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1. A high-quality Always Pan for cooking up your favorite foods and then cleaning everything up afterwards with ease.
This features a nontoxic, nonstick ceramic coating. Plus, it's dishwasher-safe!
Promising review: "It's one of those things you can just hold in your hands and know is high-quality. This gorgeous pan isn't just all looks: It heats up quickly, comes with a cool metal strainer, and has a spot for a nesting beechwood spatula. I've never owned a pan that cleaned up so easily. Seriously, just one swipe of the sponge and it's sparkly and new again. I use it for pretty much every meal and wow, I love it so much."—Bek O'Connell
Get it from Our Place for $116 (originally $145; available in eight colors).
Read Always Pan review for more deets.
2. A sous vide cooker to help you make restaurant-worthy meals with minimal effort. So minimal you don't even have to be in the kitchen while your food is cooking. I'm not kidding.
The temperature range is 32–197 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooker can be controlled right from your phone, so you don't even have to stay in the kitchen while cooking. It also provides cooking notifications, and stays connected through Bluetooth from up to 30 feet away. Plus, you get access to over 1,000 recipes, so you'll have inspiration for yummy meals! Get the Anova app here.
Promising review: "Since I started cooking sous vide, my family says my cooking has gone to a new level. I started with the original Anova, and just recently picked up this Nano. The Nano is awesome because it's much smaller compared to the first Anova, making it easier to store in a drawer. It sounds trivial but by making it easier to grab I'm more likely to use it compared to the Anova, which I kept in a special case in the pantry. Setup is so much quicker, and I can cook a beef roast for 30 hours without adding ANY water. If you're just starting out in sous vide, I recommend this cooker." —Jeff Nichols
Get it from Amazon for $109.99+ (available in two styles).
3. An Instant Pot that'll pretty much become your new favorite gadget. This thing is a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a rice cooker, a steamer, a sauté-r, a yogurt maker, and a warmer all in ONE.
It can prepare food up to 70% faster than other methods. It can keep food warm automatically for up to 10 hours, and there are three temperatures for sautéing and slow-cooking. The inner cooking pot, lid, and steam-rack are dishwasher-safe! Check out Instant Pot review for more deets!
Promising review: "This is quite possibly the coolest, most versatile kitchen gadget I’ve ever owned. I love it so much that I’ve purchased two more for friends and relatives. What can it do? I think the real question is 'What can’t it do?' I truly believe you could replace every cooking appliance (including your oven and stove top) and do EVERYTHING in the Instant Pot. I purchased two sizes for my own use: the 3-quart (which is my almost-every-day workhorse for two person dishes) and the 8-quart (which I bring out to handle my dinner party dishes). Everything I’ve tried has been fabulous. In the realm of kitchen appliances, there is no better investment than the Instant Pot. Highly recommended!!!" —Stereoman
Get it from Amazon for $49.61+ (available in three sizes).
4. A griddler so you can grill meat and veggies, or whip up a panini or grilled cheese without having to turn on a stove or a barbecue.
This handy gadget works as a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/half griddle! It comes with removable and reversible nonstick cooking plates that are dishwasher-safe!
Promising review: "I used it for the first time today to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Yes, I'm so lazy I didn't want to make it on the stove and have to flip the sandwich over. It was outstanding — pepper jack cheese, bacon, and jalapeño slices — and the cleanup was simple. The cheese had bubbled out of the sandwich onto the plates and it wiped up easily. I probably won't put the plates in the dishwasher, but the fact that they're removable will make them easier to clean than my Foreman grill. I can wash them in the sink and they dry quickly and easily." —Gin Snob
Get it from Amazon for $99.95.
5. A set of Mickey and Minnie kitchen canisters for storing tea, coffee, sugar, and cookies in the cutest way possible. Your kitchen is about to become the most magical place on Earth!
Glamjar is a small business based in Barnsley, United Kingdom and sells a cute variety of kitchen canisters, homewares, and garden ornaments.
