34 Cooking Products For When You Aren't In The Mood To Spend All Day In The Kitchen
Meal prepping has never been so easy.
1. A fuss- and mess-free Better Breader Bowl — simply put your breading, seasoning, and meats into their own separate sections, cover them with the lid, and shake 'em up! Then all you have to do is dump your perfectly coated ingredients out and start cooking!
Promising review: "This thing is awesome! Breading anything makes such a mess in my kitchen, but I absolutely loved being able to do everything in one container. I only tried a dry rub, but I was so impressed with how evenly it coated. Plus, being dishwasher-safe was a major bonus. Seriously considering getting some for gifts" — Susanne C.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
2. A salad chopper here to help you cut up your veggies in record time! Just plop your ingredients into a bowl, and rock the blade back and forth to make quick and safe work of choppin' up everything from greens, to chocolate, and nuts.
Amazon
Promising review:"You don't have to worry about chopping off a finger like with a knife. It's incredible how easy it is to use this item: quick, precise, and safe. The chopping is finished in no time. It is a durable, useful tool in food preparation." — Linda Sue
3. Or a salad shooter that'll slice and shred veggies, fruits, cheese, nuts, chocolate, and more all on its own using a powerful motor. When you don't feel like doing any prep by hand, you'll be glad you have this bad boy in your kitchen.
Amazon
Promising review:"This is a huge game changer for cutting up vegetables fast and easy. I was able to slice up cucumbers, radishes, mushrooms, onions, celery, and zucchini. I even grated cheese and shredded carrots. It only took me a few minutes, and I was able to put the sliced up vegetables in separate containers to be used for the week. I hand-washed the slicer, and the clean-up was fast. You really do not need to put the slicer through the dishwasher to get it clean after using it.
It is on the pricier side, but it's worth every penny not to be spending an hour in the kitchen every week chopping up vegetables." — Gayle
Get it from Amazon for $62.19.
4. A microwave sandwich maker for anyone who wants a crispy grilled cheese, panini, quesadilla, or even burgers and sausages, but doesn't actually wanna do any cooking. Pop it in the microwave, and toss it in the dishwasher when you're done! Getting a nice grilled flavor has never been so easy! You'll love using it for leftovers, too. Say goodbye to soggy food and hello to crunchy crispy goodness!
amazon.com, amazon.com
Promising review:"After reading all the reviews, I had to have one. Butter the top of your bread, place the cheese, another slice of bread, and more butter. Slap that baby between those two plates and microwave two minutes, flip it over for another two minutes! OMG! Crisp and so good! You could never get it that crisp in a pan in that amount of time!" — Debi
Get it from Amazon for $32.99.
5. And a microwave pasta maker with a built-in strainer that lets you make perfect al dente pasta...IN THE MICROWAVE. Just insert noodles and water, stick it in the microwave, and you'll have delicious pasta in minutes. No mess or sticking!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
It even has handy serving size holes on top so you can ensure that you're putting the right amount of noodles inside!
Promising review:"This little thing is great. I wish I'd bought it sooner. It's a very simple container with draining and measuring holes (for long pasta) in the lid. The container itself isn't anything special. Honestly, the part that makes it REALLY worth buying is the little instruction card. It accurately shows you how long to cook many different kinds of pasta, how much water to add, etc. It takes out all the guesswork, which saves SO much time. Every kind of pasta I've tried so far has come out perfectly al dente by strictly following the instructions." — T. B. H.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
6. A Souper Cube so you can store soup or sauce in convenient single-serve portions. With this, it'll be easy to defrost *only* the amount you need! Each tray has four spaces that fit one cup of liquid each. Now, when you don't feel like making an entire meal from scratch, you can say, "WAIT — we have soup!"
www.amazon.com
Souper Cubes is a US-based small business that specializes in bake-and-freeze storage products.
Promising review:"So happy that I found these. I'm the only one in my household who enjoys soup year-round. Have you ever tried to make homemade soup for one? I say it's impossible! But no longer. I can brew up the stock pot with bone broth or my favorite home soup. Fill up my Souper Cubes, freeze, pop out, store my goodies in a freezer bag, and I'm ready for the next batch!" — Debbie R. Texas
Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in five colors/patterns and as a pack of two).
7. A Dracula-inspired garlic chopper named ~Gracula~ that — unlike the real Dracula — isn't afraid of garlic. Now, peeling garlic will be a breeze *and* your fingers won't wind up reeking all day long.
You can also use it to chop nuts, fruits, and veggies!
Promising review:"I purchased this as a gift for my friend who is a fantastic cook — she uses fresh ingredients almost exclusively — but pressing fresh garlic is a task usually delegated. No longer — Gracula is there for her. She uses him nearly every time she needs garlic (which is basically daily), and months later, still makes a point of saying how much she enjoys the gift. I'm pretty sure she likes it better than other gifts I've gotten her, which were more expensive/thought out, and I'm fairly certain it's what took me from 'good friend' to 'best friend,' but it be that way sometimes. Anyway, definitely recommended for people who cook with garlic and have a sense of humor." — L
Get it from Amazon for $13.29.
8. A rotary cheese grater capable of making the job a whole lot faster and easier. It suctions to the countertop for extra stability, and the crank requires way less effort than a classic cheese grater. Three blades are included so you can choose whether you wanna slice, shred, or grind. And it's not just for cheese! Use it for nuts, veggies, hash browns, and more.
amazon.com, amazon.com
Promising review:"MAKES SHREDDED CHEESE A BREEZE. This thing is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! Absolutely AMAZING!!! We buy organic blocks of cheese, and it is a pain to shred. Not with this tool! It suctions well to the counter, and shreds an entire block in seconds! It is amazing!!!! It is really easy to clean as well! This tool is really worth every single penny! Would definitely buy again! I am recommending to all my friends!" — Amazonuser
Get it from Amazon for $27.97 (available in 10 colors and two sizes).
9. A handheld immersion blender — now you can blend, pureé, or mix without having to take the time to transfer your ingredients into a clunky countertop device. Plus, this thing is super powerful in speeding up the process!
amazon.com
Promising reviews: "So happy I bought this. My old one, from the thrift store, cracked. It was an oldie! This one is awesome! Blends the soup so well and fast!!!! Great find!" — Sandy Butler
" Used for the first time to speed up the breakdown of strawberries for a strawberry reduction for a cake. Did a beautiful job. I am most impressed with the weight and construction of the pieces. Great buy for the money." — Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $22.49 (also available with accessories).
10. A two-tier food steamer and rice cooker for when you wanna cook several items at the same time without any guesswork, thanks to the included guide and water level indicator. It lets you keep your veggies separate from your proteins, and prep a whole meal including sides without even having to turn on the stove!
Promising review:"This steamer is fantastic. Extremely easy to use. I was doubtful the items on the top would steam properly, but it worked, and this was with the first tray filled to the max. The steamer steams extremely fast. My old steamer was about 15–20 minutes for things like broccoli. This one is just over 10 minutes. Easy to clean, easy to use. Highly recommended." — WilliamR
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
11. A versatile chop, slice, and dice unit here to simplify your meal prepping! Forget chopping your veggies one by one and having to clean a cutting board when you can just toss 'em in this device! And when you're done, just pop out the interchangeable blades and throw 'em in the dishwasher!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Fullstar is a small business established in 2017 that specializes in kitchen gadgets.
Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action.
Promising review:"Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food, and it has a generous container." — Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.97 (available in six sizes and four colors).
12. An air fryer — it's able to cook perfectly crisped french fries, veggies, chicken wings, and more in less than 20 minutes — no oil required!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I love this product! It makes cooking so much easier! I did not use the oven in this hot weather since I got it! It saves so much time! I love it! It's my go-to when I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Also, it does not make the whole house smell like food! It's awesome. 😁😁" — Sam&Mez
Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in two colors).
13. A breakfast-maker station with two griddle compartments and a toast drawer that'll make cookin' up a quick brekkie a cinch! Easily set the temp control and built-in timer, and it'll do the rest! This thing does a great job preparing eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, veggies, and more without requiring much effort from you.
Amazon
Promising review:"Convenient and effective. This cooker is awesome! I bought it for my son, who cooks breakfast each day. He loved having the ability to get everything going in one place. The temperature controls were effective for cooking his eggs and toast, how he likes them. It was a quick and easy way to cook his breakfast, and the clean up was super easy." — Nickie
Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in three colors).
14. A wireless charging stainless-steel grinder set — simply press the button and it'll grind out your favorite spices all on its own! Since it only requires one hand, you can multitask by adding salt and pepper at the same time, or using your other hand to stir a pot while your freshly ground pepper tumbles on in!
Promising review:"I like the modern and clean design of the grinders. They feel sturdy and well-made, and look nice sitting on my countertop. It was very easy to fill each grinder with my preferred spices and seasonings. I really like that you can adjust the coarseness of the grinders. They have helped speed up food preparation, as I no longer have to manually grind my various salts and peppers." — GlobeTrotter77
Get it from Amazon for $39.95 (also available in multipacks).
15. A vegetable holder with 10 stainless steel spikes that'll hold your ingredients in place, making it way less of a hassle to quickly, evenly, and safely slice onions, carrots, avocados, eggs, and much much more!
amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review:"I saw a video of this on Amazon, and my jaw dropped in amazement at how simple it was to use. Cutting an onion goes really fast now, so fast I will never have to cry while cutting an onion. I got another for my brother-in-law who loves to cook. I wish I had this 50 years ago. It would have made my cooking much easier." — J. Ellis
Get it from Amazon for $7.98.
16. A rotating pizza oven for those moments when you've got a hankering for a homemade pie, but don't feel like waiting for the oven to heat up.
Reviewers cook everything on this, not just pizza. A lot of them use it as a substitute air fryer and love how easy it is to store. And if pizza is what's for dinner, don't forget to throw some Mike's Hot Honey in your cart to drizzle on the top. (You're welcome in advance if you haven't tried this life hack.)
Promising reviews:"I use it to make pizza, corn dogs, tater tots, chicken strips, and almost anything else that you would have to use your oven for, and it cooks things faster than your oven. 😋" — Tonia O.
"We first saw it at a friend's home and had to try it. It is faster and more efficient than heating up the oven for frozen pizzas, which we add additional toppings to. It heats from above AND below, which turns out not only to be great for frozen pizzas but also for small bites, appetizers, and other items like canned cinnamon rolls. Best of all, it is amazing at reheating leftover pizza to practically like the first time, with a crispy crust and hot cheese — so much better than the soggy, limp microwave reheating. Now, we LOVE leftover pizza." — Figsway
Get it from Amazon for $73.55+ (available in two colors).
17. A pair of herb scissors so you can clip your ingredients directly into your plate and not have to clean a cutting board! What was once tedious chopping is now fast and easy clipping!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I don't know why I have waited so long to get a pair of these scissors. They are fantastic. Makes using fresh herbs so easy! It takes a few minutes to cut up any herb you need to use. It used to take me many minutes to cut up herbs with a pair of kitchen shears. I used to dread when a recipe called for a fresh herb chopped. Now it's so easy with these scissors that I enjoy making recipes with fresh herbs. They clean up nicely, and they provide you with a tool that helps you remove any excess herbs that may be stuck in the blades." — susan darrow
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in three colors or a pack of two).
18. A 5-in-1 countertop cooker that can do a heck of a lot! Whether you wanna press paninis, grill meats and veggies, or griddle up some breakfast — this thing can do it all, and fast! Forget dragging out the barbecue or making a mess on your stove. And when you're done, just toss the removable plates in the dishwasher, and move on with your day!
This combines a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/half griddle into one counter-space-saving device. So yes, you can use it to grill burgers on Friday night *and* make pancakes Saturday morning.
