Home / Kitchen Gifts They'll Use
Good kitchen gifts are the ones that get used every week. This list starts with the big crowd-pleasers, then the upgrades every cook appreciates, then small stocking stuffers that are genuinely useful.
The crowd-pleasers. Each has its own guide if you want to compare models.
Ninja
The original. Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, milkshakes and mix-ins from a regular pint. Right for one or two people.
Good to know: Freeze your base the night before (about 24 hours). Keeping a few pints in the freezer means one is always ready.
Check price on AmazonNinja
Simple controls, a basket that fits a whole batch of fries or a few chicken breasts, and it cooks evenly. Easy to clean.
Good to know: Use a soft sponge on the basket, not steel wool, and the coating lasts.
Check price on AmazonKitchenAid
Mixes up to 9 dozen cookies in one batch, handles bread dough, and works with KitchenAid's add-on attachments. Shown in white; over 20 colors exist.
Good to know: It's solid and heavy, so give it a permanent spot. Check the height under your cabinets with the head tilted up.
Check price on AmazonGear that lasts for years.
Lodge
Sears, roasts, bakes and goes stovetop to oven. Inexpensive, made in the USA, and built for years of daily use.
Good to know: A quick wipe of oil after washing keeps it slick for years.
Check price on AmazonLodge
Holds heat like cast iron but the enamel needs no seasoning. Stovetop to oven to table.
Good to know: Use wooden or silicone tools to keep the enamel looking new.
Check price on AmazonMercer Culinary
High-carbon Japanese steel that holds an edge, with a textured, non-slip handle. Sharp out of the box.
Good to know: Hand wash and dry it to keep the edge sharp longest.
Check price on AmazonROYAL CRAFT WOOD
Three sizes (small, medium and a big 15 x 10 inch board), gentle on knife edges, with juice grooves and side handles.
Good to know: Hand wash, and rub in a little oil every month or so to keep it looking new.
Check price on AmazonNordic Ware
Roasted vegetables, cookies, sheet-pan dinners. Made in the USA from pure aluminum, with a steel-reinforced rim that resists warping.
Good to know: It darkens with use; that's normal for aluminum and doesn't affect baking.
Check price on AmazonSmall, useful and easy to wrap.
TempPro
The quickest way to know chicken is done without cutting it open.
Good to know: Fold the probe away and it turns itself off.
Check price on AmazonMicroplane
Zest, parmesan, garlic, ginger. Small, and you'll use it more than you think.
Good to know: Rinse it right after use; it's dishwasher safe too.
Check price on AmazonEtekcity
Grams and ounces, tare button, slim enough for a drawer. Makes baking repeatable.
Good to know: Batteries included; wipe the stainless top to clean.
Check price on AmazonKitchenAid
Sturdy, comfortable, and it just works.
Good to know: Hand wash it to keep the gears turning smoothly.
Check price on AmazonNinja
Keep three or four bases freezing at once so there's always one ready. Get Ninja's own; they fit the machine exactly.
Good to know: Fits the original 7-in-1. The XL Deluxe uses its own XL pints.
Check price on Amazon