Promising review: "Ordered these jars to add a bit of Disney to the kitchen and these are perfect way to do that." —Sasha Fletcher
Get a set of three 1-liter jars from Glamjar on Etsy for $150.04+ (available in larger sets).
6. An automatic spice grinder so you can grind up herbs and spices and season your food with just the simple push of a button. Yes, it's really that easy.
Promising review: "I just got one of these snazzy kitchen gadgets, and now every time I use it I think to myself, 'How was I living life before this thing?!' It finely grinds salt down to that nice flaky texture, and then easy pops out the pod if I want to use pepper. I even got a different type of pod ideal for more oily spices (think mustard or flax seed). Now I am looking for reasons to use this thing... Salt on cake???" —Kayla Suazo
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in two colors, comes with grinder and three interchangeable pods).
7. A basket that makes an ideal spot for those little things things we typically end up leaving strewn around our kitchen (like keys, cash, hair ties, and the list can go on). You can even use it as a fruit basket. Whatever floats your boat!
This fabulous Black-owned business originally started as a blog, and is now a wonderful store for buying beautiful bohemian decorative pieces. And guess what? Every time you make a purchase from Jungalow, they plant at least two trees! Be sure to check out everything Jungalow has to offer here.
Get it from Jungalow for $79.
8. A storage cabinet you can hang behind your door so you efficiently use every open space in your home.
It features eight shelves and is super easy to mount on door hinges.
Promising review: "Put it together easily and mounted on the door hinges with very little effort. Holds most of our spices/condiments. Looks really good on the kitchen door and the magnetic latch does a good job holding it closed." —Earl and Karen
Get it from Amazon for $219.99.
9. An automatic bread maker to churn out delectable breads, cakes, and jams so yummy, the little cafe in town might come to your house for a treat.
This machine has 12 settings: French, quick bread (no yeast), sweet, 1.5-pound express, 2-pound express, dough, jam, cake, whole grain, and bake. It allows you to select your loaf size and between a light, medium, or dark crust setting. Includes an interior pan and two kneading paddles that are all dishwasher-safe!
Promising review: "The machine is perfect!!!!. I already made two loaves of bread yesterday and am getting ready to make another loaf today. If you are lazy like me and would rather put all the ingredients into a machine and let it do all the work, this is the bread maker for you." —Pam Charmley
Get it from Amazon for $69.99.
10. A Dash air fryer that'll have you enjoying "fried" versions of all your favorite foods, minus all the oils.
Features a six quart capacity fryer basket, and an auto-shutoff function to prevent overcooking. All nonelectric parts are dishwasher-safe!
Promising review: "I was very glad to join the air fry bandwagon with this Dash air fryer. I have mostly used it for frozen foods such as egg rolls, chicken tenders, and fish fillets so far. I use parchment paper to help with the clean-up. In some cases it comes out better with no oil at all. Definitely a more nutritious cooking alternative!" —Michael from San Diego
Get it from Amazon for $99.99 (available in five colors).
11. A stainless-steel cookware set perfect to get if you're in the market for a first-time set, or looking to upgrade a current set with something better.
All of the cookware is dishwasher-safe, oven-safe in temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and broiler-safe. This set includes: a 1.5-quart saucepan with a cover, a 3-quart saucepan with a cover, a 3.5-quart sauté pan with a helper handle and cover, an 8-quart stockpot with a cover, an 8-inch skillet, a 10-inch skillet, and a 20-centimeter steamer insert with a cover.
Promising review: "I've been using these for three years now, and they are as good as new. We use the frying pan every single day and the pots at least weekly. They get a lot of use but we take good care of them. We avoid using metal on these and only use soft sponges to hand wash. When junk gets stuck on them (oil stains, burnt food...) we use a little Bar Keeper's Friend and they are as good as new. Beautiful set!" —Hall Family
Get a 12-piece set from Amazon for $229.
12. A personalized charcuterie board that'll make a welcome addition at your next wine-and-cheese night. I'm willing to bet the first topic of conversation will be everyone asking where you got this board.
