A collection of the best kitchen gifts for the cooks in your life! Every gift idea is $21 or less and is perfect for Christmas, birthdays, housewarming gifts, Mother’s Day and more. So many fun kitchen gadgets and tools to choose from!
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As a mom of 4 that daily cooks almost all of our meals from scratch, I am quite familiar with kitchen tools and gadgets.
And even though I’m generally quite frugal, I do love a good, useful kitchen tool that helps me work more efficiently! But it also has to be good enough to be worth the precious space it takes up in my small kitchen.
This gift list is full of inexpensive kitchen gifts that are perfect for the home cook. They’re all items that I either own, have a friend that owns and loves, or are tools that I would love to own in the future.
I hope that these kitchen gift ideas can help make life just a little easier for you as you look for the perfect gift to share with the people in your life that like to cook and bake.
The Best Frugal Kitchen Gifts
Disclaimer: Amazon prices are subject to change at any time and I obviously have no control over that. But all of these kitchen gift ideas were $21 or less when I published this post and should hopefully stay close to that amount, allowing you to still get fun gifts without paying a lot.
Filling plastic food storage bags is a cinch with this handy gadget! It can also double up as a place to hang Ziploc bags to dry if the recipient is someone who likes to save money by reusing their bags.
One of my favorite kitchen tools! This chopper makes dicing onion, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and more super easy and has saved me so much time on food prep.
Strain and drain foods with ease thanks to this nifty clip-on strainer! No more struggling with pot lids or dealing with big cumbersome strainers.
These non-stick reusable mats make baking cookies, french fries, fish and more a breeze! And they’ll save money in the long run too because you no longer need to use parchment paper, aluminum foil or pan spray. Double win!
This thermometer gives you the temperature in just 2 to 3 seconds and makes it super easy to cook meat to perfect temp! It also can be used for candy making.
Help reduce disposable plastic waste by gifting these awesome reusable food storage bags! And in the long run, they’ll save your recipient money too since they will use less disposable Ziploc bags.
I know it might seem crazy since this is such an ordinary item, but this is one of my favorite kitchen tools. I use it so much! The small size and shape make it perfect for serving cake, brownies, quesadillas, lasagna and more.
We use our kitchen shears for everything…from pizza to meat to lettuce and more! In fact, I ended up buying a second pair recently because we often found that the one pair we had was often dirty when we went to use it.
9. Jar Spatula
This long skinny spatula is perfect for getting the last bits of food out of jars and cans. I have a similar one that is no longer made and use it all the time!
10. Can Strainer
Drain cans of tuna, beans, vegetables and more easily with this useful kitchen gadget!
This helpful kitchen tool gives you a place to put hot pot lids as well as ladles and spoons, all while catching any drips. The upright design is perfect for freeing up counter space too! An added bonus is that it also doubles as a cookbook/iPad holder.
12. Cutting Board
It’s so handy to have multiple cutting boards and this one can easily double up as a charcuterie board too!
13. Avocado Slicer
This simple kitchen tool splits, pits and slices avocados like a boss! Perfect for any avocado lover.
This simple screen will keep grease splatters contained when frying foods! Especially perfect for cast iron skillet users, since they don’t come with lids.
15. Herb Scissors
Know someone who loves to cook with fresh herbs? These scissors will make cutting them up a lot easier. Thanks to the herb garden at our current house, I’m finding that I’m using fresh herbs more than ever and these are on my wish list!
16. Cooling Rack
This tiered cooling rack frees up counter space and allows you to cool multiple things at once. Especially perfect for anyone with a small kitchen.
The perfect gift for anyone who loves to make their own salad dressings. The ball in this little shaker works like magic to keep oil and vinegar mixed for up to one hour!
Burnt pie crusts will be a thing of the past with this handy kitchen tool!
19. Small Whisk
My sister has the old Pamper Chef version of this whisk (it’s no longer made) and she loves it!
She said that it works well when stirring things on the stove because it gets the “edge” of the pan clean and it also mixes things up better and easier because of its unique shape. I think I need to add this to my wish list too!
20. Knife Sharpener
Dull knives are one of the most frustrating things for a cook! This simple little sharpener has great reviews and will take care of the problem.
21. Stainless Steel Measuring Cups (includes 2/3 and 3/4 c.)
It’s so convenient to have multiple sets of measuring cups and this stainless steel set is super sturdy and will last a lifetime! And I love that they include the hard-to-find 2/3 c. and 3/4 c. measurements too! I use my set all the time.
22. Adjustable Rolling Pin with Pastry Mat
This rolling pin allows you to roll out dough to the exact thickness you want with ease! And the pastry mat includes measurement markings that make it simple to figure out what size you need to roll your dough. Plus it makes cleaning up a breeze!
23. Produce Keeping Storage Containers
These containers not only help keep your fridge more organized, but they also help keep your fruits and veggies fresh for longer! I have the Tupperware brand of these and they definitely do lengthen the life of produce.
24. Cast Iron Skillet Scrubber
Anyone with a cast iron skillet will love this little scrubber! I got one earlier this year and it makes cleaning up my pan so much easier.
25. Tomato Slicing Knife (works on other produce too!)
I got one of these soon after we were married and it’s a favorite. It makes slicing tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, peppers and fruit an absolute breeze!
Freeze soups, sauces, broth and more in 1-cup portions with this Souper Cube. Once the food is frozen, you can pop the cube out and store it in a freezer bag. So convenient!
27. Garlic Twister
Mince garlic quickly and easily with this simple kitchen gadget! It also works for ginger, nuts and herbs too.
28. Organizer Bins
Give the gift of organization with these sturdy plastic bins. They work great in the fridge or pantry and are the perfect size to hold lots of different items. And I love that they allow you to easily see what’s in them!
29. Batter Dispenser
This simple dispenser allows you to make mess-free pancakes, waffles, crepes and more. Depending on the recipe, you can even mix it up right in the bottle!
30. Food Huggers
These food savers are a simple way to help reduce food and plastic waste. They can be used as a lid to cover jars and cans but also work great for covering up the “open” end of partially used onions, bananas and more.
Looking for other cheap small gift ideas? Check these out.
- 40 Frugal Gifts for Women that Cost $30 or Less
- 50 Awesome Gifts for Kids that Cost $10 or Less
- 50 MORE Awesome Cheap Kid’s Gifts that Cost $10 or Less
- 40 Frugal Non-Toy Kid’s Gifts that Cost $35 or Less
- 40 Frugal Gifts for Men that Cost $30 or Less
- 25 Frugal Family Gifts that Cost $45 or Less
- 20 Inexpensive Homemade Gift Ideas
- 20 Inexpensive Homemade Gifts for Kids
- 15 Fun Inexpensive Teacher Gifts
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