The best kitchen tech to buy in 2026

Two baskets that finish together — the perennial best-seller; the big footprint is the only downside.

Replaces a stack of countertop appliances; you need the counter space to justify it.

Genuine café-quality bean-to-cup at home; it goes on deal often, and that's when it makes the most sense.

Viral for a reason — turns anything frozen into 'ice cream'; single-purpose and loud.

Four wired probes and a handheld receiver that beeps at your target temp, no app needed. The catch: the probe wires run out of the grill, and it uses AAA batteries.

A wire-free probe that sends the meat temperature to his phone, and it goes in the dishwasher. The catch: it's app-only over Bluetooth, so his phone has to stay in range.

Reads in about a second, the screen rotates, and it shrugs off splashes. The catch: it's for spot checks, not for leaving in the meat overnight.

A pocket instant-read with a big backlit screen and a waterproof body. The catch: 2 to 3 seconds per reading, slower than the Thermapen.

A stainless tube of smoldering pellets that adds extra smoke on any grill. The catch: he lights it with a torch, and it's one more thing to clean.