Le Creuset has been around since 1925 and the brand's Dutch ovens are widely considered a gold standard thanks to the durability of their enameled cast iron, which evenly distributes and retains heat. They're definitely an investment, but considering you can use them on the stovetop and in the oven for slow cooking, baking, making soup and so much more, many reviewers say they're worth it. It doesn't hurt that they're also gorgeous and are heirloom products meant to not only last you a lifetime but to also be passed down to the next generations of your family, too. This Dutch oven is available in up to 21 colors.

Promising Amazon review: "If there were a fire at my apartment or a zombie apocalypse, my chef’s knife and my Le Creuset Dutch Oven are probably the only material possessions I’d care about taking with me. Who needs family photos with the kind of meals I can make with this thing? With the meals coming out of this Dutch Oven, one can make new memories- heck one could probably make a new family too if one were so inclined… all I’m saying is my Dutch Oven has brought me and those around me a ton of joy so far. And the Le Creuset enamel and design is so pretty I’ve put it on display just to add extra cheer to my living space. Happy shopping, may you find yourselves as heartened and happy in your kitchen exploits as I have in mine." — M. Way Jr.

"A good cast-iron pan is a MUST," says HuffPost editorial director and culinary school graduate, Kristen Aiken. "They've become 'trendy' again in recent years, but there's a reason they've been around for centuries." Cast-iron skillets are seasoned with oil to create a nonstick layer, and are virtually indestructible. Though the process of caring for a cast-iron skillet is a bit more involved than your average pan, don't be intimidated — you'll get the hang of it, and the more you use the pan, the better your seasoning will get (how many kitchen tools do you know that improve over time?). This Lodge cast-iron skillet comes pre-seasoned, retains heat and distributes it evenly and comes with a silicone handle holder to help keep you safe.

Promising Amazon review: "I purchased this pan a couple of years ago and it still looks like new even after many uses. My Mom gave me one of her old Lodge skillets when I got my first apartment. Today this skillet is over 80 years old and still looks great. I only use hot water and a brush to clean my skillets after each use. I do let them sit for several hours before cleaning. I also rub a light coating of vegetable oil inside and out after each cleaning. I really like my Lodge skillets and they are American made which is a big plus for me." — DickW

You probably saw this coming — there are few kitchen tools more iconic than the KitchenAid stand mixer. First introduced in the 1910s, it's still a staple on wedding registries and home bakers' countertops to this day. On Amazon, it's earned an average of 4.8 stars across over 13,000 ratings, while it has an even more impressive 4.9-star average on Target across over 37,000 ratings. With 10 mixing speeds, 59 touchpoints on the dishwasher-safe stainless steel bowl to ensure even mixing and a head tilt design so you can easily add more ingredients, it's not hard to see why this kitchen workhorse is so beloved.

Reviewers on Amazon say this mixer has lasted them up to 28 years, so if you bake a lot, the steep price will pay for itself over the years. You can buy it in up to 22 colors.

Promising Amazon review: "I grew up with a KitchenAid mixer in my house, and it was my mom's favorite appliance. Now, recently married, we bought ourselves our first KitchenAid mixer and safe to say my husband and I are obsessed too. There's basically nothing you can't do with this thing! Plus, the buttery yellow makes our kitchen look like it's sunny every day. Do yourself a favor & buy one!!! It is so worth the investment." — Savannah Clay

"A French vegetable peeler doesn't look fancy, but it'll offer you SO much more control as you hold it in your hand," Aiken says. "This is what we used in culinary school, and 15+ years later I still use the same one every day. Because you can hold it so securely in your hand, and because it doesn't have any wobbly parts, you're less likely to fumble it and hurt yourself."

This peeler by Rösle is made of stainless steel, is dishwasher-safe and has two peeling slots so both right-handed and left-handed cooks can peel easily.

Promising Amazon review: "This is the sharpest, sturdiest and such ease of use, I can hardly believe it. I had another peeler I purchased years ago that I loved but somehow it was lost in one move or another. I don't know why it's taken me 4 years to replace it but I finally did. It arrived quickly and I put it to use immediately and it's just the BEST. If you peel lots of potatoes or veggies - this is for you! It's worth every penny!!!" — Dal Asher

All-Clad has been making top-of-the-line bonded cookware for over half a century, and was founded by a metallurgist named John Ulam who used his expertise to make pans that heat food evenly and won't warp over time. Now, their stainless steel D3 pans are used by award-winning chefs as well as home cooks. They're built to last, are oven-safe up to 600 degrees and have a limited lifetime warranty.

Promising Amazon review: "I always wondered how cooking show chefs could work with stainless steel so effortlessly as if they were nonstick. After getting this pan to replace a green pan that became scratched and very sticky, I learned about properly preheating and greasing this pan before cooking, and now I feel like a pro chef. It cooks beautifully as if it were nonstick and also cleans as effortlessly as my le creuset enamel pots (just some hot water and soap). The thumb groove in the handle also helps tilt with secure stability. Highly recommend." — JDB

Aiken says she's been using this Hamilton Beach hand mixer for 20 years nearly every time she bakes. "It fits in a drawer, is easy to clean and it never fails me. It's the best $20-ish dollars I've ever spent on a kitchen tool."

If a stand mixer is out of your budget, or you just want something that does the same job but doesn't take up nearly as much space, this hand mixer is likely a better option: It comes with a snap-on storage case to hold the dishwasher-safe beaters and whisk and includes a bowl rest feature so stabilize the mixer and keep drips off the countertop when you set it down. It also has six different speed options.

