Getting married next April and I have been tasked with doing the research on everything kitchen for our registry! I would love the boards expertise on recommendations for the following... TIA!

- Cookware: I know this has come up on the board before... looks like there is consensus to avoid sets, and avoid lots of non stick (before doing any research, we were leaning towards a Caphalon or Cuisinart non stick set!). So now I am thinking getting a few pieces that we will use most often... My question now is, what are the "essential" pieces? I do love to cook (we also eat plant based, little to no animal products and try to avoid oil for the most part). I'm thinking a SS frying pan (or 2)? One non stick pan (cheap?), one sauce pan, and one or 2 pots. That about cover it? Is stainless steel the consensus of the board? If I don't want to shell out for All-Clad, is there any difference in caphalon v cuisinart, etc?

- Knives: I believe again the consensus is avoid sets, get quality knives that you actually need and use. Again, what are these "essentials" and good brand recommendations? Anything other info to know?

- coffee maker: Coffee maker recommendations? Would love a coffee maker I can make a full pot with (preferably thermal carafe) and a single serve cup. Models I'm currently looking at are Ninja CM407 or Cuisinart has a similar model. Thoughts?

- blender: my understanding is vitamix or ninja. Does the extra $300 for a vitamix really worth the $150 I would spend on a ninja?

Any other recommendations for a kitchen registry would be greatly appreciated. Thanks y'all!

We got Henckle (2 person logo ones) sontuku, chef knife and a paring knife from william sonoma. We also got an All-Clad 6qt SS pan we use if we have to cook a big meal like spaghetti sauce or something. I haven't mastered cooking in a SS pan yet so I typically use a set of tramontina non stick for daily use. We also got couple of Le Creuset enameled dutch ovens. We use our Lodge cast iron skillet and griddle

Vitamix blender is the money and can't go wrong with a 6 quart Kitchen aid mixer and a Nespresso machine


Can't go wrong with gift cards from Amazon, Costco, Target and William Sonoma so you can purchase the Vitamix, a KitchenAide mixer, Dyson vacuum, a Weber grill and a Kamado Joe ceramic grill

Kitchenaid mixer is a must.

If you doubt this, go look at some of the attachment options. And they last for 30 years or longer, so they're worth the expense.

May be hard for a registry, but, we got this Williams Sonoma Brand 10-piece set for our beach house. For $320 after coupon code, it's damn hard to beat. My 10-piece All-Clad set at home was nearly twice the price and I can't tell a meaningful difference in performance.

Pots and Pans: You have lots of options for stainless steel cookware, which I suggest you get. My most used sizes: 3qt(ish) sauce pan, 1.5 qt sauce pan; 10/12 inch fry pans/skillets; 6 qt. stock pot (for pasta). As far as brands go, there are lots of good options that aren't as expensive as All-Clad. That WS one Fido linked looks nice. And, as a personal opinion, I really dislike the handles on All=Clad pans. Very uncomfortable to me. Calphalon tri-ply is good value. Also, look at Serious Eats for good pan recommendations.

I would also recommend a few nonstick pans. I have an 8 inch (for morning eggs) and one 12 inch for everything else. My opinion is to go cheap on these because the nonstick coating will eventually wear away, and I personally don't want to replace a $100 pan every few years. Others may disagree with that. I got my most recent set at a Costo Business center, but you can get them at many different stores/Amazon. Tramontina is a good brand for nonstick

Lastly, I would highly recommend a 12-inch cast iron pan. I have Lodge and use it all the time.

Knives: Agree with not getting a set. My preferred chef knife size is 8 inch. If you have bigger hands, you might want a 9 inch or 10 inch chef (8 inch is most common). If you like the feel of a good solid knife,German knives are a good bet. I like the Wusthof Classic 8 inch. However, my most used chef's knife is the Mac MTH-80. It's a Japanese knife but in a western style. It's much lighter and fun to use. After that, I would suggest a mid-size knife, something in the 6 inch range. These are usually branded as a utility knife or you could even do a 6 inch chef (that's what my wife uses when she's cooking). A good bread knife (not an expensive one) and paring knife should round out the basics. I've read good things about the Misen online brand. Not sure that would suit you for registry needs, but it's great value from what I understand. From there you can see what you like and add over the years. That's what I've done.

