14 Smart Kitchen Appliances That Are Actually Worth The Splurge

They're very smart investments.

1. A sous vide precision cooker for cooking your plastic-bag-covered meats to perfection by circulating heat in a slow and steady fashion.

Amazon

Promising review: "This is miles ahead of the competition. It's powerful, heating up my water more than twice as fast as my Instant Pot model; also, it generates a much stronger current. Both of these enable it to warm 17 gallons (much more if in the right container), which I think is its main selling point. As far as build, this thing is just perfect. Large Min and Max water area, very adjustable, and able to work 24/7 with no issues." —Aaron Martin

Get it from Amazon for $398.96.

2. A very beautiful trash can (yes, they're out there!) that'll open its lid when you: a) say "open can" or b) wave your hands in front of its sensor — perfect for those times when you don't have an extra hand to do it yourself.

Amazon

Promising review: "Who knew a voice-activated trash can could so quickly become an essential around my house. When my hands are dirty or full, I no longer have to worry about how I'm going to get the garbage into the can. Set up couldn't be easier: plug it in or drop in 6 AA batteries. From there all you have to do is activate the motion sensor by walking up to the can, or you can say 'open can' and it flips right open.

But there's more to it than that. The 58L is well designed from the ground up. It has a sleek, minimalist vibe with a stainless steel exterior that resists fingerprints. On the back of the can is a little slot that holds the batteries or where the adapter plugs in, but it also has a little spot to hold can liners. That is actually a nice feature to have because I used to keep my liners in the base of the can and they have been ruined by leaky bags. While you can use any bag that is the right size for the can, the Q bags that are made to fit this particular shape are very nice. They can hold a lot and they don't tear or rip easily. The liner is held in place by a plastic piece that fits over the edge, making it stay in place and looking much nicer than your typical liner.

The motion sensor works very well. I've never approached the can and not had it open. I have it in my hallway, and I was worried that it would open every time I walked by, but the sensitivity is calibrated so that you really have to get right up to the can to open it. Walking by doesn't generally set it off. The can will also stay open if you stay by it, which is nice when you are struggling to get something in there. The voice feature has worked an astounding 100% of the time. " —Kristine Hale

Get it from Amazon for $199.99 (available in five colors).

3. A convection oven, if you're turned off by the steep(er) price of a June oven but do want an intuitive contraption that'll make your reheated leftovers taste first-day delicious.

Macy's

Promising review: "I am not as young as I used to be but I have tried many brands over the years. Breville may cost more but you will get years more of great service from it. It is great in the summer when you don't want to heat up your kitchen to bake chicken or a pizza or a pie or many other things. It has a larger interior to accommodate a small to medium pizza. I have baked cookies, a pie, and a cake in there. I have had mine for over five years now and never a single problem. I have begun to give them to my children as gifts now." —HappyShopper

Get it from Macy's for $349.99.

4. A Vitamix blender that syncs to an app and uses its built-in scale to send a breakdown of calorie and nutritional information about the beverage you just created.

Amazon

Promising review: "The best of the best. I’ve been wanting a Vitamix for a while now and I’m so happy I finally made the purchase. I use this thing every day and can’t help but smile with amazement every time. This thing is a workhorse! As a peanut butter junkie, Vitamix scratches that itch. Making homemade nut butter is so easy with this and it’s done in less than a minute. Not to mention peanut butter tastes so much better homemade than store bought. You can control what goes in to every batch. Ice cream and smoothies are also a breeze with this machine. I was afraid of a learning curve, but the A3500 makes blending so easy. My favorite feature is the set and walk away or maybe it’s the use of the Vitamix app to control my blend? Either way this thing has changed my nutritional life and I’m so happy I pulled the trigger on it. I also purchased the 48oz wet container as it is much better for smaller portions and I would recommend that you do the same if you’re only blending for one or two people most of the time." —Seth R

Get it from Amazon for $561.99.

And check out our picks for the best blenders on BuzzFeed Reviews.

5. A temperature-controlled ceramic mug that'll put an end to your days of drinking lukewarm coffee (leisurely coffee drinkers, rejoice!).

