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. An adjustable measuring spoon, because it's basically a teeny Transformer just for your kitchen. (How fun is that??) This measuring spoon has a unique sliding mechanism that allows it to adjust to any common dry measure between a quarter teaspoon and a tablespoon, and any common liquid measure up to 15 milliliters. No more cluttering up your drawers with a whole mess of spoons!
2. And a kitchen measurements conversion sign to help put an end to the need to Google how many teaspoons there are in a tablespoon over and over and over again. (It's three, for the curious.) This extremely detailed yet nicely unobtrusive chart covers literally every type of measurement you could need — cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, ounces, milliliters, pints, quarts, liquid measurements, dry measurements, even temperature conversions — and since it’s magnetic, you can pop it right on your fridge for easy access.
3. A stainless-steel herb stripper that’ll save you so. much. thyme. (In the immortal words of Fozzie Bear, wakka wakka wakka!) Seriously, though — just yanking your sprigs through the nine different size holes on this useful little tool will streamline your prep so much, you’ll have trouble figuring out what to do with all those extra, rosemary-scented minutes you’ve suddenly landed yourself with. Fresh herbs, here you come!
4. A digital kitchen scale, because this gadget is THE kitchen staple you’ll never realize you needed until you finally get one. (That is precisely what happened with me, and now that I have one, I will never go back to my oh-no-did-I-measure-that-ingredient-correctly-for-this-recipe? days of pre-kitchen scale anxiety.) This simple-to-use, battery-powered option can measure in grams, pounds, ounces, milliliters, and kilograms, displaying its results on a clear LCD screen.
5. An olive oil-dispensing set that's poised to become the MVP of your cooking arsenal. The bottle itself holds 17 ounces of the good stuff, but this set’s true beauty lies in its accessories: It includes not one, but two interchangeable pour spouts — one with a dust cap and one with a flap cap — along with seals to keep the air out, and a stainless steel funnel for easy refilling. Whipping up your favorite meals has never been so functionally elegant.
6. A “uni-tool” cooking utensil, because why dirty up five different spoons and spatulas while whipping up a single meal when you could use just one instead? This space age-looking tool performs the functions of a slotted spoon, a solid spoon, a spatula, a turner, and a cutting tool, all in one handy package. The culinary future is now, y’all.
7. An egg separator that’ll make divvying up your yolks and whites a breeze. Even better, it’s hands-free — just attach it to the edge of your bowl and crack your egg directly into it. It’ll do the work for you, even holding itself in place as you work.
8. A magnetic air fryer cooking times cheat sheet, because anything that takes the guesswork out of cooking makes a big, big difference. Just slap this sucker onto your fridge, and you’ll always have an easy reference available – no more frantic, sticky-fingered googling required when you inevitably forget how long to leave your wings in (again).
9. Some strawberry serrano hot sauce from Fat Cat that’ll add the perfect fruity-hot finishing touch to any meal — or just kick your favorite snack into high gear. Fat Cat hot sauces pack a nice little punch, but without being so spicy they just taste… hot (you know the type: all heat, no flavor). This particular variety offers a somewhat surprising flavor combo that reviewers really love.
10. Or, a bottle of Bachan’s Japanese barbecue sauce, because it’s the cooking essential you didn't realize your pantry was missing. Sweet, salty, and full — full! — of umami, this supremely drizzle-able sauce works in stir-fries, on eggs, in salad dressings… the list goes on. Plus, it’s available in a bunch of different varieties, if you’re into, say, yuzu or miso over the traditional BBQ flavor. (I’ll take all of the above, please.)
11. OR, some Old Bay seasoning that’ll punch up all your chicken, seafood, and veggies in one fell swoop. A deceptively simple blend of celery salt, paprika, a couple of different kinds of pepper, and some other mysterious spices, this stuff seems like it should have no business tasting as good as it does — but BOY, DOES IT EVER.
12. And a three-tier spice jar riser, because no one has time to empty out their entire spice cabinet every time they need the crushed red pepper. This organizer is like a little set of stairs for your spice jars; once you’ve popped your most-used seasonings onto its nonskid tiers, you’ll be able to take stock of everything you’ve got at a glance — and find exactly what you need quickly and easily.
