45+ Cheap Kitchen Gifts Ideas For Any Cook!

Looking for the affordable and cheap kitchen gifts and ideas? Find the best kitchen gifts and gadgets for any cook, from the beginner, baker, expert, to entertainer. This holiday gift guide fits everyone’s budget and are proven quality for a well-stocked kitchen.

With Christmas approaching, gift lists are growing. Unique cheap kitchen gifts, tools, and gadgets are the perfect present because they can be used by all!

All of my favorite products listed are cheap and affordable, most from $10-$30. Mix and match items to make a cooking-themed gift basket, or find the perfect small token of appreciation for friends, family, and teachers.

Whether you’re learning to cook, looking for gift ideas for an avid cook, baker, or entertainer, I want to make your life easier this holiday season. No more guessing!

All of the items shared are my tried-and-true favorite cheap kitchen gifts and gadgets. They are my must-haves to make daily cooking and prep easier, and are highly recommended by someone who actually uses and loves all these tools!

cheap kitchen gifts For the baker

1. Cookie scoops – I have all three sizes of these and they have earned major respect. They distribute even-sized cookies cleanly and quickly. The largest scoop can be used for scooping ice cream, but I primarily use it to measure out perfectly portioned muffins.
2. Baking sheets – A lot of baking disasters can be avoided with good bakeware. Aluminum baking sheets conduct heat evenly for consistent browning and results.
3. Silicone baking mats – These line baking sheets to release baked goods easily, but also have a double feature for keeping countertops clean when rolling or shaping dough.
4. Offset spatula – An essential baking tool for spreading batter evenly in pans, plus ideal for frosting cakes and bars.
5. Cake tester – More reliable than a toothpick because it goes further down and the tip turns red when the cake is fully baked.
6. Silicone pie shield – An absolute must for any pie baker! Keeps crusts from becoming overcooked while the filling bakes to perfection.
7. Pie Weight Chain– Keeps single crusts flat while they bake, while allowing airflow for browning.
8. Silicone Dough Rolling Bag – Roll perfectly round crusts for pies or pizzas while keeping countertops clean.
9. Bench scraper – Great for scraping dough out of bowls, dividing, cutting, measuring, and lifting all in one tool!

affordable gifts For the entertainer

1. Tasting spoons – Great for dips, horderves or after-dinner coffee spoons.
2. French press – Impress guests with the perfect cup of coffee! I love this particular one because the insulated carafe keeps the coffee hot up to an hour.
3. Electric Kettle – Making a perfect cup of french press or tea relies on water temperature, which is where this water kettle helps tremendously. I also use it to quickly boil and sanitize my Instant Pot.
4. Zip Top silicone storage containers – These are my go-to storage containers because I no longer have to look for lids, plus they are freezer, dishwasher, and microwave safe.
5. Cheese storage wraps– If you love putting together charcuterie boards, these are ideal for not letting those expensive cheeses going to waste!
6. Milk frother – Become a home barista and make rich, frothy drinks like cappuccinos, fancy hot chocolate, or matcha tea.
7. Drink Buddies Cocktail / Wine Glass Markers – There are a lot of drink markers out there, but these are a conversation starter. So cute and funny!

cheap kitchen gift ideas For the beginner

1. Garlic press – Mince garlic in a flash, plus this model has a handy cleaner tool and is dishwasher safe.
2. Silicone spoons – These things are literally everywhere in my kitchen and I’m still acquiring more. Get them in all sizes for sautéing, mixing, melting small bowls of chocolate, and getting that last bit out of a jar.
3. Microplane zester – Zest fresh citrus into sauces, frosting, and baked goods. This zester can also handles grating parmesan, ginger, or nutmeg and has a great ergonomic design.
4. Ball whisk -The individual wires are much easier to clean on this type of whisk. I also find they aerate food better than a traditional whisk and hold up against wear and rust.
5. Small liquid measuring cups – Easier to use than standard teaspoons for measuring liquids, plus they are great for mixing cocktails!
6. Flexible spatula– I like the thin, flexible metal because it slides under food well and are good for scraping roasted potatoes from baking sheets.
7. Cast iron skillet – Every kitchen should have one! They are an affordable heavy-bottomed pan for sauteing, plus oven safe for baking. I use mine to bake gluten-free cornbread and sweet irish soda bread.
8. Washable Scrubbing Cloths – Gentle enough for non-stick pans, but tough on stains. The greatest feature, though, is they are machine-washable!