Amazon

Promising review: "This thing is my new best friend. I never realized how bad drinking lukewarm or cold coffee was until I bought the Ember. I've been waiting for years to get one because it was always too expensive. But the price dropped significantly recently, so I took advantage. Let me tell you: I'll never go back to a regular ceramic mug. I drink about half a pot of coffee every morning, which takes about two hours, and didn't realize that I was drinking cold coffee about half an hour in. It's so odd to have every sip of coffee be the perfect temperature, but I love it! The ceramic is a bit thinner than your standard mug and the bottom is thicker, I'm assuming to hold the electronics of the mug, so that takes a bit of getting used to." —Kyle Switala

Get it from Amazon for $67.96.

6. An air purifier to rid your cooking space of lingering odors and update you on the quality of the air via mobile app.

Amazon

Promising review: "Very sensitive. If I cook, peel onions, leave the patio door open for a few minutes during a poor air quality day, it automatically kicks on. It recognizes and reacts to any change in air quality. Amazing watching the fan speeds change as the the inside air quality changes. App works great. Zero issues." —P. Stein

Get it from Amazon for $419.99.

7. A trusty thermometer, if your least favorite part of cooking is never knowing whether you are about to get very, very sick from eating undercooked meat.

Amazon

Promising review: "I don't know why for years I have allowed myself to worry if the meat I am cooking is JUST RIGHT. You don't need a college degree to figure this out, it seems. Just an iDevice. I used to probe the meat several times upon finishing the cooking process — which works, but you watch all the juices from the meat escape when you remove the probe. And it's always a guessing game as to when to start the other dishes you plan on serving with the meat. With this device, you get results throughout the whole cooking period, allowing better meal planning. The device works great and makes me a champion when cooking meats of all types." —Bbqsmoke

Get it from Amazon for $79.99.

8. A super-thorough mop robot, because cleanup shouldn't be the deterrent that keeps you out of the kitchen — just fire this baby up, sit back, and watch it do its magic.

Amazon

Promising review: "For under $200, this device is great for lazy folks like me who may only 'mop' when there is a spill. I now expect to regularly clean my kitchen and bathrooms (and by 'I' I mean the Braava robot). At .79 per use (or .20 with the re-usable pads), it compares favorably to the current price of Swiffer Wetjet refills of .60 each on Amazon, plus the cost of the Wetjet cleaning solution. Heck, it might actually be cheaper than manual cleaning (less cost of electricity). As much as I hate 'disposable cleaning pads' (think of the landfills!), I do like the convenience." —Allen C. Huffman

Get it from Amazon for $169.

9. A handy scale that'll help new to moderately experienced bakers measure out ingredients and pitch in with a database of recipes when necessary.

Amazon

Promising review: "Life-changing system! It makes baking so easy and fun. You can pour ingredients directly on to the bowl on the scale. No pre-measuring needed. Just pour the flour directly from the flour bag. The accurate 'pro' scale will notify you when you have added sufficient amount and will automatically move to the next ingredient. I also love the ability to add your own recipes to the app so you can also use the same super-easy 'no measure' technique." —sleeping thru the night

Get it from Amazon for $99.99.

10. An electric smoker, if you're looking for a way to give fish, red meats, or even nuts a delicious kick without having to stand guard all day. (Imagine being able to whip up some smoked salmon for your bagel whenever you please — or preparing dinner, period.)

Amazon

Promising review: "I purchased this smoker after a considerable amount of research. If you have a budget under $500 and want electric to be your source of heat, I can’t see any way you could do better than this unit. Mastbuilt got it right with this smoker and I must admit the Bluetooth app is pretty cool with this thing; when you’re paired with the app it’s neat to be able to monitor what’s going on with the smoker. I love smoking meat almost as much as I love eating it, but sometimes I have things to do that do not allow me to babysit my offset all day for a 12-pound brisket. This smoker makes that possible." —B. Mann

Get it from Amazon for $308.99+ (available in 30-inch and 40-inch).

11. A coffee bean grinder that might actually make you want to start preparing your own fresh coffee at home — its smart dosing timer ensures your morning cup is consistently prepared at the strength and grind time of your choosing.

