1. A versatile veggie chopper that'll help you prep (and clean up!) with speed that feels downright magical. The interchangeable blades just pop out, then throw them right into the dishwasher.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. This requires very little effort to cut through the food, and it has a generous container." —Amazon Customer 

Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in four styles and colors).

2. A modern knife blockyou can get in a breezy coastal green and treat your countertops to a surprisingly practical centerpiece. The five stainless steel knives are nestled in an ash wood block, helping them stay sharp and easily accessible. Whether you're looking for your first set of knives or are a cooking pro in need of an upgrade, these can make all the difference in your kitchen.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

The set includes a 6” chef knife, 5.5" Santoku knife, 6" bread knife, 4.5" utility knife, and a 3.5" paring knife.

Promising review: "These are so pretty and functional. The packaging was beautiful. Truly timeless appearance. I picked the blush pink set. I love that the knives are of good quality and easy to use. Space-saving, which I love. I hated getting rid of the box; that’s how pretty it was. It was blush pink and had such a pretty interior. The knives are thick and very sharp. I love that they are very practical and functional while having a beautiful appearance all at the same time. Definitely worth the price. Really worth it." —Shan

Get it from Amazon for $199 (available in three colors).

3. A splurge-worthy 12-piece Caraway cookware set— nonstick cookware with minimalist silhouettes sure to complement any kitchen. These work with induction, gas, and electric stove tops, they're all oven-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, are made with a nontoxic coating, and feature nonstick ceramic with an aluminum core and stainless-steel handles. Whew! Sorry for all that; I really got Caraway'd away! 

www.amazon.com

The set has 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. 

Promising review: "I absolutely love my Caraway cookware! They are so easy to clean, and the magnetic organizers are great for easy storage in kitchen cabinets. I love the hanging lid holder as it saves space and is super convenient (and renter-friendly with the adhesive hooks). The only thing I would mention is that they are not super lightweight. Otherwise, they are superb quality, nontoxic, nonstick, and beautiful!" —Rachel

Get it from Amazon for $445+ (available in eight colors).

4. An inconspicuous jar opener, because you're not gonna let arthritis or poor upper body strength get in the way of your pasta puttanesca night. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I bought this last year and have used it many times on many different lids, even use it to open gallon milk jugs when those pesky plastic attachments just won't seem to give. I haven't found anything that I try that won't open for me. No more banging on the counter, just hold it under my cabinet and slide it in the V-shaped opening, give it a little twist to open, hardly any effort at all. It was easy to attach under the cabinet. I put mine so the wide opening faces forward. I personally think every house should have one of these." —Addie

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

5. A stuffed waffle maker — this applause-worthy appliance is designed with a deep, bowl-like griddle that allows you to cook the batter with fillings (we're talking chocolate, fruit, cheese, meat... the works). Upgrade your morning routine from frozen waffles to a homemade meal that'll look straight off a "best of" brunch menu. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I bought this after I saw a video on TikTok, so I had an idea about the yummy waffles I could make. First waffles were stuffed with apple pie filling. Second ones scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese. Just amazing!!! The only way you could make this better is to send a chef!! I definitely recommend watching a video on TikTok or YouTube to inspire you before you start!!" —Adirondackdarling

Get it from Amazon for$49.99. 

6. A silicone bread maker, an inexpensive option that'll help you ~rise~ to the occasion whenever you want to bake a perfect loaf of bread. The partially closed design allows steam to circulate to keep your bread from drying out, while the openings on the side help heat disperse evenly, creating a golden crust.

Amazon

This is both microwave- and dishwasher-safe. It's capable of withstanding temperatures up to 428 degrees.

Promising review: "I love this. It's very easy to use and to clean. I have been trying to make fresh bread every week, and this is much easier than using my Dutch oven. I have been trying different recipes with this bread maker and so far all have come out great!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $27.95.

7. AKochblume spill stopper to keep meals from boiling over onto the stove by trapping excess foam and liquid. No more tossing a wooden spoon over your pasta, hoping it keeps the bubbles at bay! 

