The 20 best creative gifts for all home cooks, from knife connoisseurs to snack lovers
When you’re shopping for a cook whose kitchen is already overflowing, knowing what to get can be a huge challenge. Creative cooks who are passionate about their food probably have all the everyday staples, so thoughtful gift-giving means thinking outside the box.
The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.
I have been testing recipes, writing cookbooks and teaching home cooks for almost a decade, and in the process I’ve learned all about the gadgets that will delight people who live in their kitchens.
These gifts go beyond basic cooking to foster new passions, unlock higher performance and upgrade the look of kitchens with attractive, versatile design. Jump right into the ideas below or check out my general tips for giving kitchen gifts at the bottom.
All prices current at the time of publication.
For the sandwich artist:
Cuisinart Griddler 5 Photograph: Courtesy of Cuisinart
$119.95 at Cuisinart
$149.95 at Wayfair
Years ago, I worked as a cafe manager slinging dozens of panini sandwiches every day. I grew to love a good grilled sandwich more than I already did, an obsession that lasts to this day. But I also have run through several disappointing panini presses with electric elements that burn out or hinges that break, unable to stand up to my constant demand for warm, toasted sandwiches.
After a year of using the Griddler 5, I am still impressed with how easy it is to use and how well it does its job. It lies flat to operate as a grill or griddle for things like pancakes and steaks, or folds into a press or sandwiches. It’s also sturdier than other panini presses I have tried, which has ended the streak of broken presses I’ve had to cringe about as I threw away. The sturdy stainless steel easily wipes clean, and the plates are blessedly dishwasher-safe, perfect for cooks who would rather be creating in the kitchen than cleaning it.
For the al fresco chef:
Oxo outdoor collection Photograph: Julia Skinner/The Guardian
From $11.99 at Oxo
Many products that tout themselves as being “outdoor ready” are gimmicky and don’t function any better than just bringing along the kitchen supplies you already have. But Oxo’s collection brings a level of design that shows they really understand the outdoors.
Their cutting board and tray, for example, actually save me having to bring additional dishes that take up precious backpack space. The manual coffee grinder has a smoother action than many others I’ve tried and is perfect for folks like me who prefer camping at non-electric sites. And the compact can and bottle opener is the perfect size to toss into my pack or my van before I head out (it’s sturdy, too).
For the kitchen neatnik:
Kitchen labels Photograph: Courtesy of Williams Sonoma
$19.95 at Williams Sonoma
OK, maybe labels don’t sound like the most exciting gift ever, but for the right person they’re a godsend. These labels from Williams Sonoma give you plenty of pre-printed options for many of the staples you’re likely to use: perfect for your favorite cook’s growing collection of spices. Or, look for decorative blank labels at a craft store if they’d prefer to write their own.
For folks who are constantly experimenting with new dishes, a more versatile system for labeling those creations for storage is a lifesaver. (Have you ever tried identifying a specific infused vinegar out of 20 unlabeled jars? It is not easy!) Masking tape and permanent markers are the classic standby in commercial kitchens, and they’re a practical, affordable choice for home kitchens too (including mine).
For the easy-meal lover:
Our Place Wonder Oven Photograph: Julia Skinner/The Guardian
$185 at Our Place
$185 at Amazon
I bought my Wonder Oven two years ago, in part because I needed a toaster oven and also because I was curious about air fryers but not curious enough to accept an eyesore of an appliance on my counter.
The Wonder Oven roasts, toasts, bakes and air fries, all in an attractive package that comes in an array of fun colors. I use mine to toast bread, air fry snacks and roast a piece of chicken or fish with some vegetables for a simple, no-fuss dinner. When I’m cooking just for me, I can fire it up to make dinner without heating up the whole house with my full-size oven, saving on energy.
For the sustainable cook:
Keeki bread bags and cloth scrubs Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon
These cloths and bags cut down on waste by giving your favorite cook reusable, practical ways to store and clean.
The bags are beeswax-coated, which helps moderate moisture for breads and other foods including vegetables, keeping food fresh for longer. They can go in the fridge (but not the freezer) and are easy to clean by just wiping with a damp cloth. The mesh cloths are so effective, I have replaced both my dishcloths and scrubby sponges with them. They can even be tossed in the dishwasher along with the rest of your dishes, making your cleaning supplies easy to clean.
