If you’ve been looking into air fryers, you’ve probably noticed that home cooks can’t stop talking about the Ninja AF101. You can use this handy tool to air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate your favorite foods while using up to 75 percent less fat than traditional frying methods. The basket has a ceramic coating, so cleaning up is a breeze, and the parts are dishwasher-safe. One reviewer gushes: “I want to use this for everything. I like to think of this as a personal-sized convection oven on steroids.”

$130 (38% off)

Only cooking for two? Katie uses this mini crock pot to whip up easy meals for her and Molner. Add chicken breasts, salsa, black beans, and taco seasoning to the crock pot in the morning, let it cook while you work, and when you come home at night, pour that delicious mixture over rice. Sprinkle cilantro and cheese over top at the end for some extra delicious flavor!

Katie’s fingers never smell like garlic, and it’s not because she doesn’t use the bulbous plant. It’s because she doesn’t claw the peel off with her fingernails like the rest of us garlic-loving loonies. “I swear by this gadget,” Katie says. Just put your cloves in the rubber tube, roll it on the counter, and the peel will come right off. No more papery garlic husks flying around your kitchen!

Most of us with even minimal cooking experience are familiar with Le Creuset: As a cookware brand, they’re famous for their beautiful and long-lasting enameled pots and pans. The keyword here is long-lasting. Katie Couric Media staffer Diana inherited one from her grandmother years ago and the pot still makes a lovely pozole. This Dutch oven won’t necessarily come cheap (even on sale), but as one reviewer says, “If you buy it, just know you’re making a legitimate investment that will pay for itself over and over and over again for decades to come.”

Making coffee at home is a habit that’s better for your wallet and the environment, and having a milk frother makes a homemade brew much more enticing. Katie adds cinnamon to her milk for a delicious (and sugar-free) treat in the morning. This handheld gadget is great for frothing hot and cold milks, but you can also get ones that heat your milk, too.

$20 (15% off) 

“I love nuts in salads, cookies, bars, and granola, and this handy device makes prepping them almost too easy,” Katie says. Simply insert your nuts, turn the handle, and you’ll have freshly chopped morsels in seconds.

Years ago, Bobby Flay (name drop, no shame) gifted Katie a container of Maldon salt. She’s been hooked ever since. You can use it to finish off pasta dishes, sprinkle it atop chocolate chip cookies, and so much more. Plus, it makes a great gift for a friend who loves to cook. Katie buys large containers of the stuff to make sure she doesn’t run out.

Once that garlic is peeled, you can bake it soaked in olive oil and rosemary in this mini Le Creuset dish. It’s under $30, and you could pair it with the aforementioned fancy salt as a hostess gift for any dinner parties you’ll be attending.

Having a ton of mismatched, overused, and downright outdated pots and pans can be an eyesore, not to mention affect your cooking. Revamp your essentials with GreenPan’s Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick set, which includes a whopping 22 pieces of dishwasher and oven-safe cookware that will totally transform your meals. 

Frozen waffles have their time and place, but homemade waffles can make your at-home breakfast feel like room service. This waffle iron is easy to use and even easier to clean, and it sets itself apart because it’s designed for making stuffed recipes. If you’re drooling, you’re not alone. It’s got over 3,700 five-star ratings from reviewers raving about how often they use it, and a few even use it to make savory waffles. What can’t this gadget do?!

$70 (29% off) 

Having a glass of wine or a cocktail while at the beach or pool is a dream, but spilling it in the sand or water is a nightmare. With this acrylic cup, you don’t have to worry about tipped-over drinks ever again. You can stake it in the sand if you’re on the shore, or you can let it float in the pool while you’re taking an evening dip. (Just be sure to keep splashing to a minimum — you don’t want to be drinking a chlorinated cocktail.)

Plastic cutting boards can be a hazardous source of microplastics entering your food, so a natural wood butcher block might be a better choice for your chopping needs. This one is made out of end-grain teak wood, which is strong, durable, and great for keeping knives sharp. It’s a hefty investment at first, but this is the kind of item you can own for life if you care for it properly.

A rice cooker can do so much more than just cook rice. This one in particular has 18 different functions, so it can steam, sauté, slow cook, and everything else in between for the one-pot meal of your dreams. This one even has a button to make oatmeal! Not convinced? The fact that you’ll be left with fewer dishes to clean should seal the deal.

You’ll find Katie whipping up cobblers and pies with the sweet cherries all year long. Removing the pits can be a pain, but using this stapler-like device makes pitting cherries as easy as, well, pie.

There are few things less appealing than a disorganized kitchen. And a utensil drawer is one of the prime places where chaos can fester. Keep your spoons and forks in their rightful place with this organizer, made of eco-friendly bamboo that looks surprisingly chic (and that’s not an adjective we use often to describe such an essential accessory).

If you love making smoothies and soups but loath pulling out a bulky blender, try something smaller. An immersion blender works just as well for cold concoctions as it does for your favorite creamy soups. This one comes with a milk frothing attachment for your morning latte and a whisk attachment for making whipped cream, frosting, or scrambled eggs.

We’re big fans of cooking in cast iron skillets for their even heating power and high heat tolerance. You can take this one from the stove to the oven to the grill without worrying about shattering finishes or melted coatings. Plus, Lodge’s skillet is economical without sacrificing quality and comes with a handy pot holder to make lifting your pan easier. Don’t forget a stainless steel scrubber ($7) to go with it, and make sure you read the care instructions to keep it in good shape for years.

Finally, the perfect tool to help you get that last smidgen of foundation, peanut butter, or lip gloss: the Spatty. This mini rubber spatula was born out of founder Cheryl Rigdon’s frustration with having to throw away almost empty bottles of expensive makeup, and she has since developed versions perfect for the kitchen, crafting, and home improvement projects. The Spatty makes it simple to cut down on wasted products and food, and a portion of the proceeds are donated to efforts to improve access to clean water.