I’m all about reusable water bottles, but you really have to stay on top of keeping all those nooks and crannies clean unless you want to be drinking from a gross lab experiment every day. These cleaning brushes make that an easy task, combining three kinds of brushes into one handy unit:

1. U-shaped silicone brush for removing stubborn stains around the rims of bottles and cups.
2. Stranded wire slit brush for getting down into that narrow groove in a bottle lid where the silicone sealing ring lives, along with the valve where you insert a straw if your bottle lid has one.
3. Stiff corner brush for removing grime and buildup from corner grooves and more.

Those latter two brushes are connected to a swivel point that allows you to swap them around as needed. It also acts as a hanging hole for easily storing the tool on a hook when you’re not using it.

Get a set of three brushes for $13 on Amazon, or a set of six for $20.

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My wife and I aren’t heavy drinkers. We may only have a glass of wine each on a given night, and sometimes we prefer different wines, so multiple bottles tend to stick around in our fridge several days after opening.

If that sounds like you too, these vacuum-sealing stoppers are handy to have around. They fit over the top of most wine bottles, and a few presses of the top button removes air from within and creates a tight seal, greatly slowing down the oxidation process so your wine stays fresher for longer.

The button also acts as a date marker dial, so you can always remember the exact day you opened that particular bottle

There are a bunch of brands selling these on Amazon at different prices, but it’s hard to beat this $9 two-pack value-wise.

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It’s been some years now since we first wrote about the Baratza Sette 270 grinder, and while we continue to enjoy the grind quality it provides, there’s no denying it’s a LOUD machine. I’m pretty sure that thing can wake the dead, to say nothing of the unfortunate souls in your house trying to sleep in.

Eureka’s Mignon Specialita grinder is way quieter — like, shockingly so — and produces similar or even better grind results, so if you’re an earlier riser than the rest of your family, you can still enjoy your morning espresso without disturbing their slumber.

Grind times are controlled via the high-contrast monochrome backlit touchscreen on the front, while the actual grind setting is tied to a physical knob on top. The machine offers stepless grind adjustment, so you can precisely fine-tune your extraction with every bag of beans.

The thing about the Specialita versus the Sette is that those amazingly fluffy grounds sometimes have a way of sticking to the chute on their way out — often a gram’s worth or so — so there are a number of bellows hoppers on the market designed for those of us who like to single-dose our shots and are quite specific about how much bean weight goes in versus what comes out.

Get the Eureka Mignon Specialita for $769 on Amazon.

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Is your kitchen setup such that keeping your collection of spices in a drawer makes the most sense? You’ll no doubt appreciate this 4-tier organizer shelf, which displays the spice bottles at an inclined angle so they’re more easily told apart at a glance.

The shelf measures 10¼” wide x 16½” long x 1½” tall and is made from durable heavy-gauge steel with a metallic silver epoxy finish that makes the exposed bits look great whenever a spice bottle is taken out (see above right).

Of course, it can also be sat out on the countertop if you prefer:

As of August 6th, 2024, this spice organizer is on sale for $18 on Amazon (down from $25).

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If you’ve been on YouTube long enough, chances are you’ve been recommended this video by the algorithm at some point (you can skip to 3:01 for the actual cooking portion):

What the chef is making there is called tamagoyaki (or more accurately, dashimaki tomago), a type of Japanese rolled omelette that involves cooking thin sheets of eggs in a square- or rectangular-shaped pan, rolling together multiple layers until you get a spongy loaf that can be sliced into several bento-friendly rolls.

Photo credit: Laura Tomàs Avellana

While you don’t need to be a master sushi chef to make tamagoyaki, there is a certain level of skill involved that takes some practice to achieve. However, starting with the right pan helps a ton to shape and roll the omelette correctly. (Bonus points if you get good at using cooking chopsticks in place of a spatula!)

TECHEF’s medium-sized (5.5″ x 7.5″) tamagoyaki pan is normally listed at $33, but as of July 26th, 2024 you can get it on sale for $23. The large version (8.5″ x 8.5″) is also currently on sale for $27. They’re both electric- and induction-ready as well, so if you don’t have a gas burner, no problem.

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If owning your own realistic Poké Ball wasn’t quite enough to satisfy your inner Pokémon fan, then this waffle maker from Uncanny Brands might do the trick.

Once it’s been preheated, just pour your favorite waffle batter in, close the lid, and in 3–4 minutes (when the green indicator light illuminates) you’ve got a golden tender waffle imprinted with a Poké Ball, ready to eat. If you want it a bit more crispy brown, simply close it back and let it cook a bit longer.

As it happens, the cup-like “button” in the middle of the Poké Ball is a fun place to set a thick pat of butter, where it can melt and overflow along the center band 🧇🧈🤤 (The same goes for pouring syrup.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Gained so much XP from these waffles

Some of you talk about being the very best, but you’re not even eating pokeball waffles. This waffle maker gives you at least 1xp for doing something you enjoy and would already do for zero xp, eating waffles. So do you want to be the very best or not?

