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Upgrade Your Kitchen Without Breaking The Bank: 42 Items That’ll Transform Your Cookspace
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BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Read More Let’s set you up for food prep and cooking success! As a Deputy Editorial Director for BuzzFeed’s shopping team, I love to get into the weeds of why a product’s worth the money by deep diving into customer reviews, and product-testing as much as possible. Your kitchen isn't the most glamorous room in your home, but it's one of the hardest-working! It deserves some extra love, though, from an incredibly effective grout cleaner that'll remind you your grout *is* indeed white to small-but-mighty appliance sliders that'll help you easily access your KitchenAid mixer when you need it, there are tons of things here that'll just plain make life easier. Consider a few problem-solvers we rounded up here, and now you can cut to actually enjoying all the yummy stuff you're whipping up in there. Promising review: "I ordered these just to determine if we really needed under-cabinet lighting. I really wasn't expecting much because of the price. It is very easy to install, with five levels of brightness with the included remote control, timers for on and off, and a manual on/off switch in the connecting wiring if you don't use the remote. Standard 2025 button battery for the remote. I really don't know how they can be sold for the price I paid. Also received in two days. The photo was taken in a very dark kitchen. Updated: I ordered two more packages to finish the lighting required. The electrical plug is much better since it does not stick out from the wall so far. Very pleased with these units." —Anthony E Spearman Get three 12-inch lights from Amazon for $16.99. SnapPower is a small biz that specializes in unique and innovative lighting products. Promising review: "I ordered this after seeing it on TikTok. I’m very happy with this product!" —Miss. Harris "Game changer. When I get up, I don’t want to wake everyone up with flipping on lights and all. These provide plenty of walking through the house light. Super easy installation, too." —Monica Martinez Get it from Amazon for $22.98 (available in three outlet styles and four colors). Promising review: "I live in an apartment. The sink is about 35-years-old and has become badly stained and scratched from neglect and indifferent care. This has made a noticeable difference. This sink will never look brand new again, but your product removed, I would say, about 80% of the stains, without any extraordinary effort, and put a really polished look on the sink. It is gleaming and actually looks very clean for the first time since I have lived here." —David Brennan Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (also available in packs of two and six). Deco Brothers is a small biz specializing in home products. Made from heavy-gauge steel and can store up to 36 cans of various sizes. Promising review: "These units were easy to assemble. They felt sturdy. I love that they are made of metal and not cheap plastic. I'm considering buying two more, and going side by side and stocking up on canned goods!" —Amazon Customer Elypro is a small business in New York City making clever organization products for the home. Promising review: "I use these to organize my coffee mugs and my glasses in smaller cabinets. They not only look nicer, they save space without tilting when you try to stack mugs without support. I also use these to stack ramekins and that is also better now. These are adjustable to fit different sizes. I highly recommend these organizers!" —Amazon Customer Get a set of six (to organize 12 mugs) from Amazon for $24.99 (available in three colors). The kit includes a 10-ounce bottle of Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner, one cleaning pad, and one scraper to make it a quick and easy job. Promising review: "Works on my new range and cleans up beautifully so that my cooktop looks as shiny and clean as it did the day it was installed. Follow the directions exactly, and you can't go wrong. Very easy and quick to use. Not a lot of cleaner is needed, so the bottle will last a long time. I clean the cooktop with this almost every day, and I find that it cleans better than with regular cleaner." —Darcy Get it from Amazon for $10.95+ (available in three styles). Psst, as you can see above, this set also comes with a crumb catcher where your stovetop meets your countertop! Promising review: "I've been using the foil ones and while they do the job, they're not so nice to look at. I like that this is black so it matches the original color of the appliances, but more importantly I like that this has a larger surface area to catch the drips that the foil ones never could before. They're also trim to fit, so they get right up into each burner without leaving gaps where drips can burn where it's hardest to clean. Time will tell if they're as durable/reusable as they claim. If they are, then I'll try to trim two of the spares to fit the center large burner. Overall recommended." —Michael Get an 8-pack from Amazon for $10.99 (also available in six colors). Promising review: "Love this stuff! My stove had two chips in it for many years. Very pleased, so easy to apply! Would definitely recommend for small touch-ups!" —Sally Jo Get it from Amazon for $6.48 (available in four colors). StoveShelf is a small business, and these shelves are built to last a lifetime. Promising review: "This is an excellent buy. The shelf helped me declutter my cabinet, and it is an awesome storage space for my more often-used spices. It is sturdy, easily installed, and attractive. I recommend this shelf." —Pamella R. Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in three types and three sizes). Enhances the natural beauty and depth of grain on finished *and* unfinished wood. For use on antiques, dining tables, kitchen cabinets, wood doors and trim, etc. Promising review: "I have tried numerous products on my wood kitchen cabinets, and nothing has worked. You can see from the photos that they were in really bad shape. I applied this product and let it sit for 45 minutes before I wiped the cabinets down. I can’t believe how well it worked! If this didn’t work, I figured I would have to refinish or paint the cabinets because they looked so bad. I’m so glad I tried it! It has saved me a lot of time and money!" —nicole feather Promising review: "I use this for my kitchen cabinets and they look like new after I apply it. Such a great product that has been around for a long time." —Dennis from PDX Promising review: "I’ve used these to touch up our armoire, coffee table, chair and couch legs, kitchen cabinets, bar stools. The variety of colors make it possible to touch up almost anything. I’m not sure what or how to use the wax. The end result isn’t noticeable that it’s been marked up with a marker." —FrankSFO Promising review: "My daughter wanted to organize the fridge after watching a series of TikTok videos! These were exactly what she wanted! Download TikTok for your kids and maybe they will want to help organize, too!" —Sarah C. Get a set of eight bins from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four sizes and in sets of two, four, and six). Promising review: "Very awesome stuff. The bottom of my cabinets had a rough, crumbly texture. This is a great fix to keep the silicone pieces of my dishes from picking it up. Feels a lot cleaner and it looks great! Highly recommend for looks and function!" —Kelsey Ware Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 10 sizes and 13 colors and patterns). Promising review: "Um, why haven't you bought it already? This stuff WORKS! As a repeat boil-over offender, this has saved my stove time and time again. No regrets buying it! First photo is after a messy cooking session, second photo shows just how great the pink stuff is at cleaning up!" —M.C. Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in a squeezable tube for even less mess!). Useful Products is a US-based small business established in 2007 by car wash owner, electrician, and former bodybuilder Anthony LaPolla that specializes in drill-cleaning brushes and attachments. Each of the different brush colors indicates which tasks the brushes are meant for based on their bristle type, so be sure to check which one is best suited for whatever you need to for! Yellow is the “all-purpose” medium bristle, but some are softer and harder depending on what types of surfaces you’re cleaning (but none of them will scratch!). Promising review: "I manage many apartment properties and finding people to do the cleaning has been tricky business, so I end up having to get in and clean these horrendous filth pods tenants lived in and left me to deal with when they move out. The ovens and stove tops are usually the worst, and I absolutely hate cleaning. I came across this drill attachment set, and let me tell you, it helped me tremendously! I still had to get in with a putty knife on some of them but it really cut down my elbow-grease time." —alicia haats Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in six colors and stiffness levels). Promising review: "We moved into our house a year ago and I’ve been on a quest to clean the grout next to the stove ever since then. As a last resort I got this and holy cow! I left it on for three minutes as a spot test at first and I could already see a huge difference. I then did two more rounds letting it sit for five minutes each. The scent's not bad, it was fine if I had the window open, it was just being down close to it that got me. Seriously, stop looking and buy this." —Britney Phillips Promising review: "I installed an expensive soft white tile (if there is such a thing) floor in the kitchen when I bought my house. At the time, it was a new product and it was beautiful – that fuzzy, warm feeling changed the first time I dropped a fork. I have been so frustrated no wanting to rip up and put down replacement tiles. The grout pen made it look new again, I am thrilled with the