Amazon

Promising review: "Wow, wow, wow, I have no words to describe how great this product is. I'm a mom with a large family who cooks and bakes all the time, and there is never a time that something doesn't spill over, even when standing and watching the pot. With this, life has just gotten easy. I think I'm throwing out all my pot covers after using this." —Rackel

Get it from Amazon for $24 (available in three colors).

8. An air fryer (from the makers of the Instant Pot) so you can avoid cooking with hot oil and still make all your favorite fried foods. This even has a rotisserie feature so you can cook an ENTIRE chicken in one go!

Hannah Loewentheil / BuzzFeed, www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising reviews: "This is the best thing I’ve ever bought. Easy to use and clean." —Dean Cuba

"I'd been contemplating buying an air fryer for quite some time, but it wasn't until I found myself cooking every night with my family due to COVID-19 that I finally decided it was the right time to get one. Friends of mine were raving about their new Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer, so after reading similar feedback on Amazon, I decided it looked like a winner. And it happens to be made by the same company that makes the crowd-favorite Instant Pot. I figured I would be using this appliance primarily as air air fryer, but as an added bonus, it can also roast, broil, bake, re-heat, and dehydrate food.

I've had this air fryer for about three weeks now, and I can honestly say it's become the hero of my kitchen. It preheats quickly, it's large enough to a good amount of food at once, it's easy to clean, and it makes food taste crispy on the outside and moist on the inside without any oil. I've been using my air fryer to make vegetables just about every night and it makes them taste so good. If you're cooking for kids, picky eaters, or you just don't get so excited about eating vegetables, the air fryer could be perfect for you. If you like chicken, the air fryer might change your life, and I don't mean that to be dramatic. The air fryer produces restaurant-quality chicken that tastes absurdly decadent, except there's no oil involved in the cooking — just air. We also tried making sesame chicken in the air fryer using boneless skinless chicken thighs. The sesame chicken tasted almost identical to my favorite Chinese takeout, and it had nothing to do with my cooking skills. Thanks to the air fryer, the chicken gets so crispy. I couldn't believe I made this at home!!" —Hannah Loewentheil, BuzzFeed

Get it from Amazon for $119.99 (available in two sizes).

9. Or a counter space-friendly toaster oven/air fryer combo for folks who would gladly give up their fast food habit as long as they can still get their fry fix at home. This includes a fry basket, oven rack, and baking pan. Reviewers have made pizza, bread, cinnamon rolls, meatloaf, an entire chicken... the delicious list goes on.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "So happy with this little oven. Easy to use and keep clean. I have used it to toast, air fry, bake, and broil, and am completely satisfied. A lot cheaper than Ninja and for me, it does a better job." —Regina F.

Get it from Amazon for $122.95+ (available in two finishes).

10. A pair ofherb scissors sure to ~cut~ your prep time in half when chopping things like cilantro, parsley, and dill. 

Amazon

Promising review: "I like to grow herbs and use them in salads, soups, and many other recipes. I received these as a birthday gift and can't believe how fast and easy it is to cut up cilantro, basil, parsley, lovage, etc. My husband tried them today too for the first time while making guacamole, and found that slicing the cilantro went very quickly. The storage case is very efficiently designed, too. I ordered four of these sets to give as gifts." —Lucille P. Nawara

Get them from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four colors). 

11. A pastry tool you can use to divide dough, sure, but this is no one-use gadget. It's also designed with herb-stripping holes on top. And as an added bonus — there's a handy conversion chart right on the side!

Amazon

Promising review: "So I was skeptical, but I bought it because I thought it was cool to have the veggie/herb stripper and its width. What I didn't consider was the angle of it, that it's not just a straight cutter. I love to cook on my cast iron skillets and it has been AMAZING scraping while I cook with my Oxo skillet spatula. It's super easy to hold, and I'm able to scrape up hashbrowns (this morning) with ease with the angle. I've also chopped onions and nuts on the cutting board when I got lazy with the knife. I don't know about you, but I get slippery lizard fingers in the kitchen. I like the feel of the textured wood that doesn't slip out of my hand, not the cold, slick metal." —I Sing to Yahuah

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in two colors).