Left Coast Original is a small business based in Largo, Florida that sells a variety of personalized heirloom pieces like leather passport covers, dog collars, convertible leather backpacks, brunch boards, and more!
Promising review: "This charcuterie board is perfect! Such nice personalization, and the seller took into account the revisions/requests I made that were a little bit different than the standard options. Highly recommend!" —Paige Della Badia
Get it from Left Coast Original on Etsy for $59.39+ (available in three finishes and two sizes).
13. A roasting pan because it ensures your food is evenly cooked throughout. We all know how annoying it is to take roasted veggies out of the oven to find some are perfectly cooked while others are over- and undercooked.
Promising review: "I'm not a chef by any means, so naturally I had my seasoned professional cook of a dad try this bad boy out for me. After whipping up some roasted veggies in it to go along with a steak dinner, we declared this roasting pan a winner. It's sturdy, everything cooked evenly, and it will easily become a staple in the kitchen." —Heather Braga, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from 360 Cookware for $179.
14. An espresso machine that'll help you say goodbye to the days of waiting on the drive-thru line for an overpriced coffee drink. Yes, this machine comes with a big price tag, but it'll pay for itself over time. You'll finally be making drinks you enjoy right from the comfort of home.
Let's just say you were buying speciality coffee drinks every. single. day. from a coffee shop for $2/cup (which, let's be real, you most likely spend more than that). In a matter of a year, you would be paying more for those coffee drinks (plus the price of gas to/from) than you would for this machine. So this is an investment that will definitely pay off in the long run.
Promising review: "IMHO, the Breville Barista Express is phenomenal. I was a barista for a few years and I was used to working with a top-notch machine, and this is pretty darn close to being just as good. As someone who drinks lattes daily, I've saved SO much money by investing in this. I use these espresso beans from a small upstate New York business called SPoT Coffee and get delectably rich and smooth shots of espresso every time." —Brittany Gibson, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Amazon for $649.95 (available in two colors).
15. A personalized recipe binder so you can start an awesome project of compiling your delicious recipes into your very own cookbook. Eventually you can pass the binder down to future generations or share it with loved ones who would enjoy re-creating the delicious things you've learned to concoct over the years.
Design By Nay is a small business that sells that sells personalized recipe binders, recipe cards, and more!
Promising review: "I just received my binders. I am so impressed with them. What a great idea. It’s a really great personal touch for a kitchen for yourself or to give as a gift. The quality of the binders are excellent. I’m excited about starting this project. I would order from this company again." —Jennifer Badgley
Get it from Design By Nay on Etsy for $50 (available in 11 colors).
16. A personalized cutting board you may opt to get customized with a recipe of your choosing! It's the perfect way to meal prep, add a special touch to your kitchen, and have a cheat sheet at your disposal!
To place your order, take a photo of your recipe (or whatever it is you may want to get engraved, be sure to follow the instructions on the product page for more info!), and send your photo via Etsy Conversations or e-mail to the provided address on the product listing page with your name and order # as the subject line. Morning Joy Co. is a Black-owned Etsy shop that specializes in custom laser-cut and engraved home decor. Currently, their shop has just these cutting boards listed, but be sure to follow and turn on their Instagram notifications for future shop updates!
Promising review: "This shop has wonderful customer service. They sent a proof and photos showing each step of my order and they were able to lay out the custom engraving exactly how I wanted it. The cutting board is perfect and it made a wonderful gift! I highly recommend this shop." —Ashton
Get it from Morning Joy Co. on Etsy for $49+ (available as either one-sided or two-sided, as well as a no engraving options and three finishes).
17. A coffee grinder that's truly worth its hefty price tag. Sure, you could buy one that's cheaper, but reviewers say you'll really get your money's worth with this bb. It'll grind your favorite beans effortlessly so you can spend less time making coffee and more time drinking it.
