25 Kitchen Gadgets You’ll Wish You Had Years Ago
Updated: Dec. 16, 2022
Just because you're using your grandmother's delicious recipes doesn't mean you need to use her cooking utensils too. Stock your modern kitchen with these time-saving tools.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Anything that saves a little time and effort in the kitchen is totally worth the investment, especially when it comes to these quirky kitchen gadgets. These tools are sleek, modern, and will definitely make cooking a bit more fun. You can get many of these items straight from Amazon and have them delivered right to your door. Make sure you mark your calendar for Amazon Prime Day and learn what every shopper needs to know this year.
Note: Prices listed were accurate as of press time; pricing fluctuations may occur.
Taco stand
$13.52
There’s simply no need to fail the balancing act on #TacoTuesday anymore—not when you can line your tacos up neatly in a stand specifically designed to keep all their fillings tucked neatly inside. Taco Stand Up turns tedious taco prep into a fiesta, so you can focus on loading up each shell with as much goodness as it can hold. Check out these other kitchen products that people can’t stop buying from Amazon.
Smoothie saver
$28.13
If your eyes have ever been larger than your stomach, you’ve likely wondered how to store your leftover smoothie in a way that prevents the oxidation that turns your fruits and veggies an unappetizing brown and depletes their nutrients. With the SANS reusable vacuum pump, simply pump the lid and it removes all the air from the storage bottle. The tight seal will preserve your juices, shakes, and smoothies for up to seven days, which helps cut down on waste and saves money. Find out 25 brilliant kitchen shortcuts you’ll wish you knew sooner.Â
Battery-free food scale
$25.87
Have you ever been elbow-deep in a raw chicken, only to plop it on the food scale and realize that the batteries are dead? How annoying! With Ellessi—the first digital battery-free food scale—you can stop buying batteries and reduce landfill waste. The new, patented technology is completely sustainable and eco-friendly. How? With the simple twist of the dial, the Ellessi food scale automatically generates its own power through kinetic energy. Plus, the smart, sleek design with a generous stainless steel platform looks great on kitchen countertops. It’s the smart way to guarantee healthier portions and achieve your nutrition goals. Make sure you know these Amazon hacks that every shopper needs to know.
Faucet filtration
$42.36
There’s no need to lug heavy five-gallon jugs of water into your home or buy environmentally unfriendly single-use plastic water bottles just to ensure your family has safe drinking water available at all times. With the PUR Advanced Faucet Filtration System, you have a convenient, on-demand solution for filtered water right from your kitchen tap. This system is certified to eliminate 99 percent of lead and more than 70 contaminants. Simply install right on your faucet without any tools, flip the switch and you have immediate access to filtered water for cooking, making coffee and tea, filling stainless steel water bottles and pet bowls, and preparing infant formula. The monitor will indicate when its time to replace the filter. Don’t miss these other Amazon products you’ll definitely use every day.
Immersion blender
$199.95
Unless you actually want a full upper-body workout while trying to make dinner after a long day, leave the chopping, blending, and mashing up to the all-in-one Braun MultiQuick 9 Hand Blender. The blender comes with several attachments that allow you to prep a variety of ingredients, the blade incorporates a flexible shaft that requires 40 percent less effort than traditional hand blenders, and you can easily adjust the speed without stopping. And if you have visions of splattering everything on your ceiling, have no fear—the advanced SPLASHcontrol technology prevents mess to keep you and your kitchen clean. Simply push gently for coarse results and apply a little more pressure for more power and finer results. Don’t miss these ways you might be using your kitchen equipment wrong.
Baked potato screws
$2.39
Throwing some spuds on the barbie? Ditch your traditional potato nails in favor of Baked Potato Screws—the corkscrew design allows for safer, more secure loading. But the real reason to switch is that these stainless steel screws promote quick and even heating, so you won’t be eating your potatoes for dessert. Just be sure to use tongs or gloves when removing them from a hot grill.
Bottle drying rack
$12.99
What busy mom has time to wash the extra towels used for drying baby bottles? Not one. Instead, try the Boon GRASS drying rack for bottles and pacifiers (and, let’s face it, wine glasses, too). Let your baby’s accessories air dry on the flexible blades, which resemble real grass. The water drains into the lower tray, where it’s completely contained. The rack fits perfectly in any kitchen and is BPA-free, phthalate-free, and PVC-free.
