# 1 KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer
I know this might seem a pricy gift, even for someone you love (SMILE), but I am so happy with my older KitchenAid mixer that I thought it only fitting to start with it as my first suggestion in this year’s gift guide.
I make over 80 dozen cookies each year for my annual Holiday Cookie Open House and this mixer has just kept on churning through the last 8 years or so. I use it occasionally throughout the year, too, but each December is when it really comes into play.
Having a mixer like this is likely to make you bake more, as it is so easy to use and so versatile a device. Whether you are mixing delicate cakes or heavy bread doughs, it just simply works — which I think is one of the highest praise you can give to any home appliance.
All Gift Guide Recommendations: