5 appliances that make life way easier

1. Urban Cultivator ($2,499)

Martha Stewart swears by hers — which she uses to give her summer garden a head start. Programmed to supply plants with light, water, and a steady temperature, it can be used to grow herbs and microgreens year-round. Buy it at Urban Cultivator.

2. Instant Pot ($80)

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It's no wonder this pressure cooker has inspired a craze: "It's as user-friendly as a slow cooker — except that it gets dinner on the table a day or so faster." Think spare ribs in 20 minutes and fork-tender lamb shanks in 40. Buy it at Amazon.

3. Zera Food Recycler ($1,199 for pre-order)

It looks like a "very classy" kitchen garbage can, but the Zera is more like a miracle in-home composter: It turns food scraps — including meat — into garden-ready fertilizer in just 24 hours. It's due to ship in October. Buy it at Zera.

4. Panasonic FlashXpress ($118)

This "groundbreaking" toaster oven remains unique in its use of both quartz and ceramic heating elements. The instant infrared heat ensures even browning and reduces cooking time on muffins or frozen pizzas. Buy it at Amazon.

5. Samsung AddWash ($2,499)

Don't you hate it when you start a load and then find an extra sock? A hatch door on this washer makes late additions easy. An "excellent" machine all around, it's "loaded with features," including a speed-wash option. Buy it at Amazon.

Editor's note: Every week The Week's editors survey product reviews and articles in websites, newspapers, and magazines, to find cool and useful new items we think you'll like. We're now making it easier to purchase these selections through affiliate partnerships with certain retailers. The Week may get a share of the revenue from these purchases.