Kitchen Essentials
Carefully chosen tools and cookware for cosy UK kitchens, so every shelf and drawer works harder.
Shop cookware
Pans and cooking kit that earn their place. Everything here has been in one of our posts.
Tefal Ingenio Preference On, 4-piece set
Three stainless steel pans and a handle that clicks off, so they stack flat.
Morphy Richards Compact Soup Maker, 1 litre
Cooks and blends in one jug, and makes about 3 portions.
Tower Infinity 1.5L Slow Cooker (T16020)
A neat 1.5 litre pot for two, with three heat settings and a keep warm function.
Crock-Pot 1.8L Slow Cooker (CSC080)
A removable stoneware bowl that’s oven, table and dishwasher safe, for one or two people.
Breville Ultimate Deep Fill Toastie Maker (VST082)
850W with a cut and seal system, and it stands on its end for storage so it barely takes up worktop room.
Chefman 2L Mini Air Fryer
A digital mini air fryer with a timer and shake reminder, built for one or two portions.
Bosch MSM6B150GB Hand Blender
A 300W stick blender with its own measuring beaker, so it packs away in a drawer.
Halloween Silicone Pumpkin Baking Mould, 2 Pack
Bendy silicone cavities for cakes, chocolate or muffins, that roll up small once the baking’s done.
Foldable 3 Tier Stainless Steel Cooling Rack
A non-stick, three tier rack that folds flat once everything’s cooled, instead of claiming a shelf all year.
Russell Hobbs Adventure 1L Compact Kettle (24991-70)
A 1 litre kettle with a 2400W fast boil and a small footprint, so it doesn’t take over the worktop.
Bialetti Moka Express, 3 Cup
No plug and no socket needed, just a hob. Makes about 130ml, enough for one strong coffee.
Russell Hobbs Honeycomb 2 Slice Toaster
A tall, narrow shape that suits a shallow worktop. Check your cupboard clearance first, it stands 27.4cm tall.
Dualit 26205 Lite 2 Slice Toaster
Just 20cm tall, so it slides under low wall cupboards. It asks for worktop depth instead.
Yum Asia Panda Mini Rice Cooker, 0.63L
Eight presets from porridge to cake, and small enough to leave out on the worktop for good.
NutriBullet 600 Series, 7-piece set
A personal blender you drink straight from, with no jug to find room for.
Judge Portable Electric Induction Hob
A single induction ring that plugs into any socket and slides flat into a cupboard when you’re done.
SHARDOR Hand Mixer
400W with six speeds and five attachments that click into one storage case instead of a loose drawer.
Keplin Handheld Milk Frother
Battery powered wand that froths a small jug of milk in seconds. No tank, no base unit.
KitchenCraft Collapsible Steaming Basket
Stainless steel, opens out to 28cm to sit over most saucepans, then folds flat to store.
Cookworks Compact Kettle
A plain 1 litre stainless steel jug kettle with no digital display, just a quick boil for a mugful or two.
Dualit Mini Lite Kettle (72200)
A 1 litre mini kettle with a washable limescale filter, so there’s less descaling to keep up with.
Breville VKJ472 Compact Kettle
A 1 litre, 1.8kW kettle with a concealed element and a base that turns a full 360 degrees.
Instant Pot Duo Mini 3L
A 7-in-1 electric pressure cooker that also slow cooks, steams and makes rice, sized neatly for one or two people.
Russell Hobbs Desire Mini Chopper (24662)
A 1 litre glass bowl chopper with one touch pulse action, built for a couple of onions or a clove of garlic rather than a big batch.
Lakeland Compact 1lb Daily Loaf Bread Maker
Built around a smaller 1lb loaf with 11 presets, including gluten free and a dough only setting, so it can live on the worktop rather than the loft.
PIFCO 750W Sandwich Toaster
A basic two slice press with a cool touch handle and ready light, sized for a flat cheese toastie rather than a big kitchen.
1400W Mini Doughnut Maker
Makes up to 16 mini doughnuts at a time and takes up about as much worktop space as a toaster.
Giles & Posner EK4629 Flip & Stack Pancake Maker
A flat 1000W hot plate for crepes and pancakes that stands up on its end to store once it has cooled down.
Black & Decker QM1088 Quesadilla Maker
Presses six deep filled quesadilla pockets at once from both sides, with no flipping, and stores standing on its edge instead of lying flat.
Shop storage
Containers and stackers for cupboards and fridges that are already full.
Joseph Joseph Nest Lock, 5-piece
Five containers with snap-together lids that stack into one tidy tower.
SimpleHouseware Under Shelf Basket, Black, 2 Pack
Wire baskets that hook under an existing shelf, no tools, no drilling.
Amazon Basics Kitchen Trolley, 3 Tier, Black
A freestanding rolling cart, handy when you’ve simply run out of cupboard.
DigHealth Silicone Stretch Lids, 12-Pack
Stretchy covers in six sizes for bowls, tins and mugs, so odd containers finally get a lid.
DecoBros Expandable Stackable Shelf Organiser
A metal riser that slides wider or narrower to fit, adding a second level above your plates.
Semlos Lazy Susan Turntable Organisers, 9 inch, 2 Pack
Two spinning trays that bring the back of a deep shelf round to you.
Finew Clear Storage Organiser Box, 4 Pack
Two large and two small clear stacking boxes with lids and handles, for a shelf full of odds and ends.
Lifewit Extendable Cutlery Drawer Organiser
Expands from about 33 to 57cm with eight compartments, so it adjusts to fit whatever drawer you’ve got.
Joseph Joseph Duo Pan Lid Holders
Sticks inside a cupboard door with strong tape and gives each lid, up to 24cm, its own slot.
PKBD Stackable Spice Rack, 3 Tier
A foldable step rack that raises jars at the back so every label stays in view.
Navaris Over Door Pantry Organiser
Four wire basket shelves that hook over a cupboard door, no screws or adhesive needed.
Dseap Expandable Under Sink Organiser, 2 Tier
A two tier shelf that expands sideways to fit around the pipes under your sink.
True Face Magnetic Spice Tins, Set of 6
Six small tins with magnetic bases that stick straight onto a fridge door instead of living on a shelf.
Magnetic Fridge Side Shelf, 2 Pack
Two magnetic wire shelves that stick to a metal fridge side, with hooks for a tea towel or oven glove.
Stackable Clear Fridge Storage Bins, 7-Piece Set
Seven clear bins with lids that stack two high, so one fridge shelf quietly holds as much as two.
Rolling Egg Holder, Angled Tray
Sits at an angle so new eggs go in at the back and roll gently down to the front as older ones are used.
Joseph Joseph Caddy Sink Area Organiser
Corrals the washing up liquid, brush and cloth cluttering the worktop by the sink, with a hidden tray that catches the drips underneath.
Collapsible Mesh Food Covers, Set of 3
Three mesh covers that fold flat with a buckle, instead of stacking as bulky domes.
SANNO Pot Lid Organiser Rack, 2 Pack
Upright stainless steel slots that stop lids, boards and trays sliding into a heap every time the cupboard door opens.
XIAPIA Expandable Pan Organiser Rack
Eight adjustable dividers hold saucepans upright and spaced out to fit the cupboard you’ve actually got.
YouCopia StoreMore Shelf Riser
A height-adjustable riser on non-slip feet that turns one cramped shelf into two, no drilling needed.
OXO GreenSaver Produce Keeper, Large
A vented lid and carbon filter let air move instead of sitting trapped round your veg, so it lasts longer on one fridge shelf.
Sistema KLIP IT Food Storage Containers, 1 Litre (Pack of 2)
These nest into each other when empty, so two take the room of one, with clips that hold an airtight seal.
SUPERBEE Beeswax Wraps for Food, Set of 3
Washable, reusable wraps for a sandwich or a cut bit of fruit, instead of a drawer you keep meaning to use up.
Shop utensils
Prep tools and everyday helpers that pack down small.
Joseph Joseph Nest 9 Plus
Two bowls, a colander, a sieve and five measuring cups that slot into one stack.
joeji’s Kitchen Utensil Rack, 40cm
A self-adhesive aluminium rail with eight hooks. No drilling, holds up to 6kg.
Coninx Magnetic Knife Holder, 40cm
A stainless steel magnetic strip that keeps knives off the worktop and out of a drawer.
Salter Compact Digital Kitchen Scale
A slim stainless steel platform with add-and-weigh, so it slides into a drawer instead of living on the worktop.
OXO Good Grips Collapsible Colander
Silicone sides that concertina flat once it’s empty, so it can live in a drawer instead of on a shelf.
KitchenCraft Easy Store Magnetic Measuring Spoons
Four dual sided stainless steel spoons that nest together or stick to the fridge instead of a drawer.
Joseph Joseph Chop2Pot Plus Folding Chopping Board
Bends into a V shape to tip whatever you’ve chopped straight into a pan, no extra bowl needed.
Zyliss Easy Pull Manual Food Chopper
An 800ml bowl and a pull cord instead of a motor, for a quick rough chop with no socket needed.
Joseph Joseph Duo Garlic Peeler
A 10cm silicone tube: drop a clove in, roll it on the worktop, the skin comes away on its own.
Kitchen Mama Mini Electric Can Opener
About the size of a small torch. Clips onto a standard tin, press once, and it leaves no sharp edge behind.
Joseph Joseph Pop 3-piece Chopping Mat Set
Three flexible, dishwasher safe mats that take up barely more room than one chopping board.
Rösle Flat Whisk, 27cm
A flat-headed stainless steel whisk that sits flat in a drawer instead of rolling around.
Shop drying and worktop savers
Somewhere for wet dishes to go that isn’t your only bit of worktop.
Over-Sink Dish Drying Rack, 3 Tier
Sits over the sink itself, adjustable to fit, with a fruit basket and utensil holder built in.
Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack
Stainless steel rods on silicone strips, rolls up into a tube when you’re done.
XL Silicone Drying Mat
About 58 x 46cm, heat resistant and non-slip. Wipes down and folds into a drawer.
Joseph Joseph Stretch Expandable Trivet
Folds flat to 2cm thick, opens out in pleats to about 25cm to take a hot pan or roasting tin.
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How We Choose Every Piece
