34 Gorgeous Yet Functional Kitchen Items To Inspire You To Cook More

Apr 22, 2024

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Honestly, you might just want to move into the kitchen and never leave.

BuzzFeed Staff

Note that this set should be hand-washed and not put in the microwave.

Promising review: "I love this little salt and pepper server. The quality is sturdy and beautiful and for the price, it is a beautiful statement as a gift or for your home. The price point is perfect and makes it truly a wonderful housewarming or host/hostess gift. I am very picky about quality and this product I give 5 stars. Will be buying many more." —Sancha88

Get it from Amazon for $45.99.

This colander can expand from 14.5 to 19.5 inches. It's top-rack dishwasher safe as well!

Promising review: "I’m obsessed with this. I leave it in my sink always. It makes washing fruits or draining pasta so much easier and has such a simple cleanup. It also adds a nice pop of color to my kitchen. I highly recommend it." —Alyssa

Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in seven colors and in two-packs).

StoveShelf is a US-based small business that specializes in stove shelves for various sizes of stoves.

Check out a Tiktok of the StoveShelf in action!

Promising review: "This is perfect and I’m obsessed. Where has this contraption been all my life? We basically freed up the cabinet above the stove where we messily stored our spices/oils and such. Now, the things we use the most are right in front of us. And more things fit than expected! Like our olive oil dispenser, nonstick cooking spray, a whole canister of sea salt. Also it’s magnetic so you literally just snap it on to your oven. This was the biggest bang for your buck sort of organization product I’ve gotten for my kitchen!" —Katie M.

Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in three sizes and in six finishes).

Promising review: "These are beautiful! It's a wonderful set! They are heavy duty and have a great expensive look without costing a fortune!" —K. LaNou

Get the eight-piece set from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "What a beautiful and well-made juicer. I find myself using it more often than expected, so that’s a plus!" —Kimberly C.

Get it from Food52 for $45 (available in four colors).

Promising review: "When I’m standing at my kitchen sink, my view is my neighbors whenever they are on their deck. With this window cling on part of the window, now the neighbors have privacy and I have beautiful rainbows all over the counter and sink. It makes me happy! Great product! Great price! Easy to install!" —W. Macindoe

Get it from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in 11 sizes).

Promising review: "We love this rice maker! Prep time in just minutes. This has saved us so much time, especially when we need dinner done quick! The rice comes out fully cooked. In the beginning, it may take a few tries, since all microwaves are different, (setting at 800) as recommended, you'll eventually know what amount of rice goes with what amount of water, etc. I add salt to taste and a teaspoon of olive oil and it comes out delish! When done, just turn it over on your serving plate or just serve it directly from the container; afterward, just pop in dishwasher...no hard rice scraping to do. We've purchased other Lekue products and love them too! Highly recommend!" —Ani

Get it from Amazon for $27.95.

Promising review: "I love these mixing bowls. The packaging is very beautiful. The bonus for me is the black rings in the bottom to prevent the bowls from sliding around on the counter when you’re mixing/whisking. I bought them for making pancakes, but I use them for everything now. The set is a nice upgrade from using a regular soup bowl for mixing." —Sarita

Get the set of four from Amazon for $17.99 (available in 10 styles).

They can also be put in the washing machine!

Promising review: "I originally picked these up to use in lieu of nasty, nasty dishrags that invoke my inner THIS IS NOT CLEAN demon. Since then, I have used them for everything from cleaning the kitchen to wiping up spills. After I use them, I just toss in the wash and they are ready to go again. They are the perfect size and do an excellent job on every task to which I have applied them. They come in a variety of fun prints, and I have yet to wear one out. Paper towel usage has taken a real nosedive, which is a good thing given its relative scarcity at present." —sandra simpson-kraft

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 30 styles).

Promising review: "I simply love these trivets. I used them as a decoration on my kitchen wall. When needed, I just place them on the table for my hot dishes. They clean in a breeze and the color is great. The price is so reasonable that if I didn't need them, I still would have bought them. You will not be disappointed with this item." —redhead

Get a set of three from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 10 colors and also in sets of six).

Estelle Colored Glass is a Black woman–owned small business offering luxury glassware that's vintage-inspired.

Promising review: "I had heard about these and was happy to see them at Anthro. Beautiful. Yes, they are pricey, but they are stunning and unique. Can’t wait to entertain with them." —Jenniferinsd1

Get the set of six from Anthropologie for $185 (available in two styles).

After being kept in an airtight bottle, your wine needs to breathe. Pouring into a wine carafe releases its natural aromas and flavors for better taste!

