2023 Holiday Shopping Guide for Home Cooks

Whether you're looking for that perfect gift for your family, your best friend, or yourself (because we deserve to be treated too!) I’ve got you covered. Here are my top picks for kitchen gadgets, utensils, and cooking essentials! One-stop shopping you can check off your list!

From basic kitchen tools to that coveted splurge, there is something here for every budget and level of experience…from novice to expert cook. A hand-picked gift guide from a food blogger and recipe developer who spends ALL of her time in the kitchen! So put a big smile on someone’s face this holiday season and even better…get a dinner invite in return.

I hope you enjoy this Gift Guide as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you!
--Archana (Ministry of Curry)

Disclaimer: The links I have shared below are either from Amazon or the brand itself. Keep in mind during holiday deals you may be able to find a better price elsewhere.

Jump to:

• Smart Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)
• Air Fryer (Cosori)
• Blender (Blendtec)
• Spice Grinder (Secura)
• Immersion Blender (Mueller)
• Stand Mixer (Kitchenaid)
• Food Processor (Cuisinart)
• H101 EASY Clean Slow Juicer (Hurom)
• Knives (Henckels)
• Chopper (Mueller)
• Cutting Boards (Eli Home)
• Colander (Makerstep)
• Spatulas (Henckels)
• Non-Stick Pan (Hexclad)
• Stainless Steel Pan (Allclad)
• Cast Iron Braiser (Staub)
• Marble Salt Box (RSVP)
• Digital Thermometer (ThermoPro)
• Measuring Cups and spoons (OXO)
• Bakeware set (Circulon)
• Mitts (Silicone)

Smart Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)

With over 150+ Instant Pot recipes, you know that Instant Pot is my favorite kitchen appliance. This smart pressure cooker is a perfect gift for home cooks and a must-have small appliance in every kitchen. Although I recommend the 6-QT DUO model, please check my Instant Pot buying guide to see which model is best for your needs. If you enjoy Indian food, make sure to buy a copy of my The Essential Indian Pot Cookbook.

Air Fryer (Cosori)

After trying three different Air Fryers, I am thrilled to have found an Air Fryer I truly love and recommend. It's perfect for roasting veggies, making fun appetizers, kid-friendly dishes like Tandoori Chicken and Fish Sticks as well as making desserts. All air fryer recipes use minimal oil making it easy to make healthy and flavorful dishes and the cleanup is easy too.

Blender (Blendtec)

We use this high-quality blender every single day. Starting with breakfast smoothies and shakes to making delicious salsas, soups, dips, and idli-dosa batter. I also highly recommend the twister jar for Indian meal prepping such as making ginger and garlic paste, chili paste, and spice paste. The Blender also has an auto-clean program which makes cleaning the jar quick and easy.

Also available here with a 10% discount using code MOC10

Spice Grinder (Secura)

This compact and inexpensive spice grinder comes with 2 stainless steel jars. One for grinding coffee and the second one for spices. The jar size is perfect for grinding a small batch of spices and is great for making homemade spice mixes.

Immersion Blender (Mueller)

I love making soups in the Instant Pot and then using the immersion blender stick right in the Instant Pot insert. No need to transfer hot liquids and a perfect one-pot cooking experience. The soups will come out creamy and delicious. It also comes with a whisk and a chopper attachment. I use the whisk for making mango lassi, whipping cream, etc while the chopper comes in handy for chopping veggies.

Stand Mixer (Kitchenaid)

I love my 5-QT professional series Kitchen-aid stand mixer. If. you love to make homemade bread, roti, parathas, or if you love to bake this is a great appliance to have. A good stand mixer can be expensive but with all of the attachments, the possibilities are endless. A gift that home cooks or bakers will get excited about.

Food Processor (Cuisinart)

Food processors come in handy for the time-consuming food preps like grating dozens of carrots for your favorite Gajar ka halwa or grating a block of cheese. It is also good for making homemade nut butter and creamy dips. I have been using my Cuisinart food processor for 15 years and it is such a workhorse and well-made small appliance. A must-have for most kitchens.

