11 Gift Ideas for the Expert Home Chef

If they only own one cast-iron skillet, get them a second one in a size they don't already have. This brawny Lodge jawn ($16 and up) is just about the best-reviewed option out there. And because cast-iron doesn't react too well to soapy water, why not throw in a handy (and cheap) cleaning-tool set?

These are corn holders ($12). They’re shaped like little ears of corn. They keep melted butter off your hands. They screw into your corn, and they also screw into each other for efficient storage. You can use them with full-size corn. You can also use them with baby corn, as a joke.

As its near-perfect score on Amazon would indicate, this serrated sword ($50) is the best thing since sliced bread. (In fact, logic would indicate that its greatness actually predates the existence of sliced bread.) It does more than lop loaves, too. Use it for fruit. Use it for prime rib. Use it for big ol’ blocks of chocolate. Just use it carefully, because it’s very sharp.

The best mixer out there is also the most iconic. KitchenAid’s tilt-head Artisan stand mixer ($350) is available in every color imaginable, and it’s also pretty pricey. But it’s beloved by bakers for a reason, and there are a slew of attachments to help with anything from making ravioli to stuffing sausage. It’s not just a mixer, it’s the motor for a food-making platform.

If cast-iron is already abundant in your loved one's kitchen, then round out their cookware collection with these similar but lighter carbon-steel pans ($35 and up). The svelter weight makes them better for shaking things around with one hand. They’re oven-friendly just like cast-iron, and the non-stick qualities of their smoother surfaces improve the more you cook with them.

OK, maybe there’s a little room for newfangled gadgets in a no-nonsense kitchen. The Joule ($200) is a handy tool for sous-vide sorcery, offering app-based controls and temperature readouts. The app also lets you choose how rare you want your rib eye just by tapping the appropriate mouth-watering video. If your giftee scoffs at all that automation, just keep it for yourself and blow them away with a perfect pig. Everybody wins.

At long last, it’s time for dessert. And it’s going to be awesome if you use this best-in-class ice-cream maker ($400). Oh, you didn’t make those frozen treats in advance? Doesn’t matter, because this heroic machine whips up a batch of fro-yo, gelato, sorbet, or hard-serve in an hour. Just remember to pace yourself while you're eating it.

If that ace chef on your list needs new material for dad jokes, this excellent paring knife ($60) is the perfect present. Namely: “Hey, want to see my Mac Pro? It’s a cut above the Macintosh.” Then they’ll start removing the skin from an apple with this appealing little blade. Then you'll groan and eat some dang apple slices.

Your giftee needs performance equipment in the kitchen, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a little fun. These handmade walnut and maple cutting boards ($115 to $150) give pixellated props to video games. There are a couple of gorgeous Pac-Man-themed boards, a Space Invaders chopping block, and a solid slab of Minecraft-related merriment.