Wireless meat thermometer
$99.00
Nobody wants an over-cooked steak or an under-cooked chicken breast. Ensure a perfectly prepared cut with MEATER by Apption Labs, the world’s first truly wireless leave-in meat thermometer with internal and external temperature sensors. It’s constructed of stainless steel for maximum durability, water-resistant to prevent rust and allow for easy cleanup, and WiFi-enabled so you can monitor your meat from the comfort of your couch or while entertaining guests. Simply download the companion app for iOS or Android and it’ll notify you when dinner is ready. Now that you’ve got your cook time figured out, be sure to avoid these 25 cooking mistakes that are ruining your food.
Triangle-shaped fry pan
$25.49
Are you still using an old-school round frying pan? With the HeatMaster 4 Qt. triangle-shaped fry pan from T-fal, you’ll bring modern conveniences into your kitchen, such as a no-muss spout that makes pouring a breeze, a deep well that is ideal for creating a delicious crust on any one-pot meal, high sides perfect for boiling water or making sauces, a sapphire-infused nonstick coating, and a stainless steel induction base that cooks your meals evenly and consistently. Don’t miss these money-saving Amazon tricks you’ll want to know before you shop.
Instant everything
$179.95
No kitchen-gadget collection could be complete without the revolutionary Instant Pot: Finally, a device that combines an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, egg cooker, steamer, warmer, and yogurt maker into one nifty and space-saving gadget! You can basically shut your brain off and let the machine do all the work—its microprocessor monitors the pressure and temperature, keeps time, and adjusts heating intensity and duration. Think of it as the world’s best sous chef.
Reusable food bags
$11.63
Still haven’t cut the cord on single-use plastic bags? Let’s at least agree to start with eliminating sandwich bags in favor of Stasher bags, the only reusable platinum silicone (read: no BPA, phthalates, latex, lead, or petroleum byproducts) storage bag you can cook, freeze, store, and throw in the dishwasher. The key to its unique design is a pinch-loc airtight seal that holds in contents and keeps food fresher, longer. From meal-prep to steaming and sous vide, stasher is a plastic-free kitchen, home, and travel storage hero with endless uses.
Microwave cover
OK, so you’re a bit pressed for time—you rely on your microwave for most of your “cooking” and don’t even have a spare second to clean up the food splatters inside. Sound familiar? Then the Hover Cover is the answer you’ve been looking for. This microwave splatter guard’s unique venting configuration will keep the cover cool to the touch, even during longer cook times. And when you aren’t using it, its microwave-safe magnets allow you to stick the cover to the inside of your microwave. That way, you’ll never forget it.
Next-level tongs
$12.59
If you weren’t blessed with the precision and dexterity of a skilled surgeon, then most kitchen tongs are nearly unusable. And you’re not alone. That’s why the Clever Tongs were invented—to help make filling your taco with meat, scooping veggies, and flipping delicate fish a breeze. The stainless steel and silicone hybrid tongs/spatula offer the best of both worlds, plus they’re non-stick, heat resistant, and dishwasher safe. Go ahead and grab whatever you want—you’re in control now!
Ergonomic citrus juicer
$20.00
You know the saying, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” All too often in the kitchen, it might not be, and you’re left praying the little bit of juice you did yield will suffice. It’s not your fruit’s fault—blame the insufficient apparatus you’ve been using. Instead, try the Helix ergonomic juicer, which features an innovative two-piece design that utilizes a twisting motion. The result? More squeezing power from less effort. Rather than having to apply downward pressure, the horizontal twisting mechanism harnesses the power of your shoulders to effortlessly yield a tremendous amount of juice. Check out these other hidden gems on Amazon you’ll wish you owned.
French press
$69.95
There are tons of ways to make your coffee healthier, and throwing out your bacteria-infested Keurig is one of them! But that doesn’t mean you have to go out for a good cup of coffee, thanks to the ESPRO French Press. Not only does this multipurpose gadget deliver a superior cup of coffee to your previous coffee maker, but it also makes tea and cold brew. Plus, it’ll look elegant on any kitchen countertop. Don’t miss the kitchen gadgets you definitely don’t need.
Copper mats
$9.89
Love the idea of grilling but hate the mess afterward? Then you’ll also love the Yoshi Copper Grill Mat. Step one: Lay the mat down on the grill’s grate. Step two: Cook. The copper mat acts as a barrier, so nothing falls through the cracks, plus it heats up quickly and evenly. This means you can finally grill flakey fish, and it’ll be easy to flip and still have perfect grill marks. It’s also a great solution for grilling vegetables, like onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Bonus: Sauces stay on the meat and out of the flames.
