I agree that you want to avoid duplicate small appliances, but it's so hard to think of anything original. I used to give ice cream makers, especially to very young couples who will be cash-strapped and still needing to make friends in a new community. I always figured the ice cream maker would give them an excuse to invite new friends over and make ice cream. We always got lovely thank you notes, but I don't know if any ice cream ever got made.
Probably the coolest gift we received that wasn't on our registry was a gorgeous Pendleton blanket. DH is huddled under it right now, watching football.