Promising Amazon review: "My late grandmother bought me a Hamilton Beach branch mixer from a CVS pharmacy in 1999, when I had my first-ever apartment. That mixer lasted for 25 years, and it would have lasted longer had I not used it to try out a new recipe last month. (Grinch cookies, if you must know, and while the recipe said: 'the batter will be thick' it should have said: 'the batter will destroy your hand mixer, use an industrial size stand mixer, instead!'). So, the old faithful Hamilton Beach hand mixer begrudgingly mixed up that batch of cookies, began to smoke, and then died. RIP, my beloved 1999 Hamilton Beach mixer!

"I didn't think twice about buying a Hamilton Beach hand mixer to replace my old one. I really like that the size and depth of the beaters has increased. My favorite part is that this comes with a holder for the mixer, the beaters AND the cord. Everything fits together so nicely and it doesn't take up a lot of space. It has more 'speeds' than the old model did. I miss my old mixer, of course, but I really love this new one." — Smile Saurus

These small but mighty machines date back to the 1700s, and can pare, slice and core apples by attaching them to the fork and turning the handle clockwise. This one has a suction cup on the bottom to keep it sturdy against your countertop and a removable coring and slicing blade if you only want to peel the apple (or potato — you don't have to limit yourself to apples here). Aiken recommends buying this to save time if you bake a lot of apple pies. An extra perk? If you have a little helper in the kitchen, the fun hand-crank mechanism is great for kids.

Promising review: "Wow! This little device is amazing and saves so much time. I used it to make caramel apple cobbler for a cookout. I was able to peel 7 apples within minutes. The price is great and completely worth purchasing. I also plan on using it to peel apples for my granddaughter." — Karen

If you currently own and use an electric sharpener on your knives, you may actually be shortening their lifespan. Instead, Aiken recommends opting for a whetstone that won't wear your blades down as much. Whetstones are very old school (like, medieval old school) but they tend to be more affordable — our pick is under $10. They often have two sides with a coarser and finer grit for sharpening and polishing, respectively. Just soak the stone in water, secure it using the anti-slip rubber base and then stroke your knife against it and towards you, from heel to tip (this may take some practice, but Aiken's previously written up a tutorial to help).

Promising review: "All those miracle knife sharpeners advertised on TV are pretty much all junk. I bought into them for their convenience and promises, knowing that using a whetstone is a little more time consuming and effort, but they simply don’t work. This basic whetstone, when used properly (instructions included and I’m sure that there are dozens of YouTube videos as well) will sharpen extremely well. Knives that hadn’t been sharp in years, that I could press my thumb against the edge with no more effect than pressing my fingernail into my thumb, are now sharp enough to easily slice through tomatoes. Granted, I first learned how to use these in the Boy Scouts, but that was 50 years ago. They’re not difficult at all, and your results are exactly what you would want." — gary trousdale

Microwave popcorn is great if you're short on time, but you could have much better-tasting popcorn by using a manual stovetop popper. One of the most popular is the Whirley Pop, made by Wabash Valley Farms. You can make up to 6 quarts of popcorn in mere minutes by spinning the handle. The popper has a removable lid so it's easy to clean after you're done using it, and some reviewers say the machine has lasted them over 25 years. The popper is available in up to six colors and materials, with options for metal or nylon gears.

Promising Amazon review: "The original and still the best. The Whirley Pop makes popcorn faster than any other home popper I’m aware of, and it does so without burning a single kernel or leaving any unpopped. I bought one for my popcorn-loving girlfriend a year ago, and she raved about it so much I had to buy one for myself as well." — Michael J

Fiesta dinnerware first hit the scene in 1936 and remains popular for its cheery colors and durability. This four-piece set, which includes a dinner plate, salad plate, soup bowl and mug is oven-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe. The set is also chip- and scratch-resistant. The ceramic features a concentric circle design that's simple but gorgeous, and you can grab the set in up to 16 stunning colors, including Sky, a light blue that debuted just this year.

Promising Amazon review: "I started collecting Fiestaware almost 20 years ago. I use my collection everyday. I wash in dishwasher and give it absolutely no special treatment. I am still using all my items including first 8 sets of 4 piece place settings. They all look brand new. Wish I registered for Fiestaware instead of China that stays packed up and stored! Life lessons... Anyway, I watch for great sales and only buy when place settings are less than $25 each. I love mixing colors together for seasons and special events. If you ever get scratches or cut marks, simply remove with liquid Barkeeper's Friend and a basic foam sponge. These arrived in factory package and in perfect condition. Shamrock color pairs so well with Scarlet at Christmas." — J. Winn

Bread boxes aren't as common as they used to be, thanks to the amount of preservatives now baked into commercial bread, but they can still come in handy if you bake bread at home or it always goes bad before you finish the loaf. A bread box blocks out moisture and staves off mold growth. This one by Oggi was deemed one of the best of 2024 by Food & Wine, Serious Eats and the Food Network. It's a bit sleeker than the bread boxes of yesteryear, but it can still hold multiple loaves at once (or cookies, bagels, muffins... the possibilities are endless). It also has a roll top with a frosted lid, so you'll never forget how much bread you've stored away.

Promising Amazon review: "After studying quite a few models, we chose to purchase this one. It is a beautifully designed product with large capacity. It has plenty of room for one large loaf of bread plus extra space for a bag of cookies or burger buns. The cover hood door design is smooth up and down operation without noise and it’s heavy enough so our cats cannot open it. I study designs so I’m in general picky about every product designs. I’m very happy with this bread box. Stainless is a material that’s easy to clean with no smells." — LM