Wedding Gifts for Couples Who Love to Cook

Help the newlyweds in your life kick off a new chapter with the best kitchen equipment.

The wide, teardrop-shaped handles have a small but useful design feature: a channel that helped testers form an easy, comfortable grip. The dinner fork is quite large, and the utensils were the heaviest in our lineup. The teaspoon, however, was relatively small. A few people found the set a little tiring to use, but most liked the substantial weight. The utensils are fairly well-balanced, and testers were impressed that the knives “cut right through” steak. It’s made from 18/0 stainless steel, which may not hold up as well over time as sets made from 18/10 stainless steel.

  More on this test

Our top-ranked braiser had several features that contributed to a solid performance in test after test: a light interior that made it easy to monitor browning; a moderately thick bottom that helped ensure good heat retention and even browning; a generous cooking surface that fit every recipe from whole chicken to meatballs to pork ragu without crowding; and large, comfortable looped handles and a stainless-steel lid knob that gave us a secure grip, especially important when the pan was heavy and full of hot food. While pricey, this versatile braiser made great food, was easy to use, and looked good enough to double as a serving dish.

  More on this test

This pan performed just as well as our favorite braiser but had smaller handles that were tough to grasp. Because of its thicker cooking surface, it took a bit longer to heat up and to brown chicken thighs. This braiser had the largest cooking surface area, which ensured proper liquid reduction and a rich, flavorful ragu. It was easy to clean and withstood being whacked with a spoon and having its lid slammed down repeatedly. This pan delivered excellent results at a bargain price.

  More on this test

This perfect, pricey pot bested the competition again. It was substantial enough to hold and distribute heat evenly without being unbearably heavy. The light-colored interior combined with low, straight sides gave us good visibility and made it easy to monitor browning and thermometer position. The broad cooking surface saved us time since we could cook more food at once. The lid was smooth and easy to clean. This pot is expensive, but it was exceptionally resistant to damage.

  More on this test

With an exceptionally broad cooking surface and low, straight sides, this 7-quart pot had the same advantageous shape as the Le Creuset. It was heavier but not prohibitively so. The looped handles were comfortable to hold, though slightly smaller than ideal. The rim and lid chipped cosmetically when we repeatedly slammed the lid onto the pot, so it's slightly less durable than our winner.

  More on this test

Though their rims are slightly thicker than those on the cups of our winning set, these cups were still nice to drink from. They had the second-widest bases in our lineup, so each cup sat sturdily on all surfaces. Testers were able to securely hold the cups, thanks to the attractive water-like ripple pattern on the cups’ exteriors. When dropped repeatedly, these cups retained a similar amount of dings as the other cups in our lineup. Lastly, they are stackable for easy storage.

  More on this test

Our favorite set of plastic cups has everything we were looking for, including thin rims that make the cups very pleasant to drink from. The textured exterior allowed us to grip the cups securely. After these cups were used, washed repeatedly, and deliberately dropped onto concrete, they retained only minor nicks and dents. A bonus: This is the least expensive set (per cup) in our lineup.

  More on this test

Spacious, comparatively lightweight, and responsive, with remarkably even heating and excellent browning, this pan was a pleasure to cook in. It is five-ply, with a 1-millimeter core of copper, sandwiched first by layers of aluminum and then layers of stainless steel (a strip of the outer layers of aluminum and steel just above the base of the pan is cut away to display the copper core). Unlike most copper skillets, it’s induction compatible because the outermost layer of steel is ferromagnetic. It was the top performer in our infrared test of the evenness of its heat across its cooking surface. Minor quibbles: We sometimes sloshed ingredients over its extra-flared sides, but we appreciated that the open shape aided evaporation, helping food brown rather than steam. The helper handle became hot on the stovetop, but the stainless-steel main handle did not. Its cooking performance slightly outpaces its tri-ply sibling, the All-Clad D3 Stainless 12" Fry Pan with Lid, but it costs roughly twice as much.

