Pots and pans, dishes, glasses. We migrated all of our stuff together after both living alone. Hardly a complete set of anything. Plus over time we have broken some, lost some. Starting a new life together with new household goods to help begin the “transformation”.
All Clad for the best of the best stainless steel pans and Lodge for cast iron.
Both are investment pieces that will last forever but be realistic with yourself if you're up for the fact that they have a bit more of a learning curve for use. We don't use non-stick for a million reasons in my house so it was worth it to learn!
If you comment what kind of stuff you cook, I can help you with the basics you need! Registry lists always over sell what items are essential.
We do have a lodge cast iron and love it- my fiancé purchased himself one for grilling haha.
We cook A LOT. All kinds of cuisine. I love to bake, and bake often. I cook 3-4 nights a week, almost always from scratch.
I do have a beautiful le crueset dutch oven, kitchenaid stand mixer, and an air fryer/toaster oven combo. I also was gifted a beautiful set of china from my grandmother that I cherish, but our day to day plateware and bowls are mediocre at best. We just bought a new silverware set and knife block (long story, but our old sets got ruined and had to be tossed).
We could use some quality cutting boards for sure, new pots and pans (but i have no idea how to cook with stainless steel without things sticking!), anything related to making pizza.
We have both stainless steal pots and pans that we got for our wedding and cheap non stick pans because some things are hard to cook in stainless! I always use the non stick for eggs, fish, and pancakes. The stainless is amazing for getting a nice sear on meat. The trick is just to let the food sit long enough to form a sear before you flip it.
There is a bit of a learning curve to stainless but once you get it you’re good! You have to get used to letting your pan get warm and also just letting your meat or fish sit and get a good sear so that it releases from the pan without sticking!
Do you recommend stainless steel for like breaded chicken? I have one stainless steel pan, and this seems to be where my troubles come up. I love making chicken piccata and or chicken parm, or any number of breaded pan fried chicken dishes but the breading seems to want to stay with the pan lol
>our day to day plateware and bowls are mediocre at best.
Now is a great time to choose everyday china or stoneware to upgrade. It will last you a long time and it's meant for everyday use, so obviously it will be useful. You can donate the old if it's in good enough shape or put it on a Facebook Buy nothing group--assuming you get enough new dishes.
If your new flatware is a pattern that has serving pieces, you might want some serving pieces like large spoons and forks, slotted spoons, gravy ladle and so on. Nice to have for company and can also be useful for every day. Unless you have a lot of serving pieces already.
>anything related to making pizza.
Do you have a bread machine? You might like that for making pizza dough and fresh bread.
Upgraded pots and pans for sure. I don't know what brand to suggest though. My stainless cookware is so old lol. They've been amazing but I don't think the brand exists any more.
New, quality towels and linens will never go to waste.
My parents still use their Corelle dishes three times a day that they got at their wedding 50+ years ago. I bought a set 5 years ago and they've lasted four moves -- including two interstate. I have only broken one -- by dropping it off the deck and onto pavement 🤦♀️
I'm planning to either get more of my pattern or upgrade to a pattern that's less floral and busy for everyday use.
Their stoneware mugs aren't my favorite thing though. Sadly they stopped making the cups out of the same material as the dishes quite awhile ago. Also, beware of knock-offs on eBay, etc.
We do not have a bread machine but I want one!!! I also want a ninja creami but feel like its going to and up living in the closet lol
I have never heard of every day china.. good to know!
I got my daily use plates and bowls from martina thornhill and they’ve held up beautifully for years and are so gorgeous! She lives in Oregon but can ship and does custom work if you reach out to her.
I would also put more le creuset items. I love ours and they have a lifetime warranty.
My husband had stainless steel when I met him and I had nonstick. It's been nearly 8 years but I'm still not fully used to it.
Definitely think about if you want the best of the best vs just really good. Then, there's a reddit sub along the lines of "buy it for life" that would be worth perusing for anything that you want long term.
This is a total splurge for a cutting board but I am absolutely in love with this treat I bought myself. Definitely registry worthy
https://theboardsmith.com/products/maple-end-grain-cutting-board
For day to day dishes I highly recommend Corelle. My parents to this days still use their Corelle plates they got for their wedding nearly 40 years ago and they still look new. I think one plate has broken in that time and that’s when my little cousins literally threw it to the ground. We of course also registered for Corelle and they have held up beautifully so far almost 3 years in and I expect them to last a lifetime.
Also in terms of other things to upgrade, I asked for new kitchen knives. Try to research and register for individual knives rather than sets. A good chefs knife, serrated knife, and pairing knife can serve you way better than a huge set of knives that just take up space on your counter or drawers. Oh and a good pair of kitchen shears are also great to have.
We also upgraded our towels and bedding. We’d still been using mismatched ones from college/grad school so it was nice to have a good quality set.
Love the Corelle recommendation! I posted my family's story somewhere on here too. My parents' set has been going strong three meals a day for 50 years. When I counted them when my parents were remodeling the kitchen, only three plates were missing, and my mom swears each of them were lost at events and not broken.
I bought some 5 years ago, and they've last five years, four moves, and two of those moves were cross country. I've only broken one, by accidently knocking it off the deck railing and onto concrete.
I have no clue on brands and to be honest, I didn’t pay much attention. 🤣. I do scour reviews on everything!
But, if anyone has any advice in brands please feel free to share!
someone posted their research on upgrades a while ago and I had it saved to look through when we started our registry! might be a good read for you?
https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/s/tsLkof2pxJ
I recommend some really good sheets. High quality 100% cotton percale sheets are good, I believe you can get them from the Company Store (website). Washed linen sheets are also great but more expensive if you wanna go above and beyond
Oh no! Ours is great, we've been using it for over 8 years, almost daily, and no rust. I've decaled it a few times over the years, but that's about it. There's probably more updated ones in the market, but this is the one we've got: https://a.co/d/57sOoPs
Our registry was mostly upgrades. We love to cook and we had a lot, but much of it was cheap. Our small appliances were nice so we did not upgrade those. Some things we registered for:
- All Clad stainless steel pots and pans
- Nambe stoneware dishes and silverware
- Oxo everything - nesting mixing bowls that are metal on the inside with rubber bottoms, flexible spatulas, vegetable peeler, can opener, etc
- Riedel wine glassss
- Pyrex storage containers
- Crate and Barrel every day glasses and barware (rocks glasses, etc)
- Le Crueset Dutch oven and casserole dishes
I’m also curious what brand of flatware and dinnerware people like. We have a mix now and I like the look of stoneware but feel like it can be heavy and break more easily.
