11 useful smart kitchen gadgets to improve your cooking skills

We live in a highly connected technological world where there are all kinds of devices to make our lives more efficient, smarter, or just more interesting. That also applies to our kitchens. We've all seen ads for fancy refrigerators with smart screens and apps, but that's not all. Many companies are releasing intuitive smart kitchen gadgets that integrate Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to reduce prep time, reduce steps, and cook perfectly.

Here are some of the best smart gadgets available on Amazon, most on sale on Black Friday, that are worth adding (or gifting) to every kitchen.

While the product itself isn't a kitchen device, an Echo (or Google Nest) is required to enable or enhance the automation features of most smart kitchen gadgets. Additionally, the Echo Show 8 is a great companion device with intuitive features. Just ask Alexa to set a timer or add an ingredient to your shopping list when baking. Any Alexa-enabled speaker is useful, but the Echo Show 8's high-resolution screen is especially helpful when asking for recipes or how-to videos. The same functionality is also available on his Google Nest display. Choosing between Echo and Nest depends on your preferences and the ecosystem you already have set up in your home.

Accidents occur frequently in the kitchen. A mistake when making soups, sauces, and gravies is forgetting to stir occasionally or continuously. Finally, there are easy-to-use devices that literally stir your pots and pans automatically. The Uutensil Stirr Plus is hands-free, auto-rotates, and can handle temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Just set the timer and desired speed, place the appliance on the pot, and then focus your attention elsewhere. The Uutensil Stirr Plus can be charged with a USB stand, but there is also a slightly more affordable option that uses AA batteries instead.

It often feels like you either have a green thumb or you don't. And trying to develop it is not easy. If you've always wanted to grow your own herbs and vegetables but can't seem to master the craft, the iDOO WiFi 12 Pods hydroponic system can help you get results without the hassle. This indoor garden does all the work for you without needing sunlight or soil. Monitor and control your Wi-Fi-enabled garden with your smartphone and adjust the amount of light and water your herbs, vegetables, fruits, and flowers receive. This iDOO garden has space to sow 12 of his seeds at once. Some customers who love iDOO Garden say their seeds started germinating within his week.

Cooking meat to the correct temperature is not only a matter of preference, but also a matter of health. The KitchenAid Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer takes the guessing game out of preparing poultry, fish, and steak dishes. It's wireless, so you don't have to worry about cables hanging in and out of your pot or oven. It also has Bluetooth connectivity, so you can control and monitor your cooking progress with your smartphone. You can focus on other tasks while the thermometer alerts you when your meat is perfectly cooked at a range of 150 to 165 feet. The battery-powered device has a variety of programmable presets based on meat type and cut.

Coffee preferences vary widely. It seems like no two people like a cup of Joe the same. But one thing's for sure: we love hot coffee. If you get busy or distracted, hot Java can quickly turn lukewarm and undesirable. The Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug is the ultimate solution for those who take the time to drink coffee. The mug will keep your coffee hot for as long as you need it. Just set the desired temperature in the app. Or if you don't use the app, the mug will intelligently set to the last temperature you selected.

If you only have space for one multicooker in your home, it's the Instant Pot. This cult-favorite kitchen appliance is essentially a pressure cooker, but it also functions as a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sous vide, and more. There are many variations of the Instant Pot, but the Pro Plus wifi Smart 10-in-1 is the best with the added benefit of an app. You can program and operate your multicooker wirelessly. Monitor progress. You will be notified when cooking is complete. The app also gives you access to hundreds of recipes to get the most out of your kitchen appliances.

There are many multicookers on the market, but none like the Gourmate Smart All-in-1, which comes with preset cooking options like steaming, sautéing, and even kneading. But this is where its smart technology really shines. The built-in smart scale automatically does the calculations for you without having to measure everything. The app, which connects to your cooker via Bluetooth, has guided recipes, allows you to set cooking times, and even shows you the progress of cooking your food. Most kitchen appliances are bulky, but Gourmate eliminates the need for additional food processors, bread machines, and mixers. One drawback is the size. The Gourmate is 2.3 quarts, which may be too small for most families.

Dieting isn't always easy, especially when you're actively counting the nutrients you put into your body. Any food scale can help you track calories, but the Etekcity smart scale lets you do even more with its included Vesync app. Track your intake of up to 19 nutrients (including protein, sugar, and fiber) and generate regular nutrition reports. Plus, connect with Apple Health and Fitbit for a more complete picture of your health progress. The smart scale has a database of over 1 million foods, but you can add more manually or by scanning a barcode.

You may be wondering, “If I have no problem boiling water with a traditional kettle, why do I need to repair it?” Govee smart electric kettle definitely has the answer. It has all the features you would expect from a kettle. It heats water from 104 degrees to 212 degrees and also has a heat retention function. But what's impressive is that you can use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity to make your life a little more efficient. With Alexa or the Govee app, you can tell your kettle to start or stop at any temperature from anywhere. You can also schedule the kettle to start at a specific time in your morning routine. Govee saves you several minutes that would normally be spent waiting for water to boil.

The advantages and disadvantages of owning a microwave oven are well known. If you're on the fence about making a purchase, the smart features of the TOSHIBA Smart Countertop Microwave Oven may be the deciding factor in pulling the trigger. The advantage of a microwave oven is its convenience. TOSHIBA smart microwave ovens become even more convenient with Alexa integration. When you're ready to pre-load your food into the microphone and finally heat it up, you can ask Alexa to start your appliances. You can also control your microwave using a companion app. The single biggest feature of this microwave oven is the humidity sensor that automatically adjusts the cooking to perfectly heat your food.

With a sous vide cooker, you can achieve restaurant-quality food at home without any cooking experience. These precision cookers heat the water in the pot evenly, and simply place your steak, fish, chicken, or other food into the water in a sealed bag. The sous vide cooker takes that rest and cooks your meal for the time you need it and at the temperature you want it to. The Anova Culinary smart sous vide cooker goes one step further with a user-friendly companion app. Using the app, you can set the desired temperature and time, and just tell the app what you want to cook and how you want it to turn out, and it will recommend the ideal time and temperature.