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Step one: start using dough presses to make hand pies and mini calzones. Step two: forget other foods exist.
I'm definitely going to sushi jail for this, but I've started putting peanut butter in my avocado rolls. Don't knock it until you try it. Anyway, each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls.
Promising review: "The entire Bamboo Sushi Kit is absolutely well made, easy to use, easy to clean, high-end restaurant quality, and durable. it was very nicely packaged, and instructions clear, in-depth and very easy to follow. No one (myself included) in my household has ever made sushi before but (thanks to the enclosed instructions), there were no issues making it. My daughter did an awesome job utilizing these products to make 'FISH-FREE SUSHI' with Pickled Ginger on top, was delectable! Finally, I highly recommend this set. It comes at a small cost but don't let that deter you — the quality and overall aforementioned features is undoubtedly above and beyond excellent, thus (IMO), it is the perfect product! Loooooove it!" —Liza
Get it from Amazon for $11.04.
FYI, you can 6,000% use these for brownies, blondies, and bread too. This is also great for making sure every edge is a crispy one!!
Promising review: "As someone who has a child (now a teenager) that will not eat any form of cheese, this pan is amazing! I typically avoid making any food that has cheese mixed into it but now I can make him a section without cheese and the rest of us our regular cheesy goodness. Another benefit to this pan is how well the portions slice. One cut with the spatula gives you a perfectly formed square. Each section makes four regular-sized portions for our family." —TLC
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
This bb comes with LED grow lights so you can grow all year round, and works just as well in small spaces that don't get much light!
Promising review: "We like to use fresh herbs in our cooking, but when we buy them at the store, we usually end up using half the package and the rest go bad. This product has added a nice green element to our kitchen and a good amount of herbs to use. The plants sprouted and grew exactly as described in the instructions. It has also been fun to watch the process." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $110.90+ (available in three colors).
If you have not put mushrooms in your air fryer, my friend, you have not yet lived the full human experience. Also this growing kit comes with some recipes to get you started!
Promising review: "This product has been so much fun to watch! I followed the directions, exactly as written, and the mushrooms began growing within 3-4 days. I will say that I did soak them for close to 10 hours before putting them back in the box to grow and I believe this helped a ton. I also kept the box inside by a window with the blinds closed in order for them to get indirect sunlight. The mushrooms grew tremendously for almost a week before they started to shrink so I clipped them to cook with and they were DELICIOUS! This was such a fun product and process to watch. I am now in the process of trying to get a second batch of shrooms from the same box— fingers crossed!" —Steph A
Get it from Amazon for $15.94.
OrderLee is an Oregon-based Etsy shop established in 2019 that specializes in home and organizational products.
Promising review: "These are such well-designed and useful magnets! They are a bit on the larger size for a fridge magnet, which makes them very readable. Love the material and how it looks in my kitchen." —alyssa smith
Get it from OrderLee on Etsy for $20 (available in three styles, plus this item ships for free!).
Psst — this reviewer-loved meat thermometer is $18.95 on Amazon, if you're looking for a reliable one or an upgrade!
Each kit comes with three fermenting lids with airlock valves, date setters, and an easy release tab, as well as an oxygen extractor. The lids are compatible with most wide mouth mason jars (you can snag four Ball mason jars on Amazon for $14.49).
Promising review: "I have now been using my Easy Fermenter for several months. I continue to be delighted with the results. My favorite recipes are a cabbage/carrot sauerkraut, and a blend of fermented peppers (some sweet, some hot). I have recommended these fermenting lids to many of my friends because they make fermenting foods so incredibly easy! You will NOT be disappointed." —K. Dixon
Get it from Amazon for $25.99.
The list magnetizes to the fridge, and has the meal plan on one side, and a perforated "shopping list" you can tear off and take with you on the other side.
Promising review: "I’ve been starting to get into meal prepping and this planner really helps! I like being able to look up recipes on my phone, then write down whatever ingredients I still need on the grocery list section of this planner. Being magnetic is cool because you can hang it on the fridge. I love how the grocery list section can be ripped off so you can take it to the store, but the daily meal plans remain on the fridge so you can stay organized. This is a very simple idea, but it’s cute and helps keep me organized and motivated to plan out my meals." —Samantha M.
Get it from Amazon for $9.95.
