upfront Prep.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.