13. A two-pack of big ol’ silicone utensil rests, so you can keep drips and drops off your counter with ease. These colorful, heat-resistant holders are each big enough to handle four utensils at a time. Even better — they’re made of silicone, so cleanup is as easy as a quick wash in the sink, or even just tossing them in your dishwasher.
14. A solid wood, French-style rolling pin, because you’re gonna need to roll out your dough somehow — you may as well let yourself feel ~fancy~ while you’re doing it, right? The tapered design of a French- or European-style roller allows for greater control as you shape your dough — and this particular version has been lauded by thousands of reviewers for its ease of use and stunning appearance.
15. And a bench scraper to round out your at-home pastry chef tool kit. With stainless-steel construction and a comfortable grip, this option will have you dividing dough, trimming edges, leveling or transporting ingredients, and (of course) scraping and shaping with the best of them. Look at you go, you kitchen pro, you!
16. A silicone garlic roller, because peeling garlic doesn’t have to be nearly as tedious as you think. All you have to do is pop a clove in, apply a little pressure, roll the whole thing back and forth on your counter for a bit, and bam — peeled garlic. If you’re the kind of person who essentially doubles the amount of garlic called for in almost every recipe you make (*raises hand*), this handy little tube is a MUST-HAVE.
17. A citrus press to take care of the "acid" part of the "salt-fat-acid-heat" equation. Tired of picking seeds out of your meal? Me too. With this lil’ guy though, that problem becomes a thing of the past: Put half a lemon, lime, or any other citrus fruit in the bowl of the press, squeeze the handles shut, and voilà — maximum juice comes out, while the rind and seeds stay in.
18. A colorful ceramic butter crock, because if you’re not already storing your Kerrygold in one of these, now is the time to start. Fun fact: If it’s stored correctly, butter doesn’t actually need to go in the fridge — and this gorgeous crock is the perfect vessel for it. No more waiting for your fridge-solid butter to warm up to room temperature before you use it!
19. A veggie peeler with a scrub brush attached, so you can clean and peel your carrots or potatoes all in one go. Nothing says “I know what I’m doing in the kitchen” like well-practiced efficiency — and it doesn’t get much more efficient than this.
20. A meat chopper tool that’ll make quick work of everything from ground beef to mashed potatoes. I mean, sure, you could break up your meat with a wooden spoon or what have you — or you could use this, which utilizes a nifty, four-bladed design to break things up easily and evenly.
21. A pair of kitchen shears to take care of everything from opening tricky packaging to trimming meat. What sets these shears apart from the pack is the fact that the blades have tiny little micro-serrations — meaning they’ll cut cleanly every time, and stay sharp as the years go by. Plus, they’re from KitchenAid, so you know the quality is going to be top-notch.
22. An acacia wood salt cellar that’ll make storing salt or other spices a breeze. The top swivels open and closed easily, the smooth bowl makes it easy to pinch ingredients, and the whole piece will look lovely on your countertop, to boot. Form, meet function. 🤝
23. A magnetic knife bar, so you can keep all your sharpest chef’s tools close at hand without taking up valuable counter space. (Gotta leave room to actually, y’know, do all the chopping and prepping, right?) The super strong magnet in this wall-mounted bar is more than a match for even the most intimidating of knives — and it looks breathtakingly profesh, too, despite its ultra-affordable price tag.
24. And a 12-inch honing steel that’ll make sure your favorite slicing-and-dicing tools stay in tip-top shape. If you really want to up your cooking game, keeping your tools in good condition is essential — and you’d be surprised how easy it is to care for your knives yourself with a pick like this!
25. A set of porcelain mini-ramekins so versatile, you’ll never stop finding uses for them. In need of some pinch bowls as you set out your mise en place? Use these. Planning on offering bite-sized souffles for dessert at your next dinner party? Make ‘em in these. Trying to class up your dipping sauce situation? Meet the perfect fry-dunking receptacle. Super cute. Super classy. Super useful. Your kitchen won’t know what hit it.
26. A bamboo cooking utensil holder, because, well, who doesn’t love an attractive and practical tool storage solution? Is it pretty much just a wood jar? Yes. Does it do its job well? Also yes. And is beautiful? Heck yes. Everybody wins!
27. And a set of color-coordinated cotton trivets, so you can protect your countertops once you’re done whipping up your next gourmet creation. Tightly woven and available in four color combinations to suit any kitchen aesthetic, these little trivet trios also work great as pot holders. And trust me: You can never have too many pot holders.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.