Our 15 Favorite Products We Tried in April

Our team here at Food & Wine is made up of serious home cooks, former restaurant pros, hot sauce fans, and even a couple of people passionately dedicated to spring cleaning. We try out hundreds of new items each month, and while the breadth of new products we tried in April has been vast, a few powerful winners have already revealed themselves. This month, we’re seriously into a stunning Japanese chef’s knife, sturdy pint glasses, some absolutely delicious mac and cheese, and a gorgeous new color from Yeti. Read on for the 15 best things we’ve tried in April.

April Editor Obsessions

• Yeti Hopper Flip 12 Soft Cooler, $250 at yeti.com
• OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandoline, $17, originally $19 at amazon.com
• Hapirm Sink Caddy Sponge Holder, $8 with Prime, originally $12 at amazon.com
• Created 16-Ounce Cove Pint Glasses, Set of 2, $56 at created.co
• Mzxoo 4-Piece Reusable Food Saver Set, $10 at amazon.com
• Mitts Sponge Starter Kitt, $25 at mitts.store
• Shun Premier 6-Inch Chef’s Knife, $179 at amazon.com
• Cuisinart Mini Spatulas, Set of 3, $8, originally $9 at amazon.com
• Genuine Fred Merry Mushroom Herb Grinder, $17 at amazon.com
• The Ove Glove, 2-Pack, $22 at amazon.com
• Scrub Daddy Colors, Pack of 3, $14 at amazon.com
• Pasteli Greek Sesame Brittle, $5 at primisimports.com
• Goodles Mac & Cheese Assortment, 12-Pack, $50 at amazon.com
• Melinda’s Fire Roasted Jalapeno and Garlic Pepper Sauce, $11 at amazon.com
• Woke Up in New York Instant Specialty Coffee Pods, $30 at amazon.com

Yeti Hopper Flip 12 Soft Cooler

“I’ve been a major Yeti fan my whole adult life — I have at least four great coolers, as well as countless other items from the outdoor brand (like tumblers, a cast iron skillet, and its new pour-over). I’ve seen many Yeti colors come and go, but its newest, ultramarine violet, is my favorite in years. It’s a stunning hue. Plus, it has powerful insulation and keeps my drinks and snacks cold for many hours.” — Adam Rothbarth, writer

OXO Good Grips Handheld Mandoline

“I’ve been on a big salad kick lately. Maybe it’s the changing weather, but I suddenly want crispy cucumber and radish slices on everything. This OXO Good Grips mandoline has been my go-to the past few weeks as I’ve churned through vegetable after vegetable for my sesame slaws and tossed salads. Its super sharp blade gets clean cuts of cucumber and the size adjustment knob gives me a stable grip when slicing. It also keeps my fingers out of harm’s way! My favorite part is the slicer’s silicone tip that keeps it stable inside a bowl while I’m using it.” — An Uong, writer

Hapirm Sink Caddy Sponger Holder

“I have no idea how I lived without a sink caddy before. Getting one cleared my sink clutter immediately. I have a similar one to this, which has enough space for my sponge, handled brush, and chainmail scrubber. The best part is: no more sopping sponges sitting around growing bacteria in the corner of my sink!” — An Uong 

Created 16-Ounce Cove Pint Glasses, Set of 2

“I’m the first to admit I’m a jar hoarder. Over the past few years, I’ve collected more than I’d like to admit and have justified my collection by using them as drinking glasses. However, when I have people over and serve dinner using a nice dinnerware set, a drink in an old jam jar doesn’t look very good on the table. I got this set (plus the small tumblers and mugs) and it finally pushed me to retire all my old jars and actually have grown-up glasses that I won’t be embarrassed to see in the background of my guests’ social media photos.” — Nick DeSimone, updates writer

Mzxoo 4-Piece Reusable Food Saver Set

“I got these cute silicone and plastic food savers as a gift, and I’ve been using them non-stop ever since to keep the inevitable half-onion, half-avocado, and half-lemon fresh in the refrigerator without needing to use plastic wrap.” — Karen Shimizu, executive editor

Mitts Sponge Starter Kitt

“This is a sponge ‘glove’ that fits over your fingers to help wipe off delicate items thoroughly. It’s advertised as made for cleaning wine glasses, and it’s pretty good at that, but I love it for cleaning knives. It keeps your fingers well away from the sharp edge, and it’s big enough that you can wipe down the entire blade surface in one go.” — Jason Horn, senior writer

