34 Cooking Products For When You Aren't In The Mood To Spend All Day In The Kitchen

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
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.

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These acts of kindness have expanded outside of her classroom and into the halls of the school with the establishment of the 'blessing closet' that evolved from including a few necessities like chapstick and hand warmers to multiple closets filled with clothes, shoes and hygiene products, and, eventually, food. To avoid any awkwardness or embarrassment that a student might feel in taking any of the items home for themselves or their family, Ticarich said they established a "no questions asked" policy for anyone shopping in the closet. "Even if your mom needs chapstick, you can take the chapstick, or if the cashier at the grocery store needs hand warmers, you take them, a no questions asked thing,' she says. 'You don't ask why somebody's taking a comb because you don't know if it's for their neighbor.' The 'blessing closet' has since started including bags of food for families at the school who need it. 'We just didn't tell anyone no,' she says of the growing list of recipients. While all of these initiatives first came out of pocket, she has now received so many donations that they've been able to replicate the "blessings closet" at a local Title I school. Despite all the positivity that surrounds her initiatives, Ticharich says that she does occasionally deal with negative comments online from people who don't understand why she goes to so much trouble for her students. At first, she deactivated her TikTok in response, but "pep talks" from people in her community encouraged her to keep sharing the joy online. " 'If you are helping one kid, why do you care?' " she recalls the PTA president telling her, adding that she began to think about the larger impact of letting others get her down. "It was a lot of people saying, 'Well, what if there was an adult in your life who did this? And then they stopped and you went without?' " By continuing to follow her heart, she's opened people's eyes and minds along thew ay. 'I realized that there are — especially when it comes to trauma and rebuilding and restorative practices — people won't understand if they've never lived that. So I was like, I'm going to start these baskets by sharing why I do it," she says. "There have been so many people that, in the comments have said, 'Well, you checked me because I used to think this is so stupid and over the top.' I wouldn't say changed their minds, but I have made them see a different perspective.' Read the original article on People

CNN

2 days ago

• CNN

I tested Yonanas' frozen dessert maker after seeing so many glowing reviews. Here's what I thought

Like the Ninja Creami, the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker is another kitchen appliance you may have seen online. Praised by reviewers for its ability to turn frozen fruit into delicious soft-serve-like treats, this lightweight gadget also comes with a very budget-friendly price tag, and because I'm always up for testing new products, I knew I had to see for myself how the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker managed to rack up more than 3,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker This frozen dessert maker is the perfect way to make good use of your ripe bananas and frozen fruit. Easy to assemble and even easier to use, it's also one of the lightest appliances I own, making it easy to pick up, move around and tuck away on a shelf. It's easy to assemble and disassemble The appliance comprises two main parts: a surprisingly lightweight motor base and a chute that houses the blade cone. Before using it for the first time, you'll want to disassemble the chute so you can wash the individual parts (they're dishwasher-safe), according to the instruction manual that comes with the Yonanas. I chose to handwash the parts and it took me just a few minutes to do this, reassemble the chute, then attach it to the base (it clicks into place). Disassembling the appliance can get a little messy (more on that later), but it's just as simple as assembling it. It's straightforward to use What I appreciate most about the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker is how foolproof and simple it is. There's no control panel to worry about or complicated steps to follow to create a satisfying frozen treat every single time. Since it shaves slightly thawed frozen fruit into soft-serve-like desserts, you'll need to have frozen fruit on hand. You can choose to slice and freeze fruits you have lying around, or you can purchase bags of frozen fruit from the store; I decided to go both routes. The instructions recommend freezing your fruits for 24 hours, but from personal experience you may be able to get away with freezing them overnight, depending on how cold your freezer gets. Before you can start feeding your fruits through the chute, Yonanas recommends letting them defrost for seven to 10 minutes to ensure you get that ideal soft-serve consistency. The first time around, I let my fruits defrost for too long, so my dessert had a consistency similar to traditional soft-serve that's already begun to melt. For that reason, I recommend keeping a close eye on the time so it doesn't turn out too soft. If your recipe calls for bananas, the brand recommends alternating between frozen banana halves and any other fruits you're using. The appliance comes with a pusher that allows you to feed the fruits through the chute, so there's little risk of cutting your hands on the blades. I noticed it takes a minute for it to start dispensing, but as you continue to add fruits, it forces what's already gone through to come out. There are lots of recipes to try The frozen dessert maker comes with a recipe book that includes plenty of fruit sorbet recipes in addition to recipes for other desserts, such as cookies and cream, which you can make by alternating frozen bananas and chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos. The first sorbet I made was a banana and berry cherry one I created using banana halves I'd frozen, plus a bag of frozen berries and cherries from my local grocery store. I used two bananas and 3/4 cup of the berries- and- cherries mix, and I found that this made more than enough sorbet for one person. The result? A refreshing frozen mixture you could easily eat in the morning for breakfast, as a midday snack or as a post-workout treat. Though many recipes include bananas, there are also banana-free recipes you can follow. I'm not a huge fan of bananas myself, so unsurprisingly, my favorite recipe was one I made with strawberries and mangoes. It's worth keeping in mind you'll need to de-pit fruits with pits before using them with the Yonanas. Though I only used fruit in my recipes, as mentioned above, you're also able to use cookies, muffins and ingredients like chocolate bars, peanut butter and avocado slices. It's messy Handling defrosting fruit can get messy, and unfortunately, the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker doesn't come with tongs, so you'll have to use your hands or utilize one of your own kitchen utensils. It also doesn't come with a drip tray. Because fruit bits get left behind in the chute, you'll definitely want to have your sink stopper in place to prevent food waste from going down the drain if your sink doesn't have a garbage disposal. I also couldn't help but notice large pieces of cherry skin throughout my otherwise delicious banana and berry cherry frozen mixture that the blades had missed. Though I expected to come across some fruit skin, I expected those pieces to be smaller and better incorporated into the rest of the mixture than they actually were. I also noticed a decent amount of mixture that needed to be cleaned out of the chute itself, which contributed to the overall messy cleanup process. After each use, I made sure to thoroughly wash the chute, the blade cone and the gasket. If you're going to make two different sorbets consecutively, I suggest quickly disassembling the chute and giving it a quick rinse to avoid any flavor transfer. I'll be the first to admit how disappointing it is when a dessert doesn't come out as expected, which is why I love how easy the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker makes creating frozen treats. Turning fruits into frozen desserts is a creative way to use them before they go bad, not to mention the Yonanas is lightweight and easy to use, providing countless flavor combinations to experiment with. If you're looking for a quick way to make a healthier-for-you treat that also tastes delicious, the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker is definitely worth considering. Can you use frozen fruit in the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker? Can you use frozen fruit in the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker? Yes, frozen fruit needs to be used in the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker. Can the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker make ice cream? Can the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker make ice cream? While the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker can't be used to make traditional ice cream, it can make delicious vegan-friendly desserts using frozen fruit. What's the difference between the Yonanas Soft-Serve Maker and Ninja Creami? What's the difference between the Yonanas Soft-Serve Maker and Ninja Creami? The Ninja Creami can also make fruit sorbets, but you need to add a liquid, like fruit juice, to the container before freezing, while the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker requires freezing individual pieces of fruit. Even though both appliances use a blade to create frozen treats, I felt the Ninja Creami produced sorbets that had a smoother consistency than the ones made with the Yonanas, though the desserts are equally as tasty. CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when applicable to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this story, associate editor Rachel Dennis made several frozen desserts with bananas, strawberries, mangoes and more using the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker.