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1. A trio lasagna pan designed so that every single piece is a crispy "edge piece," and people in the family with different lasagna preferences can customize their own versions (sometimes you just gotta drown the whole thing in cheese, you dig me?).
FYI, you can 6,000% use these for brownies, blondies, and bread too.
Promising review: "As someone who has a child (now a teenager) who 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.
2. A set of restaurantworthy shallow pasta bowls to make you feel like you're genuinely ~plating~ all your meals like a professional — this is like a bowl and a plate had a very stylish, SUPER-convenient baby for all your pasta and salad needs.
Promising review: "These bowls are great. I lived my entire life until now without owning shallow bowls. I’ve been eating spaghetti off of a plate like some kind of wild animal. My life is forever changed." —JessieMo
Get a set of four from Amazon for $31.97 (clip the "$6 off" coupon on the product page for this price).
3. Or a deep, bizarrely chic salad bowl that'll make your work-from-home lunch feel like it's getting served to you at a fancy café.
A fun fact about me is that I am a slob, and when I eat salad, I go to CLOWN TOWN on it. I recently purchased one of these bowls for my lunch salads and I could not love it more. The depth is very satisfying for tossing all my odds and ends into, I've *seriously* minimized the spills, and this is super duper easy to clean. Now if I could just stop myself from insufferably Instagramming all my lunches, I'd be set!!
Promising review: "Love them. Use them for salads and they work really well without spilling any salad off the plate. Also use for large fruit salads. I'm sure that spaghetti would also work. Definitely worth the price." —Enjoy Coffee
Get it from Amazon for $6.33+ (available in four sizes).
4. A jar of za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend of thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac that you'll find yourself sprinkling on just about every meal your whip up to add a little extra savory, spicy depth to it.
Promising review: "This za'atar is the best quality I have found. I've also found that the balance of sumac and thyme to be just right. This instantly spices up my boring meal-prep food and I put it on my chicken, meats, salads, yogurt, or just in olive oil — basically it makes everything taste so much better. I highly recommend it!" —TC
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in two sizes).
5. A compact AeroGarden so not only will you have a ton of mouthwatering fresh ingredients for new dishes on hand, but you'll be motivated to actually use them to their full potential, because you are a Proud Plant Parent (TM) now. Each of these comes with basil, parsley, dill, thyme, and mint, so basically you're the fanciest chef on your block.
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 $99.97+ (available in three colors).
6. Or even a mushroom growing kit that grows right there in the packaging, so you can add some sweet, sweet umami flavors to new dishes by sautéing, roasting, or air frying them up.
Back To The Roots is a California-based small business founded by two college friends that specializes in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food.
Psst — 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 three to four 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 $14.99.
7. A collection of teensy fruit and vegetable cutouts, so you can live inside a Pinterest post and eat it, too. Plus, you use the cut-out bits from one fruit to wedge another fruit into it, like fruit-ception!
8. Plus a set of cat bento molds so you can eat your rice balls in their absolute puurrrrrfect form. It even comes with a nori press you can use on seaweed or thinly sliced meats and veggies to create the cute lil' face shapes 🐱.
Promising review: "This product is simple and fun! My kids loved the cute rice balls we made, and it is simple enough they can use it with very little help (ages 5, 7, and 9). I am so glad we purchased this item and we will surely be using it a lot in the future." —Hope
Get it from Amazon for $10.88.
9. A bottle of gluten-free, paleo- and keto-friendly avocado hot sauce to both delight and emotionally confuse your taste buds with a combo of creamy avo + HEAT so delicious you'll never get bored of your own cooking ever again.
The question is less what can you put it on and more what *can't* you put it on. Reviewers mention salads, burritos, eggs, burgers, sandwiches, and steak.
Promising review: "Flavorful and with just the right amount of kick. I lay this stuff on my meal prep foods to give it an extra oomph." —Lazara Lando
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in three flavors).
10. A stuffed-patty mold to elevate your burger game like WHOA. These are specially designed to hold the contents of the patty in place so you can truly go to clown town experimenting with the inside of your burgers, whether you're stuffing them with cheese, veggies, or — dare I suggest!! — Ritz crackers??
