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The 30 Best Gifts Under $50, Including a Few of Our Tested Favorites

Our list includes editor-favorite chili crisp and olive oil, a Le Creuset mini-cocotte, and more.

Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Round Cocotte
Photo:

Williams Sonoma

What do you get for the cook who has everything when you only have $50 to spend? We're so glad you asked.

Finding the best kitchen gifts for your food-loving friends and family doesn't have to be an impossible — or wildly expensive — task. We pored over our recent tests of kitchen tools, scoured the internet, and got the lowdown from editors who spend all year shopping for and testing gear from top brands to find this year's best holiday collections and gifts. 

On this list of under-$50 gifts, you'll find a healthy mix of practical and fun items. There are plenty of edible gifts, from editor-favorite olive oil to a hazelnut spread so good everyone eats it straight from the jar. Plus, we've got classics like a stylish but functional apron and our single favorite piece of cast iron cookware. Here are Food & Wine's best gifts under $50, including test winners, staff picks, and more.

Edible Gifts

When you’re stumped for a gift, something edible is always a good bet. And, of course, a fancy snack also makes a great white elephant gift; who doesn’t love a present you can eat? Every cook uses oil while cooking, and we named the Graza duo above the best value olive oil in our taste tests. Spices, vinegar, and chocolate are also great gifts when you don’t know someone’s exact tastes and don’t have a high budget, and we've got great options for all of those and more.

Spicy Gifts

For the chile-head on your list, Fly By Jing is an editor-favorite brand of chili crisp, and this three-pack offers variety. Hot sauces from High Mesa and Bushwick Kitchen have you covered for almost any type of meal: hot honey for pizza, firey green sauce for nachos, gochujang sriracha for wings, and more. If you're shopping for a tinned fish aficionado who loves heat, look no further than the Fishwife Spicy Trio, which includes a smoked salmon collab with Fly By Jing plus two other varieties of fish sure to set your mouth on fire.

Gifts for the Bar Cart

For the friend who’s always trying the newest viral cocktail or the person on your list who loves to entertain with their well-stocked bar cart, we have the perfect under-$50 gifts. A moody green stackable glassware set from West Elm or a chic set of cocktail glasses will fit perfectly into their collection. And a fun mulled wine kit for a cozy night in will wow any host.

Cookware Gifts

Quality cookware at a low price can sometimes be hard to come by. However, one individual piece for a budget price can be the perfect gift, filling a gap their kitchen is missing.

Luckily, some of our tested favorite pieces of cookware and pieces from trusted brands make excellent gifts without breaking the bank — like a Lodge cast iron skillet. A favorite among home chefs and Food & Wine editors alike, it snagged our best cast iron skillet title, and for under $50, it's a reasonably priced option your recipient will use for years to come.

For the entertainer who proudly displays their Dutch oven on the stovetop, Le Creuset's adorable cocottes are sure to impress. They're tiny round vessels perfect for individual servings, whether gratins baked in the oven or chocolate pudding chilled in the fridge.

Kitchen Tools

Practical items don’t have to be boring — or expensive. The functional yet attractive cutting board from Material above was one of our favorite plastic cutting boards, and the whimsical pepper grinder easily adds a pop of color and personality to any kitchen.

Serious cooks know buying whole spices has a higher flavor payoff, and a stylish cast iron spice grinder looks great on the counter and makes quick work of whole spices. Any cook on your list could always use a new, fun kitchen tool, especially at such a great price. 

Coffee and Tea Gifts

Coffee and tea drinkers are two groups of people who are often highly devoted to their favorite caffeinated beverage. A stylish stoneware coffee mug from East Fork Pottery for leisurely sipping at home or the Yeti Tumbler, our favorite insulated travel mug for on-the-go beverages, will surely win with coffee and tea drinkers.

Impress the coffee enthusiast on your list with the editor-loved Aeropress, a portable manual coffee maker that churns out brews that will rival your recipient’s favorite coffee shop. You can even make cold brew in it!

More Food & Wine Gift Guides

Our Expertise

  • Rochelle Bilow is a food writer and editor with over a decade of professional experience. Previously a senior associate editor and social media manager at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines, Rochelle is also a novelist, a culinary school graduate, and a former professional baker and line cook.
  • Nick DeSimone is a writer at Food & Wine who spent almost a decade working in professional kitchens before moving into food media. Nick’s writing has appeared in Allrecipes, Eater, USA Today, Mashed, The Kitchn, VegNews, and more.
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