30 Things To Make Cooking Easier If You’re Busy

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

A tofu press, a Blue Apron subscription, an automatic pan stirrer, and other things to make home cooking feel less like a hassle.

BuzzFeed Staff

Promising review: "Bought an air fryer several months ago, which I haven't used a whole lot because it came with only a few recipes but not enough info on other items to cook. The Lotteli cheat sheet gives you cooking times and temperatures for a lot of your common everyday foods in a magnetized easy-to-read, two-sheet combo that fills in where the air fryer pamphlet that came with the unit leaves out. I also bought an air fryer cookbook, but this only comes with specific recipes, whereas the cheat sheet fills in the void for quick basic needs. Very happy with this purchase! 😁" —B. Frank Smith

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in two colors, two styles, and a Spanish-language version).

You can also heat up pizza slices, chicken nuggets, and more with it, meaning you'll have dinner ready in a matter of minutes. Reviewers say these are also great for anyone with a gluten allergy who needs to keep their bread separate in the toaster.

Promising review: "TikTok made me buy this!! I do not regret it. :) Great purchase for the grilled cheese lovers. It's easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to store. Highly recommend." —Gloria Nunez

Get a four-pack from Amazon for $8.99 (also available in a 6- and 10-pack).

Fullstar is a small business established in 2017 that specializes in kitchen gadgets.

Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action.

Promising review: "Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. We used to have a Prepworks chopper, which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food and it has a generous container." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $23.99 (available in two colors).

They can also use it to chop nuts, fruits, and veggies!

Promising review: "I purchased this as a gift for my friend who is a fantastic cook — she uses fresh ingredients almost exclusively — but pressing fresh garlic is a task usually delegated. No longer — Gracula is there for her. She uses him nearly every time she needs garlic (which is basically daily), and months later still makes a point of saying how much she enjoys the gift. I'm pretty sure she likes it better than other gifts I've gotten her, which were more expensive/thought out, and I'm fairly certain it's what took me from 'good friend' to 'best friend,' but it be that way sometimes. Anyway, definitely recommended for people who cook with garlic and have a sense of humor." —L

Get it from Amazon for $24.95.

BTW locals, TofuBud is a small biz based in San Fransisco!

Promising review: "I was resistant to getting a tofu press. Another kitchen gadget! But this little guy does not disappoint. It saves time and is clean, fast, and easy. I thought I would want something made of wood or metal — but really this is just the thing. It’s cute, rinses out lickety-split, and gets the job done without messing up towels or having to boil off extra water. My countertop stays clean. I’ve been a vegetarian all my life and this little gadget is already indispensable." —Maria Lewis

Get it from Amazon for $21.99 or TofuBud for $26.95.

Here's why BuzzFeed market editor Abby Kass loves this:

"I recently picked one of these up, and it is such a game changer. I have hated using a colander so much. It's so bulky, hard to use, and takes SO much time to clean. This solves all those problems. I've clipped it on various pots and pans, and it's fit every single one. It makes it ridiculously easy to strain the water out of the pasta and even the excess fat from ground beef. I'm throwing my old colander away because it will never be used now that I have this genius tool!"

Promising review: "Love, love, love this pasta strainer!!! My husband and I hate cleaning out the strainer, so I ordered this to make life easier. OMG, does it make life easier!!! If this ever breaks, I’ll be ordering another! It’s very sturdy and easy to use. Absolutely love it!" —ShylohsRedShadow

Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in four colors).

Promising review: "I use these mats multiple times a day. They make cleanup super easy, which is really important in my hectic life. They wipe off easily with just water." —Tasia Lung

Get a set of two from Amazon for $14.24 (available in two styles and larger packs).

Promising review: "I absolutely love these liners. I love the fact that you get three in the package so you don’t have to immediately wash the one you’re using before you reuse it. You can just simply use one of the other two. This was a brilliant idea." —Roxanne C

Get a pack of three from Amazon for $10.17+ (available in six sizes, three shapes, and two colors).

Promising review: "I love eating raw bell peppers, and this handy gadget has been a real time-saver. Removes the core to make slicing up peppers much more efficient. Two thumbs up for this ingenious kitchen gadget." —I love Amazon

Get it from Amazon for $12.99.

Get it from our Goodful shop for $19.99.

Promising review: "Just yesterday, I was using these claws to turn a roast I was browning, and I declared my undying love for them. Then I remembered I haven't yet written a review for them. They seriously have changed my life as far as cooking meat. Flipping a chicken, or a goose, or a duck, turning a roast, transferring a roast from the rack onto the board for cutting, holding the meat steady while cutting — the claws do it all. They are like salad hands for your meat. Buy them and see your life change too!" —Anonymous

Get them from Amazon for $20.99 (available in two styles).

