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Even if you're not a very good cook, you'll find yourself wondering, "Should I be a chef?" while using these products.

You don’t have to be an amazing cook to feel wildly overwhelmed by weeknight dinners, messy counters, and a sink full of dishes. The good news: These amazingly helpful kitchen gadgets do the heavy lifting, so you can chop, store, steam, and clean smarter (not harder). Think salad scissors for quick prep, airtight food storage containers for pantry organization, a microwave pasta cooker for lazy-carb nights, and a rapid egg cooker reviewers swear by. Ahead, we found low-effort tools that may help you spend less time stressing and more time actually eating.

Promising review: "Love these! I hate big leafy salads, so I bought these, and they're perfect for chopping greens into bites. I also use them to quickly chop cherry tomatoes, onions, and other veggies. VERY nice quality." —asoon

Hustle & Sew is a small shop based in Saint Helens, Oregon.

Promising review: "LOVE these splash catchers! They save me from having to chase the puddles that form around the base of our faucet before they start creeping over the counter. So reasonably priced, made well with neatly finished edges, and packaged with gift-ready care." —Alina

Get it from Hustle & Sew on Etsy for $13.50+ (available in four sizes and five colors).

Promising review: "So glad that I came across these very handy sheets. I love having this information handy and easy to use. The magnetic sheets are strong and stay in place well, even with the fridge door opening and closing a lot. It's handy to have them right in view for quick reference. It helps us to use the air fryer more, as it's easy to glance over and time things correctly. I like that it is a dark color, so it doesn't get messy as easily, and it has all the things we are most likely to use the air fryer for. The envelope the magnetic sheets come in is cute and would make a nice gift, perhaps in a basket or bag of related items. Happy to have these!" —Small~Town~Girl

Get them from Amazon for $8.98+ (available in two colors).

Each tray has four fill lines — 1/2 cup, 1 cup, 125 mL, and 250 mL — which is ideal for people who like to portion their food.

You may remember Souper Cube from Shark Tank (Lori invested in the company!). This small business was started by four friends who loved soup but hated food waste.

Promising review: "So happy that I found these. I’m the only one in my household who enjoys soup year-round. Have you ever tried to make homemade soup for one? I say it’s impossible! But no longer. I can brew up the stock pot with bone broth or my favorite home soup. Fill up my Souper Cubes, freeze, pop out, store my goodies in a freezer bag, and I’m ready for the next batch!" —Debbie R. Texas

Check out my colleague's Souper Cubes review!

Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in five colors and in a two-pack).

This set also comes with 24 plain labels.

Promising review: "I am not an organized person, but these help me feel like I am. I love the aesthetic of seeing what food I have in my pantry and how much I have. The containers are airtight, easy to clean, and actually make it easier to measure out things like rice, powdered sugar, oats, etc., without making a mess. The different sizes make it easy to organize the pantry and not feel like I’m wasting space. My husband was skeptical at first. I mean, why take things out of boxes to put in more boxes? But even now I find him using them more than I do!" —Amber

Get it from Amazon for $29.44+ (available in black and gray).

Promising review: "I just made 26 pounds of pork butt for a large family gathering. Several months ago, I did the same thing, and my husband and I shredded it together with four forks. We scorched our hands repeatedly, and it took over 70 minutes. I looked at several shredding forks and settled on these, and I sure am glad I did! They are solid, light, and sharp. They are not hollow on the back side, so meat doesn't get stuck in them. It didn't take long to get the hang of them. They double as handles to pick the large 8.5 pounds of butts, which was very nice. They really do become extensions of your hands! I had read reviews that said that these don't let you get meat shredded finely, but that was certainly not my experience. Although I haven't used them on other sorts of meat yet, this pork was fall-off-the-bone tender, and it shredded very finely for me. And it did it so fast! I shredded all 26 pounds by myself in less than 30 minutes and didn't burn my hands once. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get these...It really does beat the two-fork system!" —L. Smith

Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in five colors).

Promising review: "I was skeptical when I ordered it, but I use it constantly. I live in barracks and do not have a stove. I bought it for boiled eggs, but I use it much more for breakfast burritos. Super easy. Butter tray, put in egg and water, press the button, and walk away. By the time I'm dressed for work, it's ready. Throw it in a tortilla and walk out with it. More nutritious than Pop-Tarts. It does hard-boiled eggs well, but don't assume that all it's good for. Great for college kids, military people, traveling workers, or anyone without access to a full kitchen." —a.l.s

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in seven colors).

Check out our Dash Rapid Egg Cooker review for more deets!

Promising review: "This scale with a built-in cup is the best thing for my baking tools. No more whipping out 1,000,000 cups. Also, [rather than] always trying to figure out grams or cups, now I just press a button, and it tells me I love this." —Corin lonigro

Get it from Amazon for $22.98 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I got tired of cleaning the bottom of my oven out after every drip and spill or running the 'oven clean' option, which uses up so much energy and makes my house HOT during the process. I used to have foil on the bottom of the oven to help with spills, and that improved things greatly — but then you have to replace the foil after a while. I had to cut them to size, which was easy to do with a simple pair of household scissors. Then I placed them in the oven (they look nice!), and I waited for them to get messy. I cooked something super messy and finally needed to clean the liner. It was SO easy; I put it in the sink and used my sink sprayer, and everything immediately slid right off the liner. No problem! I have a double oven, so I was glad this pack came with more than one. I have one in each oven and one on standby in case I need it. I know that having a dirty oven isn't the worst thing in the world, but if it matters to you, try these!" —Hpg

Get a set of three from Amazon for $12.99.

Promising review: "My husband used this pan for the first time a couple of nights ago, and it was perfect! Enough capacity for the cheesy potato soup he was making (we always make enough for leftovers with soups and stews), no issues with sticking at all, got up to temperate, and held it well. It's lightweight, which is wonderful for such a large pan! Well constructed and a good flat surface on top and bottom for easy cooking and perfect heat coverage." —Patricia A Rufus

Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in five colors).

Promising review: "I saw great reviews on this item, so I took the plunge and ordered two sets of them. They were a little pricey, but I am so happy with the product that I think the price was completely worthwhile! These organizers are much better than other plastic drawers I have used in the past. With the way they are designed, items don't get stuck in the drawers; they are easy to slide, spacious, and they have little removable 'sectionals' that you can use to organize the inside of the drawers. All in all, this was a great purchase, and I would make it again in a heartbeat." —benji

FryAway is a woman-owned small business started by Laura Lady, who loves both cooking and being kind to the planet. They donate 1% of revenue to nonprofits focused on water conservation.

Promising review: "Honestly, I didn’t know if this would work; waiting for it to cool down made me nervous, but once it was at room temperature, it was solid. It popped out of the fryer so nicely. Worth every penny." —Emma

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "Easy to use and several different options for cutting your vegetables as needed. Sharp blades and it’s a plus to hold everything you slice or dice in its container. Exactly what I needed. Very well made and easy to use. My go-to in my kitchen for my vegetables." —Giselle

My colleague Emma Lord bought these and loves them. In her own words:

"I bought these for myself, and I love them to pieces. TBH, I use them as decor every bit as much as I use them to eat. Sometimes I just keep them in my work area to light them up during the day to feel fancy. They toggle back and forth between a bunch of different colors, like red, blue, yellow, purple, and multicolor, so you can either make them match *or* have a red and blue one together and bring ~balance~ to the Force."

Get them from Amazon for $11.97 (available in two styles).

Promising review: "Thought I was having problems with my machine. Used two cups to flush the entire coffee maker out, and it started working like new. Totally satisfied!" —Dara Pazooki

Get a box of six pods from Amazon for $9.95.

It brews a quart (4 cups), so you should have enough java to get you through the day (and maybe some left over to share with your favorite coworker).

Promising review: "If you LOVE iced coffee (I drink it year-round regardless of the weather), then you NEED this cold brewer. I work for Starbucks, and I love our cold brew. I was skeptical about making it at home, but I love it more than theirs. It’s especially nice since Starbucks only brews one kind of beans for cold brew, but at home, you can brew your favorite kind. Absolutely love this, and it’s worth more than it costs. A must-buy for yourself or a wonderful gift for the coffee lover in your life!" —j.blaine

Get it from Amazon for $22.39+ (available in two sizes and three colors).

Promising review: "Convenient, easy, quick way to keep the dishwasher fresh and working at peak." —Amazon Customer

Get a pack of six tablets from Amazon for $8.98.

