24 Kitchen Products You'll Probably Wish You'd Owned Sooner

Besides having an incredibly sleek and aesthetically pleasing design, it's the perfect pan for people in search of versatile cookware. It has a nonstick surface and vented top for sautéing, a mesh basket for steaming and a high-quality spoon that hooks onto the handle. (Just remember that it's not oven-safe.)

Promising review: "I have and love this pan! It just feels really nice to hold. The nesting spoon is absolutely genius, everything cooks evenly, and food just glides right off with minimal effort. If you hate scrubbing, consider getting this!" — Rebecca O' Connell, BuzzFeed

Get it from Our Place for $145 (available in seven colors).

It's pre-seasoned with 100% vegetable oil, so you don't have to worry about synthetic coatings or chemicals getting into your food. It can go straight from the stove top into the oven, making it an equally versatile piece of cookware.

Promising review: "I used this straight out of the box to cook two pieces of chicken breast. I used olive oil and butter to prevent any sticking and to further season the skillet. I did not notice any sticking to the skillet. After I seared both sides of the chicken, I then let it finish in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. All I can say is wow! I love this skillet already, and this is my first time using it! I never used anything comparable to a cast-iron skillet. Never again am I going back to frying chicken, or any meat for that matter, on a regular pan. This was well worth the investment. If you're looking at this, just buy it." — Eric

Get the 10.25" size from Amazon for $17.90 (available in eight sizes).

Perfect for when you want to make your protein for the night a bit more interesting. If you haven't tried pulled chicken, turkey or pork, you don't know what you're missing! Shredded meat is also great for making tacos, dumplings, stews and so much more!

Promising review: "I love these! I used to use two forks to shred slow-cooked meat and it would hurt my hands and wrists. I bought the OXO shredding claws and used them for the first time yesterday. First, they worked brilliantly to scoop (and drain) the chicken breast out of the slow cooker and place it on the cutting board. Then I was able to very quickly and easily shred the chicken and get it back into the sauce. I can’t believe I’ve been struggling with dinner forks all these years. I’m so glad I bought this set." — Laura Broome

Get them from Amazon for $14.99.

It'll produce a pizza that tastes so good that your friends might think you've been adopted by a Sicilian grandmother — until you put pineapples on it.

Get it from Amazon for $46.88+ (available in two styles).

So you can convince anyone who's unfamiliar with this trend that you're a straight up sorcerer who cooks with the power of witchcraft — I mean, how else would you explain producing a Popeye's-level crunch to your fried chicken without the use of oil? Should you be inclined to dispel their suspensions of sorcery, you can sum the inner-workings of an air fryer up in one sentence: It crisps the edges of your food by circulating extremely hot air around it.

Get it from Amazon for $48.99 (available in five colors).

It allows you to create "heat channels" in your meat, thus reducing your cooking time by about 40%. This is perfect for busy cooks who want to whip up quick meals without resorting to frozen TV dinners (do people even call them that anymore? Aren't all dinners technically TV dinners these days?).

Promising review: "This wonder tool does an awesome job tenderizing meat....from the largest standing rib roast all the way down to the skinniest pork chop or round steak. Those of you who like to marinate your meat will find this tool to be a God-sent savior as it provides hundreds of holes for the marinade and spices to soak into. I used to pound my chops with a metal mallet until there were holes right through it, and the poor pork chop was only a mere third of its original thickness. NO MORE! Now I use my Klemoo to poke a thousand holes on each side and the thickness never changes, but you can cut it with a fork when done. I use it on all meats: beef, pork, veal...even chicken and turkey. It works wonders!" — Wet Bruce

Get it from Amazon for $13.99.

You can use it to store a bunch of different things in the kitchen.

Promising review: "I stumbled upon this product while searching for something to dry bottles. I am so glad I took a chance on it. I love it for drying bottles. It does everything the reviews list. I was sold on it because it looked so easy to store, but honestly, it hasn't left my countertop since it arrived. The way it opens and adjusts lends itself to any number of uses. My favorite part is that I can hold up large awkward items like cookie sheets and a 9-inch x 13-inch pan to dry. I have used it for holding open gallon bags to fill. Such a simple design and well-executed." — My Old KY Home

Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in two colors).

So your houseguests will think you've mastered multiple appliances (when in reality you've only pushed a few buttons). This thing is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker and food warmer all in one.

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 $63.94+ (available in three sizes).

It's so simple to use, you'll feel like it cooked your breakfast for you. It can make hard-boiled eggs, soft-boiled eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs and even 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 $16.99+ (available in five colors).