Promising review: "Wow wow wow, I have no words to describe how great this product is. I'm a mom with a large family who cooks and bakes all the time, and there is never a time that something doesn't spill over even when standing and watching the pot. With this, life has just gotten easy. I think I'm throwing out all my pot covers after using this."—Rackel

Get it from Amazon for $20+ (available in three colors).

It even has handy serving size holes on top so you can ensure that you're putting the right amount of noodles inside!

Promising review: "This little thing is great. I wish I'd bought it sooner. It's a very simple container with draining and measuring holes (for long pasta) in the lid. The container itself isn't anything special. Honestly, the part that makes it REALLY worth buying is the little instruction card. It accurately shows you how long to cook many different kinds of pasta, how much water to add, etc. It takes out all the guesswork, which saves SO much time. Every kind of pasta I've tried so far has come out perfectly al dente by strictly following the instructions." —T. B. H.

Get it from Amazon for $17.99.

Promising review: "I’m delighted with this brush. With the rise of popularity of sweet potato dishes, I didn’t want to lose nutrition by tossing the skins. The amount of dirt this removes from the surface actually surprised me. The grip is comfortable. Go ahead! Grab the brush, and eat those skins!" —Jennifer Guerrero

Get it from Amazon for $7.95.

It can prepare food up to 70% faster than other methods. It can keep food warm automatically for up to 10 hours, and there are three temperatures for sautéing and slow cooking. The inner cooking pot, lid, and steam rack are dishwasher-safe! Check out Instant Pot review for more deets!

Promising review: "This is quite possibly the coolest, most versatile kitchen gadget I’ve ever owned. I love it so much that I’ve purchased two more for friends and relatives. What can it do? I think the real question is 'What can’t it do?' I truly believe you could replace every cooking appliance (including your oven and stove top) and do EVERYTHING in the Instant Pot. I purchased two sizes for my own use: the three quart (which is my almost-every-day workhorse for two-person dishes) and the eight quart (which I bring out to handle my dinner party dishes). Everything I’ve tried has been fabulous. In the realm of kitchen appliances, there is no better investment than the Instant Pot. Highly recommended!!!" —Stereoman

Get it from Amazon for $79.99+ (available in three sizes and styles).

Frywall is a New York-based small business that specializes in protective kitchen accessories.

Promising review: "I was frying chicken with lard, and I put too much in the frying pan. A few minutes after putting the chicken in, the lard began to bubble up, and if I hadn't had the Frywall in place, it would have spilled all over my stove. The Frywall creates a seal around my frying pan, stopping spillovers. Splatters don't escape, it's easy to work around it (turning my chicken over), and when I'm done, I just throw it in the dishwasher. If you do any frying at all, you want the Frywall. Helpful." —Carl G Brown

Get it from Amazon for $21.95 (available in three colors).

See it in action on TikTok here!

Promising review: "If you are on the fence about getting one of these, GET ONE. It really is as easy as it sounds to have a perfectly cooked egg, no guesswork. Soft-boiled eggs took me about 11 minutes to make. Just have an ice bath ready next to the cooker, and let the eggs sit for a minute or two in there...peels come right off :) Makes healthy eating a breeze in the morning! Where has this been all my life!??!?" —rebecca

Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "This is a great item for lightly spraying salads, roasting vegetables, or adding some oil to a prepared plate of pasta. Avoids using more oil than necessary, so that’s savings right there. I also use it to put a light coating of oil on all my cast-iron cookware to prevent rust. Best of all, it looks great on the dinner table. It has lots of uses, which really makes it an asset in the kitchen. It seems that it should last a while, so I think it is worth the few bucks spent." —Clancy

Get it from Amazon for $11.39 (also available as a set of two).

Meal types offered: Gluten-free, dairy-free, meatless, calorie-conscious, and carb-conscious meals.

What does it include? Portioned and labeled ingredients, and instructions for your choice of meals that take 30 minutes or 15 minutes to cook. Oven-ready meals that simply need to be popped into the oven are also available!

Promising review: "Excellent flavors, easy to make, and a good variety of meals that arrive fresh and correctly prepared every time. Couldn't be more pleased. Has saved me time and money during the busy weekdays!" —Jessica

Get it from Home Chef starting at $8.99/serving.

Meal types offered: Vegetarian, diabetes-friendly recipes, and family-style meals.

What does it include? fresh measured ingredients from family-run farms, measured spices, and recyclable packaging.

Get it from Blue Apron: a two-serving plan starting at $12.49/serving or a four-serving plan starting at $9.99/serving.

It's made of BPA-free food grade material, has both US and metric measurements, and is dishwasher- and microwave-safe!

Kitchen Cube was founded in Minneapolis by a group of entrepreneurs who were tired of having a bunch of measuring tools cluttering up and getting lost in their drawers!