12. A retro stand mixer from Dash (that proudly boasts over 13,000 5-star reviews) — this six-speed mixer comes with a 3-quart bowl that's ready to take on all the cookie dough your heart desires. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I used to have a big KitchenAid version and actually prefer this one! It's much smaller and takes up less space, super powerful, easy to use and clean, and GORGEOUS. The vintage look can't be found anywhere else." —Vanessa

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in five colors).

13. A mini food processor so you can make sauces, dips, butters, and more from scratch. Don't feel like hand-chopping herbs? This thing can do that for ya, no problem! 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Great little food processor! I've made pesto and hummus with it so far, and I love it. I live alone, so the size is perfect for my needs. Makes several servings of whatever I'm making and comes with a few recipes in the instruction manual to get started." —Peter Tracy

Get it from Amazon for $39.95 (available in four colors).

14. A highly-rated blender with an 1800W motor that gives reviewers a little start when they realize just how powerful it is. Reviewers also say it's comparable to $400+ Vitamix options. So feel free to go wild with those organic kale bunches at the farmers market next week — you earned that smoothie money!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I have been using Vitamix for years, and I love how powerful it is to create a smoother texture of my juice. However, my Vitamix is old, and it’s time for a new one. A brand new Vitamix is super expensive, so I started searching for alternatives. A friend introduced this brand to me, and I just want to give it a try. Surprisingly, this one is as powerful as the Vitamix." —Yu-chieh Ying

Get it from Amazon for $74.99 (available in four colors).

15. An Instant Pot — a modern classic that can replace half your appliances and make full meals in minutes, saving you kitchen space *and* saving you money.

Amazon

Promising review: "My mama found herself needing this after a funeral when somehow she wound up hosting several guests from the funeral for lunch. She had no meat defrosted and had little time to spare. She had not used this before and she is not tech savvy at all. She did not have any directions whatsoever. But between my dad and her, they were able to cook a frozen (whole) turkey in minutes (and were able to figure out how to use it easily without killing themselves). This is a miracle machine! They were amazed at how brilliantly the turkey turned out. It was cooked perfectly!" —Southern Charm

Get it from Amazon for $79.95+ (available in three sizes).

16. Or an Our Place Dream Cookerthat's not just a pretty face. This *treasure* can slow cook, sear, saute, and pressure cook. Having one multi-use appliance can help keep your kitchen from feeling cluttered, encouraging you to cook more often because it's actually a NICE place to be. Dream Cooker? You're dreamy.

Our Place

The Dream Cooker includes a cooker base, locking lid, inner cooking pot, condensation collector, and detachable power cord. 

Promising review: "The Dream Cooker is so easy to use, and I was able to try a recipe that I had never made before. It was delicious and came together very quickly. Amazing for a new mama! Cleaning up the Dream Cooker is also easy and it can easily be stored on the counter or down below! The many features are explained in detail, and I was able to utilize each one seamlessly. Wonderful!" —Missy P. 

Get it from Our Place for $199 (available in four colors).

17. A digital food thermometer — it's gonna take the (terrifying) guess work out of preparing meat. It's always nice to know you won't be giving your guests salmonella when having a dinner party.

Amazon

Promising review: "This digital meat thermometer is the best I've ever had. I own others, but they are either too bulky to fit in the drawer or too hard to read. This one is small, lightweight, it's easy to pull out the probe, and very easy to read the temperature. I purchased several as stocking stuffers for Christmas – just three months away! I highly recommend getting several with the holidays coming up. They make a gift that will be appreciated for its size and ease of use, but, most importantly, it will be a gift that gets used instead of put away in the closet." —Kat29

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in two colors). 

18. A partyclette for nights when you wanna take your tastebuds on vacation with a hearty, warm meal inside your apartment. Remind me, who is the ~cheesiest~ chef in your home? That's right, YOU are!

