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I knowwww it is *so* tempting to order food after a long day, but these will make cooking easy enough that you can spare your wallet.

Promising review: "This chopper is amazing!! I love cooking, but used to absolutely HATE chopping onions... until someone gave me this chopper! Now I simply have to quarter the onion, throw it in the chopper, pull the handle about 10–15 times, and they're ready to be used! No more teary eyes or spending a long time chopping onions. The cup is big enough to fit a whole onion... I think the capacity is three cups. There's tons of other uses to this as well... you can chop pretty much anything from herbs, veggies and fruits, to making salsa and guacamole." —Valjulia

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in two sizes and three colors).

Each air fryer comes with the "PowerPod," two containers (a 4-quart and a 6-quart), and lids. The PowerPod has auto-shutoff and four modes: Max Crisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Recrisp. The "feet" are heat-safe, so you can prop it on any surface without worrying! 

Promising reviews: "A busy parent's best friend in the kitchen. Instead of going to a fast food place you can get a great home cooked meal in the matter of minutes. This busy softball mom highly recommends! Clean up is easy and very easy to use. Just press a button and you are all set! Cooks everything from frozen dino nuggets, frozen french fries, garlic bread, baked chicken, chicken wings, etc. to perfection!" —Elizabeth Hernandez

"I got my Ninja Crispi today and reheated some stuffed bread with feta cheese and spinach, and it did a wonderful job. It was like it just came out of the oven the first time. Nice and crispy outside, but the inside heated just right. I love that the bottom glass can be covered with the lid that comes with it. They come with a metal plate you can put in the glass bottom part, and it actually fits into the lid, so it doesn't get lost. The glass makes a difference in the taste, too. It is a great product and well worth it." —Jennifer 

Get it from Amazon for $159.95+ (available in six colors).

Promising reviews: "Where has it been all my life? Easy peasy way to coat your chicken, fish etc.. I’ll buy this over and over... cleaned up is easy my fingers aren’t a mess. You gotta have this!!" —Holliberry

"This thing is awesome! Breading anything makes such a mess in my kitchen, but I absolutely loved being able to do everything in one container. I only tried a dry rub, but I was so impressed with how evenly it coated. Plus, being dishwasher-safe was a major bonus. Seriously considering getting some for gifts." —Susanne C.

Check out a TikTok of the birria bombs in action!

EZ Bombs is a small biz that specializes in different cooking bombs like pozole, tinga, and, of course, birria!

To use these, grab a chuck roast (up to four pounds), cut it into chunks, add four cups of water (some reviewers use broth instead), and toss one of these in. Let it cook (cook time will depend on how you cook it), and then add it to your tacos, quesadillas, burritos, ramen, nachos, taquitos, whatever you want! The bombs contain a blend of 13 different spices and chiles like arbol, guajillo, and ancho.

Here are the cooking times for different ways of cooking:

Pressure cooker — an hour and 45 minutes

Slow cooker — six hours on high or eight hours on low

Stovetop — three hours on low heat *or* until fork tender

Promising reviews: "If you like birria tacos — get this! It makes it so easy to make authentic birria at home. Just to throw your roast in your crockpot, add beef broth or water and one bomb. Cook on low for six hours and you have delicious birria ready for you to put into your favorite tortillas." —T. Anderson

"This seasoning has been a game changer for my quesabirrias. I used it with chuck roast, and the results were incredible — full of bold, authentic flavor. It’s incredibly simple to use, and the seasoning blend does all the heavy lifting. Definitely worth keeping stocked for quick, flavorful meals." —Ruby Vizuet

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in four versions).

Check out a TikTok of the nonstick sheet pan dividers in action. 

Promising reviews: "These make dinner so easy for a family of three. I just throw some fish in a long one and some vegetables in the other three and roast on 425 for 30 minutes. Super easy and convenient dinner. I have also done pork tenderloin and beef roast in these, all super easy and then if something needs more time than the other items you can remove the things that are done more easily. Overall really convenient and dishwasher safe." —Jasmine Schaffer

"Brilliant. 100,000% recommend them! They let me separate veggies by how long they take to cook so they are all ready at the same time and nothing is over- or undercooked. I love these cheat sheets. They are a great tool for my kitchen." —yule

Get a set of four from Amazon for $34.99.