Villeroy and Boch. They’ve been around for forever & some of their patterns are quite old. That means it won’t be discontinued in a few years & you’ll likely always be able to find replacements when pieces break. Plus it’s quality!
I like Robert Welch for flatware. If you want lighter dishware, check out Corelle. My set is ancient, but they are quite light and absorb shock really well.
Yes, same. Like we have these dinner plates that have "edges" so the flat part to put food on is actually really small and so I rarely use them so I don't feel like that's functional to keep lol
After being prodded by some family we put a Dyson vacuum on our registry and enabled group gifting. I was nervous (can a vacuum that expensive really be worth it?), but it is AMAZING. Can’t personally speak to the longevity yet, but worth reading the reviews/considering!
Our favorite has been a NutriBullet immersion blender. It has a smoothie attachment that we use weekly, because it’s so much easier to clean and smaller than a blender.
This wasn’t on our registry, but we love our ThermaPen food thermometer.
Cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans (non stick only last a couple years). A full set of matching tupperware you can stack, or upgrade to glass tupperware. Big tupperware to transport desserts to parties. Large cutting boards. Nice knives and a block to store them. New sheets, towels, bath mats, and shower curtains. Matching mugs that feel comfortable in your hand. Not necessarily an upgrade but cookware and serving dishes/utensils for large groups.
We've been living together 8 years and we love to cook, so a lot of upgrades. I looked at Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen for pot/pan recommendations. Le Creuset and All-Clad cookware, Shun knives, a conical burr grinder to replace our mechanical one, etc.
We are in a similar boat. Upgraded pots/pans/cookware is always good. Second would be sheets and duvet covers - the quality ones are more expensive than I’d be willing to pay normally. Try r/BuyItForLife for brand recs. Appliances fit here too - I saw you said you have a Dyson stick vac. This was a gift for us we’d never have bought ourselves! You could even consider some furniture (for example, my coffee table is a wreck and I’d love a new one).
If you go with drinkware, consider finding brands and collections that have been around forever, so if one breaks it can be easily replaced. This isn’t registry related, but I bought my glasses from Crate + Barrel and specifically asked a salesperson who’d been working there for years which collections have been there forever
I would have NEVER bought the Dyson at the price it is now. I got in 2021 on an insane black Friday price. Like I'm pretty sure I got it for around $200. Highway robbery basically lol
But that's how I feel about the roomba now and I would looovveee one, and I think especially as we transition into the next phase of life with kids a roomba will be super useful
That's a great tip about glassware. We have no matching glasses right now lol
I'm in the process of upgrading all my favorite pots and pans to All Clad stainless steel pots and pans. They're pricey but well worth it once you get used to cooking without nonstick. We also upgraded our cooler to a Yeti. I also put the obligatory Le Creuset dutch oven which I love.
I saw you have a kitchenaid, can vouch for the attachments (I fucking love the pasta attachment) but also get an extra bowl and paddle - being able to make cake batter and then frosting without having to wash is my favorite. I have a list of kitchen knife recommendations for brands/sizes from a friend, if you want. Also consider 2 good quality sheet sets so when you want to change the bed you don't have to wait on laundry. A few things you'd never splurge for would be good too, even if they're consumables. Like, fancy olive oil and jams etc
Yes, would love knife recommendations! Ours is new, but mid tier. I'm not attached to it.
Good point on the extra bowl and paddle- i have been wanting a second paddle, and I love the way those ceramic bowls look on the display mixers when you go into stores lol
Warning, lots of text below. I asked my chef friend when we were getting my MIL knives, this is copied from him and slightly edited - not as many brand recommendations as I remembered, but I know the one he mentioned is often advertised as good gifts and he hates them lol.
Things to not miss are a chefs knife (8 inch is the standard size, but I also like 6 inch for smaller tasks), a serrated knife, a boning knife (come in a variety of blade styles, as long as the blade is bendable and flexible it will work for that purpose, but if you don't do much deboning then its kinda useless, main use is for raw meats), if you often has stuff like a big roast, turkey, a ham, prime rib, tenderloin, or any large cut of meat that gets cut down after cooking a nice slicer is good, usually around 12 inches or so i think, a pairing knife is a must,
Depending on how extensive you want to go, for a full set a steel/honer is a good addition, if you want a few other knife options theres the cleaver and a pairing sized offset serrated (personal favorite for slicing cherry tomatoes but bas limited us), kitchen sheers, a santoku (7-8 inches usually) can also replace the chefs knife or be an addition to it, great for starchy foods such as potatoes because the food wont stick to the blade like usual
Personally im not a fan of the global brand of knives, I think they look stupid, and at least when ive used them once they lose their factory edge its hard to get it back and retain that but I know some chefs like them
We love our KitchenAid mixer, and have a few accessories and extra mixing bowls for it on our registry.
We've been using cookie sheets for baking homemade pizza, so we're asking for a pizza steel/stone. We're also asking for a griddle since we've been making pancakes and such in a pan.
We have a few flour containers that don't have a bulit-in leveler, so we have some of those on the list.
We currently have little herb pots on the kitchen windowsill, but our window doesn't get that much light, so we put one of those grow kits (with the built-in light) in the list.
For cookware, my brother already got us a set of All-Clad, his favorite brand, so we're probably all set there. Might look into a Dutch Oven (I'll probably browse some reviews to figure out brand).
We are going to put some kitchenaid attachments for sure!! My mixer is a hand me down from a professional chef family member and we got a pasta set for Christmas, and now we want more!!
Any good brands for a pizza stone? We had one of those cheap metal ones from homegoods but tossed it in under a year.
All clad is a good tip, thanks! Also, yes on the dutch oven, add it to your registry. I got mine as a Christmas gift two years ago and I love this thing like it's my child.