Onion chopper
$18.97
Making a recipe that requires chopped onions? Wipe those tears away and let the Mueller Austria Onion Chopper Pro Vegetable Chopper do the dirty work. It reduces onion vapors by trapping them in the storage container. The BPA-free and dishwasher-safe product uses two sharp stainless steel discs to chop and dice even the hardest vegetables, fruits, and cheeses with one easy motion. If you’re looking to add more veggies to your menu, this tool is a life-saver.
Garlic peeler
$6.99
Unless you’re actually trying to keep the vampires away, your fingers don’t need to smell like garlic. Peel garlic with ease with the OXO Good Grips Garlic Peeler. Simply insert garlic cloves into the silicone and roll it back and forth on the countertop while also pressing downward. The cloves will stay inside, thanks to the gadget’s unique shape. Once they are ready, naked cloves come out—and the peel stays inside until you rinse it away.
Mandoline slicer
$40.37
Do you groan when a recipe calls for thinly sliced or julienned produce? Who has the time to cut everything into fine, uniform shapes? You do—if you have the OXO Good Grips Simple Mandoline Slicer. You can control the settings simply by sliding the tab, and the angled stainless steel blade does the rest of the work for you. The soft handle provides a comfortable grip, while the non-slip feet keep the gadget steady. A spring-loaded food holder pushes food down for even slicing with little to no waste, and its generous rim is there to protect your fingers. It’s easy to clean and folds down for compact storage. Check out these 32 unique and weird kitchen gadgets that are really a thing.
Cake tester
$16.25
The cake you’ve just baked has been in the oven for the correct amount of time. But is it done? Now you can be sure. Just grab your OXO Good Grips Cake Tester by its soft non-slip grip and insert the stainless steel wire into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. The wire is long enough to test the tallest cakes without leaving large holes behind. It’s dishwasher safe, and you’ll love how much better it works than a short wooden toothpick. It’s even easy to find in a cluttered drawer! See the kitchen hacks you’ll wish you knew sooner.
Spill stopper
$19.99
Tired of looking away for one second, only to have your pot boil over? It’s a huge mess that takes elbow grease to clean. Kuhn Rikon Spill Stopper has the answer: This heavy silicone spill stopper traps excess foam and liquid (think: pasta, rice, soup, and other starchy liquids), preventing it from spilling over. Plus, the dishwasher-safe gadget is heat resistant to over 400-degrees, and you can even use it in your microwave.
Avocado slicer
$9.99
You probably already know that avocados are one of the healthiest fats you can eat. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to add some pretty avocado slices to your meals: the OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer. This tool splits, pits, slices, and scoops avocados with a comfortable nonslip grip and a blade that easily cuts to their core without being sharp to the touch. Check out these Amazon products with nearly perfect reviews.
Ring-shaped whisk
$20.29
When your roux, sauce, custard, dressing, or gravy has to be just right, you need a Rösle Stainless Steel Spiral Whisk. Its high-quality stainless steel construction is designed for the perfect mixing of liquids, eggs, light batters, and gelatins. It’s nice and heavy, balances well in your hand, and is especially useful for flat bottom mixing bowls. Your ingredients will blend together effortlessly without incorporating as much air as a traditional whisk would. And it’s dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. You’ll find yourself reaching for this whisk for many years to come.
De-stemmer
$16.80
Let’s face it: De-stemming greens and herbs can be a real chore. But instead of switching to bland dried herbs and pre-packaged greens, give the Chef’n LooseLeaf Stripper a shot. This handy tool allows you to strip kale, chard, collard greens, and herbs in seconds—just insert the stem in the appropriately sized hole (it comes with several options) and pull it through. Once all of the leaves have fallen away from the stem, you can even use the gadget’s curved edge to chop before placing it in the top rack of your dishwasher. Find out 20 alternative names for common kitchen gadgets you never knew about.
Hamburger chopper
$13.16
If you’ve ever broken a spatula or spoon trying to break up stubborn browning meat into small pieces, then you’re the reason the Pampered Chef Mix N Chop was invented. This nylon tool features a beveled pinwheel blade that is perfect for breaking up and mixing ground meat inside a cooking pan. It’s heat safe to 428 degrees and won’t scratch the surface of your cookware. The next time you make tacos, burgers, or meat-based spaghetti sauce, reach for this great gadget. Next, don’t miss the 50 kitchen mistakes it’s time to stop making.
Originally Published: October 07, 2020
