These are the best kitchen & cooking products of 2019

After putting a new crop of pressure cookers through their paces, the Instant Pot Ultra rose to the top as our new favorite (though our former favorites are still worth the money). Not only does it match the Instant Pot Smart WiFi in cooking ability, but the updated interface offers a simplified dial and comprehensive display that takes the uncertainty out of cooking times. Rather than buttons, a dial lets you scroll through the myriad of cooking functions and an intuitive press of the same dial allows you to customize times and pressure. The best part of the new display, though, is the progress graph. So unlike the other Instant Pots, you’re not left wondering how long it will take for the cooking process to start.

While you do have the ability to customize your cooking time and setting, it also comes standard with 16 pre-programmed recipes ranging from soups to sauté to cake. Each one of these we tried worked well and was easy to alter to fit our specific recipe. Another nifty feature we enjoyed was the ability to update the cooking parameters while cooking was in progress. A final feature that improved the cooking process was the updated steam release valve. While most other pressure cookers have a single valve that you adjust to release a steam plume, the Instant Pot Ultra has a small, separate nob you adjust to start the steam release. This meant we were far less likely to spray ourselves with the steam and felt far safer about this part of the process—that's an important safety feature.

Read all multicooker reviews.

While it was a close race to the top, Ninja’s most basic model of their Nutri-Ninja, the Fit, ultimately earned its place as our favorite personal blender. We were impressed by its speed and strength when whipping up fruit smoothies, which turned out smooth as can be, and its 700-watt motor’s relatively low noise level while grinding away.

While the blender’s design isn’t visually stunning, it’s black-and-silver base is sleek and unassuming and, most importantly, small and light enough to easily be stored away. The blender’s 16-ounce containers with measurement marks are similarly sleek and perfectly transportable (they come with tight travel lids!) for on-the-go sipping. The Fit requires users to hold the container down or use the “pulse” method while blending, but this precaution works to prevent motor burn-out and means the blender will last longer than many of its counterparts. It’s so fast, you might not even notice.

Read all personal blender reviews.

When it comes to frying, the Philips Airfryer XXL is the best air fryer we tested. The fries we made with the Philips had the combo of crunchiness, tenderness, and potato flavor that make great fries so delectable. Even when we loaded the basket with more than 3 pounds of frozen fries, they came out crispy. Battered Nashville hot chicken came out with a crackling crust as if it had been deep fried, and hamburgers rivaled ones made on the grill.

Now, this is a big, heavy, and very expensive machine that’s noisier than most when it’s operating. It doesn’t have digital controls and therefore it’s hard to set the temperature and timer precisely. With a few more parts than most air fryers, there’s more to clean and while all of the parts can go in the dishwasher, the huge basket will eat up considerable shelf space. However, like all air fryers, it’s still relatively easy to use—this one requires no preheat—and the results are worth the payoff. A cookbook is included to give you lots of recipe ideas.

Read all air fryer reviews.

Although Toshiba sells a range of highly-rated microwaves in just about every size you could think of, this 1100W, 1.2 cubic-foot unit is the true Goldilocks of the bunch—not too big and overpowered, not too small and weak, but just right. It’s also the least expensive model of the Toshiba series that still offers a smart senor, which can adjust cook time and stop automatically based on how much steam your food releases.

With 10 power settings and a handful of useful presets on a large, easy-to-read digital display, the EM131A5C has everything most people are looking for in a microwave. Reviewers particularly love its convenient one-touch controls, mutable buzzer, fingerprint-proof front panel, and door that opens with a pull, rather than a push button. And unlike our previous top pick from Sharp, this Toshiba has an interior light that actually stays on. Despite its discount price point, the EM131A5C is attractively built and available in a stainless steel or slick black stainless finish, so it won’t stick out like a sore thumb in stylish kitchens.

Read all affordable microwave reviews.

Best Toaster Oven

Breville Smart Oven Pro BOV845BSSUSC

The beautifully designed, stainless steel Breville Smart Oven Pro gives you an energy-efficient second oven, limited only by its size. The toasting is incredibly even and consistent, aside from the stripes left by the wire rack—common to all of the toaster ovens we've tested. Whether you’re heating up a frozen pizza, baking refrigerated flaky biscuits, or broiling chicken breasts, you’ll get the same (or better) results as if you used the regular oven. In fact, the Breville was the only toaster oven that broiled chicken breasts so well that they looked like they could have been grilled outdoors. That’s something few toaster ovens of any size can do.

