28 Kitchen Tools If You're Trying To Spend Less Time Cooking

Jul 06, 2023

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

*Feeling bamboozled by the unexpected burden of constantly needing to feed yourself.*

BuzzFeed Staff

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 $29.99 (available in three colors).

Plus, all the water collects at the bottom so there's no mess and no need for paper towels.

Promising review: "I've been a vegan for 13 years and I can't believe I went this long without a tofu press. So much more enjoyable cooking with tofu after pressing it. This press is different than all the rest as it has a tray that catches all the water. You can put the whole thing in the fridge and it's hassle free. Take it out the next day and drain the liquid and you're good to go. The other presses require a plate underneath and some require tightening and adjustments as it presses. I'll admit after reading some of the reviews here of users with broken Tofuture presses I was hesitant to order but I've just been careful with mine and haven't had any problems so far." —Conner

Get it from Amazon for $22.95.

Promising review: "I would literally eat semi-wet lettuce because I could never get my salad completely dry after washing. This makes me want to make salad all the time now. Being able to have completely dry lettuce and your salad not being ruined by extra bits of water is top tier." —Aliyma Lewis

Get it from Amazon for $29.99.

Promising review: "One of those 'why didn't I think of this?' kind of things. It makes cooking pasta so easy and foolproof! No trying to bend/break pasta to get it to fit into a round pan. The instructions tell you exactly how long to microwave it for the different size proportions." —EQUUS

Get it from Amazon for $17.99.

It's heat resistant up to 392 degrees Fahrenheit and is 100% dishwasher safe!

Promising review: "This pooper scooper–looking strainer has become one of the most used gadgets in the kitchen. I didn’t like wire strainer because they were so hard to clean. This is super easy. And really good at picking food when I deep fry in the wok. I also use it for straining leftover soup when I’m done eating so I don’t clog up the sink drain. And super easy to clean." —oel

Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in two colors).

Thaw Claw is a small startup behind this kitchen tool, designed to solve a seemingly universal household woe.

Promising review: "I am a stickler for properly defrosting meat after working in food service for years and this makes that process super easy and surprisingly quick! I've even convinced my father — a retired rocket scientist — that this is the best way to defrost." —Sarah

Get it from Amazon for $17.95+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "Single best appliance I own. My boyfriend sent me this sort of as a joke; we both thought it was both ridiculous and brilliant to have a McMuffin maker in your house. And then I tried cooking with it for the first time. Holy crap, it's AMAZING. I ended up using frozen waffles for the bread; you have to trim them just a tad, but they are the perfect amount of crispy. I love experimenting with this, and have built some truly amazing sandwiches. Waffles, eggs, avocado, Swiss, and ham. Waffles, egg, corn salsa, jack cheese. If you can fit it into the rounds, you can make a sandwich with it. The panel under the egg slides out easily and cleanly when the egg is cooked (I find four minutes is perfect for cooked eggs with runny yolks), and the whole middle section can simply be tossed in the dishwasher." —Elizabeth Joy Weaver

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in black and red).

The set comes with two different-sized magnets.

Promising review: "I thought it over a few times then I bought these so I could have a quick reference handy for those times I wanted to make something in my air fryer, which is quite a bit. What surprised me is how often I refer to it. I just throw something in my air fryer glance at the section that lists the item I’m cooking. Press a few buttons on my fryer and I’m in business. No more having to search on my phone with wet fingers. A frivolous buy that turned out to be worthwhile." —PickyExtra

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in black and white).

This little bloodsucker is 100% food-safe, BPA-free, and dishwasher safe!

Promising review: "I was getting very tired of the garlic presses that turn garlic into a mush and require incredible force to mash the clove into unrecognizable oblivion. This is far easier and turns the garlic into pieces rather than mush." —C. Pearlman

Get it from Amazon for $22.95.

The tool is safe to use with nonstick cookware and you can throw it in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.

