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We’ve all been there. You need to buy a gift and you know the person is really into cooking — but that’s about it. But there are plenty of kitchen gadgets that hit just the right handy-utensil-you-never-knew-you-needed note. When you’re looking for gifts for home chefs, we like to look for niche tools or appliances, novelty items, and helpfully assembled sets that the receiver (probably) doesn’t already have.
Our picks for the best kitchen gifts range from the goofy (wildlife patterned knife set) to the utilitarian (food storage canisters). The right gift will obviously depend on your relationship to the receiver and the occasion, but in both cases we prioritize creative and unique picks.
Our Place Always Pan
Our Place
This Instagram and TikTok-famous nonstick cookware is one of the few gifts that your anyone will appreciate, regardless of how many cookware pieces they’re already stocked up on. The Always Pan supposedly replaces “8 traditional pieces of cookware,” and are up to any task, from braising the perfect short rib, or steaming dumplings, all in a lightweight, 2.6 quart package. Bonus: it’s compatible with all cooktops (yes, induction, we’re looking at you), and conveniently includes an integrated spoon rest for the nesting beechwood spatula.
STX International Chef’s Elite Meat & Vegetable Vacuum Tumbler Marinator
Amazon
For grilling gurus, or just anyone who wants big flavors out of their meat without always resorting to a pressure cooker, STX International’s Meat and Vegetable Vacuum Tumbler is a simple, effective gift. It takes the fuss out of waiting hours for a marinade to sink into the meat, using a vacuum seal instead to achieve the same effect in minutes, while the motorized, rotating drum gently tenderizes your meat at the same time. You’ll get tender meat, fish, poultry, and veggies in just 15 minutes.
Buy STX International Chef’s Elite Vacuum… $139.75
MEATER+
Amazon
A one minute difference can be the difference between perfect and overdone when cooking meat on the grill, but it can be hard to get the timing just right — give the gift of perfectly cooked meat and saves someone the guesswork with Meater’s Bluetooth wireless smart thermometer. The Meater+’s main strength is its extended range, which can keep a Bluetooth connection with your phone from up to 165 feet away. Stick the thermometer inside your meat, and you’ll receive a notification from the Meater app (iOS and Android) when it’s reached your desired temperature.
Buy Meater+ Smart Meat Thermometer $99.95
KSL Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set
Amazon
Sure, hand grinding salt and pepper doesn’t take a lot of physical effort, but why put in any effort at all if there’s an alternative? These electric salt and pepper mills are battery-operated with adjustable coarseness settings and a built-in light allowing you to blend up everything from Himalayan salt to dried herbs with the touch of a button. They’re a thoughtful gift for pretty much anyone who enjoys seasoned food.
Buy KSL Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder $44.90
Mixology & Craft Whiskey Stones Gift Set
Amazon
For whiskey-enjoyers who want to savor the flavor longer, this Mixology & Craft Whiskey Stones set lets them sip in style. Packaged in a chic, rustic wooden case, the set comes with crystal glasses complete with coasters featuring acclaimed whiskey quotes. The granite whiskey rocks themselves don’t melt, so you can get the full taste of your preferred whiskey without watering it down.
Buy Mixology & Craft Whiskey Stones Gift… $47.99
Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker
Amazon
Know someone who’s really gotten into smoothie bowls after their hot yoga sessions? When you’re gifting for someone interested in upgrading your kitchen (or just on a wellness kick), this is the must-have blender of the season you should know about. Ninja Foodi’s Smoothie Bowl Maker and Nutrient Extractor has two cup sizes (14 and 24 oz) a built-in tamper, and blends and powers through frozen foods with less liquid for perfectly thick smoothie bowls, nut butters, and blender ice cream.
Buy Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker $76.99
Balmuda Electric Kettle
Amazon
An electric kettle is a kitchen appliance someone may not think they need, but will appreciate once they have it. And we like this sleek and stylish kettle from Balmuda. Water boils more quickly in an electric kettle than on a stovetop and doesn’t create a hot surface of flame, which makes it a lot safer to use around kids. The kettle’s precision pour spout isn’t just classy, it’s designed for the optimal pour-over flow rate for things like pour-over coffee and delicate loose-leaf teas.
