Category Archives: Gift Guides

Made in the USA

made in usaEveryone wants to support local business as much as possible, and we all know how hard it is nowadays to find something actually made in our country, not just assembled here. A lot of brands will make a few items here and the rest in other countries, so it’s hard to keep track. While this list should be complete, please do let me know if you know any dirty little trickery that one of these brands might be trying to pull over on us consumers! Of course the best course of action is looking at the box, but even then it might not tell the whole story.

MADE IN THE USA!

all clad setAll-Clad** – Canonsburg, PA – The majority of All-Clad pots and pans are made in the USA. However, the lids and accessory pieces are manufactured in China. Accessory pieces include utensils, certain specialty pieces, and any of the stockpots over 16 quarts in size (because you can’t clad anything larger than a 16 quart!!). Generally these pieces come in black boxes, but not always. (Normally the boxes are white.)

*Appliances from All-Clad are made in China!!

Anchor Hocking – Lancaster, OH – Very sturdy glassware, glass bakeware, candle holders, serveware, canisters, etc. Since 1905; second-largest glass supplier in the US.

Anchor Hocking bakeware
Anchor Hocking bakeware

*Prior to 2008 some of the plastic lids were not manufactured in the USA, but now they all are.

Calphalon** – Toledo, OH – The bulk of Calphalon’s products are still made in the USA, but it’s very hard to decipher on their website. A request sent in to Calphalon let me know that their aluminum products are still made in the USA. This includes their Williams Sonoma, Target & Walmart hard-anodized products; Unison, Elite, Simply Calphalon, Kitchen Essentials, and Cooking with Calphalon.

Calphalon Unison nonstick
Calphalon Unison nonstick

Enclume – Port Hadlock, WA – French metal-forming equipment yields beautiful metal pot racks, kitchen furniture/accessories, and fireplace/hearth accessories.

Enclume pot rack
Enclume pot rack

Epicurean – Duluth, MN – Eco-friendly compressed wood cutting boards eliminate the care associated with wood surfaces. Dishwasher-safe and no oil required!

Epicurean cutting boards
Epicurean cutting boards

Fat Daddio’s – Spokane, WA – “Safe-Seal” anodized aluminum bakeware, which also happens to be one of the most highly rated brands, particularly among professionals.

Fat Daddio's bakeware
Fat Daddio’s bakeware

Fiesta Dinnerware – Newell, WV – High-fired, sturdy dinnerware and bakeware since 1936. Lead-free since 1986.

Fiesta dinnerware
Fiesta dinnerware

J.K. Adams – Dorset, VT – Quality wooden cutting boards, spice racks, wine racks, rolling pins and other entertaining products.

J.K. Adams wine rack
J.K. Adams wine rack
John Boos work table
John Boos work table

John Boos – Effingham, IL – Beautiful, thick wood cutting boards that are preferred by most professionals and found in many commercial kitchens, as well as wood and metal work carts, countertops/surfaces, shelves/racks and other kitchen furniture. High standards of sustainability in their foresting practices, as well.

Lodge – South Pittsburg, TN – Cast iron cookware since 1896.

*Enameled cast iron from Lodge uses enamel made in China. (Le Creuset & Staub, two French lines of enameled cast iron, use French-made enamel.)

Lodge fryer
Lodge fryer

Nordic Ware – Minneapolis, MN – Creator of the Bundt pan, and along with now offering many new Bundt shapes, they produce other bakeware, cookware, microwave cookware, and grill products. Highly sustainable; BPA-free, melamine-free, and nonstick coatings are water-based.

Nordic Ware bundt pan
Nordic Ware bundt pan

Pyrex – Charleroi, PA – The original strong glass bakeware and kitchen accessories.

Pyrex bakeware & storage
Pyrex bakeware & storage

Rogar – Petersburg, VA – Quality metal pot racks, wine racks, spice racks, and wine openers.

Rogar pot rack
Rogar pot rack

USA Pans – KS – High-quality metal bakeware and cookware. Cookware is 5-ply clad stainless (just like All-Clad), and the bakeware has AMERICOAT Plus silicone coating that is a clear nonstick free of PTFE’s and PFOA’s. Bakeware also has a corrugated/fluted design to prevent sticking and is used widely commercially.

