31 Handheld Kitchen Tools Reviewers Can't Stop Raving About
A cookie scoop, magical dusting wand, and culinary blow torch that are calling your name.
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1. A classic handheld OXO can opener with cushioned handles that'll make popping open your favorite soup a cinch. You'll be pleased you added this to your cart the next time your power goes out and you can't use the fancy electric one you typically reach for.
I have this can opener and recently bought it for my parents when their old electric one died. It may not seem like the most essential purchase but when you've watched your dad try to open a can of tuna with a butcher knife, you'll realize it's best to have one on hand.
Promising review: "The OXO can opener is a work-horse. It is strong, well-made and plows through whatever you give it, with ease. I've had this one before and after years, it finally gave out and was hard to turn. But in buying an alternative from another company, I quickly realized the mistake and went right back to OXO to buy another. This one is so sturdy that it will last for a very long time and I'm really glad I bought it again." —A.M. Miller
Get it from Amazon for $14.95.
2. A lemon squeezer you can use to literally live out the old saying "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Just picture yourself sipping on a freshly squeezed glass while basking in the sun. Simply divine.
My mom got one of these and continues to rave about it to me each time she uses it. I wasn't sure what all the hype was about until I watched how easily she was able to squeeze a slew of lemons for a recipe she was working on. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Promising review: "For years I've been squeezing lemons by hand, couldn't justify spending more on a real squeezer. Well, eventually after all the wet hands, lemon juice going everywhere and sore hands I just had had enough. I ordered this and by far am very picky with what goes into the kitchen to avoid spending more money to replace in the future. I'm particularly considered about safety/chipping/materials. Well — I tried this out with our classic chicken piccata and it was the quickest, easiest experience and well made. Put the lemon in, squeeze the lever, keeps all my seeds out (no more fishing!) and every time consistent results. I saved more money getting the most juice from my lemons than probably on the product. Wish I would've bought sooner." —drmach12
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in eight styles).
3. A small egg beater from OXO to ensure your omelet comes out nice 'n' fluffy but also be your saving grace when you're whipping up an individual dessert or Dalgona coffee and don't want to be bothered with a full-size hand mixer.
Promising review: "We live off-grid so we don’t like having a bunch of power-sucking kitchen appliances but we like to cook and needed something more powerful than a hand whisk. Amazed that we were able to make whipped cream with this. Everything pops off to make cleaning easier. Handle is comfortable and operation is pretty smooth and not too difficult." —Joi maree freeman
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
4. A milk frother to pack a powerful, spinning punch despite looking rather delicate. It'll help transform your hot chocolate into one out of a Hallmark Christmas movie scene. Delish.
I invested in one of these and I'm so glad I did — I use it to make lattes at home and have saved a lot of dollars without having to run out to Starbucks every morning (just...once a week or so instead hehe).
Promising review: "OMG, this milk frother makes my homemade latte taste like it was made by a barista. It was perfect. So perfect that I bought a second one for my brother who loves coffee to use. I've already recommended it to some coworkers. It has changed my coffee-drinking life. This comes highly recommended." —Michelle Pirestani
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 26 colors).
5. A handheld garlic press you'll be ready to *rock 'n' roll* with right out of the package — don't plan to invite any vampires over for dinner.
Promising review: "Very sturdy and well-designed garlic press. The handle is solid and the metal used isn't cheap and presses well. The enclosed small knife scraper and garlic roller are very useful. It was extremely easy to clean three cloves and then press for fresh garlic instead of the old jarred stuff from a box store. Nothing is better than using it fresh for your marinades or cooking." —Leips63
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two colors).
6. A designer-inspired coffee stencil you can use to create the over-the-top latte of your dreams — I can't even imagine how many likes you'll get on your inevitable Instagram post of it.
XO Luxe Design is a small business run out of a San Francisco that also sells a bunch of other stencils including ones inspired by Louis Vuitton, YSL, Gucci, and more. Coffee should be fabulous, shouldn't it???
Get it from XO Luxe Design on Etsy for $8.
7. A compact eight-in-one spiralizer that'll grate cheese, juice fruits, cut ribbon, and *so* much more. This lil' gadget really does it all.
BuzzFeed editor *and* zoodle-lover Emma Lord is obsessed with this gadget:
"I recently purchased this because it was my cheapest option for making zoodles, and also because my apartment is 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.
