32 kitchen gadgets that will change your life

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Must-have kitchen gadgets and accessories to buy in 2024

Ninja Creami ice cream and frozen dessert maker

Best for easy ice cream

Star rating: 4.5/5

Talk about cool – this is one kitchen gadget you won’t regret investing in when temperatures rise. Unusually, you’ll have to pop your chosen recipe base into the freezer for 24 hours, then the machine shaves and churns the mixture into silky smooth ice cream or gelato in only a few minutes. Or, try one of the other settings for smoothies, sorbets or milkshakes. Our one small complaint is that it can only make ice cream in a single pint at a time, but when it’s this good, maybe a touch of restraint is a sensible thing.

Read our full Ninja Creami ice-cream and frozen dessert maker.

Read our best ice-cream makers guide

ProCook air-fryer health grill

Best for grilling and air-frying

Star rating: 5/5

Some air-fryers can look like huge black boxes on the countertop, but ProCook’s stainless-steel design, although large, is altogether easier on the eye. There’s a preset for all your needs, with the usual settings like air-fry, roast and grill, as well as innovative functions for slow- and steam-cooking included in its twelve options.

There’s an eye to easy cleaning, too, with a non-stick crisper basket, removable splatter shield and cleaning brush. Read our full review of the ProCook air-fryer health grill.

Read our best air-fryers guide

Ninja Food Zerostick 28cm frying pan

Best for non-stick frying

Star rating: 5/5

What makes the perfect frying pan? We want easy cooking, with an even surface temperature, a long, riveted handle and a generous size for cooking for crowds.

The Ninja delivers on all fronts – and its good looks will last, with a 10-year guarantee on both the pan and the non-stick coating, which is dishwasher-safe and scratch-resistant. The finishing touch on this versatile workhorse of a pan is that it’s oven-safe up to an impressive 260C , too.

Read our best non-stick frying pans guide

Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor

Best food processor for small spaces

Star rating: 5/5

We love this food processor for many reasons, but its compact size and easy, stackable storage, plus a wind-round power cord, come high on the list. It’s also surprisingly powerful for a smaller model, and dices, slices and shreds uniformly, giving great results when prepping ingredients and homemade pesto or curry pastes. Some models can be awkward to clean, but after use, it was easy to get into the nooks and crannies. A small and mighty choice. Read our full review of Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor.

Read our best food processors guide.

Smeg BCC02 bean-to-cup coffee machine

Best for designer coffee

Star rating: 5/5

Coffee machines can be bulky, especially when you want one that can handle the whole bean-to-cup process. For that reason, we’ve called this lightweight and compact Smeg model a complete kitchen game-changer. It may be suitable for even the smallest spaces, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to compromise if you know your coffee.

It has eight pre-set options: ristretto, espresso, coffee, hot water, light ristretto, light espresso, long coffee and a milk steam function, delivered via an adjustable wand. It’s a joy to look at first thing in the morning, too. Read our full Smeg BCC02 bean-to-cup coffee machine review.

Read our best coffee machines guide

Circulon Style anodised three-piece saucepan set

Best-looking pan set

Star rating: 4.5/5

Let’s face it: you’re going to be seeing a lot of any saucepan set you choose to buy. So, find something that looks good, as well as being practical. This stylish ensemble from Circulon meets the mark, with distinctive, twisted stainless-steel lid handles and dark, anodised pan units, as well as trusted performance that has a manufacturer’s lifetime guarantee.

The handles stay cool to the touch and feel secure when moving from hob to sink or worktop, with easy pouring. Read our full review of Circulon Style Anodised three-piece saucepan set.

Read our best pan sets review.

Best citrus juicer

Best overall citrus juicer

Star Rating: 4.5/5

This really does make your early morning fresh orange a fuss-free affair, as its power-assisted arm requires minimum effort for maximum juice. The cone is used for every size of fruit, so there’s no need to fiddle around with interchangeable sizes. From little limes to giant grapefruits, its heavyweight casing makes it feel secure as you squeeze. Cleaning up is a cinch, too, with a lipped spout that avoids drips, and a magnetic dome that detaches easily for rinsing.

Read our best juicers guide

Tesco textured plastic black 1.7-litre kettle

Best for budget brews

Star rating: 5/5

We’ve used kettles that cost hundreds, but this bargain buy does the job very nicely for under £20. A great choice for students, offices or those who don’t care too much for designer looks, its 1.7-litre capacity surprised us by boiling at more than half-capacity in around 2 minutes. With all the basics you need – a scale filter, water level indicator and handy, flip-up lid – it’s a cool choice for brews on a budget.

Read our best kettles guide.

Lakeland 6.5-litre searing slow cooker

Best slow cooker for families

Star rating: 5/5

We love slow cookers for fuss-free family meals, and this model makes things super-easy with a sear function, too. Without the need to brown meat on the hob before transferring, it cuts down on time, effort and the washing-up. It’s a great introduction to slow-cooking, with its comprehensive owner’s manual that includes plenty of tips and recipes that even the fussiest of eaters will love.

Read our best slow cookers guide.