Promising review: "First of all I gotta say, I don’t cook much, and if there’s something I hate after cooking, it's having to wash a bunch of utensils once I use them. This cube has been amazing — I don’t have to wash a million utensils over and over, it’s very easy to use, easy to clean, and it’s very handy to use when I’m meal prepping for the week. I bought this out of curiosity and ended up enjoying it a lot. If a regular guy like me is enjoying it, I’m sure it would be a great tool for people who cook or bake on a regular basis." —Daniel Matajira

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

What's included: Large deep dish, large shallow dish, medium deep dish, medium shallow dish, and two small dishes.

Anyday is a small, modern cookware brand from Steph Chen. If you need some inspiration, check out Anyday's dish ideas which include recipes from the likes of David Chang and Joshua McFadden!

Promising review: "Giving five stars does not do this dish justice; it needs five billion stars! This has to be the BEST product I have ever purchased in my life. Since I do not have access to a stove or oven, these dishes have allowed me to 'cook' chicken, salmon, tilapia, shrimp, pork chops, and vegetables with just a microwave! Genius!! Thank you Anyday for this beautiful ray of sunshine you have bestowed upon my life." —SR

Get it from Anyday for $170 (originally $200; available in three colors).

All removable parts are dishwasher safe so cleanup is easy!

Promising review: "If you are looking for an easy way to make a breakfast sandwich, look no further. I wish I knew this product existed years ago! The bread comes out toasted, the meat was warm, the egg was cooked perfectly, and the unit was super easy to clean. I couldn’t be happier with how well this bad boy performed from start to finish. All I used was butter to prep the hot surfaces. After, I used a wet paper towel on the nonstick surfaces, and voila! A clean unit ready for another run. I LOVE this sandwich maker!!!" —Merc

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six colors).

Promising review: "Honestly, I laughed at myself for buying this. I stopped laughing the first time I used it! What a help! It freed me up to do other things while it stirred the sauce that needed constant attention. Bought another one! Not laughing now!" —Luvdvm

Get it from Uncommon Goods for $25+ (battery-powered and rechargeable versions available).

Promising review: "I gotta say this is the best sharpener I ever bought in my whole life. I got it today and brought it to work. I work at a Japanese restaurant as a sushi chef and I sharpened it at work and, wow, my knife was as sharp as a samurai sword! Even my coworkers were surprised and asked me to order one for them. Thanks for the product! Now I don't have to use the stone or sharpen rod that much anymore." —Are

Get it from Amazon for $10.40+ (available in six colors and styles).

Read one BuzzFeeder's full review of the mini knife sharpener to learn more.

All parts are top-rack dishwasher-safe!

Promising review: "I LOVE this thing! Breakfast has never been faster or easier! And it doesn't make a noise that will wake everyone up while I am mixing. The silicone tip is real silicone (for those wondering about the pinch test) and does well against cast iron. I have never been able to get my pancakes this fluffy until now! So great! Planning on buying more from this brand! It is also super easy to clean. The bottom comes off to fill it up and it turns into a holder for the bottle by setting the top into the bottom setting. It suggests putting in your liquid first then your mix but if making a large amount you might have to gently tap it a bit." —KC Hunter

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

Just add your noodles, fill with water to the water line marked inside the cooker, microwave for three minutes, and that's it! Perfect ramen noodles! Plus, this is BPA-free and can be put in the dishwasher!

Rapid Brands is a California-based small business that specializes in dishwasher-safe, microwaveable, BPA-free kitchen products.

Promising review: "This thing is amazing. Crack the noodles, throw 'em in, put the spice packet in, fill the water to the line, microwave for four minutes, and they're perfect. Not too hard, not too soft. You can even add in frozen veggies at the start (just make sure they're under the noodles or on the side), and throw cheese on at the very last 30 seconds if you want. The handles don't get hot, so you can grab it right out of the microwave, and it's easy to clean to boot! This is just a DREAM for me when I'm feeling lazy. Oh, and they're dishwasher safe." —Jessica B

Get it from Amazon for $10.98+ (available in 14 colors, two styles, and multipacks).

A lot of people also use these for pancake and protein pancake bites!

Promising review: "I bought this in hopes to make egg bites similar to Starbucks, and I have not been disappointed. I chose this one after reading reviews on the smaller four-bite size. I have used it multiple times and have had excellent results each time. I followed the recipe in the booklet, and used a tip from another reviewer that suggested to triple the cottage cheese amount. It’s very easy to use and clean." —April124

Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in three colors).

This machine has 12 settings: French, quick (no yeast), sweet, 1.5-pound express, 2-pound express, dough, jam, cake, whole grain, and bake. The settings allow you to select your loaf size and choose between a light, medium, or dark crust. It also includes an interior pan and two kneading paddles that are all dishwasher-safe!

Promising review: "The machine is perfect!!!!. I already made two loaves of bread yesterday and am getting ready to make another loaf today. If you are lazy like me and would rather put all the ingredients into a machine and let it do all the work, this is the bread maker for you." —Pam Charmley

Get it from Amazon for $89.99.

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.