The 53 Best Gifts Under $20 for the Cooks and Food Lovers in Your Life

Upgraded tool kit
Fish spatula
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Fish Turner
Ginger-grating tool
Microplane Ginger Tool
Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler
Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler
NobleEgg Egg Timer Pro
NobleEgg Egg Timer Pro
Mini food chopper
Ninja Express Chop
Beeswax wrap
Bee’s Wrap
Food Huggers
Food Huggers, Set of 5
Food Huggers, Set of 5
Mini waffle maker
Dash Mini Waffle Maker
Splatter screen
Splatter Screen
An iPhone stand for cooking
Adjustable Cell Phone Stand
Water bottle
Tal Double Walled Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Sleek servingware and entertaining tools
A modern pitcher
Beaker Glass Pitcher, Large
Bodega glasses
Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Extra Small Tumblers – Set of 6
A fancy butter spreader
Japanese Butter Spreader
An olive oil cruet
Ceramic Dispenser Bottle
Stainless-steel place cards
Stainless-Steel Place Cards, Set of 2
Champagne bottle stopper
Winco – Champagne Bottle Stopper, (Set of 2)
Oxo Stainless Steel Wine Stopper/Pourer
OXO Stainless Steel Wine Stopper/Pourer
Rechargeable lighter
MEIRUBY Rechargeable Electric USB Lighter Arc
Essential oil diffuser
CHOUWEEK Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser
Coffee and tea upgrades
An eco-friendly coffee filter
CoffeeSock Reusable Coffee Filter
A milk frother
Bean Envy Milk Frother
Mesh brewing basket
Finum Reusable Tea Steeper
Cold brew coffee maker
Goodful Airtight Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker
Frankie Patterned Diner Mug
Acorn Mug
Pet Shop Mug
Sabine Tinted Glass Mug
For cleaning, organizing, and running errands in style
Stasher bags
Stasher Silicone Reusable Sandwich Storage Bag
Stasher Silicone Reusable Snack Storage Bag
New towels
Linen Tea Towel
Yellow Cotton Dish Towels, Set of 4
Oeleky Dish Cloths
Peyton Marigold Towel
A mushroom brush
Bürstenhaus Redecker Mushroom Brush
Stylish totes
YUYIKES Fruits Reusable Grocery Shopping Tote Bags
Plus-Size Bailuoni Net String Shopping Bag
Sparkle and Bash 20 Pack Medium Reusable Tote Bags
Sparkly sponges
Kitchen Sponge
Hawkins New York Lurex Scrubbing Sponges
Ingredient gifts
Lemon olive oil
Asaro Agrumati Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A favorite soy sauce
Kishibori Shoyu
A crunchy chile condiment
Chile Crunch
Hu Kitchen Almond Butter & Puffed Quinoa Chocolate Bar
Pure Dark – 70% Cacao
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate 72% Belize Dark Chocolate Bar
Caramel + Milk Icelandic Bean To Bar Chocolate by Omnom Chocolate
Baking gifts
Le Creuset Stackable Ramekin
Banneton basket
Banneton Proofing Basket
Silpat baking mat
Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Petite Jelly Roll
A tall cake pan
Wilton Round Cake Pan, 6 x 3-Inch
A paddle scraping attachment
KITCHPOWER 6 Quart Flex Edge Beater

Cheap gifts have a bad reputation, but really, you don’t have to spend a fortune to make a big impact. In fact, some of the best kitchen gifts under $20 are actually our favorite kitchen tools in general. We’ve rounded up our favorite pitchers, beautiful glassware, useful cooking tools for beginners, and, of course, delicious stuff that you can eat and use while cooking. Here are the best gifts under $20 from a variety of retailers to show your eating-and-cooking loving friends you care.

Upgraded tool kit

Fish spatula

A fish spatula isn’t just for fish. It’s quite simply the best spatula there is. The fish spatula is a sturdy slotted plane of stainless steel with an asymmetrical beveled edge, and it has a much longer head than your typical variety, allowing you the right leverage to flip any delicate item perfectly. It has a nice bit of springy give and is thinner than many other varieties—which, again, makes it easy to slide under thin foods like fried eggs. Our associate editor Joe Sevier says it’s quite simply the best device for flipping anything delicate. Read more about why we love it here—and give it to the beginner cook in your life.

food, amazon, the 53 best gifts under $20 for the cooks and food lovers in your life

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Fish Turner

$16.00, Amazon

Ginger-grating tool

This is the best ginger-grating tool out there. The biggest difference between this grater and the classic zester-grater is the shape of its razor-like teeth. Instead of rectangles, they’re triangles, which are far more efficient at cutting through the root’s fibers.