The LCD screen presents choices for toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies, reheat, warm, and slow cook options. Turn the dial to select the function, temperature, and time. With so many choices, operation is slightly more complicated than usual, but you quickly get the hang of it. The oven automatically preheats when appropriate. During operation the display counts down and there’s an interior light so it’s easy to keep tabs on your food.

Read all toaster oven reviews.

Pros

• Incredibly even toasting, baking, and slow cooking

• Convection capable

• Sleek LCD screen

Cons

• No recipes included in the manual

$674.99 from eBay

$269.95 from Amazon

$269.99 from Target

$269.95 from Abt

Best Stand Mixer

KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer

The Artisan is the quintessential stand mixer. Easy to set up and with the quietest motor we tested, the Artisan was a pleasure to use and passed through all our tests with aplomb. Despite its many competitors, our tests prove that it is still the best stand mixer you can buy.

Its merits are many: attachments were easy to put on, remove, and clean; the tilt lever lock worked well; the bowl installed smoothly; and the splash guard, though not really necessary (for this class of mixer, none of them are), fit the bowl well and could be slid on when needed without taking apart the mixer. Owners of KitchenAids consistently get great performance from their mixers for years, so though the price is high, an Artisan mixer is well worth the money.

Read all stand mixer reviews.

Pros

• Durable and reliable build

• The motor is quiet

• Attachments are easy to use

Cons

• Expensive

• Speed lever not pleasant to use

Buy now at KitchenAid

$279.99 from eBay

$329.95 from Amazon

$329.99 from Abt

The Hydro Flask checks off all of our boxes making it the best water bottle we tested: It’s portable, versatile, durable and well designed. And it was the top performer by far during our temperature tests and kept drinks cold. Ice deposited in this insulated bottle one morning remained largely unmelted, well past the 24-hour mark. Its patented double-wall vacuum enables the bottle to keep cold drinks cold, hot drinks hot, and prevents condensation from forming on the outside, keeping it slip-free, and safe to store in bags alongside papers and laptops.

Though it’s often a caveat with stainless steel, the bottle didn’t transmit any funky flavors to our drinking water. It’s also crafted from recycled materials and comes with a lifetime guarantee (which definitely helps justify the price). The only downside we found is it's not dishwasher safe. The extra-wide mouth can fit any sized ice cube, and the bottle is compatible with a range of Hydro Flask caps, that lets you rotate between flex caps, sports caps, straw lids, flip-top lids, and press-in lids, to suit your specific needs or activity. The only downside of the Hydro Flask is that it is not dishwasher safe, but this water bottle makes up for it in every other way, and being able to switch between a straw lid, a flip-top lid, and a press-in lid is a major win in our book.

Read all water bottle reviews.

Solidly built, perfectly round, and easy to clean, the Staub Round Cocotte aced every test. From braising meat and vegetables to simmering a stew, this Dutch oven nailed it. Sometimes there really is a correlation between price and quality — and this is one of those times.

In our tests, the Staub Round Cocotte Oven narrowly beat out the well-known (and well-loved) Le Creuset. This mostly came down to the shape of the Dutch oven, and how much better it fit on the stove and in the pantry. While a little heavier than some of the others, the evenness of cooking and the large sauteing area that doesn’t bar you from putting other large pots on the stove bumped this one all the way to the top.

Read all Dutch oven reviews.

The Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Omelette Pan is not only beautiful to look at, but it also performs like a charm. We used it to cook pancakes and an omelet, all of which slid easily on the PFOA-free nonstick surface. In fact, flipping eggs felt absolutely effortless on its smooth interior. The stainless steel handle is rounded and angles up, assisting with flipping motions while keeping your hands far away from the heat.

We loved the pan’s perfect balance and thick anodized aluminum base, which provide both sturdiness and ease of movement. At $39.95, you’re not breaking the bank—but you’re not sacrificing any durability, either.

Read all nonstick pan reviews.

When it comes to retaining temperature (which is the most essential function of a travel mug), the Zojirushi is an absolute beast. Case in point—while we were testing these, the reviewer's husband filled it with coffee, forgot about it until the next morning, took a sip, and it was just as steamy and fresh as if it had just been poured. Besides retaining temperature, it can hold up to 16 ounces. The trim build also allows it to seamlessly slip into cup holders and bags.

The only drawback is that it can’t go in the dishwasher. Although it’s not dishwasher safe, the top can be disassembled, which makes cleanup a breeze. And it’s especially attractive thanks to a slim, streamlined shape and slick, steel finish, in colors such as champagne gold, lavender pink, emerald, cherry, and smoky blue.

