10 kitchen tools that deserve their cult-favorite status on Amazon — starting at $6
Some of our favorite things start off as a recommendation from a friend. Whether they swear by a skin-care gem, a cleaning must-have or just something to make dinner prep a little less exhausting, we rely on those in the know to give us the scoop on what really works. Now, imagine you had access to the opinions of tens of thousands of friends from all different walks of life — if that many people rally behind something, there's no way it's a dud.
Dash Mini Waffle Maker
$18$20Save $2Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker
$30Lodge 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet
$20$34Save $14Hamilton Beach BPA-Free Personal Blender
$21$22Save $1Crockpot Electric Lunch Box
$40$45Save $5Kitchen Mama Electric Can Opener
$30$35Save $5Zulay Original Milk Frother
$13$20Save $7Kitchellence 3-Stage Knife Sharpener
$10$30Save $20KitchenTour Clean Dirty Magnet for Dishwasher
$7$12Save $4Gray Food Scale
$10$18Save $8
No need to join any new social media groups; instead, trust the opinions of countless Amazon reviewers. They know how to differentiate something gimmicky from something great, and chances are, when hoards of them swear by something, it's the real deal. They're a discerning bunch, and you can use their knowledge to your advantage in the kitchen. Scroll on for some of the most useful and popular kitchens you didn't know you needed.
This mini waffle maker is an Amazon No. 1 bestseller, and is the perfect size for making mini waffles.
It might be small, but it heats up quickly and is so versatile — you can use it to make hash browns, biscuit pizzas, and so much more.
"Wow. This is the cutest and most practical mini waffle maker," shared one of over 188,000 5-star shoppers. "It’s perfect, compact and easy to clean. It makes excellent waffles and you can get creative with a ton of other fun creations for you and your friends/fam. Highly suggest it. Getting one for everyone I know."
The contraption features layers of hot plates stacked on top of each other — essentially mini pans designed to perfectly cook each individual component.
The Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker is a snap to use. First, add ingredients to each pan — the bottom one is for the bread and sausage, bacon, ham or cheese, there's a plate just for the egg, and then up top you pop in another layer of bread. Then close the device and let it toast.
"My hubs wanted this and I ended up using it more than he does," shared one of over 10,000 rave reviewers. "I loved it so much that I sent one to my brother to help him quit McDonalds lol."
Lodge cast irons need no introduction, and this skillet is no different — it's heavy, sturdy, and with proper care, sure to last you decades.
If it's good enough for Ina Garten, it's good enough for us — and over 84,000 five-star fans.
"What's not good to say about cast iron?" shared a shopper. "It is a wonderful skillet, and everyone should have 5 or 16 of these in their kitchen! Preseason as described and you will have an excellent nonstick skillet for years and years and generations ahead!"
This blender is the perfect size for individual smoothies — plus, the jar doubles as a to-go cup.
Over 64,000 shoppers rave about this small-but-mighty blender. One fan shared:
"This blender is easy to use. I add my weight loss supplement and fruit, blend it up in a minute, and drink right out of the blender cup. Add soap, water, blend, and it’s clean. Easy cheesy!"
This awesome lunch box keeps your food warm on the go and comes in six different colors. Just plug this baby in 45 minutes before lunchtime and open it up to reveal a warm, comforting meal.
This pretty simple yet brilliant gadget is kind of like a mini slow cooker, but it's designed to warm up your food, not cook it — perfect for people who need a way to preserve the deliciousness of their sammy or leftovers. Shoppers love it — it has more than 15,000 five-star reviews.
"I purchased this because I do not have access to a microwave or cooking appliance at work," shared one rave reviewer. "I use it at least once a week. It works great. I have used it for canned soups, pasta and leftovers."
This handheld electric can opener works with the push of a button. More than 59,000 five-star fans are opening cans without the headache (and sore fingers).
Say goodbye to dangerously sharp edges and fiddling with a manual can opener — this electric one is worth its weight in gold if you never accidentally nick your fingers on a jagged lid again.
"By far, the best one-handed can opener I've found. A little powerhouse compared to every other kind I've used," shared a shopper. "The moment I turned it on, I knew, finally, I'd hit the can opener jackpot. There was no doubt I'd no longer have to deal with any more half-opened cans, stuck openers that couldn't be separated from the cans, frustration, wasted money and having to toss another ridiculous busted device in the trash."
Frothy lattes and cappuccinos are just one button away. It's brightened the morning of over 87,000 rave reviewers.
Forget having to go to a coffee shop for those perfectly frothy lattes, cappuccinos and matchas — this magical little frother can do it all. It makes just about any drink creamier in seconds, and it's so easy to use. Plus, it comes in a ton of different colors, so you can get one to match your coffeemaker or the rest of your small appliances. You can even use it for tea and honey!
"This little thing is fantastic!!" shared a shopper. "Even the hubby commented how much he likes it. We use it to blend protein powder, creamer, fiber products in our beverages. Just run the blending end under water to clean. Sits nice and handy on the counter for easy use. Just buy it, you need it!!"
This gadget sharpens, hones and polishes in three steps. It has an ergonomic handle for comfort and comes with a safety glove to prevent cuts.
This little gadget will save you a few headaches and a lot of money. If you own a set of knives, there's a really good chance they need sharpening. Even if you use a sharpening steel every time you cut through a tomato or chop celery, each slice slowly dulls the blade. You could take your knives to a professional, but not everyone has the time or money for that. It has over 20,000 five-star ratings from many happy shoppers who were considering the same thing.
One satisfied cook shared: "I've had my poor chef knife in a drawer and over the last year it's gotten dull and has a small dent on the blade. I just got this sharpener and used the three steps. And I gotta say I'm impressed. I managed to cut through paper after doing the three-step sharpening. It's like the knife is brand-new. For the price and ease of use, I would recommend anyone get this for their home."
A simple kitchen communications system: This easy-to-read sign keeps tabs on cleaning and it has over 17,000 five-star ratings.
If you've ever asked a family member to start the dishwasher, only to check on it hours later and pull out a dirty glass, you need this. It's a simple but genius idea: Just stick this magnetized indicator on your machine and alert your housemates to the state of your cookery by sliding its window left or right to indicate whether the contents inside are "CLEAN" or "DIRTY." No more accidentally picking up a dirty plate or loading dirty dishes into a dishwasher that's full of clean ones!
"My parents got a machine not too long ago that has controls and indicators on the top of the door, which is covered by the countertop when it is closed," one wised-up shopper shared. "They can never tell if the machine is clean or dirty until they open it up and pull the racks out. They've had several instances where dirty dishes have been put in a clean dishwasher or 'dirty' dishes got put back in the cabinets because they were semi-cleaned from the sink. These problems are no more. I got a big hug and a smile when I brought this over to them."
A kitchen gadget to make you a better chef
Whether you're weighing for portion control or to make your recipes turn out perfectly, this kitchen scale can read down to the gram.
Whether you're a home cook or a pro chef, a food scale can be the difference between an okay dish and a Michelin-star-worthy plate. This scale has a smooth, easy-to-clean surface, and even has four units of measurement so you can accurately portion your ingredients, as more than 121,000 five-star fans on Amazon can attest.
Shared one thrilled shopper: "I bought this kitchen scale for my mom, and she loves it. It's very thin and takes up almost no room at all in the cabinet, and the digital display is nice and clean. It appears to have an auto on-and-off feature, and it comes with a spare battery! For the money, this is a terrific little tool for cooking, weighing for mail postage, or even hobbies."
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.