kitchen gifts For the avid cook

1. Thermoworks Dash – An insanely accurate and fast instant-read thermometer. Not only is this great for testing meat temps, but since it reads so fast I use it as a candy thermometer for homemade peanut brittle or making chocolate bark.
2. Food scale – Ideal for weighing flour, produce, chocolate, etc. I also use this to make sure cake batter is evenly distributed for even layer cakes.
3. Flour sack towels – Throw these over rising dough or use for lint-free polishing of glassware. These towels are also great for soaking up excess water on freshly washed veggies.
4. Mercer bread knife– This bread knife beats out any high-priced model and is a fraction of the price! It comes highly recommended from America’s Test Kitchen, who always has trustworthy recommendations.
5. Salt and pepper crocks– Measurable salt and pepper should always be handy for seasoning and baking, plus they are cute containers to decorate your counter with.
6. Egg cooker – I love how these affordable gadgets take the guesswork out of perfectly hard-boiled eggs.
7. Citrus juicer– This tool does the best job of reaming and extracting citrus juice and has a convenient storage container included.
8. Hands free bag holder – Keeps storage bags open while filling with sauces, soups, or leftovers, and are adjustable for different sized bags.

best cookbooks for giving

1. Skinnytaste – A great book for a health-conscious cook, but doesn’t want to spare taste or comfort.
2. Frugal Gluten-Free Cooking – This is a great cookbook for mixed-diet families. All the recipes are simple, affordable, and use recognizable ingredients that can be picked up at any supermarket.
3. Once Upon A Chef – For the cook who likes to entertain, but also needs a good collection of weeknight family recipes.
4. Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook – My most-used Instant Pot Cookbook because the recipes are fast, easy, and appeal to busy families.
5. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook – My go-to book for entertaining because the recipes consistently turn out amazing and aren’t overly complicated!

Kitchen gifts to splurge on

1. KitchenAid Stand Mixer – The ability to turn on the mixer and work on other things is priceless. Laborious tasks, such as whipping egg whites or heavy cream are done with a slide of a lever. The perfect bonus item to go with a KitchenAid is the paddle scraper attachment, which scrapes down the bowl as it mixes.
2. Bosch Universal Plus Mixer is the extreme workhorse in a baker’s world. Serious bakers will love the motor strength and bowl size because several batches can be made at once. I make six loaves of bread in one swoop with my Bosch, and it handles 5 pounds of flour at once!
3. The Thermopen MK4 thermometer shows up ALL THE TIME in Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen, so I knew it was legit. It reads a temp in 2 seconds so the Thermapen is phenomenal for making candy such as peanut brittle, fudge, toffee, or chocolate bark. If cooking / grilling is more your thing, spot on meat temps are practically instantaneous.
4. Stainless Steel Pots and Pans – A great set of cookware makes an immense difference in the kitchen. Heat conducts evenly, food sears beautifully, and this set goes from stove to oven. The Tri-Ply Stainless set is more affordable than flashier name brands, but still has a lifetime guarantee and performs just as well. I received these pots and pans as a wedding gift 15 years ago and I still love them!
5. Instant Pot – I know you can’t escape this thing, but there’s a reason for that. Pressure cooking makes food taste tender, delicious, and amazing in such a ridiculous short time. Plus, it truly makes the most amazing pressure cooker yogurt you’ll ever taste.
6. Vitamix – It took me awhile to splurge for one of these, but I’m so glad I did. They are extremely powerful and handle anything. I consistently use mine to make oat flour recipes and almond flour banana muffins.
7. Immersion blender – If you don’t want to spend as much for a professional blender, these are a great option. They require less clean up than standard blenders. I made all my baby food with one, and now use it for flourless pancakes, soups, pureeing sauces, and smoothies.
8. Craft Cocktail Shaker – Great for the home bartender! This shaker beats out all others because it doesn’t leak, the lid comes off easily, plus the insulated chamber keeps cocktails cold and ready to pour.
9. Food Vacuum Sealer – This kitchen tool makes freezer-storage a breeze. It removes air, which prevents ice crystals from forming, promotes longer storage, and keeps freezer burn away.

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