Promising review: "I love this! I used the pizza pack to store four slices. They fit great, and they were full-size slices. I also used the pizza trays included to warm up the pizza in the microwave. It did a pretty good job of getting the slices hot. I love the collapsible aspect. Great for easy storage. Great product, really good price, and made in the USA!!" —Tom Angiolillo

Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "This product really works! We were dealing with a foul stench coming from our disposal for some time. We tried boiling water, vinegar, etc. This stuff sniffed out the smell real quick and deodorized it as well." —James Tiberius Kirk

Get a pack (good for four uses) from Amazon for $3.78.

Promising review: This is the best breakfast invention after the waffle maker. LOVE IT! As someone who makes pancakes or waffles three to four times a week (my kids are pretty spoiled, but breakfast is key to getting through the first part of the school day), this is the easiest and fastest way to get that done. I just add everything to the bottle, shake it, and pour it into the waffle maker or griddle. When I am done, just add some water, shake again, empty, and then place everything in the dishwasher." —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "I love fresh vegetables but hate having to cook up the whole batch and store. This little microwave steamer worked out even BETTER than I could have imagined! I use it almost every day now. I can break off a few stalks of broccoli, cut up some asparagus and carrots, steam them in the microwave for 3–3.5 minutes, and I have a wonderful serving of mixed fresh veggies anytime I want. I love it! It is small, so if you're feeding a family, look for something bigger along the same lines. It's easy to clean, and it seems sturdy enough for the dishwasher, but I hand-wash it because I had a microwave steamer that got warped after a few runs through the dishwasher. Would definitely buy again." —terifrancis

Promising review: "It was better quality than I thought it would be. It worked perfectly. It definitely helped me organize the cabinet of pots and pans and made a cluttered mess into an organized, functional space. I would recommend it to anybody. Now, I can just reach in and grab the frying pan I want, and it leaves plenty of room for my pots to stay to the right. You could not even see the bottom of my cabinet before." —Careful shopper

Get it from Amazon for $19.97 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "Skeptical yet very satisfied!! I was a little skeptical, but it was worth it. Love it! No collapsing to worry about, so less mess, and I can stack on top without it getting smushed!!" —Jennifer Miles

Get it from Amazon for $27.99 (available in 10 colors).

Promising review: "I originally saw this product on TikTok and was genuinely interested in seeing if it works. I fry chicken at least two times a week, and it can take a lot of time to go from marinated chicken to egg dredge to flour and then frying. I was wasting so much time doing it piece by piece. This breader really helped me to get larger batches done, and it felt like my whole process got faster! The extra large size of this model allows me to do whole-bone chicken parts as well as boneless chicken parts. It is a bit bulky, but the fact that it saves me time makes it absolutely worth it. It even washes up easily, both by hand or in the dishwasher. It has now become my go-to for breading chicken!!" —C. Otero

Read our Fasta Pasta Microwave Cooker review!

Promising review: "I bought this microwave pasta cooker at a time when I did not have a stove. Even though I have a stove now, I still use this cooker for dinner for myself sometimes because it works so well and quickly! Be careful and read the instructions, as you must leave the top off while cooking it. There are lines to indicate how much water to put in the cooker versus the amount of pasta you intend to cook. The pasta comes out very soft and perfectly cooked when the instructions are followed. When the pasta is done, the lid is used to drain the cooker of water, and it works very well. I highly recommend this to any college student or adult who needs a fast microwave pasta cooker!" —Tania

PS: They also come in handy with dishes going into a water bath (think cheesecakes, custards, and puddings). 

Promising review: "We constantly use our crockpot for easy meals. I'm a teacher, and my husband is a firefighter, and it's just easy for our family of five. No real cleanup. I toss the bag in the trash after use and will just run a wet rag around the inside of the pot for good measure. Never have a problem with holes or burning." —Ashley Matthews

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $4.59.

Promising review: "Wish I had had this years ago! After years of struggling to keep my one small utensil drawer organized and failing, this organizer has done the job. It doubles the amount of silverware storage space and frees up half of my drawer for larger serving spoons and such. I love it." —J.C.

Get it from Amazon for $11.98+ (available in two sizes).

Wine Wash Co. is a small business based in Houston, Texas.