Promising reviews:"Great product. Have made steak, burgers, shish-kabobs, and veggies. Everything turned out great. Was a chore cooking steak on the stove as the smoke alarm would go off each time and the steak would often be overcooked. With this, not only is it faster cooking time, but easy to use. The smoke alarm never goes off. Get great grill marks. Cooks well, juicy. And a breeze to clean. Just let it cool, scrape off residue quickly, toss in dishwasher, and ready to use again. Great purchase. Use it regularly." — rudeboyrg
" Love this Grill. I have cooked on it a lot. Cooks steak in about 10 minutes. Great for anyone that needs to speed up cooking time. My husband got this grill for me for Christmas — LOVE it. You can't go wrong on the price either." — JoAnn Davis
Get it from Amazon for $99.95 + (available in six styles).
19. A pair of bear claws — they make it so much quicker and easier to shred meat than using your bare hands. Hate getting your fingers covered in greasy rotisserie chicken? Use these instead!
Amazon
Promising review:"Just yesterday, I was using these claws to turn a roast I was browning, and I declared my undying love for them. Then I remembered I haven't yet written a review for them. They have seriously changed my life as far as cooking meat. Flipping a chicken, or a goose, or a duck, turning a roast, transferring a roast from the rack onto the board for cutting, holding the meat steady while cutting — the claws do it all. They are like salad hands for your meat. Buy them and see your life change too!" — Anonymous
Get them from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in four styles).
20. Or a meat shredding tool if you wanna avoid the mess of using forks or other utensils, and keep everything contained while transforming cooked meats and even veggies into finely shredded pieces. Simply put your ingredients inside and twist using the ergonomic handles that make the whole process a breeze!
Promising review:"I've only used it one time so far, but it works. I cut the chicken breast into large chunks and placed them in the bottom tray. It took a few hard tugs to get it started, but once it started breaking up the chicken, the shredding got easier and easier. It definitely speeds up the tedious process!" — Mary J.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in nine colors).
21. A dishwasher-safe microwave egg fryer in case you're craving an eggy breakfast, but *not* craving the time and effort it usually takes to make one. However you like your eggs — this thing can do it for you in the microwave, with stovetop results!
amazon.com
22. *And* a microwave steamer because who feels like boiling a pot of water on the stove and dealing with a steamer attachment when you can just plunk this thing in the microwave and easily steam veggies, fish, and poultry in minutes?!
amazon.com
Promising review:"This thing makes quick work out of steaming veggies! Instead of dirtying pans and having to carefully watch steaming on the stove, just slap a pound of broccoli in for about three minutes, and BOOM, you're done and ready to eat. Throw it in the dishwasher and it's ready for round two! I can do a pound of carrots, a pound of broccoli, and a dozen stalks of asparagus in about 11 minutes! Try that on the stove!" — manchu
Get it from Amazon for $17.06.
23. A splatter guard — now you won't have to spend time giving your entire stove a deep clean every time you fry up some dinner. Plus, it'll help protect you from sizzling oil splashes that would just love to hop on out of the pan and land on your bare skin.
Amazon
Frywall is a New York-based small business that specializes in protective kitchen accessories.
Promising review:"I was frying chicken with lard, and I put too much in the frying pan. A few minutes after putting the chicken in, the lard began to bubble up, and if I hadn't had the Frywall in place, it would have spilled all over my stove. The Frywall creates a seal around my frying pan, stopping spillovers. Splatters don't escape, it's easy to work around it (turning my chicken over), and when I'm done, I just throw it in the dishwasher. If you do any frying at all, you want the Frywall. Helpful." — Carl G Brown
Get it from Amazon for $23.95 (available in four colors).
24. An Our Place 6-in-1 Wonder Oven that pretty much does it all...and fast! It air fries, toasts, roasts, bakes, broils, and reheats while saving space and time! This thing preheats 75% faster and cooks up to 30% faster than traditional ovens, making it a great option for anyone who wants to speed up their meal prep.
Promising review:"This oven replaced a 25+-year-old toaster oven for us. The only downside was the l earning curve for how much faster and more efficiently this cooked things! Chose it for the wide variety of functions — we didn't have an air fryer, and as I said, our toaster was old enough to vote and drink — as well as the looks (like a grown-up Easy-Bake Oven). It fits great in our kitchen, very well-made, and pleasant to use, and it works great as well." — William Roth
Get it from Amazon for $175 (available in four colors).
25. A vegetable brush if you wanna skip the task of peeling potatoes and other veggies and simply clean them instead — which is much faster and easier thanks to this tool!
www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I'm delighted with this brush. With the rise of popularity of sweet potato dishes, I didn't want to lose nutrition by tossing the skins. The amount of dirt this removes from the surface actually surprised me. The grip is comfortable. Go ahead! Grab the brush and eat those skins!" — Jennifer Guerrero
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
26. A no-touch cooking thermometer in case you wanna check if your ingredients are fully heated without removing them from your cooking surface or having to dirty a traditional food thermometer. Plus, now you can stop wasting time hemming and hawing over whether or not your chicken is cooked enough and quit losing precious juice from your steaks every time you cut them open to check on the middle.
Amazon
Promising review:"Wonderful...can't believe I waited this long to get one of these. S peeds up the whole process." — JoAnn Mahaffey
Get it from Amazon for $19.60 (available in five colors and three styles).
27. A genius tofu press — say goodbye to fussing with towels and heavy objects trying to get *all* the liquid out of your tofu. This makes the process much faster, simpler, and less messy — resulting in the perfect taste and texture!
Amazon
It also includes a tofu cookbook! BTW, TofuBud is a small biz based in San Francisco!
Promising review:"I went for many many years pressing my tofu the old-fashioned way, between two plates with a towel. I always thought that way was good enough, but I decided to try this, and I'm so happy I did. It is so much faster and better. It really does make the tofu taste better to be more pressed and firm. And no more accidentally broken pieces of tofu either. I'm so happy I got it. The recipe book is nice too. I have discovered some new ways to make tofu. I'm very pleased!" — timothy smith
Get it from Amazon for $26.95.
