Sunday Stove

The Best Gifts for Cooks

Seven gifts for people who like to cook, from an $18 zester to a $350 Dutch oven, with what owners report and what each one gets wrong.

By Nell Harlan · Updated Oct 30, 202630 gifts compared

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For the cook who already owns the basics, get the Thermapen ONE. This instant-read thermometer costs about $125 and reads in about a second, and it's the thing most people who love to cook keep meaning to buy and never do. They'll reach for it the next time a chicken comes out of the oven, and every time after that.

Shopping for someone who chops a lot? The Mac MTH-80 is the knife I'd give, as long as they don't have very large hands. For about $18, a Microplane zester is hard to beat, and if you want one big box under the tree, it's the Le Creuset.

Our picks

Best overallThermoWorks Thermapen ONECheck price on Amazon
Best knifeMac MTH-80 Professional Chef's KnifeCheck price on Amazon
Best under $25Microplane Premium Classic ZesterCheck price on Amazon
Best splurgeLe Creuset Signature Round Dutch OvenCheck price on Amazon
Best cookbookSalt, Fat, Acid, HeatCheck price on Amazon
Best for the cook with everythingAnova Precision Cooker 3.0Check price on Amazon
Best weekend projectMarcato Atlas 150 Pasta MachineCheck price on Amazon

At a glance

  1. 1.ThermoWorks Thermapen ONEabout $125
    Best for
    A cook who has the basics
    Good for
    Every steak, chop and roast
    Care
    Rinse the probe, it's waterproof
  2. 2.Mac MTH-80 Professional Chef's Knifeabout $160
    Best for
    Chefs and serious home cooks
    Good for
    Daily chopping and slicing
    Care
    Hand wash only
  3. 3.Microplane Premium Classic Zesterabout $18
    Best for
    A small gift that gets used
    Good for
    Citrus, hard cheese, garlic, ginger
    Care
    Rinse right away, or dishwasher
  4. 4.Le Creuset Signature Round Dutch Ovenabout $350
    Best for
    The one big gift
    Good for
    Stews, braises, bread
    Care
    Dishwasher safe
  5. 5.Salt, Fat, Acid, Heatabout $22
    Best for
    Someone who wants to cook without a recipe
    Good for
    Learning to season and improvise
    Care
    Expect butter stains
  6. 6.Anova Precision Cooker 3.0about $170
    Best for
    The cook who has everything
    Good for
    Steak, pork chops, chicken breast
    Care
    Clips on and off the pot
  7. 7.Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machineabout $98
    Best for
    A Sunday project for two
    Good for
    Fresh pasta at home
    Care
    Dry brush or cloth, no water

The best cooking gifts for chefs and home cooks, ranked

1 · Best overall
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

A number in about a second, on the tool most cooks never buy for themselves.

$125.00as of 5:17 AM ET
Check price on Amazon
Buy it if

They cook meat a few nights a week and still cut into the chicken to see if it's done.

Skip it if

They already own a Thermapen, or a fast instant-read they're happy with. Look in the drawer first if you can.

The gift for someone who loves to cook

Good cooks know what a thermometer does for a pork chop, and plenty of them still make do with a slow dial or a cheap one that takes ten seconds to settle. This one came first among instant-read thermometers at America's Test Kitchen, averaging 1.1 seconds in their trials. The price is the reason it makes a good present: $125 feels like a lot to spend on yourself, and it feels fine to spend on somebody you like.

There's no power button to learn. Pick it up and it wakes, the numbers turn themselves right side up, and the probe rinses under the tap. If you want more detail, or a cheaper version, my meat thermometer guide goes through all of them.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • It's only for quick checks. For a turkey that sits in the oven for hours, you'd want a probe that stays in.
  • The battery runs down a little faster than in other ThermoWorks models, according to Hey Grill Hey.
About 1 secondIP67 waterproofRuns on 1 AAA5-year warranty
2
Mac MTH-80 Professional Chef's Knife
Best knife

Mac MTH-80 Professional Chef's Knife

Very sharp out of the box, and light at about 6.4 ounces.