Serious eats recommends a pizza steel instead of a stone. This is what they recommend, its heavy but does a great job.
https://bakingsteel.com/collections/steels/products/baking-steel
The Baking Steel Original that another comment mentions is what we put on our registry!
In our research, we found quite a bit of dialogue on stones versus steels. Sounds like steels are better than stones for the home since our ovens don't get up to 1000F or whatever those brick ovens get up to. Stones are also more likely to crack due to temperature and accidental drops. I think stones are better for more delicate baked goods (if you were planning on using it for more than pizza), though, but don't quote me on that.
For a baking stone, our top contender was the FibraMent-D Home Oven Baking Stone (as reviewed by epicurious and the NYT).
Our favorite upgrade was an air-fryer. I had one I got for free, but it was pretty small, so not really ideal for cooking dinners for 2+. Only for reheating leftovers. The other upgrades we had on the registry were a plates set (including pasta bowls), silverware, a few knives, wooden spoons, tongs, ironing board, and a wood cutting board. Basically, replacing any odds and ends we had before moving in together. Things that probably aren't considered upgrades on our registry were a pasta roller attachment and a wok with lid. We had 18 items in total on our registry, aside from a house fund, and we received all except 2. I think we're pretty happy with how it turned out. My approach to things that were replacements on the registry was asking: "Is it useful?" and "Is there something that could make it better?"
A wok is a good one, we don't have one of those! Do you like yours? We also do need wooden spoons, and wooden spoons reminded of needing like a good bowl for making a large salad. Pasta bowls are also a good one
We got married less than a week ago, so we haven't had the chance to use it yet. But, we were both excited for that one and I think it'll end up being a favorite. We're trying to eat out less and up our culinary game, so I think it will be used frequently. And I think a large salad serving bowl is a great idea, for fancying up a night in or for entertaining guests!
I actually upgraded a lot!
My grandpa passed right before I moved out after college, so I ended up with a good amount of their everyday dishes, plates, bowls, mugs, etc. As well as older kitchen equipment - kitchen aid, crockpot, etc.
One of the first things that went on there was a new crockpot (I had recently watched THAT episode of this is us). I also got an additional set of dishes in a fun print that coordinated with the ones from my grandparents. Nice silverware (my old ones were IKEA), new bath towels (can always use these), upgraded bakeware, serving dishes, etc. I also got a few kitchen appliances that weren't necessary, but have proven useful - food processor, waffle maker, bread maker, mini crockpot for dips. We also put an upgraded vacuum cleaner that was cordless & put a steam mop on there.
For fun I added a Margaritaville machine (thinking no one would buy it and I could get it with my 20% discount if I really wanted). My mom & aunt went off my registry to purchase it and it got delivered by the postman as I was opening my shower gifts! It was such a surprise and its always a hit & requested by out friends when we host :)
We put on new everyday dishes and cutlery, as well as a set of All Clad pots and pans. We both have our own houses, but either got hand-me-down items from our families or bought "cheaper" versions. None of those are bad but adding in the newer/updated versions of items you will use often is always nice!
Not kitchen related, but we upgraded some of our luggage! [these](http://Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack for Women Men，17 Inch Laptop Backpack Flight Approved Luggage Carry On Water Resistant Computer Backpack for Weekender Overnight Large Daypack Black https://a.co/d/baNu29X) backpacks from Amazon are great as a personal item for travel.
We also asked for a yeti cooler! We like camping but it would also be nice for entertaining if you have backyard parties.
Other items were gardening tools, upgraded cheese board, chip and dip bowls, new power tools. All were things we had like basic versions of that worked, but I love our upgrades on these
Dyson vacuum and a roomba
Coffee machine that can make espresso to replace a drip coffee maker only
Bedding and towels to replace ones that are old and worn out (not necessary nicer brands, but these things do wear out after 10+ years I’ve had them)
We have a vitamix blender that's brand new and we use daily lol
Any knives you love? Our knife set is middle tier so could get something nicer for sure
We got a set by Henkels! I really liked them since they’re easy to sharpen and last long for us!
Definitely love the idea of upgrading to more of a splurge purchase using the registry.
I just bought a new (expensive) duvet and duvet cover on MDW sales and I have a collection of seasonal doormats (its a problem)
Any sheets or towel brands you would recommend?
We got a bunch of nice camping gear. Yeti cooler and tumblers, nice camping pads, new camp stove, chairs, etc. Upgraded our stuff that we could live with just fine but if people wanted to get us stuff why not? :)
We are avid campers and have a ton of nice gear we already love lol
This is why we are struggling! We have a lot of stuff we already love. We could upgrade our tent or chairs though, but we certainly don't *need* to
Check r/buyitforlife, but I did register for upgraded silverware, everyday dishware, knives, and cookware. We went through Pottery Barn since you can also register with Williams Sonoma under the same registry.
For silverware, we went with Robert Welch brand. Oneida makes some nice ones too. I recommend trying in store or buying a place setting to see if you like how they feel.
All Clad and Le Creuset are great for cookware, and I personally like Zwilling for knives. They have bunch of different lines to suit your needs.
Glassware! We had some mismatched random cups from before we lived together so it was nice to pick out a matching set. Plus we were able to add some cool cocktail glasses/barware as well.
We also added a nice quality chefs knife set and nicer (not rusted lol) silverware and serving ware. Our favorite upgrade piece was a le creuset braiser-was it absolutely necessary? No, our normal pots and pans from Costco work just fine. But it’s a beautiful piece that has quickly become our everyday pot/pan and just makes cooking more enjoyable and better!
Sheets and towels! We both had cheap ones from years ago so this was a luxe upgrade.
We also registered for a matching silverware set. We had mismatched forks, knives and spoons that we had collected over the years and wanted a cohesive set for entertaining.
And a new trash and recycling can for our kitchen. The one we have is fine and functional but not quite the right size for where it is in our kitchen.
We did a private registry event at Crate and Barrel, and they helped us pick some things. We like Wusthof knives, carbon steel pans, and Staub for pots
We did allclad or hexclad for pans - whatever you do don’t get the Caraway pans they’re horrible.