28. Home Chef, which is the perfect thing for taking the stress out of meal time. Just pick and customize your meals for the week, and pre-portioned ingredients will be delivered right to your door with easy-to-follow step-by-step recipes! Plus, they offer everything from 5-minute–30+-minute meals to accommodate your ever-fluctuating schedule.
Meal types offered: Gluten-free, dairy-free, meatless, calorie-conscious, and carb-conscious meals.
What does it include? Portioned and labeled ingredients, and instructions for your choice of meals that take 30 minutes or 15 minutes to cook. Oven-ready meals that simply need to be popped into the oven are also available!
Promising review:"Excellent flavors, easy to make, and a good variety of meals that arrive fresh and correctly prepared every time. Couldn't be more pleased. Has saved me time and money during the busy weekdays!" — Jessica
Get it from Home Chef starting at $9.99/serving.
29. Or a Blue Apron subscription — they'll send you fresh ingredients from farmers pre-portioned for specific dishes, plus easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions so you can get perfect results every time, *without* the hassle of grocery shopping, measuring ingredients, and hunting down recipes.
www.instagram.com
Meal types offered: Vegetarian, diabetes-friendly recipes, and family-style meals.
What does it include? Fresh measured ingredients from family-run farms, measured spices, and recyclable packaging.
Promising review: "My entire family loves the dishes I make! This truly makes my life easier as a working mom! It allows my family to sit down together and enjoy our dinner. I love that my kids love it." — Angie
Get it from Blue Apron starting at $12.49/serving (two- and four-serving plans available).
30. A rapid egg cooker that'll make it much faster and easier to prepare a delicious and nutritious breakfast! This impressive lil' device can make hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, and scrambled eggs in just minutes! It can even make an omelet if you wanna feel fancy without the extra effort.
See it in action on TikTok here!
Promising review:"If you are on the fence about getting one of these, GET ONE. It really is as easy as it sounds to have a perfectly cooked egg, no guesswork. Soft-boiled eggs took me about 11 minutes to make. Just have an ice bath ready next to the cooker, and let the eggs sit for a minute or two in there...peels come right off. :) Makes nutritious eating a breeze in the morning! Where has this been all my life!??!?" — rebecca
Get it from Amazon for $15.99 + (available in two sizes and nine colors).
31. An automatic pan stirrer for anyone who tends to forget to continuously stir certain ingredients and always ends up with clumpy results. It even has a built-in timer, so you can let it take over at the stove while you bask in the glory of your newfound free time.
Uncommon Goods
Promising review:"Honestly, I laughed at myself for buying this. I stopped laughing the first time I used it! What a help! It freed me up to do other things while it stirred the sauce that needed constant attention. Bought another one! Not laughing now!" — Luvdvm
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $25+ (battery-powered and rechargeable versions available).
33. A bell pepper corer if you want a handy tool that'll make it quick, easy, and mess-free to remove the stem, seeds, and core from your pep.
Amazon
Promising review:"I love eating raw bell peppers, and this handy gadget has been a real time-saver. Removes the core to make slicing up peppers much more efficient. Two thumbs up for this ingenious kitchen gadget." — I love Amazon
Get it from Amazon for $10.98.
34. And finally, an Oxo peeler that'll make peeling potatoes, apples, and other tough-skinned fruits and veggies *much* less of a hassle thanks to its swiveling double-blade design. Now, you won't have to waste time struggling to get all the skin off of your ingredients — this thing will help make the process way faster and safer!
Amazon
Plus, it's dishwasher-safe!
Promising review:" I've been a chef for 20 years, and I have used these countless times. They're totally reliable and useful for even the most amateur cook." — Chef Chaz
Get it from Amazon for $9.93.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
3 days ago
- Buzz Feed
Make Dog Bath Time Less Ruff With This Shower Attachment
The dog days of summer are almost here, and if your pup's got that funk, well, it might be time for a scrub-a-dub. We know it's not their favorite thing, but this tool makes your pet's bathtime a whole heck of a lot easier. The Aquapaw Pro is a clever hybrid bath brush, shower wand and massager that attaches to an existing water source and funnels the water through a handheld scrubber. Made from durable silicone, it is soft on fur but tough when it comes to scrubbing away dirt. It is a solid addition to your pet grooming needs. A button controls the water flow, with adjustable pressure settings. You can switch from a deep clean to a gentle massage in seconds, enabling you to match your pup's mood with this handy tool. Want an upgrade that makes baths less chaotic? Check out the pawsome reviews below. Your pup – and your nose – will thank you. Get it from Amazon for $31.03.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
People Who Found Out About Their Spouses' Sinister Secrets After Marrying Them Are Sharing What Happened, And It's Really Frightening
We recently covered a Reddit thread that asked users who discovered major secrets about their spouses after marriage to share their stories. This inspired members of the BuzzFeed Community who have endured similar revelations to open up about their experiences. Here's what people shared: 1."My ex-husband neglected to tell me that he was more interested in men than women. When I did find out, I was pregnant and not working due to severe morning sickness. I wanted to run, but I felt trapped. More of his lies came out, and we divorced a couple of years later. I found out during the divorce that he was soliciting men on Craigslist and inviting them to the house while he was taking care of my daughter." —Anonymous 2."After working to get my husband through medical school and putting off finishing my college career until he graduated, he had an affair with his assistant, and she had his baby while we were still married. I finished my Master's and divorced him." —Anonymous 3."This guy was pursuing me to no end, even sending flowers to my job. I finally agreed to marry him. I never loved him, really. But I was willing to learn to love him. Then, he started acting strange when we picked out a house to buy. I had a VA loan and discovered his name couldn't be on the deed because of a foreclosure. His ex-wife still lived in the home and refused to pay mortgage payments. So, once I purchased our home on my own, he was infuriated that he'd have to sign a disclosure agreement and that he'd have no rights to the property. That didn't stop him from getting a restraining order against me a year later and trying to have me forced from the home when I filed for divorce. He was a true loser." —Anonymous 4."My husband didn't tell me he still owned a condo with his ex and was still close with her and her current husband. I found an email in which he complained to her