Read all travel mug reviews.

The Weber Spirit II E-310 may be the brand’s entry-level grill, but it didn’t act like a lesser product when it came to performance. It was our favorite grill to use on every test, producing perfect sear marks on burgers, evenly cooked chicken, and picture-perfect asparagus. It can’t hold quite as many burgers as our upgrade pick, the Weber Genesis II E-310, but the 18 or so burgers that do fit will be cooked evenly to perfection.

This grill is proof that BTUs are not the end-all-be-all in grill choice. Its 30,000 BTUs (or, 71 per square inch) cranks out an impressive amount of heat—we created indirect heat by turning a single burner on high heat, then heating the grill to 300°F; and when we turned all the burners on low, it hit an impressive 400°F (which was 25 to 50 degrees hotter than some of the higher BTU grills we tested). The Weber Spirit II E-310 isn’t the cheapest grill on the market, but it’s absolutely worth the price. When you take all the factors into account—performance, ease of use, and aesthetic appearance—this grill was a no-brainer for our choice as Best Overall.

Read all gas grill reviews.

The Napoleon NK22L-LEG-2 sits on four legs instead of the standard three that most kettle grills come with, making it both sturdy and stable. Its ash bucket is larger than those featured on most grills. It has a wide-grip handle that keeps your hands nice and clean as you remove the ashes and, thanks to a minor redesign, it’s easier to slide back into place on the grill once you’re finished emptying it. Finally, the grill’s wide, convex dome that rests in the middle of the coal bed while you’re cooking. Initially, we thought this rim was designed to keep the briquettes out of the center of the grill. However, we quickly realized that the rim’s metal heated up along with the coals, distributing the heat evenly throughout the grill.

When it came to cooking on the Napoleon, we had no complaints. It proved capable of holding 12 to 13 burgers at a time and created a gorgeous overall char when we cooked over direct heat. Raking the coals for indirect cooking was nearly effortless; its wire cooking grate had hinges on each side that allowed us access to the briquettes underneath. Additionally, Napoleon’s vent system is easy to use and allows precise airflow control on both the top and bottom vents. All of this worked together to create an ideal heat distribution for indirect cooking, and we were able to cook at hotter indirect heats with the new model.

Read all charcoal grill reviews.

The Masterbuilt Thermotemp XL Propane Smoker was—by far—our favorite smoker to use during the tests. It was the very definition of set-it-and-forget-it: Hook up the propane, turn the dial to the proposed temperature, hit the ignition switch, and away you go. An internal sensor adjusts the flame to maintain the target temp, all without any fiddling around to keep it there. Not only that, but the wood chip bin that infuses the smoke into your food was large enough to hold two hours of chips at a time. That means you don’t have to run outside to keep feeding the smoker every hour, freeing you up to hang with your guests at the party, stay inside and watch football, or do anything else your heart desires while your food cooks.

When it came to overall construction and design, we were pretty impressed. The smoker has four removable racks, which can hold six turkeys, eight racks of ribs, or eight pork butts. It also looks gorgeous with a large viewing window, but not at the expense of functionality. The two doors latch firmly into place, and we loved how the handles didn’t get hot to the touch as we used the unit. The top door gives you access to the food, and the bottom door opens to the water pan and wood chip bin, allowing you to refill the chips without releasing the heat in the smoking chamber. Overall, this thing was solid and sturdy, and we have no reason to believe this smoker wouldn’t last five years or longer with proper care.

Read all smoker reviews.

The unassuming EZ-DUZ-IT probably looks exactly like the can opener you grew up with—and for good reason. What it lacks in special features and flashy design it makes up for in pure power and rock-solid construction, making it our top choice for most people. Throughout our testing, the EZ-DUZ-IT easily pierced lids, stayed attached to the edges, and made its way around cans without catching or resisting along the way. Its slim rubberized handles were easy to grip and prevented hand fatigue when opening can after can. And with such an intuitive, straightforward design, there’s little room for user error.

While the EZ-DUZ-It excelled in ease of use and speed trials, its durability is what pushed it ahead of the pack. Its all-metal construction makes us confident that it will survive many years of daily use, including being jostled around in drawers and dropped off the counter, and its Amazon user reviews support our theory. In a world of flimsy plastic levers and dulling blades, the EZ-DUZ-IT is a steadfast companion that's in it for the long haul. The only drawbacks of the opener are that it produces sharp-edged lids and is designed for right-handed people, but these are standard features of most traditional rotary openers.

