Here’s What SAVEUR Editors Are Buying on October Prime Day

I have been stalking this particular piece of icemaking royalty for a while now, watching and waiting until it finally went on sale enough for me to justify adding it to my stable of countertop appliances. At almost 50 percent, that time is now, and the ice maker is mine. I can now enjoy perfectly crunchy nugget ice in all my drinks, from margaritas to just very, very good ice water. It, too can be yours. — Ellen Fort, Senior Editor, Special Projects

For years I used a pocket-sized stainless steel meat thermometer for all of my temperature-sensitive cooking—the kind you stick in a turkey, then move to the oven, then squint at hours later hoping you haven't overcooked the bird. This year I've finally upgraded to a digital instant-read thermometer, and there was only one brand I trusted for my purchase. ThermoPro instant-read digital thermometers are the gold standard for countless professional kitchens, and after only a few uses, I can see why: they arrived fully powered, the probe is incredibly sensitive and takes only seconds to deliver a read, the display is easy to read (and backlit upon demand), and they can be cleaned and stored without fuss (the probe retracts into the handle, which is also magnetized and easy to hang on a knife rack or hook). It's rare for me to seek out temp-precise cooking projects (hello, candy-making). Still, with an instant-read thermometer like this, such projects actually feel not only doable, but exciting to contemplate. — Jessica Carbone, Contributing Editor, Books

Everybody knows frozen margaritas can be deadly if you’re not careful—and apparently, that applies to cheapo blenders, too: After a summer’s-worth of margs, mine just up and died. But if I'm being honest? Good riddance. Finally, a legit excuse to buy the Vitamix A3300 I'd been eyeing—you know, the Holy Grail of blenders, the sleek restaurant workhorse with twice the torque of an electric lawn mower. Forking over three figures for yet another countertop appliance is high among my toxic traits, but this is a purchase I won’t soon regret (see: the homemade macadamia nut butter in my cupboard and the velvetiest salmorejo in my fridge). — Benjamin Kemper, Senior Editor, Travel

You should see the crowds queued to buy bags of ice after our Central Florida meteorologists warn of a coming tropical storm or hurricane. There's nothing more liberating than having this trusty little BLUETTI power station charging and its companion solar panels waiting under the guest bed for when (not if, I cringe to admit) our power goes out for extended periods. We can simply plug in our refrigerator, and BLUETTI powers it—or anything requiring up to 800W—to stay running, in the fridge's case for a solid three hours. And then BLUETTI heads outside into the sun for a charge before we bring it back in for another round of power. Keeping our fridge cool this way means we don't have to join the mad dash for ice or pack away the perishables into a cooler. Although avoiding that hassle is worth BLUETTI's weight in gold, I sure wish we could have taken advantage of this $200 savings when buying ours. — Stephanie Pancratz, Managing Director, Editorial Operations 

My life has recently been divided into two distinct eras: before purchasing my Zojirushi 3-cup rice cooker, and after. Before, rice was just rice. I would bring some water to a boil on the stove and cook rice whenever I was preparing a dish that calls for it. Tedious, mundane, perfunctory. But after? I’ll just make rice in the middle of the day because it’s easy and hands-off and I’ll probably want it at some point in the next 36 hours. Soft, supple, aromatic steamed rice has become a mainstay in our kitchen, and there’s always some on hand—either staying warm on the counter or cold in the fridge—waiting to be simmered into quick congees or served beneath soy-sauce-and-butter-bathed fried eggs. There was even that one glorious month where I was regularly using the 3-hour GABA brown rice setting to prepare an amino-acid-rich sprouted base grain for my meal prep lunches. I love that with this mini model I can make as little as one cup of rice (though I barely ever do these days), and it tucks easily under my cramped kitchen counters. I eagerly await the machine’s iconic jingle whenever the cook time is up; no bop hits quite as hard as “Amaryllis” when dinner time rolls around. — Alex Testere, Senior Editor, Features

My parents adore cappuccinos but rarely make them at home. Like a lot of people, their mornings tend to be rushed, and there just isn't time to grind beans or steam and froth milk. But that's about to change (shh!). When I went over to a coffee-obsessed friend's place earlier this year, she used her new Breville Barista Pro to make me a café-worthy cappuccino in no time at all. I was amazed that the machine took all of three seconds to heat up, gave her 30 grind settings from which to choose, and did all the work of turning milk into a silky microfoam. It was so fragrant and felt so luxurious that I almost considered leaving my daily matcha habit behind. The appliance is definitely a splurge, but for those who truly appreciate a good cup of joe, this will likely turn their kitchen into their new favorite coffeehouse. — Megan Zhang, Senior Editor, Food and Beverage

Prime Day is great for stocking up on the essentials you will always need in your kitchen. This three-pack of Mrs. Meyer’s dish Apple Cider dish soap is going to last the entire fall, and will save you an emergency trip to the store when you suddenly realize your current bottle is running out. — Jessie YuChen, Senior Culinary Director

Steamed rice was a staple in my house growing up, so a rice dispenser was, well, indispensable. You can portion out the amount of rice you need with the touch of a button (no more diving into a bag of rice with a measuring cup!). The dispenser is also airtight, so you can store your grains confidently and not worry about them being exposed to the elements because of a faulty seal. And if you're not a rice devotee like me, rest assured that the dispenser works beautifully with all kinds of grains, beans, cereal, sugar, or even pet food. —Frances Kim, Digital Director

There has been a long-running carbon steel vs. stainless debate raging amongst the SAVEUR team and (with a few exceptions), I tend to fall firmly in the former camp. First, I was wooed by the seemingly indestructible edge of a Japanese carbon steel knife—then, when I started dabbling in cookware made from the same material, I was fully sold. A one-time cast iron obsessive, I'm now almost completely converted by carbon steel's lighter weight and similarly durable, naturally nonstick seasoned finish. I was delighted when SAVEUR launched our very own line of carbon steel cookware. And while I may be a little bit biased, it's a fact that this high-sided 12-inch frying pan is now my go-to for searing steaks and seafood and for finishing quick weeknight pasta dishes. This Prime Big Deal Day, I'll be ordering a few more for friends and relatives. — Kat Craddock, Owner/Editor-in-Chief

It’s never too late to join Team Air-Fryer, and if you haven’t yet experienced the joys of tabletop convection cooking, now’s a good time to start. I love COSORI’s ovens for their sleek interface and quick cooking times, which come thanks to a powerful fan within that turns your french fries into crispy, golden morsels in minutes. It’s a lot quicker to pre-heat, and cooks more evenly than a standard oven, though its smaller size dictates what can be cooked in it (Thanksgiving dinner is probably a no-go, though a roast chicken is a great use for an air-fryer). Snag this deeply discounted deal and start living your crispiest life ASAP. — Ellen Fort, Senior Editor, Special Projects

Looking to jump into the world of pellet grills? Traeger is a top brand for a reason, known for its sturdy construction and ease of use. It’s WiFi-enabled, allowing serious grillers to connect to the grill via an app to adjust temperature, timing, and smoke from wherever they are. Pellets are available in a variety of woods, such as hickory, cherry, or one of Traeger’s signature blends, to add flavor and smoke to anything it touches. The 650 is smaller than other models but still fits multiple chickens, racks of ribs, and more, enough to feed the whole crew. — Ellen Fort, Senior Editor, Special Projects