Promising review: I bought this for my BF a year or two ago and honestly, I think I'm the third wheel now. He uses it every morning and it's like a religious experience. He weighs his beans, pours them in, grinds, and still oohs and awws over his coffee. He is the literal human embodiment of those T-shirts that say 'Don't talk to me before I've had my morning coffee!' so I don't take his review lightly." —Chelsea Stuart, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Amazon for $169.95 (available in two colors).
18. A fancy schmancy pizza oven to turn pizza night into a fun activity with your loved ones. Everyone can make their own personal pie which means no arguments over which toppings to order!
Promising review: "My family and I used this pizza oven for the first time on Mother's Day and it was a huge hit! It gets *extremely* hot very quickly. We made four pizzas the first time we tried it and each one got better as we went — practice makes perfect! We picked up dough and cheese from our local supermarket and made our own sauce for a little extra homemade touch. Can't wait to use it again!" —Heather Braga, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Williams Sonoma for $599.95.
19. And if the weather doesn't permit an outdoor pizza night, this indoor pizza oven will be just as fun to use!
Promising review: "During the pandemic we stopped eating out — our favorite thing was to get a pizza and have some wine. We LOVE this pizza oven. It cooks pizza entirely different than our normal oven, it takes it to restaurant level — crispy crust, golden cheese, piping hot to perfection. The only thing we wondered is why we didn't get this sooner?! Its AMAZING!!!!!!!!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $159.95.
20. A non-stick sectioned skillet for making all the different components of your meal in one convenient place, all on the same stove burner. My apologies to all of your other pans now feeling left out and under-appreciated.
This features five compartments. It only requires one burner, and it's non-stick and stain-resistant. Plus, it features double layer non-stick coating that is PFOA-free. It's both oven- and dishwasher-safe.
Promising review: "Now that I have cooked a few meals with this pan, I can honestly say that I will no longer be needing all my other pans. It just does it all. Cooking multiple ingredients at the same time and then infusing them together to mix the flavors is something that I have never been able to do before. Keep the pan at a medium heat to always get the best cook, because foods cook differently, and you can take your time in preparing your meal. I recommend this to pretty much anyone that likes to cook and mostly to the ones that dread it!" —Dan S
Get it from Amazon for $57.37.
21. A foolproof blender so you can whip up sauces, milkshakes, and smoothies (that are actually thick) without having to worry about taking up precious counter space. Plus, it looks pretty! Gotta love an aesthetic kitchen gadget.
Plus, the blending vessel can be used as a cup and comes with a lid perfect for bringing your frozen bev on-the-go!
Promising review: "This thing *lives* on my counter, and I don't mind it taking up the (admittedly small) space at all, because it's that dang stylish — AND I use it truly allllllll the time! The controls are super intuitive for my pre-caffeine morning brain. When you twist the blender jar in, the yellow indicator light turns white, which indicates it's locked and ready to use. Just press to pulse, or press and hold for *just one second* to start a 60-second automatic blend. I like my smoothies tttthhiiiiiiicccckkkkk (when I go out for a smoothie, ordering extra thick is the way to go), and I've been able to make deliciously creamy, not juice-like smoothies EVERY DANG TIME. And cleanup is incredibly easy. Just rinse the blade base with soapy water (or a quick dish sponge scrub for stubborn ingredients), wipe down the blender base as needed, and alllll the other parts are dishwasher-safe. Style AND function? Dreams really do come true." —Maitland Quitmeyer, BuzzFeed Editor
Get it from Amazon for $155 (available in two colors).
For more info, check out the rest of Maitland's Beast Blender review.
22. A stainless-steel 5-quart wok that'll make prepping large meals and one-pot recipes an easy breezy task.
This wok features ergonomic handles and a "stay cool" long handle (because burning your hands while cooking = extremely uncool). This is also oven-safe in temps of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's perfect for those "transfer from stove to oven" recipes you have saved!
