What to Add to Your Wedding Registry if You Like to Cook

When you get married you know your supposed to register for pots and pans and knives and colanders and linens – but what KIND of pots and pans and knives and colanders and linens? Over the past five years the majority of my girlfriends, cousins and I have all gotten married. We’ve done a lot of research on what to add to your wedding registry. I’ve listed here the top brands for each of the items below, according to my research.

 Photo Credit ozz13x (Creative Commons)

Fighting in Pottery Barn

The worst fight my husband and I ever had was when we were engaged. We were registering at Pottery Barn, and much to my surprise he had an opinion about what kind of dinner plates we chose. I was flabbergasted. Never in my life had I known a man who cared about that sort of a thing.

Once my mom painted the kitchen and to see how long it would take my dad to notice, she  wrote a message to him in the paint on a large corner. MY DAD DIDN’T NOTICE FOR SIX MONTHS. To say the men in my family are oblivious would be an understatement.

So when we walked into Pottery Barn and Joe told me he liked a different set of dishes, it meant the same thing as if he had told me he liked blue apple lightning (before you Wikipedia it, it’s not a real thing). Thus began my journey of doing lots of research to decide which items were the best option for us (not just me).

My Sister is Getting Married

And of course, I’ve been thinking a lot about this because in three months, my baby sister will walk down the aisle and pledge her life and love to her Irishman. Wedding planning is in full bloom at the Barnes’ household. Since I love weddings, kitchen things and my sister, I sat down with her right before I left to help her figure out what brands of pots, knives and appliances to add to her wedding registry.

With so many different options it can be difficult to know where to begin. Here’s my list of quality items for any bride or groom who plan to cook once or twice over the next 20 years. The majority of these have fantastic warranties and guarantees, not to mention they’ll last you a lifetime anyway.

Which Pots and Pans Should Be on Your Wedding Registry?

There are a couple of expensive options on this list. Here’s why I chose those.

Photo Credit Dinner Series (Creative Commons)

All-clad is undisputedly the best and worth the investment. They are ergonomically designed and have three layers of non-reactive metal that cover the entire pot instead of just a plate on the base, which leads to more even cooking. They’re expensive, but you get what you pay for. There are some copper pots that are higher quality and are also significantly more expensive. For the cost, all-clad is the best.

Also, All-clad has a lifetime guarantee and I’ve read reviews of people who have had pieces replaced after using it for 17 years.  I’ve used it for three years and have never had a problem. Added bonus: If you’re used to nonstick, the Stainless Steal (which I recommend) can all go in the dishwasher.

Photo Credit Jessica Spengler (Creative Commons)

Le Creuset pieces are unparalleled for slow cooking (but can also be used for frying, boiling, and sautéing). The pots evenly distribute the heat pulling the maximum flavor out of the food. And, they also have a life-time warranty.

1. Stock pot. Everything and anything can be cooked in here. You can boil noodles, stew soups, simmer sauces,
2. 10 inch kitchen skillet (this can double as roasting pan for chicken).
3. 8 inch kitchen skillet
4. 2 quart sauce pan
5. 4 quart sauce pan
6. 10 inch saute pan
7. Cast iron skillet Maybe it’s just the southern in me, but every girl should have a good quality cast iron skillet that they can pass down the family line. (Dibs on moms!)
8. Dutch oven. This is best for slow cooking, braising, soups and stews.
9. Chef’s pan
10. Roasting pan

*Alternative option: 10 piece all-clad can save you quite a bit (depending on the sale price you get) instead being purchasing individually. Someone got us the stockpot for a wedding gift ($319 from Macy’s) and a skillet ($119 from Macy’s). We waited until the 10 piece was on sale for $450 (it happens) and we returned those two pieces in exchange for the ten piece set, voila. And those ten pieces have helped me cook almost anything I’ve wanted over the past three years.

Which Knives Should You Register For?

If you could only spend your money on one knife, a good chef’s knife will make all the difference in your kitchen. There are a number of different options you could choose here. I recommend you go to a store and try holding the different chef’s knives in your hands. A good chef’s knife should feel comfortable in your hand, like it belongs. I use Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star II. But whatever you do for your other knives, spend the money to get a good chef’s knife. I’ve had mine for five years and I love it.

Photo Credit Andrew Sampson (Creative Commons)

1. Chef Knife.
2. Paring Knife
3. Santoku Knife
4. Bread Knife
5. Honing Steel

To note: Henckels has a number of lines, you want to get Twin Four Star II. Some other good popular brands are Wusthof, Global, and Shun.

Which Small Appliances Should You Add to Your Wedding Registry?

Photo Credit John Morgan (Creative Commons)

1. Kitchenaid Mixer
2. Food Processor
3. Blender: In the world of blenders the Vitamix is the clear winner. However, who can afford $500 for a blender? The next best blender still does the job at less than half the price.
4. Keurig: If only one of you drinks coffee, this is the way to go, and the reusable coffee filter save lots of dollars.
5. Coffeemaker
6. Mandoline
7. Ice cream maker
8. Immersion blender
9. Handheld mixer

There are a lot of little extras side pieces you could get, but these are the basics. If you’re having trouble figuring out some of those extras, feel free to email me, I’d love to help.

Did I miss anything? What brands of must-have kitchen tools do you like? What vital kitchen tool do you wish you had put on your wedding registry?

(Some of the links above are affiliate links, but I would never recommend something I haven’t used personally.)