$159.95as of 5:17 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

They cook most nights with a heavy German knife, or with a block set that came with the apartment.

Skip it if

They have big hands, or they break down whole chickens and butternut squash all the time. The handle is short for that kind of work.

Read the full write-up

The best present for a chef

TechGearLab measured this as one of the sharpest knives they'd seen straight from the factory, and at about 6.4 ounces it's light for a long prep. It's thinner than a Wüsthof or a Henckels, so it slides through a tomato instead of crushing it. Honestly, a knife is a personal thing to give, and I'd still give this one: it's about $160, made in Seki, Japan, and backed for 25 years.

It's a hand-wash knife. Tell them that when they open it, because a dishwasher is the quickest way to ruin a good edge. If it's going to someone with a soft plastic board, consider a better cutting board too, since TechGearLab found this blade digs into wood and plastic when you lean on it.

What owners report

Among ten owners, two bought it as a gift, and a third says their partner uses it "for everything." Three call it a step up from their Henckels or Wüsthof. Two say the handle runs small, and one of those wishes they'd bought the 9.5-inch instead. One points out that the dimples don't do much, which matches TechGearLab's finding.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • The short handle is the real limit for anyone with large hands.
  • Very sharp means less forgiving. Some less experienced cooks in TechGearLab's group found it almost too sharp.
8-inch bladeMade in Seki, JapanDimpled blade25-year warranty
3
Microplane Premium Classic Zester
Best under $25

Microplane Premium Classic Zester

Lemon zest, parmesan, garlic and nutmeg, for about $18.

$17.95as of 5:17 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

You need a small gift, a stocking stuffer, or something to go with a bigger present.

Skip it if

You know they own one. Nobody needs two, and most serious cooks have had theirs for years.

Read the full write-up

A small gift for the home chef

Lemon zest with none of the bitter white part, parmesan that falls in a soft pile over pasta, a garlic clove turned to paste, nutmeg over eggnog. Microplane photo-etches the blades in the USA, and when the Family Table testers at Kosher.com lined it up against five other zesters, they called it "leagues ahead of the others." OXO's version, in the same group, couldn't grate cinnamon.

It's the only thing on this list I'd buy without knowing a thing about the person. I don't care which color you pick, and they won't either.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • Bits of ginger and cheese stick to the underside. Rinse it right away, and use a brush on the stubborn ones.
  • It's not a lot to unwrap on its own, so pair it with a nice lemon olive oil or the book below.
Blade made in the USAStainless steelDishwasher safeSeveral colors
4
Le Creuset Signature Round Dutch Oven
Best splurge

Le Creuset Signature Round Dutch Oven

The pot people ask for by name, in a color you can choose for them.

$347.00as of 5:17 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

You want one big gift for a wedding, a milestone, or a person who has wanted one for ten years.

Skip it if

They already have a good enameled pot, or they have trouble lifting heavy things. It weighs 11.2 pounds before the short ribs go in.

Read the full write-up

The one big gift

This is the first choice in my Dutch oven guide, and it's also the best-looking present in this article. A 5.5-quart pot handles a pot of chili, a beef stew or a loaf of no-knead bread, and it's rated for the oven to 500°F. Le Creuset backs it for life against defects, so they'll never need to replace it.

Pick the color with them in mind, and shop around a little. The same pot in the same size ran from about $311 to about $347 on Amazon at last check, and only the color changes. If $350 is too much, the Cuisinart in that same guide costs about $73 and cooks well.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • A person who already owns one will feel awkward telling you so. Ask a family member first.
  • Four pounds of short ribs fit, but snugly.
5.5 quartsMade in FranceOven to 500°FLifetime warranty
5
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Best cookbook

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

A James Beard winner that explains why food tastes right.

