The best kitchen gadgets
What makes a kitchen gadget worth the precious space it takes up? It should either make cooking easier, save time, perform a job remarkably well – or, ideally, do several things at once. From clever little tools to smart countertop appliances, these are the kitchen gadgets we've found that genuinely earn their place.
We've rounded up a mix of enduring favourites and newer discoveries, from the ingenious Panasonic Bread & Ice Cream Maker to the cult HORL 3 knife sharpener, beautifully designed coffee kit and clever gadgets for everything from pizza ovens and to spices. Whether you're a keen cook, an occasional chef or simply looking for something that makes everyday life in the kitchen a little easier, these are worth knowing about.
Quick question: which kitchen gadgets are really worth buying?
The most useful kitchen gadgets are those that solve a genuine cooking problem or replace several pieces of equipment. Our current favourites include the Panasonic Mini Bread & Ice Cream Maker for multifunctional cooking, the MEATER Pro for precision cooking, the HORL 3 for sharpening knives, the Our Place Tiny Perfect Pot for smaller households and the Fellow Opus 2 for coffee lovers.
Hero image: Eva Solo Green Tools Herb & Spice Grinder
Soft Top Silicone Kitchen LADLE Spoon
Scoups
Best for: Getting every last drop out of a saucepan or bowl
This is our hero kitchen gadget right now. Thi is now ordinary ladle but a silicone ladle with a soft silicone head so you can scoop out every last bit of food from pots, pans and bowls. So versatile is this spoon that we say every kitchen should have one (just as well Christmas is on the horizon). What's more, it's heat resistant, dishwasher safe and comes in lots of fun colours.
Panasonic Mini Bread & Ice Cream Maker, £199.99
John Lewis
Best for: Doing two jobs in one.
Bread maker meets ice-cream maker in one of the more unexpected kitchen gadgets we've come across. Panasonic's compact machine can make bread, dough, cake, jam and pasta, as well as ice cream, frozen yoghurt, sorbet and even mochi. There are 34 automatic programmes, while the smaller loaf size makes it particularly appealing for smaller households. The frozen-dessert programmes take around 25 minutes once the ice-cream container has been properly chilled.
Why we like it: It's genuinely multifunctional rather than simply another single-purpose appliance.
MEATER Pro Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer, £99
MEATER
Best for: Perfectly cooked meat
Take the guesswork out of Sunday roasts and barbecues. The wireless MEATER Pro connects to your smartphone and monitors the internal temperature of meat while you cook, allowing you to keep an eye on proceedings without repeatedly opening the oven. It's particularly useful for larger cuts where getting the temperature right matters.
Why we like it: A small gadget that can make a surprisingly big difference to the results.
HORL 3 Knife Sharpener, £169
Borough Kitchen
Best for: Restoring tired knives.
There is something deeply satisfying about a beautifully sharp kitchen knife, and the HORL 3 makes sharpening considerably less intimidating. Its rolling design and interchangeable grinding discs make it easy to maintain a precise edge without the technique required by traditional whetstones.
Why we like it: An investment, certainly, but one that can prolong the life of your knives and make everyday chopping considerably more pleasurable.
Souper Cubes Freezer Trays, from £19.99
Amazon
Best for: Batch cooking and reducing waste
A deceptively simple idea that you'll wonder how you managed without. Souper Cubes lets you freeze soups, stocks, sauces, stews and other leftovers in neatly portioned blocks. Once frozen, the portions can be transferred and stored ready for another day.
Why we like it: Excellent for batch cooking, portion control and making use of leftovers.
Mini Cookware Duo
Our Place
Best for: Smaller households
Our Place has taken the idea of multifunctional cookware and made it petite. The Perfect Pot and Always Pan are designed with one- and two-person portions in mind, making it particularly appealing if you don't want a large saucepan taking up valuable cupboard space. Current 2026 kitchen edits are increasingly highlighting compact cookware for smaller households.
Why we like it: Small, stylish and designed around how many of us actually cook. And it comes in five colours.
Our Place Wonder Oven, £195
Best for: Small kitchens
Air fryer, toaster oven, roaster, baker and more, the Wonder Oven packs six cooking functions into a compact countertop appliance. It uses steam infusion as well as hot air and has a 12-litre capacity.
