The 45 Best Kitchen and Cooking Gifts for 2021 (2024)

Don’t shy away from cooking gifts this year because everyone’s sick of eating at home. Instead, we think of holiday gifts as an opportunity to help make cooking (and baking and co*cktail making) fun again. Sometimes all it takes is a simple but beautiful upgrade to an everyday tool. But if you want to treat someone special to a spendy gadget or lavish condiment, we have recommendations for those too.

The entire Epi team put a lot of thought into this list; these are the everyday and special-occasion items we loved to use in our own homes in 2021, plus a few we’ve pined for. They’re divided by category to make shopping easy, but we suggest checking out the whole list. If you jump to just one section, you might miss out on the perfect coffee cup for your friend who loves to bake or the most amazing infused vinegar for your favorite mixologist.

We’ve done our best to source products that are still in stock, but great gifts sell out quickly and that’s especially true this year. If you find the ideal kitchen or cooking gift on this list, grab it while you can.

Table of contents

Cookware gifts

Baking gifts

Coffee and tea gifts

Ingredient gifts

co*cktail gifts

Gifts for the table

Stocking stuffers

COOKWARE GIFTS

These gift-worthy upgrades to everyday cooking tools will make anyone excited to get back into the kitchen—even the cook who has everything.

Dansk Kobenstyle 1-Quart Saucepan

This adorable one-quart saucepan from Dansk is meant to warm butter, but it’s surprisingly versatile. Use it to warm soups, boil a couple of eggs, heat milk for hot chocolate, and more.

Five Two Wooden Spoons

Know someone who could use an upgrade to their everyday cooking utensils? This set of five teak spoons can do it all. It’s a feel-good gift too; 10% of proceeds is donated to support American farmers, and the wood is sustainably grown and harvested in Thailand.

Carbon-Steel Round Roaster

This hand-forged carbon-steel roaster is preseasoned, so the lucky recipient of this cooking gift can get started making cozy winter roasts right away. Personalize it with an engraving for an extra $40.

Joyce Chen Classic Series Carbon-Steel Wok Set

This large carbon-steel wok has a flat bottom so it can be used on any kind of stovetop. And it’s super gift-friendly thanks to the included bamboo spatula and recipe book.

Vermicular Musui–Kamado

Marketed as a rice cooker in Japan, this minimalist multicooker actually does so much more. An enameled Dutch oven with an airtight seal sits on top of a Kamado induction heating element that promises precise temperatures (and textures) for meat, veggies, eggs, soups, and stews every time.

BAKING GIFTS

Seven sweet gifts for the folks who’ve mastered sourdough—or anyone whose love language is carbs.

Jillmo Danish Dough Whisk

This stiff, strange-looking whisk won’t trap dough in its center, because there is no center. It’s also great for mixing thick batters, folding, and scraping the edges of a mixing bowl.

KitchenAid Ceramic Bread Bowl

Your favorite breadmaker can use this stylish ceramic bowl and lid set to mix, knead, proof, and bake bread. Just make sure it’s compatible with their specific KitchenAid mixer model.

Life Is What You Bake It by Vallery Lomas

Cookbooks always make good gifts. Life Is What You Bake It is the debut title from Vallery Lomas, winner of The Great American Baking Show’s canceled season. It’s so much more than just a cookbook, but the recipes (think lemon-honey madeleines, chocolate-mint moon pies, and one-bowl blueberry buckle) are undeniably appealing to novice and seasoned bakers alike.

Borosilicate Glass Measuring Cup

This minimalist liquid measuring cup is made with borosilicate glass, so it can withstand extreme temperatures. Pick one size or give all three as a set—they have a science beaker look that you’ll want to set on open shelving.

Victorinox Serrated Chef’s Knife

Any fan of rustic crusty bread (whether they bake it themselves or not) will be eternally grateful for this serrated chef’s knife. It makes easy work of cutting through thick crusts—and so much more.

Hayden Flour Mills Stoneground Flour Set

You shouldn’t gift this sampler set of baker’s flours just because the packaging is pretty. You should also gift it because each type (all-purpose, bread, and pastry) is freshly made from stone-milled heritage wheat. (And yeah, because the packaging is really pretty.)

Ooni Pizza Oven

The splurge-worthy gift for the home cook who has everything—except their very own outdoor pizza oven. Because this person has probably also told you at least 12 times you can’t get perfect crust from a conventional oven.

COFFEE AND TEA GIFTS

You’re already way ahead of the coffee-gift game if your pick doesn’t say, “But first: Coffee.” For tea lovers we’ve got great mugs, and yes, fancy tea.

Coava Whole Bean Coffee

Feel good about your gifting with single-origin beans from Coava. The Portland-based roasting company sources all of its coffee through truly sustainable partnerships with growers.

Sepia Cup and Saucer

This amber glass mug feels like something your dad would have used in the ’80s, if your dad had really great taste—and access to copious amounts of really great coffee.

