25 Clever Kitchen Gadgets You Never Knew You Needed

They say a craftsman is only as good as his tools. If that’s the case, you’re about to become Gordon Ramsey by the end of this article (minus the temper tantrums, we hope). The ingenious kitchen gadgets below will transform your home cooking skills, improve your dishes, and save you time and effort. They’ll also make cooking a lot more fun. 

_{Prices are accurate as of April 10, 2024. Subject to change. All featured products and deals are selected independently and objectively by the author. Better Report may receive a share of sales via affiliate links in content.}

Automatic Pan Stirrer

Your grandmother grew vein-popping forearms by stirring thick stews and prepping hearty dishes, but you no longer need to bulk up to handle such recipes. This Automatic Pan Stirrer does the heavy lifting for you. Pop it in the pan and let it go to work. Available in both a battery-powered and a rechargeable model, the clever device stirs any sauce over low heat so you can move on to the next part of the recipe. 

Baker’s Edge Brownie Pan

We all know the best brownie is the corner brownie. The combo of crisp sides and gooey middle is unmatched. It’s a shame you have to deal with those pesky middle pieces, right? Well, no more. The Baker’s Edge Brownie Pan produces only edges and corners. A nonstick coating on the heavy gauge cast aluminum makes popping brownies out a breeze, so all you need to do is grab the vanilla ice cream and go to town.

Easy Spread Butter Knife

If you’ve ever destroyed a slice of Wonder Bread trying to drag a thick, stiff slab of butter across it, you’ll understand the value of this innovative knife. The perforated blade easily glides across a stick of butter, creating ribbons that are easy to spread across a piece of toast. 

Kitchen Gizmo Strap N Strain Pot Strainer

If you’ve ever tried to hold a pot lid slightly ajar to strain spaghetti only to lose precious pasta to your garbage disposal, you’re not alone. A far better way to strain pasta and other boiling bites, for that matter, is the Strap N Strain Pot Strainer. This silicone device clips onto pots and pans and allows for error-free straining. The dishwasher-safe tool is a space-saving alternative to bulky colanders. 

Tumbler Original Diamond Rolling Knife Sharpener

A dull knife is a dangerous knife. Unfortunately, honing steels requires a bit of a learning curve. Luckily, the Tumbler Original Diamond Rolling Knife Sharpener is a sleek alternative to the classic metal wand. A magnet secures the knife blade and lets you sharpen your knives at a 15- or 20-degree angle, leaving your most important kitchen tool sharp and safe.

Material reBoard

The reBoard looks just like a humble cutting board and functions like one, too. The innovation comes in the way it's manufactured. The reBoard is made entirely of plastic kitchen scraps and renewable sugar cane, making it the most eco-friendly way to prep your mirepoix. Available in a range of attractive colors, the reBoard has sold out 10 times already, so pick one up as soon as you see it available from Material, a kitchen brand we adore. 

Philips Artisan Smart Pasta & Noodle Maker

Two things are true about fresh pasta. One, it’s far superior to the dried pasta you buy from the grocery store. Two, it’s a pain in the butt to make. Well, at least that second one used to be true. With the Philips Artisan Smart Pasta & Noodle Maker, you can whip up fresh pasta without rolling and flattening dough for eons. Simply add flour and water, and then press a button. In minutes, you’ll have spaghetti, lasagne, penne, or numerous other shapes. 

Dreamfarm Supoon

You’ve heard of the spork — now meet the Supoon. Its clever design lets your counter stay clean after stirring a sauce or pushing veggies around a pan. It also comes with a built-in measurement system so that you can add liquid ingredients without reaching for a tablespoon or teaspoon.

Always Pan 2.0

Speaking of clean countertops, the Always Pan 2.0 offers the same mess-free cooking in a more robust and attractive package. The gorgeous ceramic pan holsters the included spatula right on its handle, ensuring you don’t need a spoon rest or a folded paper towel to get tomato sauce from dripping all over your cooking space. Available in an array of eye-catching colors, the ingenious pan also includes a steamer basket, so you can do more than simply cook an egg with it.

Vevor Ice Ball Press

The difference between a great cocktail and a watered-down beverage is all in the ice. Instead of the cubes in your freezer, craft a cocktail bar-worthy cube with the Vevor Ice Ball Press, which produces large crystal-clear rocks to add to whatever you’re imbibing. Made from aircraft-grade alloy, the heavy-duty ice press is your first step toward becoming a home mixologist.

Meater Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer

Checking to see if your steak or chicken is done is a perilous process. Wait too long, and your dinner will be drier than the Sahara, but serve too soon, and you could make your guests sick. The Meater eliminates the guessing game. The thermometer works with your smartphone to let you know precisely when to turn off the heat or remove dinner from the grill. Even better? No more metal wire dangling in your way while you cook.

Whisk Wiper

No one has figured out how to clean a whisk properly. We resort to running tap water over the handle, so it cascades down over the soapy tongs. But our days of whisk worry are over thanks to the Whisk Whiper, a why-didn’t-anyone-think-of-this-earlier device that makes cleaning whisks super simple. Just pull the Whisk Whiper over your whisk and toss it back in the drawer. Problem solved.