Promising review: "This is such a great piece of cookware. As I transition from my College Cookware — yeah, like the pots and pans I've been using since college living — I've noticed the difference in investing in good quality kitchenware. You get that with 360 Cookware. This stainless steel wok has become my trusty companion when cooking up yummy dinners — and it's large enough to ensure I will have leftovers for the next day. It's been perfect for my new WFH/eat every meal at home lifestyle I've grown accustomed to the past year." —Kayla Suazo
Get it from 360 Cookware for $289.
23. A frozen drink maker so you can whip up not one, not two, but THREE refreshing cocktails at the same time. Margaritas, daiquiris, coladas — I'll take one of each.
Promising review: "I'll have to give this blender an extra star for the cool factor. We love to have friends over and make frozen drinks. We enjoy watching friends' reactions as the blender automatically shaves the ice, then rotates to the next pitcher, and blends the various drinks. I was also impressed with the blender's looks and construction. No cheap plastic here. It's beautiful and heavy-duty. Well worth the price. It looks great on our counter." —Gerald E. Paradise Jr.
Get it from Amazon for $559.99.
24. A splurge-worthy cookware set that'll finally make your kitchen feels like it belongs to a real adult. We're talking non-stick pieces that won't get ruined when you've burned your food, pots and pans that are ~actually~ easy to clean, and storage to keep your new kitchenware tidy and organized in your cabinets.
This set comes with a 10.5 inch fry pan, a 3 quart sauce pan and lid, a 4.5 quart sauté pan and a lid, a 6.5 quart Dutch oven and a lid, and storage for the pans and lids. This cookware set is safe to use on induction, gas, and electric stovetops, is oven safe in temps of up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, made with non-toxic coating, and features non-stick ceramic an aluminum core, and stainless steel handles.
Promising review: "These nonstick pans are unlike any cookware out there. Yeah yeah, I know, I am sure you've read something similar about some other pot — but when I say I think there was sorcery involved in creating these, I mean it! For starters, how dare they create a system with storage needs! in! mind! The set comes with a strong-as-heck lid organizer that sticks to the cabinet. There are three pockets for the accompanying lids that conveniently slide right in. Like, who knows what to do with lids?! They take up so much unnecessary space, but with the Caraway set, they can just hang out on the cabinet door. The set also includes four MAGNETIC pan racks that stick together and hold each pan up, keeping them safe from scratches. Amazing. These are the things that get my adult blood flowing.
Now...moving on to my favorite part of these bad boys. The ceramic coating is made with a nontoxic, mineral-based coating so your food doesn't soak up any toxins during cooking. Although, I am pretty sure it's actually made with magic, because literally nothing sticks to these pans. Really — I've cooked in these countless times, making a variety of different dishes, and no food has ever gotten stuck or burnt on.
I could go on and on about the wonders of this beautiful pan set, but I will just leave you with this: If you're in the market for a new set, consider Caraway. While it is on the pricier side, their high-quality, nontoxic pans and storage system make it worth every. single. penny." —Kayla Suazo
For more info, check out the rest of Kayla's review here.
Get it from Caraway for $395 (available in nine colors).
25. A set of reusable silicone food storage bags and containers so you can wave adios to wasteful plastic alternatives.
This set comes with a small dish, medium dish, large dish, small cup, medium cup, large cup, sandwich bag, and snack bag.
Promising review: "If you're looking for a set of reusable bags to reduce your waste, look no further. This set is just about perfect. The eight-piece full set comes with cups (with circular flat bottoms), dishes (with elongated flat bottoms) and bags (for easy taking to-go without taking up a bunch of room). They're airtight, and just EASY PEASY to use — aka I don't have to track down a matching lid. Half-eaten oranges, leftover crepe batter, granola, all live handily in these pretty lavender containers. The pointed sides make for effortless pouring — everything from shaking granola into my morning yogurt to dispensing thin crepe batter into a pan for a weekend breakfast.
