It arrives sharp out of the box and cuts most everyday foods cleanly, from soft produce to meat and poultry. Its light weight and rounded spine make it easy to use for long stretches without tiring the wrist. The textured handle grips securely even with wet hands, and the blade sharpens easily.

A thin, very sharp blade on a light body makes it nimble for fine slicing and delicate mincing. The blade and hollow handle are one piece of steel, weighted with sand for balance, with no seams to trap food. It stays sharp with little upkeep and moves easily through aromatics, poultry and soft produce.

A thin, very sharp blade is curved enough for rocking yet straight enough for push-pull chopping. Dimples along the blade help keep sticky foods from clinging, and the light, balanced build is easy on hands and wrists. It holds its edge for a long time, needing a whetstone only about once a year.

A plastic board about 15 by 10 inches, sized for everyday prep. Silicone strips on the short sides help hold it in place on the counter. One side has a groove that catches meat juices, and the other is flat. The nonporous surface keeps odors at bay, and it can go in the dishwasher after every use.

A thick, reversible maple board with a large surface for prepping several ingredients at once. Its weight holds it in place on the counter without nonslip features, and you can flip it between tasks. It takes a beating from knives yet stays soft enough to spare the edge, and it can be sanded if the surface roughens.

An end-grain maple board on feet that keep it firmly in place during hard chopping and let it dry underneath. The surface resists deep cuts, heals itself and is soft enough to keep knives sharp. It needs regular oiling, and juice and finger grooves can be added.

Micro-serrated blades grip slippery and tough foods, cutting through meat, skin and woody herb stems. Spacious, cushioned handles with an opening of about 2.75 inches stayed comfortable and kept hands from slipping, even when oily. The 4-inch blades come apart for cleaning, and a built-in stripper pulls leaves off herb stems.

Long 5-inch blades and extra-wide handles suit larger hands and long, even cuts such as breaking down larger poultry. Micro-serrated edges grab slippery skin, while pointed, sharp tips make quick, precise snips. Silicone-lined handles add grip, and the shears felt light for their size.

One straight blade and one finely serrated blade make it versatile, and the blades felt razor-sharp. Thin, nimble blades with tapered tips make precise snips and move around bones and joints easily. Built-in extras include a bottle opener, nutcracker and bone breaker, and the blades come apart for cleaning.

Its thin, flexible, spear-point blade is good at in-hand jobs like hulling strawberries, peeling apples and shelling shrimp. It is very light, at under an ounce, and its grippy plastic handle does not slip even when wet. The 3.25-inch blade is long enough to halve medium-large apples. Its straight edge suits coring and slicing better than mincing.

This 3.5-inch paring knife is made from a single piece of stainless steel, with no handle joints or rivets to clean. It is light and well balanced, and reviewers needed next to no effort to hull strawberries, peel shallots and slice delicate tomato skin. It also supremed orange segments quickly.

This 3.5-inch paring knife has a compact, slim handle and a petite stainless steel blade suited to precise, delicate prep. Reviewers found it sharp and well balanced, and it peeled, sliced and cut beautifully. It hulled strawberries without slipping and made a perfect apple peel and neat orange segments.

Its 10-inch serrated blade has a textured rubber-and-plastic handle that reviewers found grippy and comfortable. It sliced crusty sourdough, tomatoes, cake and even butternut squash cleanly. It is the heaviest of the tested knives at about 6 ounces but well balanced. One reviewer has used it for four years with no obvious wear.

This 9-inch serrated knife has a high-carbon VG-MAX steel core that resists dulling. It sliced tomatoes thin and crusty baguette and sourdough like butter, and soft bread fell into neat slices. Its wide, low serrations and tall blade add cutting force, and reviewers found it comfortable and well balanced.

You pull the blade heel to tip through one of four slots, coarse and fine at both 10 and 15 degrees, for Western and Japanese-style knives. It is simple to use and suits beginners, though the instructions are bare-bones. Sharpened blades came out smooth and polished with no scratches or chips, and cut soft and firm produce easily.

It holds 6 quarts, draws 1725 watts and heats from 90°F to 450°F. Its ten presets each set a fan speed shown on the display. It browned frozen foods evenly, kept meats juicy, left vegetables tender-crisp and crisped faster than others tested. Its basket and crisper plate are dishwasher-safe. It ran at 58 decibels at 400°F, quieter than most.

It stacks two five-quart baskets for 10 quarts in all, in a narrow footprint. Each basket can be programmed on its own, and a sync feature finishes both at the same time. It has six modes and reaches 450°F. Wire racks in each basket let it cook four foods at once.

