Who among us doesn't love a practical gift? Something that won't merely collect dust. Something that you can use over and over again, reminding you of the giver every time you pull it out. For certain people, that might mean a beautiful cashmere scarf or a handcrafted wallet. For those of us who love to cook, that practical — and beloved — gift is a new piece of kitchen equipment.
Last year, we stuck to the basics, with a gift guide full of essentials that appeal to home cooks of any and all levels. This go 'round, we're just as interested in utility, but we're mixing in some whimsy, too.
Don't get us wrong: These are the types of presents that will still get plenty of use and please food lovers who don't always splurge on themselves. It helps, however, to know your recipient a little better. Are they first in line at the newest artisan scoop shop? Get them an ice cream maker. Do they dream of Italy? Bam — pasta machine.
The Washington Post teamed up with America's Test Kitchen to compile this list of next-level gifts. You'll find America's Test Kitchen's top recommended products alongside each item, with a few best buys included as well. So read, shop and give — and then enjoy the fruits of your recipients' labor. We guarantee they'll be more than happy to share.
America's Test Kitchen uses a rigorous evaluation process. Its team puts tools and equipment to work, over and over, to see how well they perform, then takes them apart to figure out why they work — or don't. The team tries to damage them to assess durability, sends some for laboratory analysis and even interviews engineers, de
signers and scientists about them. The goal: to recommend well-made products that provide good, lasting value.
GRILL PAN
Grill pans can't do everything an outdoor charcoal- or gas-powered grill can, but they're much, much better than nothing. You may not get all that smoky flavor, but you will get intense heat and attractive grill marks. We've used ours for fish tacos, thinly sliced vegetables and, of course, panini.
The best grill pans have distinct ridges. We favor cast iron for its ability to withstand high temperatures and retain heat. It can also go from stovetop to oven when needed. Lighter, nonstick pans tend to not cook as well or last as long.
America's Test Kitchen Recommended:
Lodge Square Grill Pan ($27.95, lodgemfg.com) Perfect grilling at a low price made this a solid best buy. It has a smaller surface that fits just three burgers or two strip steaks and it shouldn't be cleaned with soap, but it scrubs clean with hot water and a stiff brush. (It will also become more nonstick with use.)
AIR FRYER
Here's one where you really want to know your gift recipient. Do they often bake frozen food? Are they into trendy gadgets? Do they have room in their kitchen? If the answers are yes, then an air fryer is a good idea. Just be sure everyone understands it is more like a convection oven than a deep fryer. Think very good oven-fried fare.
Plenty of air fryers will get the job done. Superior models have intuitive, simple-to-set controls. The machine should heat up quickly, too. Drawer-style air fryers take up less space in the kitchen and make it easy to remove the food.
America's Test Kitchen Recommended:
Philips TurboStar Airfryer ($199.99, usa.philips.com ) Testers loved this machine, which is slimmer, compact and shorter in stature and thus takes up less room on our counters. Its cooking basket is roomy enough for one pound of food and has a nonstick coating. We also like that the bottom of the basket can be removed for even deeper cleaning, if needed. Its digital controls and dial-operated menu make setting the time and temperature easy and intuitive. It stops cooking as soon as the set time is up, and its drawer-like design allows you to remove food without exposing your hands to the heating element.
America's Test Kitchen Best Buy:
GoWise USA 3.7-Quart 7-in-1 Air Fryer ($79.99, gowiseproducts.com) While this air fryer's digital controls aren't quite as intuitive as those of our favorite model, it's still easy to set the time and temperature once you get the hang of the multiple buttons. It cooks food quickly and crisply, and its display is bright, large and easy to read. Though it's a little bigger than our favorite model, it's still short enough to fit under cabinets, and its drawer-style design and automatic shutoff are a boon to safety. As with other models, it has a nonstick interior, which is easy to clean.
SOUS VIDE
Know someone who's into food technology? They'll probably be more than happy to start playing around with sous vide. Originally limited to high-end restaurants, this technique involves submerging food in a water bath at a specific temperature that is regulated by an immersion circulator. The result is even, hands-off cooking. People especially love it for meat and eggs, but they're finding ways to make everything from beans to desserts, too.
Obviously, accuracy is key. Immersion circulators should keep the water at the programmed temperature with very little variation. They should be easy to program, which can be done on the machine or through an app. The best models gently circulate the water so as not to jostle the food, and they won't take up much room in your pot or cabinet.
America's Test Kitchen Recommended:
Joule Sous Vide ($249.95, breville.com) This slim, lightweight machine heated water almost as fast as the biggest circulators and was the most accurate in our lineup. Though it doesn't have a display and requires a smartphone to work, its app was intuitive and simple, and its enclosed electronics meant we didn't have to worry about getting any part of the circulator wet. Testers loved its magnetic bottom, which allowed it to stand stably in the center of metal pots. (We wish its included clip was a bit wider for nonmetal vessels, but the company now sells a "Big Clamp" attachment for $24 that addresses that problem.) It also had the largest distance between water lines, so we could forgo refilling even during longer cooking projects, and it was small enough to store in a drawer when we were done.
