Gallery: Gift Guide: 24 Excellent Yet Cheap Things for the Kitchen
Savino0101-Savino-Wine-Decanter-(manufacturer-photo)
Rather than shoving the cork back into the bottle and leaving the half-finished Cabernet on your kitchen counter, pour the rest into the [Savino](http://www.savinowine.com/) ($30). The gorgeous glass carafe has an oxygen-blocking float that keeps your vino fresh for a week—and disguises your two-buck chuck as something much fancier.
Cuisinart0210-Cuisinart-Smart-Stick-(manufacturer-photo)
A food processor is more convenient, sure, but it's also ten times the price. With [Cuisinart's Smart Stick](http://www.amazon.com/Conair-Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-Blender-Brushed/dp/B00ARQVM5O) immersion blender ($34), you can make your soup or smoothie right in the bowl or glass, then put the stick in, turn it on, and blend right then and there. No cleaning, no forgetting to put the top on and getting smoothie all over the ceiling.
David's Tea0311-Glass-Perfect-Mug-(manufacturer-photo)
You heard it here, well, not first, but you heard it here: tea is the new coffee. Which means it's time to get fussy about tea. [This classic transparent mug](https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/nordic-mug-32) ($35 for two) comes with an infuser, so all you do is drop in the loose leaves and watch it steep. No more Lipton bags for you.
Aeropress0412-Aeropresso-Kit-(manufacturer-photo)
Welcome to the least-fussy way to make fussy coffee. It looks like you're building a pipe bomb, sure, but once you're using [Aeropress](http://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK) ($28) you'll be making great coffee in five minutes flat. And once you taste what you make just by pressing and pulling, you'll never Keurig again.
Anova0504-Anova-Precision-Cooker-(manufacturer-photo)
Molecular gastronomy might be a little out of your culinary league, but a delectable sous vide dinner is a lot easier than you think. [Anova's cooker](http://store.anovaculinary.com/products/anova-precision-cooker) ($130) makes sure everything's exactly the right temperature, and the companion app walks you through every step of the best ribeye you've ever made.
Yeti0603-Yeti-Rambler-Lowball-(manufacturer-photo)
You want fancy glasses for fancy company, and then you want the one thing you just drink everything out of. The rugged vacuum-sealed design of [Yeti's Rambler](http://yeticoolers.com/rambler-lowball/) ($25) keeps hot drinks hot and cold ones cold, and keeps your hand from feeling either one. Pour ten ounces, and say ahhhhh.
Coir0723-Coconut-Vegetable-brush-(manufacturer-photo)
Peeling your veggies isn't the answer—you're losing nutrients and wasting time. Brush them instead, using [these wild-looking bristles](http://www.amazon.com/Coir-Fiber-Vegetable-Brush-Inch/dp/B000E8UW9M) to get all the dirt out of the nooks and crannies of your carrots and broccoli. Just don't eat the brush itself. It may look like one, but it's not a vegetable. $8.60.
Photograph: Wacaco0805-Wacaco-Minipresso-GR-(manufacturer-photo)
It's technically made for campers and road-trippers, but the $65 [Minipresso](http://www.amazon.com/Wacaco-Company-MPGR100-MiniPresso-Espresso/dp/B00VTA9F6U)'s also a killer morning-jolt machine. Just pour beans and water, pump, and bam: you've got a deliciously fresh shot of espresso. No giant chrome machine or tedious tamping required.
W. W. Norton & Company0906-The-Food-Lab-(manufacturer-photo)
J. Kenji López-Alt knows food. And this book from the managing culinary director of Serious Eats walks you through all the things you're doing wrong when you cook: the ingredients that make everything moister and fluffier, the quick tips to make the process easier. It'll make your food better, and make you want to teach everyone your culinary ways. [*The Food Lab: Better Cooking Through Home Science*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TG24C34/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1), $27.47.
Clarkson Potter1007-Lucky-Peach-Recipes-(manufacturer-photo)
Besides the fact that Lucky Peach is the most beautiful food magazine on Earth and everything they create is a treat just to look at, the Peach team's new cookbook, [101 Easy Asian Recipes](http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Peach-Presents-Asian-Recipes/dp/0804187797/) ($19.25), is a must-own. Get a rice cooker, a wok, and this book, and you'll never go out for crappy Chinese again.
Firebox.com1108-Machete-Spatula-(manufacturer-photo)
There's nothing more boring than a spatula, unless your spatula looks like something Rambo might have stowed away in a pocket somewhere. The [Machete](http://www.firebox.com/product/7134/Machete-Spatula) ($18) cuts, it flips, it has a bottle opener, it's a burglar deterrent, and it even comes with a bandanna in case you weren't cool enough already.
Private Preserve1209-Private-Preserve-(manufacturer-photo)
If you don't want to keep your wine in a separate bottle, at least keep it fresh in its own bottle. [Private Preserve](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AS4NCM)'s spray ($9.75) seems weird when you try it—point at the wine, spray this gas, it helps!—but every wine lover you know either already swears by it or needs to.