Shun Premier Blonde 6-Inch Chef’s Knife

“I’ve been using my parents’ hand-me-down chef’s knife for a couple of years, and it’s simply just past its prime — slicing and dicing onions shouldn’t be that hard. Enter: Shun’s Premier Blonde 6-Inch Chef’s Knife, which has a hammered blade that glides right through my onions, extra firm tofu, broccoli stalks, you name it. I’m also a fan of the pakkawood handle, which is shockingly lightweight and very comfortable to hold. This is definitely the prettiest (and most powerful) blade on my magnetic knife strip.” — Phoebe Sklansky, senior editor

Cuisinart Mini Spatulas, Set of 3

“During a recent vacation rental stay, the kitchen only had a set of mini set of cooking utensils, so we had to make do. Surprisingly, the small spatulas were pretty great for frying an egg or two for breakfast and for sautéing a single serving of spinach, as my mom likes to do. They’re so small that they can easily fit in the top rack of the dishwasher.” — Phoebe Sklansky

Genuine Fred Merry Mushroom Herb Grinder

“This mushroom-shaped mortar and pestle is an easy way to grind fresh herbs and whole spices, and it doubles as decor. I love the whimsical design, and at less than 3 inches tall, it’s incredibly easy to store.” — Katie Brown, editor

The Ove Glove, 2-Pack

“My mom, grandma, and I converted from standard oven mitts to the Ove Glove over a decade ago, but my appreciation for it was recently renewed when I used a friend’s knockoff version, whose heat-resistant capabilities didn’t stack up to the original. With the real Ove Glove, I can use all of my fingers to grip a hot pan when pulling it out of the oven, giving me so much more control. There are anti-slip grips all around the glove for extra traction, and, unlike the dupe, it is actually heat-resistant (up to 540°F, according to the brand).” — Phoebe Sklansky

Scrub Daddy Colors, Set of 3

“These seem like a novelty purchase, but these sponges really work great. The sponge doesn’t scratch and its texture changes depending on the water temperature. It never smells, always dries completely, and it’s just cute. I use this on the dishes, sink, and the electric stovetop — with a little bit of soap, this really picks up baked-on spills and spatters. Plus, if you pair it with the sponge holder you’ll keep it dry and out of the way.” — Joe Morales, senior editor

Pasteli Greek Sesame Brittle

“I’m not exaggerating when I say that I finished this package of sesame brittle in one night. It’s nutty, crunchy, and not that sweet, so it plays perfectly with desserts and savory dishes alike. If I had any self-control, I would have waited to sprinkle this over ice cream, serve it with yogurt and berries, or even use it as a topping for roasted carrots. Alas, I ate it over my sink over the course of an hour. (I also received the pistachio flavor in the mail, but my husband finished that batch before I could get my hands on it.) I also love the brand’s olive oil.” — Liv Dansky, writer   

Goodles Mac & Cheese Assortment, 12-Pack

“I’d had my eye on Goodles for a while now but have been putting off trying it, worried that it was too good to be true. I’ve been led astray by one too many brands with gorgeous, colorful branding. But, I’m happy to report that this protein-packed, boxed mac and cheese lives up to the hype. It’s easy to prepare (as all boxed mac and cheese should be), not artificial-tasting like other brands, and an ideal base for other ingredients. I added sausage, peas, and a whole lot of Parmesan to the Shella Good flavor, and put a Korean-style spin on the Cheddy Mac with gochujang, Spam, and caramelized kimchi.” — Amelia Schwartz, editor 

Melinda’s Fire Roasted Jalapeno and Garlic Pepper Sauce

“I love a good tangy green hot sauce, so I was excited to recently add this fire-roasted jalapeño and garlic pepper sauce from Melinda’s to my condiment collection. It’s tangy, garlicky, and slightly smoky, and it has just the right amount of heat. I appreciate the large 12-ounce bottle size, too, because I’ve been tearing through it on eggs, tacos, and rice bowls.” — Danielle St. Pierre, senior editor

Woke Up in New York Instant Specialty Coffee Pods

“This is by far the cutest packaging I have witnessed this year. The individually portioned instant coffee pods from NYC-based roasting company Coffee Project New York come in little mini plastic coffee cups. When I’m down in the dumps, I simply hold the pod in my hand to feel like a giant — an extra dose of serotonin to go along with the caffeine! The coffee powder dissolves easily in both hot and cold water, meaning I can skip the $6 cold brew and make my own bold cup of iced coffee in seconds, anywhere, anytime.” — Amelia Schwartz