Johnny and I are officially six months into truly living together and if anything, we’ve discovered a love for the best kitchen gadgets and items. We both enjoy cooking and eating so we spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen. However, we have busy lives and need things to function well and efficiently. We’re very excited to share the best kitchen gadgets and items we’re loving right now. Some of these are tried and true, some others are new additions we’ve become addicted to. We hope this list helps you out in the kitchen and makes your life a little easier. Even though the kitchen is one of our favorite spaces in our home, we believe you should spend your time with loved ones, not slaving away to your home.

GLASS TUMBLER WITH STRAW

I love taking drinks to go so having a tumbler is essential. Plus, I drink everything out of a straw since I have sensitive teeth and like to prevent drinks from staining my teeth. This glass tumbler has been my go-to for more than a year. I love the wider straw since I can make smoothies, pour them into this glass and take it on the go. Once I’m finished with my smoothe, I can rinse out the glass and use it for water. The silicone grip on the cup is nice, too. The reviews online are generally good but there is some talk about the lid. Mine doesn’t really stay put, so if the cup gets knocked over, my drink will spill out after a bit of time (not immediately but after maybe five to 10 seconds). However, friends of mine have bought this tumbler and their lid is super tight and stays on, no matter what.

CORKICLE TRIPLE-INSULATED TUMBLER

Corkicle graciously sent me and Johnny a few tumblers and canteens after I met with them at rstheCon. We instantly became hooked and now won’t leave the house without one of these. Living in Texas, it gets unbearably hot in the summer. These tumblers keep our drinks cool for up to nine hours and hot for up to three. We have left our Corkicle tumblers in the car for a few hours and we return to ice-cold drinks. It’s incredible. I cannot recommend these enough and I think they make fantastic gifts, too! My only gripe is our favorite glass straws don’t fit in the hole, so we’re going to need thinner straws to put in the opening for the tumblers. However, these tumblers are easily one of the best kitchen items we have.

VITAMIX BLENDER

After a few years of other blenders (Ninja, Magic Bullet) failing me, I decided to invest in a Vitamix. Johnny and I could never go back! We have the Professional Series 750 blender, which you can use with the personal-cup adapter. To be honest, I don’t use the adapter much anymore since I’m usually making smoothies for two now. However, it’s a genius idea and makes it very easy to clean. One of my favorite aspects of this blender is how strong it is. I can throw in a bunch of frozen fruits with light liquid and everything blends seamlessly. Plus, this makes amazing soups and purees! I love using the cleaning function for easy clean-up immediately after use so I don’t have to throw it in the dishwasher.

SMEG ELECTRIC KETTLE

I cannot imagine my life without this electric kettle… I know it’s crazy to spend nearly $200 on an electric kettle but if you need hot water frequently, this is an awesome investment. This kettle definitely tops my list as one of the best kitchen gadgets we’re loving. The new version lets you choose your water temperature and it will automatically shut off once the temperature is reached. Of course, one of the reasons this caught my eye is the aesthetic. It’s absolutely beautiful and looks incredible sitting on my counter. I got red but this comes in so many pretty colors including cream, mint, baby blue and more. I highly recommend.

BODUM FRENCH PRESS COFFEE MAKER

Hands down my favorite way to make coffee at home because of how easy it is. It’s pretty similar to the Vietnamese drip-style coffee I grew up loving with my Dad. Plus, since filters are not involved, this is the greenest way to make coffee. I’ve had mine for at least three years and it’s still going strong without any issues. This french press comes in tons of colors. I have and love the copper but I’m also eying the white and black, too. I like to make hot water with my Smeg kettle, add coffee into the bottom of the glass, pour in the hot water and let it sit between 90 seconds to two minutes.

HUMMINGBIRD GLASS STRAWS

I rely on glass straws since I have sensitive teeth and prefer not to whiten my teeth often. These are my favorite because they are made in the USA! Also, for those who are concerned about the glass, these are pretty durable since they are made of the same stuff Pyrex bowls are made of. I prefer the angled ones so they don’t roll off countertops but there are straight ones available as well!

LE CREUSET DUTCH OVEN

I invested in this about three years ago and have not looked back. I use it to cook a lot of soups, noodle dishes, sauces… even made bread in this by putting it into the oven! Truly worth every penny and a good investment for all kitchens. You can be rough with this and it’ll last. The surface is smooth and with the right oil, your food won’t stick to it too much. While I cannot recommend saving up for this dutch oven enough, I do know the price is a bit steep. This one is pretty similar at a lower price point.

LE CREUSET CAST-IRON SKILLET

Very similar to the dutch oven, we finally pulled the plug on this cast-iron skillet. After much research, we decided to go with the enameled cast-iron since it has a less sticky surface and will stand the test of time. We use this to fry eggs, do veggie stir-fry and tons of other dishes. I can’t imagine creating a list of the best kitchen gadgets and items we’re loving right now and not include this. Since we got it, it’s a permanent fixture on our stove since we use it so often. Also, we prefer to handwash these so we let them dry on a cool stovetop.