Our 10 Favorite Products We Tested in January

This post is part of our ‘Monthly Obsessions’ series, where we ask our writers and editors what products they’ve added to their kitchen that they now can’t imagine living without. 

We’re squarely in 2025 now, and that means we’re open to new things. Fortunately, our writers and editors test out hundreds of kitchen items each month, so there are always plenty of opportunities to fall in love with fresh gear, grocery items, and more. This January, 10 items really stood out. 

Our favorite things this month included a cocktail machine from Bartesian, some punchy chili crisp by Holy Tshili, and a perfect pair of kitchen shears that’s finally back in stock at Material Kitchen. Read on to discover the best things we tried in January.

January Editor Obsessions

• Great Jones x Fellow EKG Kettle, $165
• Branche No. 3 Olive Oil, $44
• Haand Ripple Large Pasta Bowl, $52
• Caraway Food Storage Set, $245, originally $315
• Bartesian Premium Cocktail Machine, $318, originally $370
• Ember Smart Mug 2, $120, originally $150
• Cheese Grotto Piatto, $89
• Holy Tshili Everything Chili Crisp, $15
• Material Kitchen The Good Shears, $35
• Hampshire Pork Seasoned Porchetta Roast, $208

Great Jones x Fellow EKG Kettle

“I'm not a pour-over coffee or tea drinker, but somehow, this kettle has become my most-used small appliance. Like all Fellow gooseneck kettles, it boils water lightning fast — much faster than I can on my stovetop. I find myself boiling water quickly using my kettle and pouring it into a pot to jumpstart cooking and shave off a few minutes of prep time. Honestly, my favorite thing about it is the color. Mine is a rich, royal blue that just looks so cute on my counter. Boring black appliances are out, fun colors for functional items are in.” — Nick DeSimone, Updates Writer

Branche No. 3 Olive Oil

“Branche No. 2 won us over in our taste tests of the best olive oil, so I was excited to try the brand's newest release, Branche No. 3. This olive oil starts out tasting smooth and buttery and then develops into something green, grassy, and peppery. It smells super fresh, too. I've been loving this oil for dressing simple winter salads; it's awesome drizzled on arugula, fennel, and citrus.“ — Danielle St. Pierre, Senior Editor

Haand Ripple Large Pasta Bowl

“These are easily the most beautiful pasta bowls I've ever had in my kitchen. I like a bit of character with my dishware, and the Ripple pasta bowls from Haand truly deliver. The slight offset in the rim adds such a playful touch and the bowls come in all sorts of eye-catching glazes. The shape of the bowl holds soups, pasta, salads, and rice dishes perfectly. Being handmade, they all have slight differences, which I love. I've honestly been using these straight out of the dishwasher before grabbing any of my other plates and bowls.” — An Uong, Writer

Caraway Food Storage Set

“I’ve been trying to move away from microplastics and toxins in my kitchen, and this ceramic-coated glass set was super appealing. I love using these pieces — they’re incredibly easy to clean and seal very tightly, letting me keep items for a long time. The small containers are perfect for shaking a quick salad dressing at lunchtime.” — Adam Rothbarth, Writer

Bartesian Premium Cocktail Machine

“I tested this machine for a few months and thought it was fun. It was definitely a conversation piece when people were over. This cocktail machine has a wide drink selection and customizable strength settings and is easy to use. This is the Keurig of cocktails. You supply spirits like gin, vodka, whiskey, and tequila, and you can enjoy a refreshing cocktail with a push of a button. To start, fill the reservoir with water, insert the “pod,” and push start. From there, the machine will select the proper spirit and mix the cocktail according to your preselected strength level. It even has a pod storage available for purchase so you can stock up on your favorite drinks and flavors.” — Joe Morales, Senior Editor

Ember Smart Mug 2

“Ever since I received this mug, I look at regular mugs differently. As a slow sipper, I like my coffee to stay hot, and I found myself microwaving hours-old coffee (yuck) to keep it warm. Now, I have my Ember base plugged in at my work desk, my mug set to the temperature I want in the app, and hot coffee available for every sip.” — Dillon Evans, Update Writer

Cheese Grotto Piatto

“I have a very small kitchen and don't have a lot of counter space. This Cheese Grotto is great because it can hold up to three cheeses and keep them fresh. Magnets and a clear sliding door hold it together, and when it's not in use, the pieces come apart and stack for storage convenience. I thought this was great for entertaining, wine tastings, and an added element to charcuterie boards. It's also fridge-friendly, so it can go from fridge to counter to table in a snap.” — Joe Morales

Holy Tshili Chili Crisp

“NYC-based Holy Tshili is doing chili crisp a bit differently. I recently tried their Everything Chili Crisp, which combines everything bagel spices with Sichuan and Thai chilis. This chili crisp is basically everything I love about the diversity of New York's food scene in a jar. I really like the crunch of the poppy and sesame seeds. This chili crisp is super fragrant, crunchy, and nutty, and it's great on pizza and eggs. I recommend it as a fun condiment!” — Danielle St. Pierre

Material Kitchen The Good Shears

“These are my favorite kitchen shears, and they're finally back in stock after months of being sold out. They're light, sharp, and modern-looking. Can't go wrong. “ — Liv Dansky, Writer

Hampshire Pork Seasoned Porchetta Roast

“I had the opportunity to try this porchetta over the holidays, and it was one of the finer foods I had in a long time. It was incredibly delicious and a crowd-pleaser, especially when the skin crisped up in the oven. We almost couldn't wait for it to rest. It had such a wonderful crunch, while the rest of the pork was succulent. I highly recommend this for any large gathering. If you're in the mood for beef, I also tried the short ribs, meatloaf mix, and the engraved tomahawk. The tomahawk was amazing and has a melt-in-your-mouth quality to it.” — Joe Morales