This 1,000-watt blender has a 72-ounce jar, three speeds and a pulse button. Its removable blade spins up the center, so ingredients cannot hide under it. It made dips and nut butter and crushed frozen loads without water, the blade never sticking. Suction cups hold the base steady, and the lid pours through a spout.

This 1,800-watt blender has a 64-ounce jar, speed dial, pulse switch and tamper. Its smoothies were among the smoothest tested, with hardly any seeds left after straining. It crushed frozen loads for drinks and made an even emulsified dressing in seconds. The jar is hand-wash only. Its motor held up through five years of regular use.

It has a tall, tapered 64-ounce jar, a 10-speed dial, a high-speed switch and a tamper. Its jar shape and strong motor form a vortex that pulls ingredients down into the blades. It smoothly blended nuts into butter and can heat ingredients through friction alone. Its lowest speed starts slowly, so hot liquid is less likely to shoot up.

It pressure cooks, slow cooks, steams, sautes, makes yogurt and keeps food warm. Two pressure settings, high and low, give more control over delicate foods, which may help keep them from overcooking. It comes in 3, 6 and 8 quart sizes, and the inner pot is stainless steel. Its detachable cord suits storing it in a tight cabinet.

It pressure cooks, slow cooks, steams, sautes, makes yogurt, sterilizes and cooks sous vide, with 28 presets and five savable custom programs. Its stainless steel inner pot has handles and works on stovetops and in the oven. Saute heat has five levels, and a switch releases steam quickly and safely. It comes in 6 and 8 quart sizes.

It pressure cooks, slow cooks, steams, sautes and cooks sous vide under one lid, and air fries, roasts, bakes, broils and dehydrates under a second. The unit senses which lid is on. It holds 8 quarts in a stainless steel inner pot and also comes in a 6-quart size. The pot and pressure lid can go in the dishwasher.

It has six speeds, a 250-watt motor and a boost button that adds power at any speed. It whipped cream easily and made smooth batter. Its back rests on the edge of the bowl so the beaters do not drip, and a snap-on case holds the attachments. Its handle was comfortable to hold.

It has nine speeds changed with touch buttons, a 220-watt motor and a digital screen showing the speed. It comes with beaters, a whisk, two dough hooks and a spatula, all stored in a snap-on case. It handled thick doughs and its whisk made stiff peaks in under two minutes.

It has nine speeds on a scroll wheel, a pause button and a count-up timer. A light shines into the bowl, and rubber-coated beaters run quietly and scrape the sides of the bowl. It senses which attachment is fitted and adjusts its speed range. It comes with two beaters, two whisks and two dough hooks in a snap-on case.

A 4-quart tilt-head mixer weighing under 10 pounds, with a top handle for carrying from cabinet to counter. It kneads dough evenly, whips to stiff peaks and holds speed with thick, heavy mixtures. Seven speeds, a splash guard and dishwasher-safe attachments come with it.

A 5-quart tilt-head mixer with a 325-watt motor, 10 speeds and a bowl with a handle. It whipped, combined and kneaded reliably, evenly and thoroughly. It can beat chunky batter and knead a double batch of dough into a smooth ball. A front hub takes more than 10 attachments sold separately, and the bowl and attachments are dishwasher safe.

A mixer with its motor in the base that spins the bowl, with a 7-quart bowl, 600-watt motor, speed dial and timer. It comes with a dough roller, scraper and hook, plus a smaller second bowl with whisks for whipping and batters. It stayed still through heavy kneading and whipped to stiff peaks in 35 seconds.

This compact toaster oven measures 13 by 12 by 10.25 inches and fits four slices of toast or a 9-inch pizza. It toasted bread to an even golden-brown medium in two and a half minutes. Presets cover toast, frozen waffles, rolls, frozen pizza, frozen hash browns and reheating leftovers. The rack slides out when the door opens.

This air fryer toaster oven flips up onto its back edge to free counter space between uses. Its wide chamber fits an 11-inch pizza or six slices of bread. Its eight functions are air fry, air roast, air broil, bake, bagel, toast, dehydrate and keep warm. In side-by-side tests, it always beeped first during preheating.

This convection toaster oven fits up to six slices of bread and a 13-inch pizza. It is spacious enough for larger items like a whole chicken or a quarter sheet pan. Its 10 functions are toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies, reheat, warm and slow cook. Three dials set function, temperature and time.

It holds 4 cups of uncooked rice, about 8 cups cooked, sized for individuals, couples or smaller families. Several kinds of rice came out fluffy and evenly cooked, and a display counts down the remaining cooking time. It switches to keep-warm on its own when cooking ends, and the pot and paddle can go in the dishwasher.

