The best breakfast gadgets of 2019

Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

There's a lot to love about the Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer. We immediately noticed how easy this juicer was to use, thanks to the large, comfortable handles and a gear mechanism that helped us press into the fruit without much effort. It was one of the fastest juicers we used, and it did so without sacrificing the quality of the juice. Unlike most of the juicers (which feature tiny little holes), the Chef'n has star-shaped slits in the bottom of the hopper. Those slits worked magic, allowing the juice to pass through without any seeds and a limited amount of pulp. It was also less messy than most of the units, barely spraying any juice out the sides as you used it.

Chef'n spared no attention to detail here, including tiny feet on the bottom of the hopper that allow the juicer to sit on the counter without falling over. Not only that, but it has a small profile that easily fits into the gadget drawer and it's super simple to clean. This type of citrus juicer is a no-brainer to use, even if you only need a mere tablespoon of juice. While it wouldn't be my top choice for anyone looking to juice massive amounts of oranges (and, it's not large enough to fit a grapefruit), it performs perfectly for anyone looking to use citrus juice in cooking or cocktail recipes. All that comes together to make it our top pick for Best Overall.

See more of the best citrus juicers we tested and reviewed.

Black and Decker CJ625 Citrus Juicer

If you're a big fresh-squeezed orange juice fan, you'll love the Black and Decker CJ625 34-ounce Citrus Juicer. This motorized juicer was the second fastest we tested, making quick work of juicing our lemons, limes, and oranges. The unit has two juicing sizes–a smaller cone for lemons and limes, and a larger one for orange and grapefruit–both of which worked perfectly. We detected almost no bitterness in the orange juice, and we loved how easily the bowl clipped into the base. It also has an adjustable pulp control, and the rotating reamer's design helped prevent the pulp from clogging the basket (even on the low-pulp setting).

It takes up about the same amount of space as a small food processor, and the juicing bowl doubles as a pitcher. If you're specifically looking for a motorized citrus juicer that can handle large quantities of juice and isn't terribly loud, this is the unit for you.

See more of the best citrus juicers we tested and reviewed.

Omega J8006

The Omega J8006 is a horizontal auger masticating juicer, meaning the element that presses out juice does its work slowly, and the whole thing is oriented horizontally rather than vertically. It's also the best overall juicer we tested. Yield was consistently high, with a nice balance of pulp that gave the juice body without affecting taste. In a blind taste test, the J8006 beat the Omega VSJ843 and the Breville Juice Fountain Duo, and—best of all—the J8006 is one of the easiest juicers to disassemble and clean.

And you’ll need to clean your juicer immediately after using it. Well... drink your juice first, then clean. Otherwise fruit and vegetable pieces will dry and stick to the machine.

The Omega J8006 isn’t perfect. It has one of the smallest feed tubes—where you insert the produce to be juiced—so you’ll have to cut large fruit down to size. And although the powerful motor does a great job tearing up tough vegetables, it can take some effort to push the produce down through the tube to the auger. "Slow" masticating juicers like this one specialize in leafy greens, but they aren't wise choices if you want to juice soft fruits exclusively—centrifugal models are perfectly adequate for that.

Ultimately we found the quality of juice worth the effort and, at prices under $300, found the J8006 well worth the money, too.

See more of the best juicers we tested and reviewed.

Technivorm Moccamaster KB-741

With its mid-century design and an exposed reservoir, you'll want to leave the Moccamaster out on the counter even when it’s not in use. But it doesn't just look great. Indeed, the pricey Moccamaster brews a complex and smooth pot of coffee that ranked highest in our taste test. This machine also fills a full pot quickly—a necessity for the morning rush.

Only two optional settings are available: You can control the heating element under the carafe and turn down the temperature if desired. Other than that, the Moccamaster doesn't have—and doesn't need—anything else. Technivorm boasts that its heating element can get water between 196ºF and 205ºF, which specialists say is the ideal temperature for brewing coffee.

As much as we love the Moccamaster, it isn't for everyone. Handmade in the Netherlands, it costs around $300—and would never win an award for value. It lacks a programmable timer, and it was also bit more difficult to set up than the rest of the coffee makers—in fact most were ready to go right out of the box. But a quick look at the instruction diagram should clear up any confusion, and the end result is well worth the effort.

See more of the best drip coffee makers we tested and reviewed.

Keurig K575

Considering that Keurig is responsible for introducing Americans to pod coffee, we weren't surprised that the company's flagship K575 topped our list.

The K575 features a responsive and easy-to-navigate touchscreen, a massive 80 oz. water reservoir (the largest available), and the option to brew a full carafe for guests. Users can adjust everything from cup size, to temperature, to coffee strength, and can make cocoa, tea, chai, and even soup.