If this sounds too good to be true, you're not alone. Reviewers were skeptical at first too until this inexpensive thing turned them into magicians in the kitchen! All you have to do is place your bread, eggs and other toppings in the separate trays and set the timer.

Promising review: "I must admit I thought this seemed gimmicky — until I tried it. Super easy to use, easy to wipe up, and makes a delicious piping-hot breakfast sandwich every time. So fun to dream up new variations. Come up with your toppings as it heats, let it cook for five minutes, and voila, breakfast is ready! We use it almost every day now. The only con I can think of is that it doesn't fit a full-size bagel. Guess we'll get the mini bagels instead. Crumpets work fine and if you cut the corners off your bread that works great, too." — Karen Bramblet

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

This will cut down your cooking time considerably whenever it's pasta night.

Promising review: "I don't want to get all gushy over a pasta maker, but man... I really love this gizmo! I try to limit my monthly food expenditures, and the Fasta Pasta helps me work in at least one inexpensive pasta meal every week, if not more. First of all, I like spaghetti, but I'm lazy and impatient and don't like things that take a long time to make, with a bunch of steps, and a big clean up afterward. The Fasta Pasta is perfect for me. I get the exact amount of correctly measured spaghetti; it's faster than boiling water in a big pot then having to watch and stir the pasta; the pasta comes out perfectly cooked every time and the cleanup is a snap. No big pot, no colander, no spaghetti fork to lift out the pasta. Just the easy-to-clean Fasta Pasta, and a pot to heat up the sauce. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!" — Smilin Sam

Get it from Amazon for $16.98.

Perfect for those lazy nights you can't imagine "cooking" anything other than instant ramen.

Promising review: “I have a friend who doesn't have a coffee pot. However, she has an electric kettle and keeps an assortment of teas, hot chocolate mixes, and instant coffee available for her guests. I'll admit it — I had kettle envy. I decided to start looking for a kettle of my own, and I had a couple of requirements: I did not want a plastic kettle, it needed to have automatic shutoff, and it needed to heat water quickly. I came across this little guy and it fit the bill perfectly. The water heats up so quickly — even faster than I expected. It doesn't make noise when the water is ready, but you can hear the water boiling, and you can hear the kettle making a click sound when the water is heated. My friend saw this on my counter and could not believe that I paid about the same amount for my kettle as she did for her plastic one. I guess now she has kettle envy!”— Shelleyd73

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two colors).

You can use this to let everyone in your home know whether the load in the machine is clean or dirty. It'll make living with roommates (older or younger) a whole lot easier. You just have to remember to turn it at the appropriate time.

Promising review: "It's a great-looking magnet and it made my boyfriend smile when he saw it. It's also just super helpful to have because now the kids don't load dirty dishes when the dishwasher is full of clean dishes. I'm really happy with it!"— Nicole

Get it from TheRedSwanGiftShop on Etsy for $7.95.

It can handle anything from large fruits and veggies to boneless meats. It also gives you full control over consistency whether you prefer big chunks or finely diced slices — it just depends on how many times you pull the lever.

Promising review: "I had a dental surgery that requires soft foods for an extended timeframe. This thing has been insanely helpful! I’ve used it for everything from mincing mushrooms and onions to chopping up hamburgers. SO simple to use! I love it." — Queenie547

Get it from Amazon for $15.12+ (available in two colors).

It works as a slotted spoon, a solid spoon, a spatula, a turner and a cutting tool. It's basically a Swiss army knife, except...ya know...it's not a knife. This tool is made from nylon and heat-resistant up to 480 degrees. It's also dishwasher-safe.

Promising review: "Give it a cap and a costume, this is the only thing I need in the kitchen! I am often looking for tools that can replace the other 30 I have collected in my kitchen. I have used this to flip grilled cheese, stir red beans and rice, strain Brussels sprouts, and taste sauce. I use the flat edge to cut onions that were too large once in the pot and scrape the bottom of the pan. The uni-tool feels nice in my hand, has held up fine in multiple dishwashings, and has allowed me to toss a few kitchen tools that have become obsolete." — Hiawhatha

Get it from Amazon for $19.80.

So you can save yourself a trip to your local watering hole and get straight to the festivities from the comfort of your own home. Each kit is enough to infuse 8 to 10 cocktails. Cheers!

