What's the Deal: Holiday gifts for a foodie

Kitchen gadgets and appliances can make great gifts, but don't go shopping blindly-- arm yourself with some ideas from the experts at Consumer Reports.

"We test hundreds of kitchen appliances every year and we have a gift to fit a chef of any skill level," said Consumer Reports Home Editor Paul Hope.

First, how about a gift that replaces several appliances?

The seven-in-one Instant Pot is a great option for someone who loves to cook as much as someone who just wants to make an easy one pot meal. Its seven functions can make large batches of yogurt, perfectly cooked brown rice, fall off the bone slow-cooked meals and tender ribs. It costs $99.

Even the most basic chef will find the $260 Cuisinart Toaster Oven very easy to use. It offers a convection setting, comes with an extra rack and pizza stone and delivers whether you're broiling or baking.

If your chef has all the basics why not give something the pro's use: a sous vide appliance.

"Sous vide cooking is a process where you vacuum seal foods and cook them in a hot water bath. It lets you cook through foods to a perfect internal temperature without over cooking them," said Hope.

The $199 Joule has an App, but must be controlled with your smartphone. The $149 Anova can be controlled by your phone or keep it simple and manually set temperature and press "go."

"The sous vide appliances we tested had different features but we liked the results from both as long as you follow the directions," said Hope.

Consumer Reports testers said whichever one you choose is sure to deliver tasty results.

In addition to gadgets and appliances Consumer Reports also tested dozens of pots and pans this year.

It found a $40 Cuisinart, the CastLite NonStick, performs almost as well as ones that costs twice as much.

It's dishwasher safe and oven safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It can also be used with induction cooktops.

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