Promising review: "This actually works, and you can fill with a lot of stuffing (which surprised me). The device is very well designed and easy to use once you figure out which part is which. I was very surprised at the size of the indentation for filling. I put in: a slice and a half of cooked bacon, some sliced peppers, and small chunks of cheddar cheese. DELICIOUS! No leakage on my George Foreman grill. Worked great. They are big burgers, so you might end up sharing. Enjoy! It's a great tool at a great price. You can make pizza burgers, Mexican burgers, whatever you can imagine." —BarbZ
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
11. A unicorn-shaped taco holder because honestly, who doesn't deserve their Friday night Taco Bell with a side of pure unadulterated magic?? Each of these holds two full-sized tacos and can also hold snacks like nachos, toast, waffles, and fruits and veggies 🦄.
Promising review: "This is such a cool idea and unique. We bought one for our daughter who LOVED IT!!! Great way to make eating fun for kids or adults frankly since you can put more in each taco since they don't spill out. Easy to assemble and threw in dishwasher for easy cleaning." —Kip P Ladd
Get it from Amazon for $17.95.
12. A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey, a miracle condiment you can add to any boring "blah" meal you're making at home to instantly make it taste like the nectar of the gods.
TBH, this stuff can be slathered on anything, but pro tip while you're here: Drizzle it on grilled cheese.
Promising review: "This is now a staple for my kitchen. How I cooked without it before, I'll never know. Makes the best vinaigrette ever and quick pan sauces for pork; plus, it adds unexpected zip to dozens of dishes. Does it come in gallons? Have given it as hostess gifts several times, and everyone gets hooked." —Martha Ronemus
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
Check out BuzzFeed's review of Mike's Hot Honey for more info!
13. A two-pack of TikTok-famous Dan-O's seasoning to instantly make any "blah" dish feel like it came straight out of a fancy restaurant kitchen — this low-sodium, hecka-flavorful option is made with dried herbs, citrus, and granulated onion and garlic that reviewers love to jazz up everything from fish to beef to eggs to veggies.
Dan-O's seasoning is a small business established in 2017 that gained popularity after taking to TikTok during the pandemic, where the company now has 1.5 million followers with plenty of droolworthy food content.
Promising review: "The best seasoning I've ever had. I literally put it on everything. I love to cook and I put this on just about anything I grill or make on the stove too. Amazing stuff and the guy who created this seems like a hell of a dude. Has a fun YouTube channel and his personality is real solid. He's passionate about his product and I bought some and it did not disappoint." —Kevin L. Kemper
Get a pack of two (one original, one spicy) from Amazon for $20.89.
14. A set of hand-blown crystal wineglasses with a depth that will feel ooooh so satisfying when you're using it to swirl red wine with your hand.
Promising review: "I've been on the hunt for the perfect red wine glass and I finally found it with this brand. The glass is so sturdy, one solid piece (which adds to the sturdiness), and the shape is BEAUTIFUL. I loved them so much that I ordered a second set to have. The glasses also arrived packaged very securely. The final thing that made me give this company and these glasses 5 stars was the customer service. They honor the part about replacing a broken glass at no cost to you. I clumsily dropped one and they sent me a replacement, no questions asked. From now on, all my drinkware will come from this company." —Dayna Thompson
Get a set of two from Amazon for $21.99.
15. A salt and pepper grinder for ridiculously fresh, delicious seasoning on everything you make — a nice bonus is that these are an *excellent* dupe for other grinders that can get upward of $100 with the same functionality and look.
These each hold about 6 ounces to minimize refills, and the knob at the top lets you adjust your coarseness settings so you can get your desired pepper and salt thickness juuuuust right.
Promising review: "This set fit the bill for me — it has an easy-to-use adjustable grind setting and I like the top feature where you can grind into the lid for larger spice needs. My pepper (purchased separately) gives off a nice scent and peppery bite to foods that was missing from prior grinders. I guess you could spend three times as much for a grinder, but at this point, I don't see an advantage. All that and the (family-owned) company reaches out for any assistance needed and even has a 'Chief Happiness Officer.' You gotta love that title. I am pleased to own the set and would not hesitate to give as a gift." —Jane Doe
Get a set of two from Amazon for $16.99.
16. A ceramic "Grate Plate" that comes complete with a silicone garlic peeler and a wooden handle gathering brush. You can use this to properly grate garlic for your toasty bread, ginger for your hot tea, lemon zest for your baked goods, and more. Pro tip from the seller: add olive oil for the perfect garlic dip 😋.