Promising review: "My family loves this decanter. It improves the taste of all kinds of wines and looks very nice when displayed. It is much cheaper than many $100 or $200 decanters while looking and working just as nicely. While these can be a bit tricky to clean, I've been using a quick trick to make it look like new! 1) Rinse with warm water (if you have time, let it soak for an hour). 2) Fill about 1 centimeter with salt and add 2 centimeters of white wine vinegar. 3) Swirl the solution and CAREFULLY shake if stains are higher up. 4) Rinse with warm water. That should get your decanter ready for the next bottle! Hope this helps!" —Jackson L.

Get it from Amazon for $49.65.

These BPA-free plastic containers are designed with an airtight leakproof seal with a secure latch to keep their contents fresh for longer. They're also designed to be stackable, making them space-efficient as well! I upgraded to see-through containers for some of my dry goods forever ago and can't recommend it enough. It's SO helpful and looks great — I often get compliments from visitors on mine.

Promising review: "I previously purchased the Oxo push-button containers and I found that the lid just slipped off of the flour container because the flour coated it and made the rubber ring not grip. That will never be a problem with these containers because of the locking mechanism. They are fantastic! They have a lifetime warranty and are guaranteed not to leak. I highly, highly recommend these! I've already purchased a second set. And while not advertised strongly enough, they are MADE IN THE USA!!" —whosaysidontcook

Get the 10-piece set from Amazon for $69.99.

Get a closer look at the Balmuda toaster on TikTok.

Promising review: "Holy moly! Best toast I have ever made. I did a comparison taste test with the Balmuda toaster versus my cheapie $60 toaster oven. You can really taste the difference in the toast with the texture and the moisture of the inside of the toast. Hands-down, Balmuda blew my other toaster out the water. So happy with purchase." —JL

Get it from Amazon for $299 (available in four colors).

Promising review: "Is it possible...a toaster can be...this sexy? Yes. Absolutely yes. This sexy toaster fit right in my farmhouse-style kitchen with its cool mint-green color and retro vibes. Pros: four slots, and they are the wide-and-long type, meaning those fancier breads fit without squishing the sides of your slice. It has a bagel setting, as well as a nifty reheat button so your toast doesn't get burnt or overly crispy if you aren't hovering over it and miss it pop up and have to retoast it. It is fairly easy to clean, just dump the tray, so no worries about crumbs or bits of bread burning in the bottom and ruining the perfect taste of your slice. The knobs have a neat texture and are adjustable so you can time it just right for Pop Tarts, toast, or toasted sandwich bread. Cons: My husband is a little jealous of how much I love this toaster, and has been asking me if it is better than him. What could I say? I mean it makes TOAST, all he makes is methane gas so... Maybe consider ordering a couples therapy workbook to go with this toaster when purchasing." —Alice R.

Get it from Amazon for $50.31+ (available in three colors).

The 10-speed mixer comes with a flat beater, a coated dough hook, a six-wire whip, a bowl and bowl lid, and a pouring shield. The 5-quart stainless-steel bowl can mix dough for nine dozen cookies or four loaves of bread in a single batch!

I have this particular mixer in the Ice color and honestly can't imagine living without it now — it takes all the manual effort out of whisking ingredients and saves you a bit of time as you can work on other things while it's blending. If you've been on the fence about getting a KitchenAid, let this be the final nudge you needed to pull the trigger.

Promising review: "KitchenAid is the top-quality mixer without equal. It's built to last a lifetime and then some. It makes baking so much easier and faster." —Dovella

Get it from Wayfair for $449.99 (available in 22 colors) or from Amazon for $419+ (available in 13 colors).

Promising review: "I cannot rave enough about how cute and perfect this plastic/melamine bowl set is! I was looking for something that nested, was durable but lightweight, had lids, and was the variety of sizes I needed. To boot, they have the nonslip rubber bottoms and an adorable floral pattern. The largest is ideal for huge salads, a whole watermelon, etc. The smallest is great for a handful of grapes. Perfect in-between sizes too. This definitely exceeded my expectations!" —Gretchen

Get it from Amazon for $31.91+ (available in three designs).

Promising review: "There are people who have this butter bowl and then there are savages. It’s like Zeus made a statue of himself and then carved the butter bowl out of that. I feel like society moved one step closer to true enlightenment with this invention. It really is the cats meow, and keeps our cat from licking the butter!" —Mike

Get it from Amazon for $25.25+ (available in three styles).

