Whether your culinary aspirations range from “what’s the bare minimum to keep myself alive? Ramen again it is.” To an extensive date night cooking journey with the significant other, your kitchen should be well stocked with supplies and tools -otherwise what’s the use of kitchen space at all? The cost of takeout adds up more quickly than all of us would like to admit, and there’s a satisfaction with consuming a good, hearty meal you actually made yourself. Even if it was just once this week and you ended up drunk binging on everything you made extra of for meal prep. It’s okay, we’re all human!
With that being said, we searched high and low for some of the best and most interesting kitchen items on Amazon you didn’t know you needed, but will ultimately improve your life either by either cutting down on the amount of prep time (because time is the one currency we can never get more of) or is just useful and cool to have.
If you already have Amazon Prime, you’ll snag two-day free shipping with most of our picks.
Cast Iron Skillet
A cheap cast iron skillet that still gets the job done? Sign us up. Prepare all of your home cooked meals on the majesty that is the kitchen essential du jour, and use the oil we mentioned earlier in the buying guide to clean it.
Cast Iron Oil
Anyone with a cast iron skillet or other utensil has either yelled out “DON’T WASH IT” or threatened otherwise when supposedly charitable houseguests have attempted to clean it. This plant-based oil and conditioner will help maintain the seasoning, so you and your skillet can make many Instagram-worthy meals together for years to come.
Breakfast Sandwich Maker
If you’re a hungover breakfast sandwich maker aficionado, then this five minute miracle-maker is for you. With separate compartments that will toast and cook your bread, cheese, egg and meats at the same time – it’s less clean up and all the removable parts are dishwasher safe. Breakfast for dinner, anyone?
Pour-Over Coffee Maker
For the coffee snobs among us (and who isn’t, nowadays?), a pour-over coffee maker is the Millennial version of form and function. Not only will you enjoy fresh brew that has been double filtered, but its sleek design will make a handsome addition to any countertop.
Death Star Silicone Ice Molds
Whether you’re a rebel or side with the Sith, you can’t undermine the entertainment value of adding the infamous planet killer to your whiskey glass. It does double duty in terms of keeping your beverage cold, and keeping you one with the force even if you’re more than a few drinks deep.
Greens Stripper
Aside from the fact that it’s fun to mention a stripper, this handy tool will strip your kale, chard, collard greens and herbs so you’re not stuck pulling them apart by hand; wasting precious time and probably destroying the ingredients in the process. This will make it so much simpler for preparing salads – you remember what those are, right?
Le Creuset Stoneware Mug
In terms of an obnoxiously tasteful kitchen, Le Creuset takes the cake. Make an impression without the hefty price tag with stoneware mugs in a variety of colors. Snag one for yourself either because you deserve it, or want to impress your Tinder dates. Otherwise they also make an excellent gift.
Blade Brush
For those of us living in walk-ups and are no longer blessed with the divine product that is a dishwasher (how I miss you, how I took you for granted) – we’re well acquainted with the pain in the ass that is hand washing cutlery. This blade brush will help get the nasty pieces off your forks, knives and whatnot, not to mention saving your fingers from sharp knife + sponge accidents.
Citrus Ice Cube Set
If you’re at all like me and hate the taste of plain water when you’re hungover (I don’t get it either) then citrus ice water is your savior. This juicer allows the citrus to fall into ice cube trays, so they’re ready to use whenever you want a fresh pitcher of lemon water, or need citrus for a recipe. It’s also a total game changer in terms of using up otherwise forgotten lemons and limes instead of letting them rot in the fridge.
Water Mark Remover
How many times have you told your degenerate friends to use a coaster? And how many times have they listened? Luckily, this water mark remover should get rid of most stains, although the memory of way too many captains and sodas fuzzily remains.
Champagne Bottle Stopper
Does it get any worse than hosting brunch and discovering opened bottles of champagne in the aftermath that never made it into mimosas, about to go flat? Never fear, champagne stoppers are here (I know, I hate me too). These will keep the bubbly going, so you’re not tossing the bottles if you don’t use the entirety of it in one go.