We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and itspublishingpartners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Brace your taste buds for the sauces and kitchen gadgets of their dreams.
1. A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey, so you can add a pinch of sweet and a kick of spice to — well, just about anything. If you can dream it, you can hot honey it. (Pro-tip, though: drizzle it on grilled cheese.)
Amazon
Promising review: "This is now a staple for my kitchen. How I cooked without it before, I'll never know. Makes the best vinaigrette ever, quick pan sauces for pork, unexpected zip in dozens of dishes. Does it come in gallons? Have given it as hostess gifts several times and everyone gets hooked." —Martha Ronemus
Check out BuzzFeed's review of Mike's Hot Honey for more info!
Get it from Amazon for $9.49.
2. A trio lasagna pan designed so you can have not one, not two, but *three* kinds of lasagna — meaning you can make one normal one as a fail-safe and get wild throwing all kinds of ingredients into the other two.
FYI, you can 6,000% use these for brownies, blondies, and bread too. This is also great for making sure every edge is a crispy one!!
Promising review: "As someone who has a child (now a teenager) that will not eat any form of cheese, this pan is amazing! I typically avoid making any food that has cheese mixed into it but now I can make him a section without cheese and the rest of us our regular cheesy goodness. Another benefit to this pan is how well the portions slice. One cut with the spatula gives you a perfectly formed square. Each section makes four regular sized portions for our family." —TLC
Get it from Amazon for $14.29.
3. A silicone donut pan that can also be used for home! made! bagels!! that you can jazz up however you like.
Psst — here's an extremely easy-to-follow Greek yogurt bagel recipe you can add your own spices and ingredients to (plus a lot of reviewers mention using this for keto bagels, if that lights your fire). Brb, slathering everything in cheese and garlic salt and living the dream.
Promising review: "This silicone pan is great! I had been wanting to try making baked donuts and didn’t realize how easy it is! Pan is easy to use, clean and the donuts came out of pan easily and without breaking/sticking to the pan." —Tyler
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
4. Plus a shaker of Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning, a truly iconic condiment that deserves a spot in all your dishes — I'm talking salad, meats, homemade breads, ice cream (did I stutter??), the whole nine yards.
Psst — you can definitely get this at Trader Joe's for less money, but if you're finding it hard to get to a TJ's right now or just plain don't live near one, this is a good way to grab some!
Promising review: "This stuff is great on so many things! My favorite is I stuff a chicken breast with Laughing Cow cheese wedge and bacon bits and sprinkle this on top and bake in the toaster oven. So glad Amazon has this since we have no Trader Joe's around here." —Michele
Get it from Amazon for $10.47.
5. A basbaas sauce that can complement preeeetty much any dish you throw at it, and comes in two varieties: Coconut Cilantro Chutney and Tamarind Date Sauce. Each has a unique flavor profile, and is also vegan, gluten-free, and made with organic ingredients.
Basbaas
6. A mini waffle maker to churn out adorably-sized, perfectly cooked-through waffles in mere minutes — not to mention hash browns, paninis, biscuits, and even (gasp) PIZZA.
Amazon, amazon.com
Here's a whole slew of inspo from an article on surprising things you can make in a waffle maker (waffled tomato grilled cheese, y'all) if you need some boredom busters to get you started.
Promising review: "YES! Tiny Eggo-sized waffles! Put anything into it — hash browns, tater tots, waffle mix, canned biscuits! Add nuts and berries and things! It even comes with a little recipe booklet! It fits in the palm of your hand, you could literally stuff it in the back of a drawer, but you won't, because as soon as you get it everyone wants mini waffles for every meal. It heats up super fast and is a breeze to clean. If you're making a whole mess of waffles, be sure to give it a quick spritz of nonstick spray every couple waffles or so, so it doesn't rend your delicious waffles asunder. Excellent value." —Bryce Pierce
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in nine other non-heart-shaped colors).
7. An air fryer that can cook so many different dishes using the power of rapid air technology that it'll spoil you for other methods of cooking forever. Perfectly crisped french fries, veggies, and chicken wings in less than 20 minutes — no oil required.
Amazon, amazon.com
If you're looking for some fun inspo, BuzzFeed assembled a list of copycat air fryer recipes you can make in lockdown, including copycat McDonald's fries, copycat KFC biscuits, and copycat Taco Bell crunch wraps.
Promising review: "I have been thinking of getting an air fryer for a while now. The price point and the comments regarding customer service finally pushed me to purchase this fryer. Best cooking gadget I have ever purchased! I have had it for four days and have used it every day! I have made fries, fish, shrimp, potatoes, and bacon in this marvel! The flavor is amazing and I have not used any oil yet. I did purchase an accessory kit but have not used it yet — still making things as it came. I am great at burning things in the pan and in the oven. I really like how you can open the basket to check the food as it is cooking without losing the time or the temperature. I have not burned one thing! It is extremely easy to clean! It is large, but I WILL make room for it on my counter!" —CK
Get it from Amazon for $73.99+ (available in four colors).
