The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Our Favorite Kitchen Gifts + Every Essentials We Actually Use
An Amazon Gift Guide from Connie & Eric, curated with love from our kitchen to yours.
Disclosure: As Amazon Associates, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Great To Gather and helping us keep this little corner of the internet running. 🤍
The holidays are right around the corner, and if you’re anything like us, you’re cooking, hosting, baking… and running out of gift ideas for the people who also love doing all those things. So today, we put together a list of tried-and-true kitchen essentials we’ve used for years (some for over a decade!) that make perfect gifts for cooks, bakers, hosts, or anyone who enjoys a cozy, well equipped kitchen.
These aren’t trendy gadgets we tried once, these are the kitchen tools that have earned a permanent spot in our home. Let’s dive in!
Silpat Nonstick Baking Mat
👉 The one we’ve had for 15 years… still going strong.
🔗 https://amzn.to/4i3UFV7
If you bake anything from cookies, pastries, rolls, a Silpat is a game-changer. Nothing sticks. Truly nothing. I’ve put everything on these mats and they come off effortlessly.
But my favorite use? Freezing tomato paste. When you open a can, scoop tablespoon portions onto the Silpat with a cookie scoop, freeze them, then store the frozen scoops in a bag. No sticking. No waste. No hacking away at a rock-hard block of tomato paste.
A few notes from experience:
- Some people say they smell. I’ve never had that issue.
- Store them rolled in a paper towel.
- Don’t use for roasting veggies (they won’t crisp), but for baking? Perfection.
Microplane Zester/Grater
My secret weapon for zest, parmesan, and ginger shots
🔗 https://amzn.to/4pch4BI
If you don’t own a Microplane yet… prepare to become a citrus person.
Here’s what makes this tiny tool so magical:
- Zests citrus without digging into the bitter pith
- Grates parmesan into those soft, fluffy clouds you see at restaurants
- Turns whole nutmeg into fresh, fragrant spice (way better than pre-ground)
- Grates ginger so you can squeeze out the juice, perfect for homemade ginger shots
I still prefer a garlic press for garlic, but if you’re in a pinch, the Microplane works for that too. It shines with harder foods, but not soft cheeses.
Cuisinart Smart Stick (or any stainless steel immersion blender)
The fastest way to blend soups, sauces, and dressings without dirtying a blender
🔗 https://amzn.to/49jcqgP
We use this all the time, especially during soup season
Just make sure whatever brand you choose is stainless steel so it can go straight into hot soups.
Why we love it:
- Purées soup right in the pot
- Emulsifies salad dressing in seconds
- Makes homemade mayo foolproof
- Blends canned tomatoes + cilantro + lime into the easiest salsa
- Helps chimichurri come together beautifully
It’s a small thing that makes you feel like a professional.
Digital Food Thermometer
Great for calorie tracking, baking, or weighing protein portions
🔗 https://amzn.to/3M4xuOh
Even if you’re not weighing every ingredient, a food scale is one of the most underrated kitchen tools.
What we love about this one:
- It has a hanger so you can keep it off the counter
- The TARE lets you use any type of bowl that you want and then you can hit zero and no matter what the weight of the bowl is it will zero it out so you’ll only weigh the food that you’re putting in it.
- Perfect for baking accuracy, portioning food, or tracking macros
It’s simple, inexpensive, and incredibly useful.
Digital Food Scale
Great for calorie tracking, baking, or weighing protein portions
🔗 https://amzn.to/4oGRtB3
Even if you’re not weighing every ingredient, a food scale is one of the most underrated kitchen tools.
What we love about this one:
- It has a hanger so you can keep it off the counter
- The TARE lets you use any type of bowl that you want and then you can hit zero and no matter what the weight of the bowl is it will zero it out so you’ll only weigh the food that you’re putting in it.
- Perfect for baking accuracy, portioning food, or tracking macros
It’s simple, inexpensive, and incredibly useful.
Checkerboard Cutting Board
A statement piece that actually gets used
🔗 https://amzn.to/4oLtgK9
You’ve seen these in cooking videos and yes, they really are as pretty in person as they look online.
Why we love it:
- Thick, sturdy, and great to chop on
- Looks beautiful left out on the counter
- Makes a gorgeous gift for anyone who cooks or entertains
It’s functional and aesthetic. The best combination.
Olive Wood Spoons
Our go-to everyday cooking utensils
🔗 https://amzn.to/4pdImb6
We use these for almost everything, from stirring soup, to sautéing meat, and mixing a salad.
Olive wood spoons are great because:
- They’re natural and not plastic
- They don’t scratch your cookware
- They don’t stain (even with tomatoes!)
- They are pretty enough to use as serving spoons
They also look beautiful in a crock on the counter.
Whether you’re shopping for holiday gifts, stocking stuffers, or just upgrading your own kitchen tools, these are the items we genuinely reach for week after week. Nothing fancy, nothing gimmicky, just practical favorites that make cooking and hosting a little easier (and a little more joyful).
If you pick something from this list, tag us or send a photo! We love seeing what you’re cooking and creating!
And thank you again for supporting Great To Gather through our Amazon links. It helps us keep sharing meals, memories, and ideas with you. 🤍