Sporkful Cascatelli

Cascatelli isn’t a gadget in the traditional sense, but it is clever and delicious. Cascatelli, from the Italian word for “waterfalls,” is a new shape of pasta designed to offer the perfect bite. Developed by Dan Pashman, a James Beard Award winner and the host of the Sporkful podcast, Cascatelli adheres better to the sauce, is easy to spear with a fork, and offers the most satisfying bite. Don’t take our word for it. Pick up a box and taste for yourself. Say goodbye to penne forever.

Instant Plant-Based Milk Maker

If you’ve ditched cow’s milk in favor of a non-dairy alternative you know how expensive this swap can make your grocery bill.  Enter the Instant Plant-Based Milk Maker, which automatically grates nuts of your choosing to produce a creamy alternative for your coffee and cereal. It even heats the milk for you so your latte stays warm.

AirHood Wireless

The scent of cooked fish can linger in your kitchen for hours. Grease can splatter in the toughest-to-reach spots. Smoke from a hot oven can set off your smoke detector in a jiffy. Say farewell to these dilemmas with the AirHood Wireless, the world’s first portable kitchen air cleaner. Run it in your kitchen when you cook, and it will extract fumes, filter the air, and make dinner prep less of a mess.

OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Mat

The last thing you want to do while baking is drag your dough-encrusted finger across your phone to look up how many cups are in a quart. With the OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Mat, you no longer have to. The workstation doubles as a cooking cheat sheet, with important info printed right on it. Make the perfect size cake, find a baking powder substitute, and convert measurements without lifting your head.

Dash Clear View Toaster

We’ve burned countless pieces of toast, which is why we wish we had the Dash Clear View Toaster earlier in our lives. Plenty of perfect pieces of bread wouldn’t have been tossed in the trash. That’s because the toaster lets you see what’s cooking. Pop in your bread and keep an eye on the toaster to see when it’s just the right amount of done. 

Toaster Grilled Cheese Bags

Since we’re on the topic of toasters, why not try making a few grilled cheese sandwiches in your new Clear View Toaster? If that sounds like a mess, you’re right… unless you’re using these Toaster Grilled Cheese Bags, which let you make America’s favorite sandwich right in your toaster oven. No more cleaning butter and cheese off a saute pan. Simply put your sandwich in a bag and drop it in your toaster. You just need to handle the tomato soup.

FinaMill Spice Grinder

If you rely on a store-bought pepper grinder preloaded with peppercorns, prepare to take your spice game up a notch. The FinaMill Spice Grinder is designed for one-hand operation, which comes in handy more than you might imagine. Just think of all those times one of your hands had bits of food on it while you prepped dinner. Further, it's designed to accept spice pods you fill, so you can swap spices in and out, using only the freshest ground ingredients. 

Wilton Muffin Top Pan

As explained on Seinfeld, the muffin top is the best part of a muffin. This undeniable truth has led to a lot of wasted muffin bottoms. But no more. The Wilton Muffin Top Pan allows you to bake only the good parts. Sure, you could use it for cookies and other treats, but the real revelation here is that your muffins will become smaller but oh so much more delicious.

Jofuyu Herb Scissors

Stripping and chopping herbs is a pain and a time suck. Skip the hassle with a pair of these Herb Scissors. Instead of chopping, you’re snipping. Watch your output skyrocket as you make quick work of fresh herbs, green onions, lettuce, and more.

Alessi Sleek Spoon

How much peanut butter have you tossed because a jar was almost empty? How many jams, preserves, and other mason jar-filled condiments have met the same fate? The Sleek Spoon is here to save those last delicious bites. The design lets you scrape around the sides and bottom to enjoy every last morsel. 

Sous Vide Art Cooker Kit

Low and slow is the name of the game when it comes to cooking sous vide. The result is the most tender meat you’ve ever tasted. We’re talking 48-hour short ribs and the like. Seal your cut in a bag, place the sous vide device in a water bath, add the bagged dinner to the pot, and wait. You’ll have a hard time going back to baking dishes in the oven.

Just Crunch Anti-Soggy Milk Bowl

For some, preparing a bowl of cereal is as far as their culinary adventures extend. But there are improvements for this crowd, namely, the Just Crunch Anti-Soffy Milk Bowl from Just Solutions. The bowl is divided into two parts: one for your cereal and one for your milk. Simply scoop and dunk, or push some cereal over the edge. The result? No more soggy, mushy last bites.

Zojirushi Rice Cooker and Warmer

The last one is a personal favorite. The Zojirushi Rice Cooker is a dinnertime game-changer. It cooks all varieties of rice with little to no effort, but it also handles porridge, steams food, and does so much more. That it plays a delightful melody when your food is ready is just an added benefit.

_{Featured Image Credit (clockwise from top left): Courtesy of Sfoglini; Courtesy of Amazon; Courtesy of Amazon; Courtesy of Material; Courtesy of Alessi}