Promising review: "OK, so I'll admit, I was skeptical. Now not so much. I got one of these as an (early) Christmas gift. I dutifully brewed my first batch with more interest in the novelty of the machine and process than much else. My first batch (Starbucks Pike Roast) was next-level fun. It turned my everyday routine coffee into an affordable luxury. As strange as it sounds, the nitro makes the coffee taste sweet, despite no sugar. That first batch didn't last long. Now I'm taking the show on the road. I brought it to our neighborhood Christmas/holiday party and it was the perfect conversation starter and a nice option for the driver. I've had a few other social wins (think kids party, juice boxes, parents standing around looking for something not...juice). I'm pretty sure it sold a few of these in our neighborhood. Saying that in the (overly?) coffee/coffee-device-saturated Seattle region is really saying something. My favorite part so far is the convenience and availability. I work nights at a hospital and driving in to work coffee shops are closed. I can grab a pint of this on my way in and arrive sufficiently caffeinated for a long night. Overall, this is one of those gifts I wouldn't of thought of buying for myself but now that I have it there's no way I'd give it up. I'm counting this as a win." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $218.

Promising review: "My contractor cut these to fit the drawers and they are so beautiful! My friends say that they were so creative and my dishes don’t slide around in the very large drawers! An excellent investment and well-made product." —Ri

Get it from Amazon for $94.99+ (available in three sizes).

BuzzFeed Shopping editor Emma Lord has owned the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker for upward of two years and says she's used it faithfully every week: "I especially love it while working from home — it simplifies breakfast because I know no matter what assortment of groceries I'm working with, there are precooked eggs to add some protein to it (I like mine medium-boiled 🍳). If my dinner is boring or seems like it needs a little extra 'oomph' to it, I'll throw in an egg from this too." Some reviews note that the alarm on it is a little loud, but the new models have significantly decreased the volume and sing a little song instead!

Promising review: "I have been wanting one of these for a while now. It was on sale so figured now was the time. I made hard-boiled eggs, omelet, and poached. They all came out perfect the first time and super easy. I am disappointed that I didn't get this sooner. The amount of time I could have saved." —Brent Carlson

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

Karibe is a Black-owned small business that sells durable cookware from New Jersey. This set of utensils should be hand-washed!

Get the 10-piece set from Karibe for $45.99.

This set includes measuring cups and measuring spoons, a skimmer, a slotted spatula, a slotted spoon, a cheese grater, a garlic press, a cheese knife, two spatulas, a tea strainer, a wine opener, a potato peeler, and more.

Promising review: "Lovely quality kitchen utensils set! Bought as a gift for daughter's newly remodeled kitchen! The set contains every possible utensil. This is NOT just another lightweight, cheaply made set. It's made to last a lifetime!" —Carla Couch

Get it from Amazon for $69.99.

The AeroGarden Sprout comes with a free seed kit to get you started with three herbs (Genovese basil, curly parsley, and dill). You can also pick up one of AeroGarden's Grow Anything kits if you want to use your own seeds in the future! If you're interested in growing more, there are a variety of AeroGardens in bigger sizes as well as seed kits that let you grow cherry tomatoes, petunias, salad greens, and more.

Promising review: "I have three of the AeroGardens in different sizes. This size is perfect for herbs you use use all the time. The compact size fits anywhere. The system comes with fertilizer. You fill the reservoir, add the fertilizer, put the pods in and plug it in. The timer for the correct amount of light is preset, so make sure you put the unit in a place where the light won’t bother you. It also reminds you to add fertilizer. Once the plant is hardy enough, you can plant in soil or leave it on your counter in water. I love it!" —Nicki

Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in two colors).

The curved edge can also be used for chopping herbs if you'd rather not dirty up a knife!

Promising review: "I had no idea how much I needed this gadget until I got it. I thought it might still require a gentle touch to strip some herbs, but not at all; I ripped through 1/2 pound of thyme in about 15 minutes. Plus, I got at least twice as much herb as I normally do, as this did the job without becoming super bored and only halfheartedly trying to finish. Yay." —Leah Woodard

Get it from Amazon for $9.59.

Promising review: "Definitely get one of these if you're thinking about it. I was skeptical, but it really works. I do a lot of cooking with garlic and onion and after one wash with this, my hands no longer smell like garlic or onions. Really worth having in the kitchen." —Nos

Get it from Amazon for $9.59.

