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best first menorah: Yair Emanuel Hammered Aluminum Hanukkah Menorah, for a first menorah, a dorm, or a second one for the table. best one to keep out all year: West Elm Cast Glass Menorah, for someone who wants one nice menorah out on a shelf all year. gelt worth eating: See's Candies Chocolate Gelt, for kids, and anyone who grew up on the classic.
I'm not an expert on Hanukkah, so I read what Chabad says about gifts. Giving gifts is not a religious obligation. Chabad says the mitzvah is lighting the menorah, and that giving gelt, small amounts of money, is the long-standing custom. The chocolate coins came later, from American candy makers. Families do it differently. Some give gelt, some give a small gift each night, and some give to charity instead.
So this list leans small. A menorah that will be used for years, good gelt, a pan for the latkes, and a book for the kids. I have not tested any of these. I read what others wrote about them, and each pick shows who said it and when.
If you are not sure what a friend wants, ask. It is a kind question and nobody minds.
Zach
Who this is not for. Skip this if you want a single product and already know which one.
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01 Menorah
the first pick is the one I would start with
Best menorah
budget pick
Yair Emanuel Hammered Aluminum Hanukkah Menorah
Best for A first menorah, a dorm, or a second one for the table
Strategist, Menorahs: simple, no-nonsense menorah with a hammered aluminum finish, listed under $50.
A simple, no-nonsense menorah with a hammered-aluminum finish. Strategist puts it in its under-$50 group.
Heads up. The Amazon listing I found is the 7.5 inch nine-branch model (HHB-1). Strategist does not give a model number, so confirm the size you want.
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mid pick
West Elm Cast Glass Menorah
Solid glass, so it feels substantial, and it looks like the candles sit in a block of clear ice. Strategist lists it under $100. Smaller than it looks in photos, under nine inches wide. Sold by West Elm, not Amazon, so no affiliate link.
Strategist, Menorahs: less than nine inches wide, made of solid glass so it is heavy; under $100.
The most traditional-looking menorah in Strategist's roundup. The writer saw it in person and agreed with Williams Sonoma's own 'heirloom quality' line. Only the retailer's word and one writer's opinion for 'heirloom'. Not on Amazon as far as I checked, so no affiliate link.
Strategist, Menorahs: probably the most traditional-looking on the list, branched shape inspired by the Tree of Life; listed under $200.
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03 No-flame option
Best no-flame option
mid pick
Rite Lite ColorWave Electric Menorah
Best for An office, a dorm that bans flame, or a window display
Strategist, Menorahs: lists the Rite Lite Electric Colorwave Menorah in its electric picks, under $100.
An electric menorah with color-changing modes. Strategist lists the Rite Lite Electric Colorwave under $100.
Heads up. Many families light real flames for the nightly lighting and use electric ones for display or where flame is not allowed. I'm not an expert, so ask if it matters.
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04 Gelt
Best gelt
budget pick
Divine Chocolate 70% Dark Chocolate Gelt
Best for The grown-ups' table
Jewish Boston, gelt taste test: 2017 test of 14 gelts: rated favorably for presentation and ethical credentials; tasters found a distinctive, somewhat bitter cocoa-butter finish. Food Republic, gourmet gelt: 2015: milk and dark kosher coins; profits support Fair Trade Judaica and T'ruah.
Fair trade and kosher-certified by the maker's description. In Jewish Boston's 2017 taste test of 14 gelts, tasters liked the presentation and the ethics but found a distinctive, somewhat bitter finish.
Heads up. Dark and bitter, so not every kid will love it. Check the kosher mark on the exact package you buy.
under $25
Link coming soon
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mid pick
See's Candies Chocolate Gelt
Jewish Rhode Island's 2024 gelt taste test named it the clear winner, praising the nostalgic classic flavor and the two coin sizes. The test was a small focus group. See's is a bigger purchase than a drugstore bag, so buy one box, not five.
Jewish Rhode Island, gelt taste test: 2024 taste test: clear winner, nostalgic classic flavor, two coin sizes.
A Parisian chocolatier's gold-marked coins. Food Republic named them as the pricey, melt-in-the-mouth end of the gelt world. The source is a 2015 article, so check the current box, size and certification. This is a treat, not a dreidel stake.
