Once you become a full-fledged working adult, you get excited about very different things you did when you were younger. A new kitchen gadget might be one of them. I actually appreciate kitchen-related gifts, as long as they are items I’ll actually use and not fun-to-have novelty gadgets that are used once and tucked in a drawer, never to be seen again. There are tons of kitchen and dining gadgets and gizmos that would make amazing stocking stuffers for home cooks and bakers.
1.Dough scraper
A dough scraper is a great kitchen utensil for when you’re making homemade bread, pizza dough, and other dough-based items. They are useful for cutting the dough into even pieces as well as for scraping stuck on dough from a wood cutting board. I love using mine for cutting homemade gnocchi pasta. They also come in handy for evenly cutting things like homemade granola bars, brownies, and even vegetables. It’s a simple kitchen tool that goes a long way.
2.Pastry blender
If you love making scones, croissants, pie crusts, and other butter-based pastries, a pastry blender is a must-have. While you could use a fork to cut butter into flour, you’ll get a much better result with a dedicated pastry blender. Not to mention it’s so much easier when using a pastry blender, and quicker, which means there’s less chance of the butter fully melting before you get everything in the oven. One with a good grip and sharp cutters can lead to deliciously flaky crusts.
3.Sushi roller
Ever tried making sushi at home? It’s a true art and worth experimenting for a home cook who loves sushi. And you can get some assistance with a sushi roller. Add the ingredients, from seaweed to sticky rice, cucumber slices, and fresh salmon, close the cover, pull the traction sheet, and you’ll get a tight looking tube of maki rolls you can easily cut (with a dough scraper, perhaps?) It’s perfect for date night or a solo night in with a good movie and glass of red wine.
4.Bamboo cutting board
I used plastic cutting boards for some time, and still use mini ones for quick cutting jobs, like fruits and vegetables for my son’s school lunches, or quick prep of onions, garlic, and other veggies for dinner. But a bamboo cutting board is a must for larger jobs. As a bonus, they can also be used as a serving tray and charcuterie board. They’re simple to wipe down: add a bit of oil to keep it looking lustrous.
5.Salad spinner
Mixing salads with salad forks is so 1990s. A salad spinner is where it’s at for modern-day home cooks, and these can make getting a perfect mix of lettuce, kale, or spinach with vegetables of your choice a breeze. Add the contents, mix, then serve topped with chopped candied nuts, goat cheese, and a dressing of your choice.
6.Baking sheet
Have you seen those parody viral videos that feature the best hacks for cleaning a baking sheet? The joke is that the person grabs the scratched-up tray with caked on grime and dumps it right in the trash then heads to the store to buy a new one. You can extend the life of your baking tray by soaking to clean right after use or lining it with foil, waxed paper, or a silicone baking mat before cooking. But sometimes, the time it would take to clean one you’ve hard for years isn’t worth it. You can never have too many of these easily stackable items, so grab them a set of high-quality, non-stick ones that will last for years with proper care.
7.Tea towels
These are pretty versatile items to have in the kitchen for home cooks, used to dry dishes, wipe your hands, or even grab hot items from the oven or microwave. Get them a gorgeously designed set that will fit with their kitchen décor, or simply a pack with multiple ones they can rotate through every week.
8.Stand mixer attachment
Available for items like KitchenAid stand mixers, stand mixer attachments might fall more into main gift versus stocking stuffer category when it comes to pricing. But some are more affordable than others. Ones like a prep slicer/shredder makes doing things like shredding cheese and prepping fruits and vegetables for dishes super simple with minimal clean-up. Immediately, I think of how much time and effort this could shave off the process of doing things like shredding cheese for homemade mac and cheese or carrots for carrot cake and muffins.
9.Measuring cup
As someone who owned three measuring cups, broke one, and found I couldn’t survive with just two, trust me when I say that you can never have too many of these kitchen tools. Whether it’s for measuring different ingredients for the same recipe, including flour, for example, and oil, or always finding that yours is in the dishwasher every time you need it, having a couple is worthwhile. Ideally, get stackable ones so they don’t take up any more cupboard space than one. It’s also a good idea to invest in glass over plastic so you can pop them right into the microwave when you need to do things like microwave butter, chocolate chips, or get measured lukewarm water for a recipe.
10.Sparkling water maker flavouring
Home cooks like to experiment with fancy drinks, too! If you know they recently invested in a soda and sparkling water maker, or maybe you bought them one as their main gift, consider grabbing a selection of flavour drops to add a bit of flavour to the plain water. These come in a variety of types, from fruit-flavoured drops to ones that mimic the taste of popular sodas, but without all the calories and sugar. Look for tastes you know they like or flavours you think they’d be curious to try. A little goes a long way so they’ll be using them for months to come.
11.Kitchen utensil set
If you aren’t sure which kitchen utensils they need and which they already have, opt for a set. Even if some items are duplicates, they can take one up to the cottage or keep it as a spare. Some come with useful items like a pizza cutter, which is perfect for someone who just invested in an outdoor pizza oven or toaster oven. You might also find pieces like a can opener (you can never find one when you need it!), cheese grater, and wire whip.
12.Smart speaker
Yes, a smart speaker is a great stocking stuffer for home cooks and bakers. Why? They are super affordable nowadays and can come in handy for background music (who doesn’t love to sing while they cook?) setting timers, getting measurement conversions, and more. The best part? It’s completely hands-free, so they don’t need to wash their hands for the 50th time to scroll through their phone and find out how many ounces are in 250 grams or what the perfect air fryer cook time is for breaded chicken cutlets.
Fill their stockings with cooking joy
Kitchen and dining products dining are always welcome for home cooks and bakers. Your best bet is to stick with the basics because even if they already own one of the items you get, having a spare is a good thing. They might also need an upgrade anyway. And there’s a wide variety of items to choose from.
Shop plenty of kitchen gadgets and gizmos that would make great stocking stuffers for the home cook or baker at Best Buy Online.