Read all manual can opener reviews.

Our clear winner, the Nespresso VertuoPlus by Breville, is exactly what we look for in a single-serve pod coffee machine. With the VertuoLine centrifusion brewing method, our coffee came out with foamy crema on top, a truly luxurious experience. The technology behind this dense, rich, and aromatic coffee is simple—a machine head penetrates the capsules in the center and around the edges, allowing water to enter in the center opening and push through the 20 edge holes, maximizing ground coffee interaction and pressure. It also brews espresso capsules so you can make espresso, double espresso, and regular coffee.

Unlike most of the other pod brewers we tested, the Nespresso VertuoPlus by Breville’s compact design makes it easy to keep on your countertop or store where space is limited. It boasts a 40-ounce water tank that can also swivel out easily. The motorized head opens with a light lift, different from traditional Keurig machines that often require a forced push and thus increase the chance of wear and tear.

Read all pod coffee maker reviews.

Takeya took the top spot the last time we tested cold brew makers, and neither the passage of years nor the addition of new contenders to the market have knocked it from its position. Not only is it so intuitive to use (all you need to do is put grounds in the reusable filter, stick it in the canister, pour water over top and wait), as well as to clean (none of the three elements have any hard to reach nooks or crannies, and can be simply thrown in the dishwasher), it’s the least expensive model we tried. You’d likely spend more purchasing cold brews in a café over a week, than on the maker, which you can keep for years. And while other makers we tried mimic this appealing, no muss no fuss design, small details on the Takeya really make a difference.

Like the brand’s water bottles, the cold brew is made from practically indestructible BPA-free plastic. And while glass is generally preferred to prevent off-odors and flavors, we found the Takeya produced some of the tastiest coffee and tea we tested—neither too acidic nor too watered down—and remained equally palatable after sitting in the fridge for a week. We liked that the tall, thin, cylindrical shape allowed it to unobtrusively fit on the refrigerator door (or be tucked away in a cabinet), and a simple turn of the top opens a pouring spout. Once you remove the filter of spent grounds, it also transitions seamlessly into a pitcher.

Read all cold brew coffee maker reviews.

The Samsung RF260BEAESR is a French door refrigerator that is really punching outside its weight class. This 25.5-cubic-foot fridge impressed us because it's comparable in almost every way to fridges that cost twice as much.

Behind its sleek, refined exterior lies a fridge with stellar food preservation capabilities and a handful of useful features—including an internal ice maker and an enclosed drawer with three settings: Deli for deli meats, Fresh for fruits and veggies, and Chilled for your favorite cold beverages. If you're looking to remodel, and want to be able to have your refrigerator-themed cake and eat it too, check out the Samsung RF260BEAESR.

Read all affordable French door refrigerator reviews.

The Frigidaire FG4H2272UF really has it all. In addition to easily maintaining cold temperatures during testing, this beautifully designed French door fridge has so many storage options that it'll blow your mind. While most counter-depth fridges make you feel as though you had to give up storage space so that its shallower profile will fit in with your cabinetry, the FG4H2272UF makes every cubic foot of space count.

Not only does it have adjustable-width sliding bins on the door, but the fridge itself has a retractable shelf, a pocket "snack zone" that lives just below the crisper (and allows easy access for the shorter humans in your life), and an entire fourth compartment that can be used as either additional fridge or freezer storage. If your food storage needs vary greatly, or if you just want a fridge that preserves your food and looks good doing it, the Frigidaire FG4H2272UF is an easy choice to make.

Read all counter-depth refrigerator reviews.

Only available at Best Buy, the Insignia NS–RTM18WH7 refrigerator has one big thing going for it: a low, low sale price, which means it's cheaper than almost any other full-size fridge you can buy.

The to 18-cubic-foot top-freezer had a tough time with some of our tests. Namely, it ran a little hot, with temperatures well above our preferred value of 37°F. Bumping the temperature down to the lowest setting will ensure that your food is being safely preserved. On the other hand, this fridge was one of the most efficient fridges (in terms of electricity usage) that's ever come through our labs. There's also plenty of storage space, with no hidden extras (like water filters or air filters) to take up valuable real estate that you need for a pizza box or a Thanksgiving turkey. We think the Insignia NS-RTM18WH7 is worth a look if you need a second fridge, or if your budget is tight.

Read all affordable refrigerator reviews.

