24 Things To Upgrade Your Kitchen If You're Past The Ramen Stage

Over Cup Noodles? These cool finds will get you in the groove.

1. An Instant Pot 7-in1 Pressure cooker that'll basically do all of the cooking for you. With all of these features, all you'll really have to do in the kitchen is, well, exist.

Instagram / Instant Pot / Via instagram.com

This pressure cooker will steam, slow cook, make rice, sauté, and make yogurt! I also refuse to hold out on you and not let you know there's an ENTIRE cookbook dedicated to helping you master this Instant Pot sooner than later.

Promising review: "I really love this appliance. I have replaced my rice cooker and egg cooker, and put my large Crock-Pot into storage. This thing does all those things and more. The mini size is perfect for a single person. I still get leftovers, but not days and days of leftovers. The stainless-steel pot is so much easier to clean than my Crock-Pot, both in the sink and the dishwasher. I think I will be using my Instant Pot at least once a week for a long time." —Denise J.

Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in three sizes and five styles) and the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook for $13.05 (free on Kindle Unlimited). Also, if you want more deets, check out our full review of the Instant Pot.

2. Produce-saving containers to help make fruits and veggies ACTUALLY FREAKING LAST in the fridge so they're nice and fresh when you're ready to pull 'em out and slice 'em up for a meal.

Buzzfeed / Natalie Brown

Time out for returning to your fridge with your heart and taste buds set on those leafy greens you picked up at the grocery store just to discover they've withered away into shoulda-coulda-woulda-been-delicious land. Buzzfeed Shopping editor Natalie Brown tried these. Peep her review of how long it made her produce last ahead.

"I put half of my fresh strawberries in the medium-sized container and left the other half in the clamshell container they came in from the store. And here they are 10 days later!!! The berry I left in the original container looked dehydrated and blemished, with wrinkled, crunchy leaves. (I'm not eating the leaves, but still.) But the produce-saver strawb's as fresh as it was on day one! Not that I wouldn't eat the dehydrated one if that was my only option, but given the choice? I'll take a fresh strawberry every day!"

Get a six-piece set from Amazon for $26.99.

3. A hot dog steamer so you can cook hot dogs AND toast your buns at the same time faster than you can say "Hot-diggity-dog!"

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The steamer makes two hot dogs and toasts two buns at a time. It also has adjustable toasting timer so you can get it to your preferred level of doneness. It'll also come with tongs and a drip tray. One reviewer even confirmed that YES this thing'll make those beautiful grill marks on your dogs.

Promising review: "This is literally the greatest appliance I have ever owned and I recently purchased an Instant Pot that I'm pretty happy with so you know I'm serious. It's so convenient and easy to use. It takes less than five minutes to cook two long Hoffman hot dogs and toast the buns at the same time. It's almost as good as having them on the grill in the summertime. Also, I don't have kids but I would imagine this being perfect for a busy family because it's so easy I think a responsible enough child could do it on their own." —Kindle Customer

Get it from Amazon for $16.15+ (available in two colors).

4. A three-in-one breakfast hub that just may encourage you to eat breakfast for dinner way more often. Top tier multi-tasking level, here you come 🏆🍳!

Amazon

Several reviewers noted that they used it on their campers! It makes up to five cups of coffee, toasts up to four pieces of bread, and features a large 10-inch (in diameter) griddle pan with a glass lid.

Promising review: "This unit is not a cheap device, everything is extremely well made and functions beautifully. It is easy to clean and maintain, and cooks a variety of foods and drinks quickly. I'm single so I use it often for quick meals I would normally cook in the oven that takes longer. I just sprayed the cooking surface with Pam and I'm good to go. It is worth every penny. Thank you for a fine breakfast hub." —Richard W. James

Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in two colors).

5. A collapsible over-the-sink strainer to take all the ~strain~ out of prepping your foods.

Amazon

Promising review: "This is very nice and easy to use. It stores in very little space. Pasta does not stick to it and it's exceptionally easy to clean. I gave away my other colanders since I received this one." —Semper Fi!

Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in five colors).

6. A sandwich maker that'll make sandwiches so fast, you'll swear it was ~wich~craft.

Amazon

It has nonstick easy-clean grids and a plug-in cord and will make sandwiches in three to five minutes. And guess what else?! This baby will make more than just sandwiches! Try quesadillas, pizza pockets, French toast, omelets, and more!

Promising review: "This is exactly what I needed! I have made eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes, quesadillas, and sandwiches! It’s so easy to use! Just spray with cooking spray, or butter your toast, add cheese, put another piece of bread, and close it. In less than two minutes, you’ll have a grilled cheese sandwich! The kiddos love the fun triangle shapes. It makes great finger foods and appetizers. This is a great price for so many uses. I’d recommend this to other moms and grilled cheese lovers!" —MB

Get it from Amazon for $21.97.

