The Instant Pot Pro Plus is our overall winner: Wi-Fi control, an 800-recipe app, and 10 cooking functions make it the most versatile connected cooker you can buy. Rounding out the list are a smart air fryer that truly crisps, a wire-free meat thermometer, a temperature-holding mug, and a pod brewer that recognizes your coffee. Every pick below earns its place with connectivity that does something useful — not just an app for the sake of one.
Smart kitchen gadgets at a glance
| Product | Standout feature | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| COSORI TurboBlaze Smart Air Fryer | App control with 5-speed airflow, 90–450°F range | Air-fryer households | Check price on Amazon |
| Instant Pot Pro Plus | Wi-Fi with 800+ guided recipes, 10 cooking functions | Most cooks (our top pick) | Check price on Amazon |
| MEATER Plus | Wire-free probe with 165ft Bluetooth range | Grillers and smokers | Check price on Amazon |
| Ember Mug 2 | Holds coffee at 120–145°F for 80 minutes or all day on its coaster | Slow sippers | Check price on Amazon |
| Keurig K-Supreme Plus SMART | BrewID pod recognition with roaster-recommended settings | Pod coffee drinkers | Check price on Amazon |
1. Instant Pot Pro Plus — Our top pick
The Pro Plus takes the multicooker that already replaced half a cabinet and gives it Wi-Fi brains. Ten functions — pressure cook, slow cook, rice, sauté, steam, sous vide, canning, yogurt, keep warm, and NutriBoost — cover nearly every weeknight scenario, while the Instant Connect app supplies 800+ guided recipes and lets you monitor and adjust long cooks from your phone. The 1500W heater brings the 6-quart pot to pressure quickly, the sous vide mode holds precise low temperatures, and the WhisperQuiet steam release tames the startling venting that defined older models. For long slow-cooks and sous vide sessions, remote monitoring is genuinely reassuring. If one connected appliance is going to change how your kitchen runs, this is the one — no other pick here does as much.
- Pro: 10 functions replace a shelf of appliances, from pressure cooker to yogurt maker.
- Pro: Wi-Fi plus an 800-recipe app with remote monitoring and mid-cook adjustment.
- Pro: WhisperQuiet steam release, fast 1500W heating, and bonus sous vide/canning modes.
- Con: Costs more than non-smart Instant Pots — wasted money if you never open the app.
- Con: Pressure cooking still has a learning curve for timing and liquid ratios.
2. COSORI TurboBlaze Smart Air Fryer
The TurboBlaze is the smart air fryer for people who actually cook. Its 90–450°F range is unusually wide — low enough for proofing dough and dehydrating, high enough for proper searing — and the five-speed TurboBlaze airflow adjusts fan intensity to the food, which is the difference between evenly golden fries and a basket of mixed results. Nine functions cover air fry, roast, bake, broil, dry, frozen, proof, reheat, and keep warm, while the app adds remote control, recipe guidance, and shake reminders so you never forget to toss the basket. The 6-quart capacity serves a family of three to five, and the basket is dishwasher-safe. If air frying is a several-times-a-week habit in your house, this is the model that makes every batch better.
- Pro: 90–450°F range handles everything from proofing to searing.
- Pro: Five-speed airflow for genuinely even crisping.
- Pro: 9 functions plus app control with recipes and shake reminders.
- Con: Large family-size footprint — check your counter space first.
- Con: Smart features need the app; manual cooks pay for unused tech.
3. MEATER Plus Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer
The MEATER Plus is 100% wire-free, and that changes more than it sounds: no cables snaking out of the oven door, no compromised grill seals, and full freedom to rotisserie, smoke, or deep-fry where wired probes are physically impossible. The charging case doubles as a Bluetooth repeater, stretching range to 165 feet so you can monitor from inside the house while the smoker works outside. Dual sensors track internal meat temperature (up to 212°F) and ambient cooker temperature (up to 527°F) simultaneously, and the app’s Guided Cook System estimates finish time, accounts for resting carryover cooking, and tells you when to slice. With a 24-hour cook time per charge, even brisket is covered. For grillers and smokers, it is the most liberating upgrade you can buy.
- Pro: Completely wireless — no cables, no compromises on any cooker.
- Pro: 165ft extended range via the charger/repeater.
- Pro: Guided Cook System coaches timing, resting, and carryover cooking.
