The Best Luxury Kitchen Gifts for Cooks Who Have It All

There are many great presents you can buy for under $50 or under $20, but sometimes you really need are some luxury kitchen gifts. Maybe the recipient helped you get through a really challenging year and you want to really splash out on something special to show your appreciation. Or maybe the person you’re shopping for already has all the basic kitchen gear they need, so it’s time to get creative. In either case these high-end gifts are the answer: They’re all truly special presents for folks who love to cook, to host, and to eat and drink.

For the backyard entertainer

Some people are willing to drive miles out of their way to buy sodas with crunchy pellet ice; fancy cocktail bars pride themselves on having the stuff. But your loved one can make their own pellet ice at home with this ice maker, which came out on top of our countertop ice maker review. This model is easy to clean and quick to crank out the good stuff, 24 pounds at a time. We consider it the perfect toy for anyone who loves to gather friends for outdoor drinks.

If your favorite backyard host is curious about smoking ribs and pork shoulders but isn’t really the type to hover over an offset smoker, feeding wood in hour after hour, they’ll love this gravity-fed smoker from Masterbuilt. It made the best smoked wings of any of the smokers we tried in our product test.

Every dining setup could use a touch more ambient light in the evening, and this modern LED lantern provides a stylish way to get it. Available with brass, white, or deeper-toned trim, the light-up globe is dimmable—and rechargeable.

For the jam maker

The most important element in making jam is starting with great fruit—but there’s something extra-satisfying about stirring it together in a luxurious copper pan. Pastry chefs like Michelle Polzine of 20th Century Cafe and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions swear copper makes the “shiniest, sexiest jam you can imagine.” This option from Williams-Sonoma is useful and will also make a rustic statement in the kitchen.

For home cooks who only want the best

A Dutch oven is a must in any kitchen. And if you’re looking birthday or holiday gifts for the home chef in your life, then a Le Creuset is the best of the best and the epitome of a luxury kitchen item. Plus, this is the kind of cookware that’s going to last a while and look positively stunning on a stovetop.

For the stylish host

These colorful candles are a stunning addition to any tablescape—especially when perched in hand-turned wood candlesticks from Vermont’s Farmhouse Pottery. Further deck out the table with nesting tortoiseshell bowls for serving condiments and various veggies, or a rainbow of retro dessert cups from Tuscany.

For the cook with kids (or pets)

Maybe buying a vacuum cleaner as a gift doesn’t feel especially opulent, but the truth is, there’s nothing kinder than making cleaning easier, especially if your loved one has messy kids or dogs. A cordless Dyson means spotless floors without struggle.

For the smoothie makers

Vitamix blenders are the best out there (trust us, we would know). There are plenty of Vitamix models to choose from, and the 5200 is the most classic option.

For the coffee addict

Why settle for a regular old drip coffee maker when you could get someone an espresso machine? You can bring some of the local coffee shop into your loved one’s home with the Breville Bambino Plus, which was ranked as the best espresso maker for beginners in our head-to-head testing.

For the budding sushi chef

You can absolutely make perfect rice in a pan on the stove—but there’s nothing easier than popping your rice and water into this tip-top machine. It uses induction heating for precision temperature control that extends around the whole pot, not just the base. The Zojirushi is a pleasure to use—and it even has sensors to adjust temperatures and cooking times if you accidentally mis-measured. For the full setup, pair the rice cooker with an easy-to-clean rolling mat and this sharp chef’s knife, which is made from Japanese 8A steel and has dimples down the side to prevent slices of fish from sticking to the knife.

For the beachgoer and (car) camping pro

You’ve probably heard about Yeti coolers—and we love their smaller-size Roadie model—but for a super-maneuverable, large-capacity hard-side cooler, the way to go is the Pelican 45Q. Its latches are secure but easy to open; its grippable side handles are ideal for hoisting; and the extendable trolley handle makes it possible to roll even when filled to the brim.

For the master slicer and dicer

Repeat after us: Wood cutting blocks are better than plastic ones. They’re more forgiving to your knives and they just generally look chicer on a countertop. This deep walnut Boos block cutting board is large, in charge, and one of the best gifts you can get for your favorite home cook. (It also can double as an especially spacious cheese board.)

For the cook with ancient spices

Using fresh spices will revolutionize any cook’s food—and your gift recipient will be gobsmacked by the vivid aromas of this gift set of everyday spices from Diaspora Co. They’re packed in a beautiful brass case that will develop a warm patina over time. (Remind them to keep stocking it with fresh spices before that happens, though!)

For the wine aficionado

It’s likely that your favorite wine hobbyist has a personal preference for stemware—and it could be worth peeking in their cabinets to figure out which specific brand they love. Since wineglasses have a way of breaking every now and then, though, any dabbler in wine could probably use a few new stems. If you can’t figure out which glasses they prefer, you can’t go wrong with mouth-blown Zaltos, widely considered the cream of the crop.

This is a list of luxury kitchen gifts and we’re talking about what to get the wine lover in your life. Of course, we’re going to recommend getting a wine fridge—it’s the kind of aspirational item on any wine connoisseur's wish list. We ranked this option among seven of the best wine coolers because it’s relatively affordable as far as wine fridges go, and you can install it directly into cabinetry—perfect for someone living in a small New York City apartment.

For the frozen dessert lover

Ice cream makers with freezable bowls aren’t expensive, but they’re also not terribly convenient. Upgrade your favorite frozen dessert fan to a stand-alone compressor model that’s ready to go at a moment’s notice; this one was a favorite in our head-to-head product test.

For the food lover obsessed with pasta

Maybe you know a foodie that just won’t stop raving about the handmade artisan pasta they ate while vacationing in Italy this summer. Help them bring a little bit of Italy to their kitchen with this MARCATO pasta maker, which won the title of “best overall pasta maker” in our testing last year.

For that person who always wants pizza

The kitchen gadget world is always “air fryer this, Instant Pot that.” But if you’re going to go all out for your loved one, shouldn’t you really go for it and get something they might never get themselves? Enter the portable pizza oven. We reviewed this model from Ooni that vaguely resembles a UFO, and loved how easy it was to set up and how quickly it made a single pie. Drizzle the pizza dough with a little bit of Brightland olive oil (one of our fave high-end ingredient splurges) before popping it in the oven for the crispiest results.