NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF/CONSUMER REPORTS) — Is there a chef, or wannabe chef, on your holiday gift list? Or maybe you need a last-minute stocking stuffer or secret Santa surprise?
Kitchen gadgets make great gifts and Consumer Reports tested loads of them to make sure the cooks on your list get a great gift for $20 or less!
You don’t need to spend lots of money to make a great meal. The same goes for prepping that meal, says Consumer Reports’ resident chef, Paul Hope.
"We tested tons of kitchen gadgets this year that are great gift options for the foodies on your list. Best of all, they can all be had for $20 or less," Hope said.
He says you can't go wrong with a digital meat thermometer. Even if they already have one, Consumer Reports recommends the AcuRite.
Another way to make your chef happy this season is by keeping their knives happy!
"A sharp knife is not only safer it just works better. It makes meal prep easier and you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a great knife sharpener," Hope said.
For around $10, the manual KitchenIQ sharpens knives fast.
A mandolin slicer is another great gift, especially when consistency and presentation are key and there’s lots of food to slice.
Consumer Reports testers like the simplicity of the handheld Kyocera. It evenly slices hard and medium foods and costs $20.
For under $10, you can throw in a set of four plastic cutting board mats and you’ve got a kitchen gift basket! They are flexible which makes them especially useful for chopping herbs, garlic and other produce and folding it right into your dish or pan.
Got a baker on your list? This Greater Goods Digital Kitchen Scale is the perfect gift and costs about ten dollars!
"Measuring cups aren’t always as accurate as you might think. A kitchen scale is really the best way to measure ingredients like flour and sugar so you know exactly what’s going into your recipe," Hope said.
Also, if you’re on their cookie list you just might reap the benefits of a kitchen scale, too!
If you want to splurge, consider giving your chef the night off with a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or a cooking class so they can learn even more culinary skills!