It holds 6 cups of uncooked rice, 12 cups cooked, with 11 menu options including brown rice and porridge. You can set how long rice soaks, how hot it gets and how long it cooks. An auto-clean mode uses steam to loosen stuck food in 25 minutes.

It holds 5.5 cups of uncooked rice, about 10 cups cooked, and adjusts time and temperature as the rice cooks. Presets cover white rice in three textures, brown rice, porridge and a quick mode. Handles on the inner pot and a retractable cord make serving and storage easier.

A 450-watt motor and a two-level dial run one blade and one reversible disc for slicing or shredding. A three-pronged scraper turns with a knob to clear the bowl's sides, so you open the lid less. Setup is easy, and the dial is simple to use.

It has a 13-cup bowl, a 500-watt motor and low, high and pulse settings. It comes with a multipurpose blade, adjustable slicing disc, reversible shredding disc and dough blade, all stored in a caddy inside the bowl. The bowl snaps on without twisting, and the lid hinges shut.

It has a 14-cup bowl, a 720-watt motor and just two paddle buttons, one for on and one for off or pulse. It comes with an S-blade, a slicing disc and a shredding disc, and the parts are dishwasher-safe. Reviewers found it quiet while running.

This aluminum and plastic rack has an upper level with plate slots and a ridged drip tray below that keeps glasses and pots raised. Folded, it lies flat and works as a drying mat. The tray has no spout, but water pours cleanly from its corners.

This large stainless steel rack holds four place settings plus a 10-inch skillet, and can stand sheet trays and cutting boards upright. Its angled drainboard sends water into the sink, and a clip-on utensil holder frees space for dishes. It needs room on the counter, since it has to sit at its widest orientation.

This stainless steel rack held dinner settings for four, a 10-inch skillet and a Dutch oven with its lid. It has a wine rack for up to four glasses, four cup hooks and a utensil holder divided into three sections. A swivel spout drains water into the sink however the rack is placed.

This 10-cup pitcher offers hands-free filling: the door opens when the stream hits the lid. Its filter is certified to NSF/ANSI 42 and 372, reduces 15 contaminants, and can last up to 200 gallons. A bit heavy to lift when full, which some may find a drawback.

It is a 10-cup pitcher that fills three 24-ounce bottles, and one filter is included. Filtering cuts chlorine from 1.2 to 0.1 ppm, while TDS barely changes. The indicator light tracks real filter use, not only calendar time. Filtering is not the fastest, the main trade-off here.

It is a 10-cup water filter pitcher with a filter that lasts 100 gallons. It reduces over 365 contaminants, among them PFAS, lead, fluoride, and microplastics. Setup is quick: priming the filter with the included bag took under 10 minutes. Filtering is slow, needing 20 minutes or more for the upper reservoir.

This heavy-gauge aluminum pan heats quickly and evenly, and its reinforced coating let eggs, omelettes and pancakes slide out without sticking. It weighs about 2 pounds and has flared edges and a removable silicone handle sleeve for a cool, secure grip. It is oven safe to 400°F with the sleeve on and 500°F without it.

This 10-inch pan has a hard-anodized aluminum body with a diamond-reinforced ceramic coating that heats evenly and releases food easily. Its bowl-like shape gives up to 35% more cooking space, and the stainless steel handle stays cool and feels balanced. It works on all stovetops, is oven safe to 600°F and can go in the dishwasher.

It is built from five layers of aluminum and stainless steel and heats quickly, evenly and consistently. Eggs, fish and frittatas slid out without effort, and it cleans easily. It works on all cooktops including induction, is oven safe to 500°F and has a stay-cool handle.

It heats evenly and sears meats with beautiful crusts. Baked goods come out evenly golden and release cleanly. It arrives pre-seasoned and grows slicker the more it is used. Cleanup takes little more than warm water and a wipe. A helper handle helps carry its weight with two hands.

Slightly thinner walls make it about a pound lighter than the classic version, and it comes triple-seasoned, ready to cook. It is very nonstick, and baked goods release without sticking under a deep golden brown crust. It heats up fast and sears meats well. Cleanup needs only hot water or a wipe.

Its polished surface releases food neatly and is a little less likely to hold burnt bits. At about 4.5 pounds, it is lighter than most cast iron. A long handle adds leverage when carrying a full pan. It heats evenly and develops a nonstick surface after a few uses. Flared sides make pouring out fats easy without spouts.