Buy Balmuda Electric Kettle $149.00
Coffee Gator French Press Coffee Maker
Amazon
No one loves weak, watery coffee (unless you do, in which case, no judgement) — but this french press from Coffee Gator is the easiest way to get the strongest cup possible in the morning. The stainless steel canister keeps coffee (or tea) warm 60 minutes longer than glass coffee presses, and it also has a double-screen filter for the cleanest-tasting cup of joe possible. Durable and sleek, any real coffee aficionado needs this in their java arsenal.
Buy Coffee Gator French Press Coffee Maker $46.29
Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Amazon
Sous vides became trendy for a good reason — because they produce perfectly prepared meals with little to zero effort on the part of the chef. The device attaches to a pot of water where you add food in a sealed bag, and cooks food by circulating heated water at a precise temperature. We like this sous vide in particular for the ease-of-use and handy pre-set controls.
Buy Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker $119.99
KitchenAid 6-Qt. Professional 600 Series
KitchenAid
For a splurge-worthy gift, KitchenAid mixers has deserved every bit of their outstanding reputation. We recommend the 600 Series 6 Quart mixer because it’ll handle any baking task you throw at it, from light cookie dough to dense bread dough. The 575W (watt) mixer has six speed settings, and this KitchenAid includes three attachments with this mixer: a flat beater, wire whip, and dough hook. These essentials allow you to make everything from pizza dough to cake batter to whipped cream in a matter of minutes.
Buy KitchenAid 6-Qt. Professional 600… $549.99
Pink Himalayan Salt Tequila Shot Glasses
Amazon
Thinking about gifting some normal, everyday glassware? Yawn. These Pink Himalayan Salt Tequila Glasses are a unique, handmade gift that makes for a great holiday party conversation starter. They’ll naturally add the perfect nuanced, salty note to their favorite tequila, and they can even be used for serving small appetizers, like ceviche.
Buy Pink Himalayan Salt Tequila Glasses $19.95
Willow & Everett Non-Stick Wok Pan
Amazon
Perfect for stir frying, steaming, deep frying, boiling, and searing, this quick-heating wok is a great gift for anyone who wants to cook their meals fast. The 3-layer wok has a custom aluminum layer for faster heating, and stainless steel for a consistent, even cook. The non-stick surface makes it dishwasher and oven safe, and with 13 inches of cook space to work with, it’s as easy to whip up your next one-pan meal as it is to clean.
Buy Willow & Everett Non-Stick Wok Pan $37.99
Nespresso Vertuo Next
Amazon
Nespresso’s line of award-winning coffee makers features on of our favorites, the compact, sustainable Vertuo Next. This smart coffee maker is only 5.5 inches wide, perfect for anyone with tight kitchen counters who still needs their premium java fix. With only the touch of one button, the machine scans the barcode of the pod and automatically adjusts the brewing methods to give you the best coffee, espresso, iced coffee, and silky crema every single time.
Buy Nespresso Vertuo Next $289.00
Wise Owl Outfitters Portable Camping Grill
Amazon
Let your giftee chef it up in the great outdoors Wise Owl Outfitters’ Portable Camping Grill — it can be easily folded up and tossed into a beach bag or the back of your car, and is super light too, at just 2.5 pounds. The high edges shield the flames from any wind, but the rest of food-grade stainless steel is also durable enough to withstand the tests of time. All you need to bring is the kindling (and your appetite).
Buy Wise Owl Outfitters Portable Camping… $37.99
Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker
Amazon
No bar cart is complete without Elevated Craft’s Cocktail Shaker. It features an airtight screw-top design that guarantees a well-balanced mix and perfect pour every single time. The top also functions as a jigger, with measurements etched onto the side. Every piece of this 28 ounce cocktail shaker has been meticulously designed to help you deliver deliver flawless drinks without much effort.
Buy Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker $69.99
Brava Smart Oven
Brava
Brava’s Smart Oven is nothing short of the ultimate kitchen upgrade. The gadget demystifies cooking for new home chefs, while saving time for more experienced ones. The Smart Oven walks you through the entire cooking process, from selecting a recipe — including multiple options for those with dietary restrictions — to prep, to cooking. All of this is handled from a large, responsive touchscreen on top of the oven. It’s also designed in such a way that you can cook a main and side dishes at the same time, so an entire meal is ready at once.
Buy Brava Smart Oven From $1,195
Basquettes The Everything Basket
Amazon
Basquettes are one of those kitchen gifts nobody will expect, but any home chef will appreciate The metal baskets keep food suspended above a sheet pan or large skillet, so heat penetrates all sides evenly. Basquettes packages two sets of baskets in a couple of different sizes — one best used for meat, one best used for vegetables, so you can cook an entire meal at once. One meal, and the person you gift them to will send you an all-caps THANK YOU text.