I picked up this little beauty last year and I still can't get over how *stunning* it is, especially for the price. I'd been needing a kettle in my new apartment for a while now, and this one fit the bill perfectly — aside from its looks, it's also large (holding 2.6 liters), heats up fast, and is easy to pour, with a button that opens the spout. The silicone on the handle protects you against the heat while pouring, but it also comes with a little anti-hot glove if needed. The whistle's also loud enough to hear from afar (but not in an annoying way).

Promising review: "You really get your money’s worth with this one. Trying to find a decent tea kettle on here was like shopping for a used car. The reviews had me thinking I’d be better off going in person to a store to see what I was actually getting. This one had the most positive reviews and looked gorgeous so I thought I’d give it a try. I bought the champagne color. It’s beautiful (seriously, the picture doesn’t do it any justice), sturdy, big and the whistle is loud enough to hear from another room and pleasant to the ears. I’m glad I chose this tea kettle!" —Prime_ADDICT

Get it from Amazon for $18.89 (available in two colors).

To use, just place a bloom in your mug, pour hot water over it, and let it steep as the flower slowly unfolds. You can reuse each flower up to three times! This variety pack includes 12 signature flavors, including Jasmine Lover, Fairy Lily, and more.

Promising review: "I am completely obsessed with blooming/flowering teas. I was raised by British parents, so I grew up drinking English breakfast tea (which is still delicious), but I found that the milk and sugar I added to it were not always pleasing to my body later on. The flowering tea is extremely refreshing to drink at any time of day and each bloom provides up to three steeps. I usually just fish my bloom out of the teapot with some small tongs and then place it in a little container in the fridge. I also enjoy the variety of teas in this set and just love watching the flower 'bloom.' Also, drinking this tea has given me an excuse to use some of my fancier tea cups so I can pretend I'm relaxing at Downton Abbey." —Sarah Johnston

Get a set of 12 from Amazon for $19.95.

These are freezer, microwave, and oven safe as well, though keep them away from open flames (and don't use with a broiler or toaster oven).

Promising review: "These are super cute. I love the colors and they work great. The array of sizes they came in is also very handy. In fact, these are so much cuter than the other options available online that my friends decided to get the same set. If you took the time to google other silicone lids your eyes will burn. For my purposes these are perfect. Highly recommend." —DemiChang

Get them from Food52 for $40 (available in two colors).

Promising review: "You'll own your French press for perhaps a lifetime, and the sugar creamer set makes for a stunning table display. It matches perfectly with both the stainless and the glass models. I find the French presses equal in ease of use to my old drip coffee maker (which, incidentally, is in perfect working order, and is now in the garbage). You do need fresh ground coffee. Trust me on this. When you see and taste that delicious, smooth cup o' joe with a very fine oil slick on top (fresh oils from the freshly ground beans!), you'll never be happy with canned, drip-brewed, stale coffee again! After emptying the grinds, simple rinsing and soft-cloth drying is all that's needed after use." —Anonomous

Get it from Amazon for $29.49+ (available in two sizes and three colors).

This block comes with 13 knives (including six steak knives), a pair of kitchen scissors, a peeler, and a two-stage knife sharpener.

Promising review: “I love everything about these!!! I NEVER put my knives in the dishwasher, it’s the best way to destroy them! These will last forever! I love the variety of blades. The handles are sturdy and comfortable. The stand is unique and very convenient. The knives are very sharp and the sharpener is easy to use. I’m very satisfied!” —Dean Maikranz

Get a 17-piece set from Amazon for $44.99 (also available in smaller sets).

Promising review: "I love these so much I bought some more. They are magical, mystical, and just so pretty. I have so many decorating ideas, they make me smile every time I see them. I dropped a plate the other day and my heart sank, I was expecting it to be shattered, but it didn't faze it. I love that the melamine is also so light, which helps with my arthritis and carpal tunnel. They are much prettier than the pictures too." —Regina Repka

Get it from Amazon for $44.99.

Promising review: "These are adorable! I love all of the Pioneer Woman products. The measuring scoops are perfect for anything you can measure from a bag, like flour, but measuring liquids is just as good. These are made very well and clean up so nicely. They sit nestled perfectly in my kitchen drawer but really should be on display :) The measuring spoons don't quite nestle, so I wish they had a hole on the top of them so that they could be grouped together. But I love them. This was a nice set to have." —Lyssa

Get it from Walmart for $19.74 (originally $24.96).

Promising review: "This looks very attractive on my black glass stove top. It easily fits a couple of large spoons while I am cooking. It washes up very easily, too." —Eileen Mary

Get it from Amazon for $14.86.

Note: Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.