It’s our Kitchen and Garden gift guide, full of the select items we reach for again and again—for that cooking and/or gardening enthusiast in your life.
The Kitchen and Garden Gift Guide
Around the holidays, we often get questions from family and friends on the “best of” cooking tools. What’s worth it, what’s not, and where to begin when buying a gift for an avid cook or if you’re filling out your own wishlist.
So consider these our kitchen and garden GOATs, that is, Greatest Of All Time picks. (That clarification was for Sarah, by the way, who for being on the internet as much as she is really somehow isn’t *on* the internet.)
While some of these are pricey, they do make up for it. We’re usually not swayed by the latest shiny kitchen gadget! Because these do their jobs so well, these tools are tried and true workhorses in our own kitchens.
Disclaimer: Prices were accurate at time of publication.
GiftS for Cooks:
The Food Processor
The Cuisinart 14-cup food processor will always be our go-to. It’s something that every Woks family member has in their kitchen. FYI: when the blade gets dull, you can simply buy a replacement part! That said, none of us have had to do so yet!
The Best All-purpose Pans
The All-Clad Stainless Steel Cookware set is our preferred. It’s a huge luxury, but a classic for a reason. It’ll also last a lifetime. It comes in D3 and D5 ply, but we’re content with the cheaper D3 ply.
The Wok
We love the 14-inch standard issue carbon steel wok with bamboo handles from KK Discount! Get a round bottom if you have a gas hob, or a flat bottom if you have an electric stove.
The Wok Lid
It’s tough to find wok lids with wooden handles these days, but this stainless steel model does the trick. If you can find one with a wooden handle, all the better!
The Wok Spatula
The key to a good wok spatula is not too long of a handle and a thin fine edge to skate along the wok. We like this classic silhouette!
The Wok Ring
The best kept secret of gas ranges is this swappable wok ring. Take the grate off, put this on, and you’re ready to go.
Bamboo Steamer
A classic bamboo steamer—remember to soak new ones in water for 30 minutes before using! Then air dry really well before storing it. Read more about how to use a bamboo steamer here!
The Stainless Steel Steamer
A two-tiered stainless steel steamer opens up so many more recipes and cooking techniques. We like this one with an extra high domed lid.
The Nonstick Pan
Misen nonstick pans are well designed and classic.
The Blender
Ever since we got the Vitamix Ascent series blender, we’ve never looked back! We have the A3500, but there’s a cheaper A3300 too.
The food thermometer
After cycling through a few different food thermometers, the Thermapen ONE has proven to be the best and most accurate.
The Oven Mitt
The ‘Ove’ Glove gives you dexterity and intense heat protection around the grill or the oven!
The Apron
Hedley & Bennett are trusted aprons for a reason—they’re super thick and come in lots of colors and styles!
We also like Whitebark aprons, which are cut generously so you’re extra covered. The straps are extra long too, so if you’re worried about sizing, this is the apron to get!
The Rice Cooker
We have the classic one-button Tiger 10-cup and the 3-cup, and love how quickly it cooks rice! The 8-cup size is great for an average household.
The Dutch Oven – 7.25 Qt.
After comparing both Le Creuset and Staub, we prefer Le Creuset for its softer bottom edge which doesn’t harbor food residue as much as Staub. If you can swing the cost, and you’re not picky about colors, spring for the 9 qt.!
The Storage Containers
We’ve been loving our Snapware glass storage containers. They help keep our chaotic fridge a little less crazy looking. We also like this classic Pyrex set!
The Noodle Roller
This Atlas Pasta Roller was fished from a Queens, NY garage sale, but it’s truly the best of the best for noodles and wonton wrappers—and fresh pasta of course.
The Hot Pot
This brass hot pot has a classic and festive “old Beijing” look and requires a portable induction burner. You can also buy this all-in-one version with built-in heating.
The Cookbook
If you’re unsure how to make use of some of the gadgets above, or you know someone who just loves cooking, Chinese food, family stories, or all of the above, check out our first cookbook The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family. It has 80 brand new recipes in addition to 20 tried-and-true fan favorites from this here blog, and currently available in a “3 for the price of 2” promotion on Amazon! We also have some signed copies available from select independent booksellers—give them a call to see if they’re still in stock. Links below!
How to ORDER (Including signed copies!):
If you’re in the U.S., get your copy from any of the retailers below, or your local bookstore!
Want a signed copy? The following independent bookstores have limited numbers. Check to see if they still have one in stock, and get it shipped to you:
If you live outside the U.S., check Amazon in your home country, or try the links below, where we’ve seen the book available internationally. It’s also available as an eBook!
Gifts For Gardeners, Plant Moms and Green Thumbs:
Okay, so folks aren’t necessarily banging our door down for the hottest drops in the gardening world (for that, we scope out the prestige gardening tools used by Monty Don on BBC’s Gardeners World and this list of RHS-approved gardening tools).
But we have learned a heck of a lot more about gardening and growing our own vegetables in the last two years. These are our picks for the plant-happy out there!
The watering can – Classic
This is a British classic from Haws, who makes what can only be termed “prestige watering cans.” This one holds two gallons and offers beauty and function with an extra long spout.
The watering can – UNIQUE
This indoor Blomus watering can caught my eye for its uncomplicated silhouette and spill proof design. It’s pricey, which is why I didn’t buy it, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still thinking about it…
The Garden Bench/Stool
This Pure Garden stool has an option for both sitting and kneeling. Previously we were using a janky folding plastic stool that worked great for a while, but eventually broke. This makes for a lovely upgrade.
The Harvest Basket
This is our trusty harvest basket. Made in Maine, it’s beautiful and sturdy. This thing can carry tons of tomatoes, potatoes, leafy greens and everything in between. Its wire mesh design makes it possible to hose off produce directly in the basket. It’s also easy to clean and still looks sharp when it’s got some dirt on it. You can even get it personalized!
The gloves for small hands
The single hardest thing to find when we first started gardening intensively was sturdy gloves for smaller hands. Kaitlin has very small hands and these fit snugly without being too tight and come in various sizes. These are winners and they’re fun to look at too!