8. A sushi-making kit perfect for beginners or intermediate sushi makers, so you can finally mix and match the exact ingredients your adventurous heart desires.
Amazon, amazon.com
Each kit comes with a rolling tray, a sushi divider, and two soy sauce holders.
Promising review: "When people started talking about how even their child could make sushi rolls with this, I knew that I had to try it. I'm a decent cook, but when it comes to operating even the simplest of apparatuses, I'm not the most talented person. But, lo and behold, when I used this kit, making the rolls was easy and as quick as this task will ever get. I just stuff some pre-cut carrot matchsticks, some thin avocado slices, some thin (seeded) cucumber slices, and roll the nori and rice into a lovely roll. This one goes out to all those adults that never try anything new because why bother: You can do this!!!" —Mr. Martha Stewart
Get it from Amazon for $24.95.
9. A pineapple cutter that will peel, core, and slice up your fruit in a matter of seconds, so you can stop ~pining~ for your pineapple and start adding it to your dishes for an unexpected tangy twist.
I know the angry "no pineapple on pizza!" mob is coming for me, but wait! You have other options!! Behold Tasty's Sticky Pineapple Chicken recipe and this whole list of pineapple dishes for proof.
Promising review: "This has worked exactly as advertised and as everyone reviewing it says. I can't believe how easy it is. I'm eating pineapples all the time now instead of buying them and throwing them away in a week because I'm too lazy to cut them." —RR
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
10. A set of vegan-friendly sampler jams in flavor combinations so unexpected and delicious that you might just skip the whole "cooking" thing altogether and eat straight from the jar.
Trade Street Jam Co.
Trade Street Jam Co. is a North Carolina-based, Black-owned business established in 2008 that specializes in small batch jams that can be used in co*cktails, salad dressings, BBQ sauces, marinades, pan sauces, and more.
Each sampler comes with a jar of Strawberry Chipotle & Fig, Smoked Yellow Peach, Plum & Rose, Blueberry Lemon Basil, Sour Cherry Ginger, and Blackberry Mulled Merlot.
Promising review: "When SO many flavors sounded good, I knew I had to get the sampler pack to try as many as I could. I love creating my own flavor combinations in cooking and baking. These jams were delicious blends, including flavor combinations I had never seen or considered before. Honestly, I was nervous they wouldn’t taste as good as the flavors sounded because other companies sometimes have flavors that sound great but aren’t so balanced. That was NOT the case here! The flavors were SO well-balanced and I could clearly taste and enjoy each element of each jam. I especially liked the smoked jam and flavors with a pepper component. I immediately recommended Trade Street Jam Co. to my friends in the city and will share with friends like me who live in other states and want an excellent flavor experience!" —Laura Weisner
Get a sampler of six from Trade Street Jam Co. for $30.
11. An avocado slicer, because truly, what meal hasn't been improved by adding gobs of avocado to it? Yeah, that's what I thought.
This three-in-one tool can split an avocado with its pointy tip, remove the pit with its center, and make perfectly even slices with the bottom — a much safer alternative to using a regular knife and potential falling prey to the dreaded "avocado hand."
Promising review: "I'm a millennial and can't live without my avocado toast a few times weekly. Thank goodness for this little gadget that is literally getting me through this quarantine. #bravocado!" —Alissa Nemnich
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
12. An Instant Pot pre-programmed so you can add a ton of delicious meals to your repertoire by literally putting them in the pot and pressing a button, from soups to stews to rice to porridge to slow-cooked veggies and meats.
Psst — here's a list of over 70 super easy Instant Pot recipes, from broccoli cheddar soup to buffalo chicken lettuce cups to salmon with lemon dill sauce 😋.
Promising review: "Who needs a kitchen anymore? To say that I love my Instant Pot is an understatement. I've had it for only two weeks and I swear I haven't touched my stove or pans. So easy to use and so many functions. You can sauté meat, make hard-boiled eggs, perfect rice and beans, steam vegetables in a matter of minutes. The Instant Pot community is large and there are always recipes to be shared. So simple to use and clean. I've made anything from perfectly hard-boiled eggs whose shells just fall off on their own, to soups, Mongolian beef and spaghetti! I am so glad I jumped in the Instant Pot bandwagon and cannot wait to purchase accessories in the future to make cheesecake and other things." —yestfl
Get it from Amazon for $79 (available in two sizes).
13. A silicone muffin mold, because sometimes all you need to think out of the box is to start thinking *inside* a muffin. This mold is handy enough to cook single-sized portions of eggs, pastries, and muffins, and since they're all individually baked, you can get crafty with what ingredients you put in each of 'em.
