The 25 Best Gifts for Home Chefs (And Anyone Who Just Really Loves Food)

For the chef who loves fresh herbs

Give them the gift of fresh herbs and veggies with this indoor garden. It's self-watering and includes a built-in light to help seeds become fully grown, fresh ingredients (think: cilantro, basil, rosemary and chili peppers) that they can use in the meals they cook up.

For the sourdough baker

They’ve already stocked up on proofing baskets and artisan flour, but there’s one more way to take their loaves to the next level. These cloth bowl covers pop over mixing bowls when it’s time to let the dough rise (buh bye, plastic wrap), and the matching drawstring bags will keep boules and baguettes from going stale after they come out of the oven.

For the budding sous chef

This set contains the essentials for proper slicing and dicing: a chef’s knife for everyday tasks, a Santoku knife for hefty vegetables, a paring knife for precision jobs and a utility knife for slicing bread, hard cheeses and meats (among other culinary delights). They’re all fully forged, aka made from one solid piece of stainless steel, so they’ll age gracefully.

For the pastry lover

Whether they're partial to baking pastries, breads or biscuits, this gift set comes with three essentials needed to help them nail their fave recipes each time: a pastry mat, an egg wash brush, and one stencil to let them mark each of their goodies with a pretty design.

For the tea aficionado

If their morning drink of choice is a warm cuppa, they'll love this kettle that delivers pipping hot water within seconds. And with the aesthetically pleasing, retro vibe, they'll want to leave it out on their counter year-round.

For the cook looking to learn

Let them learn from the best with virtual classes taught by experts in the field—from Michelin-starred restaurateurs to award-winning chefs. The different courses cover of variety of topics, so whether they're interested in Middle Eastern cousin, recipes with a southern flair or looking to beef up their butchery skills, there's a course they're going to love.

For the messy chef

You spend the entire year thinking about your mom's drool-worthy holiday cookies—but the mess she leaves in her wake post-bake, not so much. Help her keep her clothes flour-free with this cotton apron that's complete with an adjustable neck strap and large pockets perfect for holding her spatulas and mixing spoons.

For the person who loves a shortcut

This one goes out to that person you know who buys boxed brownies and tries to pass them off as homemade, no shame. Gift them a major upgrade in the form of these inventive and—dare we say?— chic cake mixes from The Caker, a New Zealand-based cake company. Each mix, including this lemon strawberry poppy seed number, comes with fun add ons like freeze-dried fruit and a sweet glaze, plus they’re vegan-optional. Oh, and it just might *actually* pass for homemade this time.

For the flavor enthusiast

So your best bud loves playing around with new ingredients. With a mix of Brightland's flavorful olive oils, vinegars and honeys, her pantry will be stocked with delectable goodies she'll be thrilled to mix into her recipes the next time she hosts a dinner party.

For the master multitasker

It’s no secret we love this do-it-all skillet. The nonstick, nontoxic pan comes with a modular lid, custom nesting wooden spatula and steamer basket; can replace eight pieces of cookware (at a fraction of the price); and comes in five soothing colors. Even better, the brand is BIPOC-owned. Buy it for your city-dwelling friend who’s obsessed with one-pot meals and is also short on storage space. (FYI, it's on major sale right now, so scoop it up while it's still available!)

For the slicer and dicer

While a large cutting board is nice, a tiny one is essential for slicing and dicing midday treats like cheese and produce. “I want this itty-bitty set because I LOVE slicing fruits for snacks,” says senior editor Cristina Gutierrez, who already uses Material’s larger cutting boards on a regular basis. The aptly reBoard is made from eco-friendly sugarcane and recycled plastic.

For the chef who hates a cluttered counter

Knife blocks are fine and all, but anyone who cooks on the regular will tell you that they could always use more counter space. Help a friend out with this wall-mounted magnetic knife racks help keep their most frequently used utensils within arms reach. The wood finishing will complete their current kitchen decor and is a great way to help keep their counters clean and clutter-free.

