Favorite Kitchen Gifts
It’s probably no surprise that I love gifting kitchen items. As most people I know are in the kitchen as much as I am– kitchen gifts do double duty.
Many of these are practical gifts that people will use over and over again, and they are some of the most used items in my kitchen.
I recently attended a gift-giving party called ‘My Favorite Things,’ with the premise of everyone bringing an item under $15 that was their favorite item. You know, the things you can’t stop raving about.
Well, I feel that way about every single item on this list! And, all but two of these gifts are less than $30!
Kostarina Olive Oil: My good friend Amanda turned me onto this olive oil last year, and after our Greece trip this summer, it’s also become my favorite olive oil. They have several different levels– for cooking, for drizzling, and the slightly grassy, olive flavor instantly transports me back to the Mediterranean.
I LOVE giving bottles of olive oil as it’s something that we all use, and a nice bottle is better than wine, in my opinion. Using this link will give you 15% off your order! Plus, in addition to olive oil, check out their line of olive oil-based skincare.
Stasher Bags: Another gift that is just so practical. I will often gift these with a few yummy things that people can store inside them– like my pumpkin cornbread muffins, pistachio muffins, or applesauce muffins. I have a few different sizes of stasher bags and use them for so many things. These are also great for teacher gifts, especially paired with some homemade treats.
Calabrian Chiles in Oil: Melanie, the extraordinary chef who helps me create, test, and perfect many recipes, turned me onto these, and they are so incredibly delicious, I have a feeling you’ll be finding foods to put this on. I have stood in the fridge several times slathering these chiles on things that make no sense– tofu cubes, crackers with cream cheese my kids leftover grilled cheese… you get the point. These chiles on pizza and pasta, wow. A beautiful gift for anyone who loves spicy food! There are duplicates out there, but the ones from Williams Sonoma are superior.
Souper Cubes: My real-life friends know I won’t stop talking about these! They are such a duh product and something you will use repeatedly– and a nice gift. Maybe alongside a jar of homemade soup or pasta sauce? (My mom always gifted jars of her puttanesca sauce for the holidays!)
I’ve been using these cubes to save leftover soup and then reheat a portion at a time for my kid’s lunchboxes or quick meals.
Earlywood Spatulas: I’ve been a broken record on these for years and they were my go-to gift for teacher gifts two years ago. If you were in my life then… you probably got a set of these. I have a few and use them every single day. You can stir with them, flip with them, mix with them– I love these spatulas! The company is woman-founded, and all its products are made in the USA.
Nakano Knife: One of the highlights of my Japan trip was going to Sakai City in ÅŒsaka, the home of Japanese knives! I grabbed a few knives while there to give to my parents. That said, I purchased this Nakano knife last year, and it’s been my go-to knife ever since. I packed it on a trip with friends this summer and I think all of them bought one by the end of the weekend because they loved it so much! They are Japanese-made knives, and the quality for the price is incredible.
Cast Iron Conditioner: Of all my pans, I turn to my cast iron skillet the most. It really is the only pan you need– and, if kept in good condition, will hopefully last for decades. This cast iron conditioner is a great gift for fellow foodies! I haven’t used their cast iron oil yet, but I also think a pairing of the two would be a really nice gift.
Smash Burger Press: This was the summer I became queen of the smash burger! Which, I know sounds odd considering that I don’t eat meat. But, thanks to Impossible Burger meat, I think I made smash burgers weekly, and this burger press (affiliate) is a must if you love veggie burgers as much as we do. The flat edge helps achieve crispy, caramelized edges for that classic smash burger taste.
Cast Iron Bread Oven: If you love homemade bread as much as I do (my no-knead bread is a staple this time of year), then you’ll love this Double Dutch oven (affiliate). Unlike other Dutch ovens, this one is cool as the lid doubles as a skillet! Use it as a Dutch oven for roasting, soups, and stews, and also as the perfect bread baker.
Salad Cutting Scissors: I call these my salad garden shears because that’s exactly what they look like! Most days, for lunch, I throw everything into a big bowl, some dressing, and then chop, chop, chop. These scissors are great for chopped salads and for the foodie who already has everything or as a hostess gift!
Nespresso Coffee and Espresso Machine: I gifted this to my husband for his office last year, and he consistently tells me it’s one of the best gifts he’s gotten. It makes coffee, espresso, and even lattes with the frother!
Silpat Baking Mat: Another gift that any foodie would love! I have a few Silpat (affiliate) baking mats, and use them so often, especially this time of year when I bake almost weekly. If you like baking on parchment paper, then you’ll love these reusable silicon mats.
Peppermill:Â My mom gave me this pepper mill last year, and it’s fantastic– yes, it grinds fresh peppercorn as all pepper mills do, but the best part is that 5 turns equal a teaspoon, so you don’t have to measure! Easy to refill too. I think this makes for a nice hostess gift as well.
Matcha Whisk Set: No surprise that I’m gifting matcha sets this year! I’ve been on a major matcha kick after coming back from Japan last month, and I feel like this matcha set (along with a tin of my favorite matcha) is such a nice gift. Pro-tip, as I had been whisking my matcha wrong! You don’t whisk it in a circle; it’s a very, very quick back and forth with a loose wrist until the matcha foams.
Sourdough Starter Kit: Are you still on your sourdough kick from 2020? I just relaunched my starter and have a few new sourdough recipes coming your way in the next few months (in addition to my sourdough crackers and sourdough waffles!) I adore this kit and have a few sourdough loving friends I’ll be giving this to. This set contains a bread bag to keep your crust crisp and crumb soft, a large cap for dough-proofing, a smaller cap for covering your starter jar, and a digital guide with step-by-step Sourdough instructions and recipes. (You can use code ACHM20 for 20% off your order — make sure to check out the reusable paper towels– we love them!)
Other 2024 Gift Guides: Favorite Cookbooks and Favorite Gifts to Eat and Drink.