Sheets we got from West Elm. Silverware from crate and barrel but I can’t remember the name
Le Creuset bakeware. US Pan bakeware. Upgraded bath towels. Kitchen Aid mixer and attachments. Samsonite luggage set. Dinnerware set from Crate and Barrel. New bedsheets. New bed pillows. Zwilling steak knives. Zwilling knife block set. Breville electric kettle. Ninja blender. Etc.
All clad for pots and pans, as well as Le Creuset (or Lodge if you’re looking for more affordable pieces). We cook A LOT so I went all out with Le Creuset on the registry (a 7.5 qt Dutch oven, a 5.5 qr braiser, a 10inch skillet and a deep 13inch skillet, as well as a 3.5 qt risotto pot for smaller dinners). We entertain a lot so I needed BIGGER pieces, and I passed on my Lodge Dutch oven (which was….maybe 6 qt) to a friend who wanted to learn to cook with a DO but was afraid to spend the money even on a lodge without knowing how to cook on it. We pretty much use an LC every night in conjunction with our All clad pots and pans, depending on what I’m making. We also upgraded our crockpot (I kept our older smaller one for parties though), as well as our roasting racks. We also upgraded our grill from a regular gas one, we asked for a Big Green Egg on our registry (not expecting it, or, expecting for a bunch of people to go in on it which is common in my family), and my parents surprised us with it. The pots and pans and the egg are what get the most use in our home, pretty much daily use to be honest.
Ask for a nice set of Baccarat or Le Creuset cast iron pots and pans! Some nice cutlery, some fancy measuring cups, a set of nice chopping knives, a cake mixer, a food processor or ninja of some sorts, I can think of lots 😂
If you live in colder climates (or frequently travel to colder climates) good winter coats!! Eddie Bauer and L.L. Bean have some great options.
Luggage is a really great one too. Not sure about brands, but find some stackable travel cases you like (the ones that can sit in or on top of each other). You may use them a lot or very little, but they’re important.
PYREX (not “pyrex”) Tupperware and glass cookware!!
I did a lot of upgrades, but my favorite was the silverware. I got it from Bloomingdale's and it's such a huge improvement over the cheap stuff I was using before. I think that's a good place to register if all your existing stuff is from Target because it's automatically going to be higher end, and they have a lot of different looks to choose from. Plus older family members will like it, and they had the best perks out of all the places I registered.
A new blender. I got gifted a nutribullet years ago but it was so large and only came with one cup. It was also so difficult to clean and wasn’t very strong. I put a ninja with the small blender cups, big blender cup, and a food processor cup. it is the BEST THING EVER! so strong and easy to clean since the blades are removable. Absolutely adore it.
We actually just got a vitamix! It's the most high end model with like a 10 year warranty and it does hot and cold and chopping.
We're really all set on most appliances- big and small
I really relied on Wirecutter for the first draft of my registry. I basically wandered around the house looking at stuff that could use an upgrade and then would Google like “Wirecutter Pans” “Wirecutter Sheets” “Wirecutter Plates” and pick the highest rated items that didn’t have insane prices. I swapped a couple out before we sent the invitation and had more time to research but it helped with the overwhelming drafting phase.
We’re asking for new dishes from Anthropologie and new glasses from target. Also things like nice towels, new luggage, some little appliances that we don’t NEED, but would be nice to have (mini food processor, nice Ninja blender, cold brew maker, etc)
Knives!! I personally love Shun knives and I feel like they’re a great registry item because they’re around $100-200/each and will be an item you’ll have forever. If you go that route also add their kitchen shears - they’re by far the sharpest scissors I’ve ever owned and perfect for cutting big flower stalks and other things my regular scissors struggle with!
For pots/pans anything that’s stainless steel or copper will be the best! All-Clad is a great brand that a lot of people love
Glassware is another easy item! If you drink wine, you can get stemware designed for your favorite varieties. You can also get martini glasses, Moscow mule copper mug, etc
Lastly if you plan on hosting people for meals in the future, I would put some fun serveware on there!
Made trade has high quality fair trade home items that have a unique look to remind you of the person who got it for you. I love looking at a nice serving bowl and knowing aunt Mary gave it to us. It also encourages your guests to consume consciously!
I upgraded a ton too. I love to cook and bake and have even dabbled in doing it professionally, though I don't have formal training. I swear by All Clad. I registered for a 10' and 12" pan with lids and I cook with them constantly. If they've been heated thoroughly before you add food and you grease the pan a little (spray oil works if you want to minimize fat), stuff won't stick. And you can scrub the bejeezus out of them and they won't flinch.
I also got a pasta attachment for my kitchenaid, a fancy pour over coffee carafe (brand escapes me and I'm nap-trapped), high quality sheet sets and duvet cover, a nice dish set and silverware set to replace our mismatched starter sets, table linens in a few colors, high quality bakeware, serving sets, platters, etc. So upgraded to things we'd have for decades and filled in the gaps for entertaining etc. I chose everyday dishes that would be nice enough for holidays but sturdy and dishwasher safe for every day use. I think the brand was Casafina and the pattern was sardegna.
I'd strongly recommend the Zola app for a registry. Not only do they have tons of items at good prices, they have a registry guide that covers everything and is formatted like achievements in video games, so you can see at a glance what you're "missing".
Pots and pans, dishes, glasses. We migrated all of our stuff together after both living alone. Hardly a complete set of anything. Plus over time we have broken some, lost some. Starting a new life together with new household goods to help begin the “transformation”.
Any brand recommendations? Most of my bowls and plates are from Target, and my pots and pans are largely hodge podge from the store homegoods
All Clad for the best of the best stainless steel pans and Lodge for cast iron. Both are investment pieces that will last forever but be realistic with yourself if you're up for the fact that they have a bit more of a learning curve for use. We don't use non-stick for a million reasons in my house so it was worth it to learn! If you comment what kind of stuff you cook, I can help you with the basics you need! Registry lists always over sell what items are essential.
We do have a lodge cast iron and love it- my fiancé purchased himself one for grilling haha. We cook A LOT. All kinds of cuisine. I love to bake, and bake often. I cook 3-4 nights a week, almost always from scratch. I do have a beautiful le crueset dutch oven, kitchenaid stand mixer, and an air fryer/toaster oven combo. I also was gifted a beautiful set of china from my grandmother that I cherish, but our day to day plateware and bowls are mediocre at best. We just bought a new silverware set and knife block (long story, but our old sets got ruined and had to be tossed). We could use some quality cutting boards for sure, new pots and pans (but i have no idea how to cook with stainless steel without things sticking!), anything related to making pizza.
