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Kitchen & Cooking

These are the best kitchen & cooking products of 2021

Reviewed's 2021 Best of Year awards

A KitchenAid stand mixer and Instant Pot on a teal and red background with the text, "2021 Best of Year Reviewed" Credit: Reviewed / KitchenAid / Instant Pot

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

2021 was another big year for cooking. Whether you were easing back into the routine of packing school lunches for little ones or mastering the art of air frying, the chances are good that you probably spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Our experts were right alongside you, cooking, baking, grilling, and otherwise testing their way through the best products available. These are the top tools, best appliances, and go-to gadgets we think are worthy of occupying precious space in your kitchen.

Here are our favorite kitchen & cooking products, or jump to all the 2021 Best of Year awards.

Reviewed's editor-in-chief Dave Kender announces the winners of Reviewed's 2021 Best of Year Awards.


HexClad pots and pans sit on a kitchen counter.
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Cookware Set
HexClad Hybrid Perfect Pots & Pans Set (12pc)

HexClad cookware is relatively new to the scene, and its claim to fame is its unique hybrid technology that combines all the features you love about stainless steel with the ease of use of nonstick pans. Our chicken thighs had some of the most even, gorgeous searing out of any skillet we’ve used, and it was exceptionally easy to clean because any built-up bits wiped off easily with a paper towel. Unlike most nonstick, the Hexclad can be used with metal utensils because of its unique laser-etched hexagon top, which also makes it less likely to scratch. These pans contain a magnetic layer, too, so you can use them on induction cooktops. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Suitable for high-temperature cooking

  • Reliably nonstick

  • Oven-safe, dishwasher-safe, metal-utensil-safe

Cons

  • Frequent staining after high temperature cooking

  • Heavier weight with bulky handles

Buy now at Hexclad
Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY Food Processor
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
Best Food Processor
Cuisinart "Custom 14" DFP-14BCNY Food Processor

The Cuisinart “Custom 14” is the best food processor on the market today. It excelled at almost every task, chopping onions and slicing tomatoes as well as a razor-sharp chef's knife and kneading pizza dough into a smooth elastic ball. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Excels at every task

  • Fits under a cabinet

  • Quiet

Cons

  • Slightly inconvenient chute lock

  • Doesn't shred mozzarella evenly

$249.95 from Amazon

$249.99 from Target

$249.95 from Home Depot

$249.95 from Abt
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Stand Mixer
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer

The KitchenAid Artisan is the quintessential stand mixer for a reason. 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 number one out of the best stand mixers you can buy. Read the full review.

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

$379.99 from Amazon

$387.99 from Best Buy

$449.99 from Home Depot
Technivorm Moccamaster remains our best overall coffee maker.
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
Best Coffee Maker
Technivorm Moccamaster KBG

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 the highest—and continues to—in our taste tests. This machine also fills a full pot quickly—a necessity for the morning rush. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Great tasting coffee

  • Fast brewing

  • Temperature control

Cons

  • Pricey

Buy now at Williams-Sonoma
The Wüsthof Classic 7-piece Slim Knife Block Set on a white and red background.
Credit: Reviewed / Wüsthof
Best Knife Set
Wüsthof Classic 8901 7-piece Slim Knife Block Set

The Wüsthof Classic 7-Piece Slim Knife Block Set has it all. This set includes five knives—an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 6-inch Kiritsuke utility knife, an 8-inch serrated bread knife, a 5-inch serrated utility knife, and a 3.5-inch paring knife—along with come-apart kitchen shears, and a slim design wooden block. Each knife is a joy to use and features a relatively lightweight design, high-carbon stainless steel construction, full-tang blades, and comfortable handles that won't slip. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Sharp blades

  • Comfortable handles

  • Slim-design wooden block is storage-friendly

Cons

  • None that we could find

Buy now at Amazon
A person lifts the lid off of a blue Dutch oven to reveal chicken soup cooking inside.
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Dutch Oven
Staub Cast Iron 5.5-Quart Round Cocotte

Solidly built, perfectly round, and easy to clean, the Staub Round Cocotte aced every test we threw at it. From braising meat and vegetables to simmering a stew, this Dutch oven nailed it. While a little heavier than some of the others, the evenness of cooking and the large sautéing area bumped this one all the way to the top. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Cleans easily

  • Well built, solid

  • Cooks evenly

Cons

  • Heavy

Buy now at Zwilling

$359.95 from Amazon

$399.95 from Walmart
Instant Pot Ultra
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1 (6 Quart)

Instant Pot is continuously improving upon its best-in-class design. Not only does the Instant Pot Ultra 10-in-1 have solid cooking ability, the updated interface offers a simplified dial and comprehensive display that takes the uncertainty out of cooking times. One of the best parts is the display's progress graph that keeps you appraised on how far into the preheating, cooking, or “keeping warm” process you are. So unlike pressure cookers, you’re not left wondering how long it will take for the cooking process to start. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Cooks perfectly