  More on this test

Our longtime favorite skillet still beats all newcomers, with a clean design that includes no unnecessary frills. We appreciate the wide cooking surface and low, flaring sides that encourage excellent browning and evaporation; a steel handle that stays cool on the stovetop and won't rotate in your hand; and an overall weight and balance that hit the sweet spot between sturdiness and maneuverable lightness. It resisted warping and withstood thermal shock and outright abuse with nary a scratch or dent. Its three layers of cladding, with aluminum sandwiched by steel, make for deep, uniform browning.

  More on this test

A 12-inch nonstick skillet is the most versatile, and this is our overall favorite model. The cooking surface was slick, both when new and after extensive use, and food never stuck. It’s one of the lightest models we tested, so it was easy to lift and maneuver, but it was also sturdy and resisted denting. All of our testers liked its wide, comfortable handle. Like every other model, its surface became scratched when we used a knife as if to cut a frittata, but it otherwise held up well.

  More on this test

Our favorite outdoor pizza oven offers the convenience of propane and the ability to cook pizzas up to 16 inches in diameter. It has a powerful L-shaped burner located along the left and rear of the oven, which heats both the stone and the air in the oven effectively. We consistently produced pizzas that were perfectly cooked on top and had beautiful char and spotting on their undersides. Because the back left corner gets hotter than the rest of the oven, it’s important to rotate the pizzas so that they cook evenly. The oven is impressively sleek, and its legs fold so that it’s fairly compact in storage or transit, but it’s bulkier and about twice as heavy as the Ooni Koda 12.

  More on this test

While this skillet started out with a rougher surface than those of the artisan pans, its gently nubbly texture quickly gained seasoning, and by the end of testing it released food and cleaned up perfectly. At about 8 pounds, it’s heavy, but that weight helps with heat retention and browning. Its roomy surface and high sides make it a versatile performer—all at a great price for a pan that will last forever.

  More on this test

With an easy-to-use interface and multiple bread options (including a “Homemade” option, which lets you customize the kneading, rising, and baking times), this reliable machine impressed us with its picture-perfect loaves. Two kneading paddles ensured a well-integrated dough with an even-crumbed interior that, while light and tender, was also sturdy enough to cut without falling apart. We also liked the traditional, rectangular-shaped loaves the machine produced. The only area the machine struggled in was with crust shade, which often came out a bit lighter than the setting we selected (medium), though the bread still tasted delicious and was perfectly baked.

  More on this test

Once we got past our initial total confusion about how this innovative stand mixer works—its design is radically different from the familiar KitchenAid style—we quickly began to appreciate its powerful performance, excellent visibility, sturdy parts, and easy handling. Made in Sweden since 1940, the Ankarsrum (pronounced on-kar-SHROOM) had a thick manual that was difficult for beginners; it referred users to YouTube videos. After a short, steep learning curve, we found using this mixer quite easy. It aced our tests, whipping just two egg whites into airy, stiff peaks; creaming cake batter and cookie dough; and effortlessly kneading pizza and bagel bread doughs. It is large with a lot of parts to store, but if you have the space, it’s an ideal choice for serious home bakers who often make big batches that require heavy-duty mixing, though it performs well on smaller tasks too. One note: The top of the bowl is open, with its high-torque motor in the base of the machine. It’s very important to keep tools and fingers out of the fascinating and vigorous mixing action. You actually flip the mixer on its side to attach and operate additional tools.

  More on this test

This basic, compact, heavy machine’s across-the-board performance knocked out many competitors that were bigger and much more costly (although its tilt head broke on an extreme abuse test). It produced billowy egg whites as capably as it did a double batch of pizza dough. We wish that its bowl had a handle, and stainless-steel mixing parts would have been nice (these are white epoxy-coated), but those are small concessions given its moderate price. It does not come with a splash guard, which our testing proved mostly unnecessary. The beater height is adjustable. Note: KitchenAid discontinued its Classic Plus model, which was identical to this one. Note: KitchenAid now recommends not to exceed speed 2 when kneading dough with the dough hook, not to knead for more than 2 minutes at a time, and that the total mixing and kneading time should not exceed 4 to 6 minutes.