8. A cookie scoop, so all of your precious balls of dough will come out *exactly* the same size and look simply stunning before everyone in the house gobbles 'em up.
I have one of these and it has been a game-changer when making cookies. I love that each one comes out the same size, making it easier than ever to know precisely how many will fit on my baking sheet.
Promising review: "Why didn't I have one of these in my kitchen drawer before?! I bought the medium-sized scoop originally to make a large batch of cookies for Christmas, but today it came handy when I had leftover batter from my banana bread recipe and it made the perfect scoop to fill a regular-sized cupcake liner! Now I'm thinking about getting the small size for my mini-cupcakes! Super easy and they came out perfectly uniform and totally beats trying to use a spoon! Handles have a nice silicone grip too and help with hand fatigue. :-)" —Michi K
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in sizes S–L).
9. A too-cute egg white separator you'll be *egg-cited* to use whether you're prepping an omelet or baking a cake.
ColorfulCottonCandy is a small business run out of Hong Kong.
Promising review: "Item was very well packaged, it was cute and well made. Can’t wait to use it. 😍Candy, the seller, was fantastic at communicating/providing shipping updates. 🤩 Looking forward to seeing new products get added to the shop. Will be buying again with no hesitation. " —Yvonne
Get it from ColorfulCottonCandy on Etsy for $13.66 (available in two colors).
10. A culinary blow torch so you can *finally* make your own baked Alaska after watching various chefs do it on TV for years.
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 $19.99.
11. A batter dispenser you could use with one hand tied behind your back if that's something you're interested in. It'll help you create perfectly round, fluffy pancakes that honestly could be featured on the cover of a magazine.
Promising review: "Finally a kitchen utensil that saves time, mess, and frustration! I ordered this because my 10-year-old daughter loves to make pancakes but she also leaves an incredible mess. She also loves to make cupcakes and that's even a double mess. Upon receiving the batter dispenser, my daughter took it out of the package and started making pancakes right away without my instructions. She loved the ease to make the pancakes in the container and then one click on the pan with no mess." —Jim Hudson
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
12. A set of pan scrapers you'll pat yourself on the back for buying after you see how seamlessly you'll be able to remove burnt-on bits from your latest cooking endeavor.
Promising review: "Love it! Don't know that I'll ever need two of them as they are supposed to last very long. The material is firm, but not so ridged that they don't provide any flexibility. All the various angles allow for great scraping of the bottom where it meets the side of the pans. Will be using them for other pans besides cast iron also. Even used it to scrape up dried super glue when my kid managed to spill it on the kitchen counter. Worked like magic! There are no sharp edges, so nothing can scratch." —Shelly Sidhu
Get them from Amazon for $6.57.
13. Oven mitts to match your kitchen's neutral aesthetic and remind you it's never a good idea to remove the tray from the toaster with your actual fingers — the Bagel Bites will still be there, jeez!
DylanHomeGoods is a small business run out of Los Angeles, CA that specializes in handmade household products.
Promising review: "Fantastic handmade linen kitchen gloves! They are incredibly high quality and a perfect addition to our kitchen. Absolutely love them and can't wait to order more from this shop." —Karissa Barney
Get a single mitt from DylanHomeGoods on Etsy for $16.50.
14. A handheld knife sharpener you can use to bring your most-used kitchen utensils back to life in a flash without destroying your countertop or cutting boards. Bobby Flay would be proud.
Promising review: "Buying this knife sharpener has changed my life! I used to burn water, but now I'm on par with chefs like Gordon Ramsay! My knives are so sharp that I could cut off a finger and would not even notice. Paper thin tomatoes and onions for a tuna fish sandwich? Not a problem! Thank you KitchenIQ, my life will never be the same." —J.W.
Get it from Amazon for $11.82+ (available in four colors).
Check out our full review of the KitchenIQ 50009 Edge Grip 2-Stage Knife Sharpener.
15. An immersion blender that'll make recreating your favorite Panera soup a breeze this winter — broccoli cheddar in a bread bowl here we come!
BuzzFeed editor Kayla Boyd recently purchased this and can't wait to give it a whirl! I have a similar one and use it to remove any unwanted lumps and bumps from sauces and soups, but also to make Dalgona coffee!
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.
16. A handy corn butterer to ensure each kernel is coated in that golden goodness without much of a hassle or mess.
Promising review: "I purchased the corn butter knife early in the summer — just in time for corn season. Since it comes in a set of two, I gave one to my daughter and son-in-law; their comment was, "Why hasn't anyone ever thought of this before?!" It's a MUCH better solution than rolling the cob in a slab of butter!" —Anne
Get a two-pack from The Grommet for $13.95.
