German knives, English socks: 13 gifts beloved globally that Americans are missing out on
Our editors and writers have lived across the globe, from Abu Dhabi to Toronto to São Paulo. So when we asked them to share beloved gifts from outside the US, the answers were as varied as our home towns.
This is the stuff we bring home in our suitcases and press into friends’ hands. Take the “workhorse” German paring knives or the bright red tortilla press that makes homemade masa feel effortless. There’s a 3lb tub of Maldon salt that is absurdly whimsical yet practical, and a set of Australian linen sheets that get softer with every wash.
Some picks, such as El Dorado rum from Guyana, are a little piece of home. Others, including posters from Denmark’s Louisiana Museum, are just beautiful. And all of them are delightful discoveries that don’t require a plane ticket to bring home.
Germany
‘Perfect workhorse’ knives from Solingen
Paring Knives
from $21
For more than 30 years, my parents have used these trusty German knives in the kitchen of our 10th-floor apartment in Abu Dhabi. Every household I know in the UAE has a set. You can pick up the whole collection at a local grocery store for next to nothing (they come in different colored handles!), and they’ll last a lifetime. They are incredibly versatile too – from slicing fruits and vegetables to cutting luggage tags and fixing things around the house. They don’t rust or lose their shape. Whenever I fly back from Abu Dhabi, I bring sets as gifts for my US friends. As a good friend in New York once put it: “They’re the perfect workhorse knife.” Maya Yang
Paring Knives
from $21
Mexico
Cast-iron tortilla press
Tortilla Press Kit
from $65
There’s something really special about a fresh, homemade tortilla. They taste better than anything you can get at the supermarket and are shockingly (at least I was shocked) simple to make. To make your masa (dough), just add water to your harina (maize flour) and roll into little balls. Though you can realistically flatten these balls with a rolling pin and some parchment papers, a tortilla press gives you consistent thickness. Plus, the bright red finish brightens up any kitchen. Danielle Renwick
Tortilla Press Kit
from $65
Australia
Hunter candles
Hunter Candles
Australia Candle
$49
I first discovered Hunter Candles when a colleague introduced me to their tucked-away storefront in Sydney’s tree-lined Surry Hills neighborhood. Their scents are fresh and never overpowering, with unique, earthy notes inspired by ingredients such as shiitake mushroom, river mint, blue gum trees, mountain ash and grapefruit rind (who would have thought!). I also love that customers in Australia can return empty candle glasses for refills. My favorite is Daisy, a bright scent with delicate florals and summery hints of peach. Maya Yang
Hunter Candles
Australia Candle
$49
Soft sheets from Dazed but Amazed
Dazed but Amazed
Organic Linen Sheet Set
When I moved to Los Angeles, one of the first things that I bought was a linen sheet set from Dazed but Amazed, a small Australian company. The small-batch color combinations they offer are striking and unexpected; the sheets themselves get softer and softer with use. There’s a Pacific sensibility in everything the brand offers – they make my bedroom feel like it opens right on to the beach. Lois Beckett
Dazed but Amazed
Organic Linen Sheet Set
UK
3lb tub of Maldon salt
Maldon
Sea Salt Tub
$30
For your friends with caviar taste on a McNuggets budget, let me introduce you to the 3lb container of the UK’s Maldon sea salt flakes. While small boxes of Maldon salt are widely available at grocery stores around the US, loyalists to the stuff (me) know that the 3lb tub is a whimsical necessity in any good kitchen. It’s not only a visually fun gift to receive (it comes with a cute little handle!), it’s absurdly practical! I use a smaller salt cellar on my counter, but knowing there’s plenty to refill it with at all times? A thrill! It’s also roughly $30, making it a cost-effective gift for someone desperately seeking seasoning in their life, a white elephant offering or a cheeky pre-holidays gift from you to you. Jenna Amatulli
Maldon
Sea Salt Tub
$30
Rock & Ruby socks
Rock and Ruby
Socks
$32
