The Best Kitchen Gear Gifts for Foodies

Gift shopping for your favourite kitchen tyrant can be an intimidating task. In addition to considering their kitchen counter space, the gear they already have, and the fact that there’s a best-of list for every type of gadget in existence, you want to make sure your gift is personalized and says something about the kind of home cook your loved one is. Our picks range from the unexpected to the over-the-top—and are guaranteed to delight.

Staub Pastel Mug Set, $90

Fresh off celebrating its 50th anniversary, this beloved French cookware brand has released a new line of kitchen accessories, dishware and cooking vessels in an array of new colours, including this macaron-inspired stoneware mug set. Stackable, dishwasher-safe and ideal for open display, they’re an excellent addition to any coffee corner.

Mini Everything Pan, $135

The makers of one of our favourite knife sets have released their best-selling non-stick pan in a mini version, and the longevity of the coating is at the same high standard as its original version. The deep-dish design of the pan make it ideal for frying, sautéeing, even small braises. You’ll find yourself using this trusty sidekick for far more than just eggs.

T-Fal Infrared Air Fryer, $167

With a larger capacity than most standard air-fryers at 6.3 quarts, this new release from T-Fal can comfortably make mains or sides for a household of four without resorting to double batches. 

Hamilton Beach FlexBrew® 5-in-1 Advanced Coffee Maker, $150

For the coffee lovers who enjoy experimenting with different brews, the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew® 5-in-1 Advanced Coffee Maker serves up a single cup to a full pot, hot or cold, using pods or grounds. With its compact and versatile design, the programmable touchscreen lets you adjust brew strength and is ready in under two minutes. Craft your favourite café-style drinks at home all year round.

Eataly Dreaming of Dolcini Box Set, $89

Surprise a loved one with an introduction to La Dolce Vita with an array of imported packaged desserts boxed up by Eataly. The selection of biscotti, pastries, chocolate spreads and candy bars would make a welcome after-dinner treat as they do a sweet breakfast.

Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro with Connected App, $639.99 (save $160)

Gain total cooking confidence with the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro. This compact appliance is equipped with Joule Autopilot, a mode that guides you through the recipe of your choice, with the oven automatically changing cooking modes as needed. You can choose recipes, view your cooking progress and more through the Joule App.

Jadeite Lemon Juicer, $26

Vintage jadeite may be having a comeback thanks in part to Martha’s impressive collection, but you don’t have to spend hours in thrift stores hunting for it to score a deal. Cottage-cozy general shop Baa Bazaar carries a variety of kitchen accessories in the cheerful milky green glass, from ice cream coupes to butter dishes and this adorable lemon juicer.

Block Print Apron, $80

A print so pretty you may be tempted to wear it as a dress: this 100% cotton apron is made with hand-printed fabric and is machine-washable.

Laguiole Rainbow Steak Knife Set, $88

Traditional construction; colourful, contemporary design. These sturdy, hand-made steak knives from one of the original manufacturers of bistro-style flatware can be used for so much more than just meat.

Vitamix Ascent X2 Blender, $607

You may have noticed we tend to recommend a Vitamix model of some kind in multiple gift guides or sales roundups; that’s because we genuinely believe they make the best high-speed blenders on the market, bar none. (It also doesn’t hurt that you can frequently find them for a discount. The brand’s latest release, a hi-tech followup to its high-tech Ascent series, is its most impressive yet, with up to 2.2 horsepower, and assisted blending functions that alert you to when you should tamp your ingredients for a smoother and more even blitz, or add an extra 15 seconds to your blending cycle.

Bamboozle Ultimate Biodegradable Baker’s Kit, $130

Environmentally-minded home cooks will appreciate how durable these mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons are, given that they’re made of bamboo, fully biodegradable, and can still go in the dishwasher. Plus: they come in an array of sweet pastel colours to boot.

Ooni Koda 2 Max, $1,399

When we reviewed the original model of the Ooni Koda a few years back, we loved the outdoor pizza oven’s ability to reach high-enough temperatures for true Neapolitan-style pizza and its versatility for baking flatbreads, fish, and finishing off steaks. Our one gripe: its compact nature made moving food around in the oven a little tricky, and it only cooks one pizza at a time. The recently-released Ooni Koda Max makes up for this more than twofold in terms of width and height. You can easily cook two pizzas at a time, or even two dishes at separate temperatures on either side of the oven. A removable glass pane allows you to bake breads and dishes with a little more height. While it’s the splurgiest pick on this list, it’s one of the better improvements on an original design we’ve seen in some time.

Cuisinart Air Fryer Convection Oven, $199

The Chatelaine editor who tested this convection toaster oven found it replaced more of her regular oven jobs, from quick fries to casseroles and a few sweet treats. Big enough to cook a whole chicken or a couple of racks of cookies, it’s a kitchen workhorse that combines the best of what makes an air fryer and toaster oven so convenient.

HexClad 4.5 QT Sauté Pan, $194

Decided to ditch plastic utensils? Treat a loved one (or yourself) to one of these Gordon Ramsay-approved pans durable enough to use metal utensils on and backed up with a lifetime warranty. They’re tough enough to take a beating and go straight into the dishwasher afterwards.

Yanni Bread Proofing Basket Set, $39

For the breadhead in your life; a set of tools to upgrade their sourdough game. This complete kit comes with two proofing baskets, a dough whisk, bench scraper, and a lame–a super sharp razor tool to carve pretty designs into your dough.

HARIO GIS-200 Rice Cooker, $119

While a programmable, electric rice cooker will always win out for convenience, the shape and design of this stainless steel and glass pot win out for perfectly articulated steamed rice. Interior measuring lines allow you to pour in the rice and water without extra measuring tools, and the vented lid whistles to let you know when the rice is cooked.

Check out more thoughtful (and affordable!) gift ideas.