Amazon

Promising review: "This works just as described and produces delicious cheese for melting on veggies and bread. I love how portable and small it is — that's so much of the appeal, to not need a giant apparatus for something so simple and delicious. The cheese tastes amazing, the device looks cute, and the presentation is perfect to impress for dinner parties or just to use alone at home." —Em Addison

Get it from Amazon for $32.99.

19. A genius tofu press that'll efficiently drain tofu to get the perfect texture and taste, mess not included.

TofuBud

BTW locals, TofuBud is a small biz based in San Francisco!

Promising review: "I was resistant to getting a tofu press. Another kitchen gadget! But this little guy does not disappoint. It saves time and is clean, fast, and easy. I thought I would want something made of wood or metal — but really this is just the thing. It’s cute, rinses out licketty split, and gets the job done without messing up towels or having to boil off extra water. My countertop stays clean. I’ve been a vegetarian all my life and this little gadget is already indispensable." —Maria Lewis

Get it from Amazon for $26.95.

20. A Thaw Claw to safely defrost food in far less time — for when you don't remember to thaw your chicken until after your stomach starts rumbling. It suction cups to the bottom of your sink, so just stick it on, fill the sink up, and place your frozen meat underneath the claw — it'll keep everything submerged evenly underwater and thaw that piece of meat faster than you can say, "get in my belly."

Amazon

Plus, it was created by a Black-owned small business!

Promising review: "A package of frozen meat would have taken at least two days to thaw in the fridge. I used this for a 2-pound package a couple of days ago, and the meat was thawed within 90 minutes. One of the most practical kitchen gadgets I own." —Llda Schellhase

Get it from Amazon for $9.95.

21. An electric peeler, because the phrase "easy as pie" is a flat-out lie. Fortunately, using an electric peeler will make the prep work seriously simple.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising reviews: "Cool gadget. This thing is a game-changer. I hate peeling apples, and this is just perfect." —Joslyn Jonhson

"If you have to peel potatoes, you need this. It takes half the time and saves your hands the work. I would not want to be without it. I gave it as a gift and told my friends about it. Making a holiday meal, this is a must-have. You will be so impressed and happy to have it. Don’t pass it by." —cardmaker

Get it from Amazon for $19.88.

22. A taiyaki pan for folks who would travel the globe just to eat this lovely treat. Thanks to this pan, you can have this impressive treat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... and should! 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Great pan, very nonstick, and easy to clean! Made delicious taiyaki just like I had growing up in Japan!" —Shannon Y Nelson 

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in two sizes). 

23. A Bluetooth Anova sous vide that'll basically be the ~sous~ chef you didn't know that you needed. Attach this to any pot, put the food in, and then it'll cook it to perfection using the built-in controls in the app. The future is now.

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "So this is my first attempt at sous vide. My initial impression of the cooker is very good. Definitely a cool gadget! Extremely intuitive and easy to set up. Maintains a PRECISE temperature. The Bluetooth connection is handy too. Just need the right size bowl/container! Looking forward to preparing wild game!" —Mongo Like Candy

Get it from Amazon for $65.

24. A Dash rapid egg cooker sure to guarantee you never have to ~scramble~ to find a good Sunday brunch spot ever again — your kitchen table is gonna be the best spot in town.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

It can make hard-boiled eggs, soft-boiled eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, and individual omelets. 

Promising review: "I bought this egg cooker for the first time a year and a half ago, and it is awesome. I hate having a single-purpose appliance in my kitchen, but this is worth it. Making hard-boiled eggs was always hit or miss for me, even if it was timed perfectly. (I admit I forgot about the eggs more than once!) This cooker makes PERFECT eggs every single time, to the exact hardness I desire with no green ring on the yolk. Even better, the shell slides off without taking half the egg white with it! My favorite use is to pop some eggs in when I get home and prep a salad. By the time the salad is ready, the eggs are done. I can even leave the kitchen and still hear when they are done because of the buzzer. I've purchased five more of them for family for Christmas this year and can't wait to get everyone on board the Dash Go Egg Cooker train!" —A. M. Hinshaw

Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in five colors).