Promising reviews: "This was actually given to me as a gift and I loved it so much I bought one as a gift for my mother. I usually used a double boiler when I needed to steam anything and size was always an issue. I prefer to steam my vegetables and this not only makes it incredibly easy but with the two separate containers I can steam several things at once. It works incredibly fast and efficient. I would highly recommend for anyone in need of a good steamer." —James F

"I love this steamer. I work full time and have recently joined Weight Watchers. I can make a meal in 15–20 minutes. It’s easy to use and easy to clean." —Marissa D.

Promising reviews: "This makes cleanup so easy. We use something similar in the restaurant business and this works just as well. When I realized I was using my crock pot so often I didn't want to spend just as much time cleaning it. Now I pull the bag out and throw the out in the dishwasher to get what residue was cooking in between the bag and the pot. Plus the subscribe and save makes it even easier." —Rei

"Try these liners once and you will never use your slow cooker without them again. Pop one of these liners in and once your meal is ready you can easily lift the liner out and the mess goes with it. No more soaking and scrubbing. Just rinse it out with soapy water. I find these especially useful if I’m cooking up big batches and freezing part of the batch. I can pour right out of the liner into a ziplock bag. No messy ladling necessary." —landr007

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $3.89 (also available in two other quantities).

Read our full review of Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners here (#4).

And, of course, TikTok is loving this bad boy. Check it out for yourself!

BuzzFeed Shopping contributor Jordan Grigsby has this and says, "I have this, so here are a few tips! Be careful and read the instructions! This thing gets suuuper hot (up to 800 degrees!) and you don't wanna pile ingredients up too high, or they'll burn on the little electric lamps. And be sure to continuously check on it! I've made frozen and homemade 'za with this, and I *personally* cook mine at 500 degrees because every time I've made pizza at 800, it burns on the outside and isn't cooked fully on the inside, or it's still frozen. It does take time to get the hang of it — I used this four times before I got it to cook a pizza perfectly, and OH MY GOSH. Best pizza ever, seriously. Pizza is my favorite food, especially brick oven style, and I've been determined to get this right, and I finally figured it out. I used Trader Joe's premade dough and sauce, threw my ingredients on, put it in at 500 degrees for about 5–7 minutes, and *voila* absolute perfection. I'm so excited I can have restaurant-quality pizza right from my kitchen and super fast, too! I can not wait to have a pizza party and impress everyone with my at-home brick oven-style pizzas. Yuuuuummmmm-y."

Promising review: "I ordered this and we have made homemade pizza every week. It is the perfect size for the 2 of us and it makes really good pizza. I buy the pizza dough ball at Publix and I freeze half of it for the next time. Add your toppings and put in the oven - in 3 minutes you have a delicious meal!!" —Christie Widener

Get it from Amazon for $96.99+ (available in two colors).

FryAway is a woman-owned and Latine-owned small business started by Laura Lady, who loves both cooking and being kind to the planet. They donate 1% of revenue to nonprofits focused on water conservation.

Promising reviews: "Makes frying at home much easier. I used to hate to fry food at home because getting rid of the oil was such a pain, but this stuff is amazing!" —Meagan K. Warncke

"Honestly I didn’t know if this would work, waiting for it to cool down made me nervous, but once it was at room temperature it was solid. It popped out of the fryer so nicely. Worth every penny." —Emma

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in three versions and multi-packs).

Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action. 

Promising reviews: "I’ve had this a year now and it's still working great! I am not gentle with it — I put huge pieces in it and just hit it hard to cut stuff and it hasn’t broken yet, haha. I have a very hard time cooking due to mental health and live alone, so my solution is to cook HUGE pots of healthy meals and freeze individual portions. This helps me eat healthy during weeks I don’t feel good instead of takeout or just not eating at all, but the chopping used to take me forever and then I’d be exhausted. It’s easier now for me to cook more often, and I dread my meal prep less. I will literally never go back to dicing manually, this is a game changer if you have a hard time with executive functioning!" —Aiden

"I recently decided to cook more at home. After a chaotic 'finely chop onions' session (tears were shed), I ordered this little veggie chopper. It works like a dream. An entire onion chopped within seconds, no tears involved. Everyone needs one of these." —Sunny

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four colors and six versions).