results!" —K. Robles Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two sizes). I have VERY narrow kitchen drawers in my NYC one-bedroom apartment kitchen and buying one of these organizers has transformed my cutlery drawer. I'm able to safely reach in and grab whatever I need (like a manual can opener for tuna salad or a mini whisk for a hot chocolate) without having to sift tools around. My colleague Emma Lord is also a fan: "I bought this like a decade later than I should have, and it is as miraculous as everyone says. I am a chaos demon with four different sets of cutlery mashed together that took up way too much room and were too disorganized, since they were different shapes. This streamlined them all in an instant and got me half my kitchen drawer back — and I'm in NYC, so every bit of room counts!!" And so is BuzzFeeder Mallory Mower! She says: "I use this in my kitchen! I have to admit...it hasn't exaaactly helped with organization. What it *has* done is created a neat and orderly spot for my utensils...opening up a ton of extra drawer space for my unruly stash of pens, bouillon cubes, drink flavor packets, and the like. Long story short — I recommend this for tidy and messy folks alike!" Promising review: "This is one of my favorite things I've ever purchased from Amazon! The fact that they're so customizable allows you to cut them and shape them to any drawer size! I think this will be my go-to gift for all of my friends who love cooking as much as I do! Freeing up cabinet space and having something that can so easily be rinsed off in the sink makes this a for sure buy!" —momonono Get a 10-foot roll from Amazon for $15.99. Just be sure to measure your existing cabinet pulls and cabinetry before adding to cart. Not all pulls are sized the same! Promising review: "Can't beat the quality for the price! Solid weight, none arrived scratched, bent, or broken. Definitely get the template! It makes installation a breeze! With the template, I had 24 handles installed in less than 45 minutes! Immediately upgraded my cabinets. Very happy with this purchase!" —alexa Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in quantities 1–60 and in seven colors). Reviewers have also used it to clean kitchen cabinets and thick, caked-on fridge spills. I've had personal success with the original Goo Gone to remove leftover magnet residue on my fridge and leftover fly trap residue on my kitchen window. Promising review: "Wow! A degreaser that actually works! I love the foam, which starts to work immediately on my stove top as well as cookware and other kitchen surfaces." —P. Webb Get it from Amazon for $9.70+ (available in two sizes). Promising review: "I’m able to get my soap, my cute mug that holds a straw brush, a dish brush, and my dish wand, my drain plugs, AND hang a dishcloth on this corner organizer. I’ve never had one of these before nor a suction cup caddy for my stuff. I decided to go with this because I don’t use a sponge and usually hang my dishcloth on the dish drainer." —gamerchick02 Promising review: "I like this so much that I actually just ordered another one for under the bathroom sink. Not only did it tidy the clutter and make items easier to find at first glance, but also made it possible for me to store another few items below the sink, including the spray cleaners I use for my countertops. I didn't configure it around pipes (as I see can be done), but actually used the flexible shelving options to place taller or larger items directly on the floor of my under-sink storage — rather than on the lowest shelf (see last photo) — to maximize my storage possibilities and keep regularly used items accessible. I also didn't fully extend the shelving, just as suggested by the manufacturer for stability purposes ... and still found it offered ample storage. Easy to assemble, with some flexibility for shelf height and placement — highly recommend!" —Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $22.87+ (available in three finishes). Promising review: "This is an amazing tool to organize, declutter, and gain accessibility. I used to have a shelf of boxed teas that I had to rummage through when I wanted to make a cup. Now I can see what I have, I save cabinet space, and it is easy to store along side my kettle. I loved it so much I ordered a second one for my office. I get many compliments." —D. Burks Get it from Amazon for $16.60+ (available in three colors). AND it's the perfect size if you reuse plastic shopping and grocery bags for garbage bin liners like I do! Promising review: "So I saw this tiny trash can on TikTok, and I was moving into a tiny studio apartment and thought this would be perfect. Turns out it's one of the best things I've ever bought. I installed mine with the over-the-cabinet hooks (also comes with adhesive stickers) on my kitchen island, and it is so convenient I can't even express with words. The lid is on this nifty hinge so you can open it by flipping the lid up, or by sliding it forward and it folds down out of the way. I usually keep it open while I'm cooking but I can close