34 Inexpensive Kitchen Items That Don’t Seem Like They’d Change Your Life…But They Will
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
One reviewer also notes it's great for storing smaller vegetables!
Promising review: "Love this storage container great to keep bacon in. Keeps it fresh longer. Plus, you write with a dry-erase marker on the lid so you know what’s in it and date it. Would be great large amounts of deli meats as well" —susan dirr
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
Promising review (from August 2023): "So let's start by saying that this gadget seriously did some damage. It's survived 80+ ears of corn, which yielded about 28 cups. It was relatively easy to use; however, it had its flaws. For the most part, it removed the kernels flawlessly. There wasn't much waste left behind in the mid-section to the end. However, it at times missed quite a bit at the narrowest part of the cob. We went back through and focused the edge on each side and cleaned it up. The other challenge was removing the gadget from the thickest end without practically throwing corn. It took some practice but you were able to control it a bit more by slowly rotating the cob and striper in opposite directions until it basically twisted off. Overall, well worth the money! I couldn't imagine stripping the kernels by knife. It held up great, will be used again and is definitely something I'd buy again!Update on 9/15/2024: This gadget lasted yet another season. This time shredding 138 cups of corn and still going strong!" —amaesing5683
Get it from Amazon for $9.59.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
This colander can expand from 14.5 to 19.5 inches. It's top-rack dishwasher safe as well!
BuzzFeed editor Jenae Sitzes has and loves this product, "I have this colander in the pink color and absolutely love it! I don't leave it out on my sink permanently, but I've hung it right next to my sink using small Command hooks so I can quickly grab it and place it on my sink whenever I need to clean produce or drain pasta. I love being able to leave ingredients on it to drain while I work on other steps of a recipe, and it also leaves enough room in the sink for me to place dirty dishes or wash a pan without the dirty water going onto my clean ingredients. Highly recommend, especially for small kitchens!"
Promising review: "I’m obsessed with this. I leave it in my sink always. It makes washing fruits or draining pasta so much easier and has such a simple cleanup. It also adds a nice pop of color to my kitchen. I highly recommend it." —Alyssa
Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in six colors and in two-packs).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
It also has a spout so you can control how much liquid you pour out, and its compact design won't take up much storage space!
Promising review: "Typically, I am not a fan of one-trick kitchen utensils. But this thing is a game-changer!! Regular strainers are clunky and take up too much space, plus pouring scalding hot liquid into them with heavy food splashing around is dangerous and messy. This eliminates that. Seriously, how have I lived my life without this? I remember making a very large and heavy batch of soup stock, and it was difficult enough to just lift the pot and pour, let alone safely into a strainer that could easily move or tip over if I poured too quickly…but this baby made the transfer so easy it’s almost laughable that anyone would use a normal strainer these days! It’s sturdy, it stays in place, it's small, lightweight, won’t rust, easy to clean, doesn’t burn your hands after being submersed in liquid fire. What else could you ask for in a strainer? Enough already, just buy it!" —Kellu
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three colors).
Amazon, www.youtube.com
Read our Fasta Pasta Microwave Cooker review!
Promising review: "I bought this microwave pasta cooker at a time when I did not have a stove. Even though I have a stove now, I still use this cooker for dinner for myself sometimes because it works so well and quickly! Be careful and read instructions carefully, as you must leave the top off while cooking it. There are lines to indicate how much water to put in the cooker versus the amount of pasta you intend to cook. The pasta comes out very soft and perfectly cooked when instructions are followed. When the pasta is done, the lid is used to drain the cooker of water, and it works very well. I highly recommend this to any college student or adult who needs a fast microwave pasta cooker!" —Tania
Get it from Amazon for $17.95.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review: "I am OBSESSED with this cutting board. It is made so well and looks so expensive. Every time I have guests, I will use it as serving tray or display for charcuterie and I always get compliments on it." —Lorrin Farrell
Get it from Amazon for $26.94+(available in three sizes)
Heather Braga / BuzzFeed, Amazon
My home doesn't have a ton of counter space, and once we had kids, it seemed like it was shrinking. Between a bottle drying rack (turned cup drying rack), a regular dish drain, coffee machines, and our toaster oven, a bowl of fruit just felt like clutter. My husband discovered these shelves, ordered them, and hung them on the narrow wall above our garbage can. I adore them! I love that they've created somewhere to store our fruit and added two extra shelves to our kitchen! You can't beat the price or the practicality.