Promising review: "This was fantastic! Quick shipping, too. I followed the steps completely and it tastes just like a Moscow Mule. Great to know it was made with all fruits and spices. There was no mystery about what was in my cocktail! Highly recommend and will definitely be purchasing from this shop again."— Jay RA

Get the classic Moscow Mule kit from InBooze on Etsy for $16.20 (more kits available in 17 flavors).

So you'll always have a variety of cocktail (or mocktail) ingredients available for virtually any mood you and your squad happen to be in. Avec is a Black woman-founded business specializing in making mixers packed with real juice and natural botanicals. The sampler comes with three servings of five flavors: Jalapeño and Lime, Ginger, Hibiscus and Pomegranate, Grapefruit and Pomelo and Yuzu and Lime.

Promising review: “The way my life is set up, the very day I want a good cocktail is the very day I have no ingredients to make it happen. To be honest, I’ve never been much of the bartender, and when it comes to cocktails, I need something tasty that drowns out an overpowering spirit. So anything that came ready-to-go where I only had to add my spirit of choice, was already a win for me. After tasting, I was sold. The Avec Mixers take all the guesswork out of what to put in and how much. And, you can even drink them by themselves over ice without adding any alcohol at all. My personal faves are the Grapefruit & Pomelo and Yuze & Lime. If you want a super simple solution to super tasty cocktails, this is definitely the way to go.” — Kit Stone, BuzzFeed

Get it from Avec for $45.

You'll want these if you're looking for a quick way to make your favorite sandwich that doesn't involve a stove or spatula. No more lifting the bread with a spatula to see if your sandwich is burnt beyond belief or completely untoasted. Knowing you, it's likely one of each on either side.

Promising review: "I purchased these for the office to end the endless fights about the dirty toaster and toaster oven and THEY DO MAGIC. Everyone is happy, toaster is clean, peace is restored! Food is heated evenly." — Marina

Get a pack of three from Amazon for $6.99.

It'll help create the perfect mince without leaving your hands smelling like you murdered a vampire. It's a way better solution than just haphazardly waving a bottle of garlic powder over your food, which is what I usually do. It also works with ginger, olives, chili peppers, onions, herbs, nuts and more! Get it from Amazon for $18.50.

You can use this to seriously step up your seasonings. With the wonderful medley of flavors in this sea salt, your roommates will think you've suddenly become a top-tier spice blender.

Promising review: "I bought this out of curiosity and it has become one of my favorite seasonings. You need to know that I have a huge lazy Suzan filled with spices to understand how big an endorsement this is. This is a great flavoring for soups, stews, vegetable dishes, beans, and many types of meat. It has a little kick — not enough to frighten anyone away but just enough to make it interesting. I gave a package to the talented chef at our workplace cafeteria and he is constantly telling me what new thing he thought to put it in. I have ordered one of the samplers of several of their other spices and look forward to seeing what new creative dishes will arise from that." — Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

So you can get artsy and maybe a little craftsy as well with your homemade cookies.

Promising review: "The rolling pin is very beautiful and came with care instructions and a recipe. I am excited to try it out. Update: It worked beautifully. I bought a pastry wheel to cut the cookies. The kids loved them." — Katrin

Get it from Pastrymade on Etsy for $24.95+ (available in two sizes).

So you can do something cool for that special tiny person in your life. A plate full of edible dinosaurs and rocket ships is sure to impress your little ones, and it'd certainly be a step up from the misshapen "circular" pancakes you usually serve them. The pancake molds are made with a mini-lift for easy flipping with a spatula and a line inside to prevent over-filling. They're also dishwasher-safe, BPA- and lead-free. And they're from a Black-owned brand!

Get it from Zavery Cakes for $12.99 (also available in butterfly and rocket shapes!)

It'll allow you to mix, pour and fry your pancakes as fast as possible. This is perfect for people who live in households with many mouths to feed.

Promising review: "This thing makes pancakes a breeze! The batter mixes really fast in this bottle and it makes pouring the batter on the griddle super easy. I make pancakes at least once a week so this is a great addition to my kitchen tools." — LBND

Get it from Amazon for $11.80.

So you can smother those pancakes once they're fresh off the stove. It's from a woman-owned shop based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and made of all-natural lavender flowers and unrefined raw cane sugar. The brand recommends that you keep the syrups refrigerated and use them within four weeks since they don't have any additives or preservatives. Reviewers rave about the taste of syrups but also seem super impressed by the shipping times, packaging and unique flavor offerings.

Get a bottle from Lynn and Gray Kitchen on Etsy for $9.50+ (available in two sizes).