—Pauley (Amazon reviewer)

As of July 20th, 2024, the Poké Ball waffle maker is on sale for $45 on Amazon, down from $50. And for even more Pokémon waffle goodness, they’ve got models for a handful of specific ‘mons as well:

• Pikachu
• Eevee
• Charizard
• Bulbasaur
• Squirtle

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The aptly named Pepper Cannon from MÄNNKITCHEN may be the most over-engineered pepper mill I have ever encountered — and I’ve written about my fair share of those. I don’t mean this in a bad way; rather, I think it’s awesome what lengths they went to in the making of this beast.

For starters, the body is milled from a solid chunk of aerospace-grade aluminum that’s been anodized black (with enough room inside to hold half a cup of peppercorns), and they’ve equipped it with hardened high-carbon stainless steel burrs powered by an oversized double-bearing supported drive shaft.

That internal grinding assembly is what grants this pepper mill exceptional performance and speed, allowing you to pepper a large steak in only 7 cranks instead of 70, or a side of brisket in only 15 cranks instead of 150. You also have access to a wider mesh-size grind range (8–60+ mesh) versus typical grinders (12–28 mesh).

Basically, the Pepper Cannon makes even the premium mills used by top chefs and professional cooks feel like toys.

Get the MÄNNKITCHEN Pepper Cannon for $200 on Amazon.

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The next time you’re hosting a summer barbecue or cocktail/dinner party, here’s a pro tip to help keep your guests happy: Always have a supply of cold ice that’s easily accessible, so that every drink served is perfectly chilled from start to finish.

Filling an ice chest is fine for larger events, but for those smaller, more intimate gatherings, I recommend an ice bucket like this one from S’well.

It’s essentially like the ones you’d find in hotel rooms, except it’s constructed from two layers of vacuum-insulated 18/8 stainless steel and a layer of copper, the result being that your ice stays cold for up to 48 hours without condensation getting all over the place.

Not only is it convenient having a bucket full of ice nearby while you’re hanging out with friends, I find it’s a handy way to empty out a countertop ice maker and keep the cubes stable for serving while the machine makes more. You can also use it to chill a single bottle of wine or champagne.

As of July 12th, 2024, you can get a solid-colored S’well ice bucket on sale for $41 on Amazon in your choice of Azurite (dark blue), Onyx (black), or Angel Food (white). If you’re willing to spend the usual full price of $50, they also have more stylish patterned designs like Teakwood, Calcutta Gold, and Dipped Metallic.

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Similar to those All-Clad measuring cups I wrote about a couple weeks ago, Caraway’s new Kitchen Gadget Set isn’t the kind of thing I’d shell out for if I was buying for myself, but it sure would make a great housewarming gift to someone special.

Constructed from evenly-weighted, non-toxic stainless steel, the five premium kitchen prep tools in this set — can opener, pizza cutter, garlic press, ice cream scoop, and vegetable peeler — look almost like mini scupltures, except they’re actually useful. They’re also durable and easy to clean, and they come with a 100% FSC-certified birch wood organizer to make drawer storage simple.

Get this nifty and giftable kitchen gadget set for $195 on Amazon.

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You know something I just realized? After all these years, we’ve somehow never once mentioned the Whirley Pop here on T&T. Doesn’t seem possible, yet it’s true.

In case you’ve never owned one, the Whirley Pop is a hand-cranked stovetop popcorn maker that requires a bit more effort and attention to use than just tossing a presealed paper bag into a microwave, but once you’ve eaten the deliciously fluffy and crisp popcorn that comes out of it — not to mention how there’s almost never an unpopped kernel — you’ll know it’s worth every bit of that extra work.

While different people approach the process in various ways, the basic idea is pretty simple. After an initial one-time seasoning of the pan with some vegetable oil, all you have to do is…

1. Toss in your preferred high-temp oil and some popcorn kernels, then close the lid.
2. Heat on the stove over medium-high for a few minutes, slowly and continuously turning the crank handle until the kernels have popped enough that it’s hard to turn anymore.
3. Immediately pour it out into a bowl so the steam doesn’t turn it chewy.
4. Add your favorite seasoning(s) and serve.
5. (You’d normally see cleanup directions at this point, but really all that’s required is to wipe out the inside of the pot with a paper towel and put it away. The only time washing with soap is necessary is after popping sweet/sugary stuff like kettle corn or caramel popcorn.)

There are lots of recipes you can try, but a common go-to is popping half a cup of kernels in 2–3 tbsp of coconut oil and then adding 1 tsp of Flavacol seasoning afterward for that classic movie theater taste. But really the options are endless, so have fun experimenting!

The Whirley Pop comes in a variety of color options, including the original aluminum silver (not induction compatible), stainless steel, red, copper, and even color-changing.

Note: As you shop, be aware of whether or not you’re buying a model with die-cast metal or heavy-duty nylon gears — the metal ones will likely last longer but are noisier and more prone to rust, while the nylon ones operate more smoothly but have the potential to warp or melt over time. Either way, they can be swapped out as needed so at least you’re not locked into one type forever.

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I used to think the idea of toast tongs was kind of silly. “I can just use my fingers,” I’d lie to myself each time I quickly flung a scorching hot piece of bread from the toaster to my plate, sometimes burning my digits anyway.