Coffee Maker: I'm probably not your guy as we use a Keurig. Probably not the best coffee in the world, but it gets the job done. I'm sure others will have better options for the style you want.

Blender: I'm no expert on the subject but have done a lot of research recently as I needed a new blender. Vitamix is certainly the king of blenders at the moment according to most. However, in my opinion unless you blend a lot and really want the best of the best, the price is not worth it. I went with the Nutribullet Blender Combo (It's the one that looks like an actual blender instead of their bullet-style ones). It's 1200 watts and has been more than sufficient for all my needs. You can find it at Target (blender by itself with no extras) or in the combo form at Costco/Amazon. There are many other good offerings out there. In my research, I found that Ninja, while really popular, doesn't yield the best results.

Other Items: A good wood cutting board is a must in my opinion. I don't have a brand suggestion as I use one my brother-in-law made me years ago. But, I would suggest you get a good size one unless you don't have space to leave it out. I'd also look into getting a nice pepper mill since you like to cook. Also, a salt box of some sort; olive wood or something like the Le Creuset mini round cocotte. Lastly, I know it might sound weird, but I'm a sucker for good wooden utensils for cooking. A good 12-inch spoon and spatula. My go to every night.

Hope that helps! I'll add more if I think of something else. Good luck and congrats on the upcoming marriage!

Good info already posted.

I'd also look into a pour over system for coffee. What I use every day now. Also have a Nespresso machine for when i want espresso.

I'd register for the kitchen aid stand mixer and a hand mixer. We use both.

I think the vitamix is worth it but that's going to depend on the person. How often do you use it? Are you making a smoothie every couple months or using it daily and for things like soups as well?

A little outside the box, depending on what and how much you cook, a kitchen scale is also a good thing to register for. My wife got one for baking and we use it a lot now. Almost use it daily for my coffee. Also use it when baking, making ice cream, etc. Can get by without one by conversions, but a scale and going by weight will be more accurate.

I'd also register for a sous vide. We use ours multiple times a week.

You've gotten lots of good pots and pans recommendations- I just echo getting a tri-ply clad set of them. Dutch oven also a must, and if it's a registry either go full-bore with a Le Creuset or you can just get a lower priced enameled pot. Cast iron is also a must, and again since it's a registry get a machine-smoothed cast iron pan

Knives- honestly, go and handle a few to see what feels good to you. Then ask for that. But the bare minimum is a chef's knife, so something between 8-10"

Coffeemaker- Get a ceramic burr grinder to grind fresh coffee instead of having to rely on preground. And while I don't have one, it's my understanding that a Moccamaster will produce solid cups of coffee if you're not into doing french presses or pour-over Chemex stuff

I definitely echo the Kitchenaid mixer- spring for the 7-quart if you can- not only because it can handle a greater volume, but it's my understanding that the raising/lowering mechanism on that version causes less wear and tear than the smaller 5-qt where the head has to tilt out of the way to get the bowl out

Blender- VITAMIX, VITAMIX, VITAMIX. Nothing beats it.

I also recommend a wooden cutting board. I have a Boardsmith and have enjoyed it for years, but I don't think it's something available on a registry. I think Boos Blocks have consistent performance and should be available at many stores with registries

Finally, if you're also just going for it in terms of what to get, get an immersion blender as well- you'll find lots of uses for it. I have the Breville and it's amazing- it also comes with its own smaller food processing jar you stick the immersion blender onto for chopping up smaller amounts of food

One thing I think is truly superfluous is a food processor- I've had one for 8 years, and I think I can count on two hands the number of times I've used it. Don't get me wrong- it's an incredible machine- but I just enjoy using my knife

The suggestion of a wood cutting board reminded me, you may want to look into getting a pasta/pastry board. A good one makes all the difference.

tendiesinvesties08 said:

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Kitchenaid mixer is a must.

If you doubt this, go look at some of the attachment options. And they last for 30 years or longer, so they're worth the expense.

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Yep. A must have. Ours is almost 30 years old.

Speaking of which so are our steak knives. A couple others not quite that old but close

Made in Ohio and worth every penny! They have a gift registry too.

https://warthercutlery.com/

And for a cutting board I'd take some of your cash gifts and buy one of these.
https://texags.com/forums/50/topics/3023523