I'm not a big believer in shopping just for the sake of shopping but IF you are taking advantage of the steep discounts, here are the things that are legit worthy of your time.
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Kitchen Workhorses
The tools that show up in my recipes and videos every week...
Food Processor
My ride or die. Pesto, salsa, pie dough, a mountain of shredded cheese in about 10 seconds... this thing does it all, and it's the one appliance I will never give up counter space for. If you're still chopping everything by hand, consider this your sign.
Breville Air Fryer
Calling this an air fryer is seriously underselling it. It's basically a second oven that lives on your counter: it air fries, roasts, bakes, toasts, and yes, it fits a 9x13. With Thanksgiving coming, the extra oven space alone is worth it. The crispy potatoes are just a bonus.
Vitamix Blender
The smoothest smoothies, the silkiest soups, and the best blender salsa of your life. It's a total beast, and the preset programs mean you press a button and walk away. It even cleans itself with a drop of soap and some warm water. Definitely an investment, but it's a buy-it-once situation.
Stand Mixer
The icon! Cookies, cakes, pizza dough, whipped cream, even shredded chicken (trust me). And how gorgeous is this Blue Velvet?! Holiday baking season is right around the corner, so if a stand mixer has been on your wish list, or you need a gift for the baker in your life, this is the moment.
Rice Cooker
Perfect rice, every single time, with zero babysitting. You rinse, press a button, and walk away, and it keeps everything warm until you're ready to eat. It handles brown rice and even steel cut oats too, and it's small enough that it won't take over your counter. Rice bowl nights just got so much easier.
Thanksgiving and Hosting Prep
Future you is going to be so grateful. Grab the things that make the big day easier while they're on sale, and you'll be the most relaxed host on the block come November.
Meat Thermometer
The single most important tool for Thanksgiving, full stop. No more guessing, no more cutting into the turkey to check, no more dry bird. You get a reading in seconds, and I use mine all year for chicken, steak, and salmon too.
Food Storage Containers
Leftovers are the best part of Thanksgiving, and I will not be taking questions. A good set of containers means everything stays fresh, stacks neatly in the fridge, and you can send people home with a plate without losing your favorite dish forever.
Le Creuset Signature Baker
Stuffing, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, a big bubbly gratin... this is the dish that does it all on Thanksgiving. Cast iron holds heat like nothing else, so your sides stay warm on the table while everyone goes back for seconds. And it's so pretty in this Olive color that it goes straight from the oven to the table, no extra serving dish required.
Le Creuset Dutch Oven
If you're going to invest in one piece of cookware, make it this one. On Thanksgiving it's my go-to for mashed potatoes, soup, or a big braise, and the rest of the year it lives on my stove for chili, short ribs, pasta sauce, and no-knead bread. These last forever (truly, they get passed down), so catching one on sale is a big deal.
Amazon Echo Show 11
My secret weapon for big cooking days. When you've got a turkey in the oven, potatoes on the stove, and rolls waiting their turn, you can just say "set a turkey timer" and "set a stuffing timer" and it keeps track of all of them at once. It'll also pull up a recipe and read it to you step by step, so there's no touching your phone with butter-covered hands. And yes, it plays the cooking playlist too.
Splurges Worth Waiting For
These are the big ones, the things that have been sitting in your cart for six months while you talk yourself in and out of them. I never pay full price for investment pieces, and this is exactly the moment to finally go for it. Every one of these earns its spot.
Breville Espresso Machine
If you've been dreaming about being a make-lattes-at-home person, this is the one. The grinder is built right in, so you go from whole beans to a real-deal espresso in about a minute, and the steam wand gives you that silky café-style milk. Thomas is the resident coffee snob in our house, and even he approves. It pays for itself fast if you have a daily coffee shop habit.
Dyson Vacuum
Okay, the laser. It lights up all the dust and crumbs you can't normally see, which is equal parts horrifying and deeply satisfying. With kids and a kitchen that basically never closes, a cordless vacuum I can grab in two seconds is non-negotiable. Dyson almost never goes on sale like this, so if you've been waiting, this is it.