  • Intuitive to use

  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • Not "smart"

Buy now at Amazon
The Philips XXL air fryer sits on a kitchen counter. It has a silver handle in front of the black appliance.
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Air Fryer
Philips Airfryer XXL

The Philips Airfryer XXL was the most user-friendly air fryer we tested, making it our top choice. During testing, this air fryer made our favorite french fries thanks to the combination of crunchiness, tenderness, and potato flavor that make great fries so delectable. 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. What makes the Philips Airfryer our top pick is that it’s consistently the very best at air frying, even with large family-size portions of healthier fried foods. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Huge capacity

  • No preheat required

  • Foods come out crispy

Cons

  • Takes up a lot of space

  • Noisy

  • Heavy

$139.70 from Amazon

$189.56 from Walmart
A Home Chef box sits open on a kitchen counter, surrounded by ingredients.
Credit: Home Chef
Best Meal Kit
Home Chef

Like its name suggests, Home Chef provides customers with the tools necessary to become true masters of the kitchen. From Home Chef’s fresh, high-quality ingredients to well-written recipes that break down intimidating cooking methods into digestible steps, everything about this service made me feel like we were preparing restaurant-worthy (or at least guest-worthy) meals without running around like a maniac. Read the full review.

Pros

  • High-quality ingredients

  • User-friendly recipes with accurate timing

  • Large variety of options and extras

Cons

  • Lots of packaging

Buy now at Home Chef
A Breville ChefSteps Joule immersion circulator cooks a bag of carrots in water.
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
Best Immersion Circulator
Breville ChefSteps Joule

The Breville ChefSteps Joule impressed us with its sleek, minimalist design, easy-to-use app, and precise temperature control. With voice control integration and an ever-improving app available across many platforms, using this beautiful device is simpler than ever, and the core product is still excellent at heating water quickly and evenly to turn out perfectly cooked steaks and more. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Sleek design

  • Fast heating

  • Very accurate

Cons

  • No controls on the device

Buy now at Amazon

$199.95 from Walmart
Handsome and feature-rich, Samsung's NX58K9500WG gas range has a high-end aesthetic and cooks like a pro.
Credit: Samsung
Best Gas Range
Samsung NX58K9500WG

The 30-inch, 5-burner Samsung NX58K9500WG impresses with its premium look and performance that was as good or better than the best gas ranges we've ever tested. It tops our list because it offers flexible cooking on notched cast-iron grates and a stellar oven experience with its true convection heating system. It also preheats fast and is packed with useful features, like a warming drawer for proving bread, pre-heating plates, or keeping side dishes warm. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Has true convection

  • Comes with a warming drawer

  • Fast preheat

Cons

  • None that we could find

A lifestyle image of a modern home kitchen featuring a stainless steel double oven electric range framed by white cabinets.
Credit: Whirlpool
Best Electric Range
Whirlpool WGE745C0FS

The Whirlpool WGE745C0FS electric range is a knockout across the board. It passed every test we threw at it with flying colors, from boiling water to baking pizza. Its ability to multitask sets it apart from other ranges, in particular having the option to bake two dishes at different temperatures simultaneously and fit at least four pots on the cooktop at once. It's chock-full of features, and True Convection mode will produce deliciously crispy foods akin to an air fryer. It's available in stainless steel, black, and white finishes, so it’s designed to match most kitchens. Regardless of the finish, we like the look of this range in particular because of the ultra-sleek smooth cooktop. There's a reason it's the best electric range we've tested. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Effective burners

  • Large oven capacity and spacious cooktop

  • Bakes evenly across a single tray

Cons

  • Lower oven doesn't bake cookies evenly between two trays

$1,299.99 from Best Buy
Frigidiare FGIH3047VF in kitchen
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Best Induction Range
Frigidaire Gallery FGIH3047VF

The single-oven Frigidaire FGIH3047VF range is the best induction range we’ve tested thanks to its quick boil times, great temperature control, and useful settings. It covers all your basic cooking needs, as well as some not-so-basic ones—special features like true convection and air fry add something extra. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Excellent induction cooktop

  • Preheats well

  • Unique air fry mode

Cons

  • True convection isn't perfect

  • Control panel is finicky

$1,889.99 from Best Buy
The Weber Spirit II E-310 open, showing a whole rotisserie chicken and vegetables cooking, in a backyard.
Credit: Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
Best Grill
Weber Spirit II E-310

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 up to 18 burgers at a time, evenly cooked chicken, and picture-perfect asparagus. Its 30,000 BTUs (71 per square inch) crank out an impressive amount of heat. We also loved some of the aesthetic features, and the grill itself felt well put together and built to last. Read the full review.

Pros

  • Cooks evenly and sears perfectly

  • Produces impressive heat

  • Sturdy and well-built

Cons

  • Only holds about 18 burgers

$519.00 from Amazon

$519.00 from Best Buy

$519.00 from Home Depot

$519.00 from Abt

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