30 Best Cooking Gifts: KitchenAid, Staub and More
I might be a little biased, but I think it’s a lot of fun to shop for the best cooking gifts (I’m always in the kitchen, after all!). There are so many great kitchen tools and accessories out there that make amazing holiday gifts, so if you’re shopping for a home cook, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite options that make the best cooking gifts to give to your food-loving friends and family.
Here are the 30 best cooking gifts for everyone on your list this year.
The Best Cooking Gifts
1. For the One Who Needs Dinner Inspo: Skinnytaste Simple
My list includes everything from must-have cookbooks to essential appliances like blenders and stand mixers, and you’ll find options for everyone on your list, no matter your budget. I personally use and recommend many of these cooking gifts, and I wouldn’t hesitate to give them to my own loved ones during the holidays!
My newest cookbook, Skinnytaste Simple, is perfect for busy cooks who want to add new meals to their repertoire. It features more than 120 recipes for every meal of the day, including breakfast and dessert, and the best part is that every recipe contains a maximum of seven ingredients! Many of the dishes in this book have become staples in my household, as they’re easy to make, budget-friendly, and big on flavor.
2. For the Aesthetic Cook: Always Pan 2.0
Our Place’s incredible Always Pan has earned a permanent spot in my kitchen. Its nonstick coating is so good, and it’s one of my favorite nonstick pans because of it! I love all the colors it comes in and the fact that it’s made without PTFEs, PFOAs, and other PFAS that can be potentially toxic if ingested. It’s also $50 for the holidays, so it’s a great time to grab it as a gift!
3. For the Anxious Chef: ThermoPro Meat Thermometer
Even though I’ve been cooking for years and years, there are still times when I can’t quite tell if a piece of meat is fully cooked, which is why I always keep this ThermoPro Meat Thermometer in my kitchen drawer. It provides a highly accurate reading in just a couple seconds, and the digital screen is large and easy to read from any angle. It’s a must-have stocking stuffing for home cooks who are just starting out in the kitchen.
4. For the One Who Still Doesn’t Have an Air Fryer: AllCool Air Fryer
It’s no secret that I love a good air fryer recipe, and if you’re shopping for someone that still hasn’t hopped on the air fryer train, I highly recommend the AllCool Air Fyer as one the best cooking gifts! It’s so pretty in my white kitchen and it works super well for all my recipes. As a nice companion gift, you could also give them my cookbook Skinnytaste Air Fryer Dinners. Once they start using it, they will totally understand the hype!
5. For the One Who Needs a Cup of Cheer: Festive Bistro Tile Monogram Mug
Anthropologie’s popular tile mug got a festive upgrade with Christmas colors and a wreath design. It features a monogram letter for a personal touch and will be the perfect holiday mug for the coffee or tea drinker in your life!
6. For the Leftover Lover: Souper Cubes
Souper Cubes are a game-changer when it comes to storing leftovers, and I swear by them for freezing leftover rice and soups. The silicone containers are clearly marked with measurements inside each tray, making it easy to freeze individual portions of leftover soup, chili, sauce, and more. It’s an ingenious solution for anyone who likes to meal prep for the week, and the cubes come in a variety of sizes, with a capacity ranging from two cups to two tablespoons per tray.
7. For the One Who Lives on Smoothies: Ninja Foodi Smoothie Maker
This blender is specifically designed for making smoothies, and it’s perfect for making recipes like my Protein PB & J Smoothie Bowl. The blender’s smoothie bowl attachment has a built-in tamper that allows it to blend ingredients with less liquid, but you can also use it to make frozen drinks, soup, and much more. The blender has definitely been a hit in my household, and thousands of reviews rave about it, too.
8. For the One Who Wants Bake Bread: A New Dutch Oven
Every home chef needs a Dutch oven if you ask me. These heavy-duty pots are ideal for cooking soups and stews, braising meat, and even baking bread. If you’re willing to splurge on a heritage-grade piece, the StaubCast Iron Round Cocotte will truly last a lifetime and I love displaying mine during the holidays. However, there are plenty of more affordable options that will still work well, including the stylish Hearth & Hand Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Either way, your recipient will definitely be getting an upgrade in the kitchen!
Buy the Staub 5.5-Quart Round Cocotte:
Buy the Hearth & Hand 5-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven:
I’ve recently gotten into sourdough bread this year, and if someone in your life has been wanting to try it too, this a great place to start. It comes with everything they need to get their sourdough starter going, including a marked far, date-marked feeding band, thermometer, cloth cover, and metal lid. If you’re lucky, they’ll be sharing some bread with you as a thank you.
