Christmas dinner is the centrepiece of the holiday season for many people – a joyous occasion that brings family and friends together.
But for those preparing the meal, it can also be a whirlwind of peeling, chopping, roasting, baking, and much more. The pressure to get every element just right, from a golden turkey to the fluffiest roast potatoes, can feel overwhelming.
The good news is that modern kitchen gadgets can take the stress out of cooking – or at least most of the stress – and turn you into a festive kitchen wizard. From time-saving tools to precision cooking devices, these ingenious gadgets help you nail every dish with ease and confidence. Here are the ultimate Christmas dinner gadgets to help you prep, cook, and serve like a pro.
Best dinner gadget guide: Prep tools
Preparing a Christmas dinner is all about efficient prep work, and having the right tools at your fingertips can save you hours.
A food processor is a game-changer for tackling the mountain of vegetables, herbs, and other ingredients that need chopping, slicing, or blending. In our extensive testing, we found that the KitchenAid 2.1L is the cream of the crop, offering lots of power in a compact design that is easy to use and offers multiple attachments.
If precision slicing is your goal, a mandoline slicer is an invaluable tool for creating perfectly even slices of potatoes, carrots, or other veg, and can be particularly useful for dishes like gratins or decorative vegetable side dishes. For us, the OXO Good Grips mandoline slicer is a solid choice with adjustable thickness settings and a hand guard for safety.
For those following recipes to the letter, a smart kitchen scale is a must-have, ensuring precise measurements for baking or portioning ingredients. Some scales come with fancy features in 2024, like the Etekcity Smart Nutrition Scale, which even syncs with an app to provide nutritional information.
Finally, don’t overlook the power of a good set of quality knives and a sturdy chopping board. A sharp chef’s knife, such as those from Wüsthof or Global, makes quick work of carving meats or prepping vegetables. Pair it with a durable bamboo or polypropylene board to protect your countertops and keep your ingredients organized.
Best dinner gadget guide: Cooking the main
The centrepiece of Christmas dinner – whether it’s a golden turkey, succulent roast beef, or a plant-based Wellington or nut roast – demands precision and care.
Before anything else, a meat thermometer is essential for ensuring your roast is cooked to perfection. T3's experts found that the Thermapen One was the best option for most people, offering rapid and accurate temperature measurement, a nice sharp probe, great screen, and fully waterproof design.
For consistent cooking and easy cleanup, invest in a high-quality roasting tray with a rack. The rack elevates the meat, allowing hot air to circulate evenly and fat to drip away, ensuring crispy skin and tender meat.
Options like the Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Roasting Pan are durable, lightweight, and perfect for accommodating a large turkey or multiple joints of meat. Some trays even come with non-stick coatings for effortless cleaning –always a blessing after a long day of cooking.
If you’re looking to truly elevate your cooking game, consider a sous vide machine, which uses a water-bath method to ensure even cooking by holding food at a precise temperature, making it virtually impossible to overcook. The Anova Precision Cooker is a popular choice, ideal for preparing perfectly tender turkey breasts, juicy steaks, or even vegetables like carrots glazed with honey and thyme.
For multitaskers or anyone looking to streamline their cooking process, a multi-cooker like the Instant Pot Duo is a lifesaver. This versatile gadget can pressure-cook, slow-cook, steam, and even sauté, making it perfect for preparing sides like creamy mashed potatoes, braised red cabbage, or spiced chutneys.
Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of a reliable basting tool. A heat-resistant silicone basting brush or a baster with an injector attachment ensures your roast stays moist and flavorful. This is especially useful if you’re glazing a ham or adding extra flavor to poultry.
Best dinner gadget guide: Sides and sauces
No Christmas dinner is complete without perfectly prepared sides, and having the right tools ensures they steal the spotlight.
To start, a potato ricer is indispensable for achieving creamy, lump-free mashed potatoes, with models like the OXO Good Grips Potato Ricer making light work of turning boiled potatoes into fluffy perfection.
For those who prefer a more traditional approach, a sturdy masher with an ergonomic handle, such as the Zyliss Stainless Steel Masher, delivers excellent results with minimal effort.
When it comes to sauces, a gravy separator jug can make the difference between a smooth, delicious gravy and a greasy, inedible mess. The OXO Good Grips Gravy Fat Separator is a top pick, designed with a spout that filters out fat and a strainer lid to catch unwanted bits.
To add finesse to sauces and desserts, an electric hand mixer is a versatile tool for whipping cream, mashing sweet potatoes, or even creating a silky smooth bread sauce. Compact yet powerful, mixers like the Cuisinart Power Advantage 5-Speed Hand Mixer are a must-have for hassle-free side dish preparation.
Best dinner gadget guide: Dessert
Christmas desserts are the grand finale of the festive feast, and having the right gadgets ensures they’re as impressive as the main course.
A stand mixer is a cornerstone for any holiday baking. After hours of testing all of the available options, T3's experts decided that the Kenwood Titanium Chef KVC7300S is the best stand mixer on the market, offering ease of use, exceptional performance, electronic speed control, and the bowl has lighting!
For something truly indulgent, an ice cream maker adds a creative twist to your holiday menu. The T3 reviewer elves were set the very difficult task of finding the best ice cream maker and rated the Ninja Creami very highly, thanks to its multiple functions for ice cream, gelato, sorbet and more, easy-to-use controls and set-up, and far quicker working speed and superior experience over its rivals.
Investing in the right tools not only enhances your Christmas dinner but also brings joy to cooking throughout the year.
Whether it’s a game-changing food processor, a precision sous vide machine, or a trusty meat thermometer, these gadgets help take the stress out of holiday cooking, and may also make a great gift for others.
Merry Christmas and happy cooking!
