Registry advice

rachelk456 · December 2010

Our wedding is July 3, so I figure we'll start our registries in Jan-Feb. I am pretty sure we'll register at Bed Bath and Beyond and Macy's. I was wondering if you could give me some advice on particular brands that you'd recommend for certain items - vacuum, casual dish ware, cutlery, flatware, crock pot, pots and pans, casserole dish, and any other things that you've enjoyed using. I'm a beginner cook and I still don't know what kitchen items are most useful. Thanks!!

Stacylynn702 · December 2010

This is what we did:
Vacuum: If you want to go crazy, put a dyson on there. We didn't b/c we figured no one would buy it. I was more excited about a shark steam mop.
Casual dishware: Nortaike, but I think you should go with a pattern you like.
Cutlery: Cuisinart
Flatware: I forget what ours was (we didn't get it) I say just pick a pattern you like
Pots/Pans: Calphalon
For the small kitchen gadgets: oxo (we went nuts and put it all on there but we cook a lot. We registered for a garlic press, ice cream scooper, you name it).
I also suggest you register for a panini press (ours is a cuisinart and we love it) and if you want to upgrade things you probably already have: toaster, coffee pot...

Think of your registry as a wishlist. Just register for things you really want/like. If people don't have the funds or don't want to buy it for you, they won't. We registered for a breadmaker that we did a lot of research on. Someone gave us a different one but we still love it. We're actually making pizza right now

We registered at BB&B and Macy's too. Some advice, when you go to Macy's, make sure it's a full size Macy's. They don't all have a full selection. We made this mistake the first time out and wasted 3 hours in Deptford to find that Cherry Hill had a lot more. Also, don't forget about lines for your home.

paprika28 · December 2010

Kitchen stuff-
I heart everything KitchenAid. Oh, and J.A. Henkles knives. Make sure your pans are non stick, and actually try to hold them. If they feel comfortable, they they're good.

We just got my dad a decent set of pots & pans for my dad (Better homes & gardens-walmart) and they're pretty nice. I however got a set of KitchenAid ones and I'm not such a huge fan. Calphalon is nice. So is T-Fal.

Crock pot- Rival. I love one with a dial, because I'm old school. My mom loved her digital one because she could set different temp settings on it. you'll want at least a 6 qt. Register for a few cookbooks too.
I'm not sure what small appliances you have/are looking for, but it never hurts to upgrade stuff that you have. (New toaster, etc.) And stuff that you don't think you'd buy, but you'd love to have. I love my KA Blender, mixer, toaster, hand mixer, & can opener... as well as the B&D toaster oven.
Dishes- I heart any and all Corelle dishes- but I have a two year old, so they're constantly getting thrown on the ground... They last a long time, they're virtually indestructible. I love any glass casserole dishes- Pyrex is great, but if you have a smooth top electric stove, don't ever use them to cook on top of the stove- only in the oven.

Vacuums- I used to sell them so bear with me.

Dysons= amazing. Automatic 5 year warranty, no bags, no filters to replace, most of them are certified by the national asthma foundations. Downside, pricey. Upside, great group gifts. You'll begin to use it like a shopvac- and it still won't lose suction.
Bissell- awesome suction. My dad has my old Bissell lift off vacuum, which is great for those with steps. The actual canister itself lifts off of the base of the vacuum so you can do steps with the hose & attachments. (Good for cars too) It has a clear hose so you can see any clogs, great suction, and all onboard attachments. (Including a pet hair remover...)
Hoover- Never been a big fan, however they always tend to be high up in reviews. Eh. The suction starts to die, as well as their cyclonic action isn't as advanced as most others.
LG- toooo heavy.
Kenmore & Eureka- hit or miss.

LaRositaMonita · December 2010

I agree that your registry should be like a wishlist - I promise that it will not seem gift-grabby to people if you register for stuff you love and really want that will last, even if it's pricier than you would normally spend on yourself. I was shocked by the generosity of my friends and family members. I have a Dyson vacuum, which was my mom's gift to me at my shower, and adore it. It's amazing. We have the anial ball (purple) and I cannot rave about it enough. I kind of look forward to vaccuming because it's so awesome

I registered for Calphalon pots and pans. If you want to go nonstick, you cannot go wrong with their new unison line. It was not out yet when I registered, but if I had it to do over again they're what I would ahve gotten. Most hgh-quality nonstick pans cannot go in the dishwasher (including the Calphalon Contemporary set I have), but these can. Otherwise, you cant go wrong with any of the stainless steel sets Calphalon sells.

As far as flatware, china, or everyday dishes, go with a pattern you like

Our Henckels knives from Bed, Bath and Beyond are incredible. We cook a lot, and I cannot tell what a pleasure it is to have good-quality, sharp knives. We splurged for one of their professional series (with the two stick figure guys in the front - that indicates that they were forged by the company in Germany, not outsourced elsewhere like the one stick-figure-guy knives are). They are incredible.

