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Martha Stewart just shared her favorite gifts to give ahead of the holiday season
It's easy to say, we wish we were on Martha's holiday gift list.
Some people are naturally good gift-givers, and some people need a little help. Look, there's a lot of stuff out there — sometimes it's hard to decide what will be the most useful or the most appreciated. That said, we're happy to take any recommendations Martha Stewart is willing to disclose. The lifestyle mogul recently shared some of her favorite gifts to give in an interview with Us Weekly, and let's just say, we wish we were on her shopping list.
First, Stewart cheekily shared that the "best gift you can give" is her new cookbook, available for pre-order and coming to stores on Nov. 12. The book, Martha: The Cookbook: 100 Favorite Recipes, with Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen, features 100 of her favorite recipes with essays, stories, old images and more.
"It’s kind of a real celebration book," she said. "And I think you will love the recipes. They are fabulous."
The book is a great gift for any Martha Stewart fan (or anyone who needs a little help in the kitchen).
Aside from her own book and collaborations (she also mentioned her and Snoop Dogg's Bic lighters), Stewart shared three more gift ideas: Henckels knives, a Breville coffee maker and a Vitamix blender. Admittedly, these are all a little pricey, so we've come up with some affordable alternatives too.
Martha's Pick: Henckels Premium Knife Set
Henckels' knives are the highest quality. They're incredibly durable and, while a little expensive, this set often goes on sale at Amazon.
Stewart isn't the only fan of Henckels! This is Amazon's No. 1 bestselling block knife set with over 13,000 five-star ratings.
"Great set of knives for a great price," said one shopper. "The set includes a sharpener, which I have yet to use since the knives are very sharp. I like the weight and balance of the knives. I am a casual cook, but I do appreciate a nice knife set. The assortment covers a little of everything. I am a fan of the bread knife. For the price, this is a great set with a lot of versatility."
Another option: McCook 15-Piece Block Knife Set
A knife block can help you keep your kitchen knives safely tucked away and easily organized. This block has a built-in sharpener for keeping them in tip-top shape, and it's less than $100.
Amazon shoppers rave about these knives in the reviews. The high-carbon stainless steel cutlery is tarnish-resistant and rust-resistant. The knives also go through at least five checks before shipping out, according to the brand. Plus, with a built-in sharpener, you can retain the knives’ sharpness as you use them.
"Awesome knife set," said one home chef. "So happy with my purchase of this knife set. I have had them for a few months now and they are amazing. I like how they perform. They are sharp, sturdy, comfortable in my hand. [I] like all the variety of sizes and functions."
Martha's Pick: Breville Coffee Makerto
Stewart may be a bit of a coffee snob, but did we expect anything less? She said she often gifts the Breville Coffee Makerto as a wedding present and calls it the "the best" in its category. Not to mention, she said she hopes gifting one of these will encourage people to "get rid of those pods and make real coffee.”
Have a coffee lover in your life? This is the ultimate coffee and espresso maker and it will last for years to come.
"Great and durable," said one five-star Amazon fan. "I've had this espresso maker for five years now and use it daily. I buy German coffee brands, so I always have high-quality, good-tasting lattes that beat any latte at the coffee shop ... I recommend this machine and I would buy it again."
Another option: De'Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine
This De'Longhi manual espresso maker is Amazon's third best-selling machine, and it's just under $100.
This espresso maker has a milk frothing arm for making lattes, cappuccinos and more. And nearly 8,000 coffee lovers rave about it in the reviews at Amazon.
"I looked at a lot of espresso machines ... expensive, cheap, manual, auto, brands, non-brands and ultimately this is the one I chose," said one well-researched shopper. "It's a quality cafe brand. I'm a simple person so I didn't need all the bells and whistles... . With that said, I like a good espresso/drink and this machine does not disappoint. It's easy to use. The portafilter works great for pre-ground and fresh-ground coffee. The pressurized function piece of it is perfect because I do not weigh or have a specific ground. I just pack it in there and my espresso comes out great every time."
Martha's Pick: Vitamix 5200 Blenderto
And finally, the queen recommended gifting the Vitamix 5200 Blenderto, if you have the cash to splurge.
We have to admit, we'd love to receive a Vitamix this holiday season! The brand makes top-of-the-line blenders. Stewart said it's “the best machine to puree” all kinds of "soups and autumnal things."
According to Amazon, more than 10,000 people have bought this machine in the last month too.
"We've had this for several months now and use it mostly for smoothies, peanut butter, mayonnaise and occasionally cream soups," shared one buyer. "It's great for all of that, but it does a superb job making peanut butter. My Cuisinart food processor did a good job with peanut butter, but the Vitamix is so much better."
Another option: Ninja NJ601AM 1000-Watt Blender
We (and other Yahoo readers) love Ninja blenders! This one has the same size blending vessel as the Vitamix, but with just a little less wattage.
Ninja is another great, trusted kitchen brand with powerful and durable appliances. This blender has a 64-ounce blending jar and it has three speeds and a pulse option for crushing ice, frozen fruit and more.
"Love this blender," said one happy customer. "It works like a charm, well-made and crushes ice in the blink of an eye. Three speeds and pulse whips up just about anything you put in it. Really a powerful blender. Love the individual cups that come with it. A good value. Easy to use."
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.