The Grate Plate is an Oregon-based, mother and daughter–owned Etsy shop established in 2016 that specializes in colorful, handmade graters.
Bonus — these are dishwasher safe!
Promising review: "I love this Grate Plate. We were replacing one that we (unfortunately) broke. The shape of this plate is attractive, easier to hold onto than my old round one and it works really well! And the color is lovely, too." —Sandy
Get it from The Grate Plate on Etsy for $29.99 (available in 14 colors; this item ships for free!).
17. A waffle bowl maker that doubles as a burrito bowl maker, so basically every meal and dessert is taken care of for the rest of your life.
Promising review: "This is the ninth Dash mini appliance I've bought and I love it. It's small; enough for one person. Easy to use. Easy to clean. Heats up pretty quickly. Doesn't take too long to cook my waffle bowl. I've only done it using shredded cheese and a couple of minutes was all it needed. Need to try it with other stuff, but so far, I'm happy with it." —Geovanny and Doris
Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in four colors).
18. The cult-favorite, internet-famous Always Pan from Our Place, which is perfect for anyone who has big culinary ambitions, but needs a (highly functional!) nudge. This BuzzFeed-beloved nonstick pan is actually eight pieces of cookware in one, and is designed braise, sear, steam, strain, sauté, fry, boil, serve, and store. Basically, if you can dream it, you can cook it in this bb.
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 $99 (originally $145, but on a limited Black Friday sale; available in four colors).
19. An Oprah-approved (no seriously, it's on her 2021 list!) stuffed waffle maker for anyone who wants to experience the magic of what might just be the most satisfying breakfast of all time, whether you're biting into thick raspberry jams, a flood of warm Nutella, or even a cozy savory egg or meat.
20. Or for another Oprah-approved foodie gizmo, a Philips pasta maker that will turn your kitchen into the adorable little fairy-lit Italian restaurant off the beaten path in no time flat. All you have to do is add your ingredients (super handy for anyone with dietary restrictions or adventurous taste buds!) and this gizmo will work in 10 minutes to give you 1/2 pound of fresh pasta, with modes that allow for spaghetti, fettuccini, penne, lasagna, and dumplings.
Promising review: "This pasta maker was recommended by a friend. She told me how easy it was to use and that the pasta came out great. I bought one for my daughter and son-in-law for Christmas to share. They love it. We had fresh lobster-stuffed raviolis on Christmas day!!! He had to play with the recipe to get the texture right, but they came out excellent. I decided to buy a second one to give to my son and his wife. Thought we could just share the one, but instead, decided it's best to have a second for the growing family. We have told numerous friends about this maker and all were talking about making the purchase." —Lawrence C.
Get it from Amazon for $299.95.
21. A drumstick-shaped spice infuser to elevate the flavor and coziness factor of all your stews and soups without having to go fishing for bay leaves and cilantro later.
22. An air fryer that can cook so many different dishes using the power of rapid air technology that it'll spoil you for other methods of cooking forever. Perfectly crisped french fries, veggies, and chicken wings in less than 20 minutes — no oil required.
If you're looking for some fun inspo, BuzzFeed assembled a list of copycat 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).
23. Plus an easy-to-follow magnetized air fryer cooking cheat sheet so you can mix and match your basic meats, veggies, and frozen foods to your hungry heart's content.
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!).
24. A split anti-soggy cereal bowl perfect for anyone who reserves the right to take their darn TIME eating their cereal without worrying about it turning into an unappealing, crunchless blob before they can finish it.
Promising review: "This product is something I didn’t know I needed. It’s like the creator crawled into my soul and found the deepest desire of my heart and then invented it. If you think I’m being dramatic, you should try soggy cereal and then eat cereal from THIS bowl. I’ll take 30 more, please, and hand them out as gifts." —Sarah F.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in three colors).
25. A set of porcelain ramekins to experiment with single-serving foods like mac 'n' cheese, quiches, and desserts, so you can inspire yourself to mix things up by letting your usual plate take a vacation.
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 crème 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.
26. A *super*-compact 8-in-1 spiralizer that also grates cheese, juices fruits, cuts ribbons, and more. All you have to do is change out one of the interlocking caps for a new function. Fresh-squeezed OJ? Zoodles in the air fryer? Grated Parmesan on your pasta? Done, done, and done. (And you never have to say "when"!!)
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 $19.99 (also available in 4-in-1 and 6-in-1 versions).