about how rude my children were. He invited his ex and her husband to visit us, but he didn't tell me until they arrived, and we were scheduled to join them for dinner." —Anonymous 5."My husband didn't tell me he was already married to another man. At first, I was horrified, but it turns out they are both bi and very into me. I'm now enjoying two husbands." —Anonymous 6."He told me he didn't want to buy me an engagement ring because he'd rather use the money for a down payment on a house. I found out after we were married that there was no money. He said he had a BS in Sociology when he was actually five classes shy of his degree. I found this out after being married for 18 years. He told me he never used any drugs, but I found out when we were divorcing that he was getting high with our kids as a bonding experience and that when he was younger, he used to get so drunk/high that he'd crawl out to his car from bars. He was a Boy Scout leader for our son's troop, and I found out he was forging signatures on badges, so my son's scouting career was false. It took me 24 years to be rid of him." —Anonymous 7."He told me he was divorced. Then, a week before our wedding, he had to go to court to get his divorce finalized. I would never have dated a married man. Then, he had an affair and told his new woman that he and I were already divorced. Pathological liar." —Anonymous 8."My ex-husband of 20 years told me after we were married and moved to another state that he had a little girl. The little girl is six months younger than my son. My son was born in July; she was born in December of the same year. We also got married in March of that year. He claims it was before we were married, but we were engaged and had set plans to fly to Miami to get married. I never had another child by him." —Anonymous 9."My ex didn't tell me he had a problem with being on the internet. I found out after six years of marriage that he had a secret Facebook account with only women on it, saying he liked to get down and dirty. I also found out he was doing live porn on the internet with other people posting his privates all over the internet. Needless to say, I divorced him." —Anonymous 10."Before marriage, he pretended to be kind, helpful, a good father, and employed with a steady job. He later admitted to stealing all of my money and all of the kids' money from their savings accounts, as well as spending tens of thousands of dollars on sex workers during work hours as a children's social worker. We're divorced." 11."Lying is integral to my soon-to-be ex's negative value system. He said he loved me; he didn't. He said his grandparents had a small bank account in our name; they didn't. He said he had kidney cancer; he didn't. He said he didn't get money from his brother's estate; he did. He said he'd take me to Hawaii when I finished my thesis; he didn't. I had no idea when I married the loser that everything he said was a lie." —Anonymous 12."This happened in the late 1990s. About a year or so into our marriage, my then/first wife showed me a final collection notice on unpaid college loans. She was visibly upset, insisting that she never got any prior notices in the mail. It got me mad. I cashed out an investment and paid it off to make the debt collector disappear. A couple years later, she asked for a divorce and moved out. In the summer of 1999, I was going through my house, clearing out her excess stuff, when I opened up a storage bin and found — surprise, surprise — all the prior collection notices she had hidden away. That was the least of the eye-opening discoveries I learned about her. We divorced in March 2000. Exactly a year later, I met a sweet woman and married her two years later. We've been happily married for 21 years. Oh yeah, and we both pay our bills on time." —Anonymous 13."Three years after we were married, I found out that my husband is sexually attracted to men. I found a questionable male picture on his computer while restoring it from a virus, and I made it his desktop image, hoping he would object to it somehow. Instead, he didn't bat an eye. When I confronted him, he said, 'I'm working on that.' We obviously are not together anymore." —Anonymous 14."Wooh! Where do these folks come from?!? First, it was his age (older than he stated), then a story about being in the military. Now, the icing on the cake: his baby momma was in labor with twins on our wedding day! All his guests knew what was up. I had no clue and was pregnant really soon after the wedding. Now it makes sense why he wasn't thrilled we were pregnant." —Anonymous 15."I only found out that my husband had previously been married when I went to register my child's birth at the embassy. To top it off, he was still married to that person in another country. He did not think it counted since he permanently left that country. Needless to say, he had to pay legal fees in two countries and travel there to get a divorce. I only believed him when I saw the legal documents translated and submitted to our local courts." —Anonymous 16."My then-boyfriend, now husband, always brought me little gifts and cards. I was young and he was 10 years older. I thought it was so sweet and thoughtful. It definitely was a big reason I fell for him. It wasn't until years later that I realized his mom and sister were buying the cards and gifts. It wasn't his thoughtfulness at all." —Anonymous 17."I am a physician, and he is a teacher. Years after we were married, he basically told me that I was not good enough and that he would never have married me if he had been a physician or lawyer. I am his third wife. We are in the process of getting divorced." —Anonymous 18."My ex-husband went into great detail about his yellow truck at home in California (I'm in CT) and said he had broken off an engagement. At our wedding, his mother told me that she had to break up with his ex-fiancée for him when she came over for her regular dinner time when the family was preparing to come for the wedding. Also, he never owned a vehicle. I had been driving him everywhere. He never let me talk to his mom. He cheated on me, so we are not together anymore." "My other ex-husband, as it turned out, had never been with another woman before me. That would be fine, but he told me he had been with three. Two didn't have names, but one was named Zoe, and he made up her backstory. It all came crashing down when he said he had gone to Machu Pichu with her and didn't know what country it was in. I was with him for eight years, and so many wild stories about him exist. I've been divorced for quite a while." —awkwardlamp47 19."I was working with a dental office shortly after graduating from high school, but before I started design school at the Pasadena School of Design. This character supposedly was a dental student at USC, and I was naïve enough to believe him. Two years later, married to this delusional liar and pregnant with our first child, I was still unaware that he wasn't a dentist but just a guy making false teeth for patients. It got worse. He became physically abusive, but my two children and I were able to escape his lies and abuse. I recently got a friend request from him on Facebook. No way in hell would I befriend him." —Anonymous 20."We got engaged after 10 glorious days. A year and a half later, we married. Then, he