For your soda-obsessed BFF

If your pal is a little *too* obsessed with Diet Coke, gift her this elegant sparkling water carbonator that makes the switch from soda to a healthier alternative much easier. Just fill the bottle with water and any flavorings, screw into the top of the appliance, pull down the lever and ta-da! Freshly carbonated water that tastes just like her fave brand of pop with none of the bad stuff.

For the cookie monster

A home baker can never have enough of these silicone mats, which turn any baking sheet into a nonstick surface and replace all that parchment paper that would end up in the trash. It’s dishwasher-safe but also easy enough to clean by hand and it works for sweet and savory recipes alike. (Buy two—including one for you—is what we’re saying.)

For the chef looking to try something new

We can't think of anything better than the gift of freshly made tortillas. All they need to do is whip up some fresh masa, roll the dough into balls and place onto the press. The heavy, cast-iron plates flatten the dough into perfectly sized rounds they can use in an array of dishes.

For the tech-savvy chef

This top-rated sous vide device connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, so you can literally cook short ribs from the couch. It works by circulating a water bath at a constant temp, so nothing is ever under- or over-cooked. We like this model because it’s small enough to fit in a kitchen drawer when not in use.

For the recipe follower

Dan Kluger, chef of NYC restaurant Loring Place, knows his way around a to-die-for recipe. His debut cookbook—packed with simple yet flavorful produce-forward dishes—is designed to help you master technique while becoming a more flexible and creative cook in the process.

For the smoothie-a-day chef

You won’t get creamier purees or, well, smoother smoothies from any other blender. Vitamix’s pro-level machine combines a high-power motor and stainless-steel blades to blend even the toughest ingredients, and the 64-ounce pitcher can handle everything from a single-serving smoothie to a full batch. Basically, this is one appliance they’ll use every single day.

For the (healthy) snacker

Boost their snack game with one of Hive Brands' curated boxes. This mix comes with all the healthy-ish (and artisanal-tasting) goods they'll love to munch on, from cool ranch kale chips and rosemary popcorn to molasses spice cookies.

For the pizza lover

They’ve perfected that naturally fermented dough, now it’s time to nail the bake. This carbon steel slab—which is like a pizza stone on steroids—won’t convert their oven into a wood-fired stove, but it’s the next best thing. By increasing the thermal conductivity in the oven, it cooks up crispy, airy pizza crust and sourdough loaves. Not to mention, it’s an easy way to upgrade frozen pizzas too.

For the French fry connoisseur

An air fryer gives you the same texture and flavor as a deep-fryer but without all the unhealthy oil and messy cleanup. This one has the capability to bake, roast, toast, broil, dehydrate and even rotisserie a whole chicken. Says managing editor Rachel Gulmi, “I already have an air fryer…but I really want this one, because it’s bigger and does so many things!”

For the cook who loves heat

Let them crank up the heat with an array of flavor-packed sauces and spices. From the Sichuan chili crisp to the Erjingtiao chili, your spicy-loving bestie can add these delectable flavor packed options to everything from leftover pizza to ice cream. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

For the wannabe butcher

Ask any chef and they’ll tell you that a dull kitchen knife has the potential to ruin a meal…or at least the meal prep. This whetstone set, which is what the pros use to sharpen knives, comes with a dual-sided stone for sharpening blades, plus a rubber-footed tray to hold it securely on your countertop.

For your great British baker

This stand mixer needs no introduction. But in case you’ve never heard anyone brag about their KitchenAid, its tilt-head design allows easy access to the bowl; it’s sturdy enough to last a lifetime; the 10 speeds can do hours of work in minutes; and it also comes with a flat beater, dough hook and wire whip. Plus, you can buy all sorts of different attachments for it (like a pasta maker, food processor and spiralizer).

For the baker extraordinaire

We’re slightly biased, since Erin McDowell is PureWow’s own recipes editor, but this is the only pie book your star-baker will ever need. Seriously: There’s an entire chapter devoted to crust, as well as detailed how-to’s that will make crimping and filling techniques easy as, well, pie. Oh, there are also drool-worthy recipes for masterpieces like peanut butter cream pie with raspberry meringue and Reuben pie.