27. A rotary cheese grater so you add a lil' cheesy something to every one of your dishes without that bone-crushing 20 seconds of silence after the waiter at Olive Garden starts grating and says, "Say when."
Promising review: "I love it. My family loves it. We used to use a hand-held flat cheese grater. It took forever to grind enough cheese out of that thing. This little jewel cranks out grated cheese. We tried all sorts of hard cheeses just to see the thing work, then froze some soft cheeses to see how they worked. Now we mix our cheeses just because it is so easy to do. Asiago/Parmesan rock fish? Simple. Pretty neat. It works. It's cheap. Easy to clean. Handy as hell. Buy one." —Aranhas
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
28. A pair of glowing lightsaber chopsticks that'll bring balance to the Force *and* to your sushi — whether you're repping the dark side or the light.
As you can see from the above GIF, I bought these for myself, and I love them to pieces. TBH, I use them as decor every bit as much as I use them to eat. Sometimes I just keep them in my work area to light them up during the day to feel fancy. They toggle back and forth between a bunch of different colors, like red, blue, yellow, purple, and multicolor, so you can either make them match *or* have a red and blue one together and bring ~balance~ to the Force.
Promising review: "I purchased these for a friend's birthday present (he is a sushi waiter) and these are flippin' AMAZING. I ordered two sets by mistake, but I am totally keeping the second pair for another gift (or for myself!). These are sure to be great conversation pieces and attention-getters. Way to go!" —T. Redwood
Get two pairs from Amazon for $12.95.
29. A set of rainbow flatware to make every meal feel so upscale and trendy you might just make your entire kitchen a rainbow oasis 🌈.
Promising review: "OMG I’m in love with the color of these!!! They’re so beautiful and shiny!! I thought maybe they would be too much cleaning for me cuz I don’t want to have to polish my silverware every time I wash them! I just don’t have time for that but thankfully that isn’t an issue with these they come out of the dishwasher all bright and pretty looking brand-new!!! They seem to be a good quality all the way around!!! I definitely recommend getting these!!! I had a dinner party and my guests all had to know where I got my unicorn silverware!! Lol I think they should be renamed for sure!! Unicorn silverware is a very fitting name for these!!" —Katie Eagle
Get a 20-piece set from Amazon for $23.99 (available in eight sets).
30. A fondue pot that holds up to 3 glorious pounds of cheese, chocolate, caramel, broth, or whatever warm edible liquid you feel in your heart. Plus, the six utensils are color coded, so everyone will remember which is theirs when the food-dipping frenzy begins.
Promising review: "Bought this electric fondue maker, after reading the reviews. AWESOME! I had some friends in last night for dinner. Made a simple fall squash soup, heated up the fondue, sliced some bread and apples, threw together a salad. It was so easy I am going to do it over and over again forever! Guests were delighted! And I was free to do all of the other things I needed to get done. No smell from fuel, no concerns about controlling the flame. I am so happy with this machine I plan to give one to each of my adult kids for Christmas! Did I mention it was AWESOME!" —justanordinarygyrl
Get it from Amazon for $34.
31. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, a bestselling book turned Netflix series that helps people at any level master those four elements in a given dish to best serve your taste buds, whether it's a bunch of loose ingredients you're whipping together from your fridge or a full-on multi-course meal. It's every bit as much a guidebook as it is a taste philosophy.
32. A set of foodie dice you can use to challenge yourself to expand your culinary horizons (and low-key pretend you're in a cooking reality show). Also a great cure for those nights everyone in the house is like, "I dunno, what do you wanna eat?" like a bunch of Libras (yeah, I said it).
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.
33. A simple silicone bread maker that proves you don't need any expensive equipment or complicated instructions to a perfect dinner loaf at home — in fact, you can mix the ingredients right into the silicone maker and pop it right into the oven.
Promising review: "This mixing bowl invention is genius. Bread making always makes such a mess, but with the Lekue Silicone Bread Maker, I can mix, proof, and bake all in one bowl. It was a big advantage for proofing wetter dough like crusty artisan or sourdough because transferring that wetter dough out of the proofing container without degassing it was always a challenge. Being able to do everything in one container is extremely helpful. Also, by having the Lekue wrap around the bread during baking helps to trap some steam for those desirable holes in artisan bread." —Keek
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
When you eat fresh warm bread right out of your silicone maker:
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