This also works without a ton of nonstick prep, and with ridiculously easy cleanup!
Promising review: "OMGosh I love this thing!!! I've always wanted one but too lazy to get one and finally got one. I love love love it!!! I use it to make eggs, veggies, and muffins. Just spray a little Pam on it and the muffins puffed up so beautifully and they literally fell out of the silicone pan!! Love it!!! Highly recommend!!" —Julie Frey
Get one from Amazon for $9.99.
14. A rapid egg cooker so versatile, it can cook eggs in five different ways, all just using the steam from the water you measure into the machine. Breakfast for dinner just became breakfast for always.
Amazon, amazon.com, amazon.com
I've owned one of these babies and have faithfully used it every week for upward of two years, and especially love it during quarantine — it simplifies breakfast because I know no matter what weird assortment of groceries I'm working with, there are precooked eggs to add some protein to it (I like mine medium-boiled 🍳). If my dinner is boring or seems like it needs a little extra "oomph" to it, I'll throw in an egg from this too. Some reviews note that the alarm on it is a little loud, but the new models have significantly decreased the volume and sing a little song instead!
Promising review: "You know those objects that are totally unnecessary, but you see them and fall in love and live forever in happiness with your random kitschy thing? This is that thing. I saw this egg cooker on a BuzzFeed list and, even though I am a fully functioning adult who has never had trouble cooking eggs before in my life, I knew I had to have it. I have not been disappointed. It makes especially lovely, perfectly round omelets with minimal cleanup required. Hard and soft boiled eggs cook evenly and taste great. The poached eggs are tender and melt in your mouth over toast." —Sonnet A. Fitzgerald
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in five colors).
15. A bottle of avocado hot sauce to both delight and emotionally confuse your tastebuds with the combo of creamy avo + HEAT.
Amazon
The question is less what can you put it on and more what *can't* you put it on. Reviewers mention salads, burritos, eggs, burgers, sandwiches, and steak.
Promising review: "So good. Favorable and just a mild hot, it's really good on anything that needs a little something- eggs, beans and rice, etc. Not a 'hot sauce' as much as a flavor enhancer. And, name aside, not really avocado in flavor; the avocado base just provides a little creamier, smoother, richer base for the spiciness. I can see people who don't like avocados still liking this sauce." —Jennifer
Get it from Amazon for $11.89 (also available in Mango and Original flavor).
16. A set of three dough presses in different sizes perfect for hand pies, dumplings, ravioli, calzones, empanadas, and truly any delicious thing you can think of that you want tucked into a pillow of warm carbs.
Promising review: "This was a great purchase for the price. I was making empanadas and folding them by hand, which didn’t look too good. This set helps me cut them easily into circles and then easily presses them close. Consistent look each time! I like that there are three sizes in the set so I can make them according to my mood. Easy to wash and use. Would highly recommend for the price and functionality!" —Sox
Get a set of three from Amazon for $11.18.
17. A panini press to make you gorgeous, evenly-cooked, Panera-level sandwiches instead of the boring ones you were grilling in a pan.
Amazon, amazon.com
Word to the wise — it'll also cook pizza and open-faced sandwiches. Infinite cheese toast = infinite possibilities.
Promising review: "I am very happy with this panini press. I was a little leery because of the low price but my worry was unfounded. The packaging was easy to open and easy to remove the press. The plates heat up fast and are easy to wipe off. I was feeling lazy one day do I used this to cook burgers. It worked very well. I think I'll even try a steak on it! Very happy I made this purchase!" —Iowagal4
Get it from Amazon for $32.75 (available in three colors).
18. A creamy roasted garlic aioli made with the teensiest touch of mustard to add a little extra ~oomph~ to pretty much every genre of food on your dinner plate.
Stonewall Kitchen
I am currently in possession of a jar of this aioli, and here's a running list of things I have put it on: a burger, asparagus, a baked potato, a pork chop, a salad, a grilled cheese, and if I have some leftover on my plate without anything to dip it in, literal air. You can read my full and aggressive review of the Roasted Garlic Aioli for more details. My blood is 90% garlic aioli at the moment.
Get it from Stonewall Kitchen for $7.50.
19. A nine-in-one pressure cooker equipped to make *deep breath* stews, soups, rice, eggs, yogurt, porridge, and veggies, among a bajillion other ideas you can try in the free recipe book it comes with.
Psst — this pressure cooker was also one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2019!
Promising review: "This product is just so convenient and easy to use! I like to cook but not when I am alone (I get lazy), but this pressure cooker has saved my life from eating junk food to cooking delicious meals for myself again! I don’t have to be by the kitchen keeping and eye open that it wont catch on fire as the cooker is safe and it won’t burn my meals. It also has the option of keeping the food warm after it's cooked, which is super convenient for me as I always get caught up in something ending with a cold or reheated meal. Everybody can use it with ease and everything that comes out of it is delicious! I will keep experimenting with all of its nine cooking features and trying the recipes they post on IG." —Jorchual G.
