Behold: The guy who says he doesn’t want anything for the holidays. That is, until he unwraps a Made In Carbon Steel Frying Pan that imbues him with the power to sear steak like a professional chef. Or a knife razor-edged enough to elicit a “whoa, that’s sharp!” as it sinks effortlessly through a butternut squash. This Made In Cookware 2025 holiday gift guide is for him, by way of you.
From the griddle that keeps grill season sizzling year-round to the pizza steel that guarantees next-level pizza nights, these are far more than just kitchen gifts — they’re one-way tickets to bragging rights. Whether he’s devoted to the pursuit of grillsmanship, master of the Maillard reaction, or self-proclaimed smash burger virtuoso, each of these Made In Cookware picks delivers a performance that’ll make him say, “okay, you get me, this is better than socks.”
The Carbon Steel Griddle (Plus Collegiate Team Spirit)
For the guy who thinks “breakfast for dinner” denotes a special occasion and who harbors a soft spot for oversized tenderloins and sky-high stacks of pancakes, Made In’s Carbon Steel Griddle is proof you’ve been paying attention. The professional-grade flattop shows up preseasoned and ready to get to work. No break-in period necessary.
It’s built to take heat up to 1200F on your indoor double burner or out on the grill or fire pit, features sloped sides to keep juices and grease from splattering over the sides, and sports lifted handles for quick and easy transport from stovetop to oven.
For those who personalize their presents, the griddle also comes in a Collegiate version, so you can gift school pride and culinary prowess all in one swagger-riffic tool. Get ready to cheer when he opens his brand-new University of Michigan-branded griddle, complete with “Go Blue” silicone handle sleeves.
In short, this isn’t just a “nice pan:” It’s a long-term commitment to deliciousness. Brunches, quesadillas, grilled vegetables, extra-thick-cut bacon, the possibilities for showing off never end (and everyone wins).
The Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan
If you were ever going to bestow one pan to the steak fiend in your life, make it Made In’s Carbon Steel Frying Pan. It’s the only one you need to do a porterhouse steak the justice it deserves and look good doing it. Available in 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch sizes, it scales beautifully from single sirloins to Flintstones-worthy tomahawks.
Made In’s carbon steel frying pans do everything cast iron does, but with faster heat response and without the mandatory arm workout. Bottom line: It rewards finesse rather than brute force (because you know he’s already got that down). And best of all, it develops its seasoning patina quickly and cleanly, no guesswork required.
Beef buffs will notice the difference in flavor from day one: This pan delivers that coveted crisp, caramelized crust across the entire surface, sans the dreaded cold spots. Because carbon steel is more responsive to every tweak of the burner, you can rapidly dial it up and down at key moments — as in, prepare for a ravishingly rosy medium-rare.
The Butcher Block
If he’s still hacking away on that sad, knife‑scarred plastic slab — or worse, the dreaded, slippery, knife-dulling glass board — your dude is past due for a major upgrade. Enter Made In’s Butcher Block: a 12" x 18" multi-tasking maple powerhouse that’s tough as nails and handsome as all get-out (remind you of anyone?). It’s American-made and built to last, not to specifically call out those flimsy bamboo boards or anything.
One side is perfectly flat, and the reverse features a supremely handy juice groove that catches every bit of runoff. This must-have feature keeps your counters clean while enabling him to easily transform those flavorful drippings into a gorgeous pan sauce. And thanks to its size and heft, Made In’s Butcher Block doubles as a handy prep hub and impressive serving station for all your appetizer needs.
The Personalized Chef Knife
If watching him prep ingredients is giving less “graceful mastery” and more “chopping tomatoes with a brick,” we have the answer to preserving his dinnertime dignity: Made In’s 8-inch Chef Knife. Crafted in Thiers, France—celebrated for its longstanding knife-crafting heritage—it boasts a full-tang, fully-forged blade made from NITRO+ steel with a Rockwell hardness (a measurement of steel's hardness) of 58+. For context, that’s only slightly softer than the gears in industrial machinery, so it’ll hold its razor-sharp edge through countless slicing and dicing sessions without so much as a hiccup.
And if simply sinking that blade cleanly through a beet wasn’t fun enough, you can personalize it, too. Pick a handle that speaks to his personality: Olive Wood for warmth and timeless charm, or Truffle Black for a sleek, “I mean business” vibe. Then monogram it with his initials or engrave it with its very own nickname. Think: “The Chopfather,” “Slice, Slice Baby,” or “Beast Mode.” And suddenly, it’s a culinary companion for life.
The Japanese Gyuto Knife
If the 8-inch Chef Knife is the dependable workhorse, Made In’s Japanese Damascus Steel Gyuto is the refined specialist. Handcrafted in Seki, Japan, a city with centuries of samurai sword-making lore to its name, this knife carries its legacy of excellence directly to your butcher block.
The blade is made with 66 layers of Damascus steel, and yes, that is every bit as impressive as it sounds. Why? For starters, those mesmerizing swirling waves on its surface aren’t simply for show. They’re what happens when you layer hard steel between softer steel for an exceptionally keen edge that’s also chip-resistant and just a little flexible, sailing right through vegetables and proteins.
Here’s a meaty little slice of history to include in your special guy’s gift card: The Gyuto rose to prominence during the Meiji Restoration of 1868-1889, as chefs started adapting Western-style beef butchery that targeted primal cuts: chuck, rib, loin, round, flank, plate, brisket, and shank. Hence “gyuto,” the beef sword. Today, it handily earns its knife block real estate as multi-purpose kitchen ninja: whatever the situation demands, Made In’s Japanese Gyuto delivers.
The Grill Press
A grill press is the ultimate tool for making flawless smash burgers with perfectly imperfect edges that crisp up beautifully as cheese cascades through every crackly cranny. Specifically, Made In’s Grill Press, crafted in Sweden with an American tanned and stitched leather handle cover. This robust slab of stainless steel maximizes contact between your patty and the hot surface, ensuring even heat distribution and that oh-so-coveted caramelized crust.
Weighing in at a balanced 1.8 pounds, it’s hefty enough to create respectable surface area without flattening burgers into oblivion. The raised handle keeps your hand safe from the heat while providing just the right leverage for pressing down with precision. As an added bonus, it’s dishwasher-safe (just remember to slide off the leather handle cover first!).
Pair it with Made In’s Carbon Steel Griddle for a smash burger setup worthy of your favorite burger craftsman.
The Pizza Steel
If his idea of a perfect pizza night involves stretching meticulously proofed dough until he can see through it and waxing poetic on the meltability merits of low-moisture mozz, this is his gift. Made In’s Pizza Steel turns any home cook into a legit pizzaiolo, no wood-fired brick dome imported from Italy at great expense required. Or…is it? Sly wink.
Crafted from Made In’s signature solid carbon steel, it’s able to withstand temperatures literally hundreds of degrees higher than ordinary pizza stones. The result? Crusts that balloon and blister in all the right places; bottoms with just the right amount of char, and gooey-stretchy centers. The steel also moonlights as a bread-baking, grilling, or roasting surface when he’s in the mood to experiment. Fresh, toasty naan to pair with your curry? Perfectly puffy pita to wrap around grilled meat? Check, and double-check.
And because Made In doesn’t do things halfway, this tool is a true heirloom piece that’s built to last a lifetime. Give it to the man who considers his pizza sauce recipe part of his identity, and prepare for a permanent front-row seat to his new one-man cooking show.
The Red Wine Glasses
For the man who thoughtfully swirls and sniffs before he sips (or just likes to look like he knows what he’s doing), Made In’s Red Wine Glasses are an instant happy hour or dinnertime upgrade. Handcrafted in Germany from durable, dishwasher-safe crystal, these universal glasses are designed to naturally open up any red varietal’s unique nuances, coaxing out every note of fruit, spice, earth, and oak until even a second-least-expensive bottle feels like a tasting room experience.
Each glass is whisper-light in the hand, with a laser-cut rim that gives a more refined sensory experience. The wide bowl gives reds plenty of space to breathe, amplifying aromas, softening tannins, and encouraging another generous pour.
Gift them to the guy who knows the difference between “supple” and “silky,” or the one who recently started recognizing the difference.