Promising review: "Easy to build, just snap it together and add a few screws. Good construction and looks very nice in my kitchen. I’m storing onions in one and potatoes in the other. Perfect." —Amanda
Get them from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two colors and four sizes).
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review: "These scissors do it all! From cutting poultry to removing gristle from the bottom of a tri-tip roast, and any number of other kitchen items. I'm left-handed, and the grip is comfortable. They're very easy to clean, and the plastic sheath that comes with them is a plus, preventing me from gouging myself when looking for other items in the 'sharp object' drawer. I'm thinking about getting a second pair. I highly recommend these kitchen shears!" —Suzy-Q666
Get it from Amazon for $9.89+ (available in seven colors).
Promising review: "These are sharp and work well. I like how it cuts three pieces at a time so you can cut your herbs faster. I actually got them because we use a lot of green onion and these work well to cut that. They are easy to clean, too. They are lightweight and sturdy." —Nederland*brasil
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the salad scissors in action.
Promising review: "Love these! I hate big leafy salads so I bought these and they're perfect for chopping greens into bites. I also use them to quickly chop cherry tomatoes, onions, and other veggies. VERY nice quality." —asoon
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Ronan is a small business that specializes in multipurpose tools for home use.
Promising review: "This is a kitchen must-have. We use it all the time — it's so easy to use that even our kids use it. Very durable blade that continues to perform and get value for your money." —Dawn R.
Get it from Amazon for$15.99.
SpaceAid is a small business!
Promising review (for bag organizer): "This looks amazing, has saved space in my drawer, and keeps everything neat and organized. I love the sliding top. It stays secure." —Annon66
Promising review (for plastic wrap organizer): "What did I dislike about it?....... NOTHING!!! The wife and I love this, No more fighting with the flimsy box the products come in. Just insert the new product roll and you are ready to go!" —lee carlson
Get them from Amazon: the snack bag organizer for $23.78+ (available in two sizes and four colors), and the plastic wrap organizer for $22.98+ (available in three sizes and four colors).
Promising review: "This is one of my favorite things I've ever purchased from Amazon! The fact that they're so customizable allows you to cut them and shape them to any drawer size! I think this will be my go-to gift for all of my friends who love cooking as much as I do! Freeing up cabinet space and having something that can so easily be rinsed off in the sink makes this a for sure buy!" —momonono
Get a 10-foot roll from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in two sizes and two colors).
I use this stuff constantly and can confirm it's fantastic. I use it on my frying pans and the grill pans from my griddler (which is ALWAYS a pain to clean). It loosens all the gunk and makes cleaning burnt bits and pieces much easier. It also really does smell incredible — very fresh and delightful! I recently swapped from the "fresh" scent to the "apple" one, and wow, it smells delicious. It also works great for removing stains on clothes (I've seen it remove coffee from a white tee with my very own eyes).
Promising review: "This makes it so easy to keep my sink clear of dishes. I use it constantly throughout the day. Every time I use a dish, I give it a quick spray, wash it, rinse it, and put it in a dish drainer. It is wonderful. I wish it was a little cheaper as I’m constantly using it; other than that, I love it." —Linda W.
Get a pack of four Amazon for $16.88 (available in four scents).
Plus, it comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth!
Therapy Clean is a family-owned small business based in New Hampshire making plant-based cleaning products for the home.
Promising review: "I live in an apartment. The sink is about 35 years old and has become badly stained and scratched from neglect and indifferent care. This has made a noticeable difference. This sink will never look brand new again, but your product removed, I would say, about 80% of the stains, without any extraordinary effort, and put a really polished look on the sink. It is gleaming and actually looks very clean for the first time since I have lived here." —David Brennan
Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (also available in a pack of two).
