Best Deals on Kitchen Gadgets and Organization Essentials - Consumer Reports (2024)

Cookware

ThisSouped Up Recipes 12.5-inch carbon steel wokis flat-bottomed, has a hammered texture and comes pre-seasoned. Its cooking evenness score was excellent, and it was also very good at heating quickly. And like the others, the metal section of its handle is short, and so is less likely to be grabbed by unwary cooks. It lacks a helper handle, which makes it harder to move when full. It comes with a wooden lid and a stainless steel spatula.

This Leidawn 12.8" carbon steel wok is flat-bottomed, has a hammered texture and comes pre-seasoned. Like some other woks we tested, the metal section of its handle is short, and so is less likely to be grabbbed by unwary cooks, and it also lacks an extra handle that would make it easier to move when full. This pan comes with a wooden lid and a variety of stainless steel utensils as well

The 10-piece Oxo Ceramic Professional nonstick set is all business, with no extras added to the count, just pots and lids. That said, its cooking evenness is top-notch, and it brings water to a boil in no time flat. Plus, our tests reveal it’s very good at simmering sauces and releasing eggs fried in quick succession. We also found that the handles are super-sturdy and stay cool to the touch.

The Made In brand is a forerunner in the direct-to-consumer cookware andthis 10-inch frying panwas excellent in cooking evenly. Not to mention, you can use it on any range or cooktop, including induction. And as it is one of the most expensive pans we test, the discount definitely makes it worth it, even if it was $30 less during the holidays.

Made from stainless steel, thissheet pan from Fox Runearns excellent scores for cooking evenness and durability, resisting abrasion like a pro. It also earns a respectable score for speed of heating, which gauges how fast the pan heats up in the oven. But like the other uncoated pans, our testers found it harder to clean.

Food Storage Containers

Instant Brands’ versatile set of glass containersachieved top scores in our tests for storage, seal quality, durability, and ease of use. You’ll find containers round, rectangular, and square in capacities that are big, small, and medium (specifically, 8-ounce, 16-ounce, and 32-ounce). So there are plenty of options, whether you’re packing up soup for one or a batch of chili for tailgating. The plastic lids feature snap-and-lock flaps and a rubber gasket, though the gasket isn’t removable. With this many storage options at an affordable price, you’ll never find yourself trying to squeeze a lid shut on a too-full container again.

This food storage set from Bayco could be a great option if you’re looking to add reuseable containers to your kitchen. It comes with 12 containers (and 12 matching lids) in different sizes and shapes for any and all of your storing needs, and the lids use a snap closure to ensure a top-notch seal. In CR’s tests, this set got top marks for seal quality, ease of use, and durability, with a near-perfect score for storage.

TheC Crest glass food storage setis a great option, especially at this sale price. It gets top marks for storage, seal quality, and durability, making it one of the highest ranking sets CR has tested. And the set comes with five large containers and five small ones, all with matching lids that seal tightly thanks to clamps on each side.

Digital Thermometers

Countertop Gardens

Nugget Icemakers

The Vivohome Electric Portable Icemaker is second in our ratings. It produces bullet ice but not as quickly as the GE Opal icemaker. It’s one of only three models that score highest for efficiency, and it isn’t very noisy, scoring the same as the top model. The company claims it can make up to 26 pounds of ice per day. Weighing 17 pounds and measuring 12.59 inches high, 9.64 inches wide, and 12.59 inches deep, it requires less of your precious counter space than the Opal. This model comes in seven colorways—black, red, silver, light green, blue, white, and copper—and has a top-open design like all other models except the Opal.

The Frigidaire Icemaker is a bit lower-priced than other models CR tested and might be an option for people who are curious about but perhaps not fully committed to bullet ice. Of all five CR Recommended models the Frigidaire’s speed score is among the lowest, but it’s tops in the efficiency category. The company claims it can produce up to 26 pounds of ice daily. It is comparable to all other models except the winner for capacity, the GE Opal. Smaller than the GE, it takes up less counter space and measures 14.88 inches high, 11.70 inches wide, and 14.44 inches deep. It has a one-year warranty.

Food Steamers

Mandolines

If “safety first” is your motto,this stand-up mandoline from Dashcan’t be beat. Its safety features are great for people who fear traditional mandolines or have mobility issues. Unlike other models where the blade is stationary and exposed, this one has an internal guillotine that slices your food, not your fingers.

The intuitive-to-useBörner V5 mandolineexpertly sliced almost everything we threw at it and is the best at julienning. A “safe” setting tucks the blade away when not in use. The Börner is easy to adjust, swap out blades, and clean.

Vegetable Dicers

There’s a lot to like about the RüK veggie dicer. It’s fairly stable and secure, thanks to rubber feet and a top that seals securely to the basin when you press down. It also includes extra inserts for different cuts, such as grating and julienne and mandoline cuts, along with the standard ½-inch and ¼-inch chopping blades and a garnish slicer. But perhaps the best part is that this dicer is dishwasher-safe and easy to disassemble.

The Fullstar Chopper has a large cutting area and is incredibly sharp. The main grid has ½-inch and ¼-inch chopping blades. It also includes a spiralizer and a ribbon cutter, as well as a food grip for using these, two cleaning scrapers, and a cleaning brush.

Oven Mitts

These waterproof and stain-resistant silicone oven mitts are brought to you by trusted brand Gorilla Grip. Their silicone exterior provides superior grip, whether you’re handling hot pots and pans or slicing and dicing veggies, while a thick cotton interior lining ensures comfort. They come in two sizes and 11 shades, including black, pink, and turquoise.