7. Pan scrapers so you can clean up after cooking with way less muscle work. The scrapers have four differently-shaped edges so you can remove the gunk from any size pan.

Via amazon.com

Promising review: "These are the best little scrapers! I've messed up my iron skillets so many times before buying these! They're super easy to use, not pricey, and they do the job! It was even easy on my hands since it took me maybe two minutes to scrape everything, rinse, and dry. I had to scrape shepherd's pie (meat, cheese, gravy, and potatoes left overnight) off the pan. And if you've ever left gravy in something overnight, then you know how hard that can be to get off. But not with these bad boys!! Save yourself some time and save your pans! Your skillets will thank you!" —Tyler

Get them from Amazon for $6.60 (available in a two-pack).

8. A mini waffle-maker for anyone who'll happily trade a ramen meal for a classic brunch situation any time of the day and any day of the week.

amazon.com

This gadget will make waffles that are the perfect size for kids or for anyone who prefers to eat in smaller portions.

Promising review: "This is definitely one of the best purchases I have made on Amazon so far. Just as described, it is a mini waffle-maker. The 'mini' part is no joke since the whole thing is small enough to lift in one hand. If you are feeding breakfast to a whole family of five or more then this may not be for you. However, because of its size, it works quicker than a normal-sized one so even though you can only make one small waffle at a time, each waffle should be done in about a minute or two. The interior is also nonstick so it is really easy to clean which was a huge bonus for me. On top of that, it comes with a little instruction pamphlet that tells you how to use it and also includes recipes! Personally, I love it. It’s what I wanted and more." —Rhinestonelife

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in 10 other styles).

9. Oven cleaner so after meal-making, you can ace the clean-up part of the process with little effort.

amazon.com

It's lemon-scented and fume-free! Yay!

Promising review: "Woah, Mama this stuff works! I have an oven I’ve embarrassingly neglected for five years. I did as the other reviewers stated and sprayed it on and let it sit overnight, then cleaned up the next day. It literally wiped up with a damp sponge. No scrubbing necessary! I will mention, however, that the directions state to cover the heating elements first with aluminum foil. I didn’t read the directions prior to using it (whoops!) and sprayed the product directly onto my heating element which made it a little more difficult to clean as they don’t come out. I just had to make sure to clean that area extra well and really get in the nooks and crannies. I also got a spray bottle full of water and REALLY sprayed all over it to rinse the area very well after wiping up the grime. Then, I simply dried it all up with a clean rag. I’m so glad I found this product and I solemnly swear I will not wait another five years to clean my oven ever again!" —Rebecca

Get it from Amazon for $6.44.

10. PLUS — a cooktop cleaning kit so you can keep your kitchen looking like new after each cooking session.

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The kit comes with a 10-ounce bottle of Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner, one cleaning pad, and one scraper.

Promising review: "I tried EVERYTHING for two years to get the ring of baked-on grime off of our stovetop. Nothing worked. I figured I’d give this product a go since the kit was just $10. IT’S AMAZING. A little scrape with the razor and a few scrubs with the cleaner and pad. BOOM! Nasty rings around the burners are GONE!" —OperaDiva

Get it from Amazon for $11.03+ (available in two kit options).

11. A tiny cast-iron skillet — yup, like the larger, battle-tested one your grandmother prob cooked dang near everything in growing up. Its tiny twin will be the perfect size for frying an egg and making yummy individual cookies, brownies, or cornbread cakes.

Amazon

It's only 3.5 inches so it won't take up much space and you'll be done making tasty treats in no time. The skillet comes pre-seasoned with vegetable oil that'll release easily when it heats up. You'll also need a tiny spatula to flip stuff in this cute skillet but, hey, they make those.

Promising review: "I bought this on a whim because of its small size. After I got it, I was a bit shocked by just how small it was. However, I pushed on. I went ahead and seasoned it a couple of times (pre-seasoning is just the start of the process and not the endpoint...) and decided to fry an egg. The little pan worked great. I don't believe there is any spatula that would work with this but if you like your fried egg sunny side up you are golden. However, I like mine 'over easy.' That required a flip onto a plate and a slide back into the skillet. This worked great because the seasoning process had made it very nonstick. It was a pretty good fried egg. Perfect size for an Egg McMuffin. I find that each time I see this Lilliputian skillet on my stove, I giggle at how cute it is. It could be used as a spoon rest as well." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $8.10+ (also available in eight larger sizes) and the smaller spatula in a set for $9.86 (other cast iron skillet sizes also available).

12. A manual food chopper to break up ground meats, mash potatoes, or cut up hard-boiled eggs in the pan on the stove or in a bowl. This'll also cut out a few prep dishes so there will be less to wash. Uh-huh. PERFECT for anyone in your house who's quick to cook but slow to wash dishes.

Amazon

This food chopper is made of food-safe nylon and has no sharp edges. It's safe to use with nonstick cookware.

Promising review: "The Chopper breaks up ground beef, turkey, etc., much more efficiently than can be done with a spatula or turner. I don't normally purchase incredibly specialized utensils if I can get by without them, however, I think this chopper is worth the money because it saves time and makes cooking easier." —Karen

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two colors).

13. A digital meat thermometer so you always know when the meat is done and you can stop ~beefing~ with under- and over-cooked food. It's foldable and designed with a magnet so you can stick it right on your fridge and easily find it later.

amazon.com, amazon.com

It's designed to work for foods from the grill or the stove and it'll read the temperature within two to three seconds! The thermometer will also hold the temperature reading even when you pull it from the meat so you don't have to stick your face in heat to read it. It's also available with a one- or three-year warranty.

Promising review: "I have not had much success with instant-read thermometers. Chicken is always hard for me to judge when done and I am tired of it being overcooked. I used two other thermometers prior to the ThermoPro and wasn't happy with either. One thermometer's temperature went up, then down, and then back up even though I held it steady in one position. Admittedly, I did not purchase any over $25, but still... Lo and behold, the Thermopro+ TP18 popped up, complete with good reviews, and a reasonable price. It is faster than my others. After doing the ice water test and checking the room temperature (just a little over one degree off on the ice water and spot-on for the room temp), I feel I finally have an instant-read thermometer that I can trust. I don't really need to touch the power button for it to turn on; it usually comes on when I take it off the refrigerator. I love the convenience of having a magnet on the back. And, btw, the customer service is quite helpful and quick to respond to questions." —D. Kaiser

Get it from Amazon for $21.99.

14. A heat-resistant cover set to prevent food explosions in the microwave and boil-overs on the stove. They'll also work as a cover to store leftovers.

amazon.com

Promising review: "These covers have FAR exceeded my expectations! My family is pretty bad with covering things in the microwave and plastic wrap melts, even if they bother to use it, so I bought these thinking that they would be a good alternative for the microwave. They are awesome! Not only does my family actually USE them, but I am also using them quite often instead of plastic wrap. They work easily and are super durable and long-lasting. The set includes a great variety of sizes. Even the smallest one is great for keeping the cat's head out of our drinks!" —Catwoman1105

Get it from Amazon for $16.94 (available in a set of five).

15. Color-coded cutting board mats that'll keep foods separated that can contaminate each other (i.e. raw meats away from veggies, please).

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There are four cutting boards in different colors and they're also labeled with a small graphic that shows what to cook on what board. Several reviewers also noted that they're easy to clean so everyone in your home should be able to use these to keep the food safe and then clean them right after use.

Promising review: "I purchased these cutting mats because they seemed to be so much more sanitary than the cutting boards. They are so easy to wash and I feel much better about putting food on them. They are also color-coordinated by food groups and we love that!!!! I initially bought them to use for making baby food but my husband loved them so much he decided to use them to prepare our food. We will buy another set!!! It also came with a cookbook which I will definitely be using!!! This is an amazing product and I would recommend it to everyone!!!" —Kay

Get the set of four for $14.99.

16. A food processor to cut, slice, dice, crinkle, mince, or puree whatever you need. This baby will make hummus, peanut butter, pesto, veggie burger "meat" (🍔 ahead), and more. It might even autopay your bills but don't hold me to that one.

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Promising review: "I never owned a food processor before and boy was I in for a treat. This thing works so fast and it's precise. I've used it to make bean burgers, veggie fritters, guacamole, parm/walnut cheese, and DIY mango butter. I use it a lot for quick chops... I like the easy cleaning and storage. It is a nice-sized processor so you have room to store it in a pantry or under a cabinet." —L. Quinn

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two sizes).

17. A set of spices in case you get stuck on how to ~spice~ up the new meals you try and go beyond your traditional palate.

amazon.com

You get to choose between five sets of spices which are grilling, hot & spicy, keto, seasoned sea salts, and smoked spices. BuzzFeed editor Kayla Suazo had this to say about how perfect these spices were for her dad:

"I got this for my dad for his birthday and he always calls me after dinner to tell me he used one of these spices. It's honestly the sweetest. And if you aren't sold on this one, in particular, there are other spice sets available: Hot and spicy, seasoned sea salts, all-star BBQ, keto grilling, smoked, and maple southwest. *Starts drooling.*"

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in seven different sets).

18. Chocolate maple pretzel peanut butter spread should you forget to make dessert and want to transform a dinner roll into something sweet. BTW, it's gluten-free!

Amazon

Here's what BuzzFeed editor AnaMaria Glavan had to say about its nutty goodness:

"I eat the mocha cappuccino flavor every morning and OH MY HEAVENS, I've never known such deliciousness."

Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (also available in a ton of different flavors of peanut, almond, and hazelnut-based spreads).

19. A NutriBullet blender to whip up meal replacement smoothies, shakes, and more.

Amazon

It comes with the motor base, an extractor blade, a milling blade, three cups of different sizes, one cup ring, another cup ring with a handle, re-sealable lids, and a recipe book!

Promising review: "I absolutely love this thing. I'm a big fan of juicing but the ordeal of cleaning the juicer that I bought was getting time-consuming. With this, I can blend up just about anything. And from what I can see, I get a lot more from it. I can also use this as a blender to make smoothies or grind coffee beans. I've been making my own homemade nut butter and nut milk. I've also made my own hummus! Forget all of your other products! This is the way to go. For a single person, this makes all the difference in the world. It's extremely easy to clean and I'm able to make two or three things at a time which allows me to have my juices for the whole day." —Olexia S.

Get it from Amazon for $49.88+ (available in two colors).

20. A can colander for straining your canned foods ~without~ losing one pea, piece of corn, or any other scrumptious thing down the drain with the excess juice. Just snap it on the can and get to pouring. The process is quick and the colander is dishwasher-friendly!

Amazon

Promising review: "It sounds silly but this little guy is truly a game-changer. I have been using the top of the can to strain the water out of my tuna for years. I never thought of ever considering an alternative until I came across this on Amazon. It really is a time-saver and very convenient. It fits perfectly nice and snug in 5-ounce tuna cans. The strainer is easy to clean and seems pretty durable as well. Just rinse off with water and pat dry." —Studiotime

Get it from Amazon for $6.24.

21. A handheld veggie slicer to get your veggie noodle dishes in a ~slash~! It has dual stainless-steel cutting blades so you can make thick or thin pasta strands out of your favorite vegetables.

Amazon

Promising review: "What a fantastic kitchen widget! I actually have a large spiralizer and never use it because it is a pain to get out and clean. I saw this and bought it and couldn't be happier. It's easy to use and easy to clean if you rinse and clean right away. The small and compact size makes this easy to store without taking up tons of space! The option for two different sizes of noodles is a nice feature!" —Jamie E.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

22. A microwave pasta cooker because sure, you can give up ramen for a bit but that doesn't mean you have to let go of noodles entirely, right? This'll make non-sticky al dente pasta in 15 minutes or less. Yay 🍝!

Amazon

The top has holes to help you measure a serving size. One serving size takes about 12 to 13 minutes.

Promising review: "This product is incredible. I had my doubts about it because I am picky about my pasta. After the first use, my doubts were erased. It cooks pasta every bit as well as the traditional stovetop method, but doesn't waste as much water or heat up your kitchen. I can now enjoy pasta dishes in the middle of summer without heating up my whole house. Plus, clean up is a breeze because of its size and light weight. The included cooking guide is very accurate, although you may need to experiment with cooking times for more 'exotic' types of pasta. But the bottom line is that this thing WORKS and is well worth the money." —B. Hecker
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

23. Mike's Hot Honey for anyone who a) loves eating and b) loves drizzling good stuff on what they love eating. This honey will bring the spicy-sweetness to ice cream, chicken and waffles, cocktails, and more! If you've grown bored with your go-to comfort foods, this hot stuff is the perfect way to turn the heat up on your meals.

Amazon

Promising review: "When I accidentally discovered Mike's Hot Honey, I thought it was going to be another one of those spur-of-the-moment impulsive buys that would sit on the pantry shelf until it met its demise into the trash can... BUT... This one will clearly be a staple on most of my family's food. Even the kids loved it. I don't know who you are Mike but thank you for creating this wonder Hot Honey!" —Bijou's Collectibles

Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in different quantities).

24. A genius egg cooker that can make six hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached eggs, or omelets in under 10 minutes. It comes with a poaching tray, measuring cup, omelet tray, and a six-egg holding tray. The cooker also has a timer, an auto-shutoff function, and will play a cool tune when the eggs are ready so you don't have to stand over the stove in fear of overcooking them.

Amazon, BuzzFeed / Marquaysa

Listen, I bought this about two weeks into my quarantine life because I needed to have better measures in place to make sure I ate breakfast every single day, even when I didn't feel like cooking. This egg maker is literally my favorite, favorite thing in my house right now. I bought it thinking I'd just resort to using it on days when I was feeling really lazy. Instead, I pretty much use it every single day. It's fast, easy, and my eggs are properly cooked. I could sing this thing's praises one thousand times over. I sent my best friend the photo here and she bought one too! I'll vouch for this thing forever.

Promising review: "It's super easy to use and then just walk away. I love not having to wonder if the eggs are ready or not. It has different settings depending on how you would like them cooked. Would totally buy this again!" —Snorkelmom

Get it on Amazon for $17.67+ (available in four colors).

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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