Promising review: "The chopper breaks up ground beef, turkey, etc., much more efficiently than can be done with a spatula or turner. I don't normally purchase incredibly specialized utensils if I can get by without them, however, I think this chopper is worth the money because it saves time and makes cooking easier. The nylon material is heat-resistant and seems durable, but the packaging still directs not to leave on a hot surface when not in use." —Karen

Get it from Amazon for $8.39+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I was a little hesitant to buy this as an addition to my camping supplies. I thought who really needs a pancake batter mixer? How hard is it to mix up some batter in a bowl and ladle it? After using this, I was extremely happy I spent the money and purchased it. It makes mixing the batter super easy and the control it offers when pouring the batter is exceptional. Get one!" —Monkey's Mom

Get it from Amazon for $16.50+ (available in white and mint).

Promising review: "I bought this for my mother, who has some problems with arthritis, and when we gathered around to see if it worked, we were all pretty impressed. It left the edge of the can crimped in a way that avoids those sharp edges, which I personally have been sliced by several times. At first, it didn't seem like it was working, but then we lifted it and boom! Open can. I might get one for myself, honestly." —Rachel C.

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

Souper Cubes is a family-run small business with a passion for better frozen meal prep and food waste reduction! Plus, their products are BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, and it have fill lines on the side of the compartments for half and full cups.

Promising review: "LOVE LOVE LOVE. My freezer is so much more organized now. Gone are the days of having to defrost an entire bag of chicken broth for one cup for a recipe. I now have perfectly portioned 1/2-cup and 1-cup blocks ready to go. They fit easily in freezer bags, take up less space, and make me incredibly happy. There was a lot of attention to detail put into the design and I particularly appreciate the wire inside the rim that holds everything steady — no more worrying about spilling all the liquid on the way to the freezer. Just a fantastic product all around. I purchased this and a cheaper version from another manufacturer at the same time but returned the other product. This one is definitely worth the added cost." —Kate

Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in blue and charcoal).

Promising review: "Brilliant. 100,000% Recommend them! It lets me separate veggies by how long they take to cook so they are all ready at the same time and nothing is over/undercooked. I love these cheat sheets. They are a great tool for my kitchen." —yule

Get a set of four from Amazon for $29.99.

Promising review: "I loved Al so much, I sent one to each of my sisters. Not only is he whimsical, but he’s also fairly accurate. I’m making excuses to make pasta just so I can hear the tunes." —imlms

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

These shears are also dishwasher safe for even easier cleanup.

Promising review: "These things are a lifesaver. My wife always complained about having to chop herbs...I found these on Amazon and decided to give them a chance. I can't say enough good things about them. Easy to clean (the protective cap can be used to scrape leftover herbs out of the scissor) and seem like they will last a while. Do yourself a favor and purchase these now." —Robb Fladry

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

Not just for sandwiches, these bags can be used in the toaster, microwave, oven, or on a grill to heat up pizza, burgers, pastries, and so much more! When you're done, just wash them in warm soapy water or in the dishwasher. They're designed to last through 50–100 uses.

Promising review: "At home, we use two different toasters since our son has a gluten sensitivity. Since we didn’t feel like traveling with the GF toaster for the holidays, we got these toaster bags. Not only did they toast a bagel nicely, but they also brought some really odd looks from people at the hotel breakfast bar which is one of my fortés in life. They wash up nice and we’ve gotten a few uses out of the first bag so far." —Gene

Get a set of four from Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "I love this steamer. I recently started a low carb diet, which means eating more fresh vegetables. I use this daily and it does an excellent job. It doesn't burn your hands taking it out of the microwave and is super easy to clean. Definitely going to order some as gifts." —JRS

Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in two sizes and in four colors).

Good news — batteries are included!

Get it from our Goodful shop for $19.99.

This cooker includes the base, clear lid, measuring cup, poaching tray, omelet bowl, boiling tray, and a handy little recipe book!

