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The 10 Boring-but-Useful Kitchen Items We’ll Be Buying on Black Friday

Is a dish towel exciting? Not really, but we bet you’ll use it every day.

By
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm Serious Eats
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm
Associate Editorial Director
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the Associate Editorial Director for Serious Eats. She joined the team in 2021.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated November 28, 2024 07:01PM EST
A person holding onto a Dutch oven's handles with a kitchen towel and placing it onto a countertop.

Serious Eats / Henry Wortock

On Black Friday, we know sales on the flashiest, fanciest items are eye-catching. (And you should absolutely shop them! It’s not often you can get an espresso machine for hundreds less.) But there’s also something to be said for buying boring but entirely useful kitchen items that happen to be on sale. 

Is a sponge, mop, dish rack, or sheet pan exciting? Maybe not, but you’re guaranteed to use the heck out of them (and get your money’s worth).

Some of Our Top Picks

  • Swedish Wholesale Swedish Dishcloths

    Swedish Wholesale Swedish Dish Cloths for Kitchen- 10 Pack Reusable Paper Towels for Counters & Dishes - Eco Friendly Cellulose Sponge Cloth - Blue

    Amazon

    Swedish dishcloths are like a cross between a sponge and a paper towel—they can be reused hundreds of times (and washed!). They can mop up spills, dry dishes, and wipe down all sorts of surfaces. Right now, our top pick is 20% off. 

    Several swedish dishcloths on a marble counter

    Serious Eats / Eric King

  • O-Cedar EasyWring MicroFiber Spin Mop

    O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop & Bucket Floor Cleaning System

    Amazon

    This mop scrubbed up everything in its path and its bucket had a built-in wringer operated by a foot pump. Its heads pop on and off and the set comes with two extras (we all know how quickly mops get gross!). 

    the o cedar mop with bucket behind it on a black tile surface

  • Toshiba Microwave Oven

    Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave Oven

    Amazon

    A microwave might not be the most exciting appliance purchase, but it’s hard to replace. Nothing else warms up food faster or melts butter quicker. Our top pick from Toshiba has a heat sensor that, in our tests, led to even heating with minimal hot spots.

    Person removing something from the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave Oven

    Serious Eats / Will Dickey

  • Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels

    Zeppoli Classic Kitchen Towels

    Amazon

    These kitchen towels are sturdy enough to be used as pot holders and soft enough to wipe even delicate wine glasses dry. During our tests, we found their absorbency rate to be an incredible 141% (!!!).

    A Zeppoli kitchen towel hanging off of the side of a dish rack.

    Serious Eats / Henry Wortock

  • Pipshell Bamboo Expandable Drawer Organizer

    Amazon Pipishell Bamboo Expandable Drawer Organizer

    Amazon

    Get one of these kitchen drawer organizers and you’ll thank us later. No more will spatulas, silverware, and spoons be thrown in willy-nilly! This organizer is waterproof, has sections of different lengths, and is expandable. 

    A wooden kitchen drawer organizer on a wooden countertop.

    Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

  • Kitchen Mama Automatic Electric Can Opener

    Kitchen Mama Electric Can Opener

    Amazon

    With the press of a button, this electric can opener spins around all on its own and opens a can. It’s honestly kind of fun to watch and works on cans of all sizes. Right now, it’s 40% off for Black Friday.

    A close-up of a Kitchen Mama Electric Can Opener on a can

    Serious Eats / Eric King

  • Lenox Portula 65-Piece Flatware Set

    Lenox 815486 Portola 65-Piece Flatware Set

    Amazon

    Flatware might not be a hugely exciting purchase, but you'll use it every day. Our favorite budget set includes a whopping 65 pieces and, in our tests, every one felt balanced in hand. Right now, the set's nearly 48% off.

    a person holding a forkful of grain salad up and above a plate

    Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

  • Nordic Ware Baker’s Quarter Sheet with Lid

    a quarter sheet pan with a lid

    Amazon

    The best sheet pans come from Nordic Ware—it’s just a fact. They’re sturdy and will pretty much never warp. We love the quarter sheet size for food prep, cooking for two, or making just a couple of cookies (it also fits in a toaster oven). This discounted set even comes with a lid.

    Two balls of dough proofing in a sheet pan with a lid on it

    Serious Eats / Andrew Janjigian

  • KitchenAid Full Size Dish Rack

    KitchenAid Full-Size Dish Rack

    Amazon

    As we said in our review, “This large, luxe dish rack is solidly constructed and can hold a dinner party’s worth of dishes without wobbling.” That’s impressive! You never really know the difference a good dish rack can make until you have one.

    kitchenaid dish rack on wooden countertop

    Serious Eats / Madeline Muzzi

  • Stumptown Hairbender

    Stumptown Coffee Roasters Hair Bender

    Stumptown

    Espresso’s expensive, which is why it makes sense to buy beans when they’re on sale. Hairbender has dark chocolate, citrus, and raisin notes and works well for espresso and drip. 

    a portafilter rests on a scale showing how much coffee is tamped in the filter basket

    Serious Eats / Jesse Raub

FAQs

When is Black Friday? 

Black Friday takes place the Friday after Thanksgiving! This year, that’s November 29. However, you can start shopping Black Friday deals now, and select discounts will continue through Cyber Monday on December 2. 

Why We’re the Experts

  • Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director for Serious Eats. 
  • She’s been with the site since 2021 and has been testing gear professionally for more than six years. 
  • She loves a good, practical sale.

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