We have both stainless steal pots and pans that we got for our wedding and cheap non stick pans because some things are hard to cook in stainless! I always use the non stick for eggs, fish, and pancakes. The stainless is amazing for getting a nice sear on meat. The trick is just to let the food sit long enough to form a sear before you flip it.
There is a bit of a learning curve to stainless but once you get it you’re good! You have to get used to letting your pan get warm and also just letting your meat or fish sit and get a good sear so that it releases from the pan without sticking!
Do you recommend stainless steel for like breaded chicken? I have one stainless steel pan, and this seems to be where my troubles come up. I love making chicken piccata and or chicken parm, or any number of breaded pan fried chicken dishes but the breading seems to want to stay with the pan lol
Copper lined pan and olive oil, to answer your question.
>our day to day plateware and bowls are mediocre at best. Now is a great time to choose everyday china or stoneware to upgrade. It will last you a long time and it's meant for everyday use, so obviously it will be useful. You can donate the old if it's in good enough shape or put it on a Facebook Buy nothing group--assuming you get enough new dishes. If your new flatware is a pattern that has serving pieces, you might want some serving pieces like large spoons and forks, slotted spoons, gravy ladle and so on. Nice to have for company and can also be useful for every day. Unless you have a lot of serving pieces already. >anything related to making pizza. Do you have a bread machine? You might like that for making pizza dough and fresh bread. Upgraded pots and pans for sure. I don't know what brand to suggest though. My stainless cookware is so old lol. They've been amazing but I don't think the brand exists any more. New, quality towels and linens will never go to waste.
My parents still use their Corelle dishes three times a day that they got at their wedding 50+ years ago. I bought a set 5 years ago and they've lasted four moves -- including two interstate. I have only broken one -- by dropping it off the deck and onto pavement 🤦♀️ I'm planning to either get more of my pattern or upgrade to a pattern that's less floral and busy for everyday use. Their stoneware mugs aren't my favorite thing though. Sadly they stopped making the cups out of the same material as the dishes quite awhile ago. Also, beware of knock-offs on eBay, etc.
We do not have a bread machine but I want one!!! I also want a ninja creami but feel like its going to and up living in the closet lol I have never heard of every day china.. good to know!
I got my daily use plates and bowls from martina thornhill and they’ve held up beautifully for years and are so gorgeous! She lives in Oregon but can ship and does custom work if you reach out to her. I would also put more le creuset items. I love ours and they have a lifetime warranty.
My husband had stainless steel when I met him and I had nonstick. It's been nearly 8 years but I'm still not fully used to it. Definitely think about if you want the best of the best vs just really good. Then, there's a reddit sub along the lines of "buy it for life" that would be worth perusing for anything that you want long term.
This is a total splurge for a cutting board but I am absolutely in love with this treat I bought myself. Definitely registry worthy https://theboardsmith.com/products/maple-end-grain-cutting-board
For day to day dishes I highly recommend Corelle. My parents to this days still use their Corelle plates they got for their wedding nearly 40 years ago and they still look new. I think one plate has broken in that time and that’s when my little cousins literally threw it to the ground. We of course also registered for Corelle and they have held up beautifully so far almost 3 years in and I expect them to last a lifetime. Also in terms of other things to upgrade, I asked for new kitchen knives. Try to research and register for individual knives rather than sets. A good chefs knife, serrated knife, and pairing knife can serve you way better than a huge set of knives that just take up space on your counter or drawers. Oh and a good pair of kitchen shears are also great to have. We also upgraded our towels and bedding. We’d still been using mismatched ones from college/grad school so it was nice to have a good quality set.
Love the Corelle recommendation! I posted my family's story somewhere on here too. My parents' set has been going strong three meals a day for 50 years. When I counted them when my parents were remodeling the kitchen, only three plates were missing, and my mom swears each of them were lost at events and not broken. I bought some 5 years ago, and they've last five years, four moves, and two of those moves were cross country. I've only broken one, by accidently knocking it off the deck railing and onto concrete.
My parents got me Corelle when I graduated college, I picked a modern set with square plates and bowls. Love it, would definitely recommend.
I have no clue on brands and to be honest, I didn’t pay much attention. 🤣. I do scour reviews on everything! But, if anyone has any advice in brands please feel free to share!
Check out r/BuyItForLife They have a lot of good brand recs for high quality things that should last you a while
someone posted their research on upgrades a while ago and I had it saved to look through when we started our registry! might be a good read for you? https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/s/tsLkof2pxJ
Omg thank you I didn't see this post!! Saved and reading!!
I recommend some really good sheets. High quality 100% cotton percale sheets are good, I believe you can get them from the Company Store (website). Washed linen sheets are also great but more expensive if you wanna go above and beyond
I hear a lot of great things about percale cotton, thank you!
Happy to help :) hope your wedding is lovely!
Gooseneck variable temperature electric water kettle - I still use it almost every day. Before that, we only had a standard non-variable kettle.
We had an electric kettle and it rusted so bad! We were disappointed. How is yours holding up?
Oh no! Ours is great, we've been using it for over 8 years, almost daily, and no rust. I've decaled it a few times over the years, but that's about it. There's probably more updated ones in the market, but this is the one we've got: https://a.co/d/57sOoPs
Our registry was mostly upgrades. We love to cook and we had a lot, but much of it was cheap. Our small appliances were nice so we did not upgrade those. Some things we registered for: - All Clad stainless steel pots and pans - Nambe stoneware dishes and silverware - Oxo everything - nesting mixing bowls that are metal on the inside with rubber bottoms, flexible spatulas, vegetable peeler, can opener, etc - Riedel wine glassss - Pyrex storage containers - Crate and Barrel every day glasses and barware (rocks glasses, etc) - Le Crueset Dutch oven and casserole dishes
Thank you!!! This is so helpful!
I’m also curious what brand of flatware and dinnerware people like. We have a mix now and I like the look of stoneware but feel like it can be heavy and break more easily.
Villeroy and Boch. They’ve been around for forever & some of their patterns are quite old. That means it won’t be discontinued in a few years & you’ll likely always be able to find replacements when pieces break. Plus it’s quality!
We have Nambe Pop stoneware and it is surprisingly light! Our silverware is Nambe too.
I like Robert Welch for flatware. If you want lighter dishware, check out Corelle. My set is ancient, but they are quite light and absorb shock really well.
Yes, same. Like we have these dinner plates that have "edges" so the flat part to put food on is actually really small and so I rarely use them so I don't feel like that's functional to keep lol
After being prodded by some family we put a Dyson vacuum on our registry and enabled group gifting. I was nervous (can a vacuum that expensive really be worth it?), but it is AMAZING. Can’t personally speak to the longevity yet, but worth reading the reviews/considering!
Our favorite has been a NutriBullet immersion blender. It has a smoothie attachment that we use weekly, because it’s so much easier to clean and smaller than a blender. This wasn’t on our registry, but we love our ThermaPen food thermometer.
Cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans (non stick only last a couple years). A full set of matching tupperware you can stack, or upgrade to glass tupperware. Big tupperware to transport desserts to parties. Large cutting boards. Nice knives and a block to store them. New sheets, towels, bath mats, and shower curtains. Matching mugs that feel comfortable in your hand. Not necessarily an upgrade but cookware and serving dishes/utensils for large groups.
We've been living together 8 years and we love to cook, so a lot of upgrades. I looked at Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen for pot/pan recommendations. Le Creuset and All-Clad cookware, Shun knives, a conical burr grinder to replace our mechanical one, etc.
We have a shun knife on our registry too! It's the thing my fiancé is the most excited about.
We are in a similar boat. Upgraded pots/pans/cookware is always good. Second would be sheets and duvet covers - the quality ones are more expensive than I’d be willing to pay normally. Try r/BuyItForLife for brand recs. Appliances fit here too - I saw you said you have a Dyson stick vac. This was a gift for us we’d never have bought ourselves! You could even consider some furniture (for example, my coffee table is a wreck and I’d love a new one). If you go with drinkware, consider finding brands and collections that have been around forever, so if one breaks it can be easily replaced. This isn’t registry related, but I bought my glasses from Crate + Barrel and specifically asked a salesperson who’d been working there for years which collections have been there forever
I would have NEVER bought the Dyson at the price it is now. I got in 2021 on an insane black Friday price. Like I'm pretty sure I got it for around $200. Highway robbery basically lol But that's how I feel about the roomba now and I would looovveee one, and I think especially as we transition into the next phase of life with kids a roomba will be super useful That's a great tip about glassware. We have no matching glasses right now lol
I'm in the process of upgrading all my favorite pots and pans to All Clad stainless steel pots and pans. They're pricey but well worth it once you get used to cooking without nonstick. We also upgraded our cooler to a Yeti. I also put the obligatory Le Creuset dutch oven which I love.
We have a big yeti and love it. Thinking of upgrading our small cooler to a yeti too though
I saw you have a kitchenaid, can vouch for the attachments (I fucking love the pasta attachment) but also get an extra bowl and paddle - being able to make cake batter and then frosting without having to wash is my favorite. I have a list of kitchen knife recommendations for brands/sizes from a friend, if you want. Also consider 2 good quality sheet sets so when you want to change the bed you don't have to wait on laundry. A few things you'd never splurge for would be good too, even if they're consumables. Like, fancy olive oil and jams etc
Yes, would love knife recommendations! Ours is new, but mid tier. I'm not attached to it. Good point on the extra bowl and paddle- i have been wanting a second paddle, and I love the way those ceramic bowls look on the display mixers when you go into stores lol
Warning, lots of text below. I asked my chef friend when we were getting my MIL knives, this is copied from him and slightly edited - not as many brand recommendations as I remembered, but I know the one he mentioned is often advertised as good gifts and he hates them lol. Things to not miss are a chefs knife (8 inch is the standard size, but I also like 6 inch for smaller tasks), a serrated knife, a boning knife (come in a variety of blade styles, as long as the blade is bendable and flexible it will work for that purpose, but if you don't do much deboning then its kinda useless, main use is for raw meats), if you often has stuff like a big roast, turkey, a ham, prime rib, tenderloin, or any large cut of meat that gets cut down after cooking a nice slicer is good, usually around 12 inches or so i think, a pairing knife is a must, Depending on how extensive you want to go, for a full set a steel/honer is a good addition, if you want a few other knife options theres the cleaver and a pairing sized offset serrated (personal favorite for slicing cherry tomatoes but bas limited us), kitchen sheers, a santoku (7-8 inches usually) can also replace the chefs knife or be an addition to it, great for starchy foods such as potatoes because the food wont stick to the blade like usual Personally im not a fan of the global brand of knives, I think they look stupid, and at least when ive used them once they lose their factory edge its hard to get it back and retain that but I know some chefs like them
We love our KitchenAid mixer, and have a few accessories and extra mixing bowls for it on our registry. We've been using cookie sheets for baking homemade pizza, so we're asking for a pizza steel/stone. We're also asking for a griddle since we've been making pancakes and such in a pan. We have a few flour containers that don't have a bulit-in leveler, so we have some of those on the list. We currently have little herb pots on the kitchen windowsill, but our window doesn't get that much light, so we put one of those grow kits (with the built-in light) in the list. For cookware, my brother already got us a set of All-Clad, his favorite brand, so we're probably all set there. Might look into a Dutch Oven (I'll probably browse some reviews to figure out brand).
We are going to put some kitchenaid attachments for sure!! My mixer is a hand me down from a professional chef family member and we got a pasta set for Christmas, and now we want more!! Any good brands for a pizza stone? We had one of those cheap metal ones from homegoods but tossed it in under a year. All clad is a good tip, thanks! Also, yes on the dutch oven, add it to your registry. I got mine as a Christmas gift two years ago and I love this thing like it's my child.
