24 Space-Saving Kitchen Tools, Cookware, and More on Amazon

Tiny home living may be a lifestyle trend with many perks; however, anyone who has cooked in a tight kitchen knows the woes, too. Your countertop space is limited, the storage area is next to nil, and small appliances somehow look massive — we get it. The thing is, many of us at Food & Wine are small-home residents or apartment dwellers, which is why we know how to make a tiny kitchen feel so much larger. 

You don’t need to arrange a demolition day to get the kitchen you want to cook in. All it takes is a few clever tools, handy gadgets, and dual-purpose cookware to maximize the area. We sourced everything from nifty organizing finds to space-saving appliances that take up less surface area than you’d think, including picks from Keurig, Ninja, KitchenAid, and more. 

Space-Saving Kitchen Tools That Take Up Almost No Space

Sometimes the biggest challenge when cooking isn’t the actual cooking; it’s the meal prep. The secret to making the task seamless is by having clever kitchen tools on hand, but they don’t need to crowd your utensil drawer to be effective. The proof? These wow-worthy picks like magnetic measuring spoons that “stick” to refrigerators or bamboo cutting boards that come with their own stand for vertical storage.

• YellRin Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set, $15, originally $16 
• Blue Ginkgo Over Sink Colander, $19, originally $22
• Esie Houzie Kitchen Gadgets Set, $9 with coupon, originally $10
• Cuisinart Deluxe Can Opener, $20, originally $30 
• Joseph Joseph Nest Blue Utensils Plus Set, $39
• Astercook Deep-Carbonized Bamboo Cutting Board Set, $24, originally $40

Cheese graters, pizza cutters, and vegetable peelers can take up a good chunk of real estate in your cabinetry unless you have this stackable gadget set at the ready. The 5-piece pick comes with all of the above — plus a grinder and bottle opener — and it all fits on a simple keychain. In addition to its compact size, the tools will save you space (and time from searching for them). 

You probably have a clunky utensil holder on your countertop, and this stacking pick from Joseph and Joseph is the upgrade. Unlike most caddies, this set actually comes with just about every cooking tool you need and is designed to nest together in the magnetic holder. Despite resting vertically, the slotted spatula, slotted spoon, and ladle won’t topple over mid-stir.

Cookware That Does More Than One Job

Grandma’s kitchen may have been filled with all sorts of pots and pans, but cookware piled high has no place in a small home. Luckily, modern cookware is designed with dual-purpose cooking in mind; these pieces are made with durable materials, have clever attachments, and even double as serveware. Of course, we’re relying on top-tier brands like Our Place, Staub, and more, which scored well in our testing. Tools like the updated Our Place Always Pan even won over one of our shopping editors. 

We’ve done our fair share of testing, and Caraway’s sauté pan continues to come out on top. We love the non-toxic ceramic build that’s durable, heat-retentive, and nonstick, allowing us to make everything from sunny-side-up eggs to flaky fish. Bonus: It can be used on the stovetop and in the oven to bake brownies or roast veggies, too. This pick truly makes one-pan dinners so easy!

Hold on to summer a little longer with this genius grill pan that doubles as a griddle (and might make you forgo the George Foreman). One side is crafted with raised edges to mimic the sear marks you’d get from a classic outdoor grill, while the other is simply flat for cooking up every breakfast staple you can think of, like flapjacks, eggs, and sausages. And because the Lodge pan is made of cast iron, you’ll get an even, super hot cooking surface.     

Small Appliances Worth the Counter Space

There’s nothing worse than a crowded countertop that’s cluttered with multiple big appliances. Trust me, I would know as a New York City dweller with a studio apartment. Compact small appliances are your friend here, and these slim, top-performing pieces come into play. The options below are extremely small compared to the competition; however, they’ll go above and beyond when in use. 

This Bella toaster is probably one of the thinnest appliances we’ve seen on Amazon. At only 3.6 inches in diameter, the toaster can be stored flush with the backsplash or nestle nearly out of sight in between other items on your counter. This one easily fits two bagel halves; however, it’s also available in 4-slice options. And a perk? The sleek design and cute colors make it look like decor. 

Air fryers are notorious for their bulky frame that pretty much takes up all the space on your counter, aka your prep station. The Ninja DoubleStack is my saving grace for this very reason. I love the compact build, stackable 2-drawer design, and the clever cooking functions that let me cook salmon bites on the top and asparagus on the bottom. I personally have this 8-quart style, but the larger 10-quart option made a big impression in our testing. 

Storage Options That Create Usable Space

With so many tools, gadgets, and cookware pieces around, it can be hard to keep track of frequently used items. It happens to the best of us, so investing in handy organizers is your best course of action. There are a lot out there, but only a few get the job done right, and the finds below are it. Think: expandable silverware trays, nesting food containers, and tiered cookware racks.

• Awoke Silicone Stove Top Shelf, $16, originally $18
• Pipishell Bamboo Expandable Silverware Organizer, $26, originally $31
• Joseph Joseph Nest Lock Multi-Color Food Container Set, $22 with coupon, originally $34
• YouCopia StoraBag Food Bag Dispenser, $25, originally $35
• Cuisinel 5-Tier Pan Organizer Rack, $30
• Oizeir 3-Tier Expandable Spice Rack Organizer, $15, originally $17

Having your go-to cooking essentials at arm’s reach is kind of a flex. It makes cooking faster and more seamless with little to no mistakes (or spills). This silicone stove shelf makes that dream possible, allowing you to house cooking oil, salt, pepper, and the like right in front of you. Arguably, one of the coolest details about this shelf is that it creates storage out of thin air by using the “dead” space on your stove, instead of your precious countertop. 

Food containers with odd shapes, funky sizes, and detachable lids love to fall on us when we reach for them. Yep, that avalanche of plastic happens to us, too. The frustrating scenario can be a thing of the past now, thanks to this Joseph Joseph set. Like most container sets, this one nests nicely — and the lids are designed to store on top of each other, too. It’s so genius, we’re surprised this isn’t the norm.