Cookware Birthday Gift Ideas

Cookware makes excellent birthday gifts, especially for pots or pans we don't want to invest in ourselves. Birthdays happen all throughout the year, so the birthday gift does not have to be seasonal. The cookware does need to match the cook. The most important attributes I suggest to take into consideration is whether or not the cookware needs to be dishwasher safe or healthy. The last thing anyone wants to do is give a gift that will not be used or enjoyed. So, make the best selection from what you know about the birthday person. Here are my cookware recommendations that ALWAYS make excellent birthday gifts.

Enameled Cast Iron Cookware

Beautiful and functional, enameled cast iron cookware is easy to clean. Usually not recommended for the dishwasher, these pieces make up for the hand washing with their colors and functionality. Braisers, roasting dishes, Dutch ovens, or frying skillets, these pieces are always handy. Able to take them from stove to tabletop is a great feature. Lodge, Staub, and Le Creuset make excellent selections. Get the best prices on enameled cast iron cookware at Amazon.com!

Stainless Steel Skillets

If the birthday person is into cooking, they will enjoy a stainless steel skillet for sauteing. Nothing beats a stainless steel fry pan for the fond that makes great sauces. Healthy and dishwasher safe (this does not include the nonstick inside versions), these pans make excellent birthday gifts. All-Clad, Calphalon, and Cuisinart are my personal favorites. See stainless steel skillets at Amazon.

A Large Dishwasher Safe Nonstick Skillet

Fragile foods like eggs and fish fillets on stainless steel skillets is an invitation to long clean-ups. So, a nonstick fry pan is needed. If the birthday person has worn out skillets where the nonstick surface is coming off, a new one will be a life saver. Today there are many choices for nonstick skillets that are also dishwasher safe. All-Clad, Anolon, Circulon, and Farberware all make excellent nonstick skillets. For the Dishwasher Safe variety, I think it's hard to beat the quality and value of Circulon Infinite cookware, winner of my nonstick cookware award. See Circulon Infinite Dishwasher Safe cookware at Amazon.

Healthy Eco-Friendly Cookware

If the birthday person is into healthy living, Non-PFOA cookware is required. Today ceramic substances are getting more nonstick all the time, and manufacturers are offering chemical free additions to their product lines. While stainless steel is always a good choice here, some new additions also offer nonstick varieties. In my opinion, none are quite up to the old Teflon standards for non-stickyness, but come very close. The Cuisinart GreenGourmet and Scanpan product lines are my choice. I've been testing them and find them durable and pretty good on the nonstick surface. Get Scanpan eco-friendly cookware at Amazon!

Clay Cookware from Emile Henry

Clay cookware offers excellent heating capabilities, nice colors, and a unique gift that can make memories for a lifetime. My choice here is Emile Henry French clay pottery. They offer the new Flame Top product line that can be used on top as well as in the stove. A fondue set, tagine, of Dutch oven make excellent choices. Or, a dazzling pie dish or seafood themed appetizer dishes make a great impression. Whatever the selection, Emile Henry clay cookware is always a welcomed birthday gift. Get Emile Henry French clay cookware at Amazon!

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 August 2011 14:32