casually told me everything he told me when we got together was all lies. He didn't know or want me, much less love me. He just wanted to 'do' me but knew I wanted to wait for marriage. Also, he was homeless because his ex left, and he couldn't pay the rent. Many years and kids later, I still feel used. People think we are so happy, but I feel empty inside. Our children, who are on their own and doing well, know their dad is only here because I pay all the bills." —Anonymous 21."My dad was 12 years older than my mom, so he lied about being 40 since he didn't think she would be interested at 28. He had always looked young, so it was easy to pull off. The day she found out his real age was at the courthouse when they were signing the marriage license. He thought she would be so mad, but she laughed it off since she was so in love at that point and didn't care how old he was. She would always lovingly retell the story while he looked on embarrassed." —cute-as-ducks419 22."He only married me for a green card. He was dating other women the whole time we were married. One of his dates called and clued me in. Hello, divorce lawyer!" —Anonymous 23."When I met my future husband, we were making small talk at a Saturday night gathering for single people. I was in my early 20s. He was 10 years older than me, incredibly handsome, and seemed kind. I asked him if he had plans for the upcoming week. He said his friend was having a baby, and he was going to see them sometime that week. It sounded normal enough. I innocently assumed he meant a guy friend, and the friend's wife was having a baby, and my dude was being supportive. Two years later, we were engaged. After we were married, he told me the 'friend' he had mentioned the night we met was actually his ex-girlfriend." "They were going through a breakup when I met him; the baby was his. That pregnancy had ended due to a stillbirth the week we met. I was amazed that he thought he couldn't tell me the truth about that situation at some reasonable point before we married. I would not have married him if they'd had a baby, but I chalked it all up to 'live and learn.' I was trying to do the 'right thing' and honor my marriage vows by forgiving him and putting that in the past. I divorced him 24 years later when I gradually found out he had racked up many thousands of dollars in debt over the years without telling me and had hidden that from me by eventually taking over the financial 'management' of our shared bank account, a task I had openly done for us for years. He had also invested his pension from early retirement, which was a substantial sum of money that could have sustained a humble but secure lifestyle for us for the rest of our lives, into a business venture with an acquaintance against my adamant disagreement. The acquaintance turned out to be a crook who had convinced my ex to allow him to 'manage the finances' since they were business partners. The guy stole all of my ex's (our) money and disappeared with all of the equipment, files, and computers from the business. The acquaintance was operating under an alias and wanted in another state for doing the same thing to somebody else. I am so relieved to be out of that tough marriage. I am much poorer, wiser, and not impressed with the quality of men my age I've met. The bar now is so incredibly low. I don't know if I want to be with anyone again." —Anonymous "My first husband told me right after we were married that he wasn't in love with me yet, but he said he would learn to love me over time. We lasted 20 years and had three kids before his dysfunctional behavior finally made me realize I couldn't fix what started broken." —Anonymous Gosh, how devastating and unsettling. It's incredible how some people can hide their true colors from even those closest to them. Scary stuff. If you also married someone who hid major parts of themselves from you, what happened? Tell us in the comments or submit anonymously using this form. Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Buzz Feed
5 days ago
- Buzz Feed
27 Products That'll Help You Not Order Take-Out Again
A Dash rice maker if the biggest barrier to you eating an at-home stir fry is your fear of burning the rice. Again. BUT SUCH NEWS: You no longer have to be afraid, because this handy little gadget will make perfectly fluffy rice EVERY TIME! As a former Rice Freaker-Outer, I promise this is the answer to all your kitchen wishes. Promising reviews: "Does an amazing job cooking my sushi rice. Had it for a year now and it's still going strong. Does not burn your food simply keeps it warm. I constantly forget I'm cooking something and will normally burn my food by accident but this little cooker has been a life saver for me and my food." —Deisi Cervantez"This mini rice cooker is small but mighty—like the kitchen version of a chihuahua. I blink and suddenly there's perfect rice and zero judgment for my single-person meal. It's like having a personal chef who only knows one recipe, but nails it every time." —Ce CeGet it from Amazon for $21.95 (available in three colors). A folding silicone splatter guard to keep your efforts from also dirtying your stove top. (Like, who has TIME to cook *and* clean??) Bonus points: This doubles as a trivet so you can set your fresh-off-the-burner dishes down without burning your countertops and furniture. I LOVE that this one folds in half for easy storage and checking on whatever I'm cooking while still protecting from the splatters. It's machine washable, too, so I just chuck it in the dishwasher when I'm done (lovingly) abusing it. Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two colors). A Pioneer Woman stand mixer so you can mixy-mixy like a pro, but without shelling out the wad of cash you see for That Big Brand. (Lots of reviewers have both and love this one MORE!) Whether you're making pastry dough for pizza, pot pies, or a lil' after-dinner dessert, you'll be thrilled to have this mixer in your kitchen corner. Promising reviews: "The mixer is as good or better than my daughter-in-laws Kitchen Aide, and more included attachments. I'm just thrilled with my pretty, heavy duty beauty." —Kristen"LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!! I have a kitchen aid stand mixer and this one is so much better. Smaller and lighter to lift and put on counter, but just as powerful!!!! Love the clear guard to keep contents from spilling out while mixing. Highly recommend!!!!" —JillGet it from Walmart for $129. An Our Place 6-in-1 Wonder Oven my fam is personally in love with because it does everything (toast, roast, air fry, and bake) while taking up the world's smallest footprint on our counter. We've had other combo ovens in the past, but we use this one so much more because it makes it SO EASY to get what you need done fast, in part because the dials are analog, not digital. (No school like the old school when it comes to speed!) Look, I love digital stuff as much as the next thirty-something, but sometimes there are just too many options on those tiny screens and you want to just turn a dial and get it done now without having to scroll through one hundred choices, thanks. Plus, I SWEAR it cooks faster than our others did, and the reviewer below agrees!Promising review: "This oven replaced a 25+ year old toaster oven for us. The only