USA Pans bakeware
USA Pans bakeware

Vitamix – Cleveland, OH – Uniquely patented blending products, considered to be the most powerful on the market and used commercially by many restaurants and professionals.

Vitamix
Vitamix

William Bounds – Torrance, CA – Pepper, salt and spice grinders/mills that have a special patented mechanism that actually crushes the pepper, which is the proper way to do it. Thus their slogan, “We’ve got a crush on pepper”!

William Bounds mills
William Bounds mills

NOT QUITE MADE IN THE USA…

I know I put a few exceptions in the top portion already, but I feel these are a little more obviously not made in the United States, yet worth mentioning.

Microplane zester
Microplane zester

Microplane – All Microplane blades are made in the USA, however the materials for the various handles are outsourced. Everything needing piecing together is assembled in Mexico. Therefore, if you were to buy the basic handle-less Classic Zester, you would be buying a product fully from the US.

Assembled in the USA: Kitchen Aid stand mixers. Parts come from various countries. The all-metal pasta attachments are still made in Italy, which is notable. They slap a flag sticker on the boxes that say “assembled in the USA” but people don’t read it and assume they are made here.

Gifts for Newlyweds

This can sometimes be tricky nowadays, since a lot of couples are already living together for quite some time before tying the knot. A lot of people are fearful of straying from the bridal registry wish lists because of that. If that is the case, I recommend not waiting until the last minute because items in your price range might all get grabbed by other people by the time you get around to shopping!

If you pay attention to their wish list, you can generally get an idea of any color schemes they are going for. Ask a sales clerk to show you some of the linens that another person already purchased so you can find them something unique that still matches their theme. Believe me, couples LOVE when their family and friends think outside of the box and put extra thought into their gifts.

weddingThe items I am listing here are classic gifts that no sane couple would say no to, and will often impress them compared to what they have put on their bridal registry. Avoid gadgets or appliances that seem like a fad and/or something they might use once and shove in a cupboard and sell in a yard sale years later. You want to get them something they will treasure and want to keep for a lifetime, and they will always think of you when they use it, of course!

I am also listing higher quality items that they probably already registered for, but since you are an avid reader of this blog, you might notice that what they’re asking for won’t last them as long as some of my recommendations, or if they aren’t sure what brand is best for them.

Riedel stemware
Riedel stemware

Riedel Wine Glasses – These glasses are for serious wine drinkers who aren’t clumsy! Riedel glasses are tasting glasses, made from real lead crystal (yes, you can make music on the rims!). They are definitely not dishwasher safe and are very fragile. It’s also good to know what style of wine your newlyweds prefer so you can get a glass that fits what they drink most, since these are tasting glasses and are very specific to the wine. Their stemless “O” series wine glasses are stronger and dishwasher safe, so that might be a fun, but still fancy, alternative. 

Schott Zweisel stemware
Schott Zweisel stemware

Schott Zweisel Wine Glasses – The majority of Schott Zweisel wine glasses being sold in retail stores now are all titanium enforced, but it never hurts to double-check the label. These bad boys are strong! You can bang them together pretty forcibly and they will not break, so these are great for boisterous toasting! Also dishwasher safe and made in Germany. These are a little more expensive than regular wine glasses, but less expensive than Riedel; and the ‘bang’ test really impresses EVERYONE! (*Bonus tip for Oregonians – they make a special Oregon Pinot glass, the only time they’ve ever made a glass specific to a region!!*)

Wine Accoutrements – While we’re talking about wine, let’s look at some wine tools!

Decanter – A glass decanter has different shapes for wine or liquor . A wine decanter will have no lid, as its not used for storage like a liquor one would be. It will have a skinny neck that opens into a wider base, normally.

Wine decanters
Wine decanters
Vinturi wine aerator
Vinturi wine aerator

Aerator – This is a device you can pour your wine through into a decanter to help speed up the aeration process after opening a bottle of wine, versus having to swirl it around in individual glasses to increase the oxygen exposure.

Vinturi – A revolutionary little tool, this is a newer form of a wine aerator that allows you to pour directly through the gadget and into your glass. No downtime! Normally you don’t have to decant white wines, but the Vinturi works so well that they recommend using it on whites, too. If your newlyweds are big into white wine, consider getting the one they created specifically for whites – it’s ever so slightly different!

Screwpull lever wine opener
Screwpull lever wine opener

Lever Wine Opener – A lever-style wine opener is a more expensive, but easier way to get your cork out. The devices are pretty large, but make the task practically effortless. The most well-known brand name for a lever-style wine opener is the Rabbit; the highest quality (with the best warranty and easier-to-find replacement parts) brand name is Screwpull. Screwpull is actually under the Le Creuset umbrella. Most people usually don’t have issues, but some of the less expensive brands (and by that I mean in the $40-50 price range; a lot of these can be over $100) specifically state on the packaging that they are not intended for use on synthetic corks and can break.

Foil Cutter – If the wine opener you are purchasing doesn’t already come with one, this can be a handy little gadget to get past that layer and on to the cork!

Foil cutter
Foil cutter

Wine Charms – Cute little markers for wine glasses so guests can keep track of whose glass is whose.

Wine charms
Wine charms
Vacuvin wine stopper
Vacuvin wine stopper

Wine Stoppers – Decorative stoppers are always a nice touch, but in my personal experience, nothing works to actually stop the wine so you can lay the bottle on its side in a rack. The Vacuvin vacuum sealer pump is very inexpensive and a highly rated ‘must-have’ gadget. You can buy replacement corks (the pump comes with one) for about $5 for a set of two.

If your couple is truly into wine, there are so many more accouterments you can consider, like wine racks, refrigerators, or journals. The possibility of gadgets is really quite extensive! I’m not going to list them all here, what’s listed above are the basic ‘essentials’.

Bar Accouterments – I suppose I should also mention bar accouterments, too!

Bar tool set
Bar tool set

Classic Bar Tool Set – You can find a plethora of different sets that will include some combination of a cocktail strainer, a double jigger, bottle opener, stirrer, ice tongs, and a citrus slicing knife… You can also consider buying these pieces individually based on what types of beverages your newlyweds like to concoct! Of course there’s this cool Bar10der all-in-one tool to consider, too.

bar10der
bar10der

Cocktail Shaker – Sometimes you can find these with a built-in measuring jigger as part of the lid. Oggi also makes this cool one that comes with a glass (with recipes printed on it!) that has a silicone seal to make drink mixing even easier!

Cocktail shaker
Cocktail shaker
Riedel single malt whiskey glasses
Riedel single malt whiskey glasses

Riedel Single-Malt Whisky/Whiskey Glass – For the serious whiskey drinker in your life, grab a set of these beautiful glasses, which bring out the full flavor of that expensive bottle of liquor he enjoys. Approved by a panel of Scotch whisky experts and master distillers in Scotland!

…or just find some really fun cocktail glasses like these ones that look like ice from Bormioli Rocco or these ones that look like they are toppling over!

Wobbly whiskey glasses
Wobbly whiskey glasses

Whiskey Stones – Milled from a particular type of soapstone found in Vermont, this is a centuries-old Scandinavian way of keeping your liquor cool while avoiding watering down your beverage as normal ice would.

Whiskey stones
Whiskey stones

Alright, moving out of the bar area…

Epicurean cutting boards
Epicurean cutting boards

Epicurean Cutting Board – I cannot say enough good things about these cutting boards. They are wood, but compressed wood, which means they can go in the dishwasher and get washed with soap; and you don’t have to oil it!! They are thin, so very easy to store, too. And made in Seattle, Washington!

Nespresso
Nespresso

Electric Espresso Machine – If you get them the best one (assuming they are connoisseurs), yours will be the one they don’t return. Otherwise, I would file this in the “Don’t Buy” category down below. And by best one, I mean Nespresso. If they aren’t that into coffee, don’t buy them a little espresso machine because they will never use it. And it’s a sure bet that they will be gifted a a couple of Keurig machines, so don’t even bother!

Shun cutlery
Shun cutlery

Quality Chef Knife – Okay, maybe it’s time to grow up and get a really nice everyday knife or two. Read my “Buying Knives” blog to learn what might work best for your friends. Stray from their wish list if it looks like they don’t know what they are asking for – they will be thankful that you did!

Cast iron cookware is popular again!
Cast iron cookware is popular again!

Quality Cookware – If your newlyweds are in search of a nice new set of cookware but aren’t sure what to get, read my “Buying Cookware” blog to get some ideas based off of what type of cooks they are or aim to be! A Le Creuset enameled cast iron oval or round oven will be a treasure they keep and cherish for a lifetime, of course.

Flatware
Flatware

Flatware – Flatware can be a touchy subject, so if they’ve chosen something already, stick with it. If they don’t have a preference, the world is your oyster! 18/10 steel is usually standard but not always, so make sure it is!!

Ceramic Dinnerware – Read my “Ceramic Dinnerware” blog for ideas on what brands to consider!

Le Creuset dinnerware
Le Creuset dinnerware
Chantal Loop kettle
Chantal Loop kettle

Tea Kettle – A really nice, classic-looking teakettle will last them a lifetime and probably live on their stovetop, so it will always remind them of you! I’m partial to a few by Chantal since they are made from the same material as their cookware, which means they also have a lifetime warranty like the cookware does. The Classic model has a timeless look but more importantly, a Hohner harmonica whistle, which just sounds beautiful when the water’s ready! I also like the Loop kettle because the trigger to lift the lid is in the handle.

Chantal Classic kettle
Chantal Classic kettle
Soda Stream
Soda Stream

Soda Stream – This is a fun gift that they probably wouldn’t think to ask for, and it’s not quite made it to the “Don’t Buy” list just yet. I’m sure in another decade that will change, but for now, get them something that’s a fun treat! Make sure to get a sample pack of flavors if you can!

Don’t Buy!

Ice cream maker
Ice cream maker

Ice Cream Maker – most couples get 3-6 of these per wedding. I’m not kidding! Whenever I did bridal registry returns there was always at least one, or else they’d mention they had to return one to a competitor store, haha!

Waffle Maker – see “Ice Cream Maker”

Waffle maker
Waffle maker
Keurig
Keurig

…and like I mentioned above, pretty much any single-use “fad” appliance is probably just going to sit in a cupboard unused. Unless you know they want it!!

Keurig – I already explained this above, if they are a coffee connoisseur, impress them with a Nespresso machine. Otherwise, forget about coffee and look for something else!

Gifts for Grads

This list can be for both high school or college graduates; things that they will need in a future dorm or apartment, especially good for cooking for one person. My brother also mentioned these would all make good gifts for someone going into the military. After they graduate from boot camp, they move into barracks that have small kitchen setups with nothing in them!
Electric Water Kettle – A great item for heating water safely in a small space. Good for making ramen noodles or tea/cocoa/coffee.
My favorite, the Bodum cordless
electric kettle. Comes in 2 sizes!
Ways to Make Coffee – Read my Coffee Maker Basics blog to learn more about what type of coffee brewing system works best for your graduate!
Aeropress – This little guy is consistently hailed as making the best cup of coffee using regular coffee grounds. A lot of people used it at my last office with the grounds the office provided to make a slightly stronger cup. Brews right into the mug by adding hot water, and the filters come in packs of 350 so they last a really long time!
Aeropress
French Press – There are other brands, but Bodum is the most well-known. They make a variety of presses, from the classic glass, to stainless steel, thermal, and travel. Can also be used to brew hot tea, but you cannot brew both in the same vessel as the coffee taste will remain in the mesh filter. These can also be utilized to make cold press coffee.
Bodum glass French press
Single Cup Brewer – The most popular single cup brewer is Keurig, but there are many other brands by the usual suspects. Make coffee one mug at a time, sometimes taking special pods and other times allowing you to use your own coffee grounds, or both!
Keurig single-cup brew system
Electric Espresso – These can get tricky because the inexpensive ones usually don’t produce an authentic cup of espresso. Luckily, most American coffee drinkers don’t know the difference, so base your purchase off of whether you’re buying for a connoisseur or not! Nespresso makes the smallest footprint models at a lower price than larger household models that produce as good a cup, but it’s still a tad spendy, so this might be more for the college grad and a cheaper one for your high school grad!
Nespresso electric espresso machine
Travel Mug – Most coffee shops take a few cents off the price of your drink if you bring your own cup. Or just to bring their homemade coffee to class with them. Either way, save them some cash and keep their coffee warm!
Contigo travel mugs have become one of the
most popular brands – easy to sip from and seal tight!
Inexpensive Dinnerware and Flatware – A couple of plates, bowls, forks and spoons will be very helpful to have in a dorm room. I recommend cheap and plastic or melamine! Walmart, Target, dollar stores, etc. to find these for low prices.
Plastic dinnerware!
For someone graduating college, getting them their first real set of dinnerware would be a great next step. Read my ceramic dinnerware blog for ideas on what brands to consider!
Small pot and frypan – If this is going to be their first time cooking, I would recommend something really inexpensive and nonstick. Nonstick for at least the frypan – it’s a little harder to burn/stick things in a pot than a frypan based on what is normally cooked in both.
A small frypan and a small saucepan are all you need!
Shopping for someone who knows their way around the kitchen a little? Consider Cuisinart or Calphalon’s less expensive lines. Feel free to check my Buying Cookware blog for more in-depth information on how to choose what’s best for your cook!
For someone graduating college, it might be time for their first nice set of cookware! Consider the Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro as a very solid set that will last them forever.
Round it out with a set of cooking utensils. Cheap plastic ones from the dollar store should work well for our college-bound and military group; maybe spend a little more on some nicer ones for our college grads.
Plastic cooking utensils
Don’t overlook the importance of a can opener!
Microwave – An essential tool for the single person!
Microwave!
Microwave Cooking Acoutrements – Nordic Ware is made in America and they produce the best microwave-safe dishes and cooking items! Your will have a hard time NOT finding something useful for dorm/single-person microwave cooking, and I find their products in every type of store as they are a very popular brand name.
Nordic Ware microwave egg cooker
Electric Countertop Grill – These may or may not be allowed in dorms. Another essential cooking tool for the single person! Can make grilled sandwiches or use as a small grill to cook meat, fish and veggies.
Cuisinart Griddler
Soda Stream – Not a necessity, but a fun gift that will save them a little money.
Soda Stream home soda maker

Gifts for Dads

Shopping for your father or partner? Of course there are always going to be something new and gimmicky out depending on the season, but I have compiled a list of tried-and-true ideas for gifts for the special guy in your life that you should be able to find at a regular kitchen store. Shop locally, if you can!! 😉
BBQ Tools
Who doesn’t love to grill? And giving more grill utensils equals more delicious summer BBQs for you, right?! 😉 Check out whatever is new for the season! Brands tend to change at even the big-name stores season-to-season, so keep that in mind.
Probe Thermometers – CDN, Polder, and Maverick Redi-Chek are all good brand names in probe thermometers and there’s quite a variety, so pay attention to what he grumbles about when cooking! The Maverick Redi-Chek probes are actually remote so you can take the receiver piece with you as you walk around the party and not have to stand by the grill to keep checking the temperatures. There are some that have multiple probes so you can measure different types of meat at the same time.

Maverick Redi-Chek dual-probe remote thermometer
Usually you can use probe thermometers in smokers, but they also make specific thermometers for smoking, too, like this Redi-Chek remote smoker thermometer.
Grill Lights – Make evening grilling easier! A huge seller is this kind of cool, little light that is attached to a magnet that you can attach to your metal spatula to get an even closer look at your burgers! (**Be careful – the ones I have utilized had a little plastic tube around the batteries that most people assumed was to ensure no battery power was wasted prior to purchase, but it actually required the plastic in order to work!)

Magnetic mini LED grill light attaches to any metal utensil!

Smoker Box – A smoker box is something you put pre-soaked wood chips into to infuse flavor into the meat you are grilling. Some are large enough and have a liquid compartment to pour water, beer, wine or whatever you want to infuse them with. There are now even “platform” smoker boxes that are large enough for the meat to sit directly on top of them.

Weber cast iron smoker box

Himalayan Salt Block – Another cool thing to infuse flavor into your meats or veggies when you grill. You can cook on these multiple times, and some people use them to serve on, as well. And how about a Salt Block Cooking cookbook to go with it?

Himalayan sea salt block
Grilling Planks – Yet another way to infuse flavor into your meat or veggies on the grill. Put them right on top of the plank to get the wood flavor directly in. These are single-use only, but you can add it to the fire afterwards to infuse a little flavor into whatever else you are grilling. You can usually find them in the same ‘flavors’ as other wood chips, like cedar, alder, and hickory.
Cedar grilling planks
Grill Gloves – High heat resistant gloves are a must-have if your guy owns a smoker or uses a really large charcoal grill. They are long to protect your arms, as well.
A variety of different grill gloves
BBQ Apron – Find a fun apron that says “Kiss the Cook” or “King of the Grill” or something else fun and cheeky. There are a lot of websites that will personalize an apron for you, too. Keep in mind most standard aprons are about $25-35 unless you are getting really serious about fabric and design, which obviously ups the price. You can also go the other way if your guy is more of an indoor chef and find him a nice chef’s coat.
Fun apron for dad!
Great Grilling Cookbooks
Steven Raichlen – www.barbequebible.comSteven has several books now since his first, the Barbecue Bible, as well as hosting TV shows on PBS and teaching his Barbecue University classes.

Steven Raichlen’s ‘The Barbecue! Bible’
**Personal favorite!!** Elizabeth Karmel’s Soaked, Slathered, & Seasoned: A Complete Guide to Flavoring Food for the Grill. She has two other books, as well, but I am partial to this one because it’s smaller than Steven Raichlen’s book for one, and it is seriously a complete compendium for how to put meat on the grill, even with just oil, pepper and salt!
Elizabeth is the Executive Chef at Hill Country Barbecue in central Texas and has also leant her grilling prowess into a line of grilling tools under the name Grill Friends that can be found in a lot of kitchen stores.

Elizabeth Karmel’s ‘Soaked Slathered & Seasoned’
Bar Accouterments
Riedel Single-Malt Whisky/Whiskey Glass – For the serious whiskey drinker in your life, grab a set of these beautiful glasses, which bring out the full flavor of that expensive bottle of liquor he enjoys. Approved by a panel of Scotch whisky experts and master distillers in Scotland!

Riedel Single-Malt Whiskey Glass
…or just find some really fun cocktail glasses like these ones that look like ice from Bormioli Rocco or these ones that look like they are toppling over!
Sagaform wobbly whiskey glasses
Whiskey Stones – milled from a particular type of soapstone found in Vermont, this is a centuries-old Scandinavian way of keeping your liquor cool while avoiding watering down your beverage as normal ice would.
Whiskey Stones

Other Kitchen Goodies

My dad loves to make soups and stews in the winter, so another personal favorite is the cookbookThe Big Book of Soups and Stews. Pretty much any recipe you can think of is in this book, and I ended up buying it for myself, too, and use it very regularly!
Bacon/Grill Press – A heavy cast iron grill press will help eliminate the curl from back or ham when cooking on the stovetop or grilling. Works great as a sandwich press, too!

Lodge cast iron grill press
Food Dehydrator – Know someone who hunts and likes to make their own jerky? Or just loves appliances that are fun to play with. 😉 For the serious, I recommend L’Equip’s 6-tray dehydrator. For the less serious (read: less expensive) you can probably find one starting at around $40-$50 price range, like this Ronco model.

Ronco food dehydrator

I will try to think of more goodies, but this is a solid list of staples to think about year-to-year. The more tools you arm him with, the more delicious food you might receive in return!! What are your favorite gifts for Dads? I would love to add more to this list to help people out!