The 32 Best Cooking Gifts for Beginners

Give them a head start in the kitchen with our favorite tools, countertop appliances, and more.

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Cooking gifts we recommend on a red grid background

Serious Eats / Amelia Manley

A friend or a relative who’s just getting into cooking is an exciting opportunity—it’s a chance for you to share your love for all things kitchen-related.

Of course, you don’t want to overwhelm the aspiring chef with too much excitement (sous vide can take a backseat for now). This is why the below gift guide is full of beginner-friendly basics and a few appliances that can help take things to the next level.

  • Books—Not Just Cookbooks!

    Inspiration can be just as important as finding the right recipe. We’ve already collected our favorite tried and true introductory cookbook recommendations, but there’s also a wide world of food literature that can be enjoyed outside of the kitchen (not to suggest that you shouldn’t read cookbooks in bed).

    On Food and Cooking

    On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

    Amazon

    Harold McGee’s classic tome isn’t exactly a novel or a cookbook—this text is perfect for those who like to understand how things work. Diving into the science of cooking can help develop an appreciation of recipes and help cooks understand why things don’t turn out sometimes.

    Kitchen Confidential

    Kitchen Confidential

    Eater

    Anthony Bourdain’s memoir stands the test of time. Beginner cooks will enjoy learning about the language of professional kitchens and the joys of French butter.

    Blood Bones and Butter

    Blood Bones and Butter

    Amazon

    Chef Gabrielle Hamilton’s autobiographical tale spares no details. It’s full of revelations and culinary joy, but it doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of running a restaurant.

  • Super-Sharp Knives

    A chef is only as sharp as their knives. The internet is full of no-cook, no-bake, five-ingredient promises, but almost everything requires some chopping or slicing. A well-equipped kitchen should be stocked with multiple blades: namely, three to start.

    A well-made chef’s knife is an essential tool for any beginner cook, and it makes an excellent gift for anyone who might not splurge on an expensive tool themselves. Your loved one will reach for this balanced, study blade every time they need to carve a chicken or dice an onion.

    Using a chef's knife to dice an onion on a wooden cutting board

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Tojiro Bread Slicer

    Tojiro F-737 Bread Slicer

    Amazon

    A chef’s knife can do many things, but there’s no replacing a serrated blade when it’s time to slice a loaf of bread. The Tojiro bread slicer will help any new cook build out their knife collection and spare them from a life of scraggly, ripped-up sandwiches. It’s also great for slicing tomatoes.

  • A Nice Pan

    Who doesn’t love a nice pan? Gifting a one says I love you, I cherish you, I want you to thrive as a cook. The ideal number of pans really depends on the size of the kitchen, so keep your recipient’s needs in mind when picking a skillet (or two, or three). In our opinion, a cast iron skillet, stainless steel skillet, and nonstick fry pan are absolute must-haves.

    A cast iron skillet is dependable and durable. This is a gift that will last a lifetime and bless the recipient with perfectly roasted chicken, hash dinners, and even chewy bread. Just be sure they know how to care for it.

    Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet

    Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet

    Amazon

    A high-quality stainless steel skillet is an essential tool for sauteing and searing. It's much lighter than the cast-iron alternative and heats up more quickly. Our favorite model from Made-in heats evenly and feels great in the hand.

    Food tossed in skillet

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Tramontina 10-Inch Nonstick Skillet

    Tramontina 10-Inch Professional Aluminum Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan

    Amazon

    It’s always a smart move to have a standard nonstick pan on hand (but keep it cheap; they never last too long). Nonstick pans simply can’t be beaten when it comes to delicate tasks like making French omelets or stacking up pancakes.

  • A Scale

    Sometimes cooking is all about following your senses—this is why we taste and season as we go along. At other times, accuracy is key. A scale is your best friend in these moments. Giving a scale to a beginner cook will encourage them to build solid fundamentals. No matter where you are in your culinary journey, it’s never too early to start baking by weight. 

    Our favorite kitchen scale is accurate and practical. The display can be removed for easy cleaning and with a max weight of 11 pounds, it’s heavy-duty enough for even the most ambitious cooks.

  • Cutting Boards

    What good is a knife without a board to cut upon? Cutting boards can be beautiful and romantic or cheap and treacherous. This is what makes them excellent gifts. A novice cook might not treat themselves to a high-end wooden cutting board right away, but their chopping experiences will be much more pleasurable if you bestow them with one. Of course, they’ll also need a non-porous alternative for meats. 

    Ironwood Gourmet End-Grain Cutting Board

    Ironwood Gourmet End-Grain Acacia Wood Cutting Board

    Amazon

    This lovely wooden cutting board is made from durable end-grain Acacia. With proper care, it will last for years. It helps prolong the life of a good knife and looks beautiful resting on the countertop. 