downside was the learning curve for how much faster and more efficiently this cooked things! Chose it for the wide variety of functions - we didn't have an air fryer, and as said our toaster was old enough to vote and drink - as well as the looks ("like a grown-up easy bake oven"). It fits great in our kitchen, very well made and pleasant to use, and it works great as well." —William RothGet it from Amazon for $185+ (available in two sizes and four colors). A Kitchen Mama automatic can opener that'll speed up those casseroles that involve a bunch of canned veggies and cans of broth without requiring another counter-based gadget. This one works with a quick click of the button, so you can totally do other prep things while this does the opening work for you! A Cospro 3-in-1 wireless charging stainless-steel grinder set I will PERSONALLY never go without again because it is one less barrier to me *thinking* about cooking and me *actually* cooking. The one-handed grinding is a real game changer because I can season with freshly ground salt and pepper simultaneously and move on to the next step. Plus, it holds a charge FOREVER, so even if you don't want to keep the base plugged in all the time, it's good to go. This gadget is SO sleek, y'all, and it works as good as it looks! Promising review: "I purchased the 3-in-1 Salt and Pepper Grinder Set. I like the modern and clean design of the grinders. They feel sturdy and well made and look nice sitting on my countertop. It was very easy to fill each grinder with my preferred spices and seasonings. I really like that you can adjust the coarseness of the grinders. They have helped speed up food preparation as I no longer have to manually grind my various salts and peppers." —GlobeTrotter77Get the set of three from Amazon for $79.96 (also available in sets of one, two, and five). A Masterbuilt portable charcoal grill and smoker if your ideal dinner is smoked meat and grilled veggies, but your ideal aesthetic does ~not~ include a hulking piece of metal chilling permanently in your yard or spending $$$ to have it dashed to your door. This handy-dandy grill/smoker comes with a removable cart so you can take it just about anywhere, including your tiny porch. You're welcome. Promising review: "This baby was super easy to set up and get running. I love the heavy duty build and design is simple and effective. We're going to be testing it out on the boat next weekend and I will report a review again to share our story!" —Deep Creek OutfitterGet it from Walmart for $398.97 or from Masterbuilt for $329.99. A breakfast sandwich maker that's so fast and easy, it basically means you're ENCOURAGED to have breakfast for dinner whenever you want, which gets you back to your fave TV spot all the faster! A hand-powered chopper if you can't be bothered to find an empty outlet because you've gotta finish dinner and rush back to that DIY project you're finishing up. (Or your hot, morally gray book crush. No judgment.) A rotating pizza oven if homemade pizza is on the menu tonight (and many nights thereafter). This rotates to evenly cook homemade OR frozen pizza and saves up to 60% of the energy of using the Big Bad Oven... which also takes forever to preheat, let's be honest. Reviewers cook everything on this, not just pizza. A lot of them use it as a substitute air fryer and love how easy it is to store. And if pizza is what's for dinner, don't forget to throw some Mike's Hot Honey in your cart to drizzle on the top. (You're welcome in advance if you haven't tried this life hack.)Promising reviews: "I use it to make pizza, corn dogs, tater tots, chicken stripes, and almost anything else that you would have use your oven for and it cooks things faster than your oven. 😋" —Tonia O."We first saw it at a friend's home and had to try it. It is faster and more efficient than heating up the oven for frozen pizzas, which we add additional toppings to. It heats from above AND below, which turns out not only to be great for frozen pizzas but also for small bites, appetizers, and other items like canned cinnamon rolls. Best of all, it is amazing at reheating leftover pizza to practically like the first time, with a crispy crust and hot cheese — so much better than the soggy, limp microwave reheating. Now, we LOVE leftover pizza." —FigswayGet it from Amazon for $79 (available in two colors). Or a brand-new splurge-worthy propane rotating stone pizza oven from All-Clad, the company that has been making stellar bonded cookware in Pennsylvania for over half a century. (You've for CERTAIN drooled over their pans.) This ultra-compact magician of a gadget means you'll have evenly cooked pizza in less than two minutes, just like in a traditional brick oven, but without needing to live in a pizza joint to get it. See it ~doing the thing~ in this TikTok vid and try to resist the urge to turn your kitchen into Insert Your Name Here's Pizzeria. Get it from All-Clad for $999.99 (originally $1,299.99). A super simple cookbook from Your Barefoot Neighbor so you can make a meal that feels cozy and doable, even on your emotionally-overdrawn Tuesdays. Don't forget your handy cookbook holder, too! Check out his TikTok here!Promising reviews: "The bomb-digity of easy cooking! Absolutely the lazy cooks cookbook. I believe cooking is a waste of time and I'd rather fold laundry or wash dishes then cook. This book contains the best most delicious short cuts! Run and get it!!!" —D. Stansberry"This book is perfect! Easy meals, offers lots of variety, and every recipe has a picture! I made the Hawaiian Pork immediately and it's delicious. Real food, simple ingredients, big flavors. I'm going to start on page 1, and make every single one. Can't wait. Yum!!!" —ChubbymuggleGet it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in paperback, hardback, spiral-bound, and e-book versions). An electric tea kettle you can use for making a pot of tea, a bowl of your favorite instant ramen or oatmeal, or for speeding up your "watched pot never boils" time by heating it in the kettle first! This one includes the ability to schedule your kettle, meaning it's one less thing to do when compiling all your meal prep goodies in the kitchen. Great Jones is a woman-run, New York-based small business that wants equip and empower you to cook at home — and make your kitchen your happy place. I *personally* have a couple of their items (shoutout to my impossible-to-cook-in-without-smiling mustard casserole dish) and let me tell you: The quality is simply stunning across the reviews: "Excellent kettle. Heats quickly pours great looks fantastic and comes with nice extra features. The scheduled heat-up time alone makes this worth the back significantly on the routine time in the morning." —Anonymous"Five star form AND function! It's just perfect! It's technologically savvy and drop dead gorgeous. So easy to set up and use. I love the temperature hold feature…game changer!" —AnonymousGet it from Great Jones Goods for $225 (also available in a limited edition green). A microwave panini press that'll fulfill your grilled cheese and tomato soup hankering in a jiff. Be sure to life hack yourself and grab some Campbell's microwavable soup because again, this is supposed to be quick. A Black + Decker air fryer if you need a quick side of fries, mozzarella sticks, or anything else that needs a FAST (but crispy!) turnaround. We use this all the time for my kiddo's emotional support chicken nuggets when we're trying new foods, and it's perfect because it truly is a "program and leave it" situation while everything else is cooking. Don't forget your air fryer liners for even easier cleanup. I bought these and they fit PERFECTLY in this model!Promising review: "I bought this because my old air fryer stopped working. I used it almost every day. It was my favorite appliance. I say all this because I did not know an air fryer could be even better and this one is. It's amazing. First off it's so quiet, I didn't even know it was on it first. It cooks incredibly fast.. much faster than my old one that I already thought was fast. Food comes out perfect. Even crispier. I can't vouch for its longevity but it's a stellar air fryer. Lots of bang for your buck. The only complaint I have is that the drawer is a tiny bit sticky but not enough to deduct any stars or want a different model. Buy it. You won't regret it." —Julie HallGet it from Amazon for $64.99+ (available in four sizes). A fast-prep kitchen slicer because faster can also (sometimes) mean safer! Spare your fingers (and your precious not-cooking time) by cutting chicken, tomatoes, and other weirdly hard-to-slice foods with ease. A rapid ramen cooker for those nights when a bowl of ramen would really hit the spot, but lots of prep time would not. A rapid fruit and veggie divider that'll cut everything from berries to carrots into four lengthwise quarters for the perfect snacking, cooking, and girl dinner size. A silicone clip-on colander if one of your fam's main food groups is mac 'n' cheese and one of your main food groups is making your life easier. Promising reviews: "I hated digging for a colander every time I wanted to drain my kid's noodles. Now I just reach for this clip on the pot and strain. So much more convenient." —Melissa"Super easy to use and convenient with all my pots. Has made the pasta and grease straining process faster and cleaner. Ended up buying a couple more for family and friends!" —AshwoGet it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in seven colors). A HelloFresh everything-you-need meal kit subscription if you would like to decrease your grocery shopping trips, simplify your meal planning, AND change up the four things you know how to make. HEAR ME OUT. I — like you — have heard the podcast ads forever and kinda just rolled my eyes, BUT I AM A CHANGED WOMAN. My partner signed us up on a whim and now we... eat vegetables? NIGHTLY. And they're delicious and easy enough that I, a simpleton, can make them??? I could go on, but just trust me on this one: Absolutely worth the chore-saving hype and then some. We spend wayyy less at the grocery store per week because so many meals are "already taken care of" via HelloFresh. I like to lay out the recipes at the beginning of each week and use my best Mufasa voice to tell my family, "Everything the light touches... is our dinner." The best part? The recipes are divided up into individual bags so I can just grab one out of the fridge and get to gettin' on making dinner even if I have no brain cells left by the end of the day. Oh, and did I mention it's all delivered directly to our door (in the best recyclable packaging, I might add)? ~Perfection~.Get it from HelloFresh starting at $21.96+ per box (originally $56.95+; available for two, four, or six people, and with two, three, four, five, or six recipes per week). A microwave pasta maker since carb loading shouldn't have to mean "dish loading" when you're done prepping. This handy dandy pasta maker comes with a straining lid so you don't even have to mess with a colander and will have your pasta done before your kid can finish two full Bluey episodes. A microwave potato bag both functional and adorably feels like tucking your wee lil' potato into a sleeping bag. It'll also save you the trouble of heating your whole house up with an oven for one small tuber. These bags can also be used for sweet potatoes and corn!Promising review: "I gave these as a gift after buying for myself. These eliminate the waste of energy making potatoes in the oven. I am using every possible product to eliminate having to turn on my oven and these bags are at the top of the list. The people I gifted these to were really pleased with how easy and well they worked. And having a baked potato in under 10 minutes sure beats an hour in the oven." –Jacqueline Get a two-pack from Amazon for $8.49. A ceramic stove protector so cleanup is no longer the excuse you whisper while adding fries to your cart. Keep your cooktop looking ~pristine~ no matter *how* messy you get while chef-ing. Promising review: "Love this thing!!! It's a pretty thick glass that is durable, looks great as if part of the stove, the pricing was reasonable. Easy to clean by cleaning it as you would your ceramic stove top. I had been searching for something like this for a while for my previous ceramic stove top that was damaged and needed something to cover it up so when running across this one, I simply had to have it for my new ceramic stove top and keep it from being damaged. What's most appealing to me? It's its functionality as it is not something that has to be removed in order for you to be able to utilize the stove. It brings four stoppers to place one on each corner and keep the glass from shifting. Very happy with it!!" —SandraGet it from Amazon for $250 (available in five sizes). A Souper Cubes freezer tray truly made to get you back to your couch in record time, because ~meal prep~ is an investment in your glorious just-watch-TV-and-rot recharge time. Each cube has enough room for a cup of pasta sauce or soup so that you can make a big ol' batch, save the extras, and run your microwave panini press for a whirl and voilà! Dinner is served! A hybrid digital food scale and measuring cup for those more ~precise~ recipes that are delicious but painstaking. This will help cut down on the time it takes to make sure you're putting the right amount of ingredients in those yummy baked goods you're making for the watch party. A pair of cute bat kitchen shears because my life was changed when I realized you can use scissors on anything: Chicken breasts, those annoying stumpy parts of lettuce, shrimp tails, tomatoes. Nothing is stopping you from using scissors instead of a knife, and I swear it can be so much quicker. Promising review: "Not only are these the perfect kitchen scissors, but basically the perfect everything scissors! I use these 24/7 since I got them. Not to mention how CUTE they are! They cut amazingly and are sooooo worth the money." —Matthew Z. Get them from Amazon for $17.95. A self-stirring multi-cooker for those of us whose grown-up version of a fairy godmother would be a private chef. This dream machine uses an automatic paddle to shred meats and stir soups and stews, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing literally anything else. Promising reviews: "This product is so wonderful! It was purchased for my elderly grandma who has a hard time making dinner. The automatic stir is a lifesaver for her. She's able to make her favorite recipes again. Would recommend 10 out of 10!" —Shalee Van NoyGet it from Amazon for $116.05+ (available in two styles).
