The Best Kitchen Finds to Help You Prevent & Minimize Mess While Cooking

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What's cookin', good lookin'? Thanksgiving is just around the corner, with winter holidays trailing close behind. Whether you're a first-time host or a social butterfly with multiple Friendsgiving potlucks on your social calendar, chances are your holiday plans involve some form of cooking at one point or another. As much fun as sharing a meal with loved ones and eating your favorite seasonal foods are, it's hard to say the same about all the cleanup that comes along with any culinary adventure, from accidental spills and burns to clattering pots and pans that just don't seem to get sparkling clean no matter how much elbow grease you put into it. If these latter parts of cooking are stressing you out, you're in the right place.

There's no need to worry about what might happen in the worst-case cooking scenario; leave that to us. As your personal shopping guru, we've rounded up the best problem-solving Amazon finds to help prevent and minimize mess in the kitchen during your cooking endeavors. From genius slow cooker liners and protective splatter guards to shopper-approved oven cleaners and cast iron care tools, these top-rated picks are sure to make your life easier (and safer), so you can spend less time cleaning up and more time with friends and family during the holidays.

Slow cookers are great for cooking in large portion but aren't so easy to clean up. At least, that was the case until these nifty slow cooker liners came into the picture. Available in small and regular sizes, these liners are made with BPA-free nylon-blend construction that's safe for low, medium, and high settings.

If you're like me and rely on your handy-dandy air fryer to fulfill most of your cooking needs, these paper parchment liners will change your life (speaking from personal experience). They're water-proof, oil-proof, nonstick, and able to withstand temperatures up to 428°F, according to the brand. There's no need to cut or measure; just place the paper liner on your tray/basket, and cook your food on top! Plus, you can select from three sizes and two shapes.

If you're cooking for loved ones this holiday season, you'll probably be cooking in large portions, and that means pots, pans, dishes, and utensils are bound to stack up. Instead of precariously balancing your dishes on your small rack and worrying about it all crumbling down, preserve your peace of mind with this full-size dish rack. Not only is it 44% off right now, it has 17,200+ five-star ratings on Amazon. It's made of heavy-duty, satin-coated, rust-resistant wires that secure your dinnerware, and it's also equipped with a removable self-draining board that catches dripping water so it doesn't seep onto your kitchen counter.

Speaking of dripping, this silicone utensil rest is the ultimate kitchen helper. Small but mighty, it has four slots and is designed with raised edges to catch all the drips from your spoons, spatulas, ladles, brushes, tongs, and more. Once you're done cooking, you can simply toss it into your dishwasher for a quick and easy cleanup.

This pot lid lifter is as practical as it is adorably funny. Rest this little guy on the edge of your pot or pan to help let steam out and keep it from boiling over. It's also super versatile; you can use it to rest your cooking utensils or prop up your phone while you're reading a recipe (or honestly, just as a cute little buddy to keep you company while you're cooking).

If we're talking messes and cleanup, we can't leave out the internet-fave The Pink Stuff. It can rmeove stains, grease, or grime from various surfaces, including your kitchen floors and sink, so all you're left with is sparkling clean shine and an immense sense of satisfaction.

One Amazon shopper even called this the "best stuff for kitchens," adding, "A few months ago plastic got burnt to my glass top stove. We tried everything to get it off along with the normal water and food burnt on stuff. Nothing worked till the pink stuff. When I got done my glass top looked like new. It even got my sink clean and looking like new. I would recommend this to clean any stuck on and stained kitchen things."

A tough mess requires even tougher towels to clean it up. These heavy-duty wet cleaning wipes have over 47,100 five-star Amazon reviews, and they work to remove stains from grease, tar, ink, paint, permanent marker, food and drinks, and more, according to the brand. The results really speak for themselves, with one Amazon shopper writing:

"Look no further. These wipes got- no joke- 50 year-old tape goop off of the walls in our home's laundry room. I have a wall in my kitchen that my big dog likes to lay against and I have never been able to get it 100% clean. These wipes made it look like I put a fresh coat of paint on the wall. Get these for anything you need to clean that you thought was hopeless- you won't regret it!"

If you're looking for a reliable all-rounder product you can use to clean as you cook, you can't beat Mrs. Meyer's all-purpose cleaner spray, which has 58,800+ five-star reviews on Amazon. It's safe to use on countertops, walls, tiles, hardwood floors, and more, according to the brand. Not to mention, it comes in a wide variety of scents (all of which smell ah-mazing).

 

Whether you're looking for cloths to use with your cleaning spray or to wipe up big spills, these microfiber cleaning cloths can do it all. They're durable, super absorbent, and quick-drying, making them perfect for removing grease from kitchenware, dusting silverware and glasses, or using as dish rags that don't smell questionably stale.