WAFFLE MAKER
The frozen foods aisle is no place to get your waffles. Anyone with an appreciation for this versatile breakfast -- or dinner -- staple should own a waffle iron. It's one present that the recipient may actually be able to use the second they open it on a holiday morning. Belgian waffle makers produce impressively tall specimens perfect for catching all that delicious maple syrup.
Consider a model with two chambers for the batter so you can stop cooking and start eating sooner. The best irons let you flip or rotate the waffles for even cooking and alert you when they are ready. A nice feature: the ability to set the degree of doneness so you can satisfy everyone with their preferred texture and color.
America's Test Kitchen Recommended:
Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker ($99.95, cuisinart.com) Featuring a six-point dial for customizing waffle doneness, this waffle maker quickly and consistently turned out two perfect waffles at a time, each with a crisp, evenly browned exterior and custardy interior. With indicator lights on both sides of the waffle maker and a loud audible alert, it was easy to tell when each waffle was done. Weighing nearly 10 pounds and measuring more than 20 inches tall with the lid up, this model was by far the biggest and heaviest of those tested -- but that extra bulk ensured stability and durability. Two minor flaws: the lack of a removable drip tray and the shortness of the handle, on which hot condensation tended to accumulate.
America's Test Kitchen Best Buy:
Presto Flipside Belgian Waffle Maker ($52.99, gopresto.com) The Flipside made well-browned waffles that were almost 1 ½ inches high. On the downside, if we wanted to make adjustments, doneness could only be varied by increasing or decreasing the duration of the cooking time using a built-in timer that must be reset before every waffle. But the timer itself proved quite useful, giving you an audible alert not only when the waffle was done but also a minute before -- a smart feature that helps ensure that you'll never overcook your waffle. One small safety concern: As with several of the other machines, the Flipside tended to collect condensation in its handle, dripping hot water when flipped.
ICE CREAM MAKER
Talk about the gift that keeps on giving -- and giving joy. An ice cream machine is simple to use, and if you love ice cream, you'll be wowed by the texture and variety of what comes out of it.
For ease of use, cleaning and storage, we like models with a canister that requires freezing before use. (Buy an extra if you want to make back-to-back batches.) They're more compact and inexpensive than self-refrigerating machines with a compressor. Single-button operation and simple-to-assemble pieces are key. The dasher that churns the ice cream should make smooth contact with the sides of the canister to ensure even freezing.
America's Test Kitchen Recommended:
Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker ($59.95, cuisinart.com) Its desserts were "even-textured," "velvety," and "delightful." We also liked its lightweight, compact design and the simplicity of its one-button operation.
ELECTRIC WATER KETTLE
Boiling water is one of the most boring and impatience-inducing kitchen tasks. An electric kettle not only shaves minutes off the process but also makes for a neater pouring process than trying to decant from a pot or saucepan. This tool is an MVP for tea and coffee lovers, although we encourage you to think about using it anytime you need hot water, such as for rehydrating dried peppers and mushrooms or filling a pan for a water bath when you're making cheesecake.
How fast the kettle can boil water is a primary factor to consider. Wide glass kettles with clear markings aid in filling. And because burns are nothing to scoff at, well-designed spouts, comfortable handles and lids that open smoothly are important.
America's Test Kitchen Recommended:
Oxo On Clarity Cordless Glass Electric Kettle ($79.99, oxo.com) This large, sleek glass kettle was one of the quickest in our lineup. The power switch lights up in an icy blue when it's activated, the handle is wide and comfortable, and the kettle sits securely on its base. We also liked its slow-open lid, which prevents accidental burns from steam and splashing water. It has a removable filter in its spout which, while not strictly necessary, is a handy feature in areas where the water has sediment.
America's Test Kitchen Best Buy:
Capresso Silver H2O Electric Kettle ($59.99, capresso.com) This kettle impressed us throughout testing with its speed and deep, stable base. The power button is conveniently located on its handle. Our only quibble: Sometimes the light-up indicator was a bit dull in bright daylight. The kettle is much shorter and has a smaller capacity than our winner, which makes it a good option for people who prefer a smaller kettle.
FRENCH PRESS
Brewing a batch of French press coffee is just the sort of zen moment that many coffee drinkers relish every morning. Pulling the press out to make coffee for guests? Now that's an A-plus hospitality move.
This soothing experience should not be marred by a bad piece of equipment. Good French presses are easy to use -- the actual pressing should not feel like a workout -- and clean. They should let through some sediment, but not too much. For people who like to linger over their morning cuppa, consider an insulated model that will keep the coffee hot for a longer period of time.
America's Test Kitchen Recommended:
Bodum Columbia French Press Coffee Maker ($79.99, bodum.com) This thick, insulated pot was as simple to use as a traditional glass press, but it kept coffee hotter much longer. It's also sturdier, with a round, comfortable handle. It took top honors in our tasting, producing coffee that tasters called "rich," "rounded," "nutty," and "full-bodied."
America's Test Kitchen Best Buy:
Bodum Chambord French Press, 8 cup (39.99, bodum.com) Tasters praised the coffee from this classic pot: "good flavor, lots of sediment," with a "pleasant" taste and a "slightly richer," "not-too-thin texture." It's easy and straightforward to set up and clean. But the thin glass walls of this traditional press lost heat faster than insulated pots did. It does a great job if you're drinking the coffee right away, but it cools off quickly.
Food on 12/04/2019