This sustainable knitwear brand, founded in east London during the pandemic, produces a beautiful array of striking, vintage-inspired socks. There are bold checks and tasteful stripes in a wide array of colors. I craved a pair as soon as I saw them. LB
Rock and Ruby
Socks
$32
Brazil
Pão de Queijo
Yoki
Pão de Queijo
$35
I lived in Brazil in my 20s and 30s and to this day crave cheesy, gooey pão de queijo. This addictive treat, originally from the state of Minas Gerais, is a mix of tapioca flour, cheese and eggs. If I’m feeling particularly nostalgic I’ll pair them with some açai. I was delighted to find that this dry mix comes in bulk and tastes just like anything you’d find at a Brazilian padaria. DR
Yoki
Pão de Queijo
$35
Italy
Bialetti Moka Pot
Bialetti
Moka Pot
from $60
“Despite my Italian heritage, it took a temporary move to Rome to discover the magic of the moka pot. I instantly fell in love with this Italian coffee maker’s ability to brew a beverage on par with the $10 lattes found at my favorite cafes,” I wrote in my guide to achieving a perfect cup of iced coffee. In the chillier months, I rely on mine for achieving steaming cups of coffee, topped with frothed milk and a dash of cinnamon. It’s far less expensive than an espresso machine, but makes coffee nearly as strong.
While I own two sizes, the colored option would make for a particularly great gift (I have red). Lauren Gould
Bialetti
Moka Pot
from $60
Canada
Mango puzzles
Mango
Puzzle
from $40
In the nearly 15 years I’ve lived in Toronto, I’ve never been more than 15 minutes by bike or streetcar from the city’s best outdoor spots: Trinity Bellwoods, or a ravine. These beautifully illustrated jigsaw puzzles that capture my favo(u)rite city scenes are a dream to play, each piece snapping easily into the next, and the poster is so lovely I have framed it. Jessie Willms
Mango
Puzzle
from $40
Canadian e-reader
Kobo
Clara Colour E-Reader
from $180
If you’re looking for a non-Amazon alternative to the Kindle, let this be your sign to get a Kobo. (These e-readers are widely available outside Canada, but it’s nice to tell people that Canadian tech extends beyond the BlackBerry – RIP.) Then load it up with your favorite Canadian books, from Margaret Atwood to Rachel Reid to all the Emily St John Mandels. Does it also snow terribly from early December to May where you live? Get cozy under this quilt, in these sweatpants and this bunny hug (an endearing Saskatchewan regionalism for hoodie. Light a Province of Canada candle and read until spring. JW
Kobo
Clara Colour E-Reader
from $180
Fable’s affordable ceramics
Fable
Dinner Plates
$85
If you’re a millennial looking to (finally) upgrade and unify your tablewares, consider Fable. The Canadian company makes lovely ceramics that feel much more luxurious than their price point. The plates and bowls are a lovely foundation if you want to pair them with your existing eclectic tableware. While I would die to have all my tableware from Michelle Organ or Toni Darling Frank, budget (and my likelihood to drop breakables) prohibits it. A mix of makers big and small is the sweet spot. JW
Fable
Dinner Plates
$85
Guyana
El Dorado rum
El Dorado
Rum
$40
El Dorado rum comes from Guyana, where I’m originally from. Growing up, El Dorado was always a name we knew and took pride in. Guyana is known for its demerara sugar, and El Dorado rum is one of the great products that comes from the ingredient. When I give it as a gift, I love that I’m sharing a little piece of home and introducing someone to something special that represents my country. It’s a great rum. Keisa Caesar
El Dorado
Rum
$40
Denmark
Posters from the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Posters
Scandinavia’s best contemporary art museum is tucked away in the Danish countryside, a short train ride outside Copenhagen. Luckily, its online store of stunning art prints ships to the US – and you can get them framed or unframed. There’s something for every art lover: reimagined maps and manuals of Dominican-American artist Firelei Báez, eerie figures of Kaari Upson, classic landscapes by David Hockney and more. For a holiday gift, I might choose one of these ocean plant cyanotypes by 19th-century British botanist Anna Atkins. LB
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Posters
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things:
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.