Why we like it: Particularly useful where worktop and oven space are at a premium.
Panasonic Flex Air Fryer, £199
Best for: Flexible air frying
Air fryers have become kitchen staples, but the clever thing about Panasonic's Flex model is its adaptable cooking space. Rather than being restricted to one large basket, its flexible design is intended to accommodate different foods and quantities. It can even accommodate a 30cm pizza.
Why we like it: A more versatile take on the now-ubiquitous air fryer.
Fellow Opus 2 Coffee Grinder, £199
Borough Kitchen
Best for: Serious coffee at home
If your morning coffee is a ritual rather than a caffeine delivery system, a good grinder is worth the investment. Fellow's Opus 2 is a beautifully designed burr grinder aimed at coffee lovers who want greater control over their grind.
Why we like it: Beautiful enough to leave on display and serious enough for coffee aficionados.
Sage InFizz Fusion, now £159.95
John Lewis
Best for: Entertaining
For sparkling water, homemade fizzy drinks and cocktails, Sage's InFizz Fusion brings a more sophisticated look to the sparkling-drinks category.
Why we like it: A stylish alternative to the standard soda maker, particularly useful if you entertain.
Dreamfarm Ortwo Spice Grinder, £47.50
Piccantino
Best for: Freshly ground spices
Grinding spices can be a surprisingly satisfying way to elevate everyday cooking, and Dreamfarm's Ortwo makes it easy. Its two-handed design gives you plenty of control, with different settings for the coarseness of your grind.
Why we like it: Freshly ground spices make a noticeable difference, and this is considerably less fiddly than a traditional grater.
Gozney Pizza Rocker, £34.99
John Lewis
Best for: Pizza night
If you've invested in a pizza oven or pizza making kit, you may as well have the right tool for cutting the finished article. Gozney's Pizza Rocker is a curved blade designed to make quick work of even a generously topped pizza.
Why we like it: A relatively inexpensive addition to the pizza kit that makes serving much easier.
OXO Good Grips Mandoline Slicer, £15.99
John Lewis
Best for: Speedy vegetable preparation.
A mandoline is one of those kitchen tools that can turn laborious preparation into a matter of seconds. OXO's version offers adjustable slicing and a safety mechanism, making it useful for everything from potatoes and courgettes to cucumber and carrots.
Why we like it: For gratins, salads and vegetable dishes, uniform slices make both cooking and presentation easier.
Opinel Le Petit Chef Knife Set, £37.99
Sous Chef
Best for: Encouraging children to cook
For children keen to join in with dinner preparation, this thoughtfully designed set includes a suitable knife, finger guard and peeler. It's a nice way of introducing children to kitchen skills while giving them equipment designed for smaller hands.
Why we like it: A useful gift for families and a good way to encourage confidence in the kitchen.
Nutribullet Chill Ice Cream Maker, £169.99
Argos
Best for: Homemade ice cream
The ice-cream-maker boom shows no sign of disappearing, and Nutribullet's Chill offers a compact option for making frozen desserts at home. It is particularly appealing if you don't have room for a large dedicated appliance.
Why we like it: Homemade ice cream without committing half the kitchen to the project.
Panasonic 4-in-1 Air Fry Microwave, £250
Argos
Best for: Multifunctional cooking
For anyone short on space, appliances that perform several jobs are increasingly appealing. Panasonic's 4-in-1 combination microwave combines microwave cooking with air frying and other cooking functions, meaning one appliance can take the place of several countertop machines.
Why we like it: The answer to the question: "Where am I going to put another appliance?"
Hurom H400 Slow Juicer, £599
Juicers.co.uk
Best for: Serious juicing
The Hurom H400 is a premium slow juicer with a large self-feeding hopper designed to take whole fruits and vegetables, reducing the amount of chopping and preparation required. Its easy-clean auger is designed to make the inevitable washing-up less onerous.
Why we like it:A handsome, hardworking option for committed juicers.
Marcato Atlas+ Pasta Machine, £110
Borough Kitchen
Best for: Homemade pasta
There's something wonderfully therapeutic about making pasta from scratch, and the Marcato Atlas+ is a classic for a reason. It rolls pasta dough into sheets and can be used with compatible cutters to make different pasta shapes.