We've had this coffee maker in our kitchen for a couple of months now and while I am not a coffee drinker my husband is and he loves it. He used to be a barista in high school so he has some experience with fancy coffee machines and still thinks this one is amazing. He absolutely loves that he can just pour a bunch of whole beans in and freshly grind the precise amount when he wants a cup of coffee. He usually just uses it to make drip or iced coffee, but likes to switch it up on the weekends and whip up some fancy lattes.

Promising review: "Should buy if you love coffee and don't want to spend $5+ on coffee everyday. This was worth every penny I paid for it. It has saved us so much money instead of going and getting coffee at Starbucks or Dutch Bros everyday. I still get it every once in a while, but this is such a great substitute and I have no need to go out and spend money as this does everything. From grinding coffee beans, to using already ground coffee, this machine does it all. It even does the frothing and also makes cold brew coffee. So if you want to make hot coffee or enjoy your cold brews, this will do it for you." —Lani

Get it from Amazon for $599 (available in three colors).

Check out a TikTok of the defrosting tray in action. And you can brush up on safe defrosting methods at the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Promising reviews: "I really love this tray! It works, cuts the time down for defrosting meats! So easy to use! A very smart purchase!!!!" —Anna Hornbach

"I got this for my husband because he is the worst about taking meat out of the freezer to defrost for dinner. He had never heard of something like this, so he was excited to try it! We were very impressed at how quickly it defrosts and how easy it is to use." —Katie Godfrey

Ronan is a small business that specializes in multipurpose tools for home use.

Check out a TikTok of the scissors in action. 

Promising reviews: "I absolutely love this! I use it on carrots, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and so much more...its so easy to just cut everything right into the cooking/serving dish and clean up is easy. Saves me a lot of time and dishes." —Teri

"This is a kitchen must-have. We use it all the time — it's so easy to use that even our kids use it. Very durable blade that continues to perform and get value for your money." —Dawn

The updated version is now oven safe up to 450 degrees F!

Here's what BuzzFeed Shopping writer Taylor Steele has to say about the Always Pan: "As someone who neither enjoys cooking nor is particularly good at it, I find that the Always Pan has made being in the kitchen feel like less of a chore. Having one pan that can do everything means I don't have to second-guess every cooking decision I make. I can boil and prepare pasta in it. And I can roast Brussels sprouts. And I can make the perfect fried egg. And I can steam dumplings. The best part is that everything slides so seamlessly out of the pan and onto the plate, which also makes clean up super fast and easy. Both the amateur (read: reluctant) cook and the more seasoned chef will enjoy creating fan favorites and new recipes in the Always Pan!"

Other BuzzFeeders also LOVE this pan. Here's our review of the Always Pan, in which seven members of our team weigh in everything they love about it, from the nonstick coating to the versatility to the ~aesthetic~.

Promising review: "It has made me cook again after 20 years of junk food and takeout. I now cook three meals a day because of the glorious efficiency and quality of this pan. It’s just deep enough to even cook spaghetti. I adore having a completely uncluttered kitchen adorned with one elegant and useful pan. It was worth every penny." —Lisa Z.

Get it from Our Place for $75+ (originally $109+; available in three sizes and seven colors).

Promising reviews: "Even my husband says, 'Best buy ever!' Something so simple, makes portioning leftovers and freezer meals so easy. If you’ve ever needed three hands to cleanly fill a freezer bag, you understand. Love that they expand to handle quart- and gallon-size bags. Excellent!" —Debbiejms

"As a single person, one of my biggest challenges is cooking. I prefer to make larger quantities — usually in my Instant Pot — and then separate them into servings and freeze them. Trying to freeze a lot of containers took too much space, so I decided to try freezer bags. Since it was a mess to put servings into bags, I ordered these bag clips to help, and they do. I mostly use sandwich-size baggies, which fit well, and the stands hold the bag open so I can add the food. Then it is easy to freeze the bags flat for future use." —cymart

Get one from Amazon for $9.98+ (also available in different pack sizes). 