  More on this test

This mixer performed exceptionally well. It was speedy, creaming butter and sugar and whipping meringue faster than any other model, and it muscled through dense cookie dough with ease. Its beater heads are the widest in the lineup, making for efficient mixing and zero clogging, and they’re rubber-tipped, so they didn’t clang around in the bowl. This mixer is thoughtfully designed with several features that make mixing more efficient and convenient, including a timer, a light that shines into the mixing bowl, a pause button, a well-positioned display screen, and a plastic storage case that locks onto its base.

  More on this test

This mixer performed the same as our winner, just without the bells and whistles. It offered a wide range of speeds, from slow to lightning fast, allowing it to tackle both lighter and denser ingredients with ease. Its controls, which consisted of a simple on/off button and two buttons to select speeds, as well as a small display screen, were the most intuitive to operate in the lineup. It was also one of the fastest models, losing only to our winner when creaming butter and sugar and beating egg whites for meringue. While it doesn’t offer all the special features and conveniences of our winner, it is a fantastic option for home bakers.

  More on this test

This quiet, high-powered blender has simple, intuitive controls. As for its blending capability, it was top-notch. It was able to produce fine-textured foods without incorporating excess air, thanks to its narrow blender jar. The tamper accessory was helpful when blending thicker foods, and the blender’s 7-year warranty insured our investment. It’s tall, at 20.25 inches, so it can’t be stored on a counter beneath a standard 18-inch-tall cabinet, and its narrow jar made scraping out its contents a minor challenge.

  More on this test

This spacious cooler kept ice frozen for two and a half days. Its well-padded shoulder strap made it comfortable to carry even when it was loaded down with food and drinks. That said, the side handles were a bit long, especially for shorter users, so the cooler hung close to the floor, occasionally bumping into our shins. Exterior pockets provided extra storage. The zipper was a tad trickier to use than others but was still relatively quick and easy to open and close. 

  More on this test

This bread machine was very easy to use. It has buttons to start and stop and to select the type of bread, the color of loaf you desire, and the size of loaf you’re baking; and to increase or decrease the time. Most of the time, it produced picture-perfect loaves that had an even crumb and a pleasantly fluffy texture. Beeps indicated when it was time to add mix-ins, if desired. Its bread pan is a bit smaller and more cube-shaped than our top choice’s, leaving less room for larger batches of dough to expand in settings with longer proofing times. (A 2-pound batch of dough rose too much on the whole wheat setting, which has a longer proofing time than other settings, though it baked up perfectly on the shorter white bread setting.) If you don’t mind playing around with the settings for 2-pound loaves, this affordable machine is a great option. 

  More on this test

This powerful machine consistently did an outstanding job and was often faster than any other model. Even though it doesn’t have a pet hair attachment, it quickly and effectively detached dog hair from sofas and car floorboards. Its uniquely designed pivoting nozzle opened like a book from its main body and allowed us to select many different cleaning angles. There was a learning curve, but soon we were using this model to access otherwise impenetrable nooks under car seats and in the depths of kitchen corners and cabinets. It has a built-in brush and crevice tool that swings or slides, respectively, for use. Its large collection bin opened two different ways for easy access and cleaning, which was initially slightly confusing for some testers. Though it wasn’t the heaviest model we tested, a few users found it tiring during extended use and preferred lighter-weight models.

  More on this test

This ultradurable cooler outpaced every other model in cooling and durability, but it’s a bit heavy for the average person. Ice lasted a whole week, and when we placed sodas and ice packs inside, the cooler kept our beverages below 50 degrees for more than five days. We also loved its rubber latches, which were easy to close, and its durable rope handles. The cooler’s weight did make it fairly difficult for one person to carry when full, and it didn’t fit all our groceries or soda cans (it could fit only 24 cans, along with ice packs). However, if you’re looking for a smaller cooler that holds all the essentials, this is an excellent option.

  More on this test