28 Ingenious Kitchen Tools To Help Make Cooking Easier

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Honestly, where was the Thaw Claw when I realized I forgot to defrost my chicken for dinner?

BuzzFeed Staff

Promising review: "Wow wow wow, I have no words to describe how great this product is. I'm a mom with a large family who cooks and bakes all the time, and there is never a time that something doesn't spill over even when standing and watching the pot. With this, life has just gotten easy. I think I'm throwing out all my pot covers after using this."—Rackel

Get it from Amazon for $20.37+ (available in black, green, and red).

Promising review: "A package of frozen meat would have taken at least two days to thaw in the fridge. I used this for a 2-pound package a couple of days ago, and the meat was thawed within 90 minutes. One of the most practical kitchen gadgets I own." —Llda Schellhase

Get it from Amazon for $12.95.

Get it from Target for $29.99.

Promising review: "This is a great tool! The first time I tried to core jalapeños, I tried a variety of knives and any other sharp pointy tools I could find in the kitchen. It took me forever, made a huge mess, and no matter how careful I was, I still tore the tops off the jalapeños. I was determined to find a better way to core a silly jalapeño. I read reviews on Amazon for several different jalapeño corers, and I am SO glad I chose this one! It works great!! In just a short time, I had 14 perfectly cored jalapeños, with 14 intact cores (above). I highly recommend this tool!" —daetexas

Get it from Amazon for $10.99.

Mandinka Home Shop is a Black woman-owned shop that offers fair trade products. This specific product is hand-carved in Kenya with Kamba wood.

Get it from Mandinka Home Shop on Etsy for $40.

Promising review: "I bought these gloves to save my dry cracking hands and they are wonderful! I just had a baby, and I’m constantly washing bottles and pumping accessories, therefore constantly washing my hands, and they are taking a beating. I love these gloves because I can still wash my bottles in hot water and can't feel the heat through the gloves. I also love that they have bristles on the palms so I can wash anything with them. They are a little big on me, but other than that they are a great pair of cleaning gloves!" —Kelsi Wilde

Get them from Amazon for $10.99 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I have tried many different kitchen gadgets said to provide a safe reproducible easy method of reducing foods to thinner sections. Most were disappointments. I like this product because it does all of the above without reducing my hand to paper-thin pieces. I have been unable to filet skinless chicken breasts into thinner sections for quick cooking to top a summer salad. This works well but has some limits in the shape and. size of the item being sliced. I'm glad I got it." —Steve

Get it from The Grommet or Amazon for $12.95 (available in four colors on Amazon).

I've been using a similar one for years, and I still swear by it. It's so much cheaper than buying microwave popcorn all the time, not to mention better for you. It's super easy to use and makes delicious popcorn in minutes. Plus, it's collapsible, so it won't take up a lot of room in your cabinet. You *can* use it as its own bowl, but it's usually pretty hot after coming out of the microwave, so I usually just transfer to another bowl so I don't have to wait for it to cool.

Promising review: "Absolutely amazing! I am throwing out my old popcorn maker because there is no need for it anymore. I cannot believe how easy it was to make perfect popcorn and use the same bowl to eat it out of. I've already told all of my friends to buy this!" —Cindy Suy

Get it from Amazon for $17.90 (available in four styles).

Ugh, now I'm just thinking about how much time I would have back if I had owned this years ago. Not only does it separate egg yolks from whites, but it also keeps shells from falling into the bowl and has a raised edge to help you crack the egg more easily.

Promising review: "I love this product. Just hold the separator with one hand, crack the egg on the ridge with the other, swirl the yoke until all the egg white has poured out then dump the yoke in the trash or sink. If they had these in a two- or four-egg model, I'd buy it. By far the best yoke/white separator I've owned." —ukswrath

Get it from Amazon for $5.99.

Goodee is a Black-owned curated marketplace with products from a variety of different brands. They select brands with a focus on transparent sourcing, upcycling, and ethical treatment of employees.

Get it from Goodee for $45 (available in grey and black).

Promising review: "We do not have a garbage disposal in our kitchen. We have been using the sink drain stopper, but finally got tired of constantly cleaning them, as food would get stuck in the holes. I looked for a different solution for some time and thought this would be a cheap thing to try. They suction well and it's easy to pick up and wipe the food in the garbage. They clean so much faster than the original ones." —Deloris P.

Get a set of two from Amazon for $9.49.

Promising review: "These little freezer cups are awesome. They make it really nice when you need some fresh herbs, and you don't want to run to the store all the time. Also, it makes it nice to freeze the fresh herbs I grow." —DUCK

Get it from Amazon for $8.69.

They can also be put in the washing machine!

Promising review: "I originally picked these up to use in lieu of nasty, nasty dishrags that invoke my inner THIS IS NOT CLEAN demon. Since then, I have used them for everything from cleaning the kitchen to wiping up spills. After I use then, I just toss in the wash and they are ready to go again. They are the perfect size and do an excellent job on every task to which I have applied them. They come in a variety of fun prints, and I have yet to wear one out. Paper towel usage has taken a real nosedive, which is a good thing given its relative scarcity at present." —sandra simpson-kraft

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $15 (available in 12 styles).

Promising review: "We decided to do a little test. One banana in a bag and one out, same location in the kitchen. This was after nine days you can see that's there's a distinct difference in the bananas. Amazing product!" —Trio Mum

Get a 20 pack from Amazon for $9.99.

