Whether you're a professional chef or hoping to transition away from nightly microwave dinners (we've all been there!), you can never have too many kitchen tools and gadgets to make your favorite meals with. Chic kitchen gadgets can help with manual labor or just spices things up in the kitchen—visually or literally. Below, our editors share their beloved kitchen essentials to help make cooking easier (and fun)!
Caroline Dunn, Manager, Sales & Brand Partnerships
10 Cup Water Pitcher
Brita, but make it chic. The Soma pitcher is a BPA-free alternative to the water purifier you’ve been using for years, and its filter is sustainably made with coconut shell fiber and charcoal.
Courtly Check Utensil Holder
The kitchen of my studio apartment conveniently has exactly zero drawers, so it’s all about creativity when it comes to storage for the kitchen pieces that I use daily. This utensil holder can house way more pieces than I originally thought, plus it matches my tea kettle!
1970s Vintage Ice Bucket
The vintage kelly green ice bucket that originally belonged to my grandparents is the focal point of my kitchen, and I found the exact same one on sale on Chairish! A staple that has been seemingly forgotten by Gen Z, the ice bucket is an entertaining essential in my home.
Claire Flanagan, Associate Producer
3-Piece Bamboo Double Sided Cutting Board
Good cutting boards are a kitchen must-have, and I'm obsessed with this set. The grooves on one side are great for when I make homemade pasta dough (the amount of times I spilled egg all over my counter before I got these boards...let's not talk about it) and the phone holder is so handy for keeping a recipe open and in sight when I need it. Plus, the smallest size is perfect for bringing along to the park to lay out a mini snack board for a picnic and the bamboo is so chic!
EasyPop™ Hot Air Popcorn Maker
Normally I'm pretty hesitant about single-use appliances in my already-crowded kitchen, but this guy is totally worth it—and honestly doesn't take up too much space! The air popper gets almost every kernel perfectly popped, taking movie night to the next level. I also love seasoning my popcorn from scratch (olive oil and chili lime seasoning every time).
2-Speed Hand Blender
This little hand blender has been a longtime staple in my kitchen because of how many soups are in my regular recipe rotation. Not having to transfer hot liquid into a blender to get just the right consistency is such a game changer. Now I just need to learn how to make my own bread bowls...
Katie Mok, Editorial Production Fellow
Pour Over Kit
"Coffee-dependent" is the best term to describe me. I need a cup of joe to start my mornings and this pour over kit makes it so easy. Something about making your own cup of coffee from start to finish is just so satisfying.
Electric Knife Sharpener
One of the most dangerous–and annoying–things in the kitchen is a dull knife. This keeps all of our knives sharp, so we can better prepare safely and efficiently. Plus, I love doing a paper test to see how sharp a knife is!
Dutch Oven
I’m heavily convinced everyone needs a dutch oven. Stews, soups, sauces, heck–bake some bread in it! The cast iron helps with even heat retention, so there's a lower chance for burnt food! And just in case anything does get burnt, this hack changed my life.