Mother’s Day is around the corner. If you’re shopping for a mother who loves to spend time in the kitchen cooking, we’re here to help.
Mother's Day Gift Ideas 2023
Published May 3, 2023.
Each year, our dedicated team of testers review hundreds of pieces of equipment, from small but helpful tools to large appliances. Our rigorous testing ensures everything we recommend is the top of the line, which will make every type of mom happy.
Here are some of our top picks for the moms and mother figures in your life.
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Mother's Day Gifting made Test Kitchen reliable. Shop equipment and books—gifts guaranteed to please.For the Mom Who Hopes to Reduce Food Waste
A food-saving vacuum sealer: the Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro
If you’re shopping for a mom whose New Year's resolution is to cut down on food waste by using up all the leftovers and scraps from cooking, get her a food vacuum sealer.
Our favorites are reliable, easy to use, and quick to seal up dry and wet ingredients. They kept steak, frozen lasagna, and chicken tightly sealed in the freezer for months. Dry ingredients also stayed fresh. Additionally, they’re great for portioning and freezing leftovers for later uses and have allowed us to whip up satisfyingly delicious dinners in minutes on days we’re too busy to cook.
For the Cheese Lover
One of our favorite artisanal American cheddar cheeses
As it’s easy and fast to ship temperature-sensitive goods, you can now order cheeses from all over the country and have them delivered to your doorstep. When we taste tested artisanal cheddar from various states, we were amazed by the wide range of textures and flavors American cheddar has to offer. They're all favorites in our book, but Cabot Clothbound Cheddar from Jasper Hill Farm is a complex, nutty cheese that tends to disappear very quickly at parties. For a sweeter yet still punchy cheddar, try Beecher's Handmade Cheese Flagship. If your giftee happens to be a cheeseboard artist, be sure to order some cheese for a lovely surprise!
All About Artisanal American Cheddar Cheese
From California to Vermont, cheesemakers are producing some top-tier cheddars by hand.For the Mom Who’d Really Benefit from a New Skillet
Our winning nonstick skillets: OXO Good Grips Nonstick 3-Pan Set
Many parents barely have time to wash their nonstick skillets before it’s time to use it again. Don’t let the mom in your life keep using a banged up and scratched skillet. Get her a new one.
We like our winner from OXO because of its slick cooking surface that remained nonstick throughout testing and its comfortable handle. It comes in three sizes (8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch). Bundle up all three for best value and maximum usage.
For the Mom Who Likes Trying New Things
A bottle of one of our favorite nonalcoholic spirits and cocktails
Nonalcoholic beverages have surged in popularity lately, from beer to canned cocktails. As new nonalcoholic spirits and ready-to-drink options emerge, we set out to sample the trendiest and readily available brands on the market.
The ones we liked the most were pleasant to drink and reminded people of the spirits and cocktails they were trying to mimic. We especially loved the St. Agrestis Phony Negroni and the Non-Alcoholic Apertif from Wilfred. For moms who are curious about low- and alcohol-free drinks, they’ll make perfect presents.
Tasting Nonalcoholic Spirits and Cocktails
Sales of booze-free beverages are booming. We sampled 16 wildly different options and found a lot to be excited about.For the Mom Who’s Ready to Step Up Their Game
Our winning food processor: Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor
A good food processor is truly a kitchen workhorse. It can chop up a whole onion into even pieces or whip up a batch of smooth mayonnaise in a matter of seconds. If the mom in your life doesn't have a food processor—or, maybe even worse, has an unreliable one—she'll wonder how she ever got by without our top-rated model from Cuisinart. With just two buttons, it couldn't be simpler to use.
Since we first tested them in 2009, the Cuisinart model has kept its top spot in two rounds of testing, which is a testament to how much value this gift represents.
For the Mom Who’s Sick of Dull Knives
Our top electric knife sharpener: Chef's Choice Trizor 15XV Knife Sharpener
A sharp knife makes cooking easier and safer—and faster. For the busy home cooks who can’t spare the time to go to the knife shop every so often, an electric knife sharpener offers a convenient way of keeping the blades sharp.
Our winning model gives any dull knife a polished and razor-sharp edge in just two minutes. Not only does it guarantee stellar results, but it's also easy to use, especially for those who aren't familiar with how knife sharpening works.
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For the Frozen Dessert Enthusiast
Our winning ice cream maker: Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, and Sorbet Maker
As the holiday falls on the cusp of the season when fruits are in great abundance, an ice cream and sorbet maker makes an appealing present. We loved the velvety and even-textured batches of ice cream it churned; we also appreciated its lightweight, compact design, and the simplicity of its one-button operation.
This easy-to-use ice cream maker is an unexpected gift that will make the whole year sweeter and more fun.
For the Hostess Mom with the Mostest
Our winning heavy-duty cutting board: Teakhouse Edge Grain Cutting Board
After years of testing, this wooden cutting board has remained a clear winner, thanks to its durability, ease of use, and design, which enables it to double as a serving board for entertaining. We love how it has a heavy-duty feel but is medium-weight, which makes it relatively easy to lift and move.