Psst — here's an extremely easy-to-follow Greek yogurt bagel recipe you can add your own spices and ingredients to (plus a lot of reviewers mention using this for keto bagels, if that lights your fire). Brb, slathering everything in cheese and garlic salt and living the dream.
Promising review: "This silicone pan is great! I had been wanting to try making baked donuts and didn’t realize how easy it is! Pan is easy to use, clean and the donuts came out of pan easily and without breaking/sticking to the pan." —Tyler
Get it from Amazon for $7.49.
A lot of reviews use these to make keto "chaffles," or waffles made of eggs and cheese. Plus here's a whole slew of inspo from an article on surprising things you can make in a waffle maker (waffled tomato grilled cheese, y'all) if you need some boredom busters to get you started.
Promising review: "YES! Tiny Eggo-sized waffles! Put anything into it — hash browns, tater tots, waffle mix, canned biscuits! Add nuts and berries and things! It even comes with a little recipe booklet! It fits in the palm of your hand, you could literally stuff it in the back of a drawer, but you won't, because as soon as you get it everyone wants mini waffles for every meal. It heats up super fast and is a breeze to clean. If you're making a whole mess of waffles, be sure to give it a quick spritz of nonstick spray every couple waffles or so, so it doesn't rend your delicious waffles asunder. Excellent value." —Bryce Pierce
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
If you're looking for some fun inspo, BuzzFeed assembled a list of copycat fast food air fryer recipes, including copycat McDonald's fries, copycat KFC biscuits, and copycat Taco Bell crunch wraps.
Promising review: "I have been thinking of getting an air fryer for a while now. The price point and the comments regarding customer service finally pushed me to purchase this fryer. Best cooking gadget I have ever purchased! I have had it for four days and have used it every day! I have made fries, fish, shrimp, potatoes, and bacon in this marvel! The flavor is amazing and I have not used any oil yet. I did purchase an accessory kit but have not used it yet — still making things as it came. I am great at burning things in the pan and in the oven. I really like how you can open the basket to check the food as it is cooking without losing the time or the temperature. I have not burned one thing! It is extremely easy to clean! It is large, but I WILL make room for it on my counter!" —CK
Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in four colors).
Willa Flare is a California-based Etsy shop that specializes in cooking guides and other home goods.
Promising review: "I love it! I am not a cooker so this kind of help is greatly appreciated. The product is of great quality and was shipped fast. Thanks!" —Francisca
Get it from Willa Flare on Etsy for $12.99 (this item ships for free!).
Promising review: "I love this skillet! I've used it on the stove: both gas and electric (on glass tops do not drag this skillet on it, it will scratch the glass) as well as over fire outdoors. I've owned it for eight months now and it still looks as new as it did eight months ago. Make sure to research how to clean your cast iron cookware and always heat them up to evaporate any surface moisture after cleaning before oiling. I've made many different foods in this, Utica Greens, bacon, eggs, steak, pizza...etc. All have come out perfect. Be aware this skillet is huge so make sure you have room to store it and it is also heavy...About 12 pounds I think, so my wife does have trouble moving it, I also need two hands to carry the sucker especially when it's loaded with food! I would say I would buy this again, but I see this skillet lasting forever!" —Tinkerman
Get a 10.25-inch pan from Amazon for $17.90 (also available in 12 other sizes and shapes ranging from 3.5-inch to 15-inch).
Psst — a lot of reviewers love Mike's Hot Honey for shaking up their roast veggies, if you're looking for inspo!
Promising review: "I like to do what I can to reduce my carbon footprint but I don't want to make my life unnecessarily difficult or ineffective. These mats allow me to eliminate the use of foil or parchment paper on my baking sheets, thereby saving money and being that much less potential product in the landfill. So far I have baked breadsticks and roasted vegetables on them, and they work like a charm. The heat distribution is great and they're nonstick without using spray or oil. If I had a complaint, it would be that they're a little hard to clean by hand due to how bendy and flexible they are and the fact that oil and grease seems to want to stick to it like a magnet. It isn't a big deal, though, and I'll be buying more of these." —Michelle Daniels
Get a set of two from Amazon for $11.87.
This also works without a ton of nonstick prep, and with ridiculously easy cleanup!
Promising review: "OMGosh I love this thing!!! I've always wanted one but too lazy to get one and finally got one. I love love love it!!! I use it to make eggs, veggies, and muffins. Just spray a little Pam on it and the muffins puffed up so beautifully and they literally fell out of the silicone pan!! Love it!!! Highly recommend!!" —Julie Frey
Get one from Amazon for $9.99.
