There are many people who come alive in the kitchen. They make the most out of every ingredient. Though the kitchen might be their happy place, it can be hard to know what the ideal gift will be. The good news is your gift hunt is about to be over.

Whether they are into sweet, savory, or both this guide is teeming with excellent cooking gifts that foodies are sure to love. Let’s take a closer look at the top 10 items you need to make the cook in your life overflow with joy.

cooking gifts

1. Dutch Oven: Staub Round Cocotte

This is one of our most prized possessions in the kitchen. We LOVE our Staub Round Cocotte Oven and use it for so many things, like roast chicken, spaghetti sauce, beef stew, and more! We picked the 7qt and it is plenty big enough for almost everything. If we did want to do two roast chickens in one pot, we would need the 9 or 13qt but then it would be too big for our everyday use. The main reason we chose Staub over Le Creuset was because of the self-basting lid. We’ve been using it for over a year now and love it!

2. Chef’s Knives

Ok. Here’s the thing about knives. I (Michelle), didn’t know what I was missing. I was using what I thought were perfectly fine knives before Steve and I merged households. Being a Red Seal Chef, he obviously is very passionate about these main kitchen tools. And I am sold, they are so sleek and sharp! His preferred brand for kitchen knives is Shun. You can get this whole set or start with a chef’s knife. If you are looking for a long carving knife, he just treated himself to a beautiful brisket knife that he will use for, yes brisket, but also roast beef, turkey etc…).

3. Sharpening Stone

Speaking about sharp… Steve hones his knife pretty much every single time he uses it. But every year or so, he needs to sharpen it with a whetstone.  This particular sharpening stone comes with a bamboo block and anti-skid pads to make sharpening easy. Michelle has no idea how to do either of those things, but she loves watching him work his magic.

4. Heat Resistant Grill/BBQ Gloves

These heat-resistant gloves are a must-have for those who handle a lot of hot food. Not like your typical oven mitt, these have the familiar feel of gloves. This allows you to use your fingers a bit more for the finicky parts of cooking. Although they are washable, they are not for use with wet heat.

5. Digital Thermometer

If your cook is a meat-lover, this could be the ideal treat for them. It’s a thermometer, with a wireless remote. With this cool gadget, they can put the sensor in the meat. Then, they can sit with the probe, up to 300 feet away. This allows them to keep an eye on the meat, while still being able to chat with friends. Once it reaches its pre-set temperature, the receiver will start to beep and flash. Another benefit is that it comes with nine types of meat and their recommended levels of doneness. All the cooks need to do is set the thermometer, stick the sensor in, and wait. Perfect meat every time.

6. Digital Kitchen Scale

Many cooks place a lot of emphasis on weighing ingredients. The Nicewell Food Scale is one of the most stylish and functional options on the market. It can allow them to switch between units with ease, which can be invaluable when trying to follow a recipe.  Also, it’s made from fingerprint resistant stainless steel, making it easy to keep clean. It also comes with a convenient hook allowing for easy storage.

7. Wood Cutting Board

No kitchen is complete without a beautiful wood cutting board. Our favorite brand is Boos. If you are looking for more of a carving board, we suggest this one to catch the drippings. If you need an everyday board for food preparation, you might consider this one. We suggest using Boos Board Cream to keep your boards in great shape.

8. Angled Measuring Cup

It’s the little things that get us most excited. This angled measuring cup got us all giddy. We can easily see the measurement from above as we are filling the cup. We don’t need to bend down, or stop and check to ensure accuracy.

9. Spreader Spatula

This spreader spatula is Michelle’s favorite kitchen tool. She much prefers turning food around in a pan with this tool than a wooden spoon or a flipper. They are also awesome for what they are supposed to be used for – spreading. 🙂

10. Panini Press

Grilled sandwiches are Michelle’s weakness. She could give up pretty much anything, but bread and cheese? That’s the hardest for her. And oh my goodness, The Pioneer Woman’s favorite sandwich became Michelle’s, too. This is the panini press Michelle has that makes maybe 1 too many sandwiches every week.