25. A rice cooker to take the guesswork out of making the perfect bowl of rice. It's time to finally make the crispy rice sushi bites TikTok keeps talking about!

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I love this product. I've made so many different rice dishes in it. The only thing I suggest is when making rice that might end up sitting in the pot for a while, put some olive oil on the bottom as the rice tends to stick if it's sitting on the 'warm' setting for too long, or add some extra water. The rice cooker is wonderful, though. It's a real time-saver." —Michelle

Get it from Amazon for $20.29+ (available in three sizes).

26. A silicone clip-on strainer that's dishwasher safe, attaches to any size pot or pan, and is designed to save a bunch of space in your kitchen cupboards. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This is easy to use and now that I’ve had it for a few weeks, I don’t know how I have lived without it. Makes draining anything in water so much easier! Highly recommend." —Melissa L.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 16 colors). 

27. An immersion blender, because cold soup season is almost here and I plan on eating gazpacho... daily. What do I not plan on doing? Cleaning a blender daily. Grab this and you too can have delicious soup without the extra dishes!

Amazon

This blender includes a whisk and milk frothing attachment.

Promising review: "In looking for a new hand blender, I felt fortunate to find this. At 500 watts, this one is more powerful than most; the steel feels substantial, and the attachments are very easy to change. I am impressed with how fast it is, and the cleanup is super easy. This one is perfect for my needs, no frills, just a very sleek tool for a serious cook!" —farm folk

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three styles).

28. A sushi-making kit that'll keep you on a roll as you continue growing your cooking skills (without an oven... it's way too hot for that right now). 

www.amazon.com

It comes with two rolling mats, a rice spreader, a rice paddle, and five pairs of chopsticks, along with a downloadable recipe guide!

Promising review: "I got this kit on a whim, basically I just wanted to try to make sushi for the first time. For the price, you can't really go wrong! The mats were great and everything else included was helpful. It comes with an online guide which is nice, but you can also go online and find a ton of videos on how to roll sushi. I've made about four rolls over the course of two nights and am really satisfied. Making rolls is a breeze and fun! A great starter kit for anyone interested in trying this out." —J. Leaver

Get it from Amazon for $8.46. 

29. A pretzel-making kit with bakers of all ages in mind (the illustrations are technically for kids, but we visual learners know they're just as useful for adults). The kit includes color-coded ingredients and step-by-step instructions so your stomach doesn't turn into nervous knots when you bake this impressive side dish for your friends. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This kit was the perfect Christmas gift for our 6-year-old! It was packaged well and clearly labeled, the ingredients were fresh, and it included very cute and easy-to-follow directions! It was a great activity for all of us to enjoy together! We did half the regular salt pretzels and half with cinnamon and sugar; both were delicious!" —Austin

Get it from Amazon for $26.99 (also available in five other cooking kits like bagels and cinnamon buns).

30. An eight-pack of fancy kabob skewers designed with a flat blade (so your food doesn't spin when you're turning it while cooking) and a push bar so you can remove the cooked food with ease! 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "These work as advertised. The flat blades did keep the food from spinning when rotating, and the sliders worked great for unloading the goods afterward. Nice case to store them in. Good purchase for the grill!" —JRF

Get it from Amazon for $26.97.

31. A soup dumpling kit that'll make your foodie friends ~bao~ down to you the next time you have them over for dinner.

Amazon

This kit includes woven bamboo steaming baskets, agar agar, a dough roller, a spatula, and instructions.

Promising review: "My kids love soup dumplings, but I don't know how to make them, so I got this as a fun gift activity to do with them. It was AWESOME. The kit was really easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions. My kids had so much fun using the dough roller, and it let us get the dumpling wrappers nice and thin. It was easy and, although it did take some time in the kitchen, it was fun. I would definitely do this again, and I could see it also being a fun night with friends." —Nicole Fuentes

Get it from Amazon for $45.99.

Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.