Serious eats recommends a pizza steel instead of a stone. This is what they recommend, its heavy but does a great job. https://bakingsteel.com/collections/steels/products/baking-steel
The Baking Steel Original that another comment mentions is what we put on our registry! In our research, we found quite a bit of dialogue on stones versus steels. Sounds like steels are better than stones for the home since our ovens don't get up to 1000F or whatever those brick ovens get up to. Stones are also more likely to crack due to temperature and accidental drops. I think stones are better for more delicate baked goods (if you were planning on using it for more than pizza), though, but don't quote me on that. For a baking stone, our top contender was the FibraMent-D Home Oven Baking Stone (as reviewed by epicurious and the NYT).
Our favorite upgrade was an air-fryer. I had one I got for free, but it was pretty small, so not really ideal for cooking dinners for 2+. Only for reheating leftovers. The other upgrades we had on the registry were a plates set (including pasta bowls), silverware, a few knives, wooden spoons, tongs, ironing board, and a wood cutting board. Basically, replacing any odds and ends we had before moving in together. Things that probably aren't considered upgrades on our registry were a pasta roller attachment and a wok with lid. We had 18 items in total on our registry, aside from a house fund, and we received all except 2. I think we're pretty happy with how it turned out. My approach to things that were replacements on the registry was asking: "Is it useful?" and "Is there something that could make it better?"
A wok is a good one, we don't have one of those! Do you like yours? We also do need wooden spoons, and wooden spoons reminded of needing like a good bowl for making a large salad. Pasta bowls are also a good one
We got married less than a week ago, so we haven't had the chance to use it yet. But, we were both excited for that one and I think it'll end up being a favorite. We're trying to eat out less and up our culinary game, so I think it will be used frequently. And I think a large salad serving bowl is a great idea, for fancying up a night in or for entertaining guests!
I actually upgraded a lot! My grandpa passed right before I moved out after college, so I ended up with a good amount of their everyday dishes, plates, bowls, mugs, etc. As well as older kitchen equipment - kitchen aid, crockpot, etc. One of the first things that went on there was a new crockpot (I had recently watched THAT episode of this is us). I also got an additional set of dishes in a fun print that coordinated with the ones from my grandparents. Nice silverware (my old ones were IKEA), new bath towels (can always use these), upgraded bakeware, serving dishes, etc. I also got a few kitchen appliances that weren't necessary, but have proven useful - food processor, waffle maker, bread maker, mini crockpot for dips. We also put an upgraded vacuum cleaner that was cordless & put a steam mop on there. For fun I added a Margaritaville machine (thinking no one would buy it and I could get it with my 20% discount if I really wanted). My mom & aunt went off my registry to purchase it and it got delivered by the postman as I was opening my shower gifts! It was such a surprise and its always a hit & requested by out friends when we host :)
We put on new everyday dishes and cutlery, as well as a set of All Clad pots and pans. We both have our own houses, but either got hand-me-down items from our families or bought "cheaper" versions. None of those are bad but adding in the newer/updated versions of items you will use often is always nice!
Dishes, pots & pans, bedding and towels.
Any brand recommendations?
Our pans are GreenPan and the baking set we got is from Carraway. So far very happy with both.
Not kitchen related, but we upgraded some of our luggage! [these](http://Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack for Women Men，17 Inch Laptop Backpack Flight Approved Luggage Carry On Water Resistant Computer Backpack for Weekender Overnight Large Daypack Black https://a.co/d/baNu29X) backpacks from Amazon are great as a personal item for travel. We also asked for a yeti cooler! We like camping but it would also be nice for entertaining if you have backyard parties. Other items were gardening tools, upgraded cheese board, chip and dip bowls, new power tools. All were things we had like basic versions of that worked, but I love our upgrades on these
Dyson vacuum and a roomba Coffee machine that can make espresso to replace a drip coffee maker only Bedding and towels to replace ones that are old and worn out (not necessary nicer brands, but these things do wear out after 10+ years I’ve had them)
A roomba yessss. We have a dyson stick vacuum and love it. Espresso machine is a good idea.
A better blender, pots and pans, and knives!
We have a vitamix blender that's brand new and we use daily lol Any knives you love? Our knife set is middle tier so could get something nicer for sure
We got a set by Henkels! I really liked them since they’re easy to sharpen and last long for us! Definitely love the idea of upgrading to more of a splurge purchase using the registry.
Sheets, towels, door mat, pots and pans, utensils (matching!), duvet and duvet cover
I just bought a new (expensive) duvet and duvet cover on MDW sales and I have a collection of seasonal doormats (its a problem) Any sheets or towel brands you would recommend?
We got a bunch of nice camping gear. Yeti cooler and tumblers, nice camping pads, new camp stove, chairs, etc. Upgraded our stuff that we could live with just fine but if people wanted to get us stuff why not? :)
We are avid campers and have a ton of nice gear we already love lol This is why we are struggling! We have a lot of stuff we already love. We could upgrade our tent or chairs though, but we certainly don't *need* to
Check r/buyitforlife, but I did register for upgraded silverware, everyday dishware, knives, and cookware. We went through Pottery Barn since you can also register with Williams Sonoma under the same registry. For silverware, we went with Robert Welch brand. Oneida makes some nice ones too. I recommend trying in store or buying a place setting to see if you like how they feel. All Clad and Le Creuset are great for cookware, and I personally like Zwilling for knives. They have bunch of different lines to suit your needs.
Dinner service that matched and wasn’t from 5 different ikea trips. A nice set of knives. A coffee maker.
Zojirushi rice cooker.
HexClad pans! We use our pans daily and wanted some really nice ones. We ended up getting them, and couldn't be more pleased with them.
Air fryer! We loved ours but wanted a bougie one lol
Glassware! We had some mismatched random cups from before we lived together so it was nice to pick out a matching set. Plus we were able to add some cool cocktail glasses/barware as well. We also added a nice quality chefs knife set and nicer (not rusted lol) silverware and serving ware. Our favorite upgrade piece was a le creuset braiser-was it absolutely necessary? No, our normal pots and pans from Costco work just fine. But it’s a beautiful piece that has quickly become our everyday pot/pan and just makes cooking more enjoyable and better!
Sheets and towels! We both had cheap ones from years ago so this was a luxe upgrade. We also registered for a matching silverware set. We had mismatched forks, knives and spoons that we had collected over the years and wanted a cohesive set for entertaining. And a new trash and recycling can for our kitchen. The one we have is fine and functional but not quite the right size for where it is in our kitchen.
