If you think you’d love cooking if there weren’t so much prep and cleanup involved, raise your hand. I am firmly in that camp, and I only have to make food for myself. If you’re responsible for feeding multiple people after a long day, the last thing you need is long periods of cooking and washing dishes to bookend it.
Luckily, kitchen brands seem to be aware of this plight, which means there’s a bunch of products out there that can save you time (and energy) in the kitchen. Best of all, many of them are pretty affordable, and even the more expensive ones should last you a long time.
If you want your meals to start being lower effort, higher reward, look no further: Below, I’ve rounded up some of the products that can give you back precious minutes or even hours in your day, so you can focus on the more important part of mealtime (eating, of course).
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I bought an older model of this Cuisinart air fryer oven three years ago that I still swear by but has since been discontinued (though you can still purchase it on Amazon). This newer model still has the seven functions I love using on the old one (air fry, toast, bake, convection bake, broil, convection broil and warm), but it’s also been upgraded with a grill feature and includes a dual-sided grill and griddle plate.
I can’t stress enough how useful this thing is for saving counter space on so many appliances — not to mention making mealtime arrive so much faster and without heating up the whole kitchen like a traditional oven would. Considering it’s garnered over 1,000 5-star ratings on Amazon, Target and Sur La Table each, reviewers seem to agree.
Promising Target review: “Having heard how great air fryers are, decided to give it a try. Did a bit of online and in-store research on various brands and styles. This Cuisinart is by far the best size, style and user friendly option for anyone! Contemplated getting a more expensive digital one but we’re not so great with digital controls. Since purchasing, we’ve used almost daily for grilling, toasting, broiling, air frying, baking. It’s perfect for toasting mochi, grilling veggie burgers and salmon, warming and toasting flat breads (no more crumbs in our regular toaster!), air frying French fries, warming and baking frozen samosas, etc, etc. Clean up is easy with the slide out crumb catcher. Although the attachments are not dishwasher safe, they take seconds to wash by hand due to non-stick surfaces. The dial controls are easy to use and accurate. Does not take much space on kitchen counter and looks nice. No more waiting for oven to preheat; this air fryer heats up within seconds! Allows you to cook and eat healthier; we’ve already lost some weight!! Our George Foreman grill has officially retired!!” — Osembe
I love using the popular Fullstar veggie chopper to cut down on slicing time, especially as a novice cook with few knife skills to speak of. It has four interchangeable blades and all of the parts are dishwasher-safe. With a non-slip bottom and soft grip handle, it’s also easy to use for those who can’t hold a knife because of arthritis or other reasons.
Note: Get an extra $5 off this veggie chopper by clipping the on-page coupon before adding it to cart. Savings will appear at checkout.
Promising review: “I used this wonderful product to do all of the chopping for my summer canning this year. It saved me loads of time and, because I have excruciating arthritis, it made the impossible easy. My shelves are stocked.” — Pamela LeJeune
However you take your eggs — scrambled, poached, hard- or soft-boiled — this electric egg cooker can have up to seven eggs ready for you at once with the press of a button. It comes equipped with an omelet bowl, poaching tray and boiling tray — all of which are nonstick and dishwasher-safe. The auto-shutoff feature also keeps your eggs from overcooking.
Target currently has the black version for cooking seven eggs at once. But Amazon carries the six-egg cooker in seven colors. And if you want to cook more than that at once, Amazon also carries a deluxe version that can cook an entire dozen at once.
Promising Amazon review: “This thing is a miracle worker. I used it to prepare deviled eggs for our family Christmas celebration. I made 36 deviled eggs in under an hour using this. The built in timer gives freedom to work on other tasks while eggs cook. After a quick ice bath the eggs peel easier than any boiled egg I’ve ever made before. Not a single egg broke during peeling, and several yolks popped perfectly out with one swipe of the spoon.” — Laurin
This 6-quart Instant Pot is the “set it and forget it” appliance you didn’t know you needed. Able to do everything from pressure cooking to steaming and even yogurt making, it has a smart display that’s easy to read and able to execute all nine functions with the press of a button. Plus, there are 10 safety features, including one that prevents overheating. The lid, inner pot and accessories are also all dishwasher-safe, making cleanup a breeze.
Promising review: “My friends and family members would rave about their instant pots. I ignored it for too long. And then one day I decided to buy one. Omg , how did I live without this miracle pot for so long? It’s so helpful in the kitchen. I love to cook and this pot is so helpful on cutting time to make multiple dishes when I have dinner parties. Omg I love love love this pot! BUY IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. 🙌💯😍❤️❤️❤️” — Phoenix 11
This OXO Good Grips bench scraper can be used to cut dough, chop fruit or vegetables, scrape baking sheets and otherwise help you save time on prep. The non-slip handle and tall blade make it easy to avoid cutting yourself while you use it, it’s stainless steel and dishwasher-safe, and it even has quarter-inch markings so you can measure with it, too.
