Gift guide · 12 ideas
Gifts for people who love cooking
Tools that make a real difference in the kitchen, and what keen cooks probably already have.
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Keen cooks are both easy and tricky to buy for. Easy because there’s always another tool; tricky because they probably own the obvious ones, and they have strong opinions. The best bet is either a quality upgrade of something they use daily, or a tool they’d never think to buy but will use every week.
Skip the one-job gadgets that take up drawer space, unless it’s one they’ll use every weekend, like a pasta machine for someone who makes their own. Everything here earns its place.
A digital probe thermometer
Plenty of keen cooks own a good knife and a heavy pan but still judge the roast by eye, while chefs use a probe constantly.
ThermoPro TP03H Instant-Read Thermometer
Under £10
- Accurate to ±0.5°C
- Rinses under the tap
- Built-in calibration function
Settles the “is the chicken done?” question in one to three seconds, to within half a degree, from a probe that folds away into the body.
What owners say: Owners say it’s accurate, quick and easy to read, and keeping it stuck to the fridge or the barbecue means it’s always to hand.
A closer look: A hold function freezes the reading, so you can pull the probe out of a hot oven and check the number away from the heat. Now and then, dip the probe in a glass of iced water: it should read 0°C, and if it doesn’t, the calibration function sets it right.
A fine grater and zester
Cooking most evenings means grating garlic, ginger or lemon zest just as often, and a really sharp one makes that quick.
Deiss PRO Zester and Fine Grater
Under £10
A long, narrow grater with a razor-sharp stainless steel blade that grates hard cheese very finely with little pressure. Curved sides keep it rigid when you need to press harder, and it takes up far less room than a box grater.
What owners say: Owners find it very sharp and quick on cheese, garlic and ginger, say it zests citrus well and rinses clean easily, and think it good value.
A closer look: For citrus, hold the grater over the bowl and draw it across the fruit, turning as you go so you only take the coloured zest and leave the bitter white pith behind. Rinse it under the tap straight after use, before cheese or ginger dries on. It also turns a square of dark chocolate into fine flakes for topping a pudding.
- Razor-sharp stainless steel blade
- 30.5cm long
- Dishwasher safe
An enamelled cast iron casserole
Slow Sunday braises and big pots of stew are what a weekend in the kitchen is for, and this goes from hob to oven to the table.
Overmont 26cm Enamelled Cast Iron Casserole (5.2L)
£39.99 RRP
A 26cm, 5.2-litre enamelled cast iron casserole, roomy enough for a big batch of stew. The lid is shaped so steam drips back onto the food rather than running down the sides, which keeps braises moist.
What owners say: Owners find it works well on a gas hob and in the oven, with room for four big servings, and like the build and the price; some report the enamel chipping early on, and it’s heavy.
A closer look: Enamelled cast iron likes a gentle start, so warm it over a low to medium heat and use wooden or silicone utensils to protect the enamel. It isn’t dishwasher safe: let it cool, then wash it by hand with a soft sponge. The cotton covers in the box slip over the handles and lid knob when it’s hot.
- 26cm, holds 5.2 litres
- Enamelled cast iron
- Cotton handle covers included
A quality chef’s knife
The knife from a block set bought years ago is often still doing the chopping, and a properly sharp one changes every evening’s prep.
PAUDIN 20cm Chef’s Knife
£32.85 RRP
A 20cm chef’s knife in high-carbon German stainless steel, with a 12–14° edge that arrives very sharp. The Pakkawood handle grips well even with wet hands, and it comes in a magnetic gift box with a blade sheath.
What owners say: Owners find it beautifully made, with an edge that stays sharp and a good weight and balance, though a few report it breaking within a couple of uses.
A closer look: Cut on a wooden or plastic board, as glass and stone worktops blunt any edge quickly. Keep it in its sheath, a block or on a magnetic strip rather than loose in the cutlery drawer, where the edge gets knocked about. A few strokes on a honing steel before a big prep session keeps the edge lined up between sharpenings.
- 20cm high-carbon steel blade
- Sheath and magnetic gift box
- Grips well when wet
Heads up: Hand wash and dry it to keep it at its best.
or compare other optionsA guided knife sharpener
For the cook whose favourite knife has lost its bite but who’d never fuss with a stone: a few passes under the guide and it glides through tomatoes again.
Robert Welch Hand-Held Knife Sharpener
£28.00 RRP
- Clear guard keeps fingers away
- Replaceable ceramic wheel
- 10-year guarantee
- Single sharpening stage
- Not for serrated knives
A weighted, non-slip handheld sharpener with a single ceramic wheel set at 15°, the finer Japanese-style angle Robert Welch puts on its own Signature knives. A clear guide over the wheel holds the blade in line and keeps fingers out of the way, which makes it hard to get wrong.
What owners say: Owners find it very easy to use and say it keeps blades keen, Robert Welch knives above all, and some use it on Global knives too. Price divides them: some are happy with it, others feel it’s a lot for what it does.
A closer look: Water gives the best edge: lift off the clear guide, fill the recess under the wheel, put the guide back and slide the blade through 10 to 20 times along its full length. The maker suggests a fresh wheel every 12 to 24 months, depending on how often it’s used.
A granite pestle and mortar
Cooks who make their own curry pastes, pesto and spice rubs from scratch will reach for it most weeks.
