The Top 25 Kitchen Appliance and Gear Trends That Defined the Past 25 Years From spiralizers and slow cookers to juicers and pizza ovens, these are the gadgets that defined 25 years of kitchen innovation. By Paige Grandjean, Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean is a food editor, recipe developer, and food stylist with over seven years of experience in food media. Her work has appeared in more than 15 nationally distributed publications, award-winning cookbooks, and digital platforms. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Melanie Hansche, Melanie Hansche Title: Editorial Director, Special Projects, Food & WineLocation: New York CityEducation: Melanie has a graduate diploma in journalism from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a bachelor of arts with a double major in English literature and politics from Macquarie University.Expertise: food, travel, recipes, restaurants.Experience: Melanie Hansche is the editorial director of special projects at Food & Wine and a former restaurant owner. She's created food and lifestyle content for 25 years across two continents and started her career in food journalism in Sydney at Australian Gourmet Traveller. She then spent eight years working as the magazine and cookbook editor for Aussie food icon Donna Hay before relocating to the USA in 2014. After serving as food director at health and wellness publisher Rodale and editor in chief of Rodale's Organic Life, she joined Food & Wine as its deputy editor in 2018. In her current role, Melanie manages editorial franchises and accolade programs like Best New Chefs and Global Tastemakers, which recognizes the best in international culinary travel. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Breana Lai Killeen, Breana Lai Killeen Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD, is a food editor, recipe developer, farmer and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She has more than 20 years of experience cooking professionally, pouring wine, and creating editorial and digital content for top brands. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Megan Passaro, Megan Passaro Megan Passaro is an Editorial Director for Food & Wine, focused on kitchen product reviews. She joined the company in 2015 and has over 12 years of experience writing and editing food, entertainment, and lifestyle content. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Amelia Schwartz, Amelia Schwartz Amelia Schwartz is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor who has been covering food, beverage, and culture for over seven years. She is currently an editor at Food & Wine magazine, focusing on trends and innovations in the hospitality industry. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Jennifer Zyman Jennifer Zyman As Food & Wine's Testing Editor, Jennifer's work focuses on finding the best tools for all sorts of cooks. She's vetted hundreds of products, from can openers to salad spinners and tortilla presses, and has written about food and restaurants for over 15 years. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 5, 2025 Add Us On Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo Illustration by Janet Maples / Getty Images The 25 tools and appliances listed here speak to the way we cooked, sipped, and snacked over the last quarter century. Some reflected health fads (hello, zoodles), while others spoke to a moment in history (looking at you, lockdown baking). Many have withstood the test of time on kitchen counters (long live SodaStream). In the early 2000s, centrifugal juicers allowed us to embrace kale and down green juice on the way to work, coffee pods and pour-over tools delivered barista-quality brews at home, and Japanese knives had cooks channel their inner Iron Chef while they sliced and diced their weeknight dinner. By the 2010s, appliances had cult followings of their own. The Instant Pot all but broke the internet with countless blogs and fan groups. Vitamix convinced us that we could make soup in a blender. Sous vide machines brought restaurant precision to the home chef like never before. The 2020s have been just as impactful: Dutch ovens became sourdough status symbols, backyard ovens made pizzeria-quality pies at home, and nugget ice machines turned entertainers into mixologists. The air fryer may have emerged as the true MVP, however, as it proved that crispy fries are entirely possible and easy in your kitchen without a vat of oil. The Top 25 Kitchen Design Trends That Defined the Past 25 Years 01 of 25 The juice bar at home Liliya Krueger / Getty Images Centrifugal juicers revolutionized home juicing. It made the process fast, simple, and convenient. Their high-speed spinning blades quickly extracted juice from fruits and vegetables, which eliminated other labor-intensive methods. Around 2002, juicing gained momentum thanks to health-conscious consumers and brands like Juiceman and Breville. The combination of accessible appliances and an increased interest in fresh nutrition transformed juicing from a niche hobby into a mainstream trend. It paved the way for today’s modern juice culture. —Breana Killeen 02 of 25 The non-stick switchup Food & Wine For years, pans with a nonstick coating, commonly known