It took a while to get through my thick skull, but once I realized just how often this little pattern was repeating itself, I decided that my stubborn ego needed to shut it for once. If that sounds like you too, trust me when I say these bamboo toaster tongs should have a home in your kitchen.

Whenever you need to grab a freshly toasted slice of toast — or a waffle, or an English muffin, or especially one of those bagel halves that always manage to feel closer to lava than bread in terms of temperature — they make the job simple, easy, and burned-finger-free. They’re certainly safer than trying to use a metal fork, which we’ve all done at some point

Get a set of two tongs for $8 on Amazon.

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Stainless steel measuring cups are the kind of thing I appreciate from a design/usability standpoint but am not likely to totally splurge on for myself. (I’m rather partial to these ones from Hudson Essentials that are only $21 as of this writing.)

However, if I were looking to gift a set to someone else on a special occasion and wanted to really wow them, I’d go with this five-piece All-Clad set.

Each of the five is designed to look like a miniature version of the company’s iconic stainless steel saucepans, down to the riveted-on handles. They’re made from heavy-gauge 18/10 stainless steel that is both dishwasher- and freezer-safe, and the entire set should last a lifetime (or several).

All of their markings are laser-etched into the steel rather than painted on, and there are sub-measurements on the insides of the cups for extra convenience.

As of June 2nd, 2024 these measuring cups are listed at $48 on Amazon (down from the usual $60), so even this particular splurge isn’t too bad a deal at the moment!

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Although German company Wusthof has spent many generations being known primarily for their high-end kitchen knives, their rather humble beginnings involved a couple decades of tirelessly handcrafting scissors.

Today, Wusthof continues to produce all sorts of kitchen shears, including vintage-style ones. My vote however goes to the Come Apart Shears, which — as their name implies — are comprised of two pieces that can be twisted and pulled apart for easy cleaning and drying.

You’ll find these shears indispensable for a wide variety of tasks in the kitchen: breaking down chicken and fish, trimming fat from meat, snipping fresh herbs and dried fruit, cutting flowers, opening all kinds of packaging, and working with things like parchment paper and butcher’s twine.

Add these excellent German-made shears to your cooking toolkit for $25 on Amazon.

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You already know and love Fellow’s “Stagg” gooseneck kettles for making pour-over coffee, but did you know they also make a wide-spout kettle for all sorts of other uses where laser-precise pouring and temperature control aren’t the top priority?

Released a couple months ago as an update to their stovetop edition from 2019 ($105) — which you can read about the design of on the company’s blog — the all-electric “Clyde” kettle is more of a workhorse that’s perfect for making tea, hot cocoa, press coffee, ramen, instant oatmeal, and more.

The “Smoke Green” colorway pictured on the right is only available from Fellow’s website and at Crate and Barrel.

It has that signature sleek matte look, sculptural shape, and highly considered build that helped put Fellow’s products on the map back when they hit the scene. It can hold a hefty 1.5 liters of water, which it brings to a boil with a simple flip of its on/off switch:

The heat-resistant silicone handle makes it easy to pour the hot water one-handed, and the wide mesh-covered spout pours quickly without any leaking or unwanted dripping.

Get the electric Clyde kettle for $125 on Amazon.

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The Ninja Foodi DZ401, which I believe is functionally the same device as their popular AF400 model from the UK, is an intelligent 10-quart air fryer with dual baskets (5 quarts each) that lets you cook two foods at once, with completely independent settings and times, and still have them finish together.

Basically, if you need to whip up a big family dinner in a flash, this is the gadget for you.

I know some readers will wonder why I didn’t write about the company’s new “DoubleStack XL” (model SL401) that just released a week ago. And yeah, that one does look interesting at first glance — until you realize both its heating elements are located at the backs of the drawers rather than above the food, which to my mind will undoubtedly result in slower and more uneven cooking. Not to mention the accompanying rear vents that would prevent any amount of liquid from sitting in either drawer when cooking or washing up. I’d be happy to be proven wrong though!

Each side can be set to one of six cooking modes: Air Fry, Air Broil, Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate. From there you can choose the “Smart Finish” feature to achieve what I mentioned earlier — cooking two foods with different modes/temperatures/times and have them finish at the same time — or use the “Match Cook” feature to have them both cook exactly the same, essentially treating them as a single 10-quart drawer.

Both zones are self-contained, with separate heating elements and fans, so you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination. Feel free to cook fish on one side and veggies on the other without fear that the latter will take on fishy flavors.

The 5-quart capacity of each drawer makes them big enough to roast an entire chicken whole, which is crazy convenient. Just make sure you keep a big pair of tongs around to turn it halfway through and more easily remove it at the end.

Get the Ninja Foodi DZ401 air fryer for $230 on Amazon.

  + Another excellent option in this category, and of comparable price — although it’s only an 8-quart model — is the Instant Vortex Plus XL we featured a couple years ago.
  + Also worth mentioning is the upgraded Ninja Foodi DZ550 which has mostly the same features plus an included temperature probe for accurately cooking meats. However, as I write this on May 15th, 2024, Amazon seems to be out of brand-new ones and only has “used—like new” versions for sale.

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