This was my first summer stringing together camps for my 6-year-old—we trekked from soccer camp to arts and crafts. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to having the kids back in school and returning to some semblance of a routine. I love summer, but sweater weather is calling my name. 

Fall is the season of nesting as we prepare for winter. And there’s no more fun way to nest than to cook up cozy things. We put together a back-to-school kitchen shopping guide to get our kitchens ready for the best cooking season. There’s also some gear to help us finish out the “slicing season,” which is what I like to think of summer as, with its bounty of fresh produce. 

Make sure to check out the full guide. Here are a few selections from me. 

Yours in soon-to-be warm spices, 

Hannah

Mornings are fueled by coffee in our house. I confess, I got this Breville espresso maker as a gift for my husband, but I use it just as much as he does. Boomerang gift! Read our review.

This may be shocking, but I don’t have a microwave. Right now the biggest unmet need I have is reheating coffee. Our winning travel mug from Zojirushi keeps drinks hot for 10 hours, which will keep me going in those first chaotic back-to-school weeks. Read our review.

The (re)zip Gallon Bags keep food fresh in the cabinet, fridge, and freezer. They’re easy to clean, but if I’m rushed, I grab one of our winning disposable bags, the Ziploc Freezer Bags. Read our review.

Toaster ovens are so efficient. We’ve tested dozens over the years, and nothing has beat our longtime winner, the Breville Smart Oven. It’s easy to use and versatile enough to handle pizza, chicken, and more. Read our review.

My multicooker collects dust from April to August and then she returns to her prime place in the kitchen. Our longtime winner, the Instant Pot Pro 8Qt, is a great value and will perform for years. Read our review.

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The Best Kitchen Gear for Back-to-School Season

Our favorite coffee makers, water bottles, and cooking tools to start the school year right.

The De’Longhi Livenza Digital True Convection Oven is an all-around great toaster oven. It excelled at all our cooking tests, churning out evenly browned toast, tender potatoes, melty pizzas, and even a fully roasted chicken with crispy skin. Read the review.

The Krups Coffee and Spice Grinder is our Best Buy blade grinder. Its wide, shallow grinding bowl is easy to access and clean. During testing, the clear lid allowed us to watch the grinding in progress, and the large button was comfortable to press. Read the review.

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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We test each piece of kitchen gear in our equipment lab, and we never accept free products or samples. Find more of our reviews and watch us on YouTube.