NEXT-LEVEL KITCHEN GIFTS
For those who love to cook, try mixing utility with a little whimsy this holiday season
Who among us doesn’t love a practical gift? For those who love to cook, that gift is a new piece of kitchen equipment.
We’re just as interested in utility, but we’re mixing in some whimsy, too. It helps to know your recipient. Are they first in line at the newest artisan scoop shop? Get them an ice cream maker. Do they dream of Italy? Bam — pasta machine.
The Washington Post teamed up with America’s Test Kitchen to compile this list of next-level gifts. You’ll find ATK’S top recommended products alongside each item. So read, shop and give — and then enjoy the fruits of your recipients’ labour. We guarantee they’ll be more than happy to share. GRILL PAN
Grill pans can’t do everything an outdoor charcoal- or gas-powered grill can, but they’re much, much better than nothing. You may not get all that smoky flavour, but you will get intense heat and attractive grill marks. We’ve used ours for fish tacos, thinly sliced veggies and, of course, panini sandwiches.
The best grill pans have distinct ridges. We favour cast iron for its ability to withstand high temperatures and retain heat. It can also go from stove top to oven when needed. Lighter, non-stick pans tend to not cook as well or last as long.
Lodge Square Grill Pan
(about $39.92, amazon.ca)
Perfect grilling at a low price made this a solid best buy. It has a smaller surface that fits just three burgers or two strip steaks and it can’t be cleaned with soap, but it scrubs clean with hot water and a stiff brush. (It will also become more non-stick with use.) PASTA MAKER
Making pasta is more of a project than most of our everyday cooking. Still, when you have the time and interest, it’s hard to beat the bouncy, silky texture of freshfrom-scratch pasta. You can also use the machine any time you need a thin dough, such as for crackers, crispy flatbreads or perogies. Also: fondant for cake decorating.
We’ve focused on a handcranked model, since it doesn’t require additional equipment and can be more affordable than mixer attachments. You want one that clamps securely to the counter, is easy to operate (ideally with one hand) and gives a wide range of thicknesses.
Marcato Atlas 150 Wellness Pasta Machine
(about $94.99, amazon.ca)
The Ferrari of the pasta machine world, this model is a little more expensive than others on the market, but it sure is a pleasure to handle. It sported both the widest and the narrowest thickness settings in our lineup. We barely had to roll dough out to fit it through the machine, and we could effortlessly dial the machine down to produce gossamer-thin sheets. Its laser-sharp noodle attachment produced perfect fettuccine and angel hair every time. AIR FRYER
Here’s one where you really want to know your gift recipient. Do they often bake frozen food? Are they into trendy gadgets? Do they have room in their kitchen? If the answers are yes, then an air fryer may be a good idea. Just be sure everyone understands it is more like a convection oven than a deep fryer. Think very good oven-fried fare.
Philips Airfryer with Turbostar
(about $199.95, amazon.com)
Testers loved this machine, which has a slimmer, compact footprint and shorter stature and thus takes up less room on our counters. Its cooking basket is roomy enough for one pound of food and has a non-stick coating. We also like that the bottom of the basket can be removed for even deeper cleaning, if needed. Its digital controls and dial-operated menu make setting the time and temperature easy and intuitive. It stops cooking as soon as the set time is up, and its drawer-like design allows you to remove food without exposing your hands to the heating element. SOUS VIDE
Know someone who’s into food technology? They’ll probably be more than happy to start playing around with sous vide. Originally limited to high-end restaurants, this technique involves submerging food in a water bath at a specific temperature that is regulated by an immersion circulator. The result is even, hands-off cooking. People especially love it for meat and eggs, but they’re finding ways to make everything from beans to desserts, too.
Obviously, accuracy is key. Immersion circulators should keep the water at the programmed temperature with very little variation. They should be easy to program, which can be done on the machine or through an app.
Breville Joule Sous Vide
(about $223.75, amazon.ca)
This slim, lightweight machine heated water almost as fast as the biggest circulators and was the most accurate in our lineup. Though it doesn’t have a display and requires a smartphone to work, its app was intuitive and simple, and its enclosed electronics meant we didn’t have to worry about getting any part of the circulator wet.
Testers loved its magnetic bottom, which allowed it to stand stably in the centre of metal pots. (We wished its included clip was a bit wider for non-metal vessels, but the company now sells a “Big Clamp” attachment for about $25.) It also had the largest distance between water lines, so we could forgo refilling, and it was small enough to store in a drawer. BAKING STONE
There are myriad specialty gadgets to get you the best homemade pizza. One of the best, cheapest investments you can make is a baking stone. Cooking pizzas and breads directly on a stone gives an intense, even heat for crispy crusts. It made all the difference in our bagel recipe, too.
Leaving a stone in your oven can help maintain a steady temperature or provide an extra source of heat when you place roasting pans or baking sheets on top of it. A rectangular stone gives you more flexibility. Choose one that is oven-safe to a high temperature and is easy to lift and move.