- Con: Bluetooth range varies with walls and interference.
- Con: 212°F internal limit means removing the probe before extreme searing.
4. Ember Mug 2
The Ember Mug 2 ends the tragedy of the forgotten lukewarm cup. Set your ideal drinking temperature anywhere from 120–145°F in the app, and the mug holds it there — 80 minutes on battery, or all day on its charging coaster. Thoughtful details elevate it beyond a heated novelty: auto sleep/wake detects when liquid is poured or the mug is empty, the smart LED shows heating status and low battery at a glance, and presets let different drinks — or different people — have their own temperatures, with a notification when your drink hits the target. The 14oz copper-finish model looks like a premium ceramic mug rather than a gadget, and it is IPX7 submersible for easy hand-washing. A luxury, yes — but for slow sippers whose coffee always dies mid-task, it works exactly as promised.
- Pro: Holds an exact temperature (120–145°F) — 80 minutes on battery, all day on the coaster.
- Pro: Auto sleep/wake, smart LED, and drink presets with notifications.
- Pro: Premium ceramic look; IPX7 rinsable.
- Con: Expensive for a mug — the value depends on how much cold coffee bothers you.
- Con: Hand-wash only, and the app is required to change temperatures.
5. Keurig K-Supreme Plus SMART
The K-Supreme Plus SMART is the most capable Keurig ever made, built around BrewID — technology that recognizes each K-Cup pod and automatically applies the roaster’s recommended brew settings, ending the guesswork of new coffees. Customization runs deep: 5 strength settings, 6 temperature settings, 4–12oz brew sizes, a dedicated iced-coffee setting, and up to 10 saved custom favorites for households where everyone wants their coffee their way. MultiStream extraction saturates the grounds more evenly than single-stream brewers for fuller flavor, and the 78oz removable reservoir means fewer refills. The Keurig app unlocks scheduling and advanced settings, while Alexa compatibility adds voice brewing. If you love pod convenience but want real control, this is the upgrade that makes pods make sense.
- Pro: BrewID auto-recognizes pods and applies ideal brew settings.
- Pro: 5 strengths, 6 temperatures, 10 custom favorites, and an iced setting.
- Pro: MultiStream extraction, large 78oz reservoir, Alexa voice brewing.
- Con: High per-cup cost compared to ground coffee.
- Con: Pod waste concerns; peak flavor still trails fresh-ground brewing.
How to choose your smart kitchen gadget
Match the pick to your routine, not your aspirations. If you cook dinner most nights and own a cabinet full of single-purpose appliances, the Instant Pot Pro Plus delivers the most consolidation per dollar. If the air fryer already runs several times a week, the COSORI TurboBlaze upgrades the thing you use most. Grillers and smokers get the biggest confidence boost from the MEATER Plus — overcooked expensive cuts are a problem it actually solves. The Ember Mug 2 is for people whose coffee habit has a specific pain point (it dies mid-task), and the Keurig SMART is for multi-drinker households where convenience rules. In every case, be honest about whether you will use the app: several of these charge a smart premium that only pays off if you engage with it.
Smart kitchen gadget FAQs
Which smart kitchen gadget is the best overall buy?
The Instant Pot Pro Plus. Its 10 cooking functions replace more appliances than any other pick here, and the Wi-Fi plus 800-recipe app genuinely adds value — remote monitoring during long cooks and guided recipes for beginners are features you will use, not gimmicks.
Do I need Wi-Fi for these gadgets to work?
No. The Instant Pot Pro Plus, COSORI TurboBlaze, and Keurig K-Supreme Plus SMART all work fully from their onboard controls. The MEATER Plus needs Bluetooth for the app experience, and the Ember Mug 2 needs its app only to change temperatures — it still heats at the default setting without it.
Are smart kitchen gadgets worth the extra cost over basic models?
Only if you will use the connected features. Remote monitoring during a 12-hour slow cook, guided recipes for pressure cooking, and BrewID auto-recognition are genuinely useful. But if you will set one temperature and never open the app, the non-smart versions cook just as well for less.
What is the most useful smart feature in this roundup?
The MEATER Plus’s Guided Cook System. It does not just report a temperature — it estimates finish time, tells you when to pull the meat, accounts for resting carryover cooking, and alerts you when to slice. It is the closest thing here to a cooking coach.
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