The 20 Best Kitchen Buys We Couldn’t Stop Raving About in 2022

If a full-on espresso machine isn’t in the cards this year, you can still have high-quality, easy-to-make espresso at home. The Aeropress is a favorite of coffee-drinkers, especially IT Manager, Drew Wilchak, who says, “I use it every day to make coffee. Super quick, easy to clean, very versatile. I can't stop talking about it. I'm going to go make some more coffee right now.”

Dedicated KitchenAid stand mixer users will know that the appliance is highly useful but also super clunky and tough to move around on the counter. Enter: the slider mat. “I keep my mixer on the counter for easy access” says Staff Writer, Patty Catalano. “But it's pretty heavy to wiggle out of the corner. This mat fits the base of the mixer perfectly and lets me slide it on the countertops with ease and with no risk of scratching my counters.” Ingenious.

Let’s face it: Salads look easy, but they can actually be pretty time-consuming to whip up at home. The OXO salad dressing mixer takes a little off your plate with easy measuring and pouring, plus it’s from one of our most-favorite kitchen brands. Senior Account Manager Allison Bartkus, who says she’s always mixing up a dressing, loves this mixer because it’s “short, cute, and allows you to easily measure and twist! I love making my own dressings and this makes it so easy and fun!”

Staub is another one of our favorite kitchen brands, so we knew it had to make the list. “I've been using this bakeware set non-stop during the holidays for everything from stuffing to casseroles to roasted vegetables,” says Shopping Director, Jada Wong, “It's a perfect set of oven-to-table bakeware, and I think the oval looks more sophisticated that the usual square or rectangular baking dishes.” Plus, it's on sale now through the end of the year.

Now that air fryers are a super-common household gadget, they also come in tons of fun colors to match your kitchen or just your personality. “I got this for my partner as a Valentine's Day gift this year,” says Mara Weinraub, senior lifestyle editor. “I got it in purple because it's his favorite color. He's used it multiple times a week (and is constantly sending me photos of his air fryer food adventures).”

Care for another air fryer pick? This one is a fave of Shopping Director, Jada Wong, who says she “bought this as a gift for my husband at the very tail-end of 2021, but didn't start using it until this year, so I'm going to say it still counts! We've cooked with this air fryer almost exclusively the entire year, save for a couple of holiday dinners where I also had to use my neglected appliances like the oven. It's such a versatile appliance to reheat, bake, or air-fry foods that I don't mind making space on the countertop.”

Toaster oven diehards will know that just a regular toaster won’t do. And as the sort of original air fryer, they’re an extremely versatile tool if you’ve got the counter space. Take it from Vijay Nathan, VP of product management, who says, “We use this toaster oven at least once, if not twice, a day! It heats up quickly, has a convection setting, and is perfect for toasting morning breakfast or heating up kids' meals in a jiffy. We bought a few quarter-sheet pans to use, which allows us to cook, heat, or bake small batches without having to heat up our entire oven.”

This is your sign to expand your utensil storage. Recipe developer, tester, and cookbook author Peggy Paul Casella says this Williams Sonoma crock was a “subtle-yet-life-changing countertop upgrade” she made this year. “Not only do the two crocks make it easy to separate metal utensils from cookware-safe wooden and silicone ones, but they're also much less crowded, so I can grab the right tool for the job without anything else falling out or getting tangled.”

Another life-changing purchase Peggy made this year? A small wooden spice rack for go-to seasonings. “The spice rack is both aesthetically pleasing and practical — my favorite mash-up of qualities,” she says. “I chose a small one, which holds only 10 jars, because I already have a designated pull-out spice cabinet and didn't want to waste counter space. The bottom half is filled with dried herbs and spices I use just about every day. The top half is reserved for interesting blends that would otherwise get lost in my bigger spice cabinet, or new-to-me spices I've been wanting to cook with. Whenever I'm winging it with some chicken, tofu, potatoes, or other simple veggies, I check the countertop spice rack for inspiration. (If you can, find a small rack that does not come with pre-filled spice jars; I much prefer to hand-pick my own.)”

If you’re a nonstick non-believer, contributor Kelsey Mulvey is with you. “I've owned so many 'nonstick' pans in my life, and they all wind up losing their nonstick abilities and getting covered in charred food particles,” she notes. "But I've been using this pan religiously since June — like, multiple times a week religiously — and I am amazed by how it continues to be nonstick. (It also heats up nicely, has a cool-to-the-touch handle, and is a pretty generous size.) Oh, and did I mention it's dishwasher-safe and available for $44? Simply the best.”

