The 30 Best Gifts Under $50, Including a Few of Our Tested Favorites

Chiostro di Saronno Amaretti Cookies In Vintage Tin

View on Giadzy.com

Crumbly, almondy amaretti cookies are a holiday classic. And because nobody knows Italian classics quite like Giada DeLaurentiis, we’re certain this tin of Giada-approved amaretti made in Saronno, Italy, has that “wow” factor. Made by Lazzaroni, a centuries-old baker, these cookies are naturally gluten-free, light, and crispy, and wrapped the traditional way, in colorful tissue paper. Whether you eat them by the fistful or bake with them, both the cookies and the gorgeous tin will be a holiday hit this year. 

East Fork The Mug

$44 at Food52 View on Eastfork.com

Introducing: a coffee mug so popular, it has a hashtag. #TheMug earned the title of “Best Artisan Coffee Mug” in our review of the best coffee mugs, owing in part to its chunky construction and cheerily speckled glaze. We also appreciated its durability: despite being handmade in Asheville, it’s still dishwasher-safe.

But the real appeal is all about the glaze. East Fork regularly drops seasonal colors that quickly sell out (and subsequently develop cult followings). Don’t worry; the core colors are just as gorgeous and always available. Something about this mug just feels right for holiday cups of cocoa.

Ami Ami Mulled Wine Kit

View on Ami-ami.vin

Ami Ami is such a cool company. Founded by two internationally-known winemakers, the brand produces industry-approved boxed wine that’s never fussy, and equally appropriate for your next dinner party as it is at a movie night in your comfiest sweats. We’re forever fans of their flagship Vin Blanc and Vin Rouge boxes (which make a great gift for party hosts), but we’ve got our eyes on a new product to the lineup: the Mulled Wine Kit.

The Kit includes a box of the Vin Rouge, a warming, fragrant spice pack from editor-loved brand Burlap & Barrel, and a recipe card with instructions for transforming the wine into a cozy winter treat. Cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, and dehydrated orange slices are the secret to this shareable, whimsical present that we think is a particularly nice host or hostess gift — also a wonderful option if you're looking for a wine gift basket.

Partners Coffee Miracle on N 6th Street

View on Partnerscoffee.com

In our opinion, you can’t ever go wrong with freshly roasted coffee. Partners is an editor-favorite coffee brand based in Brooklyn, and each year we look forward to their special Miracle on N 6th Street holiday blend. This year's Miracle blend combines coffees from Africa and Central America and has comforting flavors of sweet orange, cranberry, honey, and cinnamon. Trust us: This coffee smells just as delicious as it tastes.

This is a fantastic way to introduce a friend or family member to the world of specialty coffee roasted to order, and we’re not ashamed to say that the adorably festive packaging is half the appeal. Our advice? Snag this Miracle blend now ahead of the holidays (psst... it usually sells out).

Graza “The Duo”

View on Graza.co

We've tested Graza Olive Oil extensively in our own kitchens, but we also love it for holiday gifting. All of Graza’s transparently sourced oils come in handy squeeze bottles, an efficient and chef-approved way to mete out the perfect amount (you’ll find oil in squeeze bottles in many professional kitchens). The Gift Set contains both of their signature oils, the Drizzle for finishing touches, and the Sizzle for cooking. It’s a great deal, but even better is that the bottles come packaged in a whimsically-illustrated gift box.

All you have to do is tie on a bow and get ready for the thank-you card to arrive. Heads up: Graza offers free shipping on orders of two or more sets.

Rubirosa Pasta Sampler

View on Rubirosanyc.shop

Remember those big tins of popcorn? You know, the ones with three different flavors? This is just like that… only with pasta. The Rubirosa Pasta Sampler has all the fun nostalgia of a gifting tin, but it’s packed with high-quality pasta made by the iconic NYC restaurant of the same name. Included in the tin are three sauce-ready shapes: trottole, lumache, and casarecce.

Whether you pair them with a homemade sauce or splurge on the slightly spendier pasta sampler and sauce gift set from Rubirosa, this unique gift is the perfect solution for the pasta-obsessed: it’s creative, unique, and non-perishable.

Le Creuset Le Creuset Mini Cocotte

$24 at Amazon $22 at Williams-Sonoma $22 at Nordstrom

This petite pot is the perfect gift for Le Creuset superfans and cooks just starting their collections. It’s made with the same high-quality cast iron and proprietary enamel glaze as their bigger pots and comes with a generous warranty. Snap up a few to make it a set, and you’ll soon realize how useful the 8-ounce size is: it’s ideal for individually baked desserts.