Promising Amazon review: “It’s so useful. I use it for shoveling off the cutting board into the pan mostly, but it’s super nice for baking pastries. The sharpened edge is handy for easy chopping if you notice something that slipped through the process. Would buy it again. I’d only hand wash this though, keep it out of the dishwasher (as with all other knives and anything you want to last for awhile). I’ve had mine for awhile and it looks brand new. It’s one of those things that you can’t imagine yourself using, but once you have it you realize how much time it saves. Get it, you’ll be glad you did.” — L. Beck
As much as I love making smoothies, pulling my giant blender out of the cabinet — and hand-washing it later — is always a chore. That’s what makes this Cuisinart hand blender so handy. With two speeds on a 300-watt motor, you can blend smoothies, sauces, baby food and more without having to wash a giant, heavy blender afterward. With an 8-inch stainless-steel blending shaft, you can blend directly in a pot, pitcher or bowl. Grab it in up to four colors.
Promising Amazon review: “I love this immersion blender! I think it is one that is going to last me for years, and I use it all the time. It saves me time in using it and in cleaning up. Now my traditional pitcher blender sits in the corner cupboard and is rarely used, except in the summer for things like making orange Julius. I make a lot of different kinds of soups. With this immersion blender, I can quickly blend just briefly to add a bit of thickness to the broth, or I can easily blend it for a while to turn the whole pot it into a smooth creamy soup. And the cleanup is a breeze – just detach the blender end and rinse it in hot water. Done. With some kinds of soups it may take a washcloth, but it’s very quick and easy.” — C. Hoogendyk
What’s better than one air fryer? One air fryer that cooks two things at once, of course. This Ninja Foodi two-basket air fryer has two 3-quart cooking baskets and dual-zone technology so you can easily prepare your main and sides at the same time. It has a wide temperature range of 105 to 400 degrees, nonstick cooking baskets and dishwasher-safe crisper plates. The dual-basket design can air fry, bake, roast, reheat and dehydrate.
Promising Amazon review: “I never thought I would get an air fryer, but I had several people rave about this model, so I rolled the dice. This is amazing! Very versatile and does not take up too much room. Super easy to use and clean when done. I like that it has the two basket areas, that you can utilize to multi-task and get multiple things made. This will definitely be getting a lot of use in my household!” — Bobby D
Even if you own all the gadgets in the world, a good, high-quality, sharp chef’s knife will always be worth it, because it’ll make prepping ingredients so much easier and faster. Part of why prep may take so long is that your knife is too dull, so it’s tougher to cut through in one swipe. We’re big fans of this knife by Henckels — the handle is non-slip, the blade is half-serrated and made of stainless steel and the knife is lightweight and dishwasher-safe.
Promising Target review: “This is a well balanced comfortable chef’s knife. Something that you can work with for hours. If you like the idea of an all metal knife, then this one is worthy of serious consideration. With its very modern sleek design, the Henckels Graphite line of all metal knives is excellent. The quality of the steel, the workmanship of the fully forged blades with integrated bolster makes each knife comfortable and easy to work with whether you’re cooking for one or prepping for a banquet. These knives are well worth the money. Comfortable handle with a little heft to it for good tactile feel. These knives are easily maintained. Hone regularly, sharpened only when needed. These knives will keep their edge. Dishwasher safe but hand wash to keep it looking brand new.” — Cookingincali
This 6.6-quart Farberware salad spinner comes with a colander and salad bowl, and can be used to rinse and dry produce much faster — in other words, not only will it save you time, but it can make it easier to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet if you’ve been previously put off by the prep work. All you have to do is push down on the spinner to get it going, and then press the brake button once the majority of the water has been spun down to the bottom bowl. Easy-peasy.
Promising Amazon review: “Before I used this spinner, I had many others.. they all died. The frayed pull chord was mostly responsible if not simply the poor design of this products competitors. Many of paper towels were saved with this purchase. So much of my time wasted in tedious and unnecessary work has been restored. Dry lettuce, don’t walk.. run to me!” — Ozzy G.
Mandoline slicers help cut ingredients evenly, super thin and super quick — just watch your fingers. If you’re on TikTok at all, you might have seen handheld mandolines like this one used in viral videos by food creators like Logan Moffitt, aka “The Cucumber Guy.” The handy tool has a non-slip handle, knob and foot, is dishwasher-safe and allows you to slice over a bowl or directly onto a plate, which can also cut down on time if you don’t feel like lugging out (and washing) your large cutting board.