They're dishwasher-safe (on the top AND bottom racks), freezer-safe, AND microwave safe, so you can truly say goodbye forever to disposable bags. They haven't retained any sorts of staining or smells and wash up beautifully. At just over $11 a pop when you break it down, they're not *cheap* but when you add up box after box after box of plastic bags, you'll make up for the cost in no time flat. I haven't been ~on the go~ much in the past year (🙃), but when I do I'll definitely use these to bring snacks to the office. And they come in pretty pastel colors that personally just make me happy to look at in my fridge." —Maitland Quitmeyer, BuzzFeed Editor
Get a set of eight from Amazon for $71.99 (available in five colors, plus individually and in smaller sets).
26. A high-quality knife set for seamlessly cutting through a variety of foods with ease. These babies will seriously make you wonder how you ever settled for anything less when it comes to meal prep.
The three-piece set comes with a chef's knife, a serrated knife, and a paring knife. The five-piece set comes with all of those plus a santoku knife and a utility knife. The seven-piece set comes with everything in the five-piece set plus kitchen shears and a knife storage block in walnut.
Promising review: "I am (I mean, I WAS!) one of those late twenty-year-olds still using the knives I bought in college from Ikea. Religiously. I didn't know the good life. I didn't know the world in which a knife could cut through veggies, meats, and other foods like absolute butter. I had been relying on a trusty knife sharpener to keep my cheap knives as sharp as they could be, but they didn't even come close to the Misen knives. These puppies cut through anything. Am I scared I will slice my finger off? Of course. But better than fighting a potato with a dull knife... I've been using them about a month, through many uses (I cook A LOT!) and washes, and they've held up well — no rusting or dulling. I only hand wash them, but even through the many cleanings, they are still as pristine as the day I opened them. I promise you, these will literally change your cooking life!" —Kayla Suazo
Get them from Misen for $150/three-piece set, $250/five-piece set, or $300/seven-piece set (available in four colors).
27. A four-piece silicone baking set that'll transform your kitchen into the best bakery in town in no time at all. You're gonna love these useful and gorgeous pieces so much, you simply won't ever want to stop whipping up breads, cakes, pastries, and so much more delicious goodness.
The set comes with a bench scraper, two offset spatulas, and a pastry brush.
Promising review: "I've been a hobbyist baker for a while, so this isn't my first rodeo when it comes to testing baking tools, but these are each the Cadillac of their own tool category, and all for a wildly good price, if you ask me.
All of the tools feature silicone handles, so your hands won't slip and slide around even if they're covered in egg wash or butter (mmmmm butter). The offset spatulas are the perfect sizes for tasks large and small, and the ruler on the bench scraper is *chef's kiss* perfection. I reach for the brush, yes, for baking, but also any other kitchen tasks that require one. I've literally used this brush on chicken on the grill and it has survived.
These tools are workhorses. Some of the sturdiest I've ever used. Food52 easily could have made these ugly as sin and still had the best products on the market. But they made them absolutely gorgeous to boot! Even after relatively heavy use, the blue silicone looks clean and the gold accents look bright and shiny as ever. And that's after many a run through the dishwasher, because OH YEAH, they're dishwasher safe, too. Food52 you've done it again!" —Rachel Dunkel
Get it from Food52 for $49.
28. A duo pot/pan set complete with a 7-quart stainless steel wok/stockpot hybrid, a 12-inch stainless steel skillet, and one lid that perfectly fits both pieces. If you're someone with a small kitchen, this is a great safe-spacing option because the pot, pan, and lid are stackable!
These pieces are oven-safe in temps of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and are dishwasher-safe!
Promising review: "First off, this set is beautiful. It arrived in perfect condition. You can tell the pans are well-made based on the weight and seamless design. I love that the top fits on the pot and pan. Both products heated up food quickly and evenly. For reference, I have a gas stove. I like that the cookware doesn't have that weird nonstick coating but they are super easy to clean. All of my roommates have cooked in these, and none of us have *any* complaints. So far we've made meat sauce, risotto, and chicken. Based on my experience with these, I would definitely splurge on Proclamation Goods cookware in the future." —Christine Forbes
Get it from Proclamation Goods for $379.
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