it super quickly if I see the dog coming. There is a little pull tab for easy opening. It is so easy to use and easy to clean. It's also so cute! I use my plastic grocery bags as trash can liners for this and they fit perfectly. It comes with a roll of bags as well. The lid lifts off easily to change bags out. Clicks back on easily over the new liner. Can't recommend this enough!! This is going on my list of 'best things I've ever spent my money on.'" —Ginger Get it from Amazon for $20.39 (available in three colors). I lucked out with some similar racks already mounted in my apartment (like these!) and I adore them. Promising review: "It does its job. Makes my cabinet more organized & easy to take out my wineglass." —Mechu Get two rows (enough for six glasses) from Amazon for $18.04 (available in four colors and two shelf thicknesses). macraYAYmacrame is an Indianapolis, Indiana-based shop that makes a variety of cool macrame accessories. My colleague Jenae Sitzes owns and loves this: "I recently picked up this macrame basket (in the Cactus shade) and *highly* recommend it if you're looking to add a cozy touch to your kitchen. As someone with a relatively small NYC kitchen, I need every bit of counter space I can get, and this lets me keep produce out without having to take up space with a fruit basket or banana stand. I'm a big fan of utilizing vertical space as storage, and this does just that; plus, it allows for ventilation to help your fruit stay fresh for longer. I'm constantly cooking with onions or grabbing an apple as a mid-day snack, and having them right there at an arm's reach is sooo nice. BTW, these come with hooks that screw directly into a cabinet, but if you (like me) want to avoid that damage, I recommend using Command hooks — I'm using four of these small toggle hooks and they've held up the basket *with* produce in it wonderfully." Get it from macraYAYmacrame on Etsy for $33. Promising review: "This organizer is so useful! I recently moved and ended up with a much smaller kitchen, so I've been doing everything I can to make sure there's a place for everything and no wasted space. Luckily, I have pretty wide cabinets, so this works out perfectly. I have one holding my cutting boards (four standard plastic boards) and another holding my foil, cling wrap, and parchment paper boxes. The organizer is super easy to assemble and it's completely versatile. Hang it over the cabinet door or attach it to the wall/cabinet door, which means it's great for renters and owners." —Kerry Get it from Amazon for $18.97 (also available in a two-pack). Check out a TikTok of the plastic bag dispenser in action. Psst — these come with optional sticker labels so you know which size bag you're grabbing! YouCopia is a woman-owned small business that specializes in home storage solutions. Promising review: "I like it very much. Not so large. Lightweight. Would look nice on top of the counter. What I like is that you do not have to wrangle the box into the slots. Simply pick up the roll of bags from their packaging and put them in the designated slot." —Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three-, four-, or five-slot models). Promising review: "My wife bought these for kitchen appliances after seeing a TikTok video. They work great and help things look neater!" —Josh&Shan Check out a TikTok of the appliance sliders in action. Promising review: "These are a game changer! I have some heavy appliances like my espresso machine and reverse osmosis filter that I hate to pull out to fill with water. These tiny sliders have been incredible! Immediately better, and so far (about three months in) no issues at all. Still gliding!" —sara Get a set of 24 from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in five sizes). Check out BuzzFeed's overview of the EZ Off Jar Opener. Promising review: "I saw this item on TikTok. Yeap. I am so glad I got it! I have trouble opening jars and bottles and this has been awesome. It works great. I followed the suggestion from other reviewers and installed it under the cabinet with the bottom of the ‘V’ facing away from the wall. You will have to twist the bottle counterclockwise. This method works well. I haven’t had to use the little screws. I definitely recommend this item! It is wayyyyy better than the silicone grips." —Mariposista Queen Promising review: "Fits my Kenmore like a charm. Don't know why it took me so long to figure this solution out." —Shell Promising review: "Great addition to my galley kitchen! I placed by my fridge for easy access while cooking and it has worked seamlessly for my needs! Easily stores spices, plastic bags, and aluminum foil." —Elizabeth B. Keyaiira is a Santa Rosa, California-based shop that sells leather and fiber home goods. Get it from Keyaiira on Etsy for $32.99+ (available in seven leather loop colors and several rail sizes). It has an about six-step installation process and includes all the parts you'll need. The brace adjusts to any size between 4” and 6” and fits the standard base sockets. They can be used on sloped