These make a thoughtful, sustainability-minded gift on their own or alongside other gifts such as low-waste cooking classes or cookbooks.
Keeki bread bags
$27.50 at Keeki
$27.50 at Amazon
Keeki cleaning cloths
$15 for three-pack at Keeki
$15 for three-pack at Amazon
For the smoothie enthusiast:
Vitamix 5200 Legacy Series blender Photograph: Courtesy of Vitamix
$485 at Amazon
$499.95 at Vitamix
The Vitamix blender in this photo is about 15 years old. Yes, really. And it still works just as well as it did the day I brought it home.
Vitamix blenders have a reputation as workhorses in the kitchen – and for good reason. Mine has blended up everything imaginable as I have tested my way through writing multiple cookbooks and designing dozens of cooking classes. Not to mention the hundreds of meals I’ve made for myself, from quick-blended soups and smoothies to sauces.
Today, Vitamix has a wide range of blenders with different settings to choose from, but if you want the classic one that will outlive most of the other appliances in your kitchen, the Legacy Series does the basics beautifully without extra frills.
For the vintage appreciator:
Jadelite sugar shaker Photograph: Courtesy of Walmart
$14.87 at Walmart
$14.99 at Duluth Kitchen Co
If your loved one adores all things midcentury, or has never fallen out of love with classic diners, this adorable Jadelite sugar dispenser is the perfect fit. The mint green glass is decorated to vintage perfection. And it even has the classic metal shaker top, reminiscent of your favorite diner’s tableware. Mine has been a staple in my kitchen the last few years, and it feels like stepping back in time every morning when I sweeten up my coffee.
For the goof:
iLikePar Food Candles Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon
$13.49-$35.99 at Amazon
Is your loved one obsessed with cereal, or just really into kitschy candles? This candle collection hits all your sweet and savory favorites, from a bowl of marshmallow-studded cereal to a pepperoni pizza. And they look realistic enough to eat (but please, don’t).
For the serious knife connoisseur:
Tormek T-1 Kitchen Knife Sharpener Photograph: Julia Skinner/The Guardian
$348 at MartDiscover
$400 at Tormek
I admit, when I took this knife sharpener for a spin I was very skeptical that it would be worth the price tag. I tested it out on a cheap little paring knife, assuming it would be marginally sharper but not holding out great expectations. Instead, the $5 knife from the grocery store reached untold levels of greatness: suddenly sharper but without the myriad problems that can come with hand sharpening such as burrs (resolved by honing) or an inconsistent angle on the blade (resolved by an adjustable angle guide on the sharpener).
If your home cook is serious about their knives, or they have some really great knives but struggle to sharpen them well, this gift just might fit the bill. Because of the price tag, I would only recommend this one for cooks who have a lot of knives to sharpen or who might embrace sharpening as a hobby.
For the spice buffs:
Poi Dog Chili Peppah Water Photograph: Courtesy of Poi Dog
$16 at Poi Dog
$21.99 at Amazon
Sure, you could gift yet another bottle of the same old hot sauce, but why not try something new? Chili pepper water is a must on Hawaiian tables and an add-in to pretty much anything savory. Poi Dog’s take on this Hawaiian staple has quickly become one of my favorites: packed with flavor, and versatile enough to go on anything from meat to eggs to vegetables. It does have some heat, but you can also taste the flavor of the peppers behind the heat too, and everything is balanced out with a nice zing from the vinegar, plus a bit of sugar and spices.
skip past newsletter promotion
A guide to buying fewer, better products.
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
after newsletter promotion
For the snack lover:
Excalibur Nine-tray Food Dehydrator Photograph: Courtesy of Excalibur
$199.99 at Excalibur
$249.99 at Amazon
Like my Vitamix blender, my Excalibur dehydrator is a workhorse that has been put through its paces: I have probably logged a few thousand hours of drying as I test recipes. In one case, my guest room smelled like peppers for weeks after drying hundreds of pounds of fermented hot peppers for a spice blend. From fruit leather to veggie snacks and banana chips, food dehydrators can make a lot more than you may realize.
The Excalibur has a lot of features that I look for: adjustable drying temperature and racks with slots large enough for air to pass through, but not so big that food falls through. But most importantly, the fan that circulates air through the dehydrator is at the back (not the bottom or top), which means even air circulation across every tray. Excalibur offers a range of sizes and price points, so you can find one that fits your space and budget.
For the meditative coffee brewer:
Chemex coffee maker Photograph: Courtesy of Blue Bottle Coffee
$47 at Blue Bottle Coffee
$47.95 at Williams Sonoma
About a decade ago, my dad bought me a Chemex as a holiday gift, and I cherish each morning I get a chance to use it. Not only does it make Really Good Coffee (which, it does), but making pourover coffee is a beautiful ritual that helps me slow down and start my morning off at a peaceful, enjoyable pace.
For the experimental chef:
Brod & Taylor Folding Bread Proofer & Slow Cooker Photograph: Courtesy of Brod & Taylor
$219 at Brod & Taylor
$219 at Perigold
Yes, it’s phenomenal at proofing bread, but that is just the tip of the iceberg of what this machine can do.
My kitchen looks a lot like a mad scientist’s lab, and this proofer has become a constant companion in my experiments. I use it as an incubation chamber for fermented foods such as homemade tempeh and yogurt, for sous vide and for slow cooking. It will hold a consistent, low temperature from 70F to 195F (21C to 91C), providing the perfect environment for the yeast in bread to grow or the beneficial mold in tempeh to multiply.
Another massive bonus: the massive box folds flat for storage, which means when I’m not making magic with it, it isn’t taking up a ton of cupboard or counter space.
For the cocktail (or mocktail) lover:
Infuse & Booze cocktail infusion kits Photograph: Courtesy of Infuse & Booze
$26 at Infuse & Booze
$28 at Bourbon and Fire
I typically steer clear of cocktail kits, which are often gimmicky or use low-quality flavorings and colorings. But I make an exception when gifting these kits, which are beautiful to behold and actually make cocktails I want to drink (my current favorite is the Old St Nick Fashioned, studded with flavors such as star anise and rosemary alongside the traditional old-fashioned flavor profile).
These kits infuse a burst of flavor into your chosen spirit (or nonalcoholic concoction) through steeping ingredients such as spices and dried fruits in the provided glass jar. Each jar makes enough for a round of about eight to 10 cocktails, depending on which kit you get, so they are perfect for a party. Refill pouches make it easy to reuse the jar when you’re ready for another batch.
I recommend choosing kits based on your favorite cook’s preferred spirits or flavors, or get playful and choose something you think will go best with whatever food is on your holiday table. Note that spirits need to steep for a few days, so if you have an occasion for the drinks in mind, be sure to plan ahead.
For the fermentation enthusiast:
Ohio Stoneware 2-Gallon Crock Starter Kit Photograph: Courtesy of Ohio Stoneware
$69.99 at Ace Hardware
$85.49 at Ohio Stoneware
I have been teaching fermentation classes for about a decade, and one of the big lessons I teach is that fermentation can be as simple or sophisticated as you want it to be. Our ancestors didn’t have specialty airlocks and stainless steel tanks: they made it work with what was around, like stoneware crocks.
These hefty, sturdy crocks are the perfect size for everything from sauerkraut to wild-yeasted mead – plus they look great sitting out. The kit includes fermentation weights to hold vegetables under the brine as they ferment, and a lid.
For the design appreciator:
Dreamfarm Clongs Photograph: Julia Skinner/The Guardian
They are as fun to use as the name is to say. Dreamfarm Clongs click to lock with a button, and the curved handle edge keeps the surface that touches your food off the countertop and helps them balance on the edge of your pan or serving tray.
They are comfortable and easy to use too: they aren’t too heavy to work with, and they firmly grip the food you’re trying to grab. Dreamfarm makes a regular version with grippy silicone ends, a lightweight nylon version and a barbecue version.
