Buying Advice: Cooking Equipment Reviews and Recommendations
By Jessica Harlan, About.com Guide
- Cooking Equipment Basics
- Cooking Equipment Gifts
- Holidays and Entertaining
- Cookware and Cutlery
- Appliances that Cook
- Products that Mix and Blend
- Baking Appliances and Tools
- Gadgets and Tools
- Miscellaneous Cooking Equipment
Cooking Equipment Basics
Where to begin? There are a number of must-have pieces of cooking equipment that every kitchen needs. Start with these, and build your kitchen assortment from there.
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- Most Essential Appliances
- Appliances to Round Out Your Kitchen
- Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets
- Cooking Equipment on a Budget
- Cook like a Top Chef
- Get the Julie & Julia Kitchen
- Ethnic Cooking Must-Haves
- Bridal Registries: How to Register for Kitchenware
Cooking Equipment Gifts
Cooking equipment makes great gifts, whether for an accomplished cook or a kitchen neophyte. These ideas will help you find the perfect gift.
- Gifts for the Aspiring Pro Chef
- Molecular Gastronomy Gift Guide
- Gifts for Bakers
- Gift-able Kitchen Gadgets
- Gifts for Cooking With Kids
- Gifts for the Foodie Family
- Gifts for the Cook Who Has Everything
- Lovely Gifts for Valentine's Day
- Creative Gifts for Mother's Day
- More Mother's Day Gifts for Every Budget
- Bridal Shower Gifts for the Kitchen
- Gifts for Grads
- Cooking Gifts for Dad
- Inexpensive Stocking Stuffers
- Ethnic Cooking Gifts
Holidays and Entertaining
Serving a holiday meal or hosting a party is much easier if you have the right cooking equipment. Here's what you need to cook for special events.
- Must-Haves for Home Entertaining
- Thanksgiving Dinner Cooking Equipment Checklist
- Must-Have Tools for Serving Thanksgiving Dinner
- The Latest Gear for Serving Thanksgiving Dinner
- Kitchen Tools to Host a Ballpark Party at Home
Cookware and Cutlery
Cookware and cutlery can vary widely in price, design and the materials with which they're crafted. You'll want to be well informed on what cookware and cutlery would be best for you before heading out to shop.
- Buying the Best Cookware
- Know Your Cookware Shapes
- Guide to Kitchen Cutlery Shapes
- The Coolest Cutting Boards
- Review of Epicurean Cutting Boards, Recycled Series
- Review of Lodge Logic Cast Iron Cookware
- Review of Camerons Stovetop Smoker
- Calphalon Panini Grill Pan
- Edgecraft Chef's Choice Electric Knife Sharpener
- Review of the Fissler Blue Point Pressure Cooker
- Review of All-Clad MC2 Cookware
- Review of 360 Cookware
Appliances that Cook
The true definition of cooking is preparing food for eating through a heating process. And it's not just a stove or an oven that can accomplish this. Indoor grills and griddles, slow cookers, pressure cookers, rice cookers and other appliances all make meals by means of raising the temperature.
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- Review of T-Fal ActiFry
- Great Indoor Grills
- Comparing Stainless Steel Indoor Grills – Breville vs. George Foreman
- Reader Reviews: Slow Cookers
- Review of Camerons Stovetop Smoker
- Calphalon Panini Grill Pan
- Review of Cuisinart Griddler G-4
- Review of the George Foreman Evolve Grill
- Review of Fagor u-Cook Pressure Cooker
- Tips on Buying and Using a Slow Cooker
- Comparing Crock-Pot and West Bend Slow Cookers
- Review of Hamilton Beach 3-in-One Slow Cooker
- Review of Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Probe Slow Cooker
- Review of Crock-Pot eLume Slow Cooker
- Review of Panasonic Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker
- Review of All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker
- George Foreman Lean Mean Spin Frying Machine
- Fagor Electric Multi Cooker
- The Best Egg Cookers
Products that Mix and Blend
Stand mixers, blenders and food processors are indispensable for pureeing and combining ingredients. These tools come in handy for all types of baking and cooking tasks.
- Stand and Hand Mixer Buying Guide
- Review of Vita-Mix Blender
- Review Your Vita-Mix Blender
- Comparing Food Processors – Cuisinart vs. KitchenAid
- Review of Emerilware BAM! Machine
- Review of KitchenAid Immersion Blender
- Review of KitchenAid 5-Speed Blender
- Review of KitchenAid Classic Series Stand Mixer
Baking Appliances and Tools
If you love to bake, there's a whole set of appliances and tools that will help you make your hobby even more enjoyable.
- Tools for Pastries, Pies and Tarts
- Review of KitchenAid Classic Series Stand Mixer
- Review of the BeaterBlade
- Comparing the SideSwipe and the BeaterBlade
- Review of Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme
- Review of Emerilware Bread & Baguette Maker
- Review of Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker
- Review of the Pastry Pro Pastry Blender
- Review of the Wilton Cookie Pro Ultra II Cookie Press
Gadgets and Tools
Cleverly designed kitchen tools can make nearly any task easier and more efficient, whether it's peeling a vegetable, chopping mushrooms or coring an apple.
- The Best Popsicle Molds
- Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Maker
- Why you need the Calphalon Apple Corer
- Review of OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer
- Progressive's Ultimate Peeler
- Zyliss Pizza Wheel
- Leifheit Swingo Power Peeler
- Aerogarden Classic
- Review of the Odor Absorbing Splatter Screen
Miscellaneous Cooking Equipment
Looking for something special? Here is advice, reviews and other information on a variety of cooking equipment.