Gift guide

Gift pick Grilling and outdoor

Ooni Koda 2 Gas-Powered Pizza Oven (14 inch)

A gas-fired oven reaches pizza-oven temperature quickly and needs no fire management, so a cook can bake pizzas back to back. It is the practical home version of a deck or wood oven.

Budget pick: Ooni Koda 12

Gift pick Small appliances

Vitamix Explorian E310 Blender (10-speed, 48 oz container)

The E310 is the entry model of the blender line chefs know from restaurant and bar kitchens, and it carries a 5-year full warranty. It purees soups and sauces smooth enough to skip straining.

Budget pick: Ninja Professional Blender

Gift pick Thermometers and scales

ThermoWorks Thermapen NANO

ThermoWorks rates it at 0.4 second reads and plus or minus 0.5 F accuracy with a NIST-traceable certificate, and it is the instant-read most working cooks carry. A fast probe is the cheapest way to stop overcooking.

Budget pick: ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2

Gift pick Cookware

Le Creuset Signature Round Dutch Oven, 5.5 qt

A 5.5 quart enameled round oven handles braises, soups, stews and no-knead bread, and it is the piece of enameled cast iron a working kitchen reaches for most. It lasts decades and is resold and passed down.

Budget pick: Lodge 6 Qt Essential Enamel Dutch Oven

Gift pick Small appliances

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (KSM150PS)

Most bread, cookie and cake work in home and small commercial kitchens is done on this mixer, and attachments and parts are easy to find. The 5-quart bowl handles a double batch of dough.

Budget pick: KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

Gift pick Grilling and outdoor

ThermoWorks Signals 4-Channel BBQ Alarm Thermometer (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth)

A leave-in probe with an alarm lets a cook track a roast or a smoke without opening the door, and four channels cover several cuts plus pit temperature. Holiday roasts are the main use for a home cook.

Budget pick: ThermoWorks ChefAlarm

Gift pick Grilling and outdoor

Traeger Woodridge Wi-Fi Pellet Grill

A pellet grill holds temperature with little attention, which suits long cooks such as brisket, pork shoulder and holiday roasts. Traeger has the widest dealer, parts and recipe support of the pellet brands.

Budget pick: Traeger Ranger

Gift pick Cookware

Made In Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan, 12 inch

Carbon steel is the standard saute and egg pan in restaurant kitchens: light, quick to heat, and it builds a nonstick patina with use. It goes from stove to oven and takes metal utensils.

Budget pick: Merten & Storck Carbon Steel Frying Pan

Gift pick Small appliances

Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor (DFP-14BCNY)

The 14-cup Cuisinart is the long-standing home standard for dough, purees, slicing and shredding, and it takes a full batch of pie dough or pesto without working in stages. Parts are easy to replace.

Budget pick: Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor

Gift pick Small appliances

Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy 5.5-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer (NS-ZCC10)

Fuzzy-logic control cooks rice evenly and holds it at serving quality for hours, with settings for brown rice and porridge. Cooks who make rice daily replace cheaper cookers with this one once.

Budget pick: Aroma 4-Cup Rice Cooker

Gift pick Small appliances

Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart 7-in-1 Multi-Use Pressure Cooker (112-0170-01)

A pressure cooker cuts stock, beans and braises to a fraction of stovetop time and doubles as a rice and slow cooker. It is the cheapest way to get a hands-off braise.

Gift pick Cookware

All-Clad D3 Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan with Lid (41126)

Tri-ply stainless heats evenly, takes metal tools and goes in a hot oven, which makes it the everyday pan for searing and pan sauces. It is the clad pan most often seen in professional and teaching kitchens.

Budget pick: Tramontina 12-Inch Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Frying Pan

Gift pick Knives

Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife (4582-7/20)

A forged, full-tang German knife with a stiff, durable edge that takes a honing steel well. It is a standard in professional kitchens and a common first serious knife.

Budget pick: Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-inch Chef's Knife

Gift pick Small appliances

Anova Precision Cooker 3.0 (AN525-US00)

Holding protein at an exact temperature gives the same doneness every time and lets a cook hold food for service. The 3.0 is the widely used home circulator and has Wi-Fi control.

Budget pick: Anova Nano 3.0

Gift pick Knives

Chef'sChoice Trizor XV EdgeSelect Model 15XV Electric Knife Sharpener

A three-stage diamond sharpener sets and holds a 15-degree edge on Western and Japanese-style knives without a learning curve. Most home cooks never learn stones, so a sharpener that gets used beats a stone that does not.

Budget pick: Presto EverSharp Electric Knife Sharpener

Gift pick Cookware

Smithey Ironware No. 12 Cast Iron Skillet

The machined-smooth interior and thinner wall make it lighter and easier to season than standard cast iron. ATK keeps it as the upgrade pick over Lodge.

Budget pick: Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

Gift pick Prep

Teakhaus Traditional Cutting Board, Large (model 106)

Edge-grain teak is gentle on knife edges and holds up to daily use. Keep an NSF plastic board for raw poultry and use this one for produce, bread and carving.

Budget pick: Epicurean Cutting Board

Gift pick Baking

Lodge Bread Baking Set with Double Dutch Oven (LBBSET1)

The double Dutch oven gives a no-knead loaf a sealed, steamy chamber for oven spring, and the shallow lid doubles as a skillet. It costs a fraction of an enameled oven.

Budget pick: Lodge 6 Qt Essential Enamel Dutch Oven

Gift pick Consumables

Graza Sizzle and Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil Set

A squeeze-bottle cooking oil and a separate finishing oil mirror how a kitchen divides oils by job. The set is an easy, low-risk gift for a home cook.

Budget pick: Graza Sizzle alone

Gift pick Showpiece

Breville Smoking Gun (model BSM600)

The handheld smoker fills a glass or cloche with smoke without a torch, which suits a few showpiece winter drinks. It is the model most cocktail guides name.

Budget pick: Gramercy Smoking Cocktail Kit

Gift pick Sets and gifts

Cocktail Kingdom Essential Cocktail Set, stainless steel

It is the same five tools a bar buys, in one order, so a gift giver skips choosing.

Budget pick: BarProducts Bartender's Tote, stainless steel DELUXE 17 pc

Gift pick Shaking

Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tins, set of two (18 oz + 28 oz), stainless steel

Two weighted tins seal with a tap, take daily use, and cost less than most cobbler shakers. It is the format working bars use, so the technique carries over.

Budget pick: BarConic Etched Shaker Set, 28 oz + 18 oz tins

Gift pick Glassware

Libbey Heavy Base Rocks Cocktail Glasses, 11 oz, set of 12

A thick base and straight sides suit Old Fashioneds, neat pours and hot toddies, and a dozen covers a party. It is a restaurant staple that survives the dishwasher.

Budget pick: Libbey 128 Heavy Base 9 oz rocks glass, case of 36

Gift pick Glassware

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass, 6 oz

The wide bowl suits Manhattans and sours served up, and 6 oz matches classic specs. Thin glass chips, so buy a few extra.

Budget pick: Amehla x The Educated Barfly Coupe Cocktail Glass, 7 oz, set of 2

Gift pick Stirring and measuring

Cocktail Kingdom Yarai Mixing Glass, 500 ml (17 oz)

A heavy glass with a wide base and spout holds ice well and pours cleanly. Winter drinks like Manhattans, Negronis and Old Fashioneds are stirred, so it gets constant use.

Budget pick: True 17 oz Recipe Mixing Glass

Gift pick Shaking

Cocktail Kingdom Usagi Cobbler Shaker, stainless steel, 800 ml (28 oz)

A three-piece cobbler with a built-in strainer is easier for a beginner than tins and still shakes a proper sour. Death & Co lists it as the alternative to tins.

Budget pick: True Contour 12 oz Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker

Gift pick Ice

Viski Lewis Ice Bag and Mallet

Crushed ice made in a canvas bag is drier and more even than blender ice. It is mainly for juleps and tall drinks, but it also makes a small, useful gift.

Budget pick: Clean kitchen towel and a rolling pin

Gift pick Glassware

Cocktail Kingdom Nick and Nora Glass, 5 oz

The upright bowl stays level in the hand and spills less than a coupe, which helps at a party. It suits small stirred and shaken drinks.

Gift pick Glassware

Bodum Pavina Double Wall Glasses, 8 oz, set of 2

Double walls keep hot drinks hot and the outside cool to hold, which suits hot toddies, spiced cider and Irish coffee. The clear glass shows the layers.

Gift pick Sets and gifts

BarProducts Bartender's Tote, stainless steel DELUXE (17 pc) with 0.75 oz / 1.25 oz jigger

Use it as a first kit or to see whether a recipient keeps making drinks.

Budget pick: BarConic Etched Shaker Set, 28 oz + 18 oz tins

Gift pick Citrus and garnish

Microplane Classic Zester/Grater (model 40020)

Fresh nutmeg and citrus zest finish winter drinks such as eggnog and hot toddies, and this rasp is the standard for both. One tool covers garnish and spice.