This aluminized steel pan has an uncoated surface and a rolled rim reinforced with wire rods to resist warping. Reviewers found it heated evenly, browning cookies and pizza bottoms without burning them. It is dishwasher-safe, though hand-washing is recommended. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

This aluminum half sheet has an encapsulated galvanized steel rim that helps prevent warping. Reviewers found it heated evenly, turning out golden-brown cookies and crisp roasted vegetables. It weighs about 1.65 pounds and is oven-safe up to 500 degrees F. It carries a lifetime warranty.

This tri-ply set heats evenly, with no hot or cool spots. It includes two saucepans, a sauté pan, a stockpot, two skillets and a steamer insert. Pieces are light and well balanced, easy to tilt and toss food in. Handles are comfortable, and high sides keep splatters in. It sears meat well and works on induction.

This tri-ply set heats evenly, holds that heat and handles high heat well. It has a frying pan, a saucepan, a sauté pan and a large stockpot, with lids. Lids fit well and handles stay cool in use. Meats and vegetables cooked evenly and flipped without sticking. It survived repeated damage tests; hand washing is advised.

This tri-ply set with an aluminum core heats evenly, browns well and keeps sauces at a steady simmer. It comes with two frying pans, two saucepans of different shapes, a sauté pan and a stockpot. Pieces are light to lift, well balanced, and oven-safe to 600°F. Pans resisted scratching and their flat bottoms don't warp under high heat.

In bread tests it gave an even, crisp crust that held together without flaking. It heated quickly, browned meat well and braised it tender, with very good ratings for even cooking. The enamel interior needs no seasoning, stands up to acidic foods and cleans easily. Wide side handles are easy to grip with a towel or mitts.

This ceramic-coated aluminum pot weighs about 6 pounds and has wide, roomy handles that are easy to grip in oven mitts. Its nonstick interior let proteins release easily, kept sauces from sticking and wiped clean with water and a sponge. It baked bread with an even, crisp crust and kept a steady simmer.

This enameled cast-iron pot heated quickly, seared meat to a crusty brown and braised it tender. It cooked foods the most evenly in one test, and its tight lid holds in moisture. Wide looped handles are easy to hold even with an oven mitt. Its light interior makes browning easy to watch.

It heats evenly with no hot spots, and grains and sauces came out without sticking or burning. The handle stays cool, and it lifts and pours with one hand even when full of boiling liquid. Its eight-inch width lets a whisk or spoon reach into the corners. It works on induction and goes in the oven up to 500°F.

A fully clad three-ply pan about 12 inches across, weighing about 3 pounds, oven-safe to 500°F and working on induction. It heats evenly and responds quickly to temperature changes, browning poultry evenly and cooking fish without sticking. Its rounded handle is comfortable to hold and stays secure even when gripped with a towel.

A three-ply pan with an aluminum core and a tight-fitting lid, oven-safe to 600°F and induction-compatible. It heats as fast as others tested, with temperature differences under 15 degrees across the surface. It sears meat and fish to a crisp, golden crust and is light enough to maneuver with one hand.

This deep glass dish holds 5 quarts, with room for large batches. In tests, baked pasta came out well browned and evenly cooked, and baked goods stayed moist. Clear glass lets you watch food cook and won't absorb stains or flavors. A tight-fitting lid stores leftovers. Stacking, hand washing and dishwasher runs left it without cracks or chips.

This ceramic dish is about three inches deep and holds roughly 4 quarts, with room to stack up layered casseroles. Large looped handles give a secure grip with oven mitts, even when it is full. It baked evenly, held heat well, and cleaned easily by hand since nothing stuck. It is also safe in the dishwasher, microwave and freezer.

This 8-quart, five-ply pot of steel and aluminum heats quickly and holds its heat. Its short, wide shape lets you reach the whole interior and see the food. Roomy, flat handles grip well with or without oven mitts, and the flared rim pours cleanly. The lid stays put and holds steam, and burnt-on food wiped off with a sponge.

It brews up to 14 cups, or about 70 ounces, which works out to about five to six normal mugs. It has a 24-hour timer, regular or bold strength, a 1-to-4-cup setting and a pause to pour mid-brew. The warming plate held coffee at 176°F after an hour, and the carafe and basket are dishwasher-safe.

It brews up to 10 cups, about 40 ounces, in roughly 4 to 6 minutes. A copper heating element holds water near 200°F, and a showerhead with multiple outlets wets the grounds evenly. Two switches run it, one for power and one for a half or full pot, and a hot plate keeps the glass carafe warm.