as Teflon, were popular in home kitchens for their almost frictionless surface. They made cooking easier and cleaner and reduced the need to use oil or fat. But a potentially toxic chemical used in the production of Teflon, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), came under investigation in the 1990s and was banned in 2013. (Non-stick pans including those from Teflon no longer use this chemical.) It sparked a boom in alternatives such as non-toxic ceramic and enamel coatings, which were considered safer. They were a precursor to the recent popularity of durable, restaurant-grade, carbon-steel pans. —Melanie Hansche 03 of 25 Silicone everywhere chuchart duangdaw / Getty Images Silicone started to gain popularity in kitchens around 2007, and it transformed numerous kitchen tools. Silicone offered a versatile, easy-to-clean alternative to plastic, metal or wood. Its heat resistance, nonstick properties, flexibility, and durability made it ideal for many kitchen items. It revolutionized many things, especially baking, where colorful mats replaced parchment paper, and flexible molds allowed for candy creativity and high-quality pastries. The trend simplified cooking and baking to make once-complicated tasks easier and more efficient. —Jennifer Zyman 04 of 25 Pod power and pour-overs Food & Wine For many, to brew coffee at home felt unattainable or unnecessary. Why take the time to make a whole pot when your neighborhood coffee shop can do it better (and faster)? But that intimidation factor was lowered with the introduction of Keurig’s single-use coffeemaker in 2008. Simply place a disposable pod (or “K-Cup”) in the machine, and the Keurig could make a single cup of coffee in less than a minute. Nespresso machines, a slightly higher-end alternative, gained popularity around the same time. While many coffee snobs turned their noses up at these single-use coffee makers, they found joy in the slow art of the pour-over. The Chemex, an hourglass-shaped, manual pour-over coffeemaker, trended on barista blogs and allowed an entirely new audience to fall in love with home brewing. —Amelia Schwartz 05 of 25 Sharp turn to Japan YUICHI YAMAZAKI / AFP via Getty Images Home cooks began to move away from clunky Western-style blades in favor of sharper, lighter Japanese-style knives. The Food Network audience was introduced to Masaharu Morimoto’s impressive collection of knives on Iron Chef America with razor-sharp edges that allowed for delicate handling and precision cutting. Other influential chefs, like Anthony Bourdain and Alton Brown, praised the craftsmanship and performance of brands like Shun and Global. It helped shine a light on Japanese cutlery as an everyday kitchen essential. —Paige Grandjean 06 of 25 Sparkling comeback Ariel Jerozolimski / Bloomberg via Getty Images SodaStream’s U.S. relaunch in 2009 sparked a surprising resurgence for the at-home carbonation brand. Many shifted away from mainstream soda brands and embraced the fizzy machines and their flavored syrups. The appeal lay in its convenience, cost savings, and playful customization of sparkling drinks. Its renewed popularity foreshadowed America’s growing obsession with seltzer. SodaStream became positioned as both a nostalgic throwback and a modern kitchen staple. Its success helped spark the wider sparkling water trend that dominates to this day. —Breana Killeen 07 of 25 The Instant Pot achieves cult status Food & Wine Has a kitchen gadget ever inspired so many online fan groups, cookbooks, blogs, and videos as the multi-function cooker known as the Instant Pot? Even F&W’s own executive features editor Kat Kinsman had a YouTube show dedicated to it called No Pressure. Invented by Canadian engineer Robert Wang and team in 2010, the appliance was a slow cooker, pressure cooker, and rice cooker in one. It helped revolutionize weeknight cooking with its versatility. In 2016, it made the jump from niche appliance to national obsession. The Instant Pot Duo was the top-selling item of Amazon’s second-ever Prime Day, with 215,000 units sold in the U.S. in just 24 hours. —Melanie Hansche 08 of 25 Vitamix goes global Food & Wine Blenders used to be routine, perhaps even boring. Maybe it had few bells and whistles, but it was relatively inexpensive. However, Vitamix changed all of that. Its blenders became a mainstay in the kitchens of chefs and serious cooks due to their superior and consistent performance. Making soup in a blender that can also self-clean? People couldn't stay away from the must-have appliance, even if the price tag was $400 or more. The brand continues to be a consumer favorite that lives up to its hype. —Jennifer Zyman 09 of 25 Sous vide for the masses Food & Wine Sous vide, the technique to cook food in a vacuum-sealed bag to an exact temperature through the use of a water bath, was once exclusive to professional kitchens and their chefs. But as affordable, easy-to-use immersion circulators like Anova hit the market, home cooks discovered the secret that chefs relied upon for years. It made precise, temperature-controlled cooking accessible to a broader audience. Immersion circulators enabled home cooks to achieve the same consistency in doneness that could be found in a professional kitchen, whether