The Best and Worst Kitchen Tools for 2026 | Gear Heads

Lisa McManus and Hannah Crowley show you which kitchen tools you should buy and which you should skip. They share their top-rated picks for espresso machines, multicookers, and stand mixers, and reveal where other kitchen gear falls short. The Best Stand Mixers: https://cooks.io/4qf2TMm Best Mixer: https://cooks.io/4r3J3oS Best Mid-Priced Mixer: https://cooks.io/4bARW4f Best Light-Weight Mixer: https://cooks.io/4qc2L07 The Best Multicooker Is An Instant Pot: https://cooks.io/4qXen8s Best Buy - Instant Pot: https://cooks.io/49Yom7H Best Instant Pot: https://cooks.io/4bweSSh The Best Manual Citrus Juicers: https://cooks.io/4arjKad Winning Juicer: https://cooks.io/3ZgSUeA Best Hand Juicer: https://cooks.io/3ZNwbH9 The Best Dish Racks: https://cooks.io/49VU3hR Best Buy - Dish Rack: https://cooks.io/4rt3afN Best Compact Dish Rack: https://cooks.io/4rt3bjR Best Full-Size Dish Rack: https://cooks.io/3O3sP08 The Best Espresso Machines: https://cooks.io/4twdMMW Best Semi automatic Espresso Machine: https://cooks.io/4tgYiw2 Best Overall - Espresso Machine: https://cooks.io/4rpxE2g Get exclusive access to every recipe, review, and more via our homepage: https://cooks.io/49WwNjJ Subscribe to America's Test Kitchen: https://youtube.com/@AmericasTestKitchen?sub_confirmation=1 Find more rigorous reviews of equipment and recipes on the America’s Test Kitchen App:https://cooks.io/41TVKru Learn how to shop, save, and cook with insider intel from our newsletter Well-Equipped Cook: https://cooks.io/4avGfL5 Watch full episodes of America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country for free on our new YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@ATKFullEpisodes Buy our cookbook Kitchen Gear: https://cooks.io/4kdFjOK Discover the latest recipes, tips, and tricks from Cook’s Illustrated: https://cooks.io/4adQLoW Watch More! In The Test Kitchen: https://youtube.com/watch?v=eLxup9tEP0M&list=PLnbzopdwFrnZsva37L040wy1u2RTOhqiF&pp=0gcJCWMEOCosWNin The Taste Test: https://youtube.com/watch?v=SkqhwZqnA8s&list=PLnbzopdwFrnZ3usQguuxS2qWxlwj-9aN8 Techniquely With Lan Lam: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnbzopdwFrnYyvwrqTB_5AhufdOMisGnF Most Popular: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2guC4Badq2s&list=PLnbzopdwFrnZcFFuiSDnaymlMCb9ANwC5 Follow America's Test Kitchen: Instagram: http://instagram.com/testkitchen Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/testkitchen TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@testkitchen?lang=en Facebook: http://facebook.com/americastestkitchen Twitter: http://twitter.com/testkitchen At America’s Test Kitchen, we investigate every aspect of cooking—recipes, equipment, ingredients, and techniques—with a goal to empower and inspire home cooks. Since 1992, our team of 50+ cooks, editors, and culinary creatives ask a lot of questions—and do a lot of testing—so that you get dependable, delicious recipes, comprehensive guidance, and thorough and unbiased equipment and ingredient reviews. You can find us in the pages of Cook's Illustrated magazine, on our television shows America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country, in dozens of best-selling cookbooks, and via the 14,000+ recipes, reviews, and classes available on our website and app. Whether you’re in search of a great weeknight meal or an impressive dinner-party dish, we’ve done the testing to deliver reliable recipes and comprehensive cooking info to your home kitchen. Bring your curiosity, and we’ll make you a better cook. #AmericasTestKitchen #CookingTutorial #FoodScience When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission.