Culture
12 Kitchen Appliances That Will Make the Perfect Holiday Gifts
Appliances didn’t always make great holiday gifts. Items like vacuums and toaster ovens have been known to infuriate gift recipients on many occasions…but don’t worry, these 12 items are guaranteed to delight. As the cost of a modern, technological kitchen continues to go up, high-end kitchen appliances are becoming more and more acceptable as holiday presents. Which is why we’ve rounded up twelves appliances (that you can purchase easily on Amazon—and have on your doorstep in a pinch, if necessary) that combine everyday convenience with luxurious design and function.
You don’t have to be a home chef to appreciate these appliances, they’re suitable for all (most) ages and skill levels. From an at-home beer brewing system (no, this is not a joke!) to an ice blue KitchenAid stand mixer, we’ve got you (and everyone on your list) covered. We’ve mixed in items from a variety of different price points, so you don’t have to spend $400, but you can if you want to.
Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler Five
Price: $69.99
Why It’s Great: This countertop griddle can do everything. It works as a full griddle, full grill, panini press, contact grill, and half grill/griddle. It has an LCD display that displays the setting, temperature, and timer. The nonstick cooking plates are removable, reversible, and dishwasher safe.
Dash Rapid Egg Cooker
Price: $19.59
Why It’s Great: This adorable egg cooker makes perfect eggs every time (and in no time). Choose from hard boiled, poached, scrambled, or omelet-style eggs, set the timer, and watch this little machine handle the rest. It can cook six eggs at a time and is small enough to fit on any counter or in any cabinet.
ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide
Price: $143
Why It’s Great: Sous Vide used to be a terrifyingly difficult way to cook food, but thanks to easy-to-use at-home sous vide machines, it’s not. This compact sous vide tool can clip onto any pot and cooks food to perfection thanks to a bluetooth-enabled app that lets you control the water temperature and desired doneness.
Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener
Price: $17.99
Why It’s Great: No more fumbling with a bottle opener that’s ultimately just going to get stuck in the cork and ruin the whole bottle. This bottle opener comes with a foil cutter for easy seal-removal and can remove a cork in seconds. A single charge can open up to 30 bottles and the sleek charging base fits easily on any countertop.
BeerDroid Automated Beer Brewing System
Price: $799.99
Why It’s Great: The first automatic personal brewing system, the BeerDroid can 2.6 gallons of beer at the touch of a button. You can control and monitor your brew from an app (the BeerDroid is WiFi-enabled) and use the LCD screen on the BeerDroid to check the status of your brew. You can select from pre-programmed ale and lager settings or get creative with your brew settings and create something totally custom and new.
SodaStream Sparkling Water Maker
Price: $108.99
Why It’s Great: Seltzer is having an undeniable moment right now. It’s a delicious alternative to still water, and with SodaStream, it’s as readily available as tap water. Just choose your desired fizziness, press the carbonation button, and enjoy a full liter of sparkling water at a time.
Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender
Price: $299
Why It’s Great: The Vitamix is notorious for being one of the most powerful blenders on the market (hence the high price point), and this more-affordable option is no exception. It comes with a 48 oz container and has ten variable speeds as well as a pulse feature. It’s powerful enough to make everything from nut butters to pizza doughs to soups to, of course, smoothies.
T-fal ActiFry Air Fryer
Price: $149.99
Why It’s Great: Air fryers are best known for making “healthified” french fries (with just one tablespoon of oil), but this T-fal fryer also cook stir fries, sautés, and meat. Just put the food in the fryer, set the timer, and switch it on. The fryer will do the rest. The best part? All of the pieces are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
KitchenAid Ultra Power Stand Mixer
Price: $269.87
Why It’s Great: This 10-speed mixer is a step up from the classic Artisan mixer because it’s a few pounds lighter and has a more powerful motor. It comes with a standard 4.5 quart stainless steel bowl, but it can also accommodate the three- and five-quart bowls. It comes in dozens of colors to suit everyone’s unique style.
Marcato 8320 Atlas Pasta Machine
Price: $79.95
Why It’s Great: This world-famous pasta machine rolls and cuts dough for lasagne, fettuccine, and tagliolini. It comes with an easy-to-use hand crank and and rolls dough of custom thickness thanks to adjustable knobs. If those three past shapes aren’t enough, you can purchase a variety of cutting accessories that are compatible with the machine.
Ninja Ultra Prep Food Processor and Blender
Price: $69.99
Why It’s Great: Food processors and blenders don’t have to be two separate appliances anymore. This Ninja is a two-in-one food processor and blender. It comes with a power-chopping blade for crushing ice or chopping veggies, and a high-speed blade for liquifying ingredients into smoothies or salad dressings. It even comes with a dough blade for making doughs and batters.
Calphalon Intellicrisp Waffle Maker
Price: $119.99
Why It’s Great: Not everyone likes their waffles the same level of doneness, which is why this waffle maker comes with a dial that allows you to select from five different waffle shades. It also delivers 20% more even heat for perfectly-crisp waffles every time—and the LCD screen displays a countdown timer so you’ll never have to worry about overcooking breakfast (or brinner).