Promising review: "Where has this gadget been all my life?! I love to cook but I always find boiling water for eggs to be annoying. It's very easy to use and the eggs come out perfect! You just pick how you want to make your eggs, fill the cup with water to the appropriate line, pierce the egg, cover it, and turn on. All in all, it's a great product and I’m happy with this purchase." —Death2Barbie

In need of an egg cooker deep dive? Check out our Dash Egg Cooker review.

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

This multi-purpose blender comes with a whisk and milk frother attachments.

Promising review: "Love this immersion blender! Perfect for blending soups without having to dish it out into my high-speed blender and risk getting burned. Also used it to make the smoothest crepe batter I've ever made-no lumps and that of course, made my family thrilled! If you're looking for an easy, powerful immersion blender, look for further!" —Alisa Black

Get it from Amazon for $34.97.

The device self-adjusts to fit pots from 6–12 inches in diameter and 3–9 inches in depth. The motor will stir for up to 13 hours per charge and then takes just 30 minutes to recharge.

Promising review: "Not only does this save me a ton of time running back and forth to the kitchen to stir pots of long simmering meals like chili, it also allows me to cook much faster as I can run the heat higher since it's continually stirring and I don't have to worry about scorching. I was concerned if it would be strong enough to stir some of the thicker things, like chili, but it doesn't seem to slow it down at all. For folks who cook a lot, this would be a tremendous timesaver and I'd have one in every pot I had going." —Ryan

Get it from Amazon for $67.57.

StoveShelf is a small business founded by Scott Fleming after struggling with storage space in his own small Milwaukee apartment. After a couple of beers, he quickly realized the entire top of the stove itself was wasted space, and the magnetic StoveShelf was born.

Promising review: "There was no set up. Take it out of the box and place it on the stove. The magnets are very strong keeping the shelf fixed in place. The magnets are raised allowing air flow underneath preventing the shelf from heating up. Sizing was perfect. I love it!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in three sizes and in six finishes).

These "Mountain Pie" makers (as my family calls them) are one of those things that were ubiquitous for me growing up, and then I moved away and realized most people had no idea what I was talking about. These should be a fire pit staple as much as s'mores, if you ask me.

Promising review: "I have never used one of these pie irons before, but it was easy, fun, and worked perfectly. I did preseason the cast iron twice before using and had no sticking problem at all. The rods/handles unscrew from the cast iron allowing seasoning in one's oven or gas grill at home before heading out to wilderness. I believe many of the other brands do not have this feature. The halves come apart for easy cleaning. And the price is right!" —Lorraine

Get it from Amazon for $10.97.

This teeny-tiny knife sharpener features two slots with carbide blades on one side to provide quick edge setting capabilities, and ceramic rods on the other for the final edge honing. Plus, there is a nonslip base for added stability and control.

Promising review: "I am a former chef and have many knife sharpeners. I rotate about 10 knives at home and have found this to be a tremendous sharpener to put an edge back on a blade. Use along with a honing steel after sharpening. I have purchased a bunch of these for friends due to their effectiveness and ease of use." —drockchef

Get it from Amazon for $7.68+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "Finally...an apron that is generously sized to properly protect my clothes, a sizing clasp on the neck strap that stays where you put it and ample pockets. I love it! Material is thicker than I expected so it can get warm but I will not give up this apron. So happy with this purchase." —Debra S.

Get it from Food52 for $45 (available in two lengths and five colors).

Promising review: "I have been making creamed corn for years, and the part I dread is using a knife to remove the corn kernels from the cob. It is almost impossible, and you have to have some muscle behind the knife to really get the job done. With this tool, anyone can easily remove corn from the cob in minutes! It is as easy as twisting the cob through the device, and the kernels just fall off the cob. It is the best tool in my kitchen, and one I can't do without. If you like corn, you have to have this!!" —Summergirl

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "I used these to shred chicken for Thanksgiving and was so excited when I realized how effective these were. They were easy to hold and I didn't have to wait until the chicken was cooled. It made quick work of a usually tedious chore." —Bonnie Maxfield

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in four colors).

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.