Instant Pot Duo

Best classic multi-cooker

Star rating: 5/5

A modern classic, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without this incredibly versatile piece of kitchen kit. With seven brilliantly efficient functions, it’s so much more than just a pressure cooker. Saute, steam, slow-cook, or even make creamy yogurt. For those terrified of traditional hob models with their valves and pressure build-ups, this keeps everything monitored and safe. Another advantage is its ‘keep warm’ function, which allows you to leave stews, soups and curries at a safe temperature over several hours, which is perfect for busy households. Read our Instant Pot Duo review.

Read our best pressure cookers guide.

Zwilling Enfinigy toaster

Best two-slice toaster

Star rating: 4.5/5

This model toasts the competition with evenly browned slices on both sides of the bread. No matter what you fancy, it’s a toaster that will cope admirably, with everything from Mother’s Pride and muffins, to fruit loaf and frozen slices done just the way you like them. As well as reheat and defrost functions, there’s also a bagel setting.

And, for busy mornings, we like the useful safety feature of the automatic shut-off, which prevents burnt toast. A long-slot version is also available in the range, as is a four-slice model.
Read our Zwilling Enfinigy 53008 toaster review.

Read our best toasters guide.

Kilner coffee grinder set

Best for DIY coffee grinding

Star rating: 4.5/5

Why get complicated with a bells-and-whistles model when this manual coffee grinder does the job in simple style? Choose from three different grades before adding the coffee to your cafetière or filter machine. The beans will be ground by your efforts – turning its long, stainless-steel handle and working a ceramic mechanism, before falling into the traditional screw-top glass Kilner jar. It's very satisfying and, though it takes a bit of getting used to and adjustment of the top for different grades of powder, it’s very straightforward once you’re in the know.

Read our best coffee grinders guide.

Nutribullet Smart Touch

Best blender for large quantities

Star rating: 5/5

With four blending speeds to choose from (pulse, low, medium and high), this versatile (if a tad noisy) model has the capacity to make smoothies for everyone, as well as help with those batch-cooking blitzes. Although it can cope with larger-than-average amounts of ingredients in its 1.85-litre jug, it still suits smaller kitchens.

Its narrow base unit is brightly lit and intuitive to use, with everything feeling user-friendly. Apart from that, it’s efficient, making light work of frozen drinks, soups and purées.

Read our best blenders guide.

Stellar Soft Touch garlic press

Best garlic press

Having tested scores of garlic presses, we seem to reach most for the Stellar Soft Touch, which has a chamber generous enough to accommodate even the fattest cloves side-by-side. The comfortable handles and smooth mechanism make it very easy to use, getting every last bit of the garlic on the right side of the metal.

It’s easy to clean afterwards, which is always a bonus, as the rounded casing means no awkward poking around in corners. Spikes on the outer casing are brilliant for pressing through any residue, too.

Read our best garlic presses guide.

Joe & Seph’s The Popcorn Maker

Best family popcorn maker

Star rating: 5/5

If you love a bowl of popcorn, use this brilliant hot-air popper to make it fresh, rather than shaking and rattling a pan on the stove.

With clear instructions and a measuring cup and bowl, kids will love getting involved – under supervision, of course, as escaping steam is a risk. Add up to 80g of kernels, and within 3 minutes you’re good to go... straight to the sofa for movie night!

Read our best popcorn makers guide.

Sage Custom Loaf bread maker

Best bespoke bread maker

Star rating: 4/5

If you like to get adventurous with your carbs, this is the bread maker for you. The cool feature on this machine is its ability to customise a basic recipe – Sage’s excellent online Flour Power guide will give you lots of inspiration for both sweet and savoury loaves, from black olive and basil, to walnut and coffee.

The machine will prompt you to add ingredients when needed. It is a large-capacity machine, but clear a bit of kitchen space and you’ll never buy shop-bought bread again. Read our Sage Custom Loaf bread maker review.

Read our best bread makers guide.

Kuhn Rikon New Life Pro roasting tin with lid – 2.8-litre

Best for clever roasting

Star rating: 4.5/5

Not only did this three-layer ceramic roasting tin perform well in our tests, the genius is in the lid, which is suitable for the fridge or freezer, and useful if you want to cut down on your use of cling film. The valve in the lid can be adjusted to allow heat to escape, so it’s useful for covering items you may want to keep crisp. Kohn Rikon claims this roaster is manufactured with up to 95 per cent less energy than aluminium ovenware, so it’s an eco-conscious choice.

Read our best roasting tins guide.

Aarke Carbonator 3

Best for sparkling water

Star rating: 5/5

There’s never been a more chic way to keep hydrated, but this countertop carbonator from Swedish Brand Aarke really performs, too. Take your tap water to new heights by filling one of the two BPA-free, recyclable water bottles supplied and adding fizz via its Co2 gas cylinder, which you’ll have to buy separately. Available in a whole range of metals and finishes, it’s a kitchen talking point – or any room you like, since it doesn’t need a power source.

Read our best sparkling water makers guide.

