A genuine Silpat silicone baking mat marked for perfect cookies, macarons, or pastries, that pays for itself by replacing parchment, wax paper, and foil. The nonstick surface makes unsticking your fave baked goods neater and easier: no more broken cookies! Yes, there are cheaper knockoffs out there, but reviewers all seem to agree it's worth the extra couple bucks to get the real thing.
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A set of color-coded silicone-coated knives that come with matching covers that reviewers say come darn close to the cutlery of their dreams, but for under $20 they're 80% cheaper than what you'd spend on just a single Wüsthof knife. I have them: they cut like a dream, and the guards are great because knife blocks are mold-traps and I couldn't fathom ever having enough counter space for one anyway. I've had plenty of premium and professional-grade knife sets over the years, and these are my favorites.
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A Zohirushi rice cooker folks say is worth the splurge because it makes impeccably perfect rice every time. I have one and agree, the rice always comes out so absolutely perfect. It's ruined me for all other rice cookers.
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A breakfast sandwich maker so you can enjoy bodega-style deliciousness without leaving your kitchen. Reviewers love that they can make delish sammies with ingredients of their choice for less than getting one out.
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An Lodge cast-iron skillet designed for perfectly even heating, made with the exceptional quality Lodge is known for. These range from 3.5-inch egg pans to 15-inch monsters, and reviewers say whatever size you choose it's worth every penny.
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A KitchenAid 6-quart stand-lift mixer because you've binge-watched all 11 seasons of The Great British Baking Show and now all you want is to make bread worthy of a Hollywood Handshake. This is the professional model, which has a bigger capacity (enough to make 24 bagels!) and is more durable than the standard five-quart tilt-head. Reviewers say this tried-and-true workhorse merits the splurge for sure.
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A bargain-priced 2-pound bread maker for when you're *rewatching* all 11 seasons of The Great British Baking Show and realize just how hard it is to get bread right when making it the old-fashioned way. Reviewers say it's a solid choice at an unbeatable price.
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An Instant Pot that makes cooking so easy it's worth way more than you'd pay for it for the time saved alone. I have one, and because Instant Pots cook food up to 70% faster than using the stove, I find myself making all kinds of stuff I never would have tried before. Apple sauce? Yoghurt? Cinnamon rolls? Yes, yes, yes!
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And! A top to turn your Instant Pot into an air fryer, to help you make all your favorite fried foods in less time and without the usual splatter and mess — all using your favorite time-saving kitchen device! Reviewers just love this thing because they get their money's worth and then some: it lets you pressure cook ~and~ air fry, and between the two of those you could quick-cook just about anything you can think of, all with one appliance.
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A SodaStream folks use to cut their bottled beverage spending, drink more water, and reduce their environmental impact due to single-use plastics.
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A Breville toaster oven my darling mother bought me and now I use everyday. I love it because the thing convection bakes like nobody's business and can toast a bagel in two minutes flat. Reviewers say the price premium is worth it for a solid, high-performance machine.
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A Vitamix blender that fits under kitchen cabinets, but still has 100% of the standard-height Vitamix awesomeness. It'll eviscerate just about anything you throw in there, and can be used to make everything from truly smooth smoothies to hot soup (the blades create heat!). Reviewers acknowledge that it's pricey, but swear by its value.
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A Weber charcoal grill reviewers rave is the holy grail of barbequing. It's solid as a rock and can cook 13 hamburgers at once. It's not the cheapest, but everyone says you get what you pay for with this one.
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An activated-charcoal faucet filter attachment folks swear is worth the extra couple dollars because it's way better than a Brita at filtering out chlorine and odors from your tap water.
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A silicone ice sphere tray that makes big honkin' orbs to put the misshapen Lilliputian shards that come out of your freezer door to shame. They take a little extra effort and of course this is more expensive than a regular-type ice tray, but reviewers say it's worth it because they're interesting and keep your drinks good and cold for a long while.
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A lead-free crystal wine decanter reviewers love because it does indeed help the wine to breathe, is easy to clean, and is a pretty good dupe for a Riedel for 75% less.
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A 12-bottle wine fridge to chill your chardonnay, Chablis, or cabernet sauvignon to just the right temperature. People like that it's got options to store the bottles horizontally or vertically, and the slim profile means it fits in just about anywhere.
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A nine-piece Pyrex potluck set including baking/storage dishes, tight-sealing lids, a two-compartment bag and hot and cold packs. You can take your scrummy sharables from the oven or freezer into the bag, and it'll keep them hot or cold (or one of each!) until you get to your destination. Reviewers rave the set is definitely worth the price.
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A sous vide cooker people say is a good investment because it'll turn even "meh" meat into something scrumptious. It connects to an app people rave about and can hold an exact temperature within a fraction of a degree for days.
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A gooseneck kettle with adjustable temperature settings that's really well-made and easy to use. People especially like the precision for pour-overs, and think it looks good on their countertops.
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An extra-fancy K-Elite single-serve K-Cup coffee maker that comes in flashy metallic finishes, has a built-in water purifier, features adjustable coffee strengths, also makes iced coffee, and is equipped with an enormous 75-ounce reservoir — big enough to last you a whole week! It'll look classy as heck on your countertop and like all Keurigs, it's really easy to use, perfect for when you're barely awake and need a little pick-me-up.
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Or! A stovetop espresso maker to make you fresh java in five or so minutes that's as good as from a $500 espresso maker, for less than $20.
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An aluminum nonstick tamagoyaki pan that'll have your omelet coming out just right: the eggs roll up easy, and cleanup is a breeze!
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An egg cooker to make six perfect hard or soft boiled eggs, that has a timer to let you know when it's done and also comes with poaching dishes and an omelet pan. Reviewers like it because making boiled eggs the old-fashioned way is complicated and hard to master. All this requires is putting in some water and pressing a button.
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An anti-fatigue mat people use to stand in one place for a long time without getting tired (much as its name implies). Folks put them in front of the sink to help with dishes, especially.
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A deep fryer folks say is worth it for the saved clean-up alone: because, unlike when you're using a skillet, with a nice deep reservoir the oil doesn't splatter everywhere (the lid helps, too).
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A George Forman panini press people love even more than the original because it has removable plates for easy indoor grilling and is also way easier to clean. You can wash the cooking surface in the sink like... well.... plates! Use it to grill sandwiches, meat, veggies, or just about anything else your singe-hungry heart desires.
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A heavy-duty apron with rock-solid reviews that comes in a bunch of colors/patterns including camo (be still my butch heart!). It's got a ton of pockets and loops so you can trick yourself out with all the gear you could possibly want.
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An electric two- or three-stage knife sharpener reviewers swear by to turn even cheap cutlery into expedient slice-and-dice machines. It's designed to give your blade a 15-degree angle instead of the usual 20–22, which leaves it *very* sharp.
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A produce storage container that lets the moisture out so your fruits and veggies stay crisp and tasty longer. I use these, and as one of those people who gets delivery more often than they'd like and feel like their uneaten produce is judging them as it slowly rots in the crisper drawer, it's been a life-saver. They've paid for themselves many times over, extending the life of things I really do intend to use, and do get around to eating... eventually.
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