Promising review: "I am one of the messiest cooks in the world. When I get done, I usually have scraps around my feet where I have knocked bits of veggies off the counter. I've looked for a long time for something to take care of the problem, but everything seemed like overkill. This container is perfect. It's just the right size. I attach it in front of my belly, and all the stuff that usually hits the floor, goes in the container. Plus, I can wipe the counter into it, empty it in the trash, and pop it in the dishwasher." —Patricia Logos

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in green and black).

Get the set of three from Food 52 for $28.

Plus, they can be put in the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher.

Promising review: "This is an amazing idea! I keep my frozen bananas in them when they start to go bad. The freezer disposable bags used to freezer-burn them. These reusable bags keep these from getting freezer burn, and they taste amazing in my smoothies. Plus, they're easy to close! I need 100 more! I love this color, however, I think I would lean towards clear since if I have multiple in the freezer, it's easier to see what's in them." —Sasha

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in five sizes and 11 styles).

Plus, it has a date tracker in it, so you remember exactly when you opened it.

Promising review: "I purchased this stopper after seeing one being used at a local wine-tasting event. I enjoy sparkling wines, but either have to drink the whole bottle myself before it gets flat (ugh) or throw it out (terribly wasteful). This product was the answer to my problem! It is very easy to use and keeps my sparkling beverage fresh and bubbly! Definitely a must!" —MKC

Get it from Amazon for $9.97.

Promising review: "This is a fantastic product. I’ve been cooking for more than 50 years. Pasta has always been a simple, go to, dinner for me. Tending to the boiling pot of pasta was just part of the process. I’ve been getting 'tired' of cooking as I’ve aged. This simple little microwave pasta cooker has simplified cooking so much more than I could have imagined. It seems silly, but it's kinda like a little miracle. No more toting a heavy pot to the stove. No more pouring pasta and boiling water into a colander. It's simple, lightweight, and foolproof. You’ll never regret buying this." —Winkie

Get it from Amazon for $15.99.

Read more on this microwave pasta cooker here.

Promising review: "I love the corn butter knife! It works very well with ice-cold butter or soft spread. The curved blade gets every bit of the butter into the kernels. It's a great product." —Deidre

Get a set of two from The Grommet for $13.95 or Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "I was skeptical at first. What kind of witchcraft could make these small plastic bins be born from that would make them somehow extend the life of our otherwise short-lived produce? Well, let me tell you if it was witchcraft that produced these containers, then call the Sanderson sisters and get them rolling on another batch! Down here in southeastern Virginia, the produce is terrible! We couldn't get strawberries to last for more than three or four days. They’re so much cheaper to buy in the large containers, but then we had to eat them for breakfast lunch and dinner just to make sure they were gone before they started to get too soft and juicy. I was beginning to dislike strawberries. And that, ladies and gentlemen, would be a crime in and of itself. But along came these wonderful containers. They more than doubled the life of our berries allowing me to once again think to myself "eh, maybe this meal I will have kiwi." P.S. they’re easy to clean and stack well in the fridge too."—Michael Territo

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in nine styles).

Read one BuzzFeed Shopping writer's full review of the Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Saver here.

This dispenser can hold up to 4 cups of batter and also has a measuring label on the side.

Promising review: "Love love love this baking tool. Just bought it, just made cupcakes, and cleanup was beyond easy! Typically I loathe making cupcakes with my kids because there's lots of cleanup involved — spoons falling into batter, batter all over cupcake tin...but not with this dispenser! I even let my youngest (4-years-old) pour the batter in the cups and it didn't make a mess at all! This is definitely going to be a staple in my baking line up. I am almost tempted to buy one more, just in case I never see it again!" —Dave

Get it from Amazon for $25.99.

Get it from Anthropologie for $28.

Plus, it's dishwasher safe!

Promising review: "These are just wonderful. My daughter loves to have ranch with just about anything but hates it on her plate touching her food. This is perfect to put your dip or sauce in without having it run all over your plate." —Gael Fulcer

Get a set of four from Amazon for $6.99.

Promising review: "This is perfect. File this under 'Products that truly do make my life better.' I love this so much. The variable sizes are good, and the tripod is really stable. Now I'll be able to get every last drop of my lotion and shampoo." —N. Folsom

Get a 12-pack from Amazon for $19.99.

Promising review: "It works perfectly! The stirring moves it around in the pot and when it touches the side of the pot it moves away to the other side so it stirs everything completely." —Robert

Get it from The Grommet for $19.95.

Promising review: "This is a wonderful accessory for anyone who uses the whisk attachment on their mixer. This particular one is designed for 4- and 5-quart mixers. It is easy to slide on and will remove the food from the whisk wires when you remove it. Makes cleanup a breeze. I highly recommend it." —Suzanne

Get it from Amazon for $14.95 (available in seven colors).

These can be cut to fit whatever size your oven is. They can also withstand heat up to 500 degrees F.

Promising review: "After a few months, I have to say this was a good investment. I use it to keep the bottom of my oven mess-free. It works superbly. I love just being able to cut it to size, slip it in and out whenever it needs cleaning. Cleans easily. I also use it to cook! Placed on top of an oven tray, it's a great non-stick surface for granola making, fruit dehydrating, you name it!" —Adrianna T

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $10.99.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.