13 kitchen gadgets the home chef will love

Trying to come up with some ideas for your friend who loves to cook? We have you covered. We’ve rounded up the most innovative — and most useful — kitchen tools and appliances that any home chef in your life will surely appreciate. Whether you’re looking for your friend who’s striving to be the next Ina Garten — or if you’re an avid home cook doing some shopping for yourself (we won’t tell!) — this list will be your go-to guide this holiday season.

Price: $30, Williams-Sonoma

This innovative mat conducts heat evenly for perfectly baked cookies, every time. Plus, it’s an eco-friendly, nonstick alternative to disposable parchment paper. Our favorite feature? It's marked for perfect placement of cookie dough, meaning no more pulling a giant cookie blob out of the oven!

Price: $25, Amazon

For the home cook who swears they’re going to eat more greens in 2019, this easy-to-operate salad spinner will make a great gift. All you need is one hand to spin lettuce clean, while the wide, clear container makes a perfect serving bowl, saving you the extra dish in the sink.

Price: $70, Amazon

Instant Pots have officially claimed their spot as the hottest kitchen appliance of 2018 — and if you know a avid home cook who doesn’t have one, we can guarantee they’re coveting it. This version is the number-one best-selling version on Amazon, combining seven kitchen appliances into one sleek product.

Price: $48, Food52

If your friend’s junk drawer is atrociously overflowing, give her the gift of organization with this Japanese-designed magnetic rack. It sticks to the side your fridge (or screws into any wall) to make a much more eye-pleasing resting place for odds and ends, from favorite utensils to oven mitts and measuring spoons.

Price: starting at $109, Food52

For the home cook who likes to bring happy hour to the park, tailgate or concert, this portable cocktail kit is ideal. The canvas and leather tote bag equipped with all the essentials for taking cocktails on-the-go, including a mason shaker, muddler and cocktail jigger.

Price: $135, Amazon

Give your favorite home chef a practical, high-quality and aesthetically pleasing addition to their kitchen. This beautiful knife set features non-slip handles, as well as long-lasting, durable and strong blades that are able to withstand the hottest — and coldest — temps.

Price: $99, Food52

Any chef worth his or her salt knows that solid cutting board is essential to excellent cooking. This board has many purposes: It’s a chopping, carving, and serving platter, all-in-one solid board made of high-quality American maple. One side features am extra deep juice groove and corner pocket to catch drippings, while the other has a phone slot to keep recipes and notes front and center.

Price: $35, Amazon

A two-in-one gift is always a good idea. Your home cook will love this durable pizza stone, which heats up twice as fast as other pizza stones. It's easy to clean — they won’t have to worry about it staining from grease or burnt crust. Plus, it comes with a pizza cutter to easily turn their pie into perfect slices.

Price: $150, Williams-Sonoma

Le Creuset is a highly coveted brand among home chefs — and for good reason. This enameled cast-iron oven provides a perfect cooking vehicle for wintery recipes such as stews, casseroles and other one-pot meals. The enameled light color of the interior makes it easy to monitor food while cooking, while ensuring less sticking and burning.

Price: $116, Amazon

For anyone in your life who’s obsessed with their Vitamix, this tool will take their blending powers to the next level. With an aerating disc blade (instead of metal blades), you can master culinary techniques like whipping, muddling, foaming, emulsifying, and even extract essential oils from herbs and juice from fruit.

Price: $199.99, Amazon

For any chef that likes to bring their goods on the go, this leakproof, highly insulated soft cooler makes the perfect gift. It’s compact, yet the wide-mouth opening makes for easy loading and access to your food and drinks. (Big enough to hold 12 cans plus ice, it's also a great tailgating tool).

Price: $40, Amazon

No matter where they live, any home cook chef can now have a gorgeous garden. This mini indoor garden features an LED light, which simulates natural sunlight and encourages plant growth. It’s perfect for small apartments, or any place where the weather is too harsh to host an outdoor garden.

Price: $35, Amazon

This unisex apron is 100 percent linen giving it a streamlined design that is naturally stain resistant (making it a great gift for any avid cook in your life who gets a little messy experimenting in the kitchen). It’s machine-washable, has adjustable back and neck ties, and has three pockets: Two large front pockets for storing any cooking essentials, plus a smaller top pocket for storing a phone, pen or measuring spoons.

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