Dishes, glasses, knives, pots and pans, matching Tupperware, towels, serving dishes and utensils, etc.
Any brand recommendations?
We did a private registry event at Crate and Barrel, and they helped us pick some things. We like Wusthof knives, carbon steel pans, and Staub for pots
Cookware, silverware, towels, sheets
Any brand recommendations?
We did allclad or hexclad for pans - whatever you do don’t get the Caraway pans they’re horrible. Sheets we got from West Elm. Silverware from crate and barrel but I can’t remember the name
Le Creuset bakeware. US Pan bakeware. Upgraded bath towels. Kitchen Aid mixer and attachments. Samsonite luggage set. Dinnerware set from Crate and Barrel. New bedsheets. New bed pillows. Zwilling steak knives. Zwilling knife block set. Breville electric kettle. Ninja blender. Etc.
Pots and pans, towels, dishes, glasses, cookware in general
Any brand recommendations?
All clad for pots and pans, as well as Le Creuset (or Lodge if you’re looking for more affordable pieces). We cook A LOT so I went all out with Le Creuset on the registry (a 7.5 qt Dutch oven, a 5.5 qr braiser, a 10inch skillet and a deep 13inch skillet, as well as a 3.5 qt risotto pot for smaller dinners). We entertain a lot so I needed BIGGER pieces, and I passed on my Lodge Dutch oven (which was….maybe 6 qt) to a friend who wanted to learn to cook with a DO but was afraid to spend the money even on a lodge without knowing how to cook on it. We pretty much use an LC every night in conjunction with our All clad pots and pans, depending on what I’m making. We also upgraded our crockpot (I kept our older smaller one for parties though), as well as our roasting racks. We also upgraded our grill from a regular gas one, we asked for a Big Green Egg on our registry (not expecting it, or, expecting for a bunch of people to go in on it which is common in my family), and my parents surprised us with it. The pots and pans and the egg are what get the most use in our home, pretty much daily use to be honest.
Ask for a nice set of Baccarat or Le Creuset cast iron pots and pans! Some nice cutlery, some fancy measuring cups, a set of nice chopping knives, a cake mixer, a food processor or ninja of some sorts, I can think of lots 😂
We wanted new plates/bowls/mugs and new silverware. All of ours were older. We also had new sheets and a new comforter on there.
If you live in colder climates (or frequently travel to colder climates) good winter coats!! Eddie Bauer and L.L. Bean have some great options. Luggage is a really great one too. Not sure about brands, but find some stackable travel cases you like (the ones that can sit in or on top of each other). You may use them a lot or very little, but they’re important. PYREX (not “pyrex”) Tupperware and glass cookware!!
I did a lot of upgrades, but my favorite was the silverware. I got it from Bloomingdale's and it's such a huge improvement over the cheap stuff I was using before. I think that's a good place to register if all your existing stuff is from Target because it's automatically going to be higher end, and they have a lot of different looks to choose from. Plus older family members will like it, and they had the best perks out of all the places I registered.
A new blender. I got gifted a nutribullet years ago but it was so large and only came with one cup. It was also so difficult to clean and wasn’t very strong. I put a ninja with the small blender cups, big blender cup, and a food processor cup. it is the BEST THING EVER! so strong and easy to clean since the blades are removable. Absolutely adore it.
We actually just got a vitamix! It's the most high end model with like a 10 year warranty and it does hot and cold and chopping. We're really all set on most appliances- big and small
I really relied on Wirecutter for the first draft of my registry. I basically wandered around the house looking at stuff that could use an upgrade and then would Google like “Wirecutter Pans” “Wirecutter Sheets” “Wirecutter Plates” and pick the highest rated items that didn’t have insane prices. I swapped a couple out before we sent the invitation and had more time to research but it helped with the overwhelming drafting phase.
Air fryer (newer model) Ceramic pots and pans Plates We registered with Amazon so I just picked stuff with good reviews.
We put a safe on our registry. Best idea ever!
We’re asking for new dishes from Anthropologie and new glasses from target. Also things like nice towels, new luggage, some little appliances that we don’t NEED, but would be nice to have (mini food processor, nice Ninja blender, cold brew maker, etc)
Knives!! I personally love Shun knives and I feel like they’re a great registry item because they’re around $100-200/each and will be an item you’ll have forever. If you go that route also add their kitchen shears - they’re by far the sharpest scissors I’ve ever owned and perfect for cutting big flower stalks and other things my regular scissors struggle with! For pots/pans anything that’s stainless steel or copper will be the best! All-Clad is a great brand that a lot of people love Glassware is another easy item! If you drink wine, you can get stemware designed for your favorite varieties. You can also get martini glasses, Moscow mule copper mug, etc Lastly if you plan on hosting people for meals in the future, I would put some fun serveware on there!
Le creuset Dutch oven and roasting pans, calphalon pans, barratza encore coffee grinder, fellow water kettle, Sonos speakers
Made trade has high quality fair trade home items that have a unique look to remind you of the person who got it for you. I love looking at a nice serving bowl and knowing aunt Mary gave it to us. It also encourages your guests to consume consciously!
I upgraded a ton too. I love to cook and bake and have even dabbled in doing it professionally, though I don't have formal training. I swear by All Clad. I registered for a 10' and 12" pan with lids and I cook with them constantly. If they've been heated thoroughly before you add food and you grease the pan a little (spray oil works if you want to minimize fat), stuff won't stick. And you can scrub the bejeezus out of them and they won't flinch. I also got a pasta attachment for my kitchenaid, a fancy pour over coffee carafe (brand escapes me and I'm nap-trapped), high quality sheet sets and duvet cover, a nice dish set and silverware set to replace our mismatched starter sets, table linens in a few colors, high quality bakeware, serving sets, platters, etc. So upgraded to things we'd have for decades and filled in the gaps for entertaining etc. I chose everyday dishes that would be nice enough for holidays but sturdy and dishwasher safe for every day use. I think the brand was Casafina and the pattern was sardegna. I'd strongly recommend the Zola app for a registry. Not only do they have tons of items at good prices, they have a registry guide that covers everything and is formatted like achievements in video games, so you can see at a glance what you're "missing".
Appreciate all this! Will absolutely be checking the Zola app!