The holiday gift edit
5 Gifts for the Impossible-to-Shop-For Cook in Your Life
They've got the smoker, the apron, and a cabinet full of spices and rubs. Here are five tried and true gifts that I absolutely love. And I know the person you're shopping for will too.
Sheridan Stevens
Nov 2026 · 6 min read
I love to cook, and I love a good gift that helps me in the kitchen.
I could do it all day, every day! All the people I love in my life know how much cooking means to me, so they've gifted me a lot of kitchen gear over the years.
Some of it was great, but a lot of it was duds. Most of it broke after one use, or it just ended up back in the drawer and didn't truly fix any of my kitchen pain points.
That's the whole purpose of this gift guide. I scoured the internet to find the best, and I've used all of these myself, so I know they actually work. These are the five gifts I suggest for everyone you're shopping for: your husband, your friend, your dad. A lot of them have really been life-changing in my kitchen, especially my number one top pick.
Drip EZ Ultimate BBQ Starter Bundle
I've given this bundle more than anything else on this list, and that's why it takes my number one spot. The amount of headaches this bundle solved for me was incredible! I love to share the wealth and let people know about a gift that's made such a difference in my kitchen. That's why it's my top pick.
Here's what they solved for me:
- Way fewer dishes when I'm done cooking
- Big cuts finally fit in the fridge
- When I rest my cooks with the BBQ blanket, they come out tremendously better
- All of these products are so easy to clean, it's almost laughable
Prep happens in one place
Each tub has a cutting board built in. Trim, rub and marinate in the same tub, then lock the lid and into the fridge it goes.
3 sizes for the whole menu
Junior for wings and sides, Original for a couple racks of ribs, XL for a full packer brisket.
Keep meat hot & juicy
The Rest EZ blanket wraps the meat and holds the heat. No more cooler full of beach towels.
Folds flat when you're done
The tubs collapse and stack, so the whole set fits in one cabinet.
- In the box
- 3-pc Prep Tub Set, Rest EZ BBQ Blanket, Grill Mitts
- Tub sizes
- Junior 15.75 × 12.5 × 4.5 in · Original 20 × 16.25 × 5.5 in · XL 22.5 × 16.25 × 5.5 in
- Cutting board
- Nylon, built into the base of each tub
- Materials
- BPA-free silicone and plastic
- Mitts
- Heat resistant to 480°F
- Care
- Dishwasher safe, hand washing recommended
#2 · Best Thermometer
MEATER Plus Wireless Meat Thermometer
A wire-free probe that stays in during the whole cook. It reads the internal temperature and the pit temperature at the same time and sends both to your phone, so you don't have to keep opening the grill and checking everything.
I especially love this when I'm cooking a brisket overnight. I don't have to sacrifice any sleep or be worried about my brisket all night long.
#3 · Best Grill Upgrade
Grillaholics Non-Stick Grill Mats
This gift is so cool because not everyone has a flat-top grill. I love getting these for friends and family!
I got these for my dad, and he can easily cook shrimp, veggies and things like that on the grill without worrying about them falling through. This one's such a great gift.
#4 · Best Knife
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 6″ Flexible Boning Knife
This is the only knife I need for prepping barbecue. It's at a great price point and does everything I want it to do, from trimming a brisket to prepping ribs and pork butt.
There's a reason this is a fan favorite among so many people who cook barbecue!
#5 · Best for Cleanup
Great Scrape Woody Paddle Grill Scraper
I've always hated wire bristle scrapers, and this wood one is great. It's made well and makes cleaning the grill feel a little less like a chore.
If you want to make the gift a little more personal, you can also look for custom-designed wooden grill scrapers on Etsy. A name or a fun design adds a little extra something to the gift!
My favorite stocking stuffer
My favorite stocking stuffer this season is the Drip EZ BBQ Meat Claws
Solid wood handles and stainless prongs that shred a pork butt, a whole chicken or a pile of brisket in a couple of minutes. No burnt fingers, no forks. Who wouldn't want these? These are awesome!
The bottom line
The best barbecue gifts aren't the flashiest. They're the ones that help solve everyday problems you've been hoping and praying there was a fix for.
But if you pick one thing from this list, it would definitely be the Ultimate BBQ Starter Bundle. It has everything you could want and gives you a great bang for your buck. That's why it's my top pick!
Happy shopping!
Shop my top pick
Ultimate BBQ Starter Bundle
Prep, marinate, carry and rest. Then fold it flat.
- ✓3 prep tubs with built-in cutting boards and locking lids
- ✓Rest EZ BBQ Blanket for the long rest
- ✓Grill mitts heat resistant to 480°F
- ✓Junior, Original and XL in one set