You know who they are - those people on your list who know their way around the kitchen like the back of their hand. They do all the heavy lifting and cooking during the holidays, gifting friends and family with delicious presents of food - treats you look forward to year after year. So why not remember them with the gifts they use that show you realize their passion for cooking?
According to market research firm Mintel, cookware is the perfect solution for one of the hardest age groups to buy for, those ages 18 to 24. More than half of those interviewed expressed a desire to develop their cooking skills, so young adults are a prime target for cookware brands. But really, no matter the age, from 4 to 40 and beyond, all cooks love a new gadget in the kitchen.
Kitchenwares for the cook in your life might possibly be the No. 1 present on your gift list this season. Whether it be Christmas or Hanukkah, here's a selection of new cooking tools that might make cooking easier - or simply keep your favorite cooks inspired so they can continue to treat you to their mouthwatering creations.
1. Analon's new SmartStack Cookware is the answer to the dilemma of a small kitchen, so if the cook on your list suffers from lack of space, SmartStack makes the perfect gift. Just as the name implies, the cookware is designed to stack together neatly in two stacks to avoid cabinet clutter. And, according to Mintel, four in 10 consumers express concern about having the space to store their cookware, so SmartStack is ideal for those on your list whose cabinet space is at a minimum.
A 10-piece set comes with heavy-gauge aluminum 2-quart and a 4-quart covered saucepans, an 8-quart covered stockpot, three skillets (8 1/2, 10 and 12 inches) and a stainless-steel steamer insert. And they all fit together in a neat package.
Find it at: Bed, Bath & Beyond ($399), and don't forget to use those popular 20% off coupons, which will save you almost $80.
2. Black & Decker combines the latest in slow-cooker technology with its 7-quart Sous Vide Slow Cooker. The machine combines three cooking methods: slow-cooker cooking; a temperature probe that lets cooks achieve ideal results on a variety of proteins; and sous vide, which uses one of today's most-popular cooking methods to produce restaurant-quality meals.
In a time when manufacturers are combining cooking tools, such as convection ovens with air fryers, the new Sous Vide Slow Cooker is perfect as a space saver, as well as offering three slow-cooking methods in one.
Find it at: blackanddeckerappliances.com ($69.99) or walmart.com ($59.96).
3. Don't forget the kids! Many young ones love to cook, and Kiddoz is a wonderful way to encourage their creativity in the kitchen. The Kiddoz kit comes with six character-themed measuring cups and a cookbook filled with 20 illustrated recipes. Kids don't even have to know how to read to follow the recipes, as they can follow the visuals. The system teaches children as young as 4 years old how to cook healthy meals for the whole family in a fun, educational and easy way, with little to no adult supervision needed.
The measuring cups and cookbook work together to create an experience similar to playing with Legos or Play-Doh, creating a more entertaining and positive cooking experience. In addition, Kiddoz comes with shopping lists to accompany every recipe, embedded videos and a connected app for more healthy recipes and fun in the kitchen for $34.99.
Buy it here.
4. Do you have a college student on your list or someone who lives in an apartment with thin walls? If so, they - and their roommates and neighbors - will appreciate the quietness of Black & Decker's new PowerCrush Digital Personal Quiet Blender. It's remarkable how little sound it creates when crushing ice or blending whatever needs blending, such as a morning smoothie or late-night milkshake. And it takes up much less room than a traditional blender, making it ideal for small spaces.
Find it at: bedbathandbeyond.com ($29.99).
5. Chefs and those on your list who appreciate the finest cookware will appreciate Hestan Culinary's new ProBond cookware. Handcrafted in Italy, each triple-bonded piece features a thick base to ensure even heat distribution; thinner side walls that give it a lighter weight; and thicker rims to protect the cookware from daily wear. In other words, it's a gift that will last a lifetime. And it looks good, too, with bodies of brushed stainless steel and rims of shiny stainless steel. There are six skillets, some with lids, others not. Covered 1 1/2-quart and 2-quart saucepans are also available.
Find it at: www.williams-sonoma.com (individual prices range from $140 to $250; a 10-piece set is $799).
6. Popping the cork on holiday champagne has never been easier thanks to Rabbit's new line of champagne openers in two price ranges. The first, at $10, is a hard, black plastic tool that makes an excellent stocking stuffer for the champagne lover on your list. There's nothing fancy about it, but it does the job. Place the opener over the cork, twist it around, and the cork pops out. Don't worry about injuries due to flying corks. The opener safely catches the cork and stores it. The same goes for the new champagne opener in pale gold. It's a beautiful opener that will catch the eye of all around as it catches the cork before it can go flying through the air. The pale gold opener, made of die-cast zinc, is $30. Either one will be appreciated - and much safer than opening a champagne bottle by hand alone.
Find it at: Williams-Sonoma.com and RabbitWine.com
7. Lodge Manufacturing reinvents cast iron with it's new Blacklock line. The new cast iron, just like its Lodge Logic line, is preseasoned, so it's ready to go as soon as its unwrapped and out of the box. But unlike the cast iron of yesteryear, Lodge has made its latest products 25 percent lighter than its other cast-iron pieces. New technology keeps the handles cooler longer as well.
There are seven pieces in the Blacklock line: 7-, 10 1/4-, 12- and 14 1/2-inch skillets with sloped walls for ease in maneuvering food with spatulas; a 12-inch grill pan; a two-burner griller and a handsome 5.5-quart Dutch oven.
Find it at: shop.lodgemfg.com or williams-sonoma.com ($30-$96 depending on piece).
Email Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.