All-Clad Stainless Steel 5-Piece Set
This is the cookware you buy once and keep for the rest of your life. All-Clad heats so evenly, which means a gorgeous golden sear on chicken thighs, perfectly caramelized onions, and pan sauces that actually come together. It goes from stovetop to a ripping hot oven, works on every type of burner including induction, and it's made in the USA. It's a real investment at full price, which is exactly why this is the moment to grab it. If you're ready to graduate from the mismatched pans you've had since your first apartment, start here.
Fellow Coffee Grinder
Here's the secret to better coffee at home: it's the grinder, not the machine. This one does it all, from espresso to French press to cold brew, so it works no matter how you make your morning cup. It's quiet, it doesn't spray grounds all over your counter, and it's so pretty you'll want to leave it out. If you have a coffee lover on your gift list, you're done.
Apple AirPods Max 2
Not a kitchen tool, but 100% an essential. The noise canceling on these is unreal: I put them on for a flight and the whole plane just disappears. They're my secret weapon when I need to sit down and actually get some writing done, and they sound incredible, so they're just as good for a walk or a workout playlist. If you're an iPhone person they connect instantly, no fiddling. These are at the top of pretty much every wish list this year, so grab them now and get ahead on your holiday shopping.
Family, Kitchen, and Weeknight Survival
Real talk: most nights, dinner needs to happen fast, with a kid on your hip and about nine minutes of patience left. These are the little workhorses I reach for every single day. Nothing fancy, nothing precious, just the tools that make getting dinner on the table so much easier.
Epicurean Cutting Board
My everyday cutting board, hands down. It's thin and lightweight so it's easy to grab and move around, it's gentle on your knives, and the best part: it goes straight in the dishwasher. I have a stack of these and use them for everything.
Rösle Locking Tongs
I am very picky about tongs, and these are the ones. They're sturdy, they grip everything from a single green bean to a whole chicken, and they lock closed so they aren't springing open in your drawer. Flipping, tossing, serving pasta... basically an extension of my hand.
Garlic Press
If you know me, you know there's garlic in pretty much everything I make. This gets me from whole clove to minced in two seconds with no sticky garlic fingers and no extra knife work. On a busy weeknight, that's a win. It's sturdy, easy to clean, and it will last forever.
Owala FreeSip Water Bottle
The water bottle our whole family is obsessed with. You can sip it through the built-in straw or tip it back and swig, and the lid locks shut so it's not leaking all over your bag or the car. It keeps water ice cold all day, which means it comes with us to school drop-off, soccer, the gym, everywhere. This Peachy Keen color is so cute, too.
Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair
If I could tell every new parent to buy one thing, it's this. It pulls right up to the table so your baby is part of family dinner from day one, and the seat and footrest adjust as they grow. It's amazing for babies and toddlers, and then it turns into a regular chair they can climb into on their own, no straps needed. You'll use it for years, not months, and it's actually nice to look at in your kitchen. Worth every penny.
Thomas's Picks
I'm handing this one over to Thomas. He's the coffee nerd, the gadget guy, and the person who researches everything for three weeks before buying it, so when he says something is worth it, I listen. Here are his picks.
Fellow Stagg EKG Pro Studio Kettle
If you make pour-over, this is the kettle. You set the exact temperature, it holds it there, and the gooseneck spout gives you total control over the pour. The matte black with the walnut handle is also the best-looking thing on our counter, which is saying something in this house.
AeroPress Go
Hotel coffee is a crime, and this is the fix. It makes a legitimately great cup anywhere, packs down into its own mug, and takes up less room in my bag than a pair of shoes. I don't travel without it.
Outdoor String Lights (100 ft)
The fastest, cheapest way to make a backyard feel finished. You get 100 feet of warm white light, they're dimmable so you can set the mood for dinner, and you can connect more strands if you need to go bigger. The bulbs are shatterproof and waterproof, which matters more than you'd think with kids, wind, and the occasional stray soccer ball.
Belkin Kids' Headphones
The single most important piece of gear for flying with small kids. They're sized for little heads, the volume is capped at 85dB to protect their ears, and because they're wired, they plug right into the seatback screen and never need charging. They come with a USB-C adapter for the iPad too. A few hours of peace at 35,000 feet for very little money.
Travel Adapter
One tiny adapter that works in over 200 countries and charges five things at once. It lives in my carry-on permanently so I never have to think about it. It's cheap, it's small, and it saves you from the airport markup.
