23 Best Cooking Gifts for Boyfriend: Knives to Sous Vide

If he is still chopping onions with a knife that came in a block set, this is the gift that will change his cooking the most. The Fibrox Pro is the knife many line cooks actually use: light, sharp, comfortable in wet hands and easy to bring back to an edge. It is our top pick because he will use it every day.

For a boyfriend who already owns a decent chef knife, a Damascus santoku is the showpiece upgrade. The flatter Japanese profile is great for thin vegetable slices and fast push-cuts, and the layered pattern looks great on a magnetic strip. This is the knife he will want to show off when friends come over.

A new knife deserves a proper board. End-grain walnut is kinder to a sharp edge than plastic or bamboo, the juice groove catches drips when he carves a roast or brisket, and the smaller board doubles as a charcuterie platter for date nights.

Many men who love cooking have wanted to learn knife sharpening. This kit has everything he needs, including the angle guide, and getting a dull blade back to shaving-sharp is satisfying enough that it becomes a Sunday ritual. Pair it with one of the knives above for a complete gift.

A magnetic strip is the quiet upgrade to a cook's kitchen: knives within reach, edges protected from rattling in a drawer, and counter space reclaimed from a bulky block. It is a great add-on if you are also giving him a new knife.

These locking stainless baskets let him roll shrimp, asparagus or diced potatoes over the grill without losing them through the grates. The removable wooden handle means he can do two batches at once, so vegetables finish at the same time as the steak.

A one-to-two-second instant-read thermometer is the cheapest way to make him a better cook. No more cutting into chicken to check it. It is waterproof, backlit for late grilling and small enough to keep in an apron pocket.

A salt block is pure fun to cook on. He can heat it on the grill to sear scallops or thin steak at the table, or chill it to serve sushi or fruit, and it seasons everything it touches. It is a great date-night conversation piece.

For a boyfriend who smokes brisket or roasts a whole bird, two Bluetooth probes with a 650-foot range mean he can watch meat and pit temperatures from the couch instead of hovering by the grill. The app setup is simple, with no WiFi pairing.

Every guy who gets into cooking ends up wanting a big cast iron pan for steaks and smash burgers. The 12-inch size fits two ribeyes at once, it goes from stove to oven for cornbread or a frittata, and the silicone handle sleeve saves his fingers.

This is the splurge for the boyfriend who loves gadgets and steak. Sous vide brings meat to an exact temperature in a water bath, so he gets edge-to-edge medium-rare and only needs a quick sear in cast iron. The app lets him start dinner from the couch. It is our premium top pick.

If pizza night is a regular date in your home, a baking steel is the upgrade. Steel transfers heat faster than stone, so a home oven turns out blistered, crisp crusts in minutes, and the included peel means he can start launching pies immediately.

Four rubs (Polynesian pineapple, brown sugar chili, smoked butcher's blend and sweet and tangy mustard) give a griller new flavors to try on ribs, chicken and pork chops all summer. It is our best-value pick: under $30, beautifully packaged and certain to be used.

The cocktail smoker brings a bit of theater to date night. The oak top sits on a glass, the torch lights one of six wood chip flavors, and the smoke turns an old fashioned into something special. Two glasses and ice ball molds make it a complete kit for two.

If he puts hot sauce on everything, let him make his own. The six peppers range from smoky chipotle to ghost pepper, the booklet has quick recipes, and the labels mean he can bottle and name his signature sauce. It is a good weekend project for the two of you.

Toasting and grinding whole spices is a big step up from jarred powder, and a heavy granite mortar makes it satisfying. He can pound curry pastes, pesto or a quick guacamole in it too. A good pick for a boyfriend who is getting into Thai, Indian or Mexican cooking.

This book pairs recipes with games and conversation prompts for a night in, so cooking dinner becomes the date. It is an inexpensive add-on that turns a kitchen gift into a plan for the two of you.

More than 100 recipes with five ingredients or fewer, portioned for two, solve the weeknight 'what should we make' question. It is perfect for a couple who just moved in together and wants to cook more and order less.

A heavy cotton apron with a joke print and three deep pockets for his thermometer, phone and tongs. It covers the whole front, so splatters from the cast iron end up on the apron instead of his shirt.

Matching his-and-hers aprons with a playful jab at who is really in charge. They have long waist ties and adjustable neck straps that fit most people, and they make a great anniversary or Valentine's add-on for a couple who cooks together.

Fifty soul food recipes from Snoop Dogg's own kitchen, from fried bologna sandwiches to lobster thermidor, written with plenty of personality. It is a fun gift for a boyfriend who loves hip-hop as much as good food.

Once he has a few signature dishes, a hardcover recipe journal gives them a permanent home, with tabs, ribbon bookmarks and conversion charts. Write the first recipe in it yourself, something you cooked together, before you wrap it.

This is the book that turns a recipe follower into a cook who improvises. Samin Nosrat explains why food tastes good through four elements, and he will start seasoning, balancing and adjusting dishes on instinct. It is one of the best cooking books of the past decade and a thoughtful gift.