I would make sure you get a drock pot with a timer of some sort on it - you can leave it on overnight and during the day while you are out this way and come home to perfectly warmed food

Dont be afraid to upgrade thigns you already have, like towels, sheets, and kitchen gadgets. Also, don't be afraid to ask people in the store fr advice - they are often very knowledgeable on the products they sell, and many stores have a few dedicated people who are there to help you register and know all about the most popular items.

lisalaroc · December 2010

Granted we aren't married yet and haven't used anything (or gotten most of it yet, my shower prob isn't until March), here is what we picked...

Kitchen appliances - Cuisinart for toaster oven, microwave, coffee pot, etc. KitchenAid for more baking items like stand mixer, hand mixer, blender, etc.

Fine China - Noritake

Glassware/Stemware - The Cellar (Macy's only). We are in loooove with all the glasses they had - we are big wine drinkers & really hope to entertain so it was important we had all the different types of glasses, a punch bowl, etc.

Vaccuum - Dyson. I am not sure we will get it but I have terrible asthm & allergies and really want top of the line.

Bakeware - a punch of Pyrex measuring cups & a kit that included lids, and pretty much every kind of pan imaginable by Wilton. I love to bake so this was another important category for me.

Knives - J.A. Henckels. We actually got out steak knives for Christmas and they look awesome. Can't wait to use them!

I would definitely say some areas you will have more than others based on your interests but choose a few "splurge" items - this is the time to do it!

Stacylynn702 · December 2010

Oh, I'm obsessed with my corningware. Also, you should register for storage containers. We got glass ones and plastic ones both with locking lids. Totally eliminated our need for ziploc bags. Just another suggestion

rachelk456 · December 2010

Thanks a bunch! That was all great advice.

Ms.BriarRose · December 2010

First off, I agree- your registry is a wishlist of stuff that you want and normally wouldn't buy yourself, or would buy the cheapo version.

That being said, remember you may not get alot off the registries, plus there is going to be stuff you yourself is going to have to buy (fine china, for instance- I rarely hear of a bride who got all 8 or 12 place settings). I didn't. I knew I wouldn't. So I made sure to shop with the 10% coupon after the wedding, or shop during sales. I also did the completion event at both stores.

Not only that, but keep in mind people are unpredictable in what they buy. For example, I did not get a single towel off my registry, and very few of the small (affordable) kitchen gadgets. But I did get the Lenox vase, the fancy dinner party silverware, placemats, picture frames, and the random items that I threw on there (brown sugar bear, cookie scoop, etc). Keep in mind that what you think they may get, they may not! I updated my registries so many times because I didn't think people would buy this and not buy that.

If you like nice Kitchen stuff, register at Williams-Sonoma. We did, and we got more than we thought we would. And the stuff is worth it. Expensive, but worth it.

Okay, here is what I recommend, and why:

Glassware:
Get something CHEAP. Glasses break. This is stuff that in a few years, you are going to have to replace.

Everyday Dishes:
Go with bone china or porcelin. Stoneware, Earthware, etc (Pfaltzgraff, Fiesta, etc) is heavy and cumbersome, and chips easily. Bone china, porcealin, and Corelle are going to last you a bit longer since they don't chip as easily, and are much more lightweight (nice when you are lifting a stack into the cabinet out of the dishwasher). If you want Corelle, go to Wal-Mart. Seriously, they have the most patterns. For an inexpensive but really nice porcelin set, we went with THIS. Martha Stewart has some nice but inexpensive stuff too. Personally, I would stay away from any of the high class brands (wedgewood, lenox, etc) for your everyday stuff. You are going to end up paying way too much (and yes, it will be you, since the high end stuff is sold in place settings, and inevitably you get some weird number like 7 or 9 and then you have to buy to round it out)

Silverware
I am very different in my advice with silverware. GO TO THE STORE. Test it. For what? To make sure the teaspoons don't bend, of course! When we went, you would be shocked to know the amount (and the brands) that were really flimsy. We ended up with Oneida Shaker, which was one of the most durable sets we found.

Knives
J.A. Henkels or Wustof knives are the way you want to go. They are the best out there, they will last a lifetime, and you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a decent set.

Vacuums
I think this one depends on you. My suggestion is to go to BBB and try them out; life them, see what is easiest, etc. We went, and I al glad we did- I thought I wanted a Dyson, but I was wrong. I could not lift it, and it was just too weird (yea, a great term I know) for me. We actually ended up with the Shark Navigator, and I couldn't be happier with it. Don't go with what everyone else is saying or what is most popular- pick what works best for you.