Old Stone Oven Baking Stone
(about $54.53, amazon.ca)
Our longtime favourite stone just keeps on performing. In our tests, pizza and bread came out deeply golden brown and crisp, light and dark turkey meat cooked evenly, and the raised feet built into the underside of this stone make it easy to grab and manoeuvre. Tough and durable, it has held up well in the rough-and-tumble world of the test kitchen for nearly a decade. One minor quibble: A few testers complained that the feet sometimes sit a little unevenly on the oven rack. WAFFLE MAKER
The frozen foods aisle is no place to get your waffles. Anyone with an appreciation for this versatile breakfast — or dinner! — staple should own a waffle iron. It’s one present the recipient may actually be able to use the second they open it on a holiday morning. Belgian waffle makers produce impressively tall specimens perfect for catching all that delicious maple syrup.
Consider a model with two chambers for the batter so you can stop cooking and start eating sooner. The best irons let you flip or rotate the waffles for even cooking and alert you when they are ready.
Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker
(about $115.35, amazon.ca)
Featuring a six-point dial for customizing waffle doneness, this waffle maker quickly and consistently turned out two perfect waffles at a time, each with a crisp, evenly browned exterior and custardy interior. With indicator lights on both sides of the waffle maker and a loud alert, it was easy to tell when each waffle was done. Weighing nearly five kilograms and measuring more than 50 centimetres tall with the lid up, this model was by far the biggest and heaviest of those tested — but that extra bulk ensured stability and durability. Two minor flaws: the lack of a removable drip tray and the shortness of the handle, on which hot condensation tended to accumulate. ICE CREAM MAKER
Talk about the gift that keeps on giving — and giving joy. An ice cream machine is simple to use, and if you love ice cream, you’ll be wowed by the texture and variety of what comes out of it. For ease of use, cleaning and storage, we like models with a canister that requires pre-freezing. They’re more compact and affordable than self-refrigerating machines with a compressor. Single-button operation and simple-to-assemble pieces are key. The dasher that churns the ice cream should make smooth contact with the sides of the canister to ensure even freezing.
Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker
($59.95, cuisinart.com)
We still love this favourite, time and again. Its desserts were “even-textured,” “velvety” and “delightful.” We also liked its lightweight, compact design and one-button operation. STEAMER BASKET
Steaming is one of the best ways to get superior colour and texture — and nutrition — out of your vegetables. Enter the steamer basket, which is also a must-have if you like to pressure-cook produce in your multicooker (i.e. Instant Pot).
Buy a steamer basket that has plenty of surface area for holding food. Metal is sturdier than silicone for moving in and out of the pot, and a long handle can help with that, as well.
Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Steamer with Extendable Handle
($26.99, bedbathandbeyond.ca)
This steamer fits a good amount of food, and we love its telescoping handle: When the handle is extended to the full 10 cm, it’s easy to grip to move the steamer in and out of the pot. The handle can also collapse when the steamer is in the pot or for compact storage. Our only quibbles: The metal leaves are a bit finicky to clean and bent a little during testing, though the unit remained perfectly functional throughout. ELECTRIC TEA KETTLE
Boiling water is one of the most boring and impatience-inducing kitchen tasks. An electric kettle not only shaves minutes off the process, but also makes for a neater pouring process than trying to decant from a pot or saucepan. This tool is an MVP for tea and coffee lovers, although we encourage you to think about using it any time you need hot water, such as for rehydrating dried peppers and mushrooms or filling a pan for a water bath when you’re making cheesecake. How fast the kettle can boil water is a primary factor to consider. Wide glass kettles with clear markings aid in filling. And because burns are nothing to scoff at, well-designed spouts, comfortable handles and lids that open smoothly are important.
Oxo On Clarity Cordless Glass Electric Kettle
(about $125.89, amazon.ca)
This large, sleek glass kettle was one of the quickest in our lineup. The power switch lights up in an icy blue when it’s activated, the handle is wide and comfortable, and the kettle sits securely on its base. We also liked its slow-open lid, which prevents accidental burns from steam and splashing water. It has a removable filter in its spout which, while not strictly necessary, is a handy feature in areas where the water has sediment. FRENCH PRESS
Brewing a batch of French press coffee is just the sort of Zen moment that many coffee drinkers relish every morning. Pulling the press out to make coffee for guests? Now that’s an A-plus hospitality move. This soothing experience should not be marred by a bad piece of equipment. Good French presses are easy to use — the actual pressing should not feel like a workout — and clean. They should let through some sediment, but not too much. For people who like to linger over their morning cuppa, consider an insulated model that will keep the coffee hot for a longer period of time.
Bodum Chambord French Press, 8 cup
(various colours/prices, bodum.com)
Tasters praised the coffee from this classic pot: “good flavour, lots of sediment,” with a “pleasant” taste and a “slightly richer,” “nottoo-thin texture.” It’s straightforward to set up and clean. But the thin glass walls of this traditional press lost heat faster than insulated pots did. It does a great job if you’re drinking the coffee right away, but it cools off quickly.
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