Cooking Equipment for Entertaining at Home

The Cuisinart Vertical Rotisserie can roast up to 8 pounds of food at once, with five preset temperature settings that range from 325˚F to 450˚F. Rotisserie cooking roasts meat skewered on a spit, which lets the meat cook evenly as it's basted in its own juices. The Cuisinart Rotisserie can also be used to cook kebabs on skewers and smaller, delicate items like fish fillets or shrimp, in a basket.

Heat or cook three different dishes at once with the Crock-Pot Trio Cook & Serve. This slow cooker comes with three 2.5-quart dishwasher safe stoneware inserts and glass lids, each of which has its own temperature setting. A set of three serving spoons is included, and the spoons fit into their own spoon notches. It's ideal for serving a variety of hot dips, or for keeping an assortment of hot beverages warm, such as hot cider, cocoa and mulled wine.

Make chocolate- or caramel-dipped desserts like a pro with Back to Basics' Gourmet Treat Dipper. The machine has high and low heat settings and comes with a stoneware insert that can hold a full bag of caramels or chocolate chips, and is big enough to dip even large apples. A pouring spout doubles as a holder for the dipping forks, which are included.

Serve a cheese course with elegance with this cheese serving tray. A hidden drawer cleverly swivels out to reveal a set of four cheese serving tools. The tray measures 12.75 inches, just the right size for two to three wedges of cheese.

Whether it's used as an extra burner for cooking in the crowded kitchen, or on the buffet table to keep a dish warm, an induction cooktop can come in handy in numerous ways. This model by Fagor has six heat settings, a countdown timer and safety features. It's sleek and compact, so it can store away easily when the party is over.