Skip to Content

Top 10 Kitchen Appliance Gifts For Home Chefs

Every home chef or new cook needs the items on this Top 10 Kitchen Appliance Gifts For Home Chefs. Find the best gifts and recipes (so you know how to use those appliances).

For more gift ideas, check out all of our gift guides.

Man cooking on the stove with the words "Top 10 Kitchen Appliance Gifts For Home Chefs" digitally written on top.

I love kitchen appliances, which is a funny thing to love. But our blender is amazing and I don’t know what I would do without it. And our KitchenAid stand mixer is no joke. So honestly, I love the idea of picking kitchen appliance gifts for home chefs.

If your recipient doesn’t like cooking at home, this list isn’t right for them. But if you have a friend who scrolls Pinterest all day long looking for new recipes, this list is great.

These are specifically kitchen appliances used for cooking. They’re not just the best kitchen gift ideas because that’s too generic.

So you won’t see something like a Le Creuset Dutch Oven on this list. I’m obsessed with ours and use it weekly, at minimum, but I don’t consider it to be an appliance. A great gift, yes. But not an appliance.

Christmas tree with the words "Drugstore Divas' Holiday Gift Guide, tips, treats, gifts and more" digitally written on top.

This Top 10 Kitchen Appliance Gifts For Home Chefs list is just one of the gift guides we have on Drugstore Divas.

Be sure to check out Drugstore Divas’ Holiday Gift Guide for all of our shopping guides to help you find the perfect gift this holiday season.

Top 10 Kitchen Appliance Gifts For Home Chefs

Affiliate links are included in this post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.

A crescent roll on a waffle maker.

Belgian Waffle Maker

Waffles made a come back a few years ago when those mini waffle makers came out and took over our social media feeds. Oh sure, you could make tiny, adorable waffles, but a Belgian Waffle Maker makes so much more sense for your favorite home cook.

We absolutely love ours. We use it to make traditional waffles, tater tot waffles, stuffed waffles, and more. You can use it to make waffle sandwiches too. So it’s a lot more useful than those tiny ones.

Recipes using a Belgian Waffle Maker

Rice in a rice cooker next to rice in a bowl.

Rice Cooker

There’s no small appliance I use more than our Rice Cooker. I use it at least once a week.

You just put rice and water in it, push the button, and you get perfect rice every time. Then, you can spend that time cooking the rest of your dinner instead of babysitting rice on the stove.

The best rice cookers for casual use are the ones that come with a steamer basket so you can steam vegetables. That way, the rice cooker has a dual purpose.

Recipes using a Rice Cooker

Kale in an air fryer basket.

Air Fryer

A few Black Fridays ago, I didn’t get a cheap Air Fryer — and I really regretted it. So my brother and sister-in-law bought us one for Christmas, and it’s amazing.

I love that you’re able to make all your favorite fried foods without using a boatload of oil. They also really cut down on cooking times because things cook faster in the air fryer than an oven.

We have the basket one, which is good for things like snacks and is the easiest way to reheat pizza. There’s also the one that looks more like a convection oven, which allows you to make more dinner recipes than we can really do in our basket one. So, decide what you think your favorite chef will be making and purchase that one.

Recipes using a Air Fryer

Chicken on a George Forman Grill.

George Foreman Grill

The George Foreman Grill is one of those kitchen appliances that I didn’t appreciate until I really started to use it.

For a long time, we only had a charcoal grill and I wasn’t going to heat that up just to grill some chicken for grilled chicken salad. But I can do that so easily on our Foreman Grill. It’s super convenient.

There are a ton of sizes of the Foreman grill, so think about how much your foodie friend will be cooking and how much room they have in their kitchen cabinet to store things when you’re deciding the right size to buy.

Recipes using a Foreman Grill

Pasta in a slow cooker.

Slow Cooker

A Slow Cooker is a game changer when it comes to cooking. You can make all (or part) of your dinner in it. And it cooks while you’re at work, cleaning the house, doing anything but actually cooking.

Some of my favorite slow cooker recipes, like our slow cooker chicken teriyaki, are very hands off.

My favorite aspect of our slow cooker though, is that it has a locking lid. So you’re able to make this and then transport it, which is a great way to bring something hot to a pot luck.

Also, if you have a little more to spend, you can get a digital slow cooker. That will switch from high or low to warm after the time is done, basically assuring the meal doesn’t overcook.

Recipes using a Slow Cooker

Dough in a stand mixer.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

We got our KitchenAid Stand Mixer from my brothers and their wives one year for Christmas, and it was one of the best kitchen gifts we’ve ever received. We use it all. the. time.

I’m not even kidding. Yesterday, I used it to mix dough for peanut butter cookies.

We use it for cookies, banana bread, pizza dough, anything you can think of that needs mixing. Plus, you can buy attachments like a pasta maker and meat grinder, so you can really do so much with this.

KitchenAid mixers come in a ton of different colors and sizes, plus some have a glass bowl and some have a stainless steel bowl. So you need to know your gift recipient’s preferences in order to get this right.

Recipes using a Stand Mixer

Pesto in a blender.