This also includes some accessories: an enamel baking tray and stainless-steel oven rack, air fry basket, BBQ-style rotisserie spit and forks, and lift tool, all are dishwasher safe!

Promising review: "This air fryer oven is amazing. I have only had this for a few weeks, but so far it's so easy to use it's scary. I was intimidated when I took it out of the box but there was no reason to be. The oven is very smart and pretty much tells you what the temp should be. Love the fact that it remembers the last setting especially for toast as I'm pretty consistent with the amount and color. I also made two chicken breast and roasted potatoes in it at the same time, and both turned out great. Potatoes were crispy with a nice skin, and the chicken breast was moist and juicy. I can't wait to try a few more things, but I can honestly say that it is my favorite go-to appliance." —Kathy

Get it from Amazon for $190.10+ (available in two versions).

Promising reviews: "Best product ever! You will cook the best bacon, better than a restaurant." —Nicole Catalfamo

"I absolutely love this. Makes breakfast so easy. Bacon is always crisp, and after I take the bacon out, I crack an egg or two in the tray . The eggs are delicious and don't taste greasy. Use it almost every morning." —REGINA PELLMAN

Promising review: "This item is amazing for both its safety features and ease of use. I am a bit of a kitchen klutz and feel completely at ease and fearless with this device. I made my own potato chips — I sliced them with my Dash mandolin and cooked in my Dash air fryer. They tasted just like the ones I get from my favorite Portuguese restaurant but I’m hoping they are much healthier. I honestly think this is a must-have for all at-home chefs." —Dawn

Get it from Amazon for $29.97+ (available in two colors).

The lid and internal pot are both dishwasher safe!

Promising reviews: "First, this is the cutest thing ever on my counter. Second, it works really well, and it is really easy to use. It is perfect for one or two people, but also if I feel like you can easily cook for four. I used to have a large size slow cooker and I feel like I constantly had leftovers and I was just making too much food that I didn't need. This is just great." —M. Lera

"This is the perfect size for slow cooker meals for two or side dishes. It isn't big enough for substantial cuts of meat, but soups, pastas, sauces, beans, etc., work great. This is a great option when you don't have a lot of storage space or use for a larger slow cooker. It is very easy to clean and operate." —VSee

Get it from Amazon for $21.46+ (available in three sizes and three colors).

Promising reviews: "I am a single guy and I cook most of my food at home. I work out a lot so I cook most of my food in advance. Thus, requiring me to reheat the food to eat. This is a micro cover for you. Now only does it prevent splatters, it helps to heat your food quicker and makes it moist tender and fluffy. I purchased the second one just in case this or went off the market." —HustonX

"This is my third one. One was melted on the stove burner recently by someone I seem to have married who doesn't know fire is hot yet. The other lasted through five years of heavy use. It did get pitted along the inside here and there; I don't know from what, but I suspect the aforementioned person. This folds absolutely flat and can be used as is or partially opened for a thinner cover to put over a bowl, say. Not difficult to clean since things don't really stick to it, but if you have a mess, it just takes a small second to make sure the folds and holes are all clean. This is also great for making microwave popcorn, putting corn in bowl and using this to allow air flow. It will raise up as popcorn pops and fills bowl. Another neat gift to give someone since it's a handy gadget that saves space and something you'd use a lot." —Ms. Windermere

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in three sizes, three colors, and a three-pack).

Promising reviews: "I'd been looking for a good grill for a while, and I found this one. It's super easy to use, doesn't take up much space, and heats up quickly. The plate is removable and can be cleaned easily." —Mamabear

"I purchased this Hamilton Beach grill in December 2019. I use it several times a month throughout the year. It grills to perfection and is a breeze to clean. I wanted to use it for a while before I left a review. Well, here I am, three years later, to honestly rave about this appliance. I do not think you will be disappointed." —J.M. Brown

Get it from Amazon for $84.95+ (available in two sizes).

It can be used on the stove, in the oven, on a grill, and even over open flames. Do *not* put this in the dishwasher; simply hand-wash it with a mild soap or no soap at all. 