Get it from Amazon for $99.95 (available in three colors and one other size).
20. A veggie spiralizer and chopper with five different thickness settings, so you can make your meals all the more colorful (or just find an excuse to say the word "zoodle" more often).
Amazon
You can use this on veggies like carrots, zucchini, squash, beets, cucumbers, and even — gasp! — potatoes. Shoestring fry bliss.
Promising review: "I love this little machine! So easy to use, my kids did it! It is very safe. No more nipping my fingers on my other spiraling, right. It is so organized with the labels of which blade you want to use! I would definitely recommend this product." —Katie
Get it from Amazon for $24.85.
21. A gourmet burger marinade and sauce set so flavorful you can cancel all the other burger toppings (sorry @ketchup). This'll elevate all your summer grilling, whether it's ground beef, venison, turkey, or even plain old veggies.
Charleston Gourmet Burger Co.
Charleston Gourmet Burger Co. is a Black-owned business established in 2012, created after the owners hosted a neighborhood BBQ where the marinade was a big hit. The marinade and sauce have a rich, savory flavor and are made with a special blend of nine lowcountry spices and herbs.
Get the set from Charleston Gourmet Burger Co. for $29.97.
22. A meal delivery from HomeChef, which will send you portioned and labeled ingredients for all kinds of meals that you can customize yourself using an app. It's sort of like being your *own* fancy chef, but with training wheels.
You can peruse HomeChef's menu to see their current (customizable!) offerings, which include easy meals, 15-minute meals, and meals that are already oven-ready. Psst —if you don't like a recipe's protein offering, you can swap it our double it.
Get meals from HomeChef for $6.99+ —plus, if you use the promo code BUZZFEEDHC60, you can take $15 off your first four boxes ($60 off in total).
23. A four-person combo raclette grill — on the top you can cook small amounts of veggies, meat, and seafood, while on the bottom you can melt gobs of glorious cheese to accompany them. It's basically like the Melting Pot, but you don't have to put on pants.
Amazon
It's divided four ways, so so everyone has their own lil' mini raclette pan full of cheese or sauce.
Promising review: "Very cute little raclette, perfect for a dinner for two or for four. It is hot enough for both using the top plate for e.g. meat or bread and the pans for melting raclette cheese. Just give it 15 minutes prior to your cookout to let it heat up. Some people complained about too much distance between the heating element and the pans. We actually find it completely the opposite way. Finally a raclette where you don't have to worry all the time about the cheese touching the heating element which would create a terrible burnt smell. I've used a handful of eight people raclettes in my life when I was still living in Europe and this one competes on function without any doubt. Even has a temperature control. It is also very easy to clean. Would definitely buy it again." —Michael Falk
Get it from Amazon for $35.99.
24. A set of porcelain ramekins for single-serving foods like mac 'n' cheese, quiches, and desserts, so you can mix things up by letting your usual plate take a vacation.
TBH, even if you don't cook something revolutionary in these, eating out of a lil' ramekin is an Experience (TM). Here are some fun ramekin recipes to try out if you take the plunge.
Promising review: "These ramekins are great! They are the perfect 4 oz size and look beautiful. I used them to make some creme brûlée and they came out so adorable. They come well packaged and are easy to clean. They bake well and are pretty nonstick. Overall I am very happy with my purchase." —adc.jdc.522
Get a set of six from Amazon for $15.50.
25. A ghost pepper and blueberry hot sauce, because honestly, I dare anything taste "boring" after you dip it in this.
World Market
Promising review: "Really tasty 😋 Used on my French toast! I think it'd be good on ice cream too! I'll probably try using it to BBQ or smoked meat.. It was spicy still, but with sweetness still. Nothing overpowering. Just yummy 😋" —World Market Customer
Get it from World Market for $5.99.
26. A beginner-friendly fermenting kit complete with everything you need to "set it and forget it," so you can serve yourself lil' sides of pickled things with your dishes like a fancy farm-to-table restaurant.
Each kit comes with three fermenting lids with airlock valves, date setters, and an easy release tab, as well as an oxygen extractor. The lids are compatible with most wide mouth mason jars (you can snag four Ball mason jars on Amazon for $12.82).
Promising review: "I have now been using my Easy Fermenter for several months. I continue to be delighted with the results. My favorite recipes are a cabbage/carrot sauerkraut, and a blend of fermented peppers (some sweet, some hot). I have recommended these fermenting lids to many of my friends because they make fermenting foods so incredibly easy! You will NOT be disappointed." —K. Dixon
Get it from Amazon for $25.99.
All of us living in our un-boring cooking bliss:
Nickelodeon
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
