Co-authored by: Normand Bourque
With the holidays fast approaching, its a great time to treat your investment with some great gifts that will improve the quality of your living space. The list below has great gift ideas from air freshers to pots’ and pans that will surely update your look and make life a little easier, let’s get started with the kitchen.
All Clad LTD Stainless 10-piece set
This 10 piece cookware set from All-Clad features three-ply construction of thick conductive aluminum and a beautiful hard-anodized exterior which is then bonded to a stainless-steel interior which helps to distribute heat quickly and evenly. This set cooks beautifully on any cooking surface. I looked around for a good stainless pan set and found this set to be top notch, it’s super easy to clean and the exterior finish holds up well with regular use. I accidentally burnt corn on the cob in the stockpot (forgot to add water) and with some elbow grease was able to clean it up like new.
Calphalon Premier Space Saving Nonstick Cookware
If you rather have the convenience of non-stick cookware check out this great set from Calphalon, those of you who have a smaller kitchen where space is limited this is the set for you. Their unique design allows the cookware to stack securely no matter what order, saving you 30% more space in your cupboards. The nonstick coating is super durable allowing you to use metal utensils and eggs and even baked on cheese slides off with minimal effort.
Corelle Dinnerware Sets
Growing up my mother always had one dinnerware set that lasted through my entire childhood, and she still uses to this day and that is a set from Corelle. These plates are tough as nails and can take abuse from the kids who use them. When I finally moved into my own place the first thing I bought myself was a good set of Corelle plates and 15 years later they still look as new as the day I bought them. Dishwasher safe, easy to clean and everything from elegant to fun designs make these a great update to any dining room.
Chicago Cutlery
If you love to cook or have a family member who does than you know the importance of a quality knife set. The Insignia2 from Chicago Cutlery is a beautiful full tang knife set, with high carbon stainless steel blades that stay sharper longer and resist rust. The built in sharpening tool on the block is a great feature so you don’t have to go looking for the sharpening stone. Chicago Cutlery backs all their knives with a lifetime warranty so if your knife ever breaks it’s covered, making this the one set you will have for the rest of your life.
Ninja Products
Ninja offers a multitude of products to help make your job in the kitchen easier, whether it be their all-in-one Ninja Cooking System with Auto-iQ, that sears, steams, bakes and slow-cooks, to their innovative new Ninja Coffee Bar System which you can customize to your liking whether it be iced, cappuccino, or strong brew. The ninja coffee station has what you need to get it done.
The Ninja Intelli-Sense Kitchen System with Auto Spiralizer is their top of the line food processor, it’s capable of almost anything you throw at it. The auto-spiralizer is great and will turn whole zucchini into vegi-noodles in less than 15 seconds I was blown away by the power and efficiency of this attachment as it would take me more than 10 messy minutes to get uneven partial noodles. The blender can make quick work for smoothies, and nut butters are a breeze with it’s powerful motor.
Vitamix Ascent Series Blender
If you want the best of the best when it comes to food processing you can never go wrong with a Vitamix , known around the world for their high end machines these babies can take a licking and keep on ticking and with a 10 year warranty it’s sure to last you a long time. The Vitamix Ascent Series is our go to at home for smoothies, we have tried other brands and they always seem to leave a grainy texture behind, not with the vitamix, simply hit the smoothie button and you have a smooth creamy drink every time. Whats even better is their soup function, the blades spin so fast that the heat it produces gets tomato soup piping hot and ready to eat right out of the container. They also have an intuitive touch interface as well as smart sense technology so you can use various size containers and the Vitamix adjusts accordingly.
Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker
If you have limited space for small appliances than you may want to give the Multi-Cooker from Crock-Pot a try. This nifty appliance serves as both a steamer, slow cooker and pressure cooker. Allowing it to be one of the most versatile tools in your kitchen, easily make rice or beans with a push of the 11 preset buttons allowing you to easily create meals. You can brown and saute meats, steam vegetables, and make a delicious dessert all with one unit making clean up a breeze!
The Company Store
I’ve never really heard of The Company Store, until I was looking for new bed linens for the master suite. I stumbled upon their site and I am so glad I did. They offer a variety of items for both the bedroom and bathroom that are great quality at amazing prices. Living in the northeast we get some pretty cold winter’s and my wife is ALWAYS cold, so I purchased a down comforter as well as a soft lambswool blanket to help keep us warm when the temperatures drop. Both are extremely well made and wash really well. My wife hasn’t complained yet about being cold, so I consider that a win!
Dyson Products
Dyson is known for their innovative technologies with vacuums, but did you know, they also make air purifiers and hair dryers? The Dyson Supersonic hairdryer is super sleek and very quiet, as a matter of fact, I let my wife’s hair dresser try it for a week with her clients. She loved how she could actually have an “indoor voice” conversation while blow drying her clients hair and that it also dried their hair in half the time.
The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier leads the way in innovation as it automatically purifies to remove allergens, pollutants, and gases from the air. Their mobile app is intuitive allowing you to check your air quality from anywhere and make adjustments as needed right through your mobile device. The machine operates quietly in the background so you don’t even know its there.
Acer Aspire Desktop
Your home office needs a powerful computer for video calls, scheduling, writing up that proposal, and maybe even some gaming. The Acer Aspire Desktops has you covered in every category. With a 3.5 Ghz Processor, 12GB Ram, and a 2TB hard drive this desktop computer can handle it all. It’s super fast and responsive, packed with the latest Windows 10 software, SD card, built in Wifi and 8 USB ports for all of your accessories.
TP-Link CR1900 Wireless Cable Modem Router
Your home office is only as good as your network that it’s run on, you need a reliable modem and router to make everything come together, that’s where the TP-Link CR1900 is an amazing all in one device. Best of all, with this device you are no longer tied to paying rental fees to your cable provider and who doesn’t like saving $120/year? The router provides multiple channels in both 2.4 and 5ghz, plus an additional “guest” connection. My favorite benefit to this device is it’s Tether app. I can manage my connections, set up parental controls, create a online schedule and so much more. I favorite Tether feature, If my kids don’t do their chores I can easily disable all their WiFi from my phone.
TP-Link also offers smart home products such as light bulbs, cameras, light switches, and plugs allowing you to take full control of the electricity and security in your home.
Brother All-in-one Printer (MFC-J985DW)
To go along with your powerful computer you will also need an all-in-one printer for faxing, copying, and printing documents, but won’t break the bank on ink. The Brother MFC-J985DW is a workhorse that sips ink and offers you 2 years worth of ink included, without having to actually fill empty cartridges. My favorite feature, you can print wirelessly right from ypur mobile device from anywhere in your home. The ink is consistent and vibrant making it an excellent choice for your home office.
Bosch 12V Brushless 3/8in. Drill/Driver
The 12V Brushless Drill/Driver from Bosch is my go-to tool for small/odd jobs around the house. It gives me plenty of versatility and power to handle anything from hanging pictures, to building shelves. It’s super lightweight (2lbs), feels great in your hand, and the battery lasts a long time with the brushless motor. The built in LED light is a great addition for working in darker areas.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking at gifts for a friend, family member, or yourself, this list will give you some great ideas on items that can be used everyday and in every home.