All I Want for Christmas is... Holiday Gift Ideas for Eat at Home Cooks

I firmly believe you do not need the latest and greatest in kitchen equipment to be a good cook. However, there are a few essentials and some fun items that are nice to own. Since Christmas is coming, I thought I’d share some ideas with you. Some of these are on my wish list and some are things I own that I think you might like as well.

Small Appliances

KitchenAid 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White is very similar to the one I’ve had for 14 years. Mine is still going strong. I use it several times a week. It was a huge splurge (one of the only black friday items Jim has ever purchased) but it was so worth it.

Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker has been on my wish list for quite a while now. I’d love to have a programmable option for slow cooking. I do use this idea for making your current slow cooker programmable for just $4, but it would be fun to have the real deal.

Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme 2-Pound-Loaf Breadmaker would be fun to have. I’ve heard wonderful things about this brand. I do admit to having mixed feelings about purchasing a breadmaker. I mean, I do have a son who loves to bake bread. And I know how to bake. And I’d have to store it somewhere. But…fresh bread just by setting up the machine is tempting!

Breville Lift and Look Touch Toaster really is on my kids’ wish list. We have a pitiful toaster that burns everything, even when it’s set on the lowest setting. We eat a lot of toast and bagels (see bread machine wish above) and being able to toast without burning would be wonderful.

Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker I have two of these and I love them. They enable my ice cream habit. Yum!

Kindle with Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers I know a Kindle isn’t exactly a kitchen appliance, but you can get cookbooks on it. Plus, it’s one of my very favorite things so I had to include it. Love to read. Love my Kindle!

Smaller Items

Norpro 3 Piece Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop Set I don’t own any cookie scoops. I just use a couple of spoons to dip out the dough. These look super handy though. And I think they’d be a help to my baking son. His cookies range from very small to very large, so they bake unevenly. Scoops would keep the cookies uniform.

OXO SteeL Garlic Press A good garlic press is a must-have for cooking.

OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner My cheapo salad spinner is falling apart. I’d love a new one.

Wilton Easy Flex 3-Piece Silicone Spatula SetSpatulas that can take the heat are handy to cook with.

Cuisinart SmartStick Immersion Hand BlenderOur blender has been melted in the dishwasher and requires much strength to hold it together in order to blend. I love the look of this immersion hand blender and think it would make a great replacement.

Wilton Excelle Elite 3-Tier Cooling Rack I don’t have any cooling racks for cookies. This stackable model from Wilton looks super handy and it’s priced low enough that I wonder why I haven’t just bought one before now.