Ooni Karu 12G multi-fuel pizza oven

Best for pizza on the go

Star rating: 4.5/5

The Ooni Karu makes it possible to pack up your pizza oven up and take it with you. There’s a specially designed waterproof carry bag for cooking on the move, but as with most Ooni accessories, it’ll cost you extra.

Likewise, Ooni’s gas burner is an option if you’re not using wood or charcoal to fire up. After half an hour, you’ll be ready to cook, using its temperature gauge and chimney to cook the perfect pizza in under 2 minutes.

Read our best pizza ovens guide.

Gastroback Design hand blender advanced pro

Best versatile hand blender

Star setting: 5/5

Keep this top-quality five-speed hand blender within reach for so much more than just blending soups and sauces. The mini chopper attachment comes in handy for sofrito, herbs and ice, and with a powerful 800-watt motor, its titanium coated, four-fold blade will make light work of them all. We especially like the mash attachment, which can turn a pan of steamed spuds into a creamy dream in no time.

Read our best hand blenders guide.

Joseph Joseph Folio chopping board set

Best chopping board set

Out of all the chopping boards we’ve tested, this set by Joseph Joseph is our favourite. It’s a contemporary looking space-saver, with a ‘library’ stacker design that has four slots for four boards. Each has non-slip feet, too, which is a nice touch.

Read our best chopping boards guide.

AnySharp knife sharpener

Best knife sharpener

With a sucker to secure it to your work surface, the AnySharp gives you added security when sharpening knives. It’s a secure way to ensure an extra-sharp finish on the blades.

Read on for our best knife sharpeners.

KitchenAid mini chopper 5KFC3516

Best mini chopper

A mini chopper is a super-nifty gadget to keep on hand in the kitchen, and best of all, it takes up very little space. This KitchenAid model powered through a variety of tests and produced a perfectly smooth curry paste.

Read our best mini choppers review.

Microplane zester/grater

Best fine grater

The grater of choice for home cooks and chefs alike, the Microplane zester/grater features ultra-sharp blades that produce fine and even results, whether grating cheese or chocolate, or zesting ginger or citrus.

Read our guide to the best graters.

Joseph Joseph Nest 9 Plus

Best mixing bowls

A set of mixing bowls is an absolute essential if you love to cook. These nesting bowls from Joseph Joseph take up very little space, and the bowls come in a good range of sizes. There are even measuring cups.

Read our best mixing bowls guide.

Oxo Good Grips kitchen & herb scissors

Best kitchen scissors with inbuilt herb stripper

Every keen cook needs a good pair of kitchen scissors, and no, that pair you've had for 10 years just won't cut it. These scissors cut through poultry and woody herbs with ease. We love the herb strimmer that makes removing fiddly needles and leaves a doddle.

Find more reviews in our guide to the best kitchen scissors.

Kenwood Titanium Chef Patissier XL

Best stand mixer

A stand mixer is like an extra pair of hands in the kitchen, but this Kenwood Chef Patissier XL is on a whole other level. Not only did it excel in our classic mixer tests, it also comes with inbuilt scales and bowl warming for proving bread or melting chocolate.

Read our full Kenwood Titanium Chef Patissier XL review.

Hotel Chocolat Podcycler

• Available from Hotel Chocolat (£3.88)

Best sustainable gadget

Good Food's e-commerce editor Anya Gilbert called the Podcycler a 'game-changer'. This small device is a must-buy for those with a pod coffee machine. The Podcycler separates the spent coffee grounds from the pod, making it easier to recycle.

Read our full review of the best pod coffee machines.

• Available from Hotel Chocolat (£3.88)

Lakeland cooling rolling pin

Best innovative rolling pin

This rolling pin is ideal for pastry or any other ingredients than need to be kept cool. Simply fill the chamber with ice or water and roll out your dough without any sticking. We also like the metric and imperial measurements printed on either end.

Read our full best rolling pins review.

Perfect Pot

• Available from Our Place (£110)

Best multi-functional casserole dish

This sleek and attractive casserole dish claims to offer eight different cooking tools in one. It impressed us in test and we love the trivet for our one-pot chicken with chorizo & new potatoes test. The casserole dish is significantly lighter than others we've tested, too.

Read our full Perfect Pot first look review.

• Available from Our Place (£110)

BRITA Style water filter jug

Best water filter jug

Rated the best all-round water filter jug, we favoured this BRITA jug for its sleek design and useful traffic light indicator that lets you know if you'll need to replace your filter soon. The reservoir holds one litre, so it's a great option for couples.

Stasher sandwich bag

Best reusable storage bags

These sturdy silicone storage bags are a brilliant alternative to single-use plastic sandwich bags. They form a tight seal and are versatile, too: they'll happily go in the microwave, freezer and dishwasher.

Looking for more sustainable products? Head over to our best sustainable gifts round-up.

Related reviews:
Best air-fryers
Best slow cookers
Best food processors
Best salad spinners
Best trifle bowls
10 of the best kitchen scissors to buy in 2021
8 of the best kitchen sieves
Best multi-cookers
Best measuring cups
Best measuring spoons
How to sharpen knives
Best knife sets

If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.