Microplane Ginger Tool

$17.00, Amazon

Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler

This Thai peeler is designed for making papaya salad, but can be used to shred virtually any vegetable into thin, crunchy strands for salads, fritters, or vegetable-noodle dishes.

No need to buy a full spiralizer (though we have a review of those if you want it). You can shred green papaya for salad and make all manner of vegetable noodles with this simple, inexpensive shredder. $9, Amazon. Get it now!

Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler

$9.00, Amazon

NobleEgg Egg Timer Pro

Our new favorite fun gift to throw in a stocking during the holiday season or give as a fun housewarming present. This cheerful little timer will make your monotonous morning egg boiling a little more fun. Read more about why we love it.

This timer looks like a cute cartoon character, but you should take it seriously. It’s your ticket to perfect jammy eggs. And it makes your morning routine more fun. $7, Amazon. Get it now!

NobleEgg Egg Timer Pro

$13.00, Amazon

Mini food chopper

For a beginner cook, this budget chopper is just the perfect gift. The Ninja differs from other mini food processors on the market; it doesn’t have a mechanical base. Instead, you plug in the top, which feels slightly safer. It operates by pressing a comfortable handle built into the lid and can pulverize herbs, nuts, and pretty much any ingredient successfully.

Ninja Express Chop

$20.00, Target

Beeswax wrap

These swatches of reusable cloth coated in tacky beeswax can be used to wrap foods, cover bowls, even contain a handful of nuts. Buy a set for the friend who’s trying to be more sustainable in the kitchen.

Bee’s Wrap

$18.00, Amazon

Food Huggers

These silicone discs come in a set with varying sizes; they’re designed to fit around all types of produce. They’re a great gift for any loved one who wants a new eco-friendly way to save half an onion or lemon—and they’d be a great addition to any beginner cook’s stocking.

Food Huggers, Set of 5

$17.00, Amazon

Food Huggers, Set of 5

$17.00, Amazon

Mini waffle maker

Though we were skeptical at first, in our test of the best waffle makers, we found this TikTok-best seller to be surprisingly effective. And it’s only $13!

Dash Mini Waffle Maker

$13.00, Amazon

Splatter screen

A splatter screen is an affordable, handy solution to a universal cooking problem: grease splatter. Place the screen over a frying pan to avoid a messy oil-covered cooktop. Your neat freak friend will be forever grateful when they unwrap this gift.

Splatter Screen

$10.00, Amazon

An iPhone stand for cooking

If you know someone who uses their phone as their primary source for recipes (shout-out to the Epicurious app!), buy them a stand to prop it up while they’re cooking to keep it from getting covered in flour and spices.

Adjustable Cell Phone Stand

$13.00, Amazon

Water bottle

This cheerful reusable water bottle will allow you to hydrate on the go—without promoting waste.

Tal Double Walled Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

$8.00, Walmart

Sleek servingware and entertaining tools

A modern pitcher

This handmade pitcher is simple and modern with a science beaker vibe that’s perfect for the friend who approaches cocktails with the seriousness of an A.P. chemistry teacher. It has a luxe look that far exceeds its low price point. It’s also super versatile and able to fit the aesthetic of virtually any tablescape. It’s perfect for a hostess whose style you might not have nailed down yet, because who wouldn’t love something so streamlined and simple? Serve juice in it. Serve water in it. Serve booze in it. You do you.

Beaker Glass Pitcher, Large

$10.00, CB2

Bodega glasses

If you’ve ever been to Europe or a Brooklyn apartment, you’ve probably seen a bodega glass. They’re lightweight but durable; elegant enough for serveware and functional enough to be used as a kitchen tool. You can serve dessert in them, like a scoop of ice cream drizzled in olive oil and flaky salt. You can use them to mis out prepped ingredients or to serve sauce alongside a main. You can store hundreds of them in a tiny cabinet, stacked on top of one another. And, of course, they’re great for serving wine or small cocktails.

Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Extra Small Tumblers – Set of 6

$18.00, Williams Sonoma

A fancy butter spreader

For the impatient butter lover in your life, give a tool that will make it easy to spread cold butter on toast without waiting for it to come to room temperature. The Ginkgo knife makes it possible to cut into even the coldest butter and spread it in a thin, instantly melting layer because it has a series of small perforations along its sharp scalloped edge—a bit like an overgrown version of an old-fashioned citrus zester.

