By Erik J. Martin, CTW Features
It’s that time of year again – when snowflakes start falling, stockings and mistletoe get hung, and Americans start panicking about what to buy their loved ones.
Here’s a time-saving idea: If your recipient loves to cook or is a frequent user of the kitchen, why not get them a handy, compact, and cutting-edge kitchen appliance? The fringe benefit could be you being invited over to indulge in edibles or beverages made from the gizmo you gift.
“Small kitchen appliances make surprisingly practical gifts for almost anyone because they add convenience to your recipients’ lives,” says Christen Costa, CEO of Gadget Review. “For example, many of us get on a health and fitness kick after the New Year, so personal blenders such as the highly portable BlendJet – which retails for $50 – are a great choice. This little appliance makes smoothies in a snap and can even crush ice. You even have the option to take this blender on the go exactly as-is.”
Or, if juicing is consistently on your recipient’s menu, get them a Breville 3X Bluicer (MSRP from $300), which serves as both a blender and juicer that can create fresh-pressed juice, slushies, and smoothies.
Alternatively, you can’t go wrong with wrapping up an air fryer, which is the go-to appliance for making crispy French fries, perfectly caramelized eggrolls, and a variety of other yummies, without having to turn on the oven or trust in inconsistent microwave cooking. The Gourmia 7 Quart Digital Air Fryer (MSRP $60) allows you to preset 10 one-touch cooking functions and features auto shutoff, a dishwasher-safe basket, crisper tray, and multiplayer-purpose rack.
Does your loved one regularly enjoy java and gourmet coffee? Ponder making a present of an espresso machine, like the DeLonghi Stilosa (MSRP $100), which includes a stainless-steel boiler and accommodates a travel mug.
If your Yuletide beneficiary favors fizzy drinks, perhaps they’d love a SodaStream One Touch Fizzi (MSRP $130), which quickly carbonates water that can be infused with different flavors. The included CO2 container can be refilled at Best Buy and other locations.
Nationally recognized Chef and restauranteur K.C. Gulbro can’t stop singing the praises of the Instapot Pro Pressure Cooker 10-in-1 (MSRP $150).
“This is the perfect kitchen appliance for busy folks. It’s great for slow cooking and is easy to operate and simple to clean. It also cooks countless varieties of meals, such as pot roasts, soups, yogurt, and more. You can also use it as a rice cooker, warmer, and steamer,” he says. “You simply add all the proper ingredients to this pressure cooker and let it do the cooking for you. After a busy day, your meal is cooked and ready to be enjoyed.”
Here’s a gift idea designed to replace large appliances and multicookers that occupy precious counter and cabinet space: Basquettes (MSRP $150), a multi-use oven and grill tool that can be employed to roast, rotisserie, air-fry, dehydrate, crisp, grill, smoke, and cool. It’s comprised of two multi-functional and multi-positional nesting baskets, each of different heights, that boast removable and adjustable tops, plus patent-pending intertwining legs that enable users to easily stack, flip, and cook multiple levels of various foods concurrently, whether on the grill or in the oven.
“The original idea behind Basquettes was to create a high-capacity air-fryer basket set that could be stacked and flipped in any direction and used in your oven as opposed to buying a bulky, space-hogging air-fryer with a tiny basket,” explains Lauren Wilmot, founder of Basquettes. “But as we built numerous prototypes, we kept changing the design and expanding the functionality, so now you can accomplish eight efferent cooking and grilling goals with this tool.”
Lastly, no one relishes the chore of floor-sweeping, which makes a Roomba iRobot j7 series self-emptying vacuum an ideal holiday gift (MSRP from $400). These indispensable cleaners avoid obstacles like pet waste and charging cords and can take care of targeted messes the moment they happen.