Why we like it: For dinner parties, weekends and anyone who wants to turn pasta night into an occasion. And we're telling you, homemade pasta is something else.
Eva Solo Green Tools Herb & Spice Grinder,£44.95
John Lewis
Best for: Fresh herbs and spices
This clever manual grinder is designed for crushing fresh herbs and whole spices with a simple twisting motion. The compact design means it can sit neatly on the worktop rather than disappearing into a drawer.
Why we like it: A beautifully simple gadget that encourages you to use more fresh herbs and spices.
Niche By Nisha 7-in-1 Kitchen Tool, £24.95
Best for: Space saving.
Peeling, extracting, scraping, crinkling, grating, julienning, or slicing: this space-saving tool does it all. Perfect for small kitchens and committed multitaskers.
Why we like it: It's well made with a comfortable grip.
What makes a good kitchen gadget?
The best kitchen gadgets tend to have one thing in common: they solve a problem. Rather than buying something simply because it looks clever on Instagram, consider whether it will genuinely save time, improve the food you cook or replace another piece of equipment.
Multifunctional appliances are particularly useful in smaller kitchens, while small tools such as a good knife sharpener, spice grinder or freezer tray can earn their keep without taking up much room.
And then there are the gadgets that are simply fun. A pizza rocker or pasta machine may not be essential, but if it encourages you to cook more often, experiment with new recipes or entertain friends, it has earned its place.
How we choose our kitchen gadgets
We look for products that combine usefulness, thoughtful design and longevity rather than novelty alone. We consider how a gadget fits into an everyday kitchen, whether it genuinely performs the job it promises and whether it earns the space it occupies.
Prices are correct at the time of publication but may change.
FAQs: The Best Kitchen Gadgets
What are the most useful kitchen gadgets?
The most useful kitchen gadgets are those that solve an everyday problem, save time or perform more than one function. A smart meat thermometer, quality knife sharpener, freezer tray and multifunctional countertop appliance are all good examples.
Which kitchen gadgets are worth the money?
Look for gadgets that you will use regularly rather than single-purpose novelty products. A good knife sharpener, the best coffee gadgets or a multifunctional appliance can earn its keep because it performs a task repeatedly and well.
What are the best kitchen gadgets for small kitchens?
Multifunctional appliances and compact cookware are particularly useful in small kitchens. The Panasonic Mini Bread & Ice Cream Maker and Our Place Tiny Perfect Pot are two examples designed to do more while taking up relatively little space.
What are the latest kitchen gadgets for 2026?
Some of the more interesting current kitchen launches include multifunctional appliances such as the Panasonic Mini Bread & Ice Cream Maker, alongside newer coffee, air-frying and compact-cooking equipment. The trend is towards appliances that perform several jobs rather than single-purpose gadgets.
What kitchen gadgets make cooking easier?
Smart thermometers remove guesswork from cooking meat, mandolines speed up vegetable preparation, freezer trays make batch cooking easier and multifunctional appliances can reduce the number of separate machines you need.
What is the best kitchen gadget for home cooks?
There isn't one gadget that suits every cook. The best choice depends on what you cook most often. A meat thermometer is useful for roast and barbecue enthusiasts, a pasta machine for keen Italian-food fans and a good coffee grinder for anyone serious about their morning brew.
What are the best multifunctional kitchen appliances?
Multifunctional appliances can include combination microwaves, air-fryer ovens, bread makers and compact countertop ovens. The most useful are those that combine functions you would otherwise need separate appliances to perform.
What kitchen gadgets make good gifts?
Knife sharpeners, coffee grinders, pizza accessories, spice grinders and attractive small appliances all make good gifts for keen cooks. For children, a properly designed children's knife set can also be a thoughtful introduction to cooking.
Are expensive kitchen gadgets worth buying?
Not necessarily. Price isn't a guarantee of usefulness. A £20 freezer tray can be more valuable to an everyday cook than a £500 appliance they rarely use. Before buying, consider how often you will use the gadget and whether it solves a genuine problem.
What should you consider before buying a kitchen gadget?
Consider how often you will use it, how much kitchen storage or worktop space it requires, how easy it is to clean and whether you already own something that performs the same function. The best kitchen gadget is one that becomes part of your everyday routine rather than another appliance gathering dust.