17. A stainless-steel 3-cup sifter for anyone who is tired of using one with a squeeze handle — this crank model will make your baking efforts a breeze.
Promising review: "Great sifter! This design is so much better than the squeeze variety I have been using, my hand was SO tired from my old sifter. This is just like my grandma used to have, seems solid. I expect to have many years of service from it. Sifting the flour makes a 100% difference in gluten-free baking, especially with those heavy bean flours. I know some people are talking about not being able to wash their sifters, but you know, I remember my grandma keeping hers in her big tip-out flour bin all the time without a problem. I'm keeping mine in a plastic bag as recommended by the manufacturer. I think it is a great product and a great buy." —Doonsie
Get it from Amazon for $10.50.
18. A customizable pizza cutter you might want to engrave with arguably the most important rule of sampling any pie — a must-have for any fan of Barstool Sports and Dave Portnoy.
HazelGroveCustoms is a small business run out of Burlington, North Carolina, that sells all kinds of customizable home items and accessories. You can have this pizza cutter customized with whatever phrase you'd like!
Promising review: "Love how unique the product was and how I could customize the saying. Shipped on time and I appreciated the speed of delivery and quality of product!" —Tia Canonico
Get it from HazelGroveCustoms on Etsy for $13.45.
19. A soap dispensing brush that might just make you want to clean your dishes — it looks kinda fun, doesn't it?
Promising review: "I'm loving this little brush. I had purchased another dish brush a while back from the grocery store and the bristles were so stiff that it often splattered soap everywhere. This one isn't like that. The bristles are stiff, but soft enough that they tend to cling to what you're brushing, so they don't cause that splatter effect. I also like that you can open the whole thing up by taking its top off to refill it, giving you plenty of room to pour in the dish soap. The ability to easily remove and replace the brush is another very handy feature. Both are easy to do and it's well made, so they're not likely to come open or undone unexpectedly." —Elliria
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
20. A BBQ tool that'll act as a spatula, tongs, and brush all in one! No more fumbling around for the right grill gadget while your burgers are ready to be flipped.
Promising review: "Bought it for my son in law for Christmas, a grill master! Loved not burning his wrist on the big grill, and can pick up all large cuts of meat and small pieces of vegetable without a problem. Very well-made. Extremely pleased with this purchase!" —Joyce
Get it from The Grommet for $17.95+ (available in 15, 18, or 21 inches).
21. A chopping tool you can use to break up ground meat while it's already in the pan to ensure it's evenly distributed for perfect cooking. You can also use it on veggies and tofu, so don't be discouraged if you're not a big meat eater!
Promising review: "Love this gadget! I make taco meat quite often and I hate standing over the stove breaking the meat into pieces. This little tool makes it so quick and easy. I leave it standing in the pan while the meat cooks...no mess on the countertop!" —PlasticJackie
Get it from Amazon for $4.97.
22. A tortilla press to help you take your Taco Tuesdays to the next level without going above and beyond your minimal cooking skill level.
Thanks to a handy lil' tortilla press from Verve Culture, making my own tortillas at home isn't much of a challenge at all. The press is made in Mexico from old Singer sewing machines and other recycled irons! The cast-iron should last you, basically, forever so it's definitely worth your money. I still can't believe how easy they were to make! We used Maseca's corn flour (the bag has instructions on the back how to make the tortillas) and it was so simple. They came out *so* well I was beyond impressed with myself.
Get it from Verve Culture or Amazon for $45.
Check out my full review of the Verve Culture tortilla press.
23. An 8-in-1 kitchen gadget tool complete with a funnel, a juicer, a grater, an egg cracker, a shredder, a can opener, an egg separator, and a measuring cup. You'll never be without a must-have tool again!
Promising review: "I highly recommend this product to everybody! It's very convenient and it takes up less space. I just sit it right on the counter in my kitchen and just grab it when I need it. It's ideal for everything — it's perfect!" —jennifer h.
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
24. Environmentally friendly dishcloths made of cellulose and cotton you can use to clean your counters, stovetops, dishes, shower doors, and mirrors — and they come in fun designs!
