If your New Year’s resolution is to cook at home more, this week’s clearance cycle is your time to stock up. Big-box stores are making shelf space for early-year product updates, which means there are aggressive markdowns across the kitchen category on items such as cookware, air fryers, multicookers, knives and even cookbooks. Industry trackers say that year-end sales tend to flow into the first couple of weeks in January, with kitchen electrics and cookware among home categories most heavily discounted. That’s a timely boost for home cooks — Circana estimates that about 80 percent of all U.S. meals are prepared at home, and better tools make it easier to stick with the habit.
Top Cookware Discounts To Get Ahead In January
Start by going for the staples you’ll touch every day: a nonstick skillet for eggs, a stainless pan for searing and a heavy pot for braises and soups. Stainless tri-ply (which is what classic D3-style construction looks like) spreads heat well and stands up to abuse over the years, while enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens deliver low-and-slow results and can go from stovetop to oven. Sales currently slice 20–40% off reputable stainless sets and single workhorses; enameled Dutch ovens tend to drop close to holiday-season lows as retailers want bulky items gone.
Ceramic-coated nonstick has likewise dropped in price. If you’re shopping a do-it-all pan, look at the oven-safe temperature (450 degrees Fahrenheit is a practical minimum), how thick the base is and whether it’s induction-compatible. America’s Test Kitchen and other testers alike are consistent in their love of carbon steel for searing at high temps; we saw it listed as year-end clearance on the inexpensive side. Once it’s seasoned, a 10- or 12-inch carbon steel skillet can function as your steak and stir-fry pan for life.
Air Fryers And Countertop Ovens Hit New Lows
For speedy weeknights, the best deals are going to be dual-drawer air fryers and compact convection ovens. Testing by Consumer Reports has shown that countertop air fryers can cook small batches more quickly — and often with less energy — than if you were to fire up a full-size oven. The 5–8 quart range is the happy medium between two and four people; families who would like to complete mains and sides at the same time should look for a dual-zone model. Look for at least 1,500 watts, a square basket for more capacity and dishwasher-safe inserts.
Countertop ovens that include the new air-fry, proof and dehydrate modes are also seeing discounts as next year’s model years roll in. Breville-style smart ovens and Ninja’s toaster-oven hybrids tend to get cut by 15–30% now, followed by even deeper discounts on refurbished units from the manufacturers. If you bake, look for models with true convection (a rear fan and a dedicated third heating element) and a temperature probe; those prove themselves to evenly bake cookies or properly cook chicken without guesswork.
Make Dinner Easier With Multicookers and Slow Cookers
Instant Pot–type multicookers and newfangled slow cookers are perennial January standouts. Combos that sear, pressure-cook, slow-cook, steam rice and keep warm cut down on clutter — and decision fatigue. Two-in-one models with double pots are particularly helpful for mac-and-cheese lovers who want to serve them beside saucy pulled pork or vegetarian mains and grains. (Stainless-steel inner pots are also more resilient over time than nonstick.) Opt for a 6-quart capacity, appropriate for most kitchens.
When you batch cook, food safety counts. The USDA agrees that holding hot food at 140°F is the minimum, which gives you an argument to insist on an accurate “keep warm” mode and, better yet, a thermometer probe. If you are a pressure-cooking novice, begin with responsive standbys — beans, chicken thighs, sweet potatoes — where the time advantage will be most evident. You can generally find these machines for 20–33% off, with bonuses like additional gaskets and racks.
Knives And Prep Gear Worth Grabbing on Sale
A sharp knife is more useful in getting dinner on the table faster than any gadget. Leave behemoth 15-piece blocks and invest in 3 essential basics: a good-quality, 8-inch chef’s knife, a serrated bread knife and a small paring knife. You can get decent forged mid-tier lines at real discounts right now; focus on full-tang and comfort-grip. And include a honing rod to help keep the edges in alignment between sharpenings — most home cooks need only a full sharpening a couple of times a year.
Other time-savers that are steeply discounted: 3- to 4-cup mini choppers for fast salsas and mirepoix, immersion blenders for pureed soups and digital scales for baking precision. Select BPA-free, dishwasher-safe parts and review warranty terms; a robust two years of coverage is typical for good small electrics.
Cookbooks And Classes To Get You Motivated
Learn, baby, learn! Skill-building buys also go on sale. Hardcover cookbooks — say, Matty Matheson’s Home Style Cookery or Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat or weeknight-friendly titles like Half Baked Harvest — often dip 30–50% during year-end publishing promos. Match one technique-forward title with a weeknight playbook to get you inspired through February. Several cooking-class platforms are also offering discounted multi-class packages right now — that might be just the push you need to get serious about knife work or sourdough.
How To Tell A Real Deal When Shopping Kitchen Gear
Before you buy: Use a price-history tracker; it’s the easiest way to be confident that you’re at or near an all-time low. Cross-check list prices on manufacturer sites so you don’t see inflated “was” numbers. Open-box and certified refurbished models from brands can be amazing deals with full warranties. Finally, stack retailer coupons with loyalty rewards points and consider curbside pickup to avoid shipping fees on hefty pots.
With retailers discounting to clear inventory and consumers returning to home cooking, this is the moment to assemble a functional, resilient kitchen kit. Begin with one upgrade you’ll turn to every day, introduce a time-saving countertop appliance and then keep the momentum going with a cookbook that you might just actually cook from. Smart purchases now can help your resolution stick long after the sale tags have been taken down.
