10 High-Quality Kitchen Essentials On Amazon That Are Always Worth Buying

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When it comes to making your kitchen feel more comfortable, you don't need fancy-schmancy appliances that require an instructional manual just to use. All you really need are a collection of everyday tools that quietly — and efficiently — pull their weight every time you reach for them. While that pair of pizza scissors seemed like a good idea at the time, in the real world, they were anything but helpful. If you're scrolling Amazon for some new tools, be sure to avoid the kitchen gadgets that are a waste of money, and aim for high-quality ones that can help solve real problems and save you time.

With so many essentials to pick from in this sprawling online marketplace, it's hard to know which ones will serve you best. One of the great things about shopping at Amazon is that you can stumble across a brand you've never heard of but has great customer reviews — something you can't check when you're shopping in stores. Whether you're setting up a new kitchen, slowly upgrading the one you already have, or you're tired of replacing the same low-quality tools over and over again, these high-quality essentials are worth buying once at Amazon — and using for years.

A high-quality knife set is an important tool in any chef's arsenal. It gives you all the essential blades so you're prepared for anything. Plus, these sets usually come with a sturdy block to store and keep your knives safe when they're not being used. And if the knife set looks really pretty too, like this McCook gold set, well, that's just a bonus. 

When you want your kitchen to have a timeless aesthetic, wooden cooking utensils have you covered. Not only are they highly durable, but they have a gentle touch on your nonstick or enamel-coated cookware. Unlike stainless steel ones, wooden utensils are heat-resistant, so you're less likely to reach for one while it's sitting in hot spaghetti sauce and burn your fingertips. Buying them at Amazon gives you plenty of varieties and wood types to pick from, like Woodenhouse's eight-piece utensil set.

A spice rack gives your kitchen a sense of organization while keeping your spices easily accessible during meal prep. Amazon has options that can be mounted on the wall or spun on a countertop. Regardless of which one calls to you, a good spice rack should help you see what you have at a quick glance and keep seasonings fresh and orderly. One of the reasons we love the Kamenstein revolving spice rack is that it comes with free spice refills for five years.

Handy food containers are a kitchen staple that bring plenty of order to your space. They can be dressed up with pretty labels or left plain, but whichever way you go, they're a must for organized kitchens. Look for ones that are roomy enough to accommodate everything you're storing, like a 5-pound bag of flour, for example. That's just what the ProKeeper+ Airtight Food Storage Container Set does with its Flour Keeper option. 

When you want a healthier way to cook, ceramic cookware has become a popular option in kitchens. That's because it generally doesn't have chemicals, like Teflon or PFAS. It can also heat food evenly and makes cleaning up a breeze with warm, soapy water. Amazon has ceramic cookware sets or single pans, such as the Caraway nonstick cookware set, that come in a slew of pretty colors and price points. Find out how to tell if your cookware is toxic and what to do about it.

We're obsessed with the oversized Home Beets Acacia Wood Cutting Board. Sometimes kept out as rustic decor, a wooden cutting board protects your countertops when you're busy chopping and slicing food. Plus, wooden cutting boards are naturally antimicrobial, killing bacteria within minutes when compared to plastic ones. Amazon has a great selection of sizes, shapes, and materials, but these are the best wooden cutting boards, according to customer reviews.

You can't cook without oven mitts, or at least you shouldn't anyway. Skip the cheap ones that burn right through the fabric and opt for a pair like the KITCHENAID Ribbed Soft Silicone Oven Mitt. They have a silicone outer layer to protect your hands up to 500 degrees, while the inner layer is super soft and cushiony. These oven mitts are bendy and flexible too, so you won't have any problems grabbing any skinny handle.

Air fryers are one of the most popular small kitchen appliances. And if you plan to use yours as much as we do, then you'll want to make sure it can handle tons of use. The Ninja Crispi PowerPod is an all-in-one powerhouse that lets you cook a small or large meal, and pick from baking, crisping, air frying, or recrisping your food. The PowerPod is small enough to store in your cabinet, but strong enough to cook a 4-pound chicken.

Cast-iron pans are timeless and belong in every cook's kitchen. The good news is that high-quality options aren't super expensive. We like the Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet that costs less than $25 for a 10.25-inch pan, but it comes in several other sizes. The reason this is our favorite is that you can use it on gas and induction stoves, and — like most cast iron — it's made without PFOA and PTFE.

Having a dependable, high-quality set of mixing bowls is important to keep your kitchen running smoothly. This is an area where Amazon shines. You can find a range of sets that include multiple sizes for everything from beating eggs to tossing salads or marinating meats. We love ones that have a stackable design to save on cabinet space, like this stainless steel airtight set of bowls from Umite Chef. Bonus points for having non-slip silicone bottoms.