7 Kitchen Tools You Should Buy From Costco And 2 You Can Skip
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When you're looking to stock your kitchen, Costco is one of the best places to shop. It may be best known for selling bulk food items at a low cost, but the retailer also offers a wide selection of home and kitchen products. As with its food items, these products are often available for a lower price than you'd be able to find through other retailers, helping you get the most for your money. Moreover, many of these items are well-reviewed and come highly recommended by customers.
However, while there are several highly-rated products available from Costco, not every item it sells is a winner. Some kitchen tools and accessories have low to mediocre ratings. You'd be better off skipping these in favor of one of the many other exceptional options that are available. To help you decide what to spend your hard-earned money on (and what simply isn't worth it), we've rounded up a list of some Costco kitchen tools to buy, as well as a few others that you should skip. To compile this list, we looked closely at customer reviews, only recommending products that had a high average star rating based on dozens to thousands of reviews. Conversely, the products we don't recommend buying have a much lower average consumer rating.
Buy: Cuisinart 12-piece Essential Tool and Gadget Set
Whether you're just moving into your first place or you're looking to replace your old, outdated kitchen tools, you'll want to take a look at the Cuisinart 12-piece Essential Tool and Gadget Set. The tools in the set feature stainless steel construction for lasting durability. Many of the tools also feature a nylon head, making them suitable to use with your nonstick cookware items. Among others, some of the key tools you'll get with this set include two pairs of tongs, a can opener, a whisk, a peeler, two turners, and a silicone spatula.
This set made our list because of the functionality and versatility it provides, as well as the highly positive reviews it's gotten from customers. A few of the features that are highlighted across numerous reviews include the tools' overall durability, comfort, and ease of use. Reviewers also appreciate how comprehensive the set is, noting that it outfits them with many useful items for preparing a variety of meals.
Buy: KitchenAid 6-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer with Attachments and Pouring Shield
When it comes to the best stand mixer brands, KitchenAid regularly tops the list. And, lucky for Costco members, you can purchase the KitchenAid 6-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer with Attachments and Pouring Shield online. The mixer offers 11 different speeds and comes with five accessories, including a flat beater, flex edge beater, dough hook, whisk, and pouring shield, to help you meet the demands of each and every recipe you prepare. It comes in two color options as well: classic KitchenAid red or silver.
Reviews for this stand mixer are overwhelmingly positive, with the vast majority of reviewers deeming it worthy of a 4- or 5-star rating. The included accessories, quiet operation, and overall performance are a few features that many mention in their write-ups. Several users also shared that they were pleased with the lower price they were able to find through Costco compared to other retailers. However, a few did express some frustration with the functionality of the bowl lift feature, sharing that it was a bit more difficult to operate than they were anticipating.
Buy: Circulon Premier Professional 10-piece Non-Stick Cookware Set
If you're looking for a high-quality cookware set at a reasonable price, then you'd be wise to shop at Costco. One of the most highly-rated sets you'll find is the Circulon Premier Professional 10-piece Non-Stick Cookware Set. Made from durable hard-anodized aluminum with a nonstick surface, these pieces offer durability and won't cause your foods to stick. Each piece is oven-safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, can be used on all cooktop types, and is dishwasher-safe.
Several thousand customers agree that this cookware set is a good buy. They share that the pots and pans seem to be very well-made. Many also highlight the nonstick surface as an asset that makes both cooking and cleanup easier. The variety of sizes included in the set is something else that reviewers are generally pleased by. Customers appreciate being able to grab a pot or pan that matches the demands of the particular recipe they are preparing.
Buy: Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 Smart Air Fryer Oven
You can cook all of your favorite easy air fryer recipes — and a lot more — in the Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 Smart Air Fryer Oven. The versatile small appliance offers 10 different functionalities, making it possible to air fry, broil, bake, toast, dehydrate, and more. It is larger than many other comparable models and can accommodate up to a 12-pound turkey. To help make sure each recipe comes out cooked to perfection, it also features an integrated food thermometer.
According to customer reviews, you'd be wise to consider the Ninja Foodi if you're looking for a versatile and top-performing small kitchen appliance. Several reviewers note how easy it is to use and praise the quality of food it allows them to cook, and they're impressed with its different cooking functions and the range of recipes it accommodates. In their write-ups, others mention that the dishwasher-safe components help make cleanup a breeze.