Buy Basquettes The Everything Basket $135.00
Bormioli Rocco Glass Coffee Mug Set
Amazon
The quality of your beans and your coffee maker are important, yes, but what’s equally important to the taste of your morning brew is the quality of your glasses. Give the gift of this tempered glass coffee mug set, specially-crafted by expert glassmakers in Spain. They retain the temperature of everything from iced lattes to hot tea, while the handle stays cool to the touch. The six glasses hold 10.75 ounces of your favorite beverage.
Buy Bormioli Rocco Glass Coffee Mug Set $26.99
Revolution InstaGLO R180B Toaster
Revolution
Revolution’s InstaGlo R180B is a premium kitchen gift, but a wonderful present for anyone who loves breakfast. It’s capable of cooking toast, bagels, or waffles to your perfered level of toastiness whether they’re fresh or frozen. The big, responsive touch screen is more intuitive to use than dials, and the visual doneness indicators are a total game changer (you can even make sandwiches and paninis). Get this as a gift, and the RevolutionGLO R180 is guaranteed to become an indispensable countertop appliance.
Buy Revolution InstaGLO R180B $299.95
Kenyon G2 Grill
Kenyon
Kenyon’s G2 rebukes the idea that you can’t get true grilling done indoors, and is an absolute essential for anyone who gets bummed out once the weather gets too cold to cook outside. The grill runs on electricity, which keeps smoke to a minimum, without compromising flavor or grill marks. The handles on the sides are a favorite feature of ours because it makes the G2 easy to take off and put on a countertop, or move to another room in your home.
Ooni Fyra 12
Amazon
Ooni’s Fyra 12 streamlines the process of pizza making in ways that makes it less intimidating to less-experienced home cooks. Ooni says the Fyra 12 can make a 12-inch pie in as little as 60 seconds, but that depends on the thickness of your dough. When you’re finished cooking, the Fyra 12 is incredibly simple to clean, too. If a person you’re shopping for has “cook better pizza” on their list of 2023 New Year’s Resolutions, don’t miss out on this gift.
Hedley & Bennett X Grateful Dead Apron
Hedley & Bennett
Aprons are typically a function-over-form kitchen accessory, but Hedley & Bennett prove that they can look really cool, too. Their Grateful Dead collection covers your giftee with the band’s iconic dancing bears. The apron’s deep pockets are the ideal size for tongs or spatulas, and we’ve found them to feel very comfortable during long cooking sessions. Simply put: You won’t find a better (or cooler looking) apron than this.
Buy Hedley & Bennett X Grateful Dead $105+
Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer
Amazon
Cosori’s advanced air fryer is the ideal tech gift if your giftee wants to try the latest and greatest kitchen gadgets. You can cook in “stages” by setting different temperatures and cooking times at the touch of a button, but there are also different smart modes: air fry, roast, defrost, bake, reheat, and dehydrate. Using the integrated app, you can monitor cooking progress, get cooking status notifications and activate voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free cooking.
Buy Cosori Pro II Smart Air Fryer $139.99
Nutr Nut Milk Machine
Amazon
The Nutr is a high-powered kitchen gadget that allows you to make non-dairy milk from your own home (no upcharge required). We’ve tested the device, and it turned raw almonds into ultra-smooth almond milk in three minutes. Nutr includes a comprehensive recipe book with its blender, so you’ll know where to start from the moment you open it. If you know someone trying to eat a little healthier (or want to cut down on additives and preservatives), and even save money over time, gift this tool.
Buy Nutr Nut Milk Machine $189.00
Soda Stream Fizzi
Soda Stream
Soda Stream’s Fizzi is the kitchen tool that can infuse regular tap water with CO2, giving you total control over your beverage’s carbonation. Using it with plain water will produce seltzer, but you can also add in one of Soda Stream’s flavor drops to make soda. Not only will you be cutting down on your carbon footprint, but the Fizzi will also save you or your friend and family member from having to lug heavy bottles and cans through a grocery store and into your place.
GE Profile Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker
Amazon
This TikTok-famous nugget ice maker absolutely crushed it during this past Amazon Prime day (see what we did there?), and it’s the upscale gift that your recipient never knew they needed. Within just 20 minutes, the Opal provides 24 pounds of soft, chewable ice like the kind from fine-dining establishments. For frequent dinner-party hosts, the ability to schedule fresh ice in advance too is a standout feature.
Buy GE Countertop Nugget Ice Maker $579.00
AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Hydroponic Garden
AeroGarden
For someone with a green(-ish) thumb, this is an extremely hands off herb-growing set-up. There are several AeroGarden models, but for the number of pods it can accommodate, as well as its attractive size, the Harvest makes the best gift. It comes with seed pods pods like Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil, and mint. Simply turn on the lights, and let ‘er grow.
Bruvi Coffee Brewer
Bruvi
Bruvi’s brewer is a both practical and sustainable single-serve coffee machine, for your giftee who needs their daily java fix but could do with less plastic waste. Their bio-enzyme infused coffee pods are designed to break down in a landfill much faster than regular plastic, and leaves no microplastics behind. It also just brews a damn good cup of coffee, with a unique brewing technique that makes seven different beverages with no flavor cross-contamination and exceptional precision.
Barsys Smart Coaster System
William Sonoma
Look, we can’t all be Tom Cruise in Bartender, but if you don’t want to gift an expensive mixology class, then Barsys’ Smart Coaster System is an ingenious alternative. All you have to do is put the mixing glass on the Bluetooth-connected coaster, select your drink, and follow the instructions on the Barsys Coaster app. The coaster will change color to signal when to start and stop pouring each ingredient, so you’ll get foolproof, perfectly-balanced cocktails every time.
Buy Barsys Smart Coaster System $149.95
Blue Apron Subscription
Blue Apron
Besides being one of the best meal delivery services of 2022, gifting a Blue Apron subscription is great for someone you know who’s learning to cook, or just doesn’t have the time for grocery-shopping. If you sign up for Blue Apron as a first-time customer, you’ll score $130 off across your first six boxes. If you choose the option for two recipes per week for two people, you can get this meal kit for as little as $4 per serving, no promo code necessary.
Buy Blue Apron Subscription $7.99+/serving
Caraway Cookware
Caraway
Caraway’s cookware has a distinctive look, and is naturally non-stick. Rather than relying on chemicals, the company opted to coat its pots and pans with a ceramic material that won’t chip off, or seep into your food. This cookware is available in a number of colors, and works better than any non-stick pots and pans we’ve tried by a large margin.
Great Jones Hot Dish
Great Jones
Cooking startup Great Jones has a bakeware collection that’s full of staples any baker would appreciate. You can get the entire line (dubbed the Fully Baked set) or buy each piece individually. We’re partial to the Hot Dish, a $95 ceramic baking dish, which we’ve gotten to test ourselves. This kitchen tool is perfect for baking brownies, but it can be used for savory foods like lasagna or mac & cheese, too.
FIZZICS DraftPour Beer Dispenser
For the beer lover in your life, pick the FIZZICS DraftPour Beer Dispenser which turns any normal beer bottle into a creamy micro-foam pour instead. The gadget itself weighs less than four pounds and can be powered by batteries or an AC adapter so it’s easy to use on the go. The design also features corrosion-resistant zinc and a matte finish, so not only will this fizzer look good, it’ll last your giftee a while too.
Buy FIZZICS DraftPour Beer Dispenser $124.99
Ember Smart Mug
Ember
If they love drinking tea or coffee but hate when it cools down, they need the Ember smart mug. It’s got an 80-minute battery life and lets your giftee adjust their bevy to the temperature they want — anywhere from 120°F to 145°F. There’s even an auto-shut-off feature that turns the smart mug off when it’s empty or inactive. Just make sure to tell them it’s hand-wash only.
Indoor S’mores Maker
Amazon
You don’t need an open flame to make your favorite dessert. Gift them this indoor s’mores kit for graham cracker dessert sandwiches all year long. They’ll get an electric flameless heater and two stainless steel roasting forks in this kit. There’s an easy on-off button so all they’ll have to do is switch their new gadget on and get roasting.
Buy Indoor S’mores Maker $29.98
Living Composter
Uncommon Goods
Composting doesn’t have to be overcomplicated with this minimalist, stylish-looking biomorphic composter. As a functional worm farm, its unique design fits in with kitchen decor better than some other offerings on the market. Your gift recipient also won’t have to worry about it smelling up the their counter-space either, since it’s pretty much odorless. This composter is an easy way to provide natural fertilizer for any plant-lovers.