    Plastic boards might not be as sexy as big, bold butcher blocks, but they’re a food-safety necessity. Why not give both? This set of non-porous cutting boards is designed with rubber edges so that it won’t slide around on the countertop, it’s perfect for slicing raw meat or seafood. 

    Slicing onions: one good way to test a cutting board's performance.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  • A Couple of Sheet Pans

    You can’t get far without a sheet pan—we turn to ours for everything from sheet pan dinners to freshly baked cookies. This is a great gift for cooks who are stocking their own kitchen for the first time. 

    Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet

    Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet

    Amazon

    Nordic ware sheet pans are simple and durable. They’re easy to handle, but sturdy enough to resist warping. If you’re roasting something juicy, the rolled edges will prevent any mess from dripping into your oven. 

    Chicago Metallic Professional Commercial II Jelly Roll Pan

    Chicago Metallic Professional Commercial II Jelly Roll Pan

    Courtesy of Amazon

    Our favorite nonstick sheet pan is to use easy to clean—even the most delicate lace cookies will slide off in one piece. Dark nonstick pans absorb heat at a different rate. This model is coated in a silver nonstick material so there’s no need to adjust baking times.

  • A Thermometer Collection

    The right thermometer can eliminate a lot of uncertainty. New cooks might not equip themselves with thermometers right away—this gift could save them from the disappointment of undercooked fried chicken or a dried-out roast. Why not run with it and give a whole suite of tools? 

    ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

    ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

    King Arthur Baking

    They’ll need an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat—but also fry oil, water temperature, baked goods, and more. You can’t beat the speed or accuracy of the Thermapen ONE.

    ThermoWorks ChefAlarm

    ThermoWorks ChefAlarm

    ThermoWorks

    This is a powerful, versatile thermometer with an intuitive display. The 47-inch long cable makes it easy to leave the probe in the oven and set the monitor on a countertop—there’s no need to peek into the oven to check on roasting status. 

    A chicken roasting inside an oven with a probe thermometer panel on the outside of the oven

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  • A Flipping Spatula

    There’s a good chance that even a brand-new cook already owns a spatula. However, they may not own the most useful spatula of them all: a fish spatula.  A good fish spatula is light and nimble. With the right tool in hand, your loved one will feel confident flipping everything from tender filets to massive flapjacks.

    This inexpensive, versatile model will feel like an extension of your own hand. The thin, angled edge can slide under any food with ease. 

    Sur La Table Silicone Edge Slotted Fish Spatula

    Sur La Table Silicone Edge Slotted Fish spatula

    Sur La Table

    This silicone-line fish spatula offers all the strength and versatility of our favorite tools with an added benefit—the soft edge is safe to use on nonstick pans. 

  • A Do-it-All Dutch Oven

    Our Dutch ovens seldom leave our stovetops during colder months. The large, heavy pots can be used for numerous kitchen projects, including soups, stews, roasts, braises, and baking bread. They can go from oven to stovetop, making it easy to sear a piece of protein on a burner and then finish it low and slow in the oven. 

    Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Round Dutch Oven

    Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 5.5-Quart Round Dutch Oven

    Amazon

    This is a beautiful pot from an iconic brand. It’s the kitchen equivalent of a Hermes bag: extremely expensive, recognizable, and never going out of style. Le Creuset pans come in a range of bright colors and include a lifetime warranty. 

    two hands with oven mitts on removing a Dutch oven from an oven

    Serious Eats / Will Dickey

    Milo by Kana Milo by Kana 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven

    Milo by Kana 5.5-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

     Amazon

    Milo makes high-quality, beautiful Dutch ovens with a sleek, minimalist design. This dish shares many of the same qualities of a Le Creuset pan, including durability, versatility, and enamel coating, and it’s available at a slightly less painful price point.

  • One Powerful Stand Mixer

    Does your chef-in-the-making also have an eye on baking? If so, a quality stand mixer is a must. Some baking tasks, such as whipping egg whites or creaming butter, take a lot of muscle power to accomplish by hand. A stand mixer not only makes these projects easier, it also delivers more consistent results. 

    KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7-Quart Stand Mixer

    KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

    Amazon

    A KitchenAid stand mixer is another often coveted top-of-the-line product. It combines power with a sleek, classic design. Kitchenaid also manufactures a wide variety of attachments, including a pasta maker and a meat grinder. When your loved one is ready to learn a new skill, chances are there will be an attachment that can help. 

    KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer

    The slightly smaller Artisan stand mixer from KitchenAid is our top pick for casual bakers. Its 5-quart capacity provides more than enough space for baking cookies or fluffing up fresh whipped cream. It’s compatible with all of the same attachments, so this machine can still be used for extruding noodles or shaving ice. 

    a red stand mixer on a marble surface

    Serious Eats / Irvin Lin

  • Tools for Measuring Success

    Every kitchen needs both liquid and dry measuring cups. Most recipes in the U.S. are written using volumetric measurements, and in order to follow the instructions you simply need a way to know how much you’re adding. 