H101 EASY Clean Slow Juicer (Hurom)

Looking for a perfect gift for that special person in your life? This juicer uses slow-squeeze technology that helps keep the natural taste and nutrition intact in the fruits and veggies. I love how easy it is to clean the juicer. This machine is worth the investment and you will get to enjoy healthy unprocessed juice right at your home.

Knives (Henckels)

Having a knife makes cutting and prepping veggies a breeze. Once you have a good knife you also want to make sure that they are sharpened frequently. That's when the self-sharpening knife block makes a difference. I love that every time you take out or put a clean knife back in it gets sharpened. This 7-piece set includes a 3" Paring Knife; 5" Serrated Utility Knife; 6" Utility Knife; 7" Santoku Knife; 8" Chef's Knife; Kitchen Shears along with the Self-Sharpening Knife Block.

If you are looking to test out these knives before buying the whole set I would highly recommend getting a chef's knife and a serrated knife.

Also available here from the brand's website.

Chopper (Mueller)

Love to entertain? Having your veggies and fruits uniformly chopped not only makes the food visually appealing but also can help speed up the overall prep time. I love this chopper when I am cutting onions to make Pav Bhaji or Quinoa salad. The blades are sharp and the handy container is perfect for prepping in advance and storing in your fridge for later.

Cutting Boards (Eli Home)

This 4-piece sustainable and luxury cutting board set is all you need for your kitchen's daily use. Perfect for slicing, cutting, and serving, the options are endless. Made in the USA from high-density pine leaf sustainable material, made by high temperature and high pressure, safe and healthy for your everyday meal preparation.

Colander (Makerstep)

A perfect little tool for small kitchens, this colander sits right on your sink as it drains out the water, so you do not need extra counter space to keep your washed produce. The handles collapse for easier storage or you can dual-purpose it to store fruits on your countertop. The large stainless steel basket is also dishwasher safe.

Spatulas (Henckels)

Tired of all mismatched spatulas? I literally have this one set that I have been using for years. They have long handles, never scratch your pots and pans, and are dishwasher-safe.

Also available here from the brand's website.

Non-Stick Pan (Hexclad)

Perfect for searing meats and sauteeing veggies, this scratch-resistant nonstick pan with the laser-etched hexagon design is beautiful to look at and fun to cook in. It is one of the few nonstick pans that is oven and dishwasher-safe, a perfect gift for all the home cooks.

Stainless Steel Pan (Allclad)

This well-made casserole is a must-have for cooking rice, lentils, curries, pasta, or soups. It has a thick 5-layer metal base for optimal heat control. The casserole works on an induction stovetop, and oven and is dishwasher safe. This one-pot truly can replace multiple pots and saucepans in your kitchen. One of my favorite gifts to give out for housewarming and holidays.

Cast Iron Braiser (Staub)

With a colorful enamel finish, these high-quality braisers are perfect for stove/oven to table. This braiser is perfect for one-pot meals and the glass lid is perfect for monitoring the food without having to lift the lid. With many gorgeous color options, it makes for a perfect gift that will last a long time.

Also available here from the brand's website.

Marble Salt Box (RSVP)

I received this saltbox years ago as a gift and now it's one of my favorite kitchen tools to give as a gift. The marble finish is beautiful and the 2 compartments are just perfect to store two types of salts. Mine always has kosher salt on one side and pink Himalayan salt on the other. A gift under $40 that will be used every single day for years.

Digital Thermometer (ThermoPro)

A must-have tool especially for novice and young cooks. This thermometer makes sure. your meat and seafood will always be cooked to perfection. Best gift under $15.

Measuring Cups and spoons (OXO)

We all have those missing measuring cups and spoons and a new set is always a welcome addition. I love this stainless steel, dishwasher-safe set that makes for an inexpensive yet functional gift for every home cook.

Bakeware set (Circulon)

This 10-piece bakeware set is all you need for that budding baker. These non-stick pans are easy to clean and every single piece in this set is useful. A great buy for $75!

Mitts (Silicone)

High-rated and durable, these longer mitts are perfect to keep your wrists and arms protected from heat while giving you a good grip. Easy to clean these are perfect for you, your family, and friends.

Let me know below which is your favorite! Make sure if you are the home cook in your house that you share this list with your significant other and your family instead of dropping hints all year!