Kitchen gift ideas on Amazon under $30 make it easy to buy gifts for Christmas, weddings, housewarmings, Mother’s Day, and more without breaking the bank.
My kitchen gift ideas on Amazon under $30 gift guide is all about the best kitchen basics. It may not seem like the most exciting list of gift ideas. But I promise it’s packed with useful kitchen tools that your loved ones will appreciate every single day. With more people at home and cooking than ever, it’s important to have high-quality essential kitchen tools that you love using and will use regularly week after week.
I’m covering my absolute favorite kitchen essentials in this gift guide. I own everything on this list, if not the exact items I’m sharing, very similar ones. As all of them are under $30, they’re perfect for holiday shopping on a budget. They’re also ideal when you want to buy several items and create larger kitchen gifts for special occasions.
Please don’t feel limited to shopping for kitchen gifts on Amazon. I’m linking to Amazon, as it’s convenient and I know many people prefer Amazon options over other stores. You’ll find many similar items at Target, Kohl’s, and Williams Sonoma. Using these links to make gift purchases also supports my blog. Thank you!
1. Salt and pepper grinders
I keep the first three items in this gift guide on my lazy Susan (see #29) on our kitchen island and use them almost every single day. Grinding your own salt and pepper is so easy and adds so much more flavor to endless recipes. A good set of salt and pepper grinders will last you forever. As a gift, it’s nice to include extra whole salt and pepper as well. A pound bag of each will last most people a couple of years, if not longer.
2. Mantova garlic olive oil
I use a ridiculous amount of olive oil. While I stick to regular extra virgin olive oil for a lot of recipes, as I don’t want to overwhelm everyone with garlic all the time, garlic olive oil is my personal go-to choice. I’ve used almost all of the Mantova oils over the last few years, and this garlic olive oil is my favorite. I know that it seems pricey, but this listing is for a 2-pack that will easily last you half a year.
3. Toasted sesame olive oil
Once I started using toasted sesame olive oil regularly, I’ve never been able to go back to regular sesame oil. I love the deeper flavor so much. I use toasted sesame olive in stir fries and marinades and as a light dressing on salads and sliced avocado. Of course, it’s perfect for peanut sesame Ramen, too.
4. Mezzaluna chopper
I can’t believe that I wasn’t using a mezzaluna chopper until about a year ago. It’s been a complete game-changer for cutting pizza and bar cookies. I also love it for slicing homemade sourdough crackers. You can use it for just about any chopping job to make tasks like chopping garlic or green peppers go more quickly.
5. Course sugar
Course sugar is a nice ingredient to keep on hand to add a professional touch to certain baked recipes. You’ll wow family and friends when you serve muffins or cookies that are finished off with a sprinkling of course sugar.
6. Herb scissors
Herb scissors make it so much easier to chop larger batches of herbs, such as basil and cilantro, quickly and easily. Simply rinse them off when you’re finished using them and allow them to dry completely before storing them again. They come with a convenient cover to minimize risk of cuts.
7. How to Cook Everything
How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman is my go-to resource when I want to make a new recipe or get a few tips on cooking a dish that I don’t make very often. I love his straightforward, modern approach to cooking and his range of timeless recipes.
8. The Pretty Dish
If you’re going to buy one other cookbook besides How to Cook Everything, it should be The Pretty Dish by Jessica Merchant. I’ve been a huge fan of Jessica’s blog for years and make several of her recipes every single month. So many cookbooks look amazing but you know you’ll never actually make the dishes because they’re time-consuming and include ingredients you never buy. The Pretty Dish is the exception. It’s so approachable and has a great mix of recipes for everyday and special occasion cooking.
9. Rolling pin
I can’t even tell you how many people I know who resort to using a wine bottle instead of a rolling pin. A high-quality rolling pin is so affordable and gets the job done right every single time. It’s well worth having on hand for making pizza, calzones, pie crusts, sourdough crackers, and much more.
10. Silpat baking mat
I originally wanted a pair of Silpat baking mats for cookies. They are great for cookies but can be used for so many baking purposes. I actually use them most often for roasting veggies. They cook veggies so evenly and leave the pans barely dirty.
11. Mesh strainer
A mesh strainer set is one of those kitchen items you don’t know you need until you own it. Then you can’t live without it. I use my mesh strainer the most often for rinsing rice. It’s just perfect for this task. I use it regularly for rinsing berries, herbs, and microgreens, too. You can also use it to sift flour or sugar and to strain loose tea.
12. Wooden cutting boards
I only use wooden cutting boards in my kitchen and can’t imagine using anything else now. With regular oil treatment, wooden cutting boards will last through years of regular use and even a little abuse. I love having cutting boards in multiple sizes for different tasks.
13. Tiered seed sprouter
Sprouts are one of the easiest foods to grow, even if you have zero knack for gardening. The tiered seed sprouter is perfect for both alfalfa and mung bean sprouts.