Japanese Butter Spreader

$10.00, Amazon

An olive oil cruet

A pretty cruet for olive oil is not only a stylish gift—it will also ensure that the person you give it to will be storing their oil away from air and light, thus keeping it fresher for longer. (And it looks nice on the countertop.)

Ceramic Dispenser Bottle

$14.00, Amazon

Stainless-steel place cards

These shiny place cards add a sleek look to the table—and you can use them endlessly since they can be written on with dry erase marker. You can also whip them out to label dishes on a buffet, or meats and cheeses on a charcuterie plate.

Stainless-Steel Place Cards, Set of 2

$9.00, Amazon

Champagne bottle stopper

These sparkling wine stoppers make great stocking stuffers for toasting season. They’re simple tools that allow you to preserve the bubbles in a bottle of sparkling. Everyone should have one or two or four on hand.

Winco – Champagne Bottle Stopper, (Set of 2)

$15.00, Amazon

Oxo Stainless Steel Wine Stopper/Pourer

And while you’re at it, snag one of these trusty Oxo stoppers that also doubles as a spout to help preserve and pour your wine.

OXO Stainless Steel Wine Stopper/Pourer

$12.00, Crate & Barrel

Rechargeable lighter

Don’t worry about refilling butane lighters anymore. These electric lighters can be revived with a charger. Buy a few candles to make a gift set that will help your friends set the mood at their dinner parties this holiday season.

MEIRUBY Rechargeable Electric USB Lighter Arc

$14.00, Amazon

Essential oil diffuser

If candles aren’t really your friend’s thing, then maybe a diffuser will be more their speed. Sure, this isn’t a cooking tool or a piece of servingware. But, having a subtly scented essential oil misting in the bathroom while you throw a dinner party is a nice touch. Or use it to rid your kitchen of lingering garlic or fish smells.

CHOUWEEK Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser

$18.00, Amazon

Coffee and tea upgrades

An eco-friendly coffee filter

This reusable coffee filter cuts down on waste from the paper variety. And it makes a smooth morning cup, too. Read more about why we love it here.

CoffeeSock Reusable Coffee Filter

$14.00, Amazon

A milk frother

This inexpensive tool transforms a serviceable cup of French-press coffee into the sort of fancy brew—piping hot, balanced, and finished with a blanket of sweet, soft, fine-grained foam on top—you’d find at your local coffee shop. There are no bells and whistles involved—the frother itself is really just a teensy whisk—but its battery-powered motor is brawny enough to whip a small cupful of milk into a creamy, foamy cloud in seconds.

Bean Envy Milk Frother

$13.00, Amazon

Mesh brewing basket

Any tea lover you know probably already has a tea ball—but do they have the best brewing basket on the market? This infuser basket fits in a variety of mug sizes, and allows water and tea leaves to mingle fluidly for a perfect brew. It came out on top of our test of the best brewing baskets.

Finum Reusable Tea Steeper

$13.00, Amazon

Cold brew coffee maker

While you probably won’t find many drip coffee makers for $20, the iced coffee fiends in your life are in luck when you give them this cold brew coffee maker. The design is easy to use, and the pitcher compactly fits in the refrigerator door. Plus, it works for making iced tea and other infused drinks.

Goodful Airtight Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker

$20.00, Amazon

Mugs

This is a classic gift for a reason—it’s not possible to have too many mugs. Any hot beverage lover will always appreciate a new coffee mug or two for their latte, tea, chai, or whatever else they drink in the morning. Here are a few different retro and ultra-cute mugs that make great gift ideas:

Frankie Patterned Diner Mug

$14.00, Urban Outfitters

Acorn Mug

$18.00, Anthropologie

Pet Shop Mug

$12.00, Anthropologie

Sabine Tinted Glass Mug

$16.00, Urban Outfitters

For cleaning, organizing, and running errands in style

Stasher bags

Instead of opting for a gift card as a last minute present or stocking stuffer, go for a set of reusable silicone stasher bags. They look way cuter than your average plastic bag, and they’re extra durable.

Stasher Silicone Reusable Sandwich Storage Bag

$13.00, Amazon

Stasher Silicone Reusable Snack Storage Bag

$10.00, Amazon

New towels

Give the person in your life who hasn’t replaced their dish towels for years a refresh. It’s about to be a new year—out with the stained, burned old rags and in with these pretty, useful dish towels.