for perfectly cooked meats, fish, or vegetables. —Jennifer Zyman 10 of 25 Zoodle zeitgeist Grandbrothers / Getty Images “Zoodles” quickly became a buzzword as the Paleo and gluten-free movements reached an all-time high. Spiralizers hit the market at a range of price points, from inexpensive handheld gadgets and tabletop models to KitchenAid’s premium spiralizer attachment for stand mixers. Its surge coincided with the boom of meal-prep culture. Instagram became flooded with pictures of rainbow vegetable noodle bowls as home cooks spiralized everything from zucchini and carrots to beets and sweet potatoes. —Paige Grandjean 11 of 25 Bullet blender reloaded Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Building off the success of the Magic Bullet years prior, which was first released in 2003, the Nutribullet hit the scene in 2017 as the higher-powered answer to convenient green smoothies and superfood-packed meal replacements. Its sleek design, powerful motor, and wellness-focused branding made the blender the go-to for health conscious consumers. Plus, with a single-serve container that doubled as an on-the-go cup, the Nutribullet fit seamlessly into busy, fitness-focused lifestyles. —Paige Grandjean 12 of 25 Sip-all-day steel Lawrence Sumulong / Getty Images Around 2015, vacuum-insulated, stainless-steel drink containers became a must-have accessory. Brands like S'well, Hydro Flask, Yeti, and Stanley gained massive popularity. Driven by convenience, sustainability, and the allure of exponential hydration, these bottles and cups promised to keep beverages hot or cold for extended periods. Their durable design, wide variety of colors, and ability to reduce single-use plastic waste transformed them into everyday essentials. —Jennifer Zyman 13 of 25 Slow-cooker second wind Britta Pedersen / picture alliance via Getty Images In 1971, Rival Company released the Crock-Pot, a slow cooker that uses a temperature-controlled environment to simmer food for long periods. It was the hottest kitchen appliance on the market until the microwave stole the hearts of home cooks. But in the 2010s, the Crock-Pot had a remarkable comeback. Food blogs and cookbooks boasted about the simplicity of “dump dinners.” Just add your ingredients to a single pot or machine and let it do its thing… without the electromagnetic waves. Thanks to the Crock-Pot, busy home cooks could complete all the prep before work, and have a hot, delicious meal ready by the time they arrived home. —Amelia Schwartz 14 of 25 Carbon-steel swagger Food & Wine / Joy Kim In 2018, chef-loved brand Made In brought carbon-steel cookware to the forefront for home cooks. A favorite of professional chefs, carbon steel offered exceptional heat retention, responsiveness, and nonstick properties, but it was often seen as intimidating. Made In helped to demystify carbon steel as it introduced approachable, high-quality pans that allowed home chefs to experience its many benefits. Soon, many other brands followed. Today, it’s one of the preferred types of skillets for both professional and amateur kitchens. —Amelia Schwartz 15 of 25 Stand mixer status symbol Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg via Getty Images In 2018, the KitchenAid stand mixer rewrote its reputation. No longer was it the hardworking appliance stashed away between uses. Rather, it moved into the spotlight as a countertop statement piece. Influencers, home bakers, and celebrities like Jennifer Garner posted #KitchenAid selfies on social media to showcase their highly aesthetic kitchens with the mixer placed front and center. The same year, KitchenAid launched its first-ever Color of the Year Mixer, Bird of Paradise (essentially a vibrant coral color). Not only was the stand mixer a kitchen essential, but it was now a fashion-forward centerpiece. —Paige Grandjean 16 of 25 ‘Hey Google, what’s for dinner?’ Olly Curtis / Future via Getty Images Not a visual learner? Google’s got your back. As of 2017, anyone with a Google Home could listen to voice-guided, step-by-step recipes through Google Assistant. Just pick a recipe (Google partnered with major outlets like NYT Cooking), send it to your Google Home account, and ask to “start cooking.” It responds with easy-to-understand instructions, one at a time. Miss a step? Just request Google to repeat itself. You can even ask some follow-up questions. This handy AI function has made recipes more accessible for visually impaired individuals. It can make anyone feel like they have a sous chef by their side. —Amelia Schwartz 17 of 25 Color of the year craze Food & Wine / Dera Burreson In 2018, kitchen appliances and tools began to mirror the fashion industry with special releases, seasonal drops, and trend-driven hues. KitchenAid led the movement when it introduced its first “Color of the Year,” which elevated mixers from simple tools to statement pieces in playful, vibrant shades, such as pinks, blues, and even metallics. Bold tools such as Le Creuset Dutch ovens turned stovetops into showcases of personality without the need to entirely redo the kitchen. This shift reflected how appliances became part of lifestyle branding. It served to blend function with fashion-inspired design. —Breana Killeen 18 of 25 DTC cookware disrupts