14. Microgreens growing kit
After sprouts, microgreens are about the easiest food to grow right on your kitchen windowsill. I love this microgreens growing kit because the wooden planter is so pretty. The kit comes with a couple of rounds of microgreens, and then you can purchase refills as needed.
15. Sink caddy
I love this Orimade kitchen sink caddy because you can store a dishwand brush (see #16) upright and hang a dishcloth (see #17) from it. I use my dishwand brush and dishcloths every single day. The sink caddy makes using and storing these items so convenient.
16. Soap control dishwand brush
We do have a dishwasher, but I also wash a ton of items by hand every single day and don’t know what I’d do without the Scotch-Brite soap control dishwand brush. Nothing else works as well. I replace the brush head about once a month.
17. Bread knife
The Mercer culinary bread knife is the only bread knife you’ll ever need. It’s amazingly sharp for this price point and offers perfect cuts every time. In addition to slicing bread and rolls, I love to use it for slicing cake layers.
18. Dishcloths
I wipe down the kitchen countertops and island and dining room table multiple times every day. I love having a set of reusable dishcloths that I can grab as needed and run through the washing machine once or twice a week.
19. Mrs. Meyer’s honeysuckle hand soap
Currently, Mrs. Meyer’s is my soap of choice for the kitchen sink. As we’re washing our hands more than ever and soap availability has been inconsistent, it never hurts to have a few extra bottles on hand. Honeysuckle is my favorite regular Mrs. Meyer’s scent (I really like a few of the limited edition scents, too).
20. WoodWick warm woods candle
I love keeping a candle in the kitchen to get rid of strong cooking smells, especially during the cooler months of the year when you don’t necessarily want to open a window. I’m super picky about candle scents and tend to be drawn to earthier, less sweet scents. The WoodWick warm woods trilogy candle is one of my all-time favorites. I also really love the natural wick and how it crackles.
21. Glass canisters
Glass canisters are ideal for storing flour, sugars, spices, and kitchen staples, such as tea and coffee, as well as food items, such as cookies and chocolate. They look great on a kitchen island or open shelving unit and also tuck away neatly in a cupboard or pantry.
22. Glass storage containers
Glass storage containers are perfect for packing work lunches and leftovers and for storing prepped food items, such as sliced veggies and hard-boiled eggs. While more expensive, glass containers are sturdier and safer than plastic containers.
23. Microfiber dish drying mat
If you do a lot of dishes by hand, a microfiber dish drying mat is a must. Microfiber mats are extremely absorbent to keep your countertops dry. It’s also cushioned to keep delicate items safe. You can even use it underneath a drying rack to protect the countertops. I recommend buying a couple of mats, so you can keep them in constant rotation. The mat I’m linking here is large and available in a wide range of colors and patterns.
24. Pyrex glass measuring cups
I use at least one, if not several, Pyrex glass measuring cups every single day for heating water for tea and for measuring both wet and dry ingredients, including the water and flour for my sourdough starter. I run them through the dishwasher all the time and have never had any issues with the markings fading.
25. Lemon kitchen dish towels
Spending more on large, high-quality kitchen towels is worth it because they’re softer, more absorbent, and hold up longer through repeated washings. This set of lemon kitchen dish towels is so cheery. They add a welcome pop of color to any kitchen.
26. Stainless steel measuring spoons set
I know that it seems like a bit of pain keeping a set of measuring spoons on a ring. But now that I have a set on a ring, I’ll never go back. It’s so nice to have them organized all the time and never have to search for the spoon I need. This stainless steel measuring spoons set has a nice range of measurements and is sturdy and well-designed for easy measuring and pouring.
27. Pyrex glass measuring bowls
Measuring bowls are another staple kitchen item that it’s worth spending a little more on to get high-quality pieces. Pyrex glass measuring bowls hold up well through years of mixing, scraping, and washing. I love that this set includes three bowls in varying sizes. It’s nice to have several sizes, and you don’t really need more than three for most daily cooking.
28. Lid organizer
An over-the-door lid organizer is perfect for keeping pot lids organized and not taking up valuable cabinet or drawer space. Regardless of the size of your kitchen, it’s a simple feature to free up much-needed storage area space and keep pot lids within easy reach.
29. Lazy Susan
For years, I used a smaller lazy Susan in an extremely narrow kitchen cabinet to house spices, which worked great. Now I have the acacia wood large slab lazy Susan on the kitchen island to house oils, salt and pepper, garlic cloves, and a few other kitchen staples. It is the most gorgeous lazy Susan and such a beautiful statement piece for any kitchen. It is large. Amazon has a great selection of smaller wooden lazy Susans as well.
30. GreenPan frying pan
There is a reason that the GreenPan brand has the reputation that it does. I have never looked back since I bought a pair of GreenPan frying pans. They are so much more durable and heat so much more evenly than most frying pans. The 8″ GreenPan frying pan is an ideal size for eggs and small batches of meat and veggies. The larger pans are well worth the money, too.
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Tell me about your favorite kitchen tools to gift for holidays, weddings, and housewarmings!
Are there additional items you would add to this list? I want to hear about them!