Ninja Blender/Food Processor

My grandma bought us the Ninja Blender/Food Processor for my bridal shower, and it’s probably the item from our registry that we use the most.

We use it when we’re making soup and need to blend some of the ingredients rather than using immersion blenders for that task.

We also love to use it to make homemade pesto, smoothies, salsa, and more. The one we have comes with a blender, food processor, and single-serve cups that all fit on one base, so it’s like three appliances in once.

If you have a high price point for your gift (because this is a little pricy), go with this.

Recipes using a Blender/Food Processor

Outdoor pizza oven.

Ooni Outdoor Pizza Oven

We make pizza at home, in the oven, all the time. It’s easy enough, plus, pizza is Pete’s favorite meal.

But — BUT — we have friends who have an Ooni Outdoor Pizza Oven and let me tell you. Cooking in that is like getting a pizza from a pizza shop. There’s a good reason why the price tag is what it is.

The Ooni, in our opinion, is the best model. You can find others online, but there’s a reason why everyone associates an outdoor pizza oven with an Ooni.

Recipes using a Pizza Maker

Dough in a hand crank pasta maker.

Hand Crank Pasta Maker

My grandma got Pete a Hand Crank Pasta Maker one Christmas, and he was so happy. You can roll out sheets of pasta for homemade lasagna or cut pasta for spaghetti.

You have a bit more control over the pasta with a hand crank machine rather than the KitchenAid attachment, so your recipient might like this concept better.

And the pasta comes out great. Honestly, I’m not a fan of fresh pasta. If I see it in a restaurant, I order something else. It’s not for me. But pasta made from home using this machine is *chef’s kiss*

Recipes using a Pasta Maker

Quesadilla on a quesadilla maker.

Quesadilla Maker

If I’m making quesadillas, I make them on the stove.

If my mom is making them, she uses a Quesadilla Maker.

Her way is so much easier because she can drop the quesadilla in, leave it alone for a couple minutes, and it’s done. My way involves paying attention to the oven and carefully flipping the quesadilla without the filling falling out. Her way is so much easier.

So, help the aspiring home chefs in your life and get them this to make their quesadilla making so much easier.

Recipes using a Quesadilla Maker

Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker with Air Fryer Lid.

Purchase Kitchen Appliances Gifts Online

These are what we consider to be the best home appliance gifts, but of course, they’re not the only ones. We don’t have an Instant Pot on here, for example.

Be sure to check out the stores below, which sell kitchen appliance gifts online.

Be mindful of minimum cart totals for free shipping. Also, consider in store or curbside pickup for free shipping options.

FinaMill spice grinder.

More Kitchen Gift Ideas:

In case you didn’t want to give an actual appliance for a gift, but you’re shopping for a family member who loves to cook, we wanted to give you a quick hit of some ideas:

Cast Iron Skillet

The best way we know to cook a steak is a cast iron skillet on a grill. You don’t get the same sizzle and flavor from a nonstick pan on a stovetop.

Chef’s Knife

We have two really nice knife sets, and thank goodness because we wouldn’t be able to cook without them.

Cutting Board For Charcuterie

Nice, wooden boards that are specifically for charcuterie are definitely on your recipient’s gift list right now. Trust me. The one we have doubles as a cheese board, with cheese spreaders in a pocket door in the side, so it’s super useful.

FinaMill Battery-Operated Spice Grinder

We got the FinaMill grinder a few years ago for review and have been obsessed with it ever since. We tossed our salt and pepper grinder and exclusively use this for those (plus garlic, onion, and more).

Pizza Stone

If you’re not getting your home chef an outdoor pizza oven, a pizza stone for the oven is a good idea. We use ours for all of our store-bought and homemade pizza.

Pressure Cooker

We only use our pressure cooker to make popcorn and stuffed artichokes. But, at its core, it’s a large pot, and another one of those is always useful.

A sloth tea infuser box.

More Kitchen Gifts:

If you’re looking for great stocking stuffers rather than large gifts, we have a few lists for you to check out: Cute Kitchen Timers (something a home chef always needs), Fun Ice Cube Molds (these are perfect for the mixologist on your list), Funny Coffee Mugs To Give As Gifts (because cooking breakfast requires a cup of coffee in a funny mug), and Cute Animal Tea Infusers To Gift (in case your recipient likes tea instead).

Which of these Top 10 Kitchen Appliance Gifts For Home Chefs is your next gift?

Rosey

Thursday 5th of December 2019

I want an air fryer. My mom would really like the KitchenAid Mixer.

Scott Gombar

Wednesday 4th of December 2019

My wife has most of these but the pizza maker and pasta maker sound like fun for the whole family. Thanks for sharing.

Dani Flanders

Wednesday 4th of December 2019

We LOVE our rice cooker. It's seriously our most used kitchen appliance!

fashionandstylepolice

Wednesday 4th of December 2019

I need some of these appliances for my kitchen. They will make my cooking a lot easier.

Cindy Nico

Wednesday 4th of December 2019

Perfect gift ideas to give for the Holiday. I like quite a few for myself too!!