Food Republic, gourmet gelt: 2015: high-end chocolate wafers with gold on the front; the most expensive pick in the roundup.
Kosher.com, grater test: overall winner of Kosher.com's Dec 2024 grater test: fine grate, little mess, easy cleanup and storage, but more effort than the others. Serious Eats, latke equipment notes: a food processor grating disc gives crisper latkes than a hand grater.
Kosher.com's December 2024 grater test named it the overall winner for latkes: fine grate, little mess, simple cleanup and easy storage. Confirm the exact model, since the maker sells more than one.
Heads up. It takes more elbow than the others, and Serious Eats says hand-grated potato makes denser latkes than a food processor disc.
under $25
Link coming soon
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mid pick
Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Cast iron holds heat, which Serious Eats and Field Company both say gives latkes an even, deep crust. Heavy, and it needs drying and a little oil after washing. The Consumer Reports writer saw little difference between cast iron and stainless, so it is not the only way.
Serious Eats, latke equipment notes: fried latkes side by side: cast iron gave a deeper, more burnished crust than stainless steel. Consumer Reports, tools for latkes: writer tried cast iron, stainless and nonstick: little difference between cast iron and stainless, nonstick harder to control.
A lighter, smoother cast iron pan from the company whose latke recipe says cast iron is the one trick that matters. The only source is the maker's own blog, so treat it as a premium option, not a reviewed winner. Not sold on Amazon as far as I checked.
Field Company (maker), cast iron latkes: the maker's own recipe: nothing retains heat better than cast iron for crisp latkes.
Strategist, Menorahs: big, sturdy, felt flames; writer's 4-year-old played with it all evening.
A big, sturdy toy menorah with felt flames. Strategist's writer said his 4-year-old played with it all evening.
Heads up. It is a toy, not a ritual object. Sold by Pottery Barn Kids, so no affiliate link.
$25-50
Link coming soon
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07 Build it
Best build it
mid pick
Build-a-Brick Menorah Kit
Best for Brick builders of any age
Strategist, Menorahs: 252 bricks, builds a menorah almost a foot tall; not official LEGO.
252 bricks that build a menorah nearly a foot tall. Strategist notes it is not official LEGO.
Heads up. Not an official LEGO product, and I could not confirm where it is sold.
$25-50
Link coming soon
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08 Books
Best books
budget pick
Hanukkah Hippity-Hop
Best for Toddlers
Lerner Publishing Group, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop: 12-page interactive board book, ages 1-4, published Oct 2024. Sydney Taylor Shmooze, review of Hanukkah Hippity-Hop: reviewed: bright illustrations, catchy rhyme, active read-aloud for toddlers.
An energetic board book for ages 1 to 4 that gets kids moving.
Heads up. A board book, so it is small and cheap. There is no splurge version of a book, and that is fine.
under $25
Link coming soon
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mid pick
A Snowy Hanukkah for Luz
A picture book for ages 4 to 8 that mixes Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions and follows Luz and her grandparents getting ready for latkes. I can only vouch for the Jewish Book Council's description, not for reviews from kids. The listing gives a 2026 date.
Jewish Book Council: contemporary, intergenerational picture book, ages 4-8, Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions.
dots show how many outlets agree. the words name them.
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Questions people ask
When is Hanukkah in 2026?
It starts at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. The first candle is lit on the evening of December 4. In 2027 it starts on December 24 (Hebcal).
Do I have to give a gift?
No. Chabad says giving gifts is not a mitzvah and that gelt for children is the old custom. Some families add small gifts, and some give to charity instead. I'm not an expert, so if it matters, ask the family.
Is Hanukkah the Jewish Christmas?
Not really. It is a minor holiday in Jewish law. In the US it picked up gift-giving in the last century, which is why the modern custom looks like Christmas. Treat it as its own thing.
Is an electric menorah okay?
It depends on the family. Many light flame for the nightly lighting and use electric ones for display or where open flame is not allowed. I'm not an expert, so ask if you are buying one for someone's home.
What about gelt that is dairy free or kosher?
Check the kosher mark on the package. In Jewish Rhode Island's test, one popular online brand was not certified kosher, and a dairy-free option scored lower on taste but exists. Read the label, not just the box.