ceilings up to 45˚, works in damp locations, has a 50-pound maximum load rating, and is paintable with no visible screws or hardware. Promising review: "This was a pretty easy installation considering the work is on the ceiling. I've been wanting to change out the two can lights over my sink for years, so I started investigating the easiest possible way to do so. Ran across this item, and watched the video on YouTube. What the heck, I thought! Rewatched the video before installation, looked at the directions on both the converter kit and the pendant light, gathered the necessary tools described in all instructions, and set upon my mission. The hardest part (for me) was getting the self-tapping screws started. I'm pretty pleased with the outcome, I must say! By the way, I'm a 55-year-old female who has worked at a bank all of my life. Yes! It was that easy. I would highly recommend it." —Trisch Reeve Promising review: "We have an 80-year-old Cape Cod that’s been through a lot of changes. Our kitchen is a former bedroom, with only one window looking out at our neighbor’s side porch and guest room. Our previous neighbor never seemed to use the porch or guest room, and we really need the light from that one window, so I didn’t bother with curtains there. The house has been sold to a young couple, so it was time to consider doing something about privacy. I still didn’t want curtains, both because of the light and because the main food prep counter is right in front of that window, and things can get messy. This film was the ideal solution! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!" —The Prose from Dover Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in 14 sizes). Promising review: "I have installed several of these kitchen tool organizers and this is, by far, the best. Broom handles stay in place perfectly and the they are easy to put in and take out of the organizer. The hooks are flush against the organizer until you need them, so it does not protrude too far in the front. The installation comes with a template to easily mark the screw holes to attach it to the wall. It has six screw holes instead of three to better secure it to the wall. Just a really well-designed piece of equipment." —Donna A. Pettit Promising review: "I got this because my mother has dementia and she kept putting away dirty dishes. 🤦🏽♀️ And believe it or not she has actually been using it and it definitely has been working! So I highly suggest buying this for parents or someone you know who has a similar problem!" —Raquel Get it from Amazon for $6.64 (also available in six colors). Wine Wash Co. is a woman-owned small biz that specializes in dishwasher attachments. Promising review: "I had a hard time finding wineglass holders for my dishwasher. My previous dishwasher had built-in holders, but my current dishwasher does not. I got tired of having wineglasses break during dishwashing cycles. These holders are sturdy and fit the bill for standard glasses. They can fold up when not in use. I would not use them for expensive Waterford crystal wineglasses, but they are perfect for everyday glasses. A must-have for wine drinkers!" —Alicia Kit includes low-VOC, low-odor, water-based acrylic paint and primer in one. Requires a one-day application process that dries in a soft, satin finish. Covers 100 square feet of cabinet surface (40 linear feet), which is typical of most kitchen cabinets. Ideal for use on wood, laminate and primed, or painted metal cabinets. Formulated to cover most existing wood finishes and paint in a single coat. Promising review: "You can see a before and after in my pictures but this paint was AMAZING and a huge transformation to my outdated kitchen. - I started off by completely cleaning the wooden cabinets with KRUD KUTTER PC32 Prepaint Cleaner/TSP Substitute. I read a lot of reviews on this cleaner and heard that is was great for cleaning off oils and dirt, and it really did wonders. - I then primed the cabinets with a special wood primer. - Once the primer dried, I used the Nuvo paint on the cabinets. I did four very thin layers of paint. It is vital that you keep each layer very thin because it will dry weird. I found that in the corner of the cabinets where paint puddled even a little bit that it would cracker so make sure that you keep thin layers - Additionally, I ended up purchasing regular brushes outside of this kit. A few blogs said that they used the foam brushes; however, I did not like how the paint laid on the cabinets with them." —Danielle Joy Get it from Amazon for $79.95 (available in nine colors). * These 35 Kitchen Products Have Reviewers Totally Smitten * Things That’ll Help You Meal Prep Without Turning On The Oven And Heating Up Your House * Things That’ll Make You Grill Master Supreme Of Your Friend Group * Kitchen Tools Under $20 That Reviewers Can’t Get Enough Of Plus, finds from Ikea, Sur La Table, Walmart, and Wayfair. 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. Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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