Here's what BuzzFeed Shopping writer Taylor Steele has to say about the Always Pan: "As someone who neither enjoys cooking nor is particularly good at it, the Always Pan has made being in the kitchen feel like less of a chore. Having one pan that can do everything means I don't have to second-guess every cooking decision I make. I can boil and prepare pasta in it. And I can roast Brussels sprouts. And I can make the perfect fried egg. And I can steam dumplings. The best part is that everything slides so seamlessly out of the pan and onto the plate, which also makes clean up super fast and easy. Both the amateur (read: reluctant) cook and the more seasoned chef will enjoy creating fan favorites and new recipes in the Always Pan!"
Also, BuzzFeeders LOVE this pan. Here's our review of the Always Pan, in which seven members of our team weigh in everything they love about it, from the nonstick coating to the versatility to the ~aesthetic~.
Get it from Our Place for $145 (available in six colors).
Ebun's Kitchen is a Texas-based Etsy shop that specializes in home and kitchen products. The set comes with instructions on how to season it on first use, as well as wash and care instructions.
Promising review: "I've really enjoyed using this mortar and pestle. The size is perfect for grinding spices or nuts and making small servings of pesto or guacamole." —Javier Llaca Ojinaga
Get it from Ebun's Kitchen on Etsy for $26.99.
I sincerely wish I weren't using this post to confess all my culinary sins, but I also sometimes put peanut butter on my avocado toast?? If you want to take a less reckless approach, here are some delicious avocado toast recipes to try.
As for this tool — this three-in-one bb can split an avocado with its pointy tip, remove the pit with its center, and make perfectly even slices with the bottom — a much safer alternative to using a regular knife and potential falling prey to the dreaded "avocado hand."
Promising review: "So worth the space in the kitchen! This thing really does what it says. I love mine and use it all the time. Pit removal is super easy with this, no more knife-prying. I didn't think the cutting tool would be as effective as it is, but it works great as well. No complaints on this product — would buy again!" —K. Cyr
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
Promising review: "I would recommend this scale to anyone needing to weigh and measure their food or ingredients for recipes (I use it for both). It's easy to use and has been accurate so far in the recipes I've used it for and for measuring portion size at meal time. It'll zero-out with a dish on top so you get the weight of food or individual ingredients only. The various measurement options are enough for standard baking/cooking needs (can select wet or dry measurement), as well as to measure portion size. I've used a few different digital scales and I prefer this one the most." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $12.59.
I've owned one of these babies and have faithfully used it every week for upward of two years, and especially love it during quarantine — it simplifies breakfast because I know no matter what weird assortment of groceries I'm working with, there are precooked eggs to add some protein to it (I like mine medium-boiled 🍳). If my dinner is boring or seems like it needs a little extra "oomph" to it, I'll throw in an egg from this too. Some reviews note that the alarm on it is a little loud, but the new models have significantly decreased the volume and sing a little song instead!
Promising review: "You know those objects that are totally unnecessary, but you see them and fall in love and live forever in happiness with your random kitschy thing? This is that thing. I saw this egg cooker on a BuzzFeed list and, even though I am a fully functioning adult who has never had trouble cooking eggs before in my life, I knew I had to have it. I have not been disappointed. It makes especially lovely, perfectly round omelets with minimal cleanup required. Hard and soft boiled eggs cook evenly and taste great. The poached eggs are tender and melt in your mouth over toast." —Sonnet A. Fitzgerald
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in five colors).
Verve Culture is a woman-owned, Colorado-based small business founded by a mother and daughter who curate products that are "made in the country of origin using traditional practices" — each of the presses are made in Mexico out of old Singer sewing machines.
Promising review: "This tortilla press is SO cute and lets you make delicious tortillas super easily. I love the pop of red on my counter and guests always give me compliments when I take it out for Taco Tuesday!" —Carly
Get it from Verve Culture for $48 (PayPal available).
Word to the wise — it'll also cook pizza and open-faced sandwiches. Infinite cheese toast = infinite possibilities.
Promising review: "I am very happy with this panini press. I was a little leery because of the low price but my worry was unfounded. The packaging was easy to open and easy to remove the press. The plates heat up fast and are easy to wipe off. I was feeling lazy one day do I used this to cook burgers. It worked very well. I think I'll even try a steak on it! Very happy I made this purchase!" —Iowagal4
Get it from Amazon for $27.84 (available in three colors).