Promising review: "These work with all of our wineglasses, including my Riedels, thin champagne flutes, and crystal wineglasses. Our KitchenAid dishwasher came with a wine rack, but it didn't hold our taller wineglasses, so this little gadget did the trick. Very easy to use. I keep them clipped in between cycles now that I’ve found a good spot for them. Extra helpful for dinner party clean up. Cheers to never washing wineglasses by hand again!" —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "Nice and thin. You'll find so many more uses for these around the house than just getting stuff off the underside of cookware! I had hard, scaly water deposits on the glass surrounding our powder room faucet (one of those fancy, highfalutin modern-looking things). I've tried everything for four years to get this stuff off. One day, I thought, maybe I'll try my sponges. Took it all off super easily!!!! Faucet looks like new. My only rec is to spot-test your item first before using it because it will scratch certain surfaces if you scrub too aggressively (for example, it gets the burned-on, weird stuff off of the bottom of my fave Our Place pan, but I rubbed too hard in one spot and it took the color right off lol)." —Hoarder

Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in two sponge thicknesses).

It's also dishwasher-safe (top rack only!), so cleanup is easy peasy.

Promising review: "Love this thing. I’m single and live alone. I don’t need a full-on food processor. This works great. Just be careful when hand-cleaning so you don’t cut yourself open. The blades are extremely sharp." —Steve S.

Get it from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in red and green).

Promising review: "Use often. Works well. Love that I can quickly chop up vegetables to the same size so they cook more evenly. Especially love it if I’m doing a lot of onions for food prep. I give a quick rinse with hot water to clean up and air dry." —Lte

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six sizes and six colors).

Because this scrubber is metal, you should avoid using it on nonstick pans as it can scratch and damage the surface.

Promising review: "I've been using this scrubber for almost a month. I have a lot of cast-iron cookware, including the grill insert for my gas range top. This is VERY effective and EASY to use. I like how this is stainless steel and easy to keep clean. I'm buying another one for my mom." —wininchatsworth

Promising review: "Wow! I was going to buy some whetstones to sharpen my knives, but I knew I’d be too lazy to use them. Then I saw this gadget advertised on BuzzFeed and thought I’d try it for the price. It works exactly as stated. It won’t restore knicked blades, but it sharpens amazingly well. Knives that I’ve had for years, I was able to sharpen and cut with ease." —Amazon Customer

My colleague loves this lil' guy, saying it "totally ~transformed~ my hodgepodge of a knife collection and probably saved my clumsy self from lots of close calls with dull knives." Read her full KitchenIQ knife sharpener review.

Get it from Amazon for $10.15+ (available in three colors/styles).

These reusable bags are good for 50 to 100 washes and can hold pizza, chicken nuggets, and pastries.

Promising review: "I love using these! Since I live alone, I don't like having to dirty a skillet to make just one sandwich. This makes a great sandwich in the toaster without any muss or fuss. They're easy to clean; just wipe it out or use a little soap and water if needed. The nonstick feature is very helpful." —Branwynmars

Get a set of four from Amazon for $6.99.

Promising review: "This thing really works great. Takes only seconds to tenderize any kind of meat. I've used it on pork, beef, and chicken, and the results are that these meats cook and taste so much better after being tenderized with this. Many people ask about dishwasher safety. I have used it for a while and always put it in the dishwasher, and it's fine. It's plastic and stainless steel, so I don't think the dishwasher can hurt it." —5280

Get it from Amazon for $35.49+ (available in four colors and a 16-blade option).

This little bloodsucker is 100% food-safe, BPA-free, and dishwasher-safe!

Promising review: "It's so ridiculous how cute and functional it is! I hated chopping or mincing garlic before getting this! It is fast and efficient and can get a lot done quickly. Did I mention how cute this is? Also, please know this IS dishwasher-safe. I pop the hair off before putting the top in the dishwasher, and the bottom is one piece, so there are no issues of water getting in and staying there, as other reviewers have expressed concerns about. BUT! If there is ONE THING that is a bit of a pain, it is getting ALL the bits out — but a small silicone spatula or scraper does the trick just fine for me! I use this garlic tool daily; it is honestly a game-changer for my cooking game!" —Llamazon Customer

Promising review: "I have carpal tunnel, so I like to minimize straining my muscles. I also have pretty small hands. This garlic press is really comfortable to use, albeit a little bit annoying to clean. I recently tried using a friend's garlic press, and the amount of force I needed to use really hurt my hands and wrists. If you've been avoiding getting a garlic press because you fear you lack wrist strength, this is the product for you. I'm never mincing or slicing garlic again." —Jamie Sarmiento

Promising review: "In a family of six, there are always SOME who don't like what everyone else is eating. This is a pan where making three different kinds of lasagna doesn't require much, if any, more effort than making a single lasagna with the same dimensions. Takes the same amount of time to layer the noodles and the same amount of time to build the things...but you have three different builds to satisfy those darned picky kids. Or hey, go adult gourmet in a way that Olive Garden cannot. What's fun with this pan is that it's not just lasagna. I tried making bread with it to good effect. Yeah, the loaves looked a little weird, but I DON'T CARE. I did it, and that's all. It gives me what I prize most in cooking gear...versatility. Easy to clean, certainly...and nonstick, though that requires a little care (use wood, not metal utensils). With proper care and feeding, these are made to last pretty much forever. I love it." —J. Tant

Promising review: "I came across these in an Amazon review on TikTok, and I just had to have them for my mugs. I have a lot of mugs but no space. I didn’t want a hanging mechanism for the mugs; I just needed a way to stack them. This is such a great product to help stack mugs. They’re easily adjustable for any size mug. They don’t topple over, they’re very sturdy. One of the best space-savers I have in the kitchen!" —Magdalynn Tibbetts

Get a set of six (to organize 12 mugs) from Amazon for $24.99 (available in three colors). 

Promising review: "I live alone in a small apartment with a small kitchen that has very little storage space, and I often eat pasta. Using a colander means one more thing I have to wash (and store...and put away). I have a couple of hand strainers, but that makes things awkward, especially since I have a condition that makes it even more so. This little guy has made things so much easier! Its small size makes it easy to wash (by hand, for me) and then just toss it in a drawer. It's sturdy, even the clips, so I don't feel I have to be gentle with it." —Jonathan Dowell

Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in six colors).

Promising review: "I’ve only used it on a few appliances, but the one getting the most action would be the one on our coffee maker. It can’t be adhered to surfaces that get hot (like a slow cooker), so I was able to find a spot that doesn’t when we use it, and it has held up great so far. I’ve been using it for a few months, and so far, so good. I hate having cords trailing around on the counter, and this helped fix that. Worth the investment." —TravelBuff

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $12.53+ (available in gray and green).

Promising reviews: "My husband got me two of these a few years ago, and I recently bought two more just so I could do more baking/cooking between washes. I have a large family, so we regularly use 3+ sheet pans in one meal to roast meat and vegetables or make homemade fries. These work well. They still need a little oil or nonstick spray for some things, but cookies bake beautifully on them dry, and even when I'm making meats or veggies, they make cleanup so much easier. I highly recommend." —J. Holum

"I’ve been using these for months, and I love that they help with easier cleaning. As a family of 6, anything I can do to cut back on the time I spend washing dishes is a bonus! Cookies and biscuits come off easily!" —mamajen

Get a set of two from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two styles and in a four-pack).

This set includes a 2-qt. saucepan, a 3-qt. saucepan, an 8-inch frying pan, a 10-inch frying pan, a 4-qt. saute pen, 2 detachable handles, a 4-piece utensil set, and 4 pot protectors.

Promising review: "This set has been a dream! With my kids helping with dishes, this set has made the pots/pans cabinet a non-issue. Before, we had to stack the pans together, but they’d get stacked wonky because of the handles. With this set, we keep the handles in the utensil drawer and the rest stacked together. I typically cook without the handles attached (depending on the meal, of course) and clip them on once complete to move the pan wherever it needs to go. I rinse the handle of any debris and put it away. Grab the storage lid and plop the pan directly into the fridge. This set has made a huge difference in my desire to cook, as the hassle from start to finish is a fraction of what it was with my old set!" —Brooke

Get a 17-piece set from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in cream white and blue).

Promising review: "This is outstanding! I first used it at a family member's house while serving myself some salad. It grips well in your hand, grabs a lot of salad, and nothing falls out! I bought this for myself and just love it. I plan to gift these to those who I know serve salad often. Best scooper/server ever!" —JJ

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity. 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Melanie Aman is a deputy editorial director on the BuzzFeed Shopping team who's spent the last decade in the lifestyle and service journalism sphere, using her shopping editor eye to find and vet products across a variety of categories, including lifestyle, home, beauty, fashion, pets, cleaning, travel, aging, and more.