For These Chic Kitchen Brands, Form & Function Are Of Equal Importance

It’s obviously important that your kitchen tools and cookware products are functional — you wouldn’t get much done if they weren’t. But with the advent of Instagram, it’s becoming increasingly crucial that they look good, too. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of companies that recognize that these days — over the past couple of years, there’s been a slew of new chic kitchen brands, the best of which put both form and performance at the forefront.

In fact, so many exist now that there’s pretty much something for everyone, no matter your style preference. Whether you’re searching for a shiny, colorful set of pans, a super-bright bakeware set with funky prints, a vegetable peeler that looks like it belongs in the MoMA, or even a pastel-hued air fryer, the current lineup of kitchen brands offers it all (and more).

Gone are the days of settling for ugly appliances and boring pots and pans. In 2022, you have options when it comes to creating an aesthetically pleasing cooking experience — and here, we’ve rounded up all the best labels making that possible.

We at TZR only include products that have been independently selected by our editors. We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

Caraway

Of all the buzzy cookware brands to pop up in the past few years, Caraway is one of the most popular. There are a couple of reasons for this. First up: Its products, which come in a range of beautiful but subtle colors, are chic but not in-your-face trendy. (Thus, they appeal to a range of styles.) Caraway cookware is also non-toxic and is made to be easy to cook with, thanks to the naturally slick surface of its ceramic coatings. It’s really no surprise that it’s garnered the attention of stars like Mindy Kaling, Kate Hudson, and more.

Great Jones

Great Jones has solidified its position as the fun brand of the stylish bunch. Inspired by Judith Jones, a cookbook author and editor, it launched in 2018 with its Family Style set and immediately made waves with its cheeky names and punchy yet elegant designs. Since then, it’s dropped everything from bakeware to utensils, almost always with a bright, eye-catching color to boot. It’s not just Great Jones’ products that are attention-grabbing, however. The brand offers up a collection of recipes, and even has a “Potline” you can text for real-time cooking advice, making it a veritable one-stop-shop for all your cute mealtime needs.

Our Place

Even if you don’t own an Always Pan from Our Place, it’s almost guaranteed that it’s graced your Instagram at some point. The brand’s star product (a multi-use pan designed to replace eight traditional pieces of cookware) exploded onto the scene when Our Place launched in 2018, and has since become of a favorite of celebrities including Cameron Diaz and Oprah. In addition to those two noteworthy fans, it’s also garnered 26,189 reviews and a 4.5-star rating on its site. Though it’s since expanded beyond its star, the brand has continued to remain a favorite of home cooks thanks to its simple, thoughtful designs and mostly muted colorways.

Five Two

Five Two is the product line of Food52 — and yes, it’s just as chic as the rest of the shop’s kitchen offerings. It’s not just the sleek, minimalist aspect of this brand that’s so intriguing, though. Five Two is designed with help from Food52’s massive community, making it an incredibly thoughtful collection of often ingenious basics. It’s one of my own personal favorites, and not just because I get endless compliments on the Five Two pieces I own (like the stackable glassware). The products are truly well-made — such as my Five Two knives, which are some of the sharpest and prettiest I’ve used.

Material

It’s hard to find a kitchen brand more truly elegant than Material. While many companies tend to focus on colorful cookware and funky prints, Material hones in on creating the sleekest, chicest version of every kitchen basic. (Its new, impossibly beautiful Forever Peeler is the perfect example of this.) There are more reasons to shop the brand than just its aesthetics, though. Material takes a slower approach to design to ensure it can properly research and make products optimized for performance. My favorite product, the ultra-sturdy reBoard, is a testament to this. It also donates to organizations at the intersection of food and underserved groups in the U.S., and with its community, has given more than $100,000 to date.

Beautiful Kitchenware

When Drew Barrymore launched her Beautiful Kitchenware line in 2021, she achieved something seemingly impossible: She made the air fryer look good. And not only that, but she’s made over countless other appliances including coffee makers, blenders, and toasters as well, giving each one sleek silhouettes and soft pastel colorways. Perhaps one of the best aspects of Barrymore’s brand, though, is the fact that it’s affordable. Available at Walmart, Beautiful products rarely run over $100, making it one of the few chic kitchen brands that’s truly accessible.