Psst — this pressure cooker was also one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2019!
Promising review: "This product is just so convenient and easy to use! I like to cook but not when I am alone (I get lazy), but this pressure cooker has saved my life from eating junk food to cooking delicious meals for myself again! I don’t have to be by the kitchen keeping and eye open that it wont catch on fire as the cooker is safe and it won’t burn my meals. It also has the option of keeping the food warm after it's cooked, which is super convenient for me as I always get caught up in something ending with a cold or reheated meal. Everybody can use it with ease and everything that comes out of it is delicious! I will keep experimenting with all of its nine cooking features and trying the recipes they post on IG." —Jorchual G.
Get it from Amazon for $99.95 (available in three colors and one other size).
You can use this on veggies like carrots, zucchini, squash, beets, cucumbers, and even — gasp! — potatoes. Shoestring fry bliss.
Promising review: "I love this little machine! So easy to use, my kids did it! It is very safe. No more nipping my fingers on my other spiraling, right. It is so organized with the labels of which blade you want to use! I would definitely recommend this product." —Katie
Get it from Amazon for $23.99.
I purchased this because it was my cheapest option for making zoodles, and also because my apartment was the size of a shoebox and there was no room for anything bigger. I LOVE how easy it is to swap out the caps to do other things, too — I've started grating my own cheeses and feel very fancy. But mostly I just love that it's very safe to use (it comes with a finger guard!), super easy to figure out, very compact, and even has measurements on the inside of the cup if you're ever portioning things out for a recipe.
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 $14.99.
TBH, even if you don't cook something revolutionary in these, eating out of a lil' ramekin is an Experience (TM). Here are some fun ramekin recipes to try out if you take the plunge.
Promising review: "These ramekins are great! They are the perfect 4-oz size and look beautiful. I used them to make some creme brûlée and they came out so adorable. They come well packaged and are easy to clean. They bake well and are pretty nonstick. Overall I am very happy with my purchase." —adc.jdc.522
Get a set of six from Amazon for $13.50.
Two Tumbleweeds is an Arizona-based, sister owned Etsy shop established in 2014 that specializes in products for foodies and people who like to cook.
Each set includes five main dice (protein, cooking method, grain/carb, herb, bonus ingredient) and four seasonal veggie dice. All you gotta do is roll 'em up and send them scattering and they will decide what kind of meal you should try to prep. Bonus — these are all naturally gluten-free, if you or a foodie you love has any dietary restrictions!
Promising review: "Such a fun gift! My husband loved the idea and we already successfully made a dish!" —Kasia
Get it from Two Tumbleweeds on Etsy for $24.
I know the angry "no pineapple on pizza!" mob is coming for me, but wait! You have other options!! Behold Tasty's Sticky Pineapple Chicken recipe and this whole list of pineapple dishes for proof.
Promising review: "This has worked exactly as advertised and as everyone reviewing it says. I can't believe how easy it is. I'm eating pineapples all the time now instead of buying them and throwing them away in a week because I'm too lazy to cut them." —RR
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
Promising review: "Love it! It's light and easy to use. When I use a potato peeler I was always peeling too much potato with the peel. This blade is fine and only gets the skin, in seconds. Except for the 'poles' of the potato but I don't mind. It's easy to clean if you have a sprayer to just rinse off the spikes where you insert your potatoes. Small enough and doesn't take up much room." —yestfl
Get it from Amazon for $25.
Promising review: "For a novice rice-cooker it's a great machine. I was used to making the typical American quick-cook rice. Didn't know what I was missing until I ordered some REAL rice and utilized this cooker. Wow, what a difference. Good purchase, delivered quickly during these uncertain times, and easy to use. Good deal." —Richard G. Capitano
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two colors).
Promising review: "My pork shoulder always tastes good, but I'm too lazy to pull or chop it properly. These claws really made short, pretty easy work of that job. I used them just as described: I put the meat on and took it off, cut off a portion, dug in, and started pulling. You can make your pieces as big or small as you like. Much easier than with a fork or knife. They just work. I think, after writing this, I'm going to go put a shoulder on right now." —Edwin C. Kebschull
Get it from Amazon for $12.95.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.