    Norpro Stainless Steel 5 Piece Measuring Cup Set

    Norpor Stainless Steel 5 Piece Measuring Cup Set

    Amazon

    New cooks may already have a set of measuring cups, but it’s unlikely they indulged in a high-end set. Is it strictly necessary? No, but it’s about treating a friend to something decadent they may not splurge on themselves. 

    Anchor Hocking Glass Measuring Cup Set

    Anchor Hocking 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set

    Amazon

    A complete set of liquid measuring cups can improve both accuracy and efficiency. While cooking a multi-course meal, we often end up using every measuring device in our cupboards. Owning multiple eliminates the need to stop to wash during prep. Our favorite set from Anchor is the most accurate of every model we’ve tried. 

    Sur La Table Spice Measuring Spoons

    Sur La Table Spice Measuring Spoons

    Sur La Table

    Our favorite measuring spoons have a unique design feature—they’re rectangular. This streamlined shape makes it easier to dip each spoon into cylindrical spice jars. 

  • A Food Processor (or Mini Chopper!)

    A food processor is one step beyond the absolute bare necessities for a functioning kitchen, but it’s extremely nice to have. For new cooks, owning a food processor will grant access to a wider range of recipes, including doughs, dips, and emulsions. 

    This powerful machine has simple, beginner-friendly controls. It can slice potatoes, pulverize hard cheese, and pull together simple doughs with ease. 

    Testing food processor max volume capacity with water

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    This mini-chopper is a great choice for chefs with small kitchens. It may be little, but this model is still mighty. It simplifies tasks like chopping nuts and dicing large amounts of garlic.

  • Graters

    A rasp-style grater, often referred to as a Microplane, is our favorite way to zest lemons, grate parmesan, shave chocolate, and make garlic paste (just be sure you clean it between those tasks). Grating something over a dish to finish it off will make any novice cook feel like a pro chef. And then there’s the box grater: there’s nothing better to tackle a block of cheese or a pile of zucchini.

    Microplane Gourmet Series Fine Grater

    Microplane Gourmet Series Fine Grater

    Microplane

    Microplanes come in many shapes and sizes, from long and skinny to thick and chunky. We like this thin, wider model because of its no-slip base, and super sharp, flat blades. Place the end on a cutting board or table for a little extra support while grating, the rubber-coated bar will keep it from slipping around. Unlike punctured models, the flat blades of this grater won’t catch your fingertips even at the very end of a clove of garlic. 

    This super-sharp box grater makes it easy to shred piles of cheese for your favorite nachos or grate up tomatoes for a Spanish-style pan con tomate. It’s perfect for heavy-duty grating jobs that are slightly too big for a Microplane. 

    A box grater with a hunk of cheese beside it

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  • A Powerful Blender

    Beginners and pros alike will benefit from owning a powerful blender. They’re the best way to whip up frozen cocktails or smoothies. They can also come in handy for a variety of savory tasks, including making mayonnaise and pureeing soup. 

    Cuisinart Hurricane 2.25 Peak HP Blender

    Amazon Cuisinart Hurricane Blender, 2.25 Peak, Gun Metal

    Amazon

    Look for a model that’s intuitive and easy to use. We love a Vitamix, but we recognize that would be an extremely generous gift and it may be more power than a beginner needs. The Cuisinart Hurricane blender can accomplish difficult tasks like pulverizing kale stems and crushing ice. It also includes an LCD display screen, a few useful presets, and a sleek design.

    Immersion blenders are the easiest way to puree soups or blend chunky sauces right in the pot—they eliminate the need to transfer hot liquids into a standard blender base. Our favorite model is made of durable stainless steel and comes apart for easy cleaning. 

  • A Truly Comfortable Apron

    Fans of The Bear will love dressing up and feeling like a true chef. A comfortable apron will help aspiring cooks look and feel the part as well as saving their shirts from sauce splatters. 

    Hedley & Bennett Crossback Apron

    Hedley & Bennett Crossback Apron

    Hedley & Bennett

    The Hedley & Bennett Crossback Apron is a favorite of many professional kitchens, including The French Laundry. Its cross-back straps are super comfortable—wearers will never suffer from a strap digging into their deck. The design also includes pockets and a loop for hanging a kitchen towel

    Our favorite smock aprons are soft and comfortable. This version from Portland Apron Co is made from soft, eco-friendly materials. It comes in a variety of colors, including a cheery yellow patterned one, and it’s easy to throw in the washer. 

FAQs

What do you get someone who is just learning to cook?

Those new to the world of cooking will love receiving high-end basics, helpful appliances, or a cookbook or two for extra inspiration. Check out our list of essential cookbooks for more ideas. 

What do you buy a kid that likes to cook?

It’s never too early to get started in the kitchen. Our guide to cooking gifts for kids is full of safe and fun ideas. 

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