Best Christmas gifts for people who hate to cook or spend time in their kitchen
Everyone needs to eat, but not everyone enjoys spending time in their kitchen preparing elaborate meals. For the people on your holiday gift list that fall into this category –- like working mothers, college students, bachelors or anyone who's retired and lives alone –- our in-house shopping and cooking experts have come up with a roundup of awesome gift ideas that make cooking and meal preparation faster and easier.
Related: How we select our products
Even if the person you're shopping for is perplexed by the concept of boiling water or gets exasperated just making toast, the products on this list will help them enjoy restaurant-quality meals from the comfort of their home.
15 best Christmas gifts for people who don't like cooking
Even if someone's not into cooking and feels kitchen-phobic, these products can help them make healthy meals at home.
A daily Starbucks latte alternative: Keurig K-Café smart single serving coffee maker
Forget those frequent and costly trips to Starbucks or Dunkin' for a superb cup of coffee. With the Keurig K-Café smart single serving coffee maker and a smartphone, premium coffee, cappuccino, lattes, hot cocoa, or tea can be prepared at home using a smart coffee machine that does most of the work. This Keurig coffee maker immediately identifies whatever genuine K-Cup is inserted into it and adjusts its settings for the ideal brew.
Users can choose from six mug sizes, six temperature settings, and five strength settings using the Keurig mobile app or the display on the top of the coffee machine. It can even create brewed-over-ice iced coffee or iced tea. And there's even a hot and cold milk frothier too. Don't worry about ever running out of the K-cup flavors that are most loved. This coffee maker keeps track of inventory and can automatically reorder genuine K-cups online (at a discount).
Why we like the Keurig K-Café smart single serving coffee maker: This coffee maker is easy to use and versatile in terms of the drinks it can prepare. Anyone who can navigate their way around a colorful mobile app can prepare gourmet coffee at home.
A smart oven that virtually cooks by itself: Brava Oven Chef's Choice set
If you want to whip up top-notch meals without being a culinary whiz, check out the Brava Oven. It's like having 10 devices in one, and you can control it with a handy mobile app.
This smart appliance is an air fryer, toaster, slow cooker, reheater, rice cooker, roaster, broiler and more. Users simply choose the foods they want to prepare from the menu displayed within the app, insert the appropriate ingredients into the Brava Oven and the technology does the rest.
It's virtually impossible to overcook or undercook whatever foods are being prepared. This is a multi-zoned cooking oven that can prepare up to three ingredients at once, like steak and vegetables, or chicken and corn. Thus, it can easily prepare restaurant-quality meals for one, two or four people –- with minimal prep and cleanup required. Everything needed (except for the food) is included.
Why we like the Brava Oven Chef's Choice set: Preparing restaurant-quality meals has never been easier. Insert the ingredients, press a few command icons on a smartphone and the Brava Oven does just about everything else.
An air fryer that makes food prep super simple: Kalorik Vivid air fryer
Released just in time for the holiday shopping season, the new Kalorik Vivid is not a "smart" air fryer, since it doesn't connect to the internet or require a mobile app running on a smartphone. It does, however, feature a full-color, five-inch display that makes preparing food almost like playing a simple video game. Just turn on the Vivid, select the picture that represents the type of food to prepare, choose the portion size and press the "cook" button. It's that easy.
The Kalorik Vivid air fryer has a 7-quart capacity and 202 food presets, including 12 food categories (steak, chicken, fish, etc.), multiple food types within each category (i.e. chicken breasts, wings, etc.) and three portion sizes for each. The Vivid can even defrost frozen food before cooking.
Why we like the Kalorik Vivid air fryer: It uses 1,500 watts of cooking power to create delicious foods with a few button taps. And cleanup is also easy, since the basket is removable and washable.
For the takeout lover: Uber Eats gift card
For that person on your gift list that prefers takeout from local restaurants, a $50 Uber Eats gift card allows the recipient to access the menus from nearby restaurants wherever they're located in the United States (using an internet-connected mobile device or computer). They can then order food from a selected local restaurant, pay online using the gift card and have their meal delivered directly to their door.
Why we like the Uber Eats gift card: Ordering food from any participating local restaurant and having the meal(s) delivered to a home, office or hotel room, is extremely convenient. Restaurant and meal selection is handled via the Uber smartphone app.
Pots and pans for an absolute beginner: Calphalon 10-piece set
For the cooking newbie without a pot or pan to their name, this Calphalon 10-piece nonstick set is a long-lasting solution. With stay-cool handles, it includes an 8-inch and 10-inch frying pan, one-quart and two-quart saucepans (each with a cover), a three-quart sauté pan (with cover) and a six-quart stockpot (with cover).
