The best kitchen gadgets on sale this Labor Day, according to Eater staff

We refuse to believe that summer is over, and yet here we are, inundated with tweed fashion ads, Halloween candy displays, and the launch of Starbucks’ fall menu. Thankfully, nothing soothes the pain of the end of the season like a little retail therapy, using the Labor Day sale spree as an excuse to upgrade our baking and braising equipment before the colder temperatures arrive, or simply stock up on more must-haves for our kitchen.

In this article, Eater’s writers and editors have rounded up the products they think are too good not to buy right now, from brands and retailers that are slashing prices so we can cut out… vegetables. Happy Labor Day!

The space saver

I have a cupboard in my kitchen that houses an ever-growing collection of Pyrex containers, and almost every time I open it, a shower of lids falls on me (Pyrex containers can be stacked nicely on top of each other, but the lids tend to get thrown in there carelessly). It’s time to invest in one of these handy little lid organizers to solve that problem – I have similar ones for Pans and pot lids This has also meant a radical change for these cabinets. Erin DeJesus, Executive Editor

The perfect spatula

One tool I use most often in my kitchen is my little spatula. It’s perfect for scraping every last bit of pesto out of my mini food chopper, getting the last bits of Kewpie mayo out of the tube, and mixing sandwich spread in a small bowl, then scooping out every last bit. I like that this pack comes with two wide ones; the very thin spatula seems perfect for narrow containers like honey jars. — Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter

The required armor

We’ve said it once (maybe twice) and we’ll say it again: if you’re going to use a mandolin, use a cutaway glove. Cucumber influencer Logan Moffit Everyone is rocking the professional-grade slicers, which is all well and good, but it only takes one slip to put an unpleasant end to your cucumber-slicing time. These cutting gloves are easy to use, easy to clean, and, especially now, ridiculously cheap. Turns out stitches aren’t. — Lesley Suter, Director of Special Projects

The traveling brewer

I’m a coffee addict in the mornings. I need a pot of coffee to go get my first cup of coffee. This is often a problem when I travel, where there’s either mediocre coffee in the lobby that requires putting on pants (again, I need caffeine for this), or a questionably clean coffee situation in the room that’s at best a Keurig and at worst a Keurig. Coffee obsessives swear by the Aeropress system as he The best coffee maker, portable or not, and the ultra-compact travel version is currently on sale at REI. It brews one to three cups in about a minute, which is about as long as I can wait before falling back into my plush hotel bed. — LS

Impulse buying made practical

Whenever there’s a seasonal sale, I tend to convince myself to buy something I ultimately don’t need, just because it’s usually expensive and now it’s a little cheaper. But you know what I always need and it’s always affordable, but now it’s even more affordable? Dishcloths. You probably also need more dishcloths to clean up messes and dry dishes and hang over your shoulder so you can pretend you’re in the kitchen. The bearAnd even if you don’t need them now, you will need them in six months, when some will inevitably burn out, break, or get too dirty to use again. Just stock up. — Jaya Saxena, correspondent

The trendsetter

This was undoubtedly the Summer of the snack box — a portable, maximalist option that lets you bring a large amount of snacks to a day at the beach, a picnic, or anywhere you see fit to bring a charcuterie platter. The box we mentioned earlier this year is now on sale on Amazon, with eight separate compartments for maximum variety and handles on top for easy transport. -EDJ

The savior of the table

As someone who has a wooden dining table that gets water stains if you look at it from the side, I have strong opinions about placemats, and the main one is that Uashmama’s are basically perfect. They look good, they’re easy to clean, they come in a variety of pretty colors, and most importantly, they keep condensation from getting on my table. I have four, but I’ve always thought about buying more, and now that Food52 is running a 20 percent off sale sitewide, it’s time to add more to my collection. — Rebecca Flint Marx, Eater at Home editor

The preserver of summer

It may be Labor Day weekend, but on the West Coast we still have (hopefully) at least a full month of warm weather ahead of us, so it’s finally time to purchase this large, portable picnic blanket I’ve been eyeing all summer. Its waterproof backing will provide good protection on slightly damp mornings and when the fall weather sets in. -EDJ

