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17 Kitchen Gadgets That Make Cooking Faster (and Less Annoying)
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By MoreAtNova Editorial Team • Published Jan 26, 2026 • Updated Jul 11, 2026 • 7 min read

17 Kitchen Gadgets That Make Cooking Faster (and Less Annoying)

The 14 kitchen gadgets owners say actually speed up cooking — starting with a sharp chef's knife, a one-second thermometer, and a digital scale.

If you only buy three things to make cooking faster, make them the Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-inch Chef's Knife, the ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, and the OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale. The knife does more daily work than any gadget in your kitchen, the thermometer ends the guess-and-poke routine that overcooks dinner, and the scale replaces a sink full of measuring cups with one flat surface. Everything else on this list earns its spot the same way: by removing a small, recurring annoyance rather than adding a new one.

None of these are novelty drawer-fillers — owners consistently report reaching for each of them weekly or daily, which is the real test.

At a glance

Prep

  • Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-inch Chef's Knife — the first tool to buy
  • OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Food Scale — faster, cleaner measuring
  • Microplane Premium Classic Zester/Grater — instant zest, garlic, and hard cheese
  • Cuisipro Surface Glide 4-Sided Box Grater — bulk shredding without the arm workout
  • OXO Good Grips Vegetable Chopper — press-style, tear-free dicing
  • OXO Good Grips Precision Handheld Mandoline — uniform slices in seconds
  • Shun Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears — spatchcocking and everything scissors do
  • OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner — dry greens, no soggy salads

Cooking

  • ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE — one-second temperature reads
  • Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender — soup pureed in the pot
  • GIR Ultimate Spatula — one seamless tool that stirs, scrapes, and flips

Cleanup

  • OXO Good Grips Bench Scraper — moves prep, clears the board
  • OXO Good Grips Soap Dispensing Dish Brush — one-handed pot scrubbing
  • OXO Good Grips Soap Dispensing Palm Brush — same idea, sized for glasses and utensils

Prep gadgets: where most of the time goes

Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-inch Chef's Knife. A slim, very sharp blade on a lightweight, grippy handle at a budget-to-mid ($–$$) price. Owners consistently report it holds an edge well and outperforms knives costing several times more for everyday chopping. *Skip it if* you specifically want the heft of a forged German knife or the feel of a premium Japanese blade.

OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Food Scale. The pull-out display slides forward so a big mixing bowl never blocks the readout, and the zero button lets you measure ingredients straight into one bowl. *Skip it if* you never bake and never portion — it's a habit-change tool, and it only pays off if you use it.

Microplane Premium Classic Zester/Grater. Razor-sharp etched teeth turn citrus zest, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, and Parmesan into effortless finishing moves — a budget ($) buy owners describe as one of the highest use-per-dollar tools they own. *Skip it if* you mainly need bulk shredding — that's a box grater's job.

Cuisipro Surface Glide 4-Sided Box Grater. Etched blades with grooved channels shred cheese, carrots, and potatoes noticeably faster and with less pressure than stamped-blade graters, according to consistent owner feedback. *Skip it if* you only ever grate small amounts for finishing — the Microplane covers that.

OXO Good Grips Vegetable Chopper. A press-style chopper with a zig-zag blade that dices onions, garlic, nuts, and herbs inside a contained chamber — no flying pieces, no tears. *Skip it if* your knife skills are already quick; for you it's just one more thing to wash.

OXO Good Grips Precision Handheld Mandoline. Five thickness settings from paper-thin to extra thick, plus a julienne option, with a food holder that adjusts as you slice. Uniform slices for gratins, chips, and quick pickles take seconds. *Skip it if* you won't commit to using the guard every time — this is not a tool to freehand.

Shun Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears. Sharp, sturdy shears that spatchcock a chicken, trim fat, snip herbs, and open stubborn packaging, then separate into two pieces for a real wash. *Skip it if* you want the cheapest workable pair — budget take-apart shears handle the basics well below this premium ($$$) price.

OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner. A one-hand pump, a brake button, and a basket that doubles as a colander. Dry greens mean dressing actually sticks — owners consistently report eating more salad once prep stopped being annoying. *Skip it if* cabinet space is scarce — it's bulky, and OXO's smaller herb spinner may fit your kitchen better.

17 Kitchen Gadgets That Make Cooking Faster (and Less Annoying)

Cooking gadgets: fewer ruined dinners

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE. An accurate reading in about one second, with a backlit display that rotates whichever way you hold it. It removes the biggest cause of overcooked meat: not knowing. A premium ($$$) single-purpose tool, but the one spot on this list where paying up clearly buys performance. *Skip it if* you rarely cook proteins or bread — a basic instant-read covers occasional use.

Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender. Fifteen speeds, a comfortable trigger grip, and a bell shaped to reduce suction and splatter. Pureeing soup in the pot beats ladling batches into a blender jug. *Skip it if* you already own a full-size blender and make soup twice a year.

GIR Ultimate Spatula. One seamless piece of silicone — no seams or joints to trap gunk — that's heat-rated high enough to stir, scrape, and fold in hot pans, then go in the dishwasher. *Skip it if* you do a lot of hard flipping of heavy foods; a rigid turner is better for smash burgers and big pancakes.

Cleanup gadgets: the part everyone underrates

OXO Good Grips Bench Scraper. A stainless blade that moves a board's worth of chopped prep into the pan in one pass, portions dough, and scrapes the board clean. Cheap ($), simple, constantly used. *Skip it if* you rarely prep in volume.

OXO Good Grips Soap Dispensing Dish Brush. Soap lives in the handle and dispenses at the press of a button, so scrubbing a pot is a one-handed job right after cooking — before anything dries on. *Skip it if* you're loyal to sponges and wash everything in the dishwasher anyway.

OXO Good Grips Soap Dispensing Palm Brush. The compact version of the same idea, better for glasses, utensils, and quick mid-cooking washes. *Skip it if* you buy the full-size dish brush — most kitchens only need one.

How to choose gadgets that earn their drawer space

  • Frequency beats novelty. Spend the most on tools you'll touch daily — knife, scale, spatula — and be skeptical of anything that solves a once-a-month problem.
  • Cleanup is the hidden cost. A gadget that's fiddly to wash gets abandoned. Favor dishwasher-safe parts and simple shapes; note that some mandolines and knives should be hand-washed regardless.
  • Grip and build matter. Non-slip handles and stainless blades are worth the small premium; wobbly all-plastic builds are the ones owners report replacing.
  • Safety features aren't optional. For mandolines and sharp graters, only buy models with a guard you'll actually use.
  • Storage is part of the decision. Fourteen gadgets are useless if you can't find them — a well-planned drawer setup helps, and our guide to drawer organizers that make cooking easier pairs naturally with this list.

*Recommendations are based on manufacturer specifications and patterns in aggregated owner reviews — see our methodology.*

FAQ

What kitchen gadget should I buy first?

A good chef's knife. A sharp, comfortable blade like the Victorinox Fibrox Pro speeds up nearly every prep task and makes cutting safer, since dull knives slip. Pair it with a stable cutting board before spending on anything specialized.

Are expensive kitchen gadgets worth it?

Only where precision is the whole point. For thermometers, owners consistently report that the Thermapen ONE's speed and accuracy justify its premium price. For graters, choppers, and scrapers, budget and mid-tier options perform close enough that most cooks won't notice a difference.

Which of these gadgets are dishwasher-safe?

Most of the OXO tools, the GIR spatula, and the Cuisipro grater are dishwasher-safe per their manufacturers, but always check the specific listing. The mandoline, the chef's knife, and the thermometer should be hand-washed to protect blades and electronics.

Do I really need both a Microplane and a box grater?

They handle different jobs. The Microplane excels at fine work — zest, garlic, ginger, hard cheese in small amounts — while the box grater is built for volume shredding. If you only buy one, pick based on whether you finish dishes with zest or shred cheese and vegetables in bulk.

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