6 Prime Day Kitchen Deals Our Experts Tested (and Would Buy Again)

Lavazza recently introduced the first-ever pod coffee maker that brews compostable rounds made from pressed coffee — no aluminum, no plastic and no waste. Our coffee expert reviewed the Tabli last week and found that it made authentic-tasting espresso shots with little hassle. He loved its eco-friendliness, but was equally impressed by the rich, flavorful coffee this first-of-its-kind brewer churned out. Think Keurig, but without plastic K-Cups filling up the landfill. The tabs, which you can also buy on Amazon or through Lavazza, cost about a buck each.

Of the many rice cookers I tested, Zojirushi was the most precise and landed at the top of our list for cooking custom rice. The only thing keeping it from the top spot was the high price you pay for that performance. Not so when you snatch the Micom 3-cup cooker for $121 during Prime Day. 

Cheaper rice makers rely on Fuzzy Logic technology alone, which determines when water has completely evaporated from the cooking chamber. Zojirushi combines that tech with precise temperature control to cook fussier grains like brown rice perfectly. It includes settings for various rice and grain types, including GABA brown, which cooks rice slowly to activate gamma-aminobutyric acid, a nutrient shown to improve calm and focus. It also includes long-grain white rice and steel-cut oat programs, since those grains require precise time and temperature to get right.

All Vitamix blenders pack big power, but the Propel Series has a little extra — at least compared to the VX series (formerly called the Explorian). It has 2.2 peak horsepower, so it can handle just about anything you drop inside. Unlike the manual-only VX, the Propel has three built-in automatic programs for smoothies, frozen desserts and hot soups for hands-off blending. It’s also one of the quietest and lightest Vitamix blenders, which makes it feel user-friendly. These blenders aren’t cheap, but as CNET’s Anna Gragert, who uses a 19-year-old Vitamix without issue, can attest, they really last.

Simply put, this is the best air fryer we’ve tested, and it’s currently at its lowest price ever on Amazon. The Crispi broke the air fryer mold when it launched, with a modular build that’s easier to store and a glass bowl cooking chamber that’s easy to clean and PFAS-free. If you’ve used a nonstick air fryer basket, you know how quickly it accumulates a layer of gunk that’s hard to remove. Not so with the Crispi. As a bonus, the cooking chamber comes with a tight-fitting lid that makes storing leftover food simple and intuitive. 

The Crispi has as much power as you’ll ever need from an air fryer and features uncomplicated cooking controls. If there is one ding on this model, it’s that the cooking chamber is lower than some we’ve tested, meaning you might struggle to fit a whole chicken or large cut of meat without breaking it down first. For more cooking capacity, try the Ninja Crispi Pro — also on sale for Prime Day.

The Dutch coffee maker company Technivorm has sold exceptional brewers for decades, earning it cult status among coffee snobs. The KBGV drip coffee machine has clean lines and sharp angles that give off both a vintage and laboratory feel. Retro design aside, in our testing, this brewer consistently delivers perfectly balanced coffee, heating water up to a precise temperature as it hits the grounds. 

The BlendBoss is the latest addition to Ninja’s blender lineup, and it quickly became our top pick. When we tested it against several others, we found it pulverized ice into snow in 15 seconds — as fast as any — and made quick work of turning dense frozen fruit into healthy smoothies. The blender comes in a range of colors — great for gifting — and has a quirky design unlike any other personal blender I’ve seen.