Best Gifts for Foodies/Cooks 2018
For the Cook in Your Life
From knives to connected thermometers to next-gen sous vide machines, these are the gadgets that will really fire up the imagination and creativity of the home cook in your life.
Credit: Chef's Choice
Weber iGrill2
The newest generation of this digital thermometer has ports for four probes (two are included) and has a magnetic base, so it can securely attach to your grill. It works with a free app, which can chart your food’s temperature over time, and send you an alert when it’s ready.
Credit: Weber
Victorinox 8-inch Chef's Knife
The most essential tool in any kitchen is a good knife, and you don't have to spend a fortune to get one. The editors at Cook's Illustrated favor the Victorinox 8-inch chef's knife, for its low price, high-carbon stainless-steel blade and slip-resistant Fibrox handle.
Credit: Victorinox
Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper
Sometimes, the simplest methods are the best. The Whirley-Pop sits on your stove and pops up 6 quarts of popcorn in just minutes. Made of aluminum, it has a 25-year warranty on all moving parts, and cleans up with just a wipe from a towel. Movie night at home just got better.
Credit: Wabash Family Farms
"Star Trek" Enterprise Pizza Cutter
Boldly go where no slice has gone before. This replica of the Enterprise from the original series has a 4-inch, laser-etched, stainless-steel blade and a solid, zinc-alloy, chromium-plated body that's tough enough to cut through Species 8472 or a Sicilian pie.
Credit: ThinkGeek
R2-D2 French Press
Do you have a bad motivator when you wake up in the morning? This little R2 unit coffee press ill give you enough energy to pull the ears off a gundar. It has a 32-ounce capacity, so you can make enough coffee for you and your pitiful band of rebels.
Credit: ThinkGeek
ThermoWorks ThermoPop Thermometer
An accurate thermometer is an essential kitchen tool; your aspiring chef will love this fast-read thermometer, and you'll like that it costs less than $50, yet is nearly as quick to measure temperatures as more expensive thermometers. It's available in nine different colors, is splashproof, and has a backlit display.
Credit: ThermoPro
Paderno Spiralizer
For those cooks avoiding carbs but who still want a pasta fix, this gadget turns veggies into spaghetti-like strands. With four different blades, the Paderno spiralizer can make angel hair, spiral cut, shoestring, and linguine-like noodles. It works with any firm fruit or veggie, such as apples, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers and zucchini.
Credit: Paderno World Cuisine
Drop Connected Scale
Baking is all about precise measurements. For someone starting out, or even for experienced bakers, the Drop scale makes measuring easy, guiding you through recipes on your iPhone or iPad, ingredient by ingredient. If you want to double or triple the recipe, a clever feature in the app will automatically change the amount of ingredients to the correct proportions.
Credit: Drop
NutriBullet
For the smoothie lover in your life, this little blender has a 600-watt motor, perfect for pureeing strawberries, bananas, spinach or whatever concoction you want to mix up. The blender also comes with a recipe book, one tall cup, two short cups, one flat blade, one emulsifying blade and two re-sealable lids.
Credit: NutriBullet
Ninja Blender BL660
For your friend or loved one who likes to whip up margaritas for a group, this 1100-watt Ninja will do the trick. It has a large, 72-ounce container, and its 6-blade design can crush everything from ice to veggies. It also comes with two single-serve cups, so users can make smoothies to go.
Credit: Shark
Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Dunk your vacuum-sealed food into a water bath, and this device ensures that your steak, poultry, ribs — anything — get cooked to perfection. No more hockey pucks or rubber chicken! The device will also alert your smartphone when your meal is ready, and its app is loaded with recipes from Serious Eats. It's a must-have for any home cook who wants to take his or her meals to the next level.
Credit: Anova
Fizzics Beer Dispenser
For the beer lover in your life, the Fizzics beer dispenser makes a can of beer taste like it just came out of the tap. Powered by four AA batteries, it will fit up to 64-ounce growlers, aerating your brews just the right amount as they're poured out of its tap. You may never go to the bar again.
Credit: Fizzics
Instant Pot 6-Quart Multi-Functional Bluetooth Pressure Cooker
Make those tender roasts in a fraction of the time with this pressure cooker, which also works as a Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Saute/Browning, Yogurt Maker, Steamer & Warmer. The Instant Pot makes things easy with its various presets for soups, stews, chili, yogurt, and more. It has a 3-ply bottom stainless steel cooking pot, dual pressure settings, and a number of safety features. Plus, you can control it with your smartphone via Bluetooth.
Credit: InstantPot
KitchenAid Stand Mixer
This classic mixer is a workhorse of any kitchen; this particular model has a tilting head, 4.5-quart stainless steel bowl, 10 speed settings, and comes with a flat beater, coated dough hook, and wire whip. The white model sells for $199, but is available in red and stainless steel, too.
Credit: KitchenAid
Char-Broil SmartChef 420 TRU-InfraRed 3-Burner Cabinet Gas Grill
Char-Broil's connected grill means you'll be able to spend more time entertaining your guests, and less time worrying if the meat is done. Temperature probes transmit data via Wi-Fi to a smartphone app, which will alert you when that porterhouse is perfectly medium rare. The grill has porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grates, an infrared cooking system, and a 155-square inch warming rack. Plus, the app has a number of recipes and recommended cooking times. Who's hungry?
Credit: Char-Broil
BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker
When you have a crowd coming for dinner — or maybe you just really like coffee — this 12-cup coffeemaker is an effective solution. The double-walled, vacuum-sealed carafe helps keep the brew warm. Controls let you program the machine, select brew strength and make small batches (from 1-4 cups) when it’s just you.
Credit: Black & Decker
Mr. Coffee ECMP1000 Café Barista Premium Espresso/Cappuccino System
For those looking for their Italian coffee fix, this machine can make espresso, cappuccino and lattes. Simple touch controls let you select single or double shots, and automatically froths the milk.
Credit: Mr. Coffee
Chef's Choice 4643 ProntoPro Angle Select Diamond Hone 3 Stage Manual Knife Sharpener
It’s essential that you keep your knives sharp, and this model from Chef’s Choice is a great option. It has slots for both European- and Japanese-style knives, as well as a honing slot. A few swipes through this, and you’ll be slicing onions so thin you can see through them.
Credit: Chef’s Choice