$21.50as of 5:17 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

They follow recipes well and want to stop needing them, or they've just started cooking and want to know why things work.

Skip it if

They want a quick dinner on page 12. Most of the first half is explanation, and the recipes come after.

Read the full write-up

For the cooking enthusiast who asks why

Samin Nosrat's book won a James Beard Award and has sold more than a million copies, and it spawned a Netflix series, so you may already know the name. It's built around four ideas, the ones in the title, and it teaches you to taste a soup and know what it's missing. There are over 100 recipes (a red wine vinaigrette, braised meats, flaky pastry dough) and more than 150 illustrations that make it fun to flip through.

It's also the easiest gift here to wrap, and at about $22 you can add it to almost anything else on this list.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • I doubt someone with years of restaurant work behind them would learn as much from it.
Samin NosratOver 100 recipesOver 150 illustrationsHardcover
6
Anova Precision Cooker 3.0
Best for the cook with everything

Anova Precision Cooker 3.0

A way of cooking they probably haven't tried, using a pot they already own.

$169.97as of 5:17 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

They really do own everything, and they like a project. They probably don't have one of these.

Skip it if

They hate apps, or they only cook for a quick weeknight dinner. A thick steak can take an hour or more this way, even if you do almost nothing during it.

Read the full write-up

A new way to cook for the home chef who has everything

Sous vide means cooking food in a sealed bag in water held at an exact temperature, and that's all this stick does. It clips onto a pot, heats and stirs the water anywhere from 32°F to 197°F, and holds it there. Pork chops stay juicy, a thick steak comes out the same pink from edge to edge, and you finish it in a hot cast iron skillet for the crust.

Anova puts this model at 1100 watts and covers it for two years. Owners who are new to it like the guide in the app, and you can run it from the buttons on the cooker if you'd rather. The free app handles time and temperature. Recipes and guides go behind a subscription of $1.99 a month or $9.99 a year, which you may want to mention before they find out.

What owners report

Reports on this version are few, so these are counts and not proportions. One buyer spent nearly an hour trying to connect it to the app and sent it back. One says it's noisier than the older model, while others call it quieter. Owners of older models say the clamp feels flimsier than it used to. The water also takes a while to heat, so start with hot water from the tap.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • The screen doesn't show the current water temperature.
  • It needs a fairly deep pot, because the water has to stay above its minimum line.
1100 watts32°F to 197°FWi-Fi and app2-year warranty
7
Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine
Best weekend project

Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine

Fresh lasagna sheets, fettuccine and tagliolini from a hand crank.

$97.50as of 5:17 AM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if

They like a slow Sunday in the kitchen, and they have a counter or table with an edge it can clamp to.

Skip it if

Their counters are thick stone with no overhang, or dinner has to be on the table by six.

Read the full write-up

Why I picked it

Nothing else here is as much fun with two people in the kitchen: one feeding the dough, one turning the crank. It's made in Italy, it comes with cutters for fettuccine and tagliolini, and it rolls lasagna sheets on any of its ten thickness settings. Fresh fettuccine with butter and parmesan is hard to go back from, and it cooks in about two minutes.

It wipes clean with a dry brush or a cloth. Don't let them put it under the tap. Run a scrap of dough through the first couple of times and throw it away, because two owners found oil on their first batch.

What owners report

Thirty-six owners reported on this machine, and it has real fans, including one whose Atlas is 38 years old and another whose is 15. The complaints are specific. Around six say the metal crank got stuck in its socket, and about five had trouble with the plastic clamp parts, which can snap or work loose. About seven had one fail early, some after only a few uses, so try it soon after it arrives, while returns are still open.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • The clamp is the weak part, so keep an eye on it during a long session.
  • The dial numbers are hard to read.
Made in Italy10 thickness settingsHand crank and clampCutter included

Who this is for

This guide is for anyone shopping for someone who likes to cook, from a friend who makes dinner most nights to a working chef. If your person mostly bakes, a grilling or baking gift will land better than anything here. And if they've never touched a chef's knife, start with the book and the Microplane. The Mac is wasted on someone who doesn't cook yet.