This black hand-anodized aluminum cookware is nonstick, durable and resistant to corrosion and warping. Plus, it's oven safe up to 400 degrees, transitioning easily from stovetop to oven, with tempered glass covers included.
Why we like the Calphalon 10-piece pots and pans set: The pots, pans and covers in this set are easy to clean, extremely well made and will be the perfect addition to anyone's kitchen.
Cooking classes anyone can comprehend: Masterclass online cooking classes
For a flat annual fee ($120 for one device, or $180 for two devices), the person you give this Masterclass subscription to gets unlimited access to hundreds of professionally produced classes taught by celebrities, business leaders, former U.S. Presidents, bestselling authors, world-renowned artists, famous musicians and celebrity master chefs. The pre-recorded classes cover a wide range of subjects. All are extremely informative and entertaining.
For the person on your gift list who would enjoy learning how to cook, Masterclass offers basic and advanced level classes from Gordon Ramsay, Thomas Keller, Alice Walters, Wolfgang Puck and many other master chefs. The classes can be watched anytime, on any Internet-connected smartphone, tablet, computer or smart TV screen. With the unlimited access, each class can be played, paused, rewinded, or repeated as often as desired.
Why we like the Masterclass online cooking classes: Out of all the online learning options available, Masterclass offers the most highly produced collection of programs that cover a wide range of interesting subjects.
Meal prep doesn't get much easier: Crockpot 7-quart cook and carry slow cooker
Anyone with the wherewithal to toss a bunch of raw ingredients into a pot and set a timer can create a vast selection of delicious and wholesome meals -– for one or two people, or an entire family. This version of the programmable Crockpot slow cooker with sous vide has a seven-quart capacity and is one of the more technologically advanced models. Yet, it's very easy to use. It fits nicely on virtually any counter and offers a durable and easy to clean stainless steel construction. The interior and lid of the Crockpot are dishwasher safe.
In addition to working as a traditional slow cooker, this version of the Crockpot supports sous vide food preparation, which means meals (including meat and fish) can be prepared by vacuum-sealing the food and immersing it in warm water to be cooked.
Why we like the Crockpot 7-quart cook and carry slow cooker: Full meals can be prepared in the Crockpot, which can then be carried directly to the table to be served.
Just heat and eat these healthy meals: Factor meal plan
Forget about everything you know about those old-fashion TV dinners that came frozen and never looked terribly appetizing when heated up and served. When you provide a gift subscription to the Factor meal plan, the recipient can receive 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 or 18 professionally prepared and pre-cooked meals that someone just needs to heat up before eating.
Every week, a new menu of delicious meals options are available –- with some that cater to anyone who maintains a Keto, Flexirarian, vegan, or vegetarian diet. There are also "calorie smart" meal options for people watching their weight. At the same time fully-prepared meals are ordered, desserts and healthy shakes and smoothies can also be ordered. Depending on the subscription plan selected, each meal's price starts at $11 each.
This is a subscription meal plan that can be paused or canceled at any time. The meals arrive at someone's door pre-cooked, but not frozen, so they'll stay fresh for a maximum of seven days (when refrigerated). There's no meal prep required. Each single-serving meal is shipped in a BPA-free CPET plastic container, which can be used to heat the food in an oven or microwave and then served in the same container. A $90, $110, $130 or $150 gift card is available from the Factor website. (A $130 gift card covers eight ready-to-eat meals.)
Why we like the Factor meal plan: This meal subscription service offers an ever-changing assortment of delicious, single-serving meals that simply need to be reheated in a microwave or oven to enjoy.
BBQ made easy: Weber Q1400 electric grill
An easy-to-use, outdoor electric grill is the perfect alternative to preparing meals in a kitchen. And this Weber Q1400 grill simply needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet. There's no wood, propane or gas to deal with. The tabletop outdoor grill measures 23.5 x 27 x 14.5 inches and provides 189-square-inches of cooking space. This grill is equipped with a six foot power cord, porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates and a cast aluminum body and lid.
Why we like the Weber Q1400: This is a portable, outdoor grill that's electric, so it's easy to use and maintain.
A gift as simple as an Easy Bake oven: Anova Precision oven
Even for kids who skipped the Easy Bake oven, the Anova Precision smart oven makes home cooking a breeze. It's a versatile all-in-one device, working as a convection oven, air fryer, steamer and more, with mobile app control to handle most meal prep. No more overcooking or undercooking -- just perfect results every time.