10. For the Latte Lover: Nespresso Vertuo Pop+
A Nespresso machine is one of the easiest ways to make fresh espresso at home. It’s so much better than a Keurig, and it uses convenient pods to brew rich, tasty espresso. I have the Pop+ model, which maked iced or hot coffee, that I love in the morning. I think it looks stunning in the white color, especially since it lives on my countertop. It heats up in less than 30 seconds, and there are dozens of pod flavors for coffee lovers to explore.
I love cooking outdoors during the summer, and a Blackstone Griddle makes it easy to whip up things like Smash Tacos, roasted veggies, and even breakfast foods like pancakes. This one has 470 square inches of cooking space across two burners, and it has a side prep table, as well as a lower storage shelf. It even has two wheels and a handle that make it easy to move around outdoors, and I think it would makes for one fo the best cooking gifts for anyone loves grilling!
12. For the Tea Sipper: Fellow Corvo EKG Electric Tea Kettle
Anyone who drinks tea on a daily basis needs an electric kettle, and the Fellow Corvo EKG is my favorite one because it’s pretty and quick. This sleek, modern appliance has a matte finish that comes in several colors, and it can boil several cups of water in a matter of minutes. You can even adjust its temperature in 1-degree increments — important if you drink white or green tea, which steeps best at temperatures below boiling.
13. For the One Who Can’t Give Up Fancy Coffee: Zulay Kitchen Milk Frother
Your giftee will be able to instantly elevate their mid-afternoon coffee drink with this inexpensive milk frother. It’s super easy to operate with just one button, and it creates creamy milk foam in just 30 seconds. It’s perfect for anyone who loves lattes and cappuccinos, and I particularly like that it comes with a stand for the frother, so it can be stored right on the countertop.
14. For the Grillmaster: Cuisinart Smashed Burger Press
Smash burgers are all the rage right now, and the key to these delicious patties is a burger press like this one from Cuisinart. It’s made from cast iron and has a 6-inch diameter, and it’s hefty enough to squish down even the thickest burgers. It’s a must-have for any grillmaster’s tool kit and makes a great inexpensive cooking gift.
15. For the One Who Mixes a Killer Cocktail: Siligrams Monogrammed Ice Cube Tray
If your loved one is always serving Old Fashioned and other fancy drinks, they can put a personalized spin on their favorite cocktails with this monogram ice cube tray. The customized silicone mold creates four square ice cubes that come out embossed with their initials, and the cubes will look great floating in any drink. It’s a fun addition to any home bar setup.
16. For the Pizza Connoisseur: Emile Henry Pizza Stone
The key to amazing homemade pizza is getting a crisp crust without burning the toppings, and this pizza stone makes it easy to bake dough for my Margherita Pizza to perfection. It has a 14-inch diameter that’s big enough to feed the whole family and its smooth glazed finish that prevents your pie from sticking. You can use it in the oven, on the grill, or even under a broiler, as the stone can resist temperatures up to 900 degrees, and it’s even dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
17. For the Newlyweds: Marble & Brass Monogram Board
These beautiful marble charcuterie boards are perfect for holiday hosting. The slab is 14 inches wide, and it has an inlaid antiqued brass letter in the upper corner. You can choose from any letter of the alphabet to represent the couple’s last name, and the brand also has matching cheese knives to go with it to make the perfect entertaining board.
18. For the Family with Kids: Nostalgia Electric S’mores Maker
Who says s’mores are just for the summertime? This electric s’mores maker is a super fun activity for any family with kids, and it allows you to enjoy the iconic chocolatey treats all year round. The central heater is smokeless and flameless, so it’s safe to use indoors, and the surrounding tray conveniently holds your chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallows and more!. My family loves this gadget, and I think it’s something everyone will enjoy.
19. For the One Who Needs a Cutting Board Upgrade: Stainless Steel Cutting Board
I’ve been trying to reduce my use of plastic to reduce the amount of microplastics in my food, starting with my cutting boards. This stainless steel one is a great alternative to plastic ones as it’s easy to clean and is a smooth material for chopping. It’s double-sided too in case you need to cut meat and veggies in one go without washing multiple cutting boards.