Food & Wine You can thank social media for the boom in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, which revolutionized the kitchenware market. Online-savvy brands like Our Place, Caraway, and Great Jones skipped traditional brick-and-mortar stores to sell directly to people as they scrolled. These brands designed stylish, multifunctional, and often toxin-free cookware built for a different audience than the more longstanding brands sold in traditional marketplaces. Their success was driven by strong branding, social media marketing, and a story of making kitchen essentials more straightforward. It appealed to a new generation of home cooks who seek trendy and well-designed products. —Amelia Schwartz 19 of 25 Cast-iron comeback kid ozgurdonmaz / Getty Images With the launch of Lodge’s heritage-inspired Blacklock collection in 2019, Americans began to see cast-iron skillets as more than just retro cookware. The heavy-duty pan that was made to sear, sauté, shallow fry, braise, and bake, retains heat better than any other cooking material. Food influencers and celebrity chefs like Samin Nosrat and Alton Brown sang its praises, especially for one-pot meals and buttery skillet cornbread. —Amelia Schwartz 20 of 25 Rice cooker revival Ilona Shorokhova / Getty Images In the past five years, rice cookers have become a countertop staple. Not only are they the easiest and fastest way to make perfect rice, but they’ve also become a source for experimentation. “Rice cooker hacks,” a viral term on social media, includes recipes with rice, like mixed-grain porridge, Hainanese chicken and rice, and tahdig. There’s even recipes for broth, macaroni and cheese, steamed eggs, and Japanese-style souffle pancakes. —Amelia Schwartz 21 of 25 Dutch oven glam Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald via Getty Images Cast iron-enameled Dutch ovens have long been considered essential cookware for avid home cooks. But in 2020, when the pandemic brought on a bread-baking boom, the thick-bottomed pots reached cult status. There were countdowns for Le Creuset color drops and Staub flash sales. Gen-Z and Millennials alike splurged on chic, showstopping Dutch ovens that were just as functional as they were beautiful. Making stews, sauces, loaves of sourdoughs, and all the one-pot meals your heart could desire have never looked so aesthetically pleasing. —Amelia Schwartz 22 of 25 Pro-level pizza comes home Food & Wine What makes an excellent Neapolitan-style pizza with a perfectly chewy center and a crisp crust? A really hot oven, that’s what. Once, it was almost impossible for home cooks to nail that result. Domestic ovens typically have a capacity up to 500ºF, while a Neapolitan pie requires temperatures greater than 700ºF and up to 1000ºF. Enter Ooni’s portable pellet pizza oven in 2012, Gozney’s Roccbox in 2016, and Breville’s Pizzaiolo pizza oven in 2018. All can reach those sky-high temps, the first two in your backyard and the last one on the kitchen counter. Sales really took off during the pandemic, as cooks got busy replicating their favorite restaurant pies at home. —Melanie Hansche 23 of 25 The great panini-press renaissance Food & Wine In 2020, the pandemic sparked not just a sourdough bake fest, but also a “Panini Surge.” Home cooks sought comfort and variety during work-from-home lunches. Sales of sandwich presses and nostalgic jaffle makers soared, as global reports called it a breakout year for countertop grills. Boredom with basic meals pushed people to recreate café-style melts at home and fueled a wave of creativity. The humble sandwich press became a hero appliance. It elevated the boring home sandwich into a hot indulgence from the convenience of home. —Breana Killeen 24 of 25 Ice, ice, fancy Food & Wine As folks looked to upgrade their everyday routine at home during the pandemic, the possibility to create crunchy, chewy nugget ice in your own kitchen was tempting. Although a few specialty countertop machines had capitalized on the iconic “Sonic” style ice before the pandemic, GE’s 2022 release of the Opal 2.0 sparked a boom. It made those scoopable pellets with a satisfying slush sound in your Stanley or cocktail a staple for many households. Making your own mules, fizzes, and limeades at home would never be the same. —Megan Passaro 25 of 25 Air fryers: Your new kitchen MVP The best air fryers can handle everything from pork loin to boy choy. Food & Wine A product that flew under the radar for years has now become as commonplace as blenders and microwaves: the humble air fryer. Now with no need for modesty, air fryers and air fryer toaster ovens hold court in most kitchens for quick crisping, full-roasted meals, reheating leftovers, and even baking. An estimated 10 million air fryers were sold in 2023, a number that has held steady. They’ve gotten less bulky, smarter, and more efficient each year. Huge brands like Ninja and Breville innovate tirelessly to convince cooks to dump their oven, or at the very least supplement it. Air-fryer evangelists in internet forums compare and select the best versions, and so do we. We’ve never said no to a perfectly crisped crinkle fry. —Megan Passaro Explore more: Food Cooking Techniques Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit