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 snap-on silicone strainer for straining pasta, veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and more on your own with ease. It clips onto nearly any pot, big or small, so you don't lose any precious cargo when you dump out the water.
2. A microwave veggie steamer if you can't be bothered to boil a large pot of water just for your single serving of veggies. This steamer has a 2-cup capacity, so it's great for anyone who's cooking (or steaming) for one.
3. A heart-shaped mini waffle maker so you can whip up juuust enough waffles for one (because you know you're not going to eat soggy leftover waffles). This lil' gadget weighs less than a pound, heats up in minutes, and also works with chaffles (low-carb cheese and egg waffles), paninis, hash browns, and even biscuit pizzas.
4. A 7-in-1 Instant Pot that'll whip you up dinner (and plenty of leftovers) without you having to dirty every pot and pan you own. The 3-quart option is great for people who live on their own.
5. The ~Guac-Lock~ because you love guac but know that you won't finish the whole avocado by yourself. This container pushes out the air that causes your avos to oxidize so you can enjoy guac and mashed avocados for toast for days without browning.
6. A pack of reusable toaster bags to help you satisfy your 2 a.m. cravings for a grilled cheese without you ever having to grease up a pan for a single sandwich.
7. A variety pack of A Dozen Cousins ready-to-eat seasoned beans for those nights when you need a quick, easy meal. Just pop them in the microwave, and they're ready in 60 seconds. Or, use them to zhuzh up leftovers so you can finally clear some fridge space.
8. Or a Fresh & Ready Sun Basket meal kit if you're looking for maximum taste with minimum effort required on your part. Just pop your meal in the oven, and your Instagram-ready dish will be finished in no time.
9. A dishwasher-safe personal blender so you're not dirtying a huge blender when you make your daily morning smoothie.
10. A truly ~egg-celent~ rapid egg cooker that'll whip you up your very own omelette (or soft-, medium-, or hard-boiled eggs as well as poached eggies) without you ever having to dirty a pan. Reviewers even use it to steam frozen dumplings!
11. A George Foreman grill with removable grilling plates you can toss in the dishwasher when you're done, because sometimes you want that delicious, toasty char you get from a grill but can't be bothered to actually get the full-sized grill going for one sandwich.
12. A sleek and compact air fryer to help you fry your favorite foods — like chicken wings, fries, tofu, and salmon — without much counter space or effort.
13. A Souper Cube, a silicone freezing tray for storing perfectly portioned meals for one. Prep a recipe ahead of time and freeze them in these trays so you can quickly grab them as needed and defrost them for an easy meal.
14. A rapid ramen cooker from Shark Tank if you want noodles — and you want them now! — but don't want to bother finding a clean pot, boiling the water, cleaning said pot, etc.
15. A sandwich bag holder so you can transport your food without spilling half of it on the counter. We recommend these reusable silicone bags if you're trying to reduce your plastic use.
16. A cold brew maker that'll come in handy if coffee is your lifeblood and you need at least three cups to get anything done.
17. A manual food chopper because it can slice and dice fruits, veggies, herbs, boneless meats, and ice with ease *and* without taking up a lot of space on your counters or hurting your ears with its shrieking mechanical whirring.
18. A microwave pasta cooker to save the day when you want soft, cheesy, noodly carbs but don't want the hassle of boiling water, cleaning a giant pot, and struggling to strain your noods without spilling hot water everywhere.
19. A mini 5-inch Lodge cast-iron skillet for when you want personal-sized versions of all your favorite cast-iron skillet recipes.
20. A divided nonstick pan if you want to make a meal with minimal mess. It has room for your main course and sides and does the job of multiple pans.
21. A single-serve coffee maker so you never make too much coffee (because yes, there is a such thing as too much coffee).
22. A cooking-for-one cookbook with 175 recipes that'll make you drool (umm, lemon blueberry scones and tomato bisque? Yes, please!) *and* inspire you to upgrade your meals. It also teaches you how to reduce your food waste and source single servings of fresh ingredients among other things so you can save time, money, and the environment.
23. A 5-in-1 wine stopper because there's nothing worse than having to toss an almost-full bottle because a recipe only called for 1/3 cup of white wine for deglazing. Just pop this on (it's also an aerator, stopper, pourer, filter, and re-corker), and your open bottle of wine will be good to drink tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day.
24. A meal planner to help you outline dinners for the week. When you live with other people, it's easy to remember that you have to plan meals, but when you live alone or cook for one, you can quickly into the expensive habit of just ordering out. This will help you save money and actually put together meals for the week.
25. A Potato Express, a microwaveable bag for perfectly cooking your tater instead of making your kitchen unbearably hot for just one baked potato. It's also great for reheating old bread, tortillas, and corn on the cob.
26. A set of produce storage containers if you're tired of your fruits and veggies going bad approximately two seconds after you buy them. Your meals for one will taste better because you're cooking with produce that's still at peak freshness instead of soggy and overripe.
Even if you're alone and cooking for one, you can still imagine there's a little rat in your hat controlling your movements!
