The best cooking gifts for 2025

While a high-powered blender is arguably best for making soups and sauces, they're expensive and bulky. An immersion blender can be a good alternative and we like the new KitchenAid Go Cordless hand blender in this space. We like KitchenAid gear in general, and this immersion blender is a great marriage of power and convenience. Its signature feature is its removable, rechargeable battery that can also be used with other tools in the KitchenAid Go line — buy one battery, use it with many appliances. As the name suggests, that also makes it cordless, which is super convenient. In our testing, we found it to have enough power to easily turn a bunch of roasted butternut squash, stock and other veggies into a smooth, creamy soup, and its variable speeds make it easy to control. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

A good grater is a must-have in the kitchen, and just like Band-Aid is to adhesive bandages and Kleenex is to tissues, Microplane has become synonymous when it comes to zesting and grating. The classic model comes with a no-slip plastic handle and an included protective cover and it can handle anything from parmesan cheese to garlic to nutmeg. And priced at less than $20, it's an ideal kitchen gadget gift even if you don't have a ton to spend. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

A good half-sheet pan is a must-have and Made-in's is exactly the kind of simple, no-frills bakeware that should be a staple in every kitchen. It's available in both standard aluminum or non-stick versions and is oven-safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. It stacks nicely when not in use and it's so good that after I bought my wife a set, my mother-in-law went and bought three for herself. Who says utility isn't trendy? — S.R.

The Ninja Creami is a great and very affordable ice cream maker. However, if you know someone (or yourself, we're not judging) who delights in making all sorts of frozen treats, the Ninja Swirl might be the ultimate Swiss Army Knife for delicious frozen concoctions. On top of your standard ice creams and froyo, it has a dedicated attachment for making soft serve, fruit whips, milkshakes and more. Ninja even tweaked its ice cream settings to be able to whip more air into your base, which is essentially for getting that perfectly smooth and fluffy texture that you can't really get from traditional churned desserts. And the best part is that you also get a physical lever for dispensing your treat, so you get the feeling of being in a real ice cream parlor. The biggest downside is that the Swirl is nearly twice the size of the Creami. But that's a sacrifice any true aficionado would probably be happy to make. — S.R.

Air fryers are perhaps some of the best gifts you can buy for your friends' kitchens. You have a plethora of options to choose from, but if you're buying for someone who doesn't already own an oven or a toaster, you may want to consider a multi-functional cooker. The Instant Pot Omni has seven modes: air fry, bake, broil, roast, toast, warm and convection bake. They can fry a chicken in it for dinner and then bake a cake or a cookie for dessert. They may have to air fry longer than they're used to if they've only ever had basket-style air fryers, but the see-through door allows them to check on what they're cooking so they can adjust the time as needed. If you'd like to look at alternative options for toaster-type air fryers and don't mind spending more for your gift, you can also check out the $400 Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, Engadget's best air fryer toaster oven for 2025. — Mariella Moon, Contributing Reporter

I've written extensively about the Anyday bowls and how they've made it easier for me to cook at home. For the person who prefers steaming, stewing and boiling food, these dishwasher-safe microwave cookware are an excellent gift. Plus, over the years since I've owned the Anyday bowl set, I've completely stopped heating up food in plastic containers. No more nuking plastics for my meals.

The set of four Anyday bowls I own are a fantastic replacement, so they don't only help me cook more easily but they're an excellent storage implement and a safer reheating crucible. The only problem is I simply don't have enough of them. Thankfully, the company launched a new clear series this year that was cheaper than its original frosted finish. The health-conscious home cook wannabe in your life will surely appreciate any Anyday bowl, and you have budget-friendlier options to choose from this year. — Cherlynn Low, Managing Editor

Scissors are just as much a vital tool in the kitchen as knives or pans, so if you know someone who could use upgraded shears, it's hard to do better than this pair from Mannkitchen. They are made from sturdy stainless steel and come with big ambidextrous handles for just $20. But most importantly, unlike a lot of lesser rivals, each blade can be removed for easy sharpening — because just like knives, dull scissors are more dangerous and less useful than sharp ones. — S.R.

If you're looking for a good gift for the baker in your life, a classic Silpat is a key piece of kitchen equipment they should have. The non-stick sheet makes pumping out dozens of cookies, scones or biscuits a cinch. There are even versions with outlines for macarons, so you can make sure your confections are a consistent size. I've had the same Silpat for almost 10 years and it's still as slick as ever. This is one kitchen tool that can stand the test of time. — S.R.

OXO's spin on the electric kettle is a reminder of why their products tend to be great — it's attractive, extremely practical and easy to use for dads of all technical capabilities. While there are tons of cheap electric kettles on the market, and some that even copy OXO's gorgeous glass styling, the company's version elevates the simple act of boiling water. The glass and stainless steel kettle elevates the look of any kitchen, and its slim base makes it easy to adjust the boiling temperature for different types of tea. It also sports a built-in metal filter to make your pours cleaner, as well as a non-slip handle to help avoid any painful accidents. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter

Anyone who has watched even a handful of cooking shows or videos has probably seen this cutting board in the background. And the reason is that they're just great products that deliver everything you need and nothing more. Boos blocks are available in a huge range of shapes, sizes and woods, from small circular boards to huge maple slabs with juice grooves. That said, if you're planning on gifting a cutting board this nice, don't forget to include proper care instructions, which at the very minimum include oiling it once a month. — S.R.

People who love tofu probably love it for its chameleon-like ability to take on the marinades and sauces that surround it — and pressing the tofu is the best way to make those flavors stick. I never thought I'd use a tofu press. The anti-unitasker in me swore my plates/paper towel/tomato can structures were perfectly sufficient. But they were awkward and wasteful to the point where I'd just skip that step, ending up with sub-par tofu dishes. There are plenty of presses out there, but I'm a fan of the simplicity (and cuteness) of the Tofuture press. The three-part system perfectly accommodates a standard tofu block and lets you pick from three different pressures. The water is easy to drain off without undoing the press and I was more than satisfied with the amount of water it pushed out. My only concern was over how long the silicone bands would last; happily, they're replaceable. — A.S.

It can be hard to justify an expensive kitchen gadget that only does a single thing while taking up a bunch of counter space. But if you know someone who strives to live healthy and loves a vitamin-rich drink every day, a good juicer could change their life. Thanks to its dual speed settings, Breville's Juice Fountain can capably handle both soft ingredients like berries and hardier fare like ginger and carrots. It can also separate out pulp so you get super smooth and luscious juices and, despite having a number of components, cleaning it isn't as much of a chore as you might think. So while it's not a multitasker, the Juice Fountain does one thing really well, and there's something admirable about that. — S.R.

A good kitchen scale is an essential kitchen gadget, especially in times when loose volumetric measurements just don't cut it (like baking). Not only does OXO's Precision Scale support both metric and imperial measurements, it also features accurate 0.1-gram measurements that go up to six pounds. There's also an easy-to-read digital display with a built-in timer, and its minimalist design will look good in practically anyone's kitchen. — S.R.

I got this knife as a gift and it quickly became my favorite, so now I can't think of a better present for a serious home cook. Out of the box, it was razor sharp, while its inverted teardrop handle fits comfortably in the hand. It's also perfectly balanced which makes it easy to wield. And while its 66 Damascus layers are certainly pretty, the blade also features little dimples that help prevent food from sticking while cutting. If anyone you know has been looking for a new kitchen MVP, Kan's 8-inch chef knife is a top pick. — S.R.

After being disappointed with a bunch of non-stick pans from big names like All-Clad to smaller brands plastered across social media, I went on a quest to find something I could trust. And after trying out Misen's options, I found a winner. Not only are Misen's pans significantly cheaper than premium legacy brands, but I've also found they maintain their non-stick coating (which is also PFOA-free) much better over time. So if you know someone who would appreciate a good, affordable no-nonsense pan for cooking eggs, crepes or anything else that can get a little gummy, look no further. — S.R.

If all someone needs is a gadget for making seltzer, get them a Sodastream Terra and call it a day. But for those who want to add bubbles to almost anything, Breville's InFizz Fusion is a more sophisticated option. Not only does it feature a more elevated stainless steel design, it's super easy to use. Just stick your standard one-pound CO2 tank in the back (one comes included), fill the bundled bottle with cold water, attach the Fusion Cap, hook everything up to the machine itself, and then press the handle to add bubbles. You can add CO2 to regular OJ to make the best-tasting homemade Orangina you've ever had. Or you can create your own sparkling wine out of a cheap bottle of plonk. And on a hot day, there are few things more refreshing than bubbly lemonade. So for those who want to give the gift of effervescence, the InFizz Fusion is a step above almost every other seltzer machine on the market. — S.R.

ThermoWorks' RFX wireless meat probe is the best grilling gadget I used all year, which makes it the perfect gift for the backyard cook on your shopping list. The Starter Kit is the best option here since it includes the wireless probe, Gateway receiver, Pro-Series Air Probe and everything else you'll need to begin cooking. The RFX is IP69K rated, so it's durable enough for 1,000-degree searing and a spin in the dishwasher after a meal. ThermoWorks opted to separate the ambient grill probe from the meat probe, so you get more accurate grill temperature readings that aren't affected by evaporative cooling. With the company's app, you get plenty of options for alerts and advanced tools like temperature graphs. — Billy Steele, Deputy Editor