Sixteen Must Have Kitchen Products
If there’s one thing I love, it’s a kitchen gadget that actually makes life easier—not just takes up counter space. These are the appliances I use daily
These are the appliances I use daily to whip up healthy, home-cooked meals with minimal effort (and maximum flavor). You’d think I was sponsored by Ninja with how much I rave about them. I’m not—I just have a borderline obsession with their stuff. Let’s dive in!
If your blender can’t quite handle ice, the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ is a serious step up. With 1400 peak watts of power, it crushes ice with ease and blends everything from smoothies to frozen drinks in seconds. The three built-in Auto-iQ programs make it simple—just press a button and let the blender take care of the rest. The XL 72-ounce pitcher is perfect for serving a group, while the two 24-ounce to-go cups make it easy to blend and take your drink with you. It’s powerful, convenient, and designed to make blending a breeze.
Personal Review: I believe you should have more than one type of blender but if you only want one, this is the one to get. With the spiral blade that goes all the way up the middle, it makes chopping so easy.
Whether you’re hosting guests, prepping dinner, or just want to make kitchen tasks easier, the Ninja food processorr is a reliable choice. Its powerful 1000-peak-watt motor handles tough ingredients with ease, and the 4 Auto-iQ preset programs take the guesswork out of chopping, slicing, pureeing, and kneading. The 9-cup bowl offers plenty of room for big batches or small servings, while the stainless steel blades deliver consistent, precise results every time. All removable parts are BPA-free and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup, and the sleek silver finish adds a modern touch to your countertop.
Personal Review: This makes making biscuits super easy and I love using it for pesto because its so easy to pour the olive oil in the top. I highly recommend.
No matter how you like your coffee—hot, cold, bold, or smooth—this Ninja coffee maker delivers. Choose from four brew styles: Classic, Rich, Over Ice, or Cold Brew, each designed to match your mood and taste. Iced coffee comes out strong and flavorful, never watered down, and cold brew is ready in just 10 minutes—no long wait required. With eight brew sizes, you can make anything from a single cup to a full 12-cup carafe. The removable water reservoir auto-meters the right amount of water, saving you the hassle of constant measuring or refilling. Thanks to Thermal Flavor Extraction, you get full-bodied flavor with the right temperature and saturation every time. It’s pod-free too, so you can use your favorite ground coffee and reduce waste. With a permanent filter, a 12-cup glass carafe, and the Ninja Smart Scoop included, this machine makes your coffee routine simple, efficient, and satisfying.
Personal Review: This is the one we use at our house. It makes excellent coffee and its very easy to use. I like the built in frother tool. I do wish it had the ability to make espresso but it is worth the money without it.
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or planning for leftovers, the CrockpotTM 7-quart slow cooker has the capacity to make it easy. It serves 9+ people or fits a 7-pound roast with no problem. With high and low heat settings plus a warm function, your meal stays at the right temperature until you’re ready to eat. Just add your ingredients, set it, and go—dinner will be waiting when you get home, and the smell alone will make your day. Cleanup is simple too: the removable stoneware and lid are both dishwasher safe. Bonus? The stoneware is microwave- and oven-safe up to 400°F, giving you even more versatility. With a sleek stainless steel finish, black accents, and easy-grip handles, it looks great on the counter and fits right into any kitchen. It’s an affordable, reliable way to make delicious, home-cooked meals with minimal effort.
The Kitchenaid stand mixer delivers twice the power of a classic tilt-head model, perfect for heavy doughs, big batches, and tough mixing jobs. With 11 speeds—including a gentle ½ speed for folding—and a 3-point locking bowl, it’s built for precision and stability. The roomy 7-quart bowl handles up to 13 dozen cookies or 8.5 lbs of dough, while the flex edge beater scrapes as it mixes. It comes fully equipped with all the essentials, so you’re ready to bake right out of the box.
Personal Review: I have had this model for 11 years and have only had to replace the gear box once. And that is with heavy, heavy usage.
The NutriChef Food Dehydrator makes it easy to turn fresh fruits, veggies, and meats into healthy, long-lasting snacks—no preservatives needed. With 10 stainless steel trays, adjustable temps (95–170°F), and a sleek LED display, it’s built for serious batch drying. The 360° heat circulation locks in nutrients while shrinking food for storage, and cleanup is simple thanks to removable trays. From apple chips to homemade jerky, this dehydrator helps you reduce waste and stock up on snacks you can feel good about.
Personal Review: I use this ALL the time in the summer. One of my favorite things to do is speed up the process of making sundried tomatoes. It does it in a fraction of the time. I also dry the herbs that I grow in the garden. You can’t beat that fresh from the garden smell and taste. I also like to dehydrate fruits for homemade natural fruit snacks for using in yogurt and oatmeal.
MY TOP PICK
Kitchenaid Immersion Blender
Tomato soup is basically a love language in our house, and this little handheld blender is the secret to making it velvety smooth. It also whips up homemade mayo in under 30 seconds—because who has time for store-bought? Honestly, I don’t know how I ever lived without this thing, and if you don’t have one yet, what are you even doing?
Items Under $30
Tools, gadgets and more
Who says you need to spend a fortune to make cooking easier? These budget-friendly kitchen tools and gadgets—all under $30—help save time, cut down on hassle, and make meal prep way more enjoyable. From genius slicers to multitasking utensils, these little game-changers prove that sometimes, the best things in the kitchen come in small (and affordable) packages!
Beef Chopper
I have had one of these beef choppers for the past fifteen years. It makes it so easy to chop ground meat and to make tomato sauce from my garden tomatoes. Highly recommend this tool in your drawer.
Kitchen Shears
I couldn’t live without a pair of good kitchen shears. My favorite use is to cut up bacon before frying it.
Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Shakers
I won a set of these at my office Christmas party. They are so great.
Good Grips Bench Scraper
I make all my own bread, buns and pizza dough. This tool is a must in my kitchen.
Clip On Strainer
This one is kind of a nifty gadget and is easier to clean than a colander.
Fullstar Vegetable Chopper
Total timesaver when your chopping veggies.
Rotary Cheese Grater
I recently upgraded to a Kitchenaid cheese grater because I got a good deal on it. However, this worked really well too!
Apple Peeler and Corer
My granny had one first and she made apple pie weekly with it. It does peel apples super fast.
MY INVESTMENT PICK
Damascus Steel Kitchen Knife
From the moment I picked up these Damascus steel knives, I knew they were the ones. They fit perfectly in my small hands, feel effortlessly balanced, and don’t leave me with hand fatigue after a long prep session. Oh, and did I mention they’re razor-sharp? Plus, they’re a breeze to sharpen. If you don’t have a good set of knives yet, do yourself a favor and grab these—you won’t regret it!
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