The most fun part about gifting a Le Creuset of any size is surely picking out the color: with almost two dozen options, you’re spoiled for choice.

Ghia Ghianduja

$32 at Amazon View on Drinkghia.com

Ghia may be best known for their nonalcoholic canned drinks, but we're letting you in on an even more delicious offering from the brand that will pique your interest (and, surely, top your toast): Ghia's Ghianduja. This chocolate hazelnut spread is made with simple ingredients and half the sugar of most other popular hazelnut spreads for a taste and texture that’s worthy of gifting. It's offered in both a smooth and crunchy puffed quinoa and almond variety.

Our advice: You'll want to give these luxurious spreads to the serious chocolate lover in your life. We guarantee they'll lick the jar clean.

Great Jones Holy Sheet Pan

View on Greatjonesgoods.com View on West Elm

Professional bakers love these cookie sheets, and we do too. It was a top performer during our tests of the best cookie sheets thanks to its amazingly easy-to-clean surface, warp-resistant materials, and helpful rolled edges. This pan feels good to handle and can withstand high oven temperatures thanks to its aluminized steel and nonstick coating. The colorful finishes are highly appealing, but they don’t sacrifice quality.

During testing, we noted that this pan turned out superiorly browned potato wedges. Anything from Great Jones is a thoughtful gift for the lighthearted baker on your list, but the Holy Sheet just may be our favorite. 

Momofuku x Raaka Ultimate Chocolate Trio

View on Momofuku.com View on Raakachocolate.com

We didn’t see this collaboration coming, but now that it’s here we realize it makes perfect sense. A mashup of David Chang’s brand of authentic Asian pantry ingredients and a beloved small-batch chocolatier, this gift set features flavors you won’t find anywhere else. The bars come in a sleek gift box, and hit the sweet (and salty) spot: there’s White Chocolate Crispy Rice, Miso Potato Chip, and Chili Chocolate Crunch. If you’ve got your eye on this trio of bars, act fast: it is sure to sell out long before the gifting season begins.

Fishwife The Spicy Hot Trio

$39 at Amazon View on Eatfishwife.com

Spicy AND Hot: this enticing trio of tinned fish proves that conservas are anything but boring. It includes Fly by Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp Smoked Salmon, Slow Smoked Mackerel with Chili Flakes, and Sardines with Hot Pepper: all wildly flavorful, heart-healthy treats ideal for quick lunches and cute little picnics. Not sure that tinned fish will be a holiday hit? Just take a look at the gorgeous packaging: Fishwife’s iconic, colorful boxes are better than gift wrap. Pair this set with a box or two of fancy crackers, and you’re good to go.

clevr London Fog SuperLatte

View on Clevrblends.com

The winter months are the perfect time for a cozy, just-sweet-enough latte. Fans of the iconic coffee shop drink will appreciate this brand new just-add-water London Fog version from Clevr. In addition to a moderate amount of caffeine from bergamot-infused black tea, the SuperLatte is flavored with Indonesian vanilla, and a healthy dose of adaptogens and functional mushrooms for stable energy and a health boost. At $2 a cup, it’s also a more affordable alternative to a daily coffee shop visit.

The Spice House Lake Shore Drive Collection

View on Thespicehouse.com

A curated set of unique spices will wow any cook on your holiday list. We like The Spice House for hard-to-find blends, and this highly giftable set showcases some of their best. The four included blends are love letters to the dining establishments on Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. A rib rub, a Mediterranean homage to Greek diners, an infinitely useful shallot and herb blend, and a 30-spice Midwestern blend round out the quartet, which is tastefully packaged. It’s a great gift for anyone who’s from, visited, or eaten in the Windy City.

Peugeot Paris Pepper Mill

Orig. $48 $37 at Amazon $69 at Williams-Sonoma $62 at Walmart

Peugeot makes timeless, long-lasting kitchen equipment, and this set of S&P grinders is no exception. It landed on our list of the best salt and pepper shakers thanks to its high-end mechanism that’s ideal for fine to medium grinds. It turns smoothly and offers easy-to-adjust settings. Plus, it looks gorgeous in just about every style of kitchen. It’s a rare set that’s fancy enough for special occasions, but equally appropriate for weeknight dinners.

Heads up: this set is available in a few different colorways, including natural wood and navy, but availability depends on the retailer.

Rishi Tea Premium Sachet Collection

View on Rishi-tea.com

This set of teas and herbal tisanes from Rishi is a wonderful option for the tea drinker on your list. It’s a sampler set of their best-loved blends. Unlike many other tea samplers, this one contains a huge variety and some truly unique options. There’s blueberry hibiscus, chamomile medley, turmeric ginger, English breakfast, and a lot more. With two dozen sachets in 18 different flavors, it’s a fun way to introduce someone to the world of tea, too. Also of note: the plant-based sachets are compostable and free from microplastics. 

Apotheke Firewood Ceramic Scented Candle

$46 at Amazon View on Apothekeco.com

Winter bonfires just hit harder. This candle from luxury brand Apotheke is proof: it’s scented naturally with warming spices like cardamom and nutmeg, and woodsy patchouli and birch tar for a unique, surprisingly authentic fireside experience. The candle base is a soy wax blend, and it’s poured into a matte white ceramic jar that’ll complement any cozy winter scene.

If you’ve never tried a high-end kitchen candle, this is the perfect place to start. And P.S.: it burns for over 60 hours.

Bushwick Kitchen Spicy Sampler Gift Box

$45 at Amazon $50 at Walmart

Here’s a sampler set that’ll heat things up. This giftable box contains a bottle of Bushwick Kitchen’s Spicy Honey, Gochujang Sriracha, and Spicy Maple, all infinitely useful in the creative cook’s kitchen. The set comes with a branded kitchen dish towel and includes a secret QR code that takes you to a website full of recipes, just in case you need a little cooking inspiration. The bottles are full-sized (no mini version here!), making this a luxe gifting option for that friend who puts hot sauce on everything.

Riedel Nick and Nora Cocktail Glasses

Orig. $45 $31 at Amazon $45 at Wayfair $45 at Walmart

These retro-style glasses are some of the most stylish martini glasses we can recommend. Named for a fictional husband-and-wife detective team, Nick & Nora glasses have an authentically vintage aesthetic that’s suited to a variety of cocktails. The gently curved lip resists spills and sloshes, and the two-glass set makes it very giftable. Of course, the quality is beyond compare: these glasses come from 300-year-old famed glassmaker Riedel. 

Food52 Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts

$35 at Food52

If you’re looking for a more functional (and dare we say, sophisticated) gift for hot pots and pans, this set of silicone oven mitts will do the trick. They’re designed and made by Food52 and have some clever features. We loved the extra high cuff during our oven mitts test and appreciated that they are magnetic, so you can store them on the refrigerator door. They also have loops for traditional hanging and come in five quietly cheery colors.

Pringles x The Caviar Co. Smoky Shores

View on Thecaviarco.com

Fun fact: Caviar goes surprisingly well with potato chips. Suppose you’re looking for a gift that’ll wow someone with a great sense of humor and appreciation for the finer things in life, this collaboration between Pringles and The Caviar Co. will hit the mark. It’s handsomely packaged and includes everything you need for an evening of decadence: a one-ounce tin of smoked trout roe, a miniature can of pringles, crème fraîche, and mini spoons for serving. There’s even a branded caviar tin key for an extra touch of class. 

Nata Concept Store Butter Candle

View on Bignightbk.com

If the Danish concept of hygge is all about copious candles, and good butter calls to mind French bistros, where does that place this London-made, beurre-shaped candle? Who cares! It’s cute as can be, and it would make a fantastic gift for that cheeky, light-hearted friend on your list. It’s wrapped in red-checkered paper reminiscent of classic bistro tablecloths, so it looks good no matter how you display it.

Although it sure looks like butter, this candle smells like neroli, jasmine, and orange blossom. It’s the perfect mix of sophisticated and playful.

Fly By Jing Triple Threat

$28 at Amazon View on Flybyjing.com

We long ago decided we’d scoop up any condiment that Fly By Jing makes, and this trio of goodies is the ultimate score. It includes three of their most popular condiments, the OG Sichuan Chili Crisp, complex and fragrant Mala Spice Mix, and sweet-and-savory Zhong Sauce. Fly By Jing is a stickler for sourcing the best ingredients, and that ethos shines here. These three bestsellers are truly good on everything. Fair warning: this is the type of gift you’ll wish you bought for yourself, so maybe double up when ordering.

YETI Rambler 20 oz Tumbler

$35 at Amazon $31 at REI View on Yeti.com

Whether you’re shopping for a coffee or tea drinker, the YETI Rambler is a slam dunk kind of gift. Sure, it has come from a brand with a great reputation, but we recently tested travel coffee mugs and the Rambler proved it’s just as good as you’ve heard. It won the “Best Overall” title in our review. The generous size (it holds 20 ounces) means it’s a good fit for most, and it’s very well-insulated: both piping hot and ice-cold beverages kept their temperature all day long during tests. It’s dishwasher-safe, fits into most car cup holders, and is available in a variety of colors you won’t find in any other brand.

Nutribullet Immersion Blender Deluxe Set

$58 at Amazon $31 at Target $40 at Wayfair

An immersion blender is a surprisingly perfect gift for creative cooks. It’s a useful tool, but not so big or bulky that your giftee will struggle to find storage space. When we tested more than 15 of the best immersion blenders, we were immediately smitten with Nutribullet’s version. It outperformed blenders five times its price and was able to produce a velvety-smooth texture in just seconds. It’s virtually splatter-free and has a two-speed control panel. This immersion blender also comes with a whisk attachment, making it a smart multi-use investment for any cook.

Fresh Press Farms Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil Set

$28 at Amazon View on Freshpressfarms.com

Why don’t all bottles of oil come with handy pouring spouts? We don’t know, but this US-produced extra virgin olive oil has shown us how helpful they are. Fresh Press Farms makes cold-pressed oil, and their olive oil is sourced from Georgia-grown olive trees. The pretty bottle is functional too: the opaque aluminum bottle keeps it fresher longer. Their Classic blend is approachable and versatile. It’s a cooking and drizzling oil you’ll want to buy extras of, for gifting and using in your kitchen.

Messermeister Steak Knife Set

Orig. $70 $50 at Amazon $60 at Walmart View on Shoppremiumoutlets.com

A set of nice steak knives may seem unattainable for an under-$50 budget, but this set from Messermeister won us over during our tests of the best steak knives, beating out over a dozen other sets to win the “Best Value” title. During testing, we couldn’t believe they cost under $100. The knives cut smoothly through the thickest part of the steak, and have a comfortable, well-balanced weight. We felt they were also suitable for other foods, making them a great everyday option as well as a “company’s coming” set.

The knives have a full tang and a 5-inch blade that curves upward — ideal for bone-in steaks. And don’t worry about longevity: the German stainless steel blades were made to last, and they hold an edge well, too.

Maldon Salt Company Sea Salt Flakes

$16 at Amazon $27 at Walmart

Home cooks understand that, while cute, tiny tins of fancy finishing salt won’t get you very far. This 20-ounce tub of Maldon will be more their speed. It offers a great price per ounce, but it’s not so big that your giftee will struggle to find storage. The resealable lid locks firmly in place when covered, so you can be sure not a single flake will get wasted. 

AeroPress Original Coffee Maker

$40 at Amazon $40 at Target $40 at Williams-Sonoma

Forty dollars is a mind-blowingly low price for a coffee-making tool that’s beloved by industry pros. The Aeropress is a portable coffee maker that brews really good coffee. It’s so good, we use our Aeropress at home instead of a drip machine.

“AeroPress’s ultimate selling point — without a doubt — is its low-in-acidity, unbelievably smooth, bitter-less taste,” says senior commerce editor Dana Fouchia. She notes that, unlike other specialty coffee equipment, the AeroPress is easy to master, so there’s no intimidation factor. It weighs just 8 ounces and is virtually unbreakable, so if your giftee does end up taking it with them on the go, they can be assured it’s up for the adventure.

Blank Slate Kitchen Sichuan Chili Oil

View on Amazon View on Themalamarket.com View on 177milkstreet.com

Here’s one for the spicy crowd. Blank Slate Kitchen’s Sichuan Chili Oil is delightfully lip-numbing and hugely flavorful. It’s infused with a dozen spices, two types of ground chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns, so it’s way more than your average bottle of chili oil. It registers as a “medium” on the heat scale, so you can use it with abandon.

This bottle earns an artisanal label because it’s made in small batches with additive-free, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free ingredients. Give a bottle to the hot sauce lover in your life.

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Orig. $41 $32 at Amazon $35 at REI $25 at Target

A high visibility brand doesn’t always equate to long-lasting quality, but in the case of Lodge, the reputation and quality are a match. We named their classic 10.25 pan the very best you can buy during our extensive testing of the best cast iron skillets, and we think it’s an item worth giving. Lodge also makes additional sizes, including a roomy 12-inch skillet. Its slightly pebbled surface makes it easy to clean; crusty bits practically disappear with a warm water rinse. During testing, we appreciated the roomy helper handle, and the silicone cover is a nice touch for gifting.