Dreamfarm Clongs
$29.99 at Dreamfarm
$29.99 at Amazon
Dreamfarm BBQ Clongs
$34.99 at Everything Kitchens
$39.99 at Wayfair
Dreamfarm Clongs Lite
$14.95 at Wilford & Lee
$17.99 at Dreamfarm
For the seasoning fanatic:
Burlap & Barrel spice gift sets Photograph: Courtesy of Burlap & Barrel
$27.99-$99.99 at Burlap & Barrel
Burlap & Barrel have long been loved by serious home cooks for their single-origin spices, and these sets are a wonderful way to experience what they have to offer. You can choose anything from grilling spices to hot peppers, to vanilla, to woodland honeys, so you’re sure to find the perfect flavor combo for your favorite cook.
For the plant lover:
Auk Mini indoor garden bundle Photograph: Courtesy of Auk
$259 at Auk
Nothing beats fresh herbs plucked from a plant and immediately tossed into a homemade meal. But if your favorite cook lives in an apartment or somewhere with long winters and short days, they may not have as many options for using fresh-grown produce. An indoor garden can open fresh produce to everyone.
The Auk Mini is a bit pricier than other indoor gardens I have tested, but it’s also much higher-quality than most of them and comes with everything you need, including soil, plant fertilizer and seeds. The beauty is its simplicity: it’s easy enough to set up in less than 10 minutes and is easy to use, with sturdy wood construction that will last longer than cheaper, all-plastic counterparts.
Even if your favorite cook is an aspiring gardener with a less-than-green thumb, this little garden will make it easy to grow everything from cherry tomatoes and peppers to fresh herbs with little effort. It’s also great to look at and less bulky than many other designs.
For the oyster lover:
Heartwood Forge Daybreaker oyster knife Photograph: Courtesy of Heartwood Forge
$85-150 at Heartwood Forge
My family has been connected to the Gulf of Mexico for generations, and as a lifelong oyster lover, I appreciate many things about this oyster knife. It fits comfortably in my hand, whereas most other oyster knives I have used slip and slide around. It’s made from one piece of metal rather than a blade in a plastic or wood handle that can snap. And it has a bottle opener, which, while not strictly necessary, is a nice touch that I use often. I am not being facetious when I say this oyster knife will probably outlast me.
Plus, 10% of proceeds go toward Apalachicola Riverkeeper, which helps to protect this endangered and important waterway and supports sustainable oystering for generations to come.
A few tips for gifting to cooks
Fun matters: Look for tools they will be eager to reach for and excited to work with. The more fun they can have with the gift you give, the more your favorite cook can really shine doing what they love.
Novelty doesn’t always cut it: Just because a gadget looks cool doesn’t mean it fits your giftee’s life. Yes, a self-heating ice cream scoop or an apple corer are perfect for some cooks, but do they eat ice cream or make apple pies? Rather than getting wooed by novelty, focus on the foods your giftee likes to cook and research the tools associated with that type of cooking.
It’s OK to go back to basics: Cooking enthusiasts may already have the staples, but sometimes there’s room for improvement. Notice what your favorite cook struggles with or doesn’t love about their current kitchen setup and use that to inspire your gifting to make their life a bit easier.
Go for the best quality you can afford: The mantra “quality over quantity” is key. As someone who cooks constantly, I would rather receive one really good spatula that would last for years than a set of five cheap spatulas that will fall apart in a few months. I am not saying go into debt to buy a gift, but do consider getting less stuff, and better stuff, for a more meaningful gift experience.
Mix it up: I like gifting online or in-person culinary classes, experiences and gift certificates alongside physical gifts for an extra-special touch or to help them put their tools to use in new ways.
Integrate their other interests: If your favorite cook has strong interests outside the kitchen, use these as inspiration for thoughtful gifting. For instance, for someone passionate about sustainability and the environment, a gift that is made from recycled materials or is low-waste speaks to their values.
Dr Julia Skinner is the author of multiple cookbooks and food history books, founder of the Culinary Curiosity School, and a researcher and consultant for culinary and creative projects.
প্রকাশিত: 2025-10-31 01:15:00
উৎস: www.theguardian.com
