Our winning spoons had a simple design that allowed for a continuous, bump-free sweep, with a ball-chain connector (similar to what military dog tags hang on) that was easy to open and close. This set's metal construction felt remarkably sturdy, and ingredients didn't cling to the stainless steel. And while the 1-tablespoon measure did not fit into all spice jars, it was a minor inconvenience for an otherwise easy-to-use set.
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Accurate and extremely durable, this set snaps together for compact storage. The handles are seamless with the cups themselves, making them easy to level off.
Coming in a variety of useful sizes that nest for compact storage, our winning set performed ably on almost every test. Its wide, shallow bowls were easy to hold, fill, empty, and clean. They can be used in the microwave and the oven. While the bowls in this set were the only ones to break when dropped, the heaviness of the glass with which they’re made makes it unlikely that they’ll easily fly off the counter.
The unbeatable traditional version of the Pyrex Liquid Measuring Cup is back on the market.
The redesigned version of the OXO scale is accurate and had all the features that made the old model our favorite: sturdy construction, responsive buttons, and a removable platform for easy cleaning. The screen can still be pulled out nearly 4 inches when weighing oversize items. Instead of a backlight setting, the screen now has brightly lit digits on a dark background, which we found even easier to read than the old model’s screen. OXO also added two display options for weight. Users can choose to view ounces only (24 oz), pounds and ounces (1 lb 8 oz), grams only (2500 g), or kilograms and grams (2 kg 500 g), which comes in handy when doubling a recipe. The scale now uses decimals rather than fractions, so it’s more precise and easier to read.
These precut parchment sheets, which come in a large plastic zipper-lock bag, are the only ones in our lineup that are stored completely flat. They're also sized just right to slide easily into a standard rimmed baking sheet, although we did have to use two overlapping sheets when rolling jelly roll cakes into coils. Their superior convenience made them the runaway favorite. Don't let the purchase price distract you: The per-sheet cost falls squarely in the middle of our lineup.
This oyster knife (we chose the model with a stainless steel blade) is well crafted, with a simple, comfortable wooden handle that never budged in our hands. A slightly upturned tip was helpful when inserting the point into the hinge and was able to slice oyster muscle without damaging the meat. It’s the lightest knife that we tested; one shucker noted that it “seemed to disappear and become part of your hand.”
This dish is nearly the same height and thickness as our winner but has a shelf-like indentation all the way around the inside rim and a slightly smaller capacity (2 quarts plus 1/4 cup). It gave soufflés just enough room to rise without going over the edge—but it was close.
The heaviest, thickest ramekins in our lineup, these sturdy ceramic dishes didn’t slide around in a slippery baking dish and stayed perfectly still while we layered delicate berry pudding. Straight sides meant soufflés and puddings emerged picture-perfect, and thick walls provided gentle insulation, producing baked eggs with creamy whites and runny yolks. A bonus: They stack securely for easy storage.
Moderate heft and thick edges meant these ramekins provided slow, gentle heat for great results from trickier recipes such as soufflés and baked eggs. All but one of the six eggs we made in these dishes were perfectly creamy, and we got equally attractive results from crème caramels, soufflés, and puddings. Their wider openings were easy to fill, and they all fit into a baking dish. Unlike our winner, however, they don’t stack.
Our winning air fryer was the first model we’ve tested that delivers on its promise to offer an extra-large capacity. Though it’s only a foot tall, this drawer-style model was large enough to fit four chicken cutlets or two 15-ounce bags of frozen french fries, cooking everything to crispy, golden perfection. We were even able to cook a whole 4-pound chicken in it. A quick 2-minute preheat ensured that the interior was hot when we added food. The wide drawer-style basket was easy to remove and insert—and our hands were safeguarded from the heating element—and its sturdy handle allowed us to shake its contents for easy redistribution. Intuitive digital controls (including a simple knob to set the time and temperature) were brightly lit and easy to operate. This fryer is a great option for a family of four or anyone who is looking for more cooking space without adding much bulk. Our one gripe is that the basket liner occasionally fell out when we inverted the basket. We solved this by using tongs to remove food or being more careful when pouring.
Our longtime favorite skillet still beats the cheaper competition. We appreciate the broad 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; an overall weight and balance that hits the sweet spot between sturdiness and maneuverable lightness; and durable construction that resists warping while withstanding thermal shock and outright abuse with nary a scratch or dent. Its three layers of bonded metal, with aluminum sandwiched by steel, make for deep, uniform browning
The smaller version of our longtime favorite skillet performed well in every application, whether we were searing steak, pan-roasting broccoli, or browning the top of a shepherd’s pie under the broiler. It cleaned up well, didn’t warp, and passed abuse testing with flying colors. For smaller portions or households, this skillet does the job. It is induction compatible.
Our longtime favorite boasts trenches on both sides that easily accommodate 1/2 cup of liquid. One side provides uninterrupted cutting space, while the other features a poultry-shaped well that steadied turkeys during carving but didn’t obstruct our knife. Midweight and moderately sized, it’s easy to handle.
Its curved chrome body was easy to grip, its hinged fulcrum provided great leverage, and its parts were sturdy and opened and closed smoothly without snapping at our fingers. But what made this mid-priced corkscrew a keeper is its Teflon-coated worm, which produced zero friction going into the cork—and stayed put when we were popping it out.
This continuous-turn corkscrew was astonishingly easy to use, requiring no expertise and removing corks in an average of 12 seconds. Its 4.75-inch worm accommodates corks of any length, and its nonstick coating helped ensure that it pierced even brittle older corks almost as smoothly and neatly as our waiter’s corkscrew. It’s slim and lightweight—nearly as compact as our favorite waiter’s corkscrew—making it easy to handle and store.