If the colorful Bauhaus French press on my nightstand could talk, all $30 of its retail price — not to mention its immeasurable value in joy and whimsy — would remind you that a present doesn’t have to be wildly expensive to be great; it just has to be thoughtful. As a fastidious, near-obsessive gift shopper, collecting finds that meet this criteria is my favorite annual task come the holiday season.
The sweet (and savory) spot for some of the best food- and drink-related presents can easily be under $50, all while managing to feel like a curated, conversation-starting present for your giftee. In addition to finding stuff that just categorically rocks (like this set of pink flamingo wine glasses), the trick is to keep your ears perked for limited-edition launches and everyday kitchen items with a little extra flair. A puzzle that pays homage to kitsch dinner parties will win the winter, while a measuring cup that’s chic enough to double as a vase will sweep your giftee off their feet all year long.
The following gifts for passionate home cooks, reservation-chasers, and food-obsessed folks all cost under $50, and they run the gamut of edible, sniff-able, and straight-up delightful (cue the glittering chanterelle figurine for my foragers).
A measuring cup that’s pretty enough to be a vase
If it’s color-blocked and serotonin-boosting, it’s probably made by Great Jones. The cookware company has made a name for itself with its array of sunny yellow and Yves Klein blue Dutch ovens, and its microwave- and dishwasher-safe glass measuring cup is just as eye-catching and highly giftable (it’s 33% off right now as an early Black Friday deal).
This retro hors d’oeuvres puzzle for winter
Pernod Ricard collaborated with Le Puzz on this masterpiece of a puzzle, which pays homage to its iconic pastis as well as a smorgasbord of kitsch hors d’oeuvres of yore. The thing I love about Le Puzz is that all of its highly-detailed and unique tableaux are worthy of framing post-completion, and this one sure would look great in a kitchen.
This candle smells like Levain bakery
My teenage cousins who would absolutely devour this Levain x Snif candle drop, but sweet-scent-loving fans of the iconic New York City bakery of all ages can appreciate its aroma, which includes cookie accord, chopped walnuts, and fluffy musk to recreate what the Snif site calls “the warmth of that first-batch feeling.”
Pamela Anderson’s pickles (yes) are a delight
Pamela Anderson is in her peak garden goddess era, and I’m here for it. The cultural icon collaborated with Los Angeles lifestyle brand Flamingo Estate on a limited-edition drop of pickles developed from her own family recipe, and they pack what I call a spicy-pretty flavor; the cucumbers are brined in a base with mustard, dill, garlic, and rose, and combined with pink peppercorns, guajillo chiles, and smoky sea salt. Plus, all of the pickles’ sale proceeds will go to the California Wildlife Center, an organization that Anderson, who is also an animal-rights activist, is passionate about.
A Le Creuset salt cellar is a subtle flex
Here’s an idea: why not present Mom with a festive red salt cellar from Le Creuset, along with a box of Maldon sea salt flakes? Not only will she appreciate the attention to detail on the salt cellar from the heritage French brand, which comes with a wood lid to keep the salt fresh, but it will also make you look like a well-seasoned planner.
For the forever-New Yorker at heart
This ode to one of New York City’s favorite no-frills diners, La Bonbonniere, was created by the Cevallos Brothers, a brotherly signmaker duo that has been dressing the city in their hand-drawn graphics since the 1970s.
Something for the mushroom foragers
In matters of mushrooms, the holiday season is usually dominated by ornaments and figurines of festive, red-and-white fly agaric mushrooms. Enter this sparkling, handmade German trifle, which pays homage to a just-as-cool (and actually edible, far more delicious) mushroom: chanterelles, the earthy, golden mushrooms that everyone deserves to have in their risotto on the regular.
TLC for cast-iron snobs
A core tenet of Smithey Ironware is a love of antique ironware design (see: this hand-forged and textured frying pan) and a commitment to proper cast-iron-pan care. If someone you love loves cooking with cast iron, the brand’s handsome cleaning care kit is a thoughtful gesture; it includes a soft-bristeled cleaning brush, chainmail scrubber (which I personally find so pliable and effective for getting hard-to-reach corners), and a seasoning oil.
Vosges’ chocolate-covered holiday shortbread
What I appreciate about Vosges’ confections, aside from how delicious the small-batch chocolates taste, is how well-packaged and festive its offerings are for the holidays. These chocolate-dipped shortbread batons are ideal for dunking in milk, and come wrapped in a gift-ready box.
The gift of peace of mind (nontoxic cooking tools)
It might not be the flashiest gift, but for the home cook who has been paying attention to black-plastic discourse, a set of Get It Right’s aptly named, nontoxic cooking tools is a dream; the silicone tools are all dishwasher-safe, heat-resistant up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, free of PFOAs and PFAs, and slightly flexible (which I love when it’s time to gently remove cookies from a baking sheet).
This cottagecore tomato candle
RIP Beatrix Potter — you would have loved The Six Bells. This boutique, cottagecore store and Hudson Valley bed and breakfast boasts all kinds of quilted, stitched, and hand-poured wares that make for ideal cozy-maxxing gifts; so of course its contribution to the pantheon of tomato candles comes with a little cloth covering.
A cutting board with pizzazz
Among all of the deals from Amazon’s big Prime Day October sale, this cheeky checkerboard caught my eye the most. It comes with rubber feet, and it makes my kitchen counter feel that much non-boring; if my cutting board is going to live on my countertop (and it always will), why not make it chic? (Bonus: Since it’s available for Prime shipping, it’s great for procrastinating gift-givers.)
For the friend who loves natural wine
Ah, the romance of having your hand soap — shaped like a bunch of grapes, no less — cascade over a marble dish, or else hang in the shower as if they’re ready to be plucked from the vine. This super fun (and chic) soap comes in a surprisingly elegant box.
The big cheese
From the small plates at Heroes in Soho to the shoppy-shop shelves at Big Night, it feels like some of the coolest places to eat and shop are dotted with dishes and flatware by Fredericks and Mae. (Eater editor Rebecca Roland is also a fan of the brand’s confetti-speckled cutting board.) This set of colorful cheese knives from the Brooklyn design studio would make for the perfect gift for a cheese-lover, and visually jazz up any charcuterie board.
For the entertainer: block-print cloth napkins
Big everyday cloth napkin fan here — so much so, that I’ve written an entire Eater guide to shopping for the best everyday (and special occasion) napkins. This set of Indian floral print napkins feels romantic without feeling frou-frou, and I love that the poppy design is inspired by 17th-century Mughal textiles that are on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Canadian tuxedo of aprons
Every friend group has one: the person who started drinking water out of plastic deli containers after binging The Bear. Let’s take it to the next level: This denim apron from Levi’s is the sweet spot where fashion and function meet, combining a multi-pocket, utilitarian appeal with the heritage denim brand’s classic materials. Can you believe it’s under $50?
