Kitchen gadget shopping has gotten exhausting, with every product promising to change how you cook and most of them ending up in a cabinet after three uses. As someone who has bought enough single-purpose kitchen tools to stock a small restaurant and regret most of them, I learned which gadgets actually change how often and how well you cook versus which ones look good in a TikTok video and do nothing after that. Today I’ll share the ones worth buying.
The ones that pass: they change how often you cook, how consistent your results are, or how much time the whole process takes. Everything else is solving a problem you don’t actually have.
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 ($99)
The Instant Pot earns its reputation every single week, which is the bar I actually use. As a pressure cooker, it cuts braised meats, beans, and stock from hours of active cooking to 30–45 minutes mostly unattended. The slow cooker mode handles the set-it-and-forget-it meals that make consistent weeknight cooking sustainable for busy households. The sauté function means you can brown onions and build flavor in the same pot you’re pressure cooking in — fewer dishes.
The 7-in-1 version covers pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice, steaming, sautéing, warming, and yogurt making. You’ll use the first four regularly. The yogurt function is a real bonus if that’s your thing (it works very well). The 6-quart size is right for 2–5 people.
Takes 3–4 uses to get comfortable with the pressure cooking process. After that, it becomes one of the most-reached-for items in the kitchen.
MEATER Plus Wireless Meat Thermometer ($99)
The MEATER Plus solves a problem that’s been annoying backyard cooks forever: knowing when the meat is done without cutting into it, poking it repeatedly, or guessing based on elapsed time. The probe goes into the meat, connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and alerts you when it hits target temperature. It also tracks the cook and estimates resting time.
The wireless design means no wires dangling out of a closed grill lid or oven door. Two sensors monitor both internal meat temperature and ambient cook temperature simultaneously — so you know if your grill is running hot, not just when the meat is done.
For anyone who has ever overcooked a thick chicken breast or a pork tenderloin for company, this pays for itself the first time it prevents a ruined dinner. That’s what makes it endearing to people who cook regularly — the confidence it gives you for less-forgiving proteins is genuinely useful every time.
OXO Brew Adjustable Temperature Electric Kettle ($79)
Water temperature matters more than most people realize for pour-over coffee and tea. Boiling water at 212°F is too hot for most teas and degrades the flavor of high-quality coffee — ideal coffee extraction is 195–205°F depending on roast level. Green tea wants 175°F. Delicate white teas lower than that.
The OXO Brew adjustable temperature kettle lets you set a target temperature, heats to exactly that, and holds it for up to 30 minutes. The gooseneck spout provides the precise, controllable pour that pour-over brewing requires for even extraction. No app required — simple dial interface, solid build quality. About $79.
I’m apparently someone who was getting noticeably worse coffee from expensive beans because I was using boiling water, and switching to 200°F was an immediate improvement. If your current kettle is a standard boil-and-pour, this is a real upgrade for both coffee and tea.
Govee Smart Meat Thermometer — 2 Probe ($45)
The budget alternative to MEATER for people who want wireless temperature monitoring without the $99 single-probe spend. The Govee 2-probe version lets you monitor two proteins simultaneously — useful when the chicken and the ribs finish at different times. Bluetooth works through a closed grill lid reliably up to about 150 feet.
The app is slightly less polished than MEATER’s but the core function — knowing when your food is done without standing over it — is the same. At $45 for two probes versus $99 for one, it’s the better choice for anyone who regularly cooks multiple proteins at once.
Ember Mug 2 ($149)
The Ember Mug 2 keeps your coffee or tea at whatever temperature you set for up to 80 minutes on battery, or indefinitely on the charging coaster. You set it in the app once, and it maintains that temperature precisely.
This is a luxury item and I won’t pretend otherwise. But for anyone who consistently lets hot drinks go cold before finishing them, it solves a daily annoyance that turns out to be more irritating than you’d think once you actually count how often it happens. The 14oz version is the right size. People who have one tend to use it every single day.
What Doesn’t Earn the Space
Avocado slicers, strawberry hullers, any single-purpose tool for a task a knife handles in the same time. Smart refrigerators with touchscreens — the screens are almost universally laggy and the smart features rarely justify the price premium. Most air fryer accessories beyond a basic rack. Anything that requires its own app for basic operation with no manual override.
The test: would you use it at least once a week? The Instant Pot, the wireless thermometer, and the adjustable temperature kettle all clear that bar easily. The Ember clears it if coffee is part of your morning routine. Everything else requires honest self-assessment before the purchase.
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