Hario1313-Hario-Slim-Grinder-(manufacturer-photo)
Good coffee is all about the beans. [Hario's grinder](http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY) ($24) is small and inexpensive, and makes sure you grind them evenly and properly every time. Plus, it takes some manual labor to do, and a little cranking and grinding makes every cup taste like you worked for it. You hard worker, you.
Hamilton Beach1414-Hamilton-Beach-Slow-Cooker-(manufacturer-photo)
A slow cooker has always been the best way to make sure you come home to a delicious-smelling house and delicious-tasting food. The reality is, you don't need the cream of the crop—you just need a slow cooker you can toss food into and trust it'll keep working all day. [Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker](http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33969A-Programmable-6-Quart/dp/B00EZI26GO), $61.95.
HIC1515-Fish-Spatula-(manufacturer-photo)
A heavy-duty spatula can be a problem: it'll scrape your pan, or rip everything apart as you try to pick it up. [This one](http://www.amazon.com/HIC-Brands-Cook-Silicone-Stainless/dp/B00D6PSQ0W/) ($9.22) has a slightly angled blade to get just underneath your food, and the silicone won't scratch or rub or make your food taste like your spatula.
butter bell crocks1616-Butter-Bell-(manufacturer-photo)
Your grandparents probably had a butter dish; you probably don't. [The Butter Bell](http://www.amazon.com/Butter-Bell-Bistro-Crock-Banding/dp/B000FBL3IC/) ($21.64) is the upside-down way to keep butter fresh and soft so you're not scraping off of a hard, refrigerated stick or dipping into the I Can't Believe I'm Eating This. Just a little bit of water at the bottom of the dish makes a seal around the lip of the bell so the butter doesn't spoil. Keep a crock on the table at room temperature, and remember to change it every once in a while.
Delta1717-Evo-Oil-Sprayer-(manufacturer-photo)
Filed under Dumb Things You Can't Live Without: [a $15 sprayer](http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Refillable-Non-Aerosol-18-Ounce-Capacity/dp/B00FMXG8XI/) that makes sure your salad is evenly dressed, your pan's not glopped with oil, and that you never turn your dinner into oil with a side of everything. Just pull the trigger, and let the magic of atomization do the work.
1818-Pizza-Tray-(manufacturer-photo)
Way too much cooking time is spent looking for the right dish to throw into the oven. Forget all that, and just dump stuff on a cheap [pizza tray](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EAXW8AI/). Better yet, buy a bunch and make sure you never need to warm stuff up in the microwave again. Cold pizza's the best pizza; pizza trays are the best for everything else. $5 and up.
Studio Neat1919-Neat-Ice-Kit-(manufacturer-photo)
There is no easier way to feel fancy than to drop one of those big, square cubes of perfectly clear ice into your glass. [The Neat Ice Kit](http://www.studioneat.com/products/neaticekit) ($60) turns making that ice into a process only slightly more complicated than filling your ice tray and walking it to the freezer. No home bar is complete without this kit.
Lodge2020-Lodge-Cast-Iron-Pan-(manufacturer-photo)
[Duh!](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JSUB/) ($31.86)
WineMeUp2121-WineMeUp-Silicone-wine-glasses-(manufacturer-photo)
There are two certainties in cooking: that drinking makes it more fun, and that you will soon break a wine glass while swinging a pot or pan over the counter. You need an unbreakable, silicone glass instead—these from [WineMeUp](http://www.amazon.com/WineMeUp-Silicone-Wine-Glasses-Set/dp/B00NDCAF84) look fancy, but can survive a run-in with your cast-iron pan. $15 for two.
Wusthof2222-Wusthof-Knife-(manufacturer-photo)
It's hard to explain what makes a knife feel right. It's the size; the sharpness; the evenness of the cut; the feel in your hand. Whatever it is, know this: when you get a [Wusthof knife](http://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Classic-8-Inch-Cooks-Knife/dp/B00009ZK08) ($109), you'll start using it for everything. You don't really need a shelf full of knives, you just need this one.
Amazon2302-Amazon-Echo-(manufacturer-photo)
Meet the [Echo](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X4WHP5E/) ($180), the world's best kitchen timer. And measurement converter. And music player. And recipe finder. Amazon's voice-based Alexa assistant is perfect for when your hands are dirty or full, and is way better than you are at remembering you're supposed to take the chicken out before it turns to rubber.
The Brooklyn Kitchen2424-Prime-Cuts-Apron-(manufacturer-photo)
Cooking well means cooking messy. An apron—any apron—is a must-have piece of kitchen equipment for keeping your nice clothes sauce-free. (And if you're cooking a special meal, ahem, *au naturale,* you might need it even more.) [Brooklyn Kitchen's apron](http://www.thebrooklynkitchen.com/shop/aprons-potholders/prime-cuts-apron) ($20) is part biology lesson, part fashion statement, part functional accessory.