Towels
We had a terrible time picking out towels, and I think it was because whenever we went to Macy's they never had enough of one color, etc. BBB had a great stock of towels. No one ended up buying us towels, so we had to buy them ourselves. We went with the Martha Stewart ones at Macys, and we LOVE them. They are low twist (which DH, who is into enviro friendly stuff, says its good for the earth), and they are so soft and plush! They came in a ton of colors too, and were not horribly priced at all.

Sheets
Honestly, we just picked random ones. Go with high thread count, but go with sheet SETS, not individual sheets. Your guests are more likely to buy them that way.

Slow Cooker
Crock Pot all the way. The Programmable one. Trust me, you will thank me. It is AMAZING.

Pots and Pans
I think this is also a thing of preference. You can look on Consumer Reports for their ratings (hint: the high end, $350+ sets didn't do so hot, and the "cheaper" sets got great ratings). We need something that is dishwasher safe, since DH doesn't know what a sink is, so we went with the ones sold at Costco (Calphalon, professional series, $200 for 13 pcs. The same stuff sold at macys for $400 for 10 pcs). if you want to see the Consumer Report, let me know.

Appliances
Cuisinart or KitchenAid. We got the KA mixer (OMG I LOVE IT), and I got the Cuisinart Food Processor too. I got the Cuisinart Breadmaker for Christmas, and not only is it the most affordable one, it got the best ratings consistently (my mom researched and researched!).

Small Gadgets
We went with either stuff from Williams-Sonoma, or the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's. I gotta give Martha props, her stuff is really, really nice. And you can get it for decent prices, unlike at WS where you can spend an arm and leg on a garlic press. I also suplemented with items from WS that I got at a warehouse sale, but if you want bakeware (stoneware- pie plates, 9x9 or 9x13, etc), Emile Henry is the way to go- it's expensive, but you cannot go wrong with it.

Storage:
We used to use Gladware and Rubbermaid, but decided to go to the Martha Stewart/ Sistema storage system...and we have never looked back. They have hinged locks on the side, but are better made then the other hinged locking systems because of how they are made (compare the two side by side, and you will see what I mean). We now have not only food storage, but our flour, sugar, rice, brown sugar, cereal and juice in these containers. They were worth the price!

If you like Cast Iron, look at Martha Stewart before spending the money on Le Cruset (or however its spelled). Her stuff is much, much more affordable, and got just as good ratings.

Some other random things you will want to register for: Laundry baskets, nice salt and pepper shakers, cookbooks, iHome, ironing board, iron, luggage, food trivets, measuring cups, funnel, mixing bowls, prep bowls, pinch bowls, Silpat mat, cookies sheets, muffin tins....

Some things to not register for: placemats, napkins, and tablecloths (you can get them when you need them), very specific items like a jerky maker/dehdrator (don't ask), ice cream maker, STUFF YOU WON'T USE. Seriously, you might think you need that turkey roaster, but if you go to mom's for every holiday and it is going to gather dust or other items, then don't register for it! And I firmly believe the same thing for Fine China- if you are not going to use it, don't register for it. Screw what everyone says is the "right" way! DO what is RIGHT for you!

CleverEuphemism · December 2010

Pots: I love All Clad, it will last a lifetime and is actually made in the good ol' USA--in Western PA, to be exact. I have been buying it for years whenever I see it at Homegoods, TJMaxx, etc. I registered for a few more pieces that I needed. Personally, I would stay away from pot sets and register for open stock. You really only need two 12 inch skillets (stainless and non-stick), a small 2 quart saucepan, and large stockpot to get you started. I think a lot of pot sets have small sizes that aren't always useful for cooking for a crowd or entertaining. You can always add pieces later. Whatever you choose, I would recommend tri-ply, which has a layer of aluminum in the middle of two stainless layers for heat conductivity (or anodized aluminum pots, same concept).

Knives: Wusthof or Hencklels, again I would stay away from the sets and register for a few essentials, such as chef's knife, santuko, paring knife, and bread knife. Don't forget the block and sharpening steel.

Dishes: Agree with BR about registering for everyday china, not stoneware. In my experience, stoneware is heavy and chips easily (I had a pfaltzgraff set that weighed a ton when stacked). I registered for Mikasa's Antique White and have been pleased so far with it.

Gadgets: Also second Oxo from BR--I love their stuff, it's reasonably priced and BBB has a great selection. I love their measuring cups, cookie scoops, and basting brush.

I would also recommend that you add some things that you may not need/want, but people like to buy for weddings. Even if you don't want a Lenox wedding frame or crystal vase, your Great Aunt Bertha might want to get you one. You can always exchange it later for something you did not receive off your registry. It's better to get it from your registry for an easier return.

Good luck and have fun registering!

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