Linen Tea Towel

$12.00, Etsy

Yellow Cotton Dish Towels, Set of 4

$15.00, Amazon

Oeleky Dish Cloths

$12.00, Amazon

Peyton Marigold Towel

$18.00, Anthropologie

A mushroom brush

Mushrooms are extremely absorbent, so cleaning them with water can sog them out and prevent them from browning. That’s where a mushroom brush comes in, which you can use to brush away bits of soil or growing medium.

Bürstenhaus Redecker Mushroom Brush

$10.00, Sur la Table

Stylish totes

Make your giftee the envy of everyone at the farmers market or grocery store with these fashionable shopping bags.

YUYIKES Fruits Reusable Grocery Shopping Tote Bags

$17.00, Amazon

Plus-Size Bailuoni Net String Shopping Bag

$9.00, Amazon

Sparkle and Bash 20 Pack Medium Reusable Tote Bags

$30.00, Target

Sparkly sponges

You never thought a kitchen sponge could be fun—but these sparkly numbers, available in a variety of fun different colors, prove you wrong. They make a unique gift for that rare person on your list who actually loves doing the dishes.

Kitchen Sponge

$10.00, Coming Soon

Hawkins New York Lurex Scrubbing Sponges

$6.00, Madewell

Ingredient gifts

Lemon olive oil

If you have negative associations with infused olive oils, you need to give this one a try. Just a touch over $20, it’s made by crushing lemons and olives together and has a bright, intense citrus flavor that’s perfect for adding a pop to soups and stews—or drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

Asaro Agrumati Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

$25.00, Amazon

A favorite soy sauce

Kishibori is a type of shoyu—a variety of Japanese soy sauce brewed with roasted wheat. To make it, soybeans, sun-dried salt, and mineral water are combined with roasted wheat and left to ferment in 100-year-old cider barrels for a year. The slow fermentation process produces an extremely nuanced, smooth, complex sauce. It also comes in a beautiful bottle, making it a good gift.

Kishibori Shoyu

$17.00, Amazon

A crunchy chile condiment

Comprised of roasted chiles de árbol, garlic, onion, and spices sautéed in canola oil, this chile crisp is more garlic-forward and a bit smokier than other condiments of this variety. And it’s exceptionally crunchy. Gift this condiment to someone who loves layers of roasted flavor, extra crunch, and the just-right amount of spice.

Chile Crunch

$20.00, Amazon

Chocolate

A box of chocolate is never a bad gift idea. Or make your own chocolate sampler gift by buying a few of our favorite bars and putting them in a pretty decorative basket or box.

Hu Kitchen Almond Butter & Puffed Quinoa Chocolate Bar

$7.00, Amazon

Pure Dark – 70% Cacao

$10.00, Madhu Chocolate

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate 72% Belize Dark Chocolate Bar

$14.00, Amazon

Caramel + Milk Icelandic Bean To Bar Chocolate by Omnom Chocolate

$20.00, Amazon

Baking gifts

Ramekins

Bake little soufflés in these ramekins—or use them as prep bowls. Or just use them as catch-all dishes on your counter (they’re definitely chic enough for it).

Le Creuset Stackable Ramekin

$18.00, Williams Sonoma

Banneton basket

If you have a bread baker in your life, they’ll appreciate a banneton. This rattan basket wicks moisture from the dough proofing inside it, which will help the bread get a crisp crust. A banneton is also responsible for that attractive spiral pattern you might recognize on the artisanal loaves you’ve seen on Instagram.

Banneton Proofing Basket

$10.00, Amazon

Silpat baking mat

Silpat is the best of the best when it comes to baking sheet mats—the brand has become synonymous with this style of rollable cookware liner. Made of fiberglass mesh and heavy-duty silicone, Silpat mats are thin and flexible, naturally nonstick, and built to line a sheet pan perfectly.

Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Petite Jelly Roll

$15.00, Amazon

A tall cake pan

Last year we wrote about why tall cake pans are superior. Make your bakes more impressive—without any effort—by using a 3″ cake pan (rather than the standard 20″).

One extra inch of height goes a long way.

Wilton Round Cake Pan, 6 x 3-Inch

$10.00, Amazon

A paddle scraping attachment

KitchenAid accessories can be tough for some to justify buying on your own dime, which is what makes them such great gifts. This simple improvement to the classic KitchenAid mixing attachments means you won’t have to stop and scrape the bowl a million times when you’re making brownies.