- Knives - Apparently you want German Steel knives because it's the most sturdy. You also want the steel to be one piece through the handle. To be sure this is the case, and that it's not soddered somewhere in the handle, look for three rivets, not two. We were also told that sets without steak knives are ok because steak knives are relatively inexpensive add-ons, whereas the other cooking knives are not. It's better value to purchase the set with more cooking knives and register separately for steak knives. Our research showed J.A. Henckels and Wusthofs are two reliable bands. We ended up deciding on an 8 piece set by J.A. Henckels.
- Flatware - Not all flatware is created equal! This we did not know... There are two number you should look for when choosing flatware - 18 and 10 or 8 (avoid 0!). The 18 refers to the percent of chromium in the item - chromium gives the piece strength. The 10 or 8 refers to the amount of nickel in the piece - the nickel prevents rust and gives the piece shine. Most everything will have the 18 part; it's the 10, 8, or 0 that varies. From what we've been told and read, there isn't much difference in quality between the 10 and 8 - 10 is a bit better but 8 isn't bad. 0 is bad - your flatware will rust and will not last. So, we looked for 18/10 and 18/8 - it really narrowed our choices quite a bit!
- Pots and Pans - there are so many different metals out there - stainless steel, aluminum, copper, non-stick... Which are best for skillets? Pots? Pans? Some heat evenly, some heat quickly, others cannot be heated above a certain temp... What to choose?! We went with a really cool combo - Tri-ply by Calphalon. It's stainless steel on the outside, a layer of aluminum in the core, and a stainless steel surface. The aluminum is great for keeping an even heat but the stainless is good for browning and cooking control. It's kind of a best of both worlds option. We did register for a separate set of non-stick skillets for cooking eggs and such.
- For all items look at the company guarantee - many companies offer lifetime guarantees for their products!
James and I disagreed about a few things - what we want in flatware and dinnerware specifically - which I was surprised about. He said he really didn't care about many things (he wanted specific towels) but then didn't like a number of things I picked out. We are working through it - we've agreed on flatware but not on dinnerware yet. Also, do we want Fine China, or no? That's my call - James says we don't need it (of course we don't NEED it...) but I think if we don't get it now, we'll never get it for ourselves. I'm sure there will be more to debate through as we tackle the other registry areas, but we'll manage.
Regarding the stores we chose: Macy's carries the towels that James wanted, so we went with them. They also offer a great rewards program for registrants that I recommend brides and grooms check out. If the couple joins the rewards program (need a Macy's card) then any purchase made off the registry qualifies for 5% credit. After the wedding date, Macy's sends a gift card with the balance accumulated while family and friends shopped - no increased price or additional procedure for customers. Pretty cool! Bed, Bath, and Beyond is great because of the quantity of items they carry, their great prices (most are a bit below other stores regular prices - those stores may run sales but BBB does not...they do send a ton of coupons though!), and their return policy.
I will say, it was fun to be in the store, pass something cool, and say "let's scan that!" and just do it! If we get it, great! If not, we can look into purchasing it ourselves or just let it go. So far, so good!
No comments:
Post a Comment