Checklist · 10 picks · 3 categories
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Foodies usually have the basics, so the best gifts a new kind of cooking. A pizza steel turns a home oven into a pizza oven, a Belgian waffle maker makes brunch an event, and a good thermometer means perfectly cooked meat every time. The small treats, like a great pizza cutter or a stovetop popcorn popper, make easy add-ons. The splurges, an Ooni pizza oven or a Weber kettle, are for the friend who's already all in. Almost every pick won a named spot in Serious Eats reviews, and each is already on another list of mine with its source.
Who this is not for. Skip this if they're a professional cook; the home cooks list has more everyday kitchen tools.
means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer Culinary Millennia Pizza Cutter | mid | $15-25 | a tiny upgrade they'll use every pizza night | 1 outlet |
| Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper Kit | mid | $25-50 | movie-theater popcorn at home | 1 outlet |
| ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 | budget | $25-50 | perfectly cooked meat, every time | 3 outlets agree |
| Dash Mini Waffle Maker | budget | $15-25 | dorm-size waffles | 3 outlets agree |
| APEX S.K. Matcha Bamboo Whisk and Ceramic Bowl Set | mid | $25-50 | the matcha fan | 1 outlet |
Best pizza cuttermid pick · Wheel
Best for a tiny upgrade they'll use every pizza night
Serious Eats' best pizza wheel: a super-sharp carbon steel blade that cut thin and thick crusts cleanly. The tester found nothing to dislike.
Heads up. Serious Eats found nothing to dislike
1 outlet. Serious Eats best pizza wheel.
$15-25
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mid pick · Stovetop
Best for movie-theater popcorn at home
Serious Eats' best stovetop popcorn maker: the aluminum base heats fast and vents keep popcorn crispy.
Heads up. Emptying it is a little messy
1 outlet. Serious Eats best stovetop popcorn maker.
$25-50
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budget pick · Compact
Best for perfectly cooked meat, every time
Fast, accurate readings so the turkey is safe without being dry. Pop-up turkey timers aren't reliable.
Heads up. Not a leave-in probe
3 outlets agree. America's Test Kitchen best inexpensive thermometer. Reviewed thermometer pick. Good Housekeeping top-performing thermometer.
$25-50
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budget pick · Mini
Best for dorm-size waffles
Serious Eats' best mini waffle maker: small, light, quick to heat and cheap, perfect for a dorm or tiny kitchen.
Heads up. Low power, so waffles aren't as crisp or browned
3 outlets agree. Serious Eats best mini waffle maker. Tom's Guide white elephant pick. TechRadar white elephant pick.
$15-25
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mid pick · Set
Best for the matcha fan
A Serious Eats writer's pick for starting matcha: a bamboo whisk, scoop, whisk holder and a bowl to whisk in, for smooth, clump-free matcha.
Heads up. The bamboo whisk isn't dishwasher-safe
1 outlet. Serious Eats matcha whisk and bowl pick.
$25-50
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baking Steel The Original Baking Steel | mid | $100+ | pizzeria-style pizza from a home oven | 1 outlet |
| Cuisinart WAF-F4 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker | mid | $50-100 | weekend brunch hosts | 1 outlet |
| ThermoWorks BlueDOT Alarm Thermometer | mid | $50-100 | smoking and slow roasts | 1 outlet |
Best pizza steelmid pick · Original
Best for pizzeria-style pizza from a home oven
Serious Eats' best pizza steel: it stood out on the finer points after five days of slinging pies, with crisp, airy, spotted crusts.
Heads up. Didn't get as hot as some other steels
1 outlet. Serious Eats best pizza steel.
$100+
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mid pick · 2 waffles
Best for weekend brunch hosts
Serious Eats' best Belgian waffle maker, recommended since 2018: divinely fluffy waffles, two at a time.
Heads up. Plates aren't removable, and it's bulky to store
1 outlet. Serious Eats best belgian waffle maker.
$50-100
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mid pick · 1 probe
Best for smoking and slow roasts
Serious Eats' best Bluetooth meat thermometer: so simple everyone in the tester's family used it, with a huge temperature range.
Heads up. Only one probe
1 outlet. Serious Eats best bluetooth meat thermometer.
$50-100
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Best pizza ovensplurge pick · 18-inch opening
Best for the pizza obsessive
Serious Eats' best outdoor pizza oven: an 18-inch opening, fast heat, and pies done in under two minutes.
Heads up. Pricey, and the strong flames mean beginners must turn pies often
1 outlet. Serious Eats best outdoor pizza oven.
$100+
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budget pick · 22 in
Best for a first real grill
Serious Eats' best charcoal grill and best budget pick: equally good at grilling and smoking, with a highly adjustable damper.
Heads up. The ash catcher was hard to clean, and the build could be sturdier
1 outlet. Serious Eats best charcoal grill (and best budget).
$100+
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Something that unlocks a new kind of cooking, like a pizza steel, a waffle maker or a wireless meat thermometer, rather than another basic tool.
A great pizza cutter, a ThermoPop instant-read thermometer, a Whirley Pop popcorn popper or a matcha set. All are reviewed picks that cost little.
It is less useful if they're a professional cook; the home cooks list has more everyday kitchen tools.
No. I have not reviewed them. I read published reviews and name the outlet on the pick.
Budget is the cheaper one that still does the job. Mid is what most people should buy. Splurge is only if you will use it often.