10 simple kitchen items that make life so much easier

So simple, yet so genius

Updated August 13, 2018

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

At Reviewed, we love efficient, multi-use products: ones that free up counter space, keep drawers nice and uncluttered, and make cabinets feel spacious. However, there are some brilliant, innovative kitchen items that make cooking so much easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. These clever inventions are well worth their storage space.

Whether you are a home chef or a cooking novice, meal prep can be cumbersome, from chopping to cleanup. These simple products will act as your personal sous chef so you can get to "bon appetit" more quickly—and with at least a four-star rating on Amazon, you can rest assured knowing not only are they fun, but functional too.

If you cry more from cutting onions than watching This Is Us, this vegetable chopper is for you! Simply cut your onion in half and use the mechanism to push the vegetable through the grid-shaped slicer for quick, uniform cuts. It comes with two different-sized blades to chop other veggies, fruit, and cheese. Number of reviews: 3.7kAverage rating: 4.6 starsBuy Mueller Austria Onion Chopper Pro Vegetable Chopper for $23 on Amazon

This versatile egg cooker comes with a variety of trays to make hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached eggs, or omelettes in under 10 minutes—without mess or babysitting. You can touch a button, walk away, and return to a perfect breakfast, thanks to an auto-shut off function. There are other egg cookers on the market, but this one is Amazon's number one best seller.Number of reviews: 6.6kAverage rating:4.4 starsBuy Dash Rapid Egg Cooker for $20 on Amazon

OXO makes Amazon's top choice for avocado slicers, with good reason: this compact contraption allows you to cut your avocado safely, remove the pit without fear of gouging your hand, and dole out restaurant-quality slices. Buy one for yourself and one for your BFF who always orders avocado toast. Number of reviews: 2.5kAverage rating: 4.5 starsBuy OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer for $10 on Amazon

This rolling pin has a variety of measuring rings to keep your slab of dough exactly uniform for perfect cookies every time. "I didn't think it was possible to feel this way about a rolling pin!," writes one reviewer. "The most annoying part of [making cookies] is baking my cookies and finding that they're different thicknesses, or slanted. This solves that problem. Just roll out your dough with the thickness ring of your choice on either end" to keep dough perfectly even.Number of reviews: 795Average rating: 4.7 starsBuy Joseph Joseph 20085 Adjustable Rolling Pin for $20 on Amazon

You'll never have to place a colander of pasta in your dirty sink again. This silicone strainer clips on to the edges of your pots and pans so you can use both hands to strain heavy pots and pans while keeping all of the food in your pot or pan, not in a separate colander. The clips fit nearly every sized pot or pan, and it is BPA free and dishwasher safe.Number of reviews: 1.5kAverage rating: 4.5 Buy Kitchen Gizmo Snap 'N Strain Strainer for $12 on Amazon

This multi-tiered griddle can make a perfect breakfast sandwich in 5 minutes flat. Slide in your choice of bread, cheese, meat, egg, and press it down like a waffle iron. All removable parts are dishwasher-safe for quick, easy cleanup. "My sandwich came out perfect the very first time!," one reviewer writes. "Set a timer for five minutes. Used tongs to lift up the compartments and whaddya know! A perfect, cute little sandwich! Nothing leaked, nothing stuck. Very compact and tidy."Number of reviews: 4.1kAverage rating: 4.4 starsBuy Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker for $25 on Amazon

Finally, an easy way to clean your whisk! Plus, don't you hate when you have to watch batter from your whisk go down the drain when you clean it? You’re losing valuable dessert! The Whisk Wiper attachment sits at the top of the whisk during use, and then slides down tightly around the thin wires to scrape batter back into the bowl and clean your whisk efficiently. You can also use the wiper attachment as a spatula for cleaning out the bowl. Number of reviews: 64Average rating: 4.6 starsBuy Whisk Wiper for $20 on Amazon

Cut uniform herb slices without needing meticulous attention to detail or bruising delicate herbs with dull blades. These elaborate scissors feature five blades in a row to cut five times the amount of slices herbs at once. With all your saved time, as the brand says, you can "celebrate with herbal confetti." There is also an accompanying gadget for safely cleaning the multi-bladed scissors. Number of reviews: 1.3kAverage rating: 4.6 starsBuy Jenaluca Herb Scissors for $4 on Amazon

Canned vegetables, tuna, and fruit comes packed in a lot of liquid that you probably won't need to use for most recipes. Instead of dirtying up a huge colander, simply stick this plastic colander on top of the can and drain. "This so much easier to use to drain tuna than the lid," says one reviewer. "As I used this the first time I imagined myself in one of those infomercials. Old me trying to drain a can of tuna using the lid spilled it, sprayed some on myself [and] new me easily draining out all the water without the mess. So glad I got this."Number of reviews: 427Average rating: 4.6 starsBuy Prepworks by Progressive Can Colander starting at $6 on Amazon

These reusable lids are more eco-friendly and economical than constantly buying aluminum foil or plastic wrap to cover baked goods. In place of your one-time-use Saran, stretch this reusable lid over your container and put your food in the fridge or freezer. (Pro tip: You can also put it directly on top of pineapples, melons, and other fruit!)Number of reviews: 1.1kAverage rating: 4.1 starsBuy ModFamily Silicone Stretch Lids for $16 on Amazon