20. For the One Who Wants a Garden: AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden
I love cooking with fresh, whole ingredients, and it doesn’t get fresher than produce and herbs grown in your very own garden. For those who don’t have the outdoor space to grow plants—or anyone who just wants to ease into gardening—the AeroGarden makes a wonderful gift. This hydroponic gardening system makes it easy to grow herbs, lettuce, and more, right from your kitchen counter, and it’s foolproof enough that even people with brown thumbs can use it.
21. For the Not-So-Toxic One: Carote Cookware Set
I get asked about nontoxic pan recommendations often, and this affordable set is a great bet for any new homeowner. It’s made of a nonstick granite material that is easy to clean. The set comes with two frying pans, two saucepans, a saute pan, and a steamer for most of your cooking needs.
22. For the Hard Core Griller: Meater Plus
I also got the Meater Plus after hearing about the hype, and I think it’s worth it for people who grill a lot and like technology. It has a smartphone app, so you can monitor the temperature of your meat from up to 165 feet away from wherever it’s cooking if you’re inside and up to 1,000 feet away if you’re outdoors. Better yet, it will alert you when your food is ready, which is great if you tend to juggle several things at once in the kitchen, so it won’t overcook. It’s one of those things they won’t buy themselves, making it a great cooking gift.
23. For the Fancy Chef: Brightland Cold-Pressed Olive Oil
Brightland is known for its high-quality olive oil, made from California olives, and The Artist Capsule contains four delicious infused oils that any home chef will appreciate. The set contains 12.7-ounce bottles of chili, garlic, lemon, and basil-infused olive oil, and the containers are decorated with specially designed artwork, making them beautiful enough to display on the counter.
24. For the Morning Rusher: Dash Rapid Egg Cooker
I typically make hard-boiled eggs on the stovetop, but the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker makes getting breakfast on the table even easier. It can hard boil six eggs in a matter of minutes, and the process is truly hands-off, making the appliance a must-have for anyone who tends to rush out the door in the morning. Perfect for helping make egg salad or deviled eggs, the egg cooker comes in a variety of fun colors, and it’s compact and easy to store, too.
25. For the One With a Gorgeous Kitchen: Meyer Lemon Hand Lotion & Hand Soap Set
This lovely dish soap and hand lotion set will make an attractive addition to anyone’s kitchen. The set includes a 16-ounce bottle of hand lotion, a 16-ounce bottle of hand soap, and a countertop caddy to hold both products. Williams Sonoma has a fresh Meyer lemon scent that comes in three different finishes to match their current kitchen decor.
26. For the Home Chef: John Boos Cherry Wood Cutting Board
If you don’t know what to get your loved one for a cooking gift, you can’t go wrong with a John Boos Cutting Board. Made from solid wood, these boards are extremely durable and provide plenty of space for dinner prep. It can even double as a serving board! I love mine that is made from cherry wood, but the brand also has highly rated options made from maple and walnut.
27. For the Serious Chef: Hedley and Bennet Apron
Nothing makes me feel more professional than an apron. If your giftee loves to cook as much as I do (and might be a little messy while doing it), they might appreciate an apron. Hedley and Bennet make some of the most high-quality ones on the market, and they come in so many different colors and patterns. It has three pockets to store cooking tools and it’s machine washable.
28. For the Cookbook Collector: Hearth & Hand Cookbook Holder
This pretty cookbook holder would be a useful cooking gift for anyone who cooks a lot—and is the perfect thing to display any of my cookbooks! The stylish design is made from real wood, and it has a spacious metal ledge that props up a cookbook and holds it open to the right page for less mess trying to hold the page down when your hands are full.
29. For the Hands-Off Cook: Our Place Dream Cooker
This stunning multicooker from Our Place acts as both a pressure cooker and slow cooker, so it can be used to make all sorts of meals, such as my popular Chicken Taco Chili or Lasagna Soup. It’s pretty enough to keep out on your countertop at all times and comes in colors to match your Always Pan. The touchscreen control panel lets you adjust the temperature and timer, and there are four easy cooking modes to choose from.
The Beautiful Stand Mixer isn’t quite as powerful as a KitchenAid, but it’s a great first mixer for new homeowners or those who are just getting into baking. I think it’s super pretty and looks like a Smeg for a fraction of the price. The mixer has 12 speeds and three attachments to tackle any baking recipe. It even includes a splash shield that prevents splatter while mixing, and it’s a well-made appliance for such a reasonable price.
Prices were accurate at time of publishing.