Amazon
Promising review: "Saw on TikTok (don’t judge) and automatically added to cart. So easy to use, takes probably a minute to fully bubble up and clean, and you’re left with a clean sink! I use with other drain cleaning products, but would 100% recommend for weekly maintenance." —Jessica Hamilton
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $3.78+ (also available in larger packs).
Just pop them into the tray where you'd normally put detergent (or on the bottom of your dishwasher if you're washing dishes at the same time), and run as usual!
Promising review: "This was simple to use, smelled good, and I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the dishwasher after the recommended cleaning cycle. This product actually did what it advertises that it will do! Great results, fairly economical — and by the way — it works!" —Old Southern Charm
Get a pack of six tablets from Amazon for $8.99.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
The top layer is made of absorbent PU leather, so you can easily rinse or wipe it clean! It also has an anti-skid rubber backing to prevent sliding.
Promising review: "I was a little concerned about how things would dry on this mat since it isn't fabric, but everything seems to dry really well – and it is just so pretty a thing to have on my counter! Can't beat the price either." —Nana M.
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in three sizes and six colors/styles).
Amazon
You can use this to brew hot coffee *and* cold brew by adding coffee grounds to the top portion, tamping it down, letting it steep, and pumping into a carafe full of hot or cold water.
Promising review: "Simple to use and cheaper than that other brand. This is about the best tasting coffee I have ever made at home. Easy to clean. Sturdy. Portable." —Alex Bonick
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
www.youtube.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "Love it! It's light and easy to use. When I use a potato peeler, I am always peeling too much potato with the peel. This blade is fine and only gets the skin, in seconds. Except for the 'poles' of the potato, but I don't mind. It's easy to clean if you have a sprayer to just rinse off the spikes where you insert your potatoes. Small enough and doesn't take up much room." —yestfl
Get it from Amazon for $19.98.
Smilyeez is a small business! Fill the brush handle with your favorite dish soap, attach it to your Scrub Daddy, then use the little lever to dispense the perfect amount of soap into the sponge! Many reviewers also note they like to use it to clean their bathroom.
Promising review: "This is a game changer for me. I hate dishes. Like seriously hate dishes. I hate touching wet food. When I wash dishes, I believe the water needs to be lava hot, and sometimes, it’s too hot for my hands when I use a rag or sponge. This tool helps me so much because it makes scrubbing easier without all the things I hate. I highly recommend." —Hope
Get it from Amazon for $12.95+(available in six styles).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "The 'abrasive sponge when cold' or 'squishy when hot' is an awesome feature for the type of scrubbing you want to do. The Pink Stuff with the sponge does wonders! We have a hideous 30-year-old shower and although it doesn’t look brand-new like I was hoping, it’s 10 times better!! This product really does work!" —GreenGoddess
Get the set (one Pink Stuff jar and a "Sqeezy") from Amazon for$9.99.
RedRoko is a small business.
Promising review: "After watching a video on this it seemed I had to buy one and try it. This makes life so much easier. No cutting board, no knife. Can make chicken salad professional style in shreds now. It does an excellent job staying suctioned to the countertop while you swirl the top to get perfect even shreds from your chicken." —Katie
Get it from Amazon for$18.99.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I love this little guy. I found him on a BuzzFeed list and had to have it as soon as I saw it! I’ve minced as many as five cloves in it in seconds. It’s a little tricky getting all of the garlic out once minced (I use a silicone basting brush to get most of it but I always use more than the recipe calls for anyway so it’s not a deal breaker). Cleanup is a breeze because he goes right in the dishwasher!" —Barbie
Get it from Amazon for $16.95.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Check it out in this TikTok video to see it work its magic.