If you want a fridge that is capable of both high-quality food preservation and of being a conversation starter, look no further than the LG LSXS26366S three-door, side-by-side refrigerator. Yes, you read that correctly—it has three doors.

With a press of a button, you can access the door-in-door storage on the upper right side of the fridge, which allows you to easily grab the items you need frequently without disrupting the cooling of the rest of the fridge. Between this very useful storage feature and food preservation that just won't quit, we'd highly recommend the LG LSXS26366S to anyone, especially if you're looking for a compromise between a side-by-side fridge and a French-door fridge.

Read all side-by-side refrigerator reviews.

The Bosch 800 Series SHPM88Z75N (2019) is everything we've come to expect from Bosch—quiet, efficient, and stylish. With a sound rating of 40 dBA, it's one of the quietest dishwashers that's ever come through our labs. This dishwasher did an amazing job removing some of our more difficult stains, like burnt-on cheese and spinach; however, as is the case with most dishwashers, the spinach that got blasted off of our test dishes was occasionally redeposited onto other dishes.

The major selling point of the SHPM88Z75N is its CrystalDry feature. Using zeolite crystals, this dishwasher completely dries all of your dishes, even the plastic tupperware that always seems to need a couple of passes with a dish towel before you can put it away. If your primary method of storing food is with plastic food storage containers, the SHPM88Z75N will save you a lot of extra time and effort when it comes to getting your dishes clean and dry.

The LG LDF5545ST may look futuristic, but behind its unique, integrated handle is a quiet, efficient, stainless steel dishwasher with a plethora of cycles and features. Amazingly, this LG dishwasher has a cleaning performance that is comparable to that of our highest-rated Bosch dishwashers but only costs half as much. The LDF5545ST has the best Heavy cycle that's ever come through our labs—it removed 100 percent of the stains on every single dish, and showed no evidence of redeposit. The Heavy cycle took about two-and-a-half hours to finish, but we can hardly complain when extremely dirty dishes come out spotlessly clean.

With a solid warranty and relatively low price, this dishwasher will give you a lot of bang for your buck.

Read all affordable dishwasher reviews.

This free-standing Frigidaire Professional has the look of a slide-in and the performance of a much pricier range. The 30-inch rangetop can get both screaming-hot yet can be mild enough to melt chocolate, while the 5.1-cu.-ft. oven bakes absolutely evenly. We also appreciated extras like a storage drawer, bridge burner, griddle, and temperature probe. Visually, the stainless-steel finish is beautiful and smudge-proof. Read full review.

Read all electric range reviews.

Samsung continues to impress with another outstanding range. It wasn't just the premium look that captured our attention. The performance was as good or better than the best gas ranges we've ever tested. This slide-in range has five sealed burners on top, ranging from 5,000 to 18,000 BTUs. An included griddle rests neatly on top of the oval-shaped burner in the center when you need it. Our tests found that the minimum and maximum temperatures weren't record-breaking by any means, but it can water boiling quickly enough and the 120˚F-minimum is enough for most kinds of cooking. If you need super-low simmers, you might want to check out an induction range instead.

The Samsung NX58K9500WG is a baker's delight thanks to a wonderful oven packed with useful features. It offers a true convection fan for even bakes. The pre-heat is faster than competing ranges. There's also a warming drawer for proving bread, pre-heating plates, or keeping side dishes warm. The cookies, cakes, and pork we cooked during testing all came out looking great. The user reviews are widely positive, with most people citing the power, pre-heat speed, and aesthetics. It's available in stainless or black stainless. Some users have complained about the black stainless finish being scratch-prone, though that's a known issue with many brands.

Read all gas range reviews.

We loved our time with the Frigidaire FFIF3054TS. It's not the fanciest range you can buy by any means, but the induction cooktop is simply too good to ignore, especially since the price has dropped below a grand.

With that price barrier breached, it may convince some people who've been on the fence to finally give induction a try. That said, there are some things to consider. The FFIF3054TSW is a great value, but it's not hard to find where some corners were cut when you compare it to a more premium range. There's no convection bake mode, and the fit & finish isn't perfect. But likely, you'll end up as happy—or even happier—than you were with your old gas or electric cooktop. Read full review.

The 30-inch, 5-burner LDG4315ST double oven gas range offers 6.9 cubic feet of total oven space. The 4.3 cubic-foot bottom oven is equipped with LG's ProBake convection technology, which moves the heating element to the back and resulted in outstanding baking quality. Plus, both ovens can be cleaned in 10 minutes using LG's EasyClean Express cycle. Read full review.

Read all double oven range reviews.