Best and Worst Kitchen Gear for 2026: Stand Mixers, Pressure Cookers, and More

Introduction

We test kitchen gear year-round to help you invest wisely in appliances that perform as promised. This year brought new contenders in several categories, some impressive and others disappointing. Here’s what we found works, what doesn’t, and where you can save money without sacrificing performance.

Stand Mixers: What Works and What Doesn’t

Stand mixers are essential for serious bakers, but not all models deliver the same results. This year, two new entrants from established brands arrived with high expectations.

The Ooni Halo Pro Spiral Mixer uses a unique dual-spin technology where both the bowl and beaters rotate. While this design excels at mixing pizza dough, it struggles with smaller quantities like whipping two egg whites or a cup of cream. The gap between the whisk and bowl is too large and cannot be adjusted, limiting versatility. For a premium appliance, this lack of flexibility is a significant drawback.

The Instant Pot Stand Mixer presents a different set of challenges. Its compact size and touch-screen interface look modern but create practical problems. The screen sits on top, making it difficult for shorter users to see without standing on a step or wearing shoes. The touch controls are cryptic and require frequent reference to instructions. Like the Ooni, it struggles with small quantities and has non-adjustable attachments. Reaching around the back to tilt the head also feels less convenient than competing designs.

Our new top pick for lighter-weight mixing is the NutriMill Artiste Stand Mixer. At just 11 pounds, it’s significantly lighter than the KitchenAid Classic (21 pounds) and the Ankarsrum (18 pounds), making it accessible for users who find heavier models difficult to handle. The NutriMill uses a motor-in-base design with suction cups to lock it in place, and its open top makes ingredient addition easy. It excels at whipping, creaming, and kneading, delivering professional results across all our tests.

Pressure Cookers: Best Options for Every Budget

Multicookers and electric pressure cookers have become kitchen staples, capable of pressure cooking, searing, braising, making rice, and fermenting yogurt. The Instant Pot Pro 8QT remains our top choice, excelling at nearly every task with excellent safety features and ease of use.

However, this year we discovered a compelling budget alternative: the Cosori 6.0-Quart Pressure Cooker. At half the price of the Instant Pot, it delivers stellar performance in sauteing and pressure cooking, producing tender results comparable to premium models.

The Cosori does make some compromises. Its pot features a darker non-stick coating that makes it harder to monitor browning compared to the Instant Pot’s light stainless steel interior. It lacks the convenient handles that make the Instant Pot easier to remove from heat, and the non-stick coating is slightly less durable. However, the Cosori’s pot can be used directly on the stovetop with its heat-distribution base, adding versatility.

Manual Citrus Juicers: Efficiency and Ease

Manual citrus juicers deliver more juice than hand-squeezing and remove most seeds, making them valuable for fresh juice and cocktails. We tested several styles and found meaningful differences in performance and usability.

The Dreamfarm Fluicer offers an intriguing flat, foldable design, but it’s cryptic to use and creates mess during operation. The OXO Citrus Reamer uses a traditional pointed design that requires significant hand strength and produces inconsistent results. It also sprays juice and seeds across the counter, and the long reamer is oversized for limes and lemons.

The Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer topped our ratings again this year. Its gear-assembly design provides mechanical advantage, making juicing effortless. The lemon sits face-down toward the drain, and juice pours cleanly into a collection area while the drain slot catches most seeds. The long arms provide excellent leverage, and the sturdy construction feels premium. For high-volume juicing, the countertop model is speedy and yields abundant juice with minimal effort.

Dish Drying Racks: Premium Design That Lasts

Dish racks seem simple, but poor design creates daily frustration. The JASIWAY adjustable rack earned a not-recommended rating in our testing. While it adjusts to fit different sink widths and can stand on counters, the construction is too weak to hold a full load of dishes. The plate slots are only four inches wide, making standard plates difficult to fit. The small silverware cup pops off easily, dumping clean utensils back into the sink. It also requires a separate draining mat to prevent water pooling on counters.

The Simplehuman Standard Steel Frame Dish Rack has topped our ratings for a decade. At around $100, it costs significantly more than basic wire racks, but the investment pays dividends. The design features sturdy, well-placed ridges that accommodate dishes in multiple configurations. All ridges are covered with silicone to prevent chipping. The silverware basket is large with generous drainage holes, and it sits securely inside or outside the rack depending on your setup.

The Simplehuman’s drainage system is exceptional. Water collects in a central channel and flows to a removable spout that can be positioned to drain neatly into any corner of your sink. The removable wine glass rack is a thoughtful addition for entertaining, holding glasses securely while allowing them to air-dry completely without condensation pooling inside. After years of daily use in our test kitchen, this rack continues to perform flawlessly.

Espresso Machines: Compact Performance

The Ninja Luxe Cafe attempts to do too much in one oversized package. While it makes decent espresso and includes a built-in grinder, the addition of drip coffee and cold brew functions adds bulk without improving quality. Both alternative brewing methods produced poor results, and the grind-assist function wastes coffee while calibrating.

The Breville Bambino Plus is much more compact and our best buy in this category. You’ll need to purchase a separate grinder, but even with that addition, it takes up far less counter space than the Ninja. It’s simple to use, requiring just one button press, and it’s already proven itself in our test kitchen through months of daily use. The Plus model includes automatic milk frothing, while the standard Breville Bambino offers manual frothing at a lower price point.

Conclusion

Investing in kitchen gear pays dividends when you choose appliances that match your actual needs and perform reliably. The NutriMill Artiste offers lightweight mixing without compromise, the Cosori delivers pressure-cooking value, the Chef’n FreshForce makes citrus juicing effortless, the Simplehuman dish rack earns its premium price through durability and thoughtful design, and the Breville Bambino Plus delivers espresso quality in a compact footprint. These choices reflect real-world testing and long-term performance, not marketing promises.