Promising review: "The one I received was sharp enough to get the job done! I shred a large head of cabbage in less than five minutes, counting clean-up! Shreds potatoes just as quick with peels on, or thin slices just as easy! Cheese I would partly freeze before shredding as it will get a little gummy the warmer it gets! Clean counter suction works great. I lightly dampened, dried, placed on counter, holds real strong! Oh, I also slice a cored apple in no time!" —Macy S.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 11 colors and two styles).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Fullstar is a small business established in 2017 that specializes in kitchen gadgets.
Check out aTikTok of the veggie chopper in action.
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. We used to have a Prepworks chopper which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food, and it has a generous container." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $25.97 (available in four colors).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Check out a TikTok of the whisk in action.
Promising review: "This is one of the coolest gizmos I’ve purchased! And it works like a charm, especially for scrambled eggs. I’ve always struggled with getting the egg white and yolk blended well together. This tool does the trick. I found it most effective with liquids. Any kind of sauce or salad dressing can be well blended with this tool too." —Austin
Get it from Amazon for $16.89.
Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the Adjust-A-Cup in action.
Promising review: "You can't beat this for measuring things like honey and molasses. No more wasting what you can't get out of a regular measuring cup and wondering what the effect of all that stuff left behind is on the accuracy of your measuring." —Herman Ross
Get it from Amazon for $15.05.
Alpha Grillers is a family-owned small business in Nevada that sells BBQ and grilling tools.
Promising review: "I bought this thermometer to help me with my ever so confusing question, 'Is the turkey done?' I love this thermometer for a few reasons: the probe can be folded when done, the digital numbers are large and the screen is backlit, and the back of the thermometer has magnets on it so you can store it on a fridge or range hood for easy access. Overall, it is a good thermometer, and I think it is pretty accurate." —candy
Get it from Amazon for $15.98.
Promising review: "This thing is the bomb.com Seriously, buy one. You won't regret it. Works the first time and every time after that. I was slightly concerned when I first got it out the package. The lines that tell you how hard or soft the egg will be cooked were really hard to see. Nothing like the videos I had seen. Never fear, toss it in the pot of water and voila! Easy to see the lines!" —gunmetalgreen
Get it from Amazon for $8.33.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising reviews: "We bought this in 2020. Used it almost every day without any issues, and finally, after three years, it’s time to replace it. Such an amazing product to last so long." —Shal
Check out our deep dive into the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker here.
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in two sizes and 10 colors).
It's also dishwasher safe! Makin Bakin is a small business!
Promising review: "It's easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to store. It takes between 3-4 mins to cook a full rack of bacon depending on if its thick bacon or thin sliced. I was worried it might make a mess in the microwave, but we just drape a paper towel over it before it goes in, and all the grease just drips down into the drip pan. There is a plastic handle so you can pick it up from the microwave without burning yourself like you would if you used a glass plate in the microwave. We have a container we use to collect fat drippings, and the grease just rolls right out of the drip pan, then add a little soap and water, and in less than 10 minutes, you have made bacon and cleaned up all the mess! I wish I would have had this years ago." —J&F
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
Promising review: "What a nice set for spraying oil and vinegar. I love that the containers are glass and very durable. The set comes with two little funnels for filling the bottles and a brush for cleaning the bottles. The bottles are not too big, so they don’t take up too much room on my counter. The set is so nice that I might get another set for a second type of oil and soy sauce." —LB
Get a set of two from Amazon for $19.99.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
I have one of these in my kitchen and it really does work! Is it absolutely disgusting to see how many creatures get trapped in it? Sure is. Is it *also* satisfying to know it's doing its job? SURE IS!
Promising review: "I had so many fruit flies in my apartment at the beginning of the summer, and I was trying my best to keep them at bay with alcohol in a spray bottle. I finally gave in and purchased the Zevo kit, and it has been the best thing I have purchased. The traps are super easy to change out and easy to clean, no smell, and super easy to use. As soon as I plug it in, it is super effective. Will definitely keep these in my place throughout the year to make sure these little irritating bugs stay away." —J. Botanicals
Get it from Amazon for $20.97.
Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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