Mosser Glass Mugs

Mix and match the amber mugs above with these also appealingly retro milk glass mugs—or give them as a single set for the coffee or tea lover whose kitchen suits pastels. They feel surprisingly durable and hefty in the hand, without sacrificing a delicate sipping experience.

Palais du Thés Thé des Moines

This blend of green and black teas is sweetly fragrant from added calendula flowers. Expect floral notes of bergamot, jasmine, and a smooth creaminess from vanilla.

Fellow Atmos Vacuum Canister

Haphazard storage can ruin even the freshest coffee. Help the coffee lover in your life keep their beans airtight with these sleek vacuum-sealed canisters that we reviewed earlier this year and loved.

Sowden Coffee Pot

This innovative pot is just right for the style-savvy coffee lover who’s short on space. Inside the porcelain body is a SoftBrew device—a fine stainless-steel filter in which you place the coffee grounds. If you’ve got someone on your list who uses a French press, they might appreciate this attractive, easier-to-clean brewing method.

Smeg Milk Frother

A vintage-inspired milk frother from Smeg makes it easy for latte lovers to enjoy coffee-shop-quality drinks at home. The seven settings include hot, cold, and heavy froth. Yes, you can get much smaller and more affordable milk frothers—but this one is all about the retro countertop appeal.

INGREDIENT GIFTS

It”s hard to buy edible gifts for serious home cooks who often prefer to make their own sauces and spice mixes. But these ingredients—plus beautiful decanters to store them in and lazy Susans to make them accessible—will earn you major brownie points with even the most accomplished chefs.

10-Year Aged Black Vinegar

Balanced and complex, this aged black vinegar is good enough to drink—like, straight. But it’s also great for garnishing, marinating, dipping, and dressing.

Wilder Condiments Mustard Trio

Sometimes a jar of mustard is just a jar of mustard. But these three jars of mustard each have their own distinct profile—loud, vegetal spice from jalapeño; slightly sweet, nutty spice; or well-balanced creaminess and tang. This is a true gift for any home cook who’s serious about sandwiches and wants to add oomph to classic vinaigrettes.

Agrumato Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

We tend to steer clear of flavored kitchen staples, but this extra-virgin lemon olive oil—made in Italy by pressing lemons with the olives—is an exceptional exception.

Gentner Design Brass Oil Dispenser

Fancy olive oil deserves an equally fancy vessel, and this gorgeous brass dispenser is worthy of the best. It’s excellent for the friend who talks about olive oil like it’s wine.

Acid League Big League Vinegar Kit

This flavored vinegar set from Acid League is a terrific gift for the creative cook (or co*cktail maker) in your life. The four distinct flavors (Apple Cider Maple, Garden Heat, Meyer Lemon Honey, and Strawberry Rosé) will surely inspire some new recipes in 2022.

Ambrosia Lazy Susan

Nobody truly needs a lazy Susan this fancy, but the lucky recipient of this handmade pigmented-concrete version will wonder how they ever lived without it—whether they’re using it to display spices or condiments on the counter, serve co*cktails, or make appetizers and snacks accessible on the dinner table.

co*ckTAIL GIFTS

A well-loved home bar always needs to be refreshed, and the gifts on this year’s list will be a welcome addition to any co*cktail setup. As always these bottles were handpicked by our resident spirits expert, Maggie Hoffman.

Wilfred’s Bittersweet Aperitif (Non-Alcoholic)

This gorgeous giftable bottle has the bitter, spicy notes of a high-end aperitif but without the booze. “While it looks like a relative to Campari or the like, it’s not a straight swap,” Maggie says. “Wilfred’s Aperitif is a little bit tart and warmly spiced with cloves.” It’s perfect for toddies or spritzes (Maggie suggests using seltzer or Leitz Eins Zwei Zero sparkling wine).

The Way of the co*cktail by Julia Momosé and Emma Janzen

This beautiful book from Julia Momosé of Kumiko in Chicago has plenty to keep a craft co*cktail connoisseur busy this winter. In addition to the drink recipes, which are categorized by Japan’s 24 micro-seasons, it’s a love letter to the traditions, techniques, philosophies, and spirits that define Japanese co*cktail culture.

Uncle Nearest 1884 Whiskey

Uncle Nearest is named for the first-known African American master distiller, Nathan “Nearest” Green, who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey while enslaved in Tennessee. Victoria Eady Butler, a 5th-generation descendant of Green, blended this small-batch bottle. We love its spicy finish: “It evokes a woodshop more than a vanilla-scented bakery,” Maggie notes, “and it makes a truly exceptional Manhattan.”

Nardini Mandorla Liqueur

Maggie calls this grappa-based liqueur from a famed Italian distillery “the ideal gift for the co*cktail lover who has it all—and has a soft spot for marzipan or old-school Italian bakeries.” Think amaretto but stronger and without the cloying sweetness. It’s an after-dinner sipper that’s fragrant enough to pair with dessert.

