We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A bottle of gluten-free, Paleo- and keto-friendly avocado hot sauce to both delight and emotionally confuse your tastebuds 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).
2. A beginner-friendly fermenting kit complete with everything you need to "set it and forget it" and make all your meals look like they've come from a fancy farm-to-table restaurant.
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 $12.72).
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.
3. 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.
4. 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).
5. A magnetic air fryer cheat sheet so you can finally experiment with juuuuust the right amount of reckless abandon, while knowing everything you stick in there will still come out safe to eat.
Promising review: "Bought an air fryer several months ago which I haven't used a whole lot because it came with only a few recipes but not enough info on other items to cook. The Lotteli cheat sheet gives you cooking times and temperatures for a lot of your common everyday foods in a magnetized easy-to-read, two-sheet combo that fills in where air fryer pamphlet that came with the unit leaves out. I also bought an air fryer cook book but this only comes with specific recipes, whereas the cheat sheet fills in the void for quick basic needs. Very happy with this purchase! 😁" —B. Frank Smith
Get it from Amazon for $11.45 (available in two colors).
6. 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 $16.95.
7. A silicone donut pan that can also be used for homemade bagels, essentially covering the only two essential food groups — perfect for anyone who wants to experiment with different seasonings and flavors.
Psst — here's an extremely easy-to-follow greek yogurt bagel recipe (plus a lot of reviewers mention using this for keto bagels, if that lights your fire).
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 $8.99.
8. A Nightmare Before Christmas cookbook complete with everything you need to make some oogey boogey eats no matter *what* skill level you're at. This includes 30 recipes inspired by the iconic characters that may be spooky and merry, but will be delicious all year long.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
9. A silicone baking mat for your sheet pan, so you can get experimenting with sheet-pan dinners and baking bonanzas without having to scrub all the evidence off for an hour.
Promising review: "Our hopes in purchasing this product was to eliminate the need of parchment or foil paper. So we put it to the ultimate test by making fathead dough and rolling it out directly onto the silicone baking mat. I could not believe it didn't stick during the rolling out or the actual baking process. We continuously put it to the test and we've not had any issues as of yet. We just love this great find!!!" —Amazon Customer
Get a set of two from Amazon for $13.89.
10. A rocket-shaped cocktail shaker to inspire you to actually *make* some of those out-of-this-world cocktails the TikTok algorithm keeps showing you. (Heck, with a shaker this beautiful, you might just launch a cocktail TikTok of your own!)
Promising review: "I expected this cobbler shaker to be high quality, be heavy duty, fit together perfectly and be fun to use. It has turned out to be everything I expected. It feels good in my hands, stays together while shaking and separates easily when pouring. Ignore that other guy with the black bag review. What I received was a well packaged, brand new heavyweight stainless steel cobbler shaker with Viski branded on the bottom. I am very impressed with its quality." —Telemachus
Get it from Amazon for $29.39 (available in five other styles).
11. Plus a tin of cocktail sugar or salt for the rims of your at-home cocktails that come in so many inventive flavors you might just call the Food Network to get your own bartending show.
I started putting this on my end-of-the-week whiskey drink during the panini (quarantine made me go full Mad Men, who knew!!) and it is SO darn satisfying. I tried the citrus petals version, and it's got a light lemon, faint floral, and vaguely minty taste with its sweetness that just makes the whole experience a delight and a half. The container it comes in is actually quite wide, so what we did was pour lemon juice on the top half to prep the rim, and a bit of sugar in the bottom half to coat it. In other news, I am officially too fancy to exist.
Promising review: "Since COVID-19 I have become my own bartender. Taco Tuesdays and margaritas! The lime comes through so well with this salt. I use it for Bloody Marys as well. It is thick and chunky so its a learning curve to get the right amount of salt on. Don't press down too hard if you don't like a lot of salt. I do like extra salt but my husband said it was a little much for him, so I have mastered just a light salt for him." —cobrajet427
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (available in nine flavors).
12. 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 $145 (available in six colors).
13. A set of three dough presses in different sizes perfect for hand pies, dumplings, ravioli, calzones, empanadas, and truly any delicious thing you can think of that you want tucked into a pillow of warm carbs.
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 close. 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 $7.48.
14. 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!
15. A variety pack of grain pilaf mixes in flavors so delicious that you'll be mixing and matching them with all your favorite foods in no time. Bonus for any efficient meal preppers out there: it cooks in five minutes!
Yolélé is a Black-owned, New York-based business established in 2017 that connects smallholder farmers in West Africa with local and global markets, and specializes in products inspired by traditional West African dishes.
The three flavors include Afro-Funk (dawadawa and herbs), Jollof (tomato and bell pepper, and Yassa! (onion, lime, and chili).