A dial and an LCD screen let you set the temperature in one-degree steps and read it. It also has a hold setting and a timer. Its ergonomic handle and long, narrow spout make precise pouring easy. It holds 0.9 liters and reached a boil in under four and a half minutes.

This single-serve maker brews K-Cup pods or loose grounds, and its frother folds away when not in use. Loose grounds fill a large travel mug, brewing up to 24 ounces. Accessories store on the machine, and the control panel makes choosing a drink simple. Pods top out at 12 ounces, which limits big mugs made from pods.

This machine brews espresso shots and full coffee cups from barcoded capsules that set the brew automatically. One touch starts every drink, in five sizes from a 0.85-ounce ristretto up to 8 ounces. A removable water tank can sit at the side or back, and the bin holds up to 10 used capsules. Recycling is the trade-off: without easy UPS pickup or a drop-off point, returning capsules may be tedious.

Single-serve brewer that uses its own B-Pods, with a touchscreen and app. For a pod machine, it covers a wide range of drinks, and brews each of them well. Its B-Pods are meant to break down in a landfill faster than regular pods. Pods are currently sold only online, with fewer varieties than Keurig offers.

Its large backlit display rotates automatically, so you can read it from any angle, even in the dark. It is accurate to about 1°F and rated IP67, so it survives a quick dunk in water. A sheath protects the rigid probe and clips to a pocket, and the battery is rated for 4,000 hours.

Its OLED display shows white numbers on black that are easy to read in any light. The display rotates automatically, so it works in either hand and at any angle. It is rated IP67 waterproof and has a magnet for sticking it on the stove or fridge. It runs on two AAA batteries, which come in the box.

A set of three stainless steel bowls in 1.5, 3 and 5 quarts, each with a snug plastic lid for storing food. Tall sides keep splashes from a hand mixer in the bowl. They are dishwasher-safe, nest for storage and can work as a double boiler, but not in the microwave.

Ten tools, mostly silicone heat-proof to 550 degrees F, including a ladle, whisk, peeler, two spoons and five spatulas. The spatulas scraped bowls clean, and the mini sizes handled small batches in tight spaces. The whole set is dishwasher safe and held up through a year of regular use.

This is a classic manual rotary opener with wide, cushioned, nonslip handles and an oversized knob. Reviewers found it bites in cleanly and turns smoothly, opening medium cans in about eight to ten cranks. It has a built-in bottle opener and survived two drops onto concrete without damage.

This safety opener cuts around the side of the can, so the lid edges are smooth and will not cut fingers. Its long knob sits on top of the can, so either hand can turn it, and it gives good leverage. A side button works small pliers that lift the lid off without touching it.

This plug-in electric opener clamps the lid's lip between two gears and cuts through the side, leaving smooth edges. You lock the can in place and hold down a lever, and it opened cans in about 8 to 11 seconds. It opened 28-ounce cans without tipping over, though it takes up counter space.

This mostly stainless steel box grater has four sides: coarse and medium holes, fine holes for zesting, and a slicer. Its sharp etched teeth handle hard and soft cheeses, carrots and potatoes with little effort. It has etched measurements on the side and a removable base.

A 5-quart stainless steel colander on a tall metal ring base that lifts the bowl above the sink. Its many tiny holes drain fast without clogging and hold small foods like orzo. The wide handles stay cool after boiling water, and it is dishwasher-safe. It is light but sturdy and did not dent in durability tests.

Four stainless steel cups snap together with magnets, so the set stays tidy in a drawer. One cup can come off without disturbing the rest, and the markings survive the dishwasher. Only four cups, so a 1/8 cup needs a workaround or a precision scale.

Five cups, from one-eighth to one cup, cover a wide measuring range in one stainless-steel set. Handles sit flush with the rims, which keeps leveling each cup off simple, and the set is accurate. Plastic tabs on the handle ends make these easier to hold than many other stainless-steel models. Handles bend a bit when scooped into wet sand, and some find the set feels unbalanced.

Five oval spoons, in stainless steel, run from an eighth teaspoon to one tablespoon. Slim bowls fit most narrow containers, and a rounded shape lets sticky ingredients release. Half and full teaspoon measure exactly right, and each spoon rests level on the countertop. Handles are short, so reaching the bottom of taller containers takes more effort.

Six stainless steel spoons with slim rectangular bowls, and the set is dishwasher-safe. Measures very accurately, and its slim bowls fit through most standard spice jars with a 1.25-inch opening. Sturdy handles reach the bottom of containers when needed, and a center curve makes them very difficult to bend. The matte finish releases ingredients less easily than polished steel, a trade-off worth weighing.