11 Must

From tableware to kitchen gadgets, feast your eyes on these selects for your top chefs.

The best gifts sit at the intersection of fun and useful and, that’s exactly where kitchenware and tableware really shine. This year, Oprah's Favorite Things includes finds that will thrill anyone who spends time in the kitchen, from the experienced cook to the friend whose favorite form of meal prep is ordering takeout.

Consider surprising the chef you love with kitchen gadgets they didn’t even know they were missing, like an ingenious, ergonomic ice cream scoop that will help them dish up sundaes. For the friend who loves dining alfresco, there’s a set of all-weather dishes, complete with compostable liners. If Grandma spends every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas baking for her grandchildren, she’ll love the holiday-themed cookie jar to store her delicious treats. And the recent college grad in your life will be sure to invite you to their first dinner party after you furnish them with their first set of pots and pans.

Oprah’s Favorite Things is chock-full of gifts people in your life can use for their entertaining needs for years to come—and they’ll be thinking of you every single time!

This ingenious tableware makes it easy to host—no dishwasher needed! The plates are designed to be used with fully compostable parchment paper liners on top so that once someone is done eating, the liner and any food scraps on it go directly into the compost bin! With these bundles of four, you can choose between plates woven from seagrass ($98)—a marsh-growing reed that also happens to be naturally resistant to dust and dirt—or glossy white metal ($88). Both come with holiday-friendly paper liners, and once those run out, replacement liners—in a variety of designs—can be ordered from the company.

Great friends, good music, and delicious food—that’s all you need to throw a memorable cocktail party. Well, that and this acacia wood charcuterie tray, printed with the word gather in the center, which celebrates all three. The person who gets this gift will think of you every time they bring it out to snack on delicious cheese and nuts—which, by the way, sit in their own special ceramic dishes on the board.

Yes, it’s a no-brainer for newlyweds. But more people on your list would love this cookware set, and here’s why: Putting together a whole suite of pots and pans from scratch is time-consuming, expensive, and a little boring—so much so, it’s likely someone on your list still hasn’t remembered to pick up a saucepan. Head off that dilemma with this one-shop-and-done set of cookware, which will have them covered for everything from breakfast to dessert. Each piece is made from stainless steel with a nontoxic, nonstick ceramic interior that is both durable and easily washed.

A good set of mixing bowls comes in handy all the time: your friend can use the biggest one to mix dry ingredients when baking a cake, the smallest to whisk oil and vinegar together to make a flavorful salad dressing, and the middle-size one to whip up eggs for a family breakfast. In a soft, neutral shade, his farmhouse-inspired stoneware looks so chic that you can even put it directly on the table during a holiday dinner. The fact that each bowl fits neatly into the next makes the set a winner for the pal who’s short on cabinet space, too.

Hearing the satisfying pop of a wine cork coming out of the bottle: magical. Trying to stick that cork back into the bottle in a feeble attempt to keep leftover wine fresh: maddening. This ingenious wine preservation system solves that problem by leaving the cork in place and piercing a hollow needle through it. Press a lever to pour a glass or two, pull the clamp off (the hole in the natural cork will close up on its own), and voilà! You’ve ensured the wine still in the bottle stays in excellent drinking condition for weeks or months, if necessary. The set comes with an aerator and a bottle sleeve, making it a surefire hit for your oenophile pal.

For the friend who thinks dinner equals charcuterie and red wine, this board and coordinating bread knife makes last-minute prep much easier. Handcrafted in Portugal from sturdy oak wood, the board itself mirrors the shape of a baguette and has notches carved into the wood showing where to cut for uniform slices. The accompanying knife is stainless steel with serrated edges that will easily slice through even the crustiest crusts.

For anyone who has ever tried to scoop ice cream using a teaspoon or slice pizza using a knife and fork, this gift set is a game changer. The stainless steel handles of the scoop and slicer were designed by an aerospace engineer who had ergonomic principles in mind, which means these let your arm muscles do the work while keeping your wrists steady. The brand is so confident this set will be a hit that the items come with a lifetime guarantee. Make a note to circle back in 20 years and see how much the person you give these to is still loving them!

What does Santa look like? Whatever you imagine he does. That’s part of what makes this cookie jar so special. It comes in three different skin tones, and the hefty ceramic jar holds plenty of cookies. The man himself has a mischievous twinkle in his eye that definitely looks like he’s encouraging you to have another one.

Hand-me-downs no more! Here’s a great gift for someone moving into their first adult space: a complete dinnerware set that has plates, bowls, cutlery—even water glasses. You can choose from soft, solid hues like dusty rose or pale blue, or opt for classic bright white with brightly colored trim. The shapes are timeless and sleek, so that even as your recipient ages, this classic set will never go out of style.

A great gift makes an ordinary object or experience feel special—just like this oil and vinegar set from a brand known for taking old-fashioned shapes and rendering them modern in clean white ceramic. Complete with a tray that keeps the oil flask and the vinegar shaker neatly together, it’s the kind of gift that will please even the hardest-to-shop-for people on your list.

This carving board is as practical as it is beautiful. The show-stopping tree design in its center encourages juices from the meat being carved to drain into a larger well—which makes carving and serving both cleaner and easier. The tree’s intricately detailed branches evoke family, making this a special gift for anyone on your list who’s part of yours, chosen or otherwise.

Want to see more of Oprah’s Favorite Things? Check out the full collection here.

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