Promising review: "We ordered the variety pack and love all of them! This stuff is seriously good, and so quick and easy to make. Excellent quick and healthy meal...just throw in some chopped veggies and meat/tofu, and dinner is done in minutes. It’s also good cold, as a salad. Will definitely make this a staple in our house." —Kate in the Northwest
Get three-pack variety pack from Amazon for $16.95.
16. 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 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.
17. 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.
18. A simple silicone bread maker that proves you don't need any expensive equipment or complicated instructions to make delicious bread 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 $29.95.
19. 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).
20. 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 $22.85.
21. 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.
22. 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 tastebuds!) and this gizmo will work in ten minutes to give you a half 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.
23. 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).
24. A heat-safe, durable pizza stone so you can go ham baking decadent pizzas and breads with the *chef's kiss* perfect amount of crispiness without the edges or bottom getting burnt or unevenly cooked.
Promising review: "Absolutely awesome way to cook either a homemade pizza or a frozen store bought pizza! If you’re sick of your pizzas not cooking fully and/or correctly, I highly recommend this product!! It’s oversized surface makes cooking any size pizza extremely fast and easy!" —Calvin W Bulford
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
25. A bottle of cult-favorite Truff truffle-infused hot sauce, which *extremely* lives up to its hype — the combination of its heat and the calm of the umami truffle flavor instantly turn everything you put it in into a delicious emotional rollercoaster. Psst — in 2020 it was even one of Oprah's Favorite Things!
Here's what BuzzFeeder and air fryer recipe extraordinaire Hannah Loewentheil has to say about this sauce:
"There's one ingredient that makes even my most average home cooking taste amazing, and it's this truffle-infused hot sauce. I first heard about Truff on a list of Oprah's favorite things, and I knew she would never lead me astray. So I quickly realized I needed Truff in my own kitchen.
There are three kids of Truff hot sauces: the classic black truffle sauce, a 'hotter' sauce, and the crown jewel, the creme de la creme, a white truffle hot sauce. Look, the white truffle–infused hot sauce quite literally tastes like heaven, but IMO, the classic black truffle hot sauce is the most versatile and a staple in my kitchen. And while at first $20+ seemed like an absurd price to pay for hot sauce, this stuff is worth the price tag. I mean...truffles. And here's the thing: I've tried plenty of truffle-infused hot sauces, olive oils, and what-nots in the past, but they often taste overpowering or low-quality. Truff hot sauces are the perfect balance of decadent truffle, heat, spice, and a tiny bit of sweetness. Now I'm completely and most likely irrevocably hooked to this liquid gold. I slather it on pretty much everything savory from eggs and tacos to sandwiches and fried rice. If you're looking for a way to add flavor to your home cooking or turn basic meals into pure extravagance, you should probably invest in a bottle of Truff."
Get Truff from Amazon: the black truffle hot sauce for $17.18, the "hotter" sauce for $17.98, and the white truffle hot sauce for $34.99.
26. A yogurt maker that can make 6-ounce containers of up to seven different types of yogurts at once, so you can make fruity yogurts in every color of the rainbow 🌈.
Promising review: "Got my yogurt maker this week and tried it for the first time yesterday. Followed the instructions exactly, making my yogurt before bed. Eight beautiful hours later, I woke to perfect, creamy and thick jars of yogurt. For a single person, this small size appliance is just the right size. Easy to use." —Teresa Ali
You can check out BuzzFeed's review of this yogurt maker for more deets!
Get it from Amazon for $27.99.
27. 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 shop 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!).
28. A world-rocking Zhong sauce that TBH will keep all your local restaurant fare on their toes — this is slow-brewed with brown sugar, mushrooms, garlic, and a blend of spices so you can get all the kick of spice and comfort of umami flavors in one ridiculously delicious bite.
Get it from Fly By Jing for $12.75 (originally $15).
29. A *super* compact eight-in-one spiralizer that also grates cheese, juices fruits, and 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 $14.99.
30. A sushi-making kit perfect for beginners *or* experienced sushi lovers, so you can take the fate of your rolls into your own hands and experiment with different mix-ins and combos to suit your palate 😋.
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 $11.98.
31. An immersion blender for all the roasty toasty soups you deserve to sip while you're snuggled in front of the fireplace (or at the very least, that Netflix special that's just an hour of someone's fireplace).
Promising review: "Amazing blender! I've had other (cheap) models of immersion blenders. While they did what they were supposed to do, they did not have quality that this Mueller one has. I absolutely ADORE that the piece that does the work is all stainless, not cheap plastic. I use mine mostly for doing soups, and it does a wonderful job even on 'tough' kohlrabi. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a GOOD immersion blender!" —Judy D.
Get it from Amazon for $29.97.
32. A stuffed-patty mold to elevator 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.
33. A weekly meal planner you can use to map out all your grocery needs in advance — particularly handy if you're trying to get more ambitious about your dishes and the prep work seems intimidating.
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.
34. 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.
Me teaming up with Remy the rat after tossing the foodie dice for the meal of my dreams:
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