A Kitchen Editor's Year in Review – Meet the Top 10 Most Useful Appliances I Tested in 2025

As a kitchen editor and trained cook, I test hundreds of appliances every year – from frying pans to juicers – and 2025 was no different. Some gadgets looked good on paper but didn’t live up to the hype, while others quickly became heroes I continue to reach for day after day.

These 10 products stood out because they’re genuinely useful and make day-to-day life in the kitchen easier. From the best cookware that makes feeding the family a cinch, to cleaner air fryers that crisp food without questionable coatings (the best non-toxic air fryers), these are the tools I personally trust – and you can too.

Consider this your shortlist for 2026. And if you want a pro tip, peek our edit of the January sales – some of my favorite items often have the best deals right now.

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Testing the SMEG Soda Maker in my kitchen at home

(Image credit: Future)

If I had to pick just one 'Desert Island' item, it would be tricky (it was hard enough to compile ten), but there are two drinks machines that saved me so much time and effort that I couldn’t part with them.

First, the Ninja Luxe Café Pro from SharkNinja. As someone who tests coffee machines for a living, this is the one that simplified my mornings. It makes consistently good lattes, so I’ve stopped buying takeout. Then there’s the SMEG Soda Maker, from Crate & Barrel, which I initially thought would be a nice-to-have but now use almost daily, quietly replacing my seltzer habit.

These ten products made my kitchen life in 2025 so much easier, and I still reach for them every week. From clever stackable cookware to the best juicers, each one is genuinely useful (no gimmicks allowed in my kitchen!)

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If you’ve been inspired to do a kitchenware refresh, I can also explain which food prep appliance you need – and how to choose the best non-toxic kitchen appliances for prepping and cooking well in the new year.