The grill plate

Flattop griddles are the trendy gadget for outdoor cooking enthusiasts, and companies like Traeger and Weber market massive griddles as alternatives to a full-size barbecue grill. But what if I told you that you don’t need to splurge thousands of dollars on a big machine to live out your quick-serve cook fantasies? The lightweight carbon steel plate From Made In, transform your existing grill into a surface worthy of cooking the perfect burger, with crispy edges. — Ashok Selvam, Eater Chicago editor

The minivans of the oven

Baking trays are the star product of my kitchen: ideal for preparing vegetables, grilling, one-dish dinnersand of course, baking. I love the way the bright pink ones from Great Jones look. It’s on sale now and includes one large pan and two smaller ones. I love the idea of ​​buying a few. in a contrasting color to brighten up my small kitchen space. — Stephanie Wu, Editor-in-Chief

The dual-purpose salt well

For months, I’ve been making do with a wooden salt shaker that’s on its last legs – it has a huge crack on the side and the little screw is doing its best to hold it together (somehow, the salt stays in!). Recently, I saw someone using these little Le Creuset cocottes to store salt. They looked adorable. This generous discount is the final push I need to finally replace my salt shaker. —BM

The luxury toaster Plus

My toaster oven is, without a doubt, the most used appliance in my kitchen, and as a result, the most unsightly. My parents have been insisting for months that I upgrade to a cleaner, less-weary version. So I think it’s finally time to invest in Cuisinart’s toaster-air fryer hybrid, a decidedly more sophisticated version that I’ve been eyeing for a while, at 35 percent off — a total steal to get my parents off my back. -EDJ

The pasta professional

I’ve had my eye on a pasta attachment for my KitchenAid mixer for years. I typically roll out pasta by hand with a rolling pin, which results in perfectly edible but rustic (read: sloppy) strands. How much faster could I roll out pasta (and how much more even) if I let my KitchenAid do it for me? Since the attachments are on sale, I might as well find out now. Kat Thompson, Associate Editor

The Teapot Update

I’m a pragmatist to the core, and that extends to my special interests. So when I saw the prices that come with many of Fellow’s fancier, more souped-up kettles, grinders, and kits, I felt more like the accountant managing the budget for a Fast and Furious franchise. This simplified version of the It’s much more friendly to aspiring drinks makers who don’t need their teapots to come with over-the-top features or a handsome bald man in an oil-stained tank, although that would be a nice addition. —Jesse Sparks, Senior Editor

School supplies

It’s back-to-school season, isn’t it? There’s no denying the absurdly star-studded cooking power that is Masterclasses’ stable of instructors: diner favorites like Mashama Bailey, Alice Waters, Dominique Crenn, José Andrés, Madhur Jaffrey, Niki Nakayama. It’s hilarious enough to impress my parents, who, with a 50 percent discount through Labor Day, will surely be getting one of the programs for Christmas this year. — LS

The inversion tray

I know stainless steel can be intimidating, but all you need to do is make sure the pan is hot enough before using it and I promise that any proteins, eggs, or whatever else you cook in this magical contraption will release eventually. I’ve had my All-Clad pan for years and it has never failed me. The magic of an All-Clad pot or pan is that it is a lifetime investment and can go from stovetop to oven with ease. KT

The classic braiser

Is it fall if you don’t have something cooking in a Dutch oven? Make the most of soups and stews with the crème de la crème, a Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch oven that’s currently on sale for an incredible 42%. Mine is the signature flame color, but you can opt for a darker shade or the deep purple color of shallot. — LS

The bakery trio

Baking season is here, and if you’re still using those aluminum baking pans you bought at the grocery store, it’s time to upgrade. This four-piece bakeware set from restaurant favorite Staub is 50% off for Labor Day and comes in red, white, and blue—how election-appropriate! LS

The Hail Mary

Well, let’s try again. Ahem… Hello family! It’s me, your relative, telling you in a very loud and clear voice that I would like to have an outdoor pizza oven as a Christmas gift this year. I repeat: please, someone buy me an outdoor pizza oven. [I have made this request the last three years in a row and yet, still no oven.] Here, let me make it easy for you: This highly-rated five-in-one Ninja oven is super convenient, works as a smoker, rotisserie, and pizza oven, and it’s currently on a huge discount at Walmart, which is a store I know has a location very close to each and every one of you, and shipping is free. Oh my god, if only someone who loved me would finally get this for me. Well, here’s hoping. — LS