Promising reviews: "A staple for any kitchen—from home cooks to pros. This skillet holds heat beautifully, delivering an even sear and perfect crusts on everything from steaks to veggies. The silicone handle is a great touch, making it easier to handle, though you’ll still want to be cautious with high heat. Pre-seasoned, it’s ready to go out of the box, and with some care, it just gets better with time. A true workhorse and a must-have for anyone serious about quality cookware!” —J M Dawson

"I can’t speak highly enough about this skillet. Because it’s already conditioned, I just rinsed it out with a moist cloth and was ready to go. Cooking with cast iron is one of those things that makes you wonder why you didn’t before. Since I got this, every meal is an excuse to use it. My favorite is making cornbread in it…slightly crispy perfection! Worth every penny." —alix pitcher

Get it from Amazon for $24.90 (also available in other sizes and multi-packs).

Some of these even create shaped waffles (pumpkin, skull, bunny, etc.), so double-check which one you are getting!

Promising reviews: "I've had one of these for a few years now and recently bought another one so we could keep one in our camper and have one at home. It is so easy to use and the waffles turn out great regardless of the mix used. I use a bit of a oil spray prior to pouring the waffle mix and have not had any mix adhere to the cooking surfaces which means cleaning is a breeze." —KAJA

"At first, I laughed and thought it was too small to really do anything. I was so wrong — it's an amazing little waffle-maker!! Can cook almost anything on it! I have cooked eggs, waffles, and French toast." —S PETERSON

Get it from Amazon for $9.89+ (available in six colors).

Promising review: "I don't want to get all gushy over a pasta maker, but man...I really love this gizmo! I try to limit my monthly food expenditures and the Fasta Pasta helps me work in at least one inexpensive pasta meal every week. If not more. First of all, I like spaghetti — either with normal Prego-type sauce or sometimes just with butter and Romano cheese sprinkled on. But I'm lazy and impatient and don't like things that take a long time to make, with a bunch of steps, and a big clean up afterwards. The Fasta Pasta is perfect for me. I get the exact amount of correctly-measured spaghetti; it's faster than boiling water in a big pot then having to watch and stir the pasta; the pasta comes out perfectly cooked every time; and the cleanup is a snap. No big pot; no colander; no spaghetti fork to lift out the pasta. Just the easy to clean Fasta Pasta, and a pot to heat up the sauce. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!" —Smilin Sam

And it's super easy to clean. Just rinse it under water, and if there are any stubborn bits, use the included brush or the nifty cleaning device that lives inside the handle.

Promising reviews: "Love it. Makes cooking easy. I enjoy using fresh ingredients but it's kind of hard when living alone things go bad faster. So I try and make minced garlic in a jar, buttered garlic, and stuff like that so it doesn't go bad as quickly. This helps to do the job fast and easy to clean as well." —angela cavazos

"I have carpal tunnel, so I like to minimize straining my muscles. I also have pretty small hands. This garlic press is really comfortable to use, albeit a little bit annoying to clean. I recently tried using a friend's garlic press, and the amount of force I needed to use really hurt my hands and wrists. If you've been avoiding getting a garlic press because you fear you lack wrist strength, this is the product for you. I'm never mincing or slicing garlic again." —Jamie Sarmiento

Promising review: "Easy to use! Easy to clean! Superior to a press and easier to use! No need for hesitation! Go ahead and buy it! You won't be disappointed! :-)" —T. Star

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "Love! Love! Love the GarlicZoom! Mincing garlic has never been more easy or fun. It makes mince work out of garlic, onion, chilies, and herbs. I'm not sure what I love most about this little gadget. Not smelling stinky garlic fingers all night? No burning fingers or eyes from chopping a super hot chile? Or mincing fresh herbs in a blink of an eye. I have a problem wrist from an injury and an arm and hand that suffers from nerve damage. I can still manage to zoom this. When people ask if they can help in the kitchen, this is the chore that I give them, and everyone loves it. They think it's the neatest little thing." —Kennedy Collins

The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity. 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Jessica Hall is a freelancer and former BuzzFeed Shopping writer, and is based in Cincinnati, OH where you can find her curating lists on ~a little bit of everything~ (and adding a few things to her own cart in the process).