The 18 Best Gifts Under $100

A Wüsthof Gourmet Offset Cheese Knife

View at Amazon ($65)

I deemed this lovely Wüsthof the best overall cheese knife because it works well for both hard and soft cheeses — and yeah, it also looks cool. Wüsthof knives are the real deal, so you'll for sure be in the good graces of whoever unwraps this gift. Bonus points if you pick up a couple of nice cheeses to offer alongside.

A Rubbermaid Stainless Steel Oven Thermometer

View at Amazon ($17)

Also available at Walmart.

Spoiler alert: Most ovens do not maintain an accurate temperature. What you think is 375 degrees F could actually be 315 degrees F — not ideal when you're cooking, mildly devastating when you're baking. Fortunately, there's a simple and inexpensive solution, and it's a proper oven thermometer.

Allrecipes contributor Nick DeSimone declared Rubbermaid's thermometer a winner for its "pinpoint accuracy" and easy-to-read face. Another perk? "It also has both Fahrenheit and Celsius markings, so if I'm using a recipe written outside of the U.S., I don't have to do any math to figure out the conversions."

Coyuchi Organic Waffle Kitchen Towels

View at Coyuchi ($58)

I wasn't kidding about dish towels that are worthy of gifting. These waffle weave dish towels from Coyuchi are made of soft, absorbent organic cotton, and they come in great colors. If you're sitting there thinking, "$58 for dish towels?!" well, they come in a pack of six, so they're actually a pretty great value — especially for the high quality.

Related: These Are the Best Dish Towels For Keeping Your Kitchen Clean and Tidy

A UFO Bread Lame from Wire Monkey

View at Wire Monkey ($27)

You probably know someone who bakes bread, so why not help them score in style with one of Wire Monkey's iconic UFO lames? These lames are beloved among bakers thanks to the clever design that not only lets you stay close to the surface of the dough you're scoring — which helps with accuracy and dexterity — the razor blade tucks away safely when you're finished. The two wooden discs spin apart to allow the blade to cozy up inside.

I have a UFO lame myself and can personally vouch for its awesomeness.

Dreamfarm Scizza Nonstick Pizza Scissors

View at Amazon ($35)

Also available at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table.

First impression? What a weird gift! Second impression? Can't wait to try these.

In a roundup of the best pizza slicers, Allrecipes contributor Ariane Resnick voted Dreamfarm's unique utensil as the best pizza scissors, and it's easy to see why. Not only do the long, 5-inch blades maximize cutting efficiency, the flat bits at the edges are there to double as a server. Just snip, then lift your glorious slice onto a plate.

Mooncakes and Milk Bread by Kristina Cho

View at Amazon ($21)

Also available at Target and Barnes & Noble.

Cookbooks make such a great gift. Most are fun to page through and daydream about which recipes to make, but the best cookbooks lend inspiration and teach you something, too. Mooncakes and Milk Bread is a James Beard award-winning ode to Chinese bakeries across the U.S., filled with personal stories, compelling photos, and — of course — loads of delicious recipes. If you follow Kristina Cho on Instagram, you've probably already been tempted into buying her book, but you can always buy it again and gift it to your favorite baker.

Related: The Best Baking Cookbooks to Add to Your Collection

Yamazaki Home's Ladle & Lid Rest

View at Amazon ($26)

Also available at Yamazaki Home.

Here comes another personal recommendation — I bought this lid stand in late 2020, and I'm still obsessed. It eliminates the pesky dilemma of what to do with the lid of the pot you're tending on the stove, even collecting condensation drips in the tray below. It's spacious enough for spoons, ladles, spatulas, and whisks, and it looks great in any kitchen, thanks to its simple design. This is the type of gift people love to receive because they'd never think to look for it themselves.

A Ninja Nutri-Blender Pro

View at Amazon ($100)

Also available at Walmart, Target, and Kohl's.

This compact blender clocks in right at the top of our budget, but it's the perfect gift for that sibling who just moved into their first place, or your friend who spends way too much money on smoothies.

"You get the simplicity, size, and convenience of a personal blender, as well as the power and additional functionalities of larger blenders," wrote Allrecipes contributor Cindy Brzostowski when she selected Ninja's Nutri-Blender Pro as the best choice for a small blender splurge. Can't argue with that.

Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour

View at Amazon ($35)

Also available at Barnes & Noble.

Author Sabrina Ghayour is known for her bold flavors and minimal-fuss recipes inspired by Middle Eastern traditions, and Persiana Everyday is her latest book.

(And if you're wondering if this is yet another personal recommendation — it sure is!)

Related: The Best Vegetarian Cookbooks to Power-Up Your Produce Game — Chef-Approved

A Pre-Seasoned Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

View at Amazon ($20)

Cast iron cookware lasts forever, so, for better or worse, this gift should invoke your memory for decades to come. Lodge is reputed for their high-quality cast iron, and the fact that this skillet is pre-seasoned means that its recipient can start cooking right away — no tedious seasoning required.

This skillet has a pouring lip on both sides, plus a convenient grip opposite the handle. It's sure to become the go-to pan of your friend who thinks it's funny to joke about putting cast iron in the dishwasher.

Related: The Best Cast Iron Skillets You Can Buy in 2022

An OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale

View at Amazon ($56)

I use my digital kitchen scale almost every day. Whether I'm feeding my sourdough starter, measuring out ingredients, or comparing the weight of the burritos my husband and I just picked up, a scale is easily at the top of my must-have kitchen tools list. And this one from OXO Good Grips is ready for serious business with its 11-pound capacity and pull-out display to accommodate bulky vessels.

Give this as a gift to someone who insists they "don't really need" a kitchen scale, and then listen to them rave about it a week later.

Ivation's 7-Pod Indoor Hydroponics Growing System

View at Amazon ($50)

Also available at Target.

This handy little kit is a great way for someone to get started with growing herbs and vegetables indoors. It comes with everything except seeds — consider this a choose-your-own-adventure — including an LED lamp and nutrient powders.

Hydroponic systems can be pricey, but Ivation's is a great way to dabble before committing to a more intensive setup. And, conveniently, it makes a fabulous gift.

Related: The Best Indoor Herb Growing Kits For Your Kitchen

Cosori's Electric Gooseneck Kettle

View at Amazon ($70)

For your mother-in-law who loves tea, consider this elegant gooseneck kettle from Cosori. It won best overall in our recent electric kettle tests, with reviewers praising this one for its "extremely accurate" performance — never mind its "very cool and sleek" appearance!

This kettle resists fingerprints and sits tidily on its base, making it an enhancement to your favorite tea-drinker's kitchen rather than another bulky appliance.

A Pinafore Cross-Back Linen Apron from Magic Linen

View at Magic Linen ($59)

Cross-back aprons are the best. There's no fiddling with adjustable straps or floppy strings and tying and re-tying to get things "just right," you simply put it over your head and boom, apron installed. Magic Linen's pinafore apron comes in eight different colors, each made from soft, breathable linen. There are handy pockets in the front, and did I mention there's nothing to tie?

If you want a guaranteed-to-love gift for your favorite food person, this apron is a winner.

NoCry Cut Resistant Gloves

View at Amazon ($12)

Also available at NoCry.

These gloves might seem like a gag gift for someone who is new to cooking or especially clumsy in the kitchen, but safety is cool, and these cut-resistant gloves are a welcome sight when it's time to pull out the mandoline. NoCry's close fit means you can still use your fingers to grip a knife, produce, or anything else with confidence, and they're ambidextrous, so it doesn't matter which glove goes on which hand.

A Mueller Multi Blade Mandoline

View at Amazon ($30)

Also available at Walmart.

Pair this versatile mandoline with the NoCry gloves above and, wow, what a gift! Meuller's multi-blade mandoline will help your sharpest recipient slice, peel, shred, and grate their way to luxurious salads and ornate garnishes for years to come. And yes, it comes with a storage box to corral all those blades.

Yeti Rambler 20 oz Tumbler

View at Amazon ($35)

Also available at Yeti.

People love Yeti products — probably because they work really well. The Rambler tumbler is no exception, promising to keep drinks hot or cold for a ridiculously long time. Also useful is the magnet-closure lid to protect against spills, and the 33 different colors and designs help protect against having the same Rambler as your friends.

This is a cool gift with absolutely no pun intended at all.

Nordic Ware 3 Piece Baker's Delight Set

View at Amazon ($36)

Also available at Nordic Ware and Sam's Club.

Nordic Ware's baking sheets are great. They're light in color, so they're less likely to burn the bottoms of your cookies, they're lightweight aluminum, so they're easy to handle, and the rims are perfectly shaped for gripping, stacking, and containing.

Since baking sheets are one of those things bakers can never really have enough of, the baker — or sheet pan dinner enthusiast — in your life will surely be grateful you've thought of such a useful gift.