The Best Kitchen Gear & Gadgets to Gift for Christmas 2024
Christmas is coming! I love gift-giving, but rather than filling up my loved one’s stocking with random junk, I like to give gifts they can use, items that provide a memorable experience every time they use them. For folks who like to cook (or don’t but might want to), having good quality tools can really enhance their experience. As former chefs and foodies, we’ve sought out the best kitchen gear in the world to sell at our stores. From that gear, I’ve selected my top ten kitchen tools and gadgets to give as gifts for Christmas this year:
1. A high-quality Kitchen Knife
If you cook, a knife is likely the tool you use the most. Every kitchen needs a good knife or two, and the quality of blade can make or break the experience. Japanese knives are gorgeous, take a super sharp edge, and stay sharp for ages, making them ideal to gift.
I always pick one with good looks and low maintenance when gifting, and I typically go for a shape that the giftee will use every day. A basic Santoku or 210mm gyuto is an excellent choice, and I’m especially fond of those from Haruyuki, Tadafusa, and Tsunehisa. The Haruyuki Goma Santoku is my go-to gift for home cooks; it’s good-looking and super versatile. The Shiso Gyuto is a flashier option and excellent for anyone comfortable with a slightly larger knife.
2. Gear to protect your knife
Quality knives can last a lifetime but require proper care. Beyond washing and drying it properly, it’s vital to store the knife safely and keep it sharp in-between sharpenings. A simple blade guard is a surefire way to protect that edge during storage, but I’m a fan of a knife block or wall magnet for a more aesthetically-pleasing storage method.
Much like brushing your teeth between visits to the dentist, it’s essential to hone the edge of your knife between visits to sharpener. A ceramic honing rod ensures your edge stays sharp for about twice as long by reviving it from regular wear and tear. They’re also half-price when you buy a knife!
3. A lifetime-quality cutting board
A good quality will last a lifetime, and help your knife last longer too! My go-to is Larchwood: they’re sustainably produced in Canada and made with and end-grain construction, where you can see the rings of the wood. This construction prevents warping, and because you’re cutting with the fribres of the wood rather than against them, it helps your knife stay sharp longer and self-heals small nicks and cuts in the surface of the board!
I'm also a massive fan of boards by John Boos. Their are the favourites of chefs and foodies, and they've been produced in the USA for almost 150 years.
4. A Canadian-made apron
I don’t think I need to tell you why aprons are useful, but I will tell you why everyone needs a Medium Rare Apron. they’re handmade inCalgary, AB, using the best materials available. They’re super sturdy, stylish, and comfortable!
5. The Ultimate Kitchen Gadget: Chef’s Presses
Unlike the kitchen gadgets that only do one thing, these chefs presses are incredibly handy for a wide range of kitchen tasks. They help weigh down and flatten food on the grill or in a pan to create a more even sear, from bacon, to salmon, to brussel sprouts. They can be used to keep meat and vegetable submerged in brine or just to press your grilled cheese! I use two of them all the time, although four can be shingled across a fish fillet or flank steak.
6. Tongs, but better!
The King Tong is the ultimate cooking utensil. Seriously, since I got a pair, I haven’t touched my tongs. These guys are incredibly sturdy and useful for a ton of things. They’re both more precise and more gentle than tongs, so you can flip meat on the grill or move veggies around a pan with ease. You can whisk eggs, get pickles out of jars, move charcoal around a grill, and so much more!
7. The World’s Best Vegetable Peeler
Seriously; it doesn’t look like much, but this thing ROCKS! It blows every other peeler out of the water. The blade is high-carbon steel so it needs to be kept dry, but it is frighteningly sharp and keep an edge almost forever. Once you use it, you’ll ditch any other peeler you have. At $10, it’s a great stocking stuffer!
8. Microplane Grater: the best zester ever made
Any chef worth their salt one of these in the arsenal. In seconds, a microplane can transform hard parmesan into fluffy clouds of cheese, garlic into a smooth paste, or nutmeg into a fine powder.
9. Knifewear Food Scoop
This is another one of those gadgets that seem dumb but is indispensable once you start using it. It does exactly what it says on the package: it scoops food. Rather than bringing your cutting board to the stove to awkwardly shovel those chopped veggies into a pot, you can simply scoop them up and skip the mess! It’s also handy for filling bags and containers during meal prep or mise en place for a big dinner.
10. Gift Cards!
Yes, it’s cliche, but most cliches exist for a reason. As I said earlier, we’ve got a ton of super cool chef-curated gear, and some folks are just impossible to pick for. A gift card can be used for a knife, sharpening services, kitchen tools, cookbooks, classes, or anything else we have available!
I hope this makes your decision easy, but if you’re still unsure, our staff are experts at finding the right gift. You can chat with us online seven days a week, visit us in-store, or shoot us an email! If you need more help shopping, check out our gift guide.