Buy: FoodSaver Preserve Vacuum Sealing System Starter Kit with Bags and Rolls
You'll likely appreciate the investment of purchasing the FoodSaver Preserve Vacuum Sealing System Starter Kit with Bags and Rolls from Costco. This vacuum sealer makes preserving food for freshness as easy as can be. It comes with an assortment of ready-to-use vacuum sealing bags, along with two vacuum sealer rolls that you can use to create custom-sized bags. The machine effectively removes air from each bag to create an airtight seal, so you won't need to worry about freezer burn or dry goods going stale before you're able to enjoy them. Four different sealing modes (dry, moist, pulse, and sous vide) make it easy to seal various types of food. In addition to vacuum storage bags, this machine also comes with a handheld attachment, which you can use to seal FoodSaver storage containers, vacuum zipper bags, and more.
This model comes highly recommended, with the vast majority of reviewers giving it a 4- or 5-star rating. Many are impressed by how well it works, noting how fresh their food items stay when tightly sealed. Moreover, they note that it not only removes air for long-lasting freshness, but that it also works quickly, allowing them to tackle big bags of food for storage without wasting too much precious time.
Buy: Circulon 10-Piece Non-Stick Bakeware Set
Consider the Circulon 10-Piece Non-Stick Bakeware Set if you're in need of basic baking supplies for making cookies, cupcakes, muffins, and more. The set comes with 10 pieces, including a muffin tin, two cake pans, a loaf pan, and two sheet pans. Each piece in the set is made from durable, long-lasting steel with a non-stick interior. They are oven safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which means that you can use them to roast veggies at a higher temperature for crispy, flavorful pieces.
As you read through customer reviews, it should become evident that this set is another very popular kitchen product available from Costco. In their reviews, many share that the pieces in the set feel like they are made from sturdy, heavy-duty materials. They also really like the nonstick finish, saying that it adequately prevents the items they prepare from sticking to the pan. Several customers also share how pleased they are with the set's retail price at Costco — they feel like they are getting a really great deal, especially given how many pieces come with the reasonably-priced set.
Buy: Cangshan Olympus Series German Steel Forged 23-piece Knife Block Set
Every kitchen needs a good set of knives. With the Cangshan Olympus Series German Steel Forged 23-piece Knife Block Set, you'll have all the key types of knives necessary for a variety of cutting tasks. A few of the knives that come with the set include a carving knife, a chef's knife, a serrated utility knife, a paring knife, a bread knife, and a boning knife. The set also includes a carving fork, a pair of kitchen shears, a honing steel, and, of course, the beautiful acacia wood knife block. The knives in this set are designed with quality in mind. They feature full-tang construction from high-alloy, heat-treated German steel. They also offer stain-resistant rivets and ergonomic handles for comfortable use.
An overwhelming majority of reviewers have given these knives a 4- or 5-star rating. In their write-ups, they praise the knives as being very sharp, well-balanced, and an attractive addition to their kitchen. Users also appreciate the included knife block that offers a convenient spot to keep everything accessible and ready for use. Though, some do note that it is large and requires a good amount of countertop space.
Skip: Keurig K-Cafe Barista Bar Single Serve Coffee Maker and Frother with K-Cup Pods
Keurig offers several top-rated single-serve coffee makers that you might want to consider purchasing. However, based on reviews on Costco's website, the Keurig K-Cafe Barista Bar Single Serve Coffee Maker and Frother with K-Cup Pods is one model that you might just want to skip. While the coffee maker is designed to work with cups of varying sizes, can brew over ice, and offers a frother for both hot and cold milk, it doesn't come highly recommended by many reviewers.
In fact, about 25% of all customers were so disappointed with this purchase that they gave the single-serve coffee maker a dismal 1-star rating. In their write-ups, many complained that they simply couldn't get their coffee to taste right with the machine. Others expressed disappointment that the milk frother stopped working after a short time.
Skip: Staub Le Grande 7.4-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven
A dutch oven can be a real asset in the kitchen. With several more highly-rated options out there, you might want to scroll past the Staub Le Grande 7.4-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven if you come across it on Costco's website. At first glance, it looks like it could be a solid pick with its generous 7.4-quart capacity, enameled interior, and heavy-duty cast iron construction.
But when you take a look at customer reviews, this piece of cookware doesn't look so pretty anymore. Several customers gave the dutch oven a very low star rating, with a few lamenting that the interior is much bumpier and rougher than they'd expect from the manufacturer.
Methodology
As we curated this list of the best products to buy from Costco, as well as those that you're better off avoiding, we used customer ratings to guide our selections. We only recommended purchasing products that carry a high average rating from numerous customers. Conversely, the tools and accessories that we recommend avoiding carry a much lower average rating. This rating is also based on a large number of reviews. Input from multiple customers gives us greater trust in the actual performance of a given product. In addition to looking at customer reviews, we also aimed to include a range of product recommendations to help different readers find something that could simplify their time in the kitchen.