Sorel Liqueur

“Every family thinks they make the best version of sorrel,” says Sorel founder (and Epi contributor) Jackie Summers, noting that in Jamaica the ubiquitous hibiscus drink tends to be spiced with ginger and cardamom, while in Trinidad it might have nutmeg and cinnamon. While homemade sorrel, wherever it’s made, is usually opaque, Summers’ shelf-stable clove and ginger-forward bottling is a translucent ruby red, ready for sipping on its own or with ice, which brings out its citrusy, crisp, cinnamony side. You can mix it too—with seltzer and lime, with mezcal, scotch, or rum.

Bormioli Rocco Novocento Fizz Glasses

If your favorite home bartender is still handing you gimlets in a standard martini glass, give them the gift of a more user-friendly upgrade. Slightly larger than a Nick and Nora, these 7.5-oz. Italian fizz glasses are versatile vessels for any drink that’s shaken or stirred and served up.

Duval Smoke Double Old-Fashioned Glass

Smoky glassware is having a moment and these tumblers make a nice gift for anyone who could use a versatile drinkware upgrade. The brownish-gray glass is timeless and neutral enough to fit almost any style, and they can be used for water, wine, or co*cktails.

GIFTS FOR THE TABLE

These gorgeous gifts make a mundane meal feel like a special occasion.

Andrew Molleur Slab Porcelain Trivet and Coasters

Everyone has probably received a set of cheesy branded coasters as a gift at least once in their life. So it’s safe to assume that pretty much anyone will appreciate these gorgeous porcelain coasters (and trivets) made in Kingston, NY.

White Resin Salad Servers

These chunky salad servers are modern, minimal, and just plain cool. They’re also dishwasher-safe, which makes them even cooler.

Jono Pandolfi Oval Platter

Ceramic serving platters designed with restaurants in mind make good gifts for folks who love to host—and this platter looks fantastic whether presenting a cheese assortment or a whole chicken. It’s also dishwasher-safe—and you can choose from subtle neutrals or bright ombrés.

Atelier Saucier Napkins

Giving a gift is more fun if it’s an item you feel good about buying. These napkins from Atelier Saucier are made from recycled textiles and get a pop of color from an embroidered contrast edge; choose from denim or sturdy twill.

The Expression Bordeaux Glass by Glasvin

These handblown glasses are perfect for anyone enjoys a good red—and the feel of a paper-thin wine glass in their hand and against their lips. And they’re dishwasher-safe (because you wouldn’t dare gift glassware that isn’t, right?).

Tortoise Shell Resin Serving Set and Cake Stand

We’re obsessed with this entire tortoiseshell resin line—especially the way light hits it. The serving bowls and cake stand make unique gifts for the host with the most (style, that is).

STOCKING STUFFERS

The very best stocking stuffers are truly useful but also have an element of novelty. It’s even better when they cost less than 50 bucks. These gifts check all the boxes.

Sponge.NYC Kitchen Sponge

After the last two years, we could all use a little more sparkle—wherever we can get it. These sparkly sponges are handmade in Brooklyn using a traditional Korean crafting technique, and they’re guaranteed to make dish duty a little more joyous. (They’re also just really good sponges.)

The Korean Vegan Cookbook by Joanne Lee Molinaro

Joanne Lee Molinaro gained fame as @thekoreanvegan on TikTok, but her debut cookbook proves she has staying power in the culinary world. It’s packed with satisfying recipes like mushroom galbi and gochujang-glazed persimmon upside-down cake that will appeal to vegans and omnivores alike.

Noble Egg Timer Pro

This adorable egg timer is affordable—and very useful. Just drop it in the boiling water with raw eggs and it changes colors to indicate when they’re soft, medium, and hard.

Chetna's 30 Minute Indian by Chetna Makan

Chetna Makan’s latest recipe collection is aces for anyone stuck in a weeknight dinner rut. All 80 recipes—including snacks like Masala Pastry and mains like Yogurt Chicken Curry and—can be made in 30 minutes or less.

Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler

Anyone can get perfect matchstick vegetables with this Thai-stye stainless-steel peeler. No knife skills required.

Tof*ckpress Gourmet Tofu Press

Give the vegetarians in your life the gift of restaurant-worthy tofu at home. A tofu press removes excess moisture from the curd while helping to maintain its structural integrity, resulting in denser, crispier, and infinitely more satisfying tofu.

Oxo Good Grips Complete Grate & Slice Set

A mandoline can be intimidating to new users, but this self-contained set from Oxo feels more approachable. Maybe it’s the four color-coded blades, or maybe it’s the fact that it’s called a "grate and slice set." Either way it’s a smart stocking stuffer for the friend who got really into cooking during COVID and is ready for some new tools.