In our tests we found the K575 easy to use, quick to brew, and remarkably quiet. It also comes with a useful hot-water-only mode. The one drawback is that it can only be used with Keurig 2.0 pods, although the My K-Cup 2.0 reusable filter can accept whatever ground coffee you choose.

See more of the best pod brewers we tested and reviewed.

SterlingPro SS Double Wall Cafetiere

Receiving top marks across the board during all of our tests, SterlingPro's double walls provide excellent insulation, meaning the coffee stays hot while the exterior unit remains cool to the touch (neither of which is guaranteed from other materials). The lid can also be spun around to seal off the pouring spot and hold in heat when not in use. The snugly fitting filter is equipped with double screens, preventing grounds from sneaking into your cup, and every part of the press is constructed from rust-free stainless steel, so it'd take an act of God for this baby to deteriorate or break.

It’s relatively lightweight for a metal model, and easy to operate too. The lid fits snugly, and the plunger pushes down smoothly without excess effort. Not only is it dishwasher safe, but you can also scrub by hand, as the filters can be removed. The canister doesn’t include any outer casings to fumble with, either. It boasts an especially large capacity (holding about six mugs where the average in this size-class is four) and is multi-use, so it's good for making anything from cold brew to hot chocolate. This machine also produces perfectly frothed milk in seconds. On top of that, it’s a great price—while stainless steel presses can flirt with the $100 range, the SterlingPro clocks in at around $30.

See more of the best french presses we tested and reviewed.

Kona French Press Coffee Maker by IdylcHomes

For $20 at Amazon, you can’t ask more from a French press. Kona really delivers with their multi-material model, which is composed of an easy-on-the-eye, extra-thick borosilicate glass carafe (resistant to thermal shock) which is surrounded by a BPA-free plastic outer shell. This helps insulate and protect against chips and breaks. Those two pieces are fused, meaning your hands won’t get scalded if the outer skeleton slips (this does make it slightly trickier to clean, but the whole thing is dishwasher safe).

The Kona is light, with an ergonomic handle, a tight-fitting lid, a and smooth moving plunger, so it’s comfortable to use and hold. And the reusable filters are made of food-grade stainless steel instead of plastic (not often the case with less expensive, glass/plastic presses) that won’t transmit flavors, and are considerably longer lasting. But the thing that really set the Kona apart is its ability to quickly foam milk—something we found near impossible with plastic presses, and quite time consuming with glass.

See more of the best french presses we tested and reviewed.

Maxi-Matic Elite Platinum EC-120 12 Cup Percolator

Except for a transparent top knob (which aids in one of the understood pleasures of percolating—watching the coffee circling), the Maxi-Matic is composed mainly of stainless steel. That speaks to why it brewed one of the most balanced, flavorful cups of the bunch since plastic mechanisms can transmit chemicals and lead to off-tastes and aromas. It even has all of our preferred percolator elements such as separate power and ready-to-drink indicator lights, its comfortable-to-hold, heat-resistant handle, and a thin, curved spout that aids in pouring and prevent drips.

The Maxi-Matic also one-ups the other models we tested with a few unique advantages. The pot can be lifted off the heating element completely for seamless, cordless serving, then returned to its base, where it will be kept warm automatically. It has a boil dry safety feature, too, which, even when plugged in, ensures the pot won’t continue to heat once there’s no liquid inside.

See more of the best electric coffee percolator's we tested and reviewed.

Breville BWM520XL No-Mess Waffle Maker

You can depend on the Breville the No Mess Waffle for thin crispy waffle rounds, one after another, after another. The other great thing about this brushed stainless-steel waffler is that it has a moat around the waffle grid that catches any excess batter so there’s never any runover on the counter or the machine itself making it truly no mess. It lights up and beeps when it’s hot enough for baking and again when your waffle is ready, but we wish the beeps were louder—they would be easy to miss in a noisy kitchen. After breakfast, you can latch the grids together and store it on its side to have more room to prep for the next meal.

See more of the best waffle makers we tested and reviewed.

Cuisinart WAF-F20 Double Belgian Waffle Maker

If you love waffles, it’s worth giving the large Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker some of your precious counter real estate. It makes the waffles dreams are made of—thick, fluffy, and tender on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. Plus, it bakes two at a time. After you add batter to one chamber, you rotate it in its frame, fill the other side, and rotate it again. Lights and tones signal when each one is done. Unlike less expensive flip machines, this one feels solid and well built. It also comes with a ¾ cup measure for batter.

See more of the best waffle makers we tested and reviewed.

Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Grill/Griddle

Meeting (and in some cases exceeding) our basic expectations for an electric griddle, the Hamilton Beach has a series of notable special features, which catapulted it right to the top of our list. It’s equipped with two reversible, easy to snap in, non-stick plates (which are PFOA-free, too) with flat griddles on one side and ridged grills on the other. And while the tradeoff here is usually surface area (you often lose a significant amount of cooking real estate where the plates connect), the transition is nearly seamless. Its 180 square inches allowed us to fit four big pancakes, three pieces of bacon, and two eggs on our griddle without a hitch. Cleanup was also easier since you can remove and wash the plates without having to stick the entire unit in the sink (bonus: the plates—and the grease tray included with the griddle—are also dishwasher safe).

Another savvy addition to this griddle is that each side of the unit has its own heating control, so you can adjust the temperature under each plate. That’s highly useful when cooking a variety of items at once. Unsurprisingly, the heating consistency of the Hamilton Beach 3-n-1 griddle also rated highly in our tests. In addition to uniformly griddling our breakfast items, the Hamilton Beach executed a perfect grilled cheese—evenly browned outsides and fully melted interiors. And it did it in less time than the other models we tested.

See more of the best electric griddles we tested and reviewed.

Black and Decker Family-Sized Griddle

If you’re really not interested in bells and whistles, the Black and Decker scored top marks for a standard flat top griddle. This family-sized unit is all about its cooking surface, offering 200 square inches of room to griddle and groove. Temperature can be easily adjusted with a click and lock thermostat, and all the items we tested cooked through evenly and quickly (it produced wonderfully crispy bacon and a mean grilled cheese). And although you can’t remove and wash the surface separately, the entire unit can be submerged in water, and since it’s so light and streamlined—also a plus for storage—washing it by hand isn’t a pain. It helps that a bare minimum of grease is needed on the ultra-slick, nonstick surface and that it cools down quickly after unplugging. The only real downside to the Black and Decker is that the cord for the plug is extremely short, which—unless you get an extension cord—will determine where you can use it in your kitchen.

See more of the best electric griddles we tested and reviewed.

Black & Decker 2-Slice Toaster

The incredibly affordable Black + Decker 2-Slice Toaster Model #TR2900SD browned and crisped bread as evenly as toasters more than triple its price. When we toasted five batches one after another—as you might when you have a crowd over for brunch—every slice came out looking exactly the same.
Although it probably won’t win a design award, with its clean lines and brushed stainless-steel finish, the B + D will look spiffy in any kitchen. To select your shade, you turn a small dial and you do have to look close to make out the numbered settings. It has both bagel and frozen buttons.

See more of the best toasters we tested and reviewed.

Hamilton Beach 6 Slice Easy Reach Toaster Oven with Convection

The Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Oven with Convection won’t take up the space that more expensive toaster ovens do, while still delivering excellent toasting and baking. In addition, the door rolls back, making it exceptionally easy to put in and take out food. It also means more room on the countertop in front of the oven and a slimmer chance of getting burned. (On all toaster ovens, the door gets very hot to the touch.)

Of all the toaster ovens we tested, it was the fastest at toasting bread, with times fairly similar to a pop-up toaster. Biscuits come out as high, flaky, and golden as if you made them in the oven—and faster, too.

While you can broil in the Hamilton Beach, don’t expect much browning. What you also don’t get at this price: electronic controls. To operate, you pick a setting and turn a mechanical timer. The times aren’t precise but you do see the minutes counting down. While the timer only goes to 30 minutes you can choose the “Stay On” option. If you use it, remember to turn the oven off when your food is done. A lightweight aluminum baking pan is included.

See more of the best toaster ovens we tested and reviewed.

Shun DM0705 Classic 9-Inch Bread Knife

If I’m being completely honest, I used to laugh at line cooks who bought the Shun DM0705 Classic 9-Inch Bread Knife. “You spent how much money on a knife that you can’t sharpen?” As it turns out, the joke’s on me: This knife was a joy to use, absolutely acing our tests and earning an unprecedented perfect score. It sliced through crusty baguette like butter and the soft bread fell into perfect slices on the cutting board. The blade moved effortlessly through the tomatoes, barely requiring any sawing motion at all. In addition to a high-performing, ultra-sharp blade, this knife is also completely gorgeous with a Damascus finish and an ebony PakkaWood handle. It might cost a pretty penny, but Shun also has a reputation for creating blades with super-sharp edges that stay that way for years.

See more of the best serrated bread knives we tested and reviewed.

Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Wide Bread Knife

The Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-Inch Wide Bread Knife is proof that good things don't always come in fancy packages. This brand is a major supplier of culinary school knife kits (I had a set of these knives back in the day). While you'll find the design to be a bit boring, its performance completely impresses. In fact, this budget-priced knife almost outperformed our top pick! I was pleasantly surprised by perfectly clean slices of the soft sandwich bread, a task most of the knives could not do. It certainly won't be a showpiece, but if you’re looking for a knife that can perform without breaking the bank, this is the one for you.

See more of the best serrated bread knives we tested and reviewed.