Silk Route Home Granite Pestle and Mortar
£10–£20
A heavy granite pestle and mortar, 11.5cm across and weighing 1.57kg, that stays put on the worktop while you grind. It’s sized for spice blends, garlic, herbs and small batches of paste.
What owners say: Owners find it solid, weighty and good-looking with no cracks or faults, and think it fairly priced; some find it on the small side.
A closer look: Before first use, grind a small handful of uncooked rice until it comes out clean, which clears any loose grit from the stone. Toasting whole spices in a dry pan first makes them easier to crush. Wash it in warm soapy water afterwards, never with an abrasive cleaner, and let it dry before the pestle goes back in.
- Solid granite, 11.5cm across
- Sized for spices and garlic
- Weighs 1.57kg
A world spice collection
Moving house usually means the half-used jars get left behind, and a keen cook can start the new kitchen with two dozen to try.
Tilz 24-Spice Gift Set
£10–£20
Twenty-four herbs, spices and blends in small glass bottles, boxed as a set: BBQ rubs and seasonings for grilling alongside spices for curries and vegetarian cooking. A good way to stock an empty spice rack in one go.
What owners say: Owners like the variety, the mix of tastes and the look of the little bottles on a shelf, and think the set good value, though some find the bottles very small.
A closer look: Ground spices lose their punch over time, so they’re for cooking with now rather than saving for a special occasion. Try a pinch of an unfamiliar one in something everyday, such as scrambled eggs or a simple tomato sauce, to get to know it before it goes into a curry.
- 24 herbs, spices and blends
- Small glass bottles
- Vegan, halal and kosher
A linen apron
An apron goes on most nights in a busy kitchen, and a linen one with pockets is a step up from the freebie they’ve had for years.
See options on AmazonDigital kitchen scales
Keen bakers weigh everything, down to the yeast, and a slim set slips into a new kitchen without taking up the worktop.
Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scales
Under £10
- Batteries in the box
A slim steel-topped pad that weighs up to 5kg in grams, ounces and pounds on a large LCD screen. The plain, wipe-clean top takes a mixing bowl, a plate or a measuring jug equally well, for anything from a sponge mix to a bag of potatoes.
What owners say: Owners say the readings are consistent and accurate and the display is easy to read, and they like how little room it takes up in the kitchen.
A closer look: Amounts as small as 2g register, which helps with yeast, spices and baking powder, where a little too much really shows. Weigh flour and sugar into a bowl rather than straight onto the steel, which keeps the top clean and lets the lot tip into the mixer in one go.
A pasta machine
Fresh pasta at home is a fun weekend project and a great thing to cook together.
Sailnovo 3-in-1 Pasta Machine
£30–£50
A hand-cranked machine that rolls pasta sheets from 0.3 to 3mm thick over nine settings, then cuts them into 2mm strands or 6.25mm ribbons. It clamps to the worktop and turns out lasagne sheets, spaghetti and fettuccine at home.
What owners say: Owners are very happy with how it’s made, though for some the handle falls out on its own.
A closer look: Begin each sheet on the widest setting, fold it and run it through a few times, then work down one notch at a time until it’s thin enough for ravioli or lasagne. A light dusting of flour stops the dough sticking. It isn’t dishwasher safe, so let stray dough dry, then brush it off or pick it out with a toothpick.
- 9 settings, 0.3–3mm thick
- Clamps to the worktop
- Cuts spaghetti and fettuccine
Heads up: Clamp it firmly to the worktop before you start rolling.
or compare other optionsA good bottle of olive oil
A treat they’ll taste the difference in, for dressings and finishing dishes rather than frying.
November Polyphenols Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
£27.90 RRP
An organic early-harvest extra virgin olive oil, cold-extracted from green olives picked in Greece, with a bold, grassy and peppery taste. Every 500ml bottle is lab-tested for its polyphenol content and labelled with its harvest date.
What owners say: Owners find it outstanding quality with a peppery taste and use it over salads and in dressings, and some notice a strong catch at the back of the throat.
A closer look: Try it first with nothing more than good bread, where the peppery catch at the back of the throat really comes through. Keep it in a cool cupboard rather than beside the hob, with the cap on tight, and use it within a few months of opening while the flavour is at its boldest.
- Organic, 500ml bottle
- Bold, grassy, peppery taste
- Harvest date on the label
The Flavour Thesaurus
A shelf of recipe books tells them what to make, but rarely helps when they want to cook without one.
The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit
£20 RRP
Niki Segnit’s book on what goes with what: 99 ingredients grouped into themes such as Meaty, Cheesy and Woodland, with pairings that run from pork and apple to watermelon and oyster. Nearly a thousand combinations to dip into for ideas, rather than recipes to follow step by step.
What owners say: Owners treat it as a go-to reference that sparks new and unexpected ideas in the kitchen, though some note it has no full recipes.
A closer look: Keep it on the kitchen shelf rather than the bookcase, as it earns its place when there’s a lone ingredient in the fridge and no plan for it. Look that flavour up, read what sits well alongside it, and dinner often follows.
- Pairings for 99 ingredients
- Ideas, not step-by-step recipes
- Nearly 1,000 flavour combinations
Buying for a keen cook
- Quietly check what they already own. Many keen cooks have a good knife but no thermometer.
- One quality tool beats a boxed set of mediocre ones.
- Avoid big single-use gadgets unless you know they want one; kitchen space is precious.
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