Keep your hands protected while preventing big spills with this silicone bundle that includes extra-long oven mitts, trvets, and mini pinch mitts. The items feature textured surfaces for a stronger grip, and they're heat-safe up to 500°F, according to the brnad. We also love that the oven mitts feature a quilted cotton liner that offers comfort and control without sacrificing dexterity.

Keep your skin and kitchen space safe from hot oil splatters with this splatter screen that's available in four sizes. This kitchen gadget securely joins to the handles of cookware to protect your hands from painful oil burns, and it's made from heavy-duty stainless steel with an extra fine mesh that allows steam to be released while preventing splatter.

If you haven't cleaned your oven in a hot minute, Easy-Off will give you maximum results with minimum effort. The heavy-duty oven cleaner is specially formulated to tackle tough, burned-on grease and food, and it can be used for both occasional deep cleaning or everyday spot cleaning. It's also multi-purpose, so you can use it to clean ovens, oven doors, barbecue grills, broilers, stainless steel surfaces, and more.

As one Amazon shopper wrote, "I had tried several oven cleaners along with dawn power wash, Mr. Clean, simple green etc. I couldn't get my range hood (vent above the stove) clean. It had brown built up grease & nothing would get it up. I bought this after reading reviews. Sprayed it & waited a few minutes… all the grease wiped off clean! Didn't have to scrub at all, it simply wiped off! I used it on the stove top and my gas burner racks & cleaned them up very nice. My oven/stove is white so it did an excellent job! Will definitely use again & buy more of. Love this product!"

The Magic Eraser is one of those tried-and-true products that you always want to keep on hand because it just works, plain and simple. This cleaning scrubber can tackle dirt and grime all around your house, including kitchen surfaces, walls, oven doors, and more. All you have to do is add water, squeeze, and erase!

According to one Amazon shopper's experience, "These are really great. I used them on the outside of my windows which always seemed to have a film on them, even after scrubbing with a name brand cleaner. This cleaned them up. Also, I tried them on my kitchen floor and never realized how yellow the tiles were in there. Then I had to scrub the whole kitchen floor on my hands and knees, but it was worth it. I actually had white tiles there and never knew how bright they were."

Once you get your oven sparkling clean, keep it that way for as long as possible with these practical oven liners. They're made to fit the bottom of your oven, where they catch drips, sauces, cheese, and other baked messes, making cleaning a breeze. You can trim them for smaller ovens or tile them together for larger ovens, and they're super easy to clean in the dishwasher when they get dirty.

If you've ever had food explode in your microwave, whether that be liquid or solid, you know just how much of a hassle it is to clean up. Same goes for food that spills over the bowl after a miscalculation in reheating time. This food mat and cover set is the perfect solution for all your microwave woes. The cover works as a splatter guard, while the mat can be used as a trivet, pot and bowl holder, utensils rest, food cover, placemat, dish drying mat, jar opener, and more.

If there's something strange with the stains on your dishes, who you gonna call? Scrub Daddy! These sponges use FlexTexture foam that is firm in cold water for tough scrubbing and soft in warm water for light cleaning, so you'll always have the right tool for every mess. It's safe to use on over a dozen different surfaces, including glass, stainless steel, and nonstick coatings, and it can resist odors and stains for up to eight weeks, according to the brand.

Wash the grit off your cast iron skillet while preserving the flavor with The Ringer, which uses a patented design that's built to last. According to the brand, this tool is made from premium-grade, never-rusting stainless steel and can be used with just warm water or with cast iron seasoning or cast iron conditioner. It can also be used for glassware, stainless steel, plates, baking sheet, and more, and it can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

The Ringer has over 17,100 five-star reviews on Amazon, with one shopper writing, "I don't know how I went so many years…decades… without knowing about these. I purchased this 3 years ago and it still looks and works like new. The best part is my pans look fantastic. It gets the residue off with little effort and keeps them in good working order. I'm back here buying another, but this time for my son who is now ready to explore the wonders of cooking with iron skillets. I highly recommend!!!!"

If your efforts to minimize mess in the kitchen has you in the mood to do a deep cleaning of your kitchen, this powder cleanser from Bar Keepers Friend is about to be your new bestie. Made from a bleach-free formula, this cleanser works to remove rust, tarnish, mineral deposits, and tough stains from most surfaces in your home. For the kitchen, you can use it on your sinks, stove cooktops and exteriors, non-stone countertops, porcelain or ceramic dishes, and more.

As one Amazon shopper explained, "This stuff is a staple for me. You don't need much, or even very often if you don't cook with stainless steel a lot, but if you want a worn pot or pan to look like factory finish again, this stuff is required. Think: the blackened bottom of a stainless steel pot, you might take that for granted, but this stuff can buff that away with just a normal scratch pad (or sponge with a scratchy side)."

Now that you're fully prepared against any potential mess that might occur in your kitchen, it's time to get cookin', chef. If you're hosting the holidays for the first time, check out these essential cookware sets that will have you serving up Michelin star-worthy dishes.

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