Promising review: "These are awesome and I don’t know why I didn’t learn to use these in the kitchen and bathroom ages ago. They wipe down countertops, sinks, and everything, leaving hardly any water behind and pick up even the smallest of debris, lint, etc. These are great quality." —Shopper56
Get a set of three from Amazon for $15.63+ (available in 12 styles).
25. An embossed floral rolling pin to jazz-up your go-to butter cookie recipe and impress the pants off of anyone who eats 'em.
RollingPin13 is a small business that makes an array of playful rolling pins.
Promising review: "I LOVE this rolling pin, it really made my great-great-grandmother's recipe molasses cookies look so much prettier. I think it will be be nice for making fairy tea cookies with my children as well. Shipped quickly and nice packaging." —Summer Wood
Get it from RollingPin13 on Etsy for $17.71.
26. An OXO apple slicer and corer, so you can quickly create a healthy snack without being late to your Zoom meeting.
BuzzFeed writer Ali Faccenda has been using this to cut up her apples (which she eats with peanut butter, yum!). I've also used this after going apple picking — it helps me cut them up real quick before mixing them into an apple pie filling.
Promising review: "My husband laughed at this purchase questioning why we needed another gadget. Well, he ate his words the first time he tried it! This is the BEST gadget you never knew you needed. It perfectly cores and slices apples with a minimum of effort. It’s the most-used gadget in our kitchen (we love apples). Highly recommend." —CT C
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
27. An ironic garlic chopper inspired by Dracula to make you smile and prevent your fingers from smelling like pungent garlic all day.
You can also use it to chop nuts, fruits, and veggies!
Promising review: "I purchased this as a gift for my friend who is a fantastic cook — she uses fresh ingredients almost exclusively — but pressing fresh garlic is a task usually delegated. No longer — Gracula is there for her. She uses him nearly every time she needs garlic (which is basically daily) and months later still makes a point of saying how much she enjoys the gift. I'm pretty sure she likes it better than other gifts I've gotten her which were more expensive/thought out, and I'm fairly certain it's what took me from 'good friend' to 'best friend,' but it be that way sometimes. Anyway, definitely recommended for people who cook with garlic and have a sense of humor." —L
Get it from Amazon for $19.
28. A French or dowel rolling pin that'll help you roll out dough for pizzas, breads, cookies, and even properly flatten fondant. Anyone else super hungry yet?
Promising review: "First off, I'm so happy to have found a nice, basic dowel-type rolling pin. I appreciate the smooth, finished wood that doesn't stick to my food or preparation area, the simplicity of the design that's easy to tell if what I'm flattening is under the workable area of the pin or not, and that it's easy to clean/maintain. The deeper walnut color matches my (older) cutting board and keeps it from looking cheap. There's a good weight to it and it feels solid without being too heavy to handle or store upright in a utensil container. The length is also good and covers the bases of my baking needs. Very satisfied with my purchase." —Dawn
Get it from Amazon for $10.98 (available in two styles).
29. Shredder claws so you won't have to suffer from burnt fingertips while trying to finally get a smidge closer to flawlessly replicating your grandma's famous pulled pork recipe.
Promising review: "Works well for shredding larger portions of meat, like pork. Plastic appears to be of higher quality. Sufficient room in the opening for most finger and hand sizes. The pointed tips shouldn't cause injury unless you're careless. I'd highly recommend the use of quality protective gloves; you're not only dealing with the mess of shredding itself but also, most likely, some elevated temperature food." —Legardi11
Get it from Amazon for $12.95+ (available in four colors).
30. A pair of looseleaf tea infusers you won't want to describe as anything other than "dino-myte."
Promising review: "These are darling! I have one at home and one at work and they both work well. Ultra fine leaves/pieces make it through, but that’s true for most infusers unless they’re ultra fine mesh. One (humorous) design flaw... it does look a bit like Nessie is relieving herself when you take her out of your cup. Haha" —M.D.
Get a set of two from Amazon for $14.95.
31. And an OXO dusting wand that'll transform your cakes and pies into a sugary work of art. Hope you've got your camera ready — you're gonna want to post the final product on Insta.
Promising review: "Absolutely LOVE this little dusting gadget. If you want to sprinkle powdered sugar on cookies/cannolis — PERFECT! Want to sprinkle your cake pan with flour — PERFECT! Making Tiramisu and want to dust it with cocoa powder — PERFECT! Awesome little tool." —Cheryl
Get it from Amazon for $20.90.
How your dessert will feel when you use the dusting wand on it:
Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.