Compared to a one-and-done cake pan, muffin and cupcake tins can be cumbersome and time-consuming to clean, no matter how much lining or greasing you do. Contributor and cookbook author Michael Tchea recommends this one from Silpat because ”you don't have to grease or line it — cakes and muffins just slip out and I can't get enough of it. “

I've been through a few less-than thermometers in my kitchen, and as someone who lives in fear of underdone chicken or overdone beef, it's invaluable to have a high-quality thermometer. This one from ThermoWorks is extremely consistent, simple to use (no unnecessary bells and whistles), and ensured the turkey at my first hosted Thanksgiving was the perfect temp.

For cooking larger cuts of meat (as opposed to a straightforward chicken breast or stovetop steak), contributor Meleyna Nomura says the DOT thermometer from Thermoworks is “totally foolproof.” “I insert the probe into the meatiest part of whatever I'm cooking,” she says. “Set the optimal temperature, stick it to the oven door (it's magnetic!), then work on whatever else I need to get done around the house. The Dot will beep (loudly!) when it's done."

Lactose-intolerant folks, rejoice! There’s a single-serve plant-based milk maker for every dairy substitute need you’ll ever have. “This was a game-changer for me this year,” says assistant shopping editor, Britt Franklin, of Nutr's nifty machine. “It's always a pain having to run out to the store when I inevitably use up the last of my almond milk, so being able to whip some up at home as I need it saved me both time and money.”

Whether you’re lucky enough to have some spare cabinet space or you’re a kid at heart, an ice cream maker is a luxury worth splurging on. “I've had ice cream makers at home since I was a child,” Britt Franklin tells us. “And the Ninja CREAMi is a great modern upgrade that can sit right on my countertop. I love that I can prep multiple pints of frozen treats and store them in my freezer until I'm ready to blend and enjoy them. It's another game-changing product that saves me time, money, and gas, as the farthest I have to travel to curb my sweet tooth is my freezer.”

For everyone who loathes an unattractive appliance, just know that there are affordable retro-inspired ones out there. “My favorite kitchen addition this year was my retro Galenz toaster,” says lifestyle reporter Wendy Rose Gould. “It costs less than $50 and brings me joy every time I use it (which is often at least once a day). It looks great, toasts foods to perfection, and was a fraction of the cost of similar retro-style appliances I was seriously considering!”

Avocado-lovers, frequent party hosts, and guacamole purists: Get yourself a molcajete. It’s “essential for guacamole,” says Executive Editor, Adriana Velez, but it’s “also great for salsas and crushing nuts. Made in Mexico of volcanic basalt. The classic.”

Instead of lugging home packs of LaCroix (to then also take up prime fridge real estate), those with a seltzer habit might consider a countertop carbonator. “I'm new to carbonators,” admits Britt Franklin, “but Spärkel made it so easy to jump in and start making my own sparkling beverages. The machines come in multiple hues, so I was able to get one in my favorite color, and it's pretty enough to sit on my counter. I can make sparkling drinks with the press of a button and there are multiple carbonation levels so I can easily select the amount that's right for me. I used it all summer to craft some bubbly, cool drinks that were perfect for the weather!”

Looking to upgrade your Keurig to a more elevated coffee experience? “This is hands-down the best coffee maker I have ever owned,” gushes freelance writer Madison Roberts. “For years I was a Keurig gal, but when I went to a coffee class in Costa Rica I learned about how much better coffee is when ground right before brewing. I started out with a small coffee grinder and splurged on this product after Christmas last year and it was worth every penny. It's the best decision I have made for my morning coffee. The machine can brew anywhere from a single cup to 12 cups and grinds the coffee right before brewing. Now I only stock whole-bean coffee in my pantry, which lasts so much longer than pre-ground, and I look forward to a fresh cup of coffee every morning.”

“It probably goes without saying that I'm a huge aesthetics person (I mean, I work at Apartment Therapy),” says Best List writer Kendall Cornish, “but replacing my just-fine essentials with better-looking ones that don't end up functioning as well has gotten old as I've gotten older. Yamazaki is a hero brand in this respect, as everything is designed with functionality and appearance considered in equal measure. These floating cooking utensils (which I reviewed here) keep my cooking station so much more sanitary, as they don't touch my countertops before going right back into the dishes I'm preparing. They're all a uniform matte black that looks chic when displayed and 100 percent silicone, so even the stickiest caramel comes right off when I wash them.”