The Anova oven cooks food faster than a traditional oven and is easy to clean. It comes with everything needed for someone to start cooking (except for the food). Using the mobile app, perfectly prepared meals are only a few on-screen taps away.
Why we like the Anova precision oven: This oven is easy to use and spacious enough to prepare a 12-pound turkey. Yet it fits nicely on a kitchen counter and works with Alexa to accept voice commands.
Let them eat toast: Revolution InstaGLO R270 roaster
For someone who gets confused using a conventional toaster and winds up with burnt squares of bread with each failed attempt at using it, there's now a "smart" solution for toasting or preparing bread, bagels, English muffins, pancakes, waffles and pastries. It also makes the perfect grilled cheese sandwich and paninis.
The Revolution InstaGlow R270 roaster can handle 34 bread types with ease. In fact, to operate the toaster, the user simply performs a series of on-screen taps on the device's full-color touchscreen to choose what they want to toast or prepare.
Using the Revolution InstaGlow R270 roaster, after selecting a bread type, there's a choice of three roasting modes (fresh, frozen, or reheat) and seven toasting shades for the ultimate in customization.
Why we like the Revolution InstaGLO R270 roaster: It's not cheap, but preparing the perfect slices of toast (and more) has never been easier.
It's almost as simple as calling Domino's: Cuisinart indoor pizza oven
You'd be hard-pressed to find a college student or bachelor who does not have the phone number to their local Domino's pizza delivery restaurant memorized. However, using a pizza oven, like the popular Cuisinart indoor pizza oven, it's never been easier to make fresh, homemade, 12-inch gourmet pizzas in about five minutes (once the oven is preheated).
This pizza oven comes with a 12.5-inch heat conducting pizza stone that makes creating crispy crust pizza, deep dish pizza, or specialty pizza a breeze. This oven is made mostly from stainless steel and fits on most kitchen countertops.
Why we like the Cuisinart indoor pizza oven: This is an 1,800 watt indoor pizza oven for preparing 12-inch gourmet pizzas at home. The built-in timer makes it difficult to overcook or undercook each pizza.
You simply scan, it then cooks, bakes or broils: Tovala smart oven
What sets the Tovala smart oven apart is that the user can either subscribe to a meal plan that delivers pre-portioned meals that simply need to be scanned by the oven's barcode scanner and cooked, or the user can insert their own food (from any local supermarket) to prepare restaurant-quality meals easily. Tovala's mobile app offers hundreds of easy-to-follow recipes that tell the user exactly what ingredients to purchase and how to lay them out on the oven's tray before pressing the "Cook" button.
And if that weren't easy enough, this oven works with all pre-packaged foods sold at Trader Joe's supermarkets. To prepare one of these items, simply turn on the Tovala, scan the item's UPC barcode and press "cook." It's virtually impossible to overcook or undercook a meal, as long as the in-app directions are followed for each simple recipe. This device can bake, broil, air fry or reheat food. It can also be used as a traditional oven or toaster. You can purchase the oven outright for $249, or get it for just $69 if you order meals six times from Tovala within a six-month period.
Why we like the Tovala smart oven: This is a lower cost "smart" oven that makes preparing a wide range of foods and complete meals fast and easy, whether the user subscribes to the Tovala meal plan service, buys prepackaged foods from Trader Joe's, or uses their own supermarket ingredients.
A simple indoor grill: George Foreman fully submersible grill
Over the years, the wildly popular George Foreman grill has evolved a lot, while the company responsible for it has introduced a variety of related cooking products designed for people who hate to cook. One of the very latest iterations of the George Foreman Grill offers a new feature that makes clean up easier than ever. This grill is fully submersible in water and dishwasher safe. Plus, it's coated with an improved, nonstick material.
The George Foreman fully submersible grill heats up 30% faster than previous models, is three times more durable and offers a 60-square-inch cooking space that's large enough to prepare up to four servings of most foods being prepared. And did you read the part about the entire unit being dishwasher safe (except for the control panel)? Cleaning the grill after each use is now incredibly fast and easy.
Why we like the George Foreman fully submersible grill: This is the easiest to clean George Foreman grill ever manufactured. It's also lightweight and easy to set up and use by just about anyone who considers themselves to be "kitchen adverse."
Help them fake it until they make it: Place4Print embroidered chef apron
Make a non-cook feel at ease in the kitchen (or by the barbecue) with a personalized chef apron. It's a cotton-polyester blend, easy to clean and features two front pockets. Plus, it proudly displays the recipient's name with the essential "chef" title.
Choose between six apron colors and 10 embroidery thread colors. Even for someone who can't cook or who doesn't like to, they'll look right at home in the kitchen with this stylish, unisex chef apron.
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