How to choose

Best gifts for people who like to cook

Look at what they cook most, then buy a better version of the tool they use for it. Someone who roasts wants the thermometer. Someone who chops a pile of vegetables every night wants the knife. A quick look around their kitchen beats any gift guide, this one included.

Best kitchen gifts under $50

The Microplane and the book together come to about $40, and that's what I'd do at this price. The ThermoPop 2 is about $47 on its own and it's a good thermometer. Skip the gadgets that do one job, like novelty garlic crushers.

Best kitchen gifts for mom

If she's cooked for you for decades, she has plenty of pots. Find out what she's been making do with, and replace it. A Le Creuset in a color she loves is the classic choice, and the Thermapen ends a lot of Thanksgiving arguments about the turkey.

Best kitchen tools for chefs

People who cook for a living are picky about knives, and many already have their own. If you know theirs is tired, the Mac is the present I'd give. If you don't, the thermometer is the safer bet.

What I'd skip

Wüsthof Classic 9-Piece Knife Block Set

About $595, and most of those pieces will replace knives that still work. One great knife does more for less.

Ooni Koda 2 Gas Pizza Oven

About $499. It's a fun gift, but it needs propane and outdoor space, so make sure they have both before you buy.

Anova Precision Cooker Nano 3.0

About $99, and only 800 watts against 1100, so the water heats more slowly. For a gift, I'd spend the extra on the full-size one.

Tojiro DP Damascus Chef's Knife

About $225. The pattern on the blade is pretty, but it costs about $65 more than the Mac, and I'd spend that on something else.

OXO Good Grips Etched Zester

About $11, and Kosher.com's testers expected better. It couldn't grate cinnamon and wasn't comfortable to hold. The Microplane is worth the extra few dollars.

Ototo Gracula Garlic Crusher

A vampire-shaped garlic crusher for about $18. It's funny for a day, and it only does one job.

How I picked

Used every week, or changes how they cookBetter than what they likely ownFrom under $25 to about $350

I chose these seven from 30 gifts, on how often they'd get used and how they hold up for the people who own them. Owner reports come from Chef Knives To Go, ProductReview and Anova's own store. Prices are Amazon's on October 30, 2026.

Pinterest pin for The Best Gifts for Cooks
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Common questions

What do you get someone who loves to cook?

A better version of something they use all the time. That's why the Thermapen ONE comes first here: plenty of cooks still get by without a fast thermometer. A good knife or a Dutch oven works the same way if you know they don't have one.

What can I give a chef or a cook who has everything?

Something that opens up a new kind of cooking rather than repeating what they own. The Anova does that with sous vide, and the Marcato does it with fresh pasta. Small things that wear out or get used up are also a safe bet, and a second Microplane isn't one of them.

What is a good gift for a home cook under $50?

The Microplane at about $18, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat at about $22, or both for about $40. If you'd rather spend it all on one thing, the ThermoPop 2 is about $47.

What knife should I give a home cook?

An 8-inch chef's knife is the one they'll use every day, and the Mac MTH-80 is my pick at about $160. Check their hands first, because the handle runs short. Keep the receipt too, since people tend to have firm opinions about knives.

What are good gifts for foodies who don't cook much?

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat reads well even if you never turn on the stove, and the Netflix series makes a nice way in. The Microplane is good here too, since a little parmesan or lemon over a takeout salad takes no skill. I'd leave the Anova and the Mac for people who already cook.

The verdict

The Thermapen ONE, and a knife if you know their hands

Get the Thermapen ONE: at about $125, it's the gift most good cooks will use tonight. Get the Mac MTH-80 instead if you know they need a knife and their hands aren't large.

Check price on Amazon$125.00 as of 5:17 AM ET

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