Professional chefs rely on multitasking cotton side towels like these for everything from cleaning counters to doubling as oven mitts (the kind that fit every hand). The absorbent towels feature a classic Herringbone design, are conveniently machine washable, and come in a pack of 15, so you’ll always have several on hand. Choose from several colors and striped options.

The most noticeable difference in theseneoprene mini oven mittscompared to otheroven mitts CR evaluatedis that they cover only your hands and will not protect your wrists and arms—they reminded our tester of wearable side towels. They measure 7 inches in length, claim to be heat-resistant up to 400° F, and their interiors are lined with cotton.

Kitchen Shears

After testing six pairs of kitchen shears, all three of CR’s evaluators said the iBayam shears felt nice in their hands, were easy to use, and didn’t require the user to grip too hard. Plus, you get two pairs of shears for this price, and our testers suggested you can designate one for cutting meat and one for other kitchen tasks. The one downside is that the shears don’t come apart for cleaning, but the price and the comfort level make them CR’s top choice.

Thesestainless steel shearsare durable and feature micro-serrations on the blade, with a comfortable grip. They come with a safety blade guard and are available in several colors.

Ice Cube Trays

These ice cube trays from Doqaus have plastic frames with silicone bases to make for easier cube removal. We found that the silicone bases make it a cinch to pop out the rectangular cubes with rounded corners, and there were no stray ice shards—or breakage—when we tried it ourselves. If you’re sensitive to taste, note that the tray imparts some flavor, but it’s marginal—and if placed in a flavorful beverage, you probably won’t notice.

Popsicle Molds

This silicone popsicle mold is a great choice. It’s sturdy, and each mold has a marked fill line. It’s dishwasher-safe and comes with both plastic and wooden sticks, as well as a collapsible funnel to help with filling. Our reviewer said that, after running warm water over the molds, it was relatively easy to remove the popsicles, but not quite as easy as it was with the stainless steel molds she tried. With this mold, you get 50 wooden sticks and a lid to hold them in place, 10 reusable plastic sticks, and 50 plastic bags for storage after you remove the popsicles from the mold.

Knives

Henckels has been making knives in Germany for almost 300 years, and its expertise in design is on full display with this knife. The Premio was the Goldilocks of the eight knives we tested, and in the end, it was the only one with a positive review from all four of our panelists. The handle is contoured, with no sharp edges, resulting in a knife that’s extremely comfortable to hold. One user said their hand became clammy during use, but the knife was well received overall. It also excelled at force transmission from handle to blade, which means you don’t need to exert as much effort when cutting.

The Home Hero steak knives, now at the best price we’ve ever seen, seem to work on the same principle as the jaw of a coyote. They’ll definitely separate meat from a bone, but it ain’t gonna be pretty. The knives have jagged, triangular teeth, almost like those on a handsaw. The result is a knife that can certainly cut, but it takes a bit of effort. They can easily tear up food, but they struggle to produce delicate slices. If that’s okay with you, this wallet-friendly choice might be the right one for you.

Yes, just one of these knives costs as much as a dry-aged prime porterhouse, but it’s as close to perfect as a steak knife can get. Forged in Solingen, Germany, the Wüsthof classic moves like an extension of your hand—effortlessly gliding through even the toughest steak. Its razor-sharp, thin blade cuts delicately enough to produce perfect slices of tender cuts, like filet, without tearing the meat apart. The handle feels secure and comfortable, and the knife, well-balanced—meaning the weight was distributed evenly between handle and blade. It’s also the lone knife CR tried that has a straight edge, free of teeth, scallops, or serrations. That makes it easier to sharpen at home (serrated or scalloped knives need a special kind of sharpener that most people don’t own). Flatware of this caliber certainly isn’t necessary, but if you’re a steak-lover who often splurges on pricey cuts of meat, this knife is hand’s down the favorite of those we reviewed, and worthy of the high price.

Knife Sharpeners

ThePebble Premium whetstoneis a double-sided sharpening stone with a coarse side and a fine side on the same stone. If the sharpening process is something you enjoy, this might be the way to go. You can sharpen any knife to the exact angle you want; a tool called a bevel gauge (sold at hardware stores) can help you find the angle. It put an edge on both of the knives our tester used to evaluate the sharpeners, which none of the electric or manual sharpeners could match.

Storage and Organization

When it comes topantry staplesbought in larger quantities—such as cereal, oats, and rice—stackable canisters or basic jars can help maximize shelf space. This Chef’s Path storage set comes with four 4-liter airtight containers that are primed to keep your dry goods neatly in place and easily accessible.

Rachel Rosenthal, organizing expert and owner ofRachel and Company, swears byclear pantry binsand prefers to use them beyond the kitchen, including in the linen closet and even the bathroom. “While the name says ‘pantry,’ it does so much more!” she says. “I love that they allow you to easily create categories, see what is inside, and can be adapted to just about any space.” Rosenthal’s favorites are the iDesign Linus Pantry Bins, which come in a multitude of shapes and sizes for optimal versatility.

co*cktail Shakers

Wine Refrigerators

TheAntarctic Star 36 Bottle Wine Cooleris the best freestanding wine fridge in our ratings by a healthy margin. In our lab tests, it offers very good temperature performance but only decent energy efficiency and middling noise output (meaning it’s somewhat noisier than other tested models). This Antarctic Star fridge features temperature controls on the front of the unit, child control locks, and shelf stops, but it lacks a door lock. This is now $10 less than the sale price we’ve seen for months.

TheNewAir 23 Bottle Wine Refrigeratoralso offers great temperature performance, and it manages to run quieter than the Antarctic (above) based on our noise tests. Its energy efficiency is also acceptable, but it isn’t great. This NewAir features temperature controls on the front of the unit with child control locks, but it lacks shelf stops and a door lock.