Amazon offers both a standard version, which can be adjusted for three thicknesses, and the adjustable version with seven thickness options. (Target only offers the standard.)
Promising Amazon review: “I am a professional cook and always have one with me. I buy a new one every 6 months. The adjustable feature is what I need. I run these things into the ground. I cook for 45+ people 3 times a day. The blades are great. I am really mean to my mandolins. It saves me tons of time.” — OCEANSEED
Made with a stack-and-press design so you don’t even need to bother with fancy knobs or buttons, this three-cup food processor can chop, puree and emulsify in seconds. It has a 350-watt motor and durable, stainless-steel blades that are dishwasher-safe (along with the lid and bowl). The lid also has a built-in oil dispenser to add liquids while you’re processing the ingredients.
Promising Amazon review: “When I think about ALL that time I spent chopping up those onions and walnuts + tons of other stuff, I think I bought a miracle here. Wow. In 3 seconds, and I mean 3 seconds my big onion was chopped! Now, you DO have to slice it in chunks and THEN put it in this BEST little chopper & food processor every made, and WOW!……….done!……in literally 3 seconds! Then I tried the carrots, then the celery, and the rest of my refrigerator. Done, done, done. In no time at all. Fast, well made, only 1 blade to clean. Easy to store this due to nice size. How did I ever live without this?” — Susan Lynn
As someone who grew up around Asian cooking where kitchen shears like these KitchenAid ones are an essential tool, I’m always surprised to learn that not everyone has learned the wonder of cutting things with scissors. Especially if wielding a knife makes you nervous, there’s no shortage of things you can just use sharp scissors for instead — like scallions, chicken, dough and more. Shears also allow you to cut food directly over a bowl or plate instead of on a cutting board.
These have ergonomic handles and dishwasher-safe stainless-steel blades with micro-serrations. They also come with a blade guard for safe storage.
Promising Amazon review: “These are life changing!! Okay, maybe not life changing… but seriously get one of these Because it’s going to make cooking and cutting much easier! I loved them so much I had to get myself a second pair the next day. I love the soft grip. Ergonomics is amazing. The teal color is so cute! Very durable. Cuts through everything. I had to get them because they match kitchen set with my teal pots and pans. They also come with a lifetime warranty through KitchenAid too!” — Princess Xtina
Who doesn’t love a good breakfast sandwich? This sandwich maker can cook one in just five minutes, letting you customize your ingredient choices for bread, cheese, meats and more. It even has an egg cooker ring. Once you’re done using it, all removable parts are nonstick and dishwasher-safe, and the appliance is less than a foot tall so you can easily store it away. It’s also available in five fun color choices!
Promising Amazon review: “I have wanted this for so long and boy am I glad I bought it! Easy set up right out of the box. It took about 5-8 minutes to heat up properly and then I was a sammich making fool! 5 minutes per sandwich, super easy and very easy clean up. The machine is non stick, so everything wiped off easy peasy. Step and fast food!” — Rachael E.
Perfect for steaming veggies, as well as fish, meat and dumplings, this two-tier steamer has two stackable containers with a 5-quart capacity for easy multitasking and cutting down on cooking time. The device has an indicator light, 60-minute timer and an auto-shutoff feature.
Promising Amazon review: “This thing has made my life so much easier, let me tell you. Shamefully easier, even.
It’s compact, SUPER EASY to clean, incredibly straightforward- ..I mean, it’s a steamer, not brain surgery. BUT! For someone who works full time with about two seconds of free time, this thing is a godsend! I’ve missed steamed foods terribly, as it’s about half of what I ate growing up. I’ve had a hard time finding a good steam pot duo I’ve wanted to really sink money into, and like I said, with a full time job I don’t have a lot of time to cook as much as I’d like to. I didn’t want to spend money on a big pot that I won’t have much time to use, or even adequately utilize, as it’s just my girlfriend and I right now. I tried those collapsing basket steamers as a happy compromise, but you know what? Ain’t nothing happy about those my guy. Those baskets are hot trash.
Enter: this thing. I come home, pop it out of the cabinet and it takes literal seconds to set up. I love this steamer. Cleanup is fast, the stacking chamber is dishwasher safe. The price is great. This thing is perfect honestly for anyone, but especially if you’re a single person or couple living in an apartment, or just don’t want another appliance taking up half your counter. If you’re like me and have been looking for a convenient steamer, you really can’t find anything lazier than this. If you’ve never cooked with a steamer before, the price and ease of use also makes it a good entry point!” — Nolan