Amazon

Promising review: "This grinder changed my coffee game. I went through all of the phases of coffee drinking: Starting out clueless drinking sugary Starbucks crap. Then progressing to drinking actual coffee by getting my own drip coffee maker. Then realizing maybe a French press was better. And then, oh snap — I need to grind the beans fresh. Then progressing to espresso and getting an espresso maker before quickly realizing my $20 Mr. Coffee grinder wasn't going to cut it and that the grind is incredibly key. Enter: this Breville grinder. DANG. It made a profound difference — being able to dial in the grind specific to whatever device you're using to brew was a game-changer. So much so that we ordered two more. Proper coffee degenerates here. The electronic display screen is super handy and the hopper is a great size — fits an entire 14-ounce canister of fresh beans." —Katie DiBenedetto

Get it from Amazon for $183.49+ (available in brushed stainless steel and cranberry red).

12. A Wi-Fi-enabled Crock-Pot if you've resisted the craze because you're convinced you'll somehow manage to burn your meal to a crisp by leaving it unattended. Good news: Now you can manage heat settings from your device.

Amazon

Promising review: "Absolutely LOVE this Crock-Pot! As a working mom, commuting at least 1.5 hours each day, with a family of four, this has been a lifesaver! I was recently introduced to freezer meals by a friend and while the very few that required to be cooked for 10-12 hours worked, I tried a few that needed only seven or eight hours, only to come home and find dinner burned to a crisp when using my standard Crock-Pot with just the manual switch for off, low, or high. With this I was able to easily set up the app on my iPhone and now in the mornings I just dump a meal in and set an alarm on my phone for when I need to turn on the app." —Breanne

Get it from Amazon for $496.97 (or check out the original best-seller here.)

13. A countertop garden that'll give your kitchen some nice ornamental greenery and a hefty supply of herbs and veggies for your next homemade meal. (Even if you have a terrible track record with keeping plants alive, it'll be pretty hard to mess this one up.)

Yi Yang / BuzzFeed

Promising review: "I love to cook, so the thought of having fresh herbs and veggies right on my kitchen counter was exciting. However, I had never had much success gardening. This new Goodful AeroGarden changed that for me. I made the best Caprese salad I have ever eaten last week with some fresh basil from my garden. My kids actually enjoy helping me harvest and eat something green. It is freezing outside right now, but we still have fresh produce growing in our home! I can't believe it works this well. If you enjoy cooking or gardening, I would highly recommend." —FreshMom

Get it from BuzzFeed's Goodful line, exclusively at Macy's for $129.99 (and get an additional 10% off at checkout with code VIP; available in black and sage).

And read our full review of the Goodful Aerogarden.

14. And a miracle-working smoke alarm, because forgetting to turn off kitchen appliances before heading out for the day happens to the best of us — and now you can be notified via app before things get ugly.

Amazon

Promising review: "I purchased my first Nest Protect product about a year ago. My son told me, 'Mom, a smoke alarm doesn't do you any good unless you are HOME to hear it.' One week before Christmas my Nest alarm sounded on my phone and iPad with a loud alert at 8:45 a.m. I looked at the phone and it said 'Smoke in Den.' I live close to where I work so I rushed home. Sure enough, there was smoke in the house and I could see it burning through the ceiling tiles — an electrical fire in the attic. Called the fire department at 8:52 a.m. At 9:07 a.m. I received another alert from Nest that the smoke was clearing. The fire department, my neighbors, and insurance agent were amazed at how quickly the fire was discovered and contained. Without the Nest alert, the fire would not have been discovered until it burned through the roof of the house. The $99 one-time cost is nothing compared to losing your house and pets. I bought three more for the other rooms in my house. Whether you own or rent, this is a MUST-HAVE product." —OBAR4707

Get it from Amazon for $119.

Read our full review of the Nest smoke detector.

Happy smart kitchening!

Hanna-Barbera Productions

Looking for more great Amazon finds? Check out some of our favorite cheap things to buy on Amazon, some of the weirdest things on Amazon you might actually want, or read through all the rest of our incredible Amazon product recommendations.

Shopping for something specific? Check out BuzzFeed Reviews to find the best things for every budget!

BuzzFeed

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.