7 Best Mixing Bowls and Sets, According to Food Network Kitchen
We’ve done more than our share of stirring, beating and folding — not to mention storing and serving — to decide which mixing bowls take the cake!
Our Top Mixing Bowl Picks
- Best Overall: Pyrex 6-Piece Mixing Bowl Set with Lids
- Best Value: Cook with Color 12-Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set
- Best Stainless Steel: Cuisinart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lids
- Best Plastic: OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set
- Best Ceramic: Emile Henry Ceramic Mixing Bowl Set
- Best Batter Bowl: Anchor Hocking 2-Quart Glass Batter Bowl with Lid
- Design Statement: Bamboozle 7-Piece Nesting Bowls
By Sharon Franke for Food Network Kitchen
Whether you’re the kind of cook who would never serve a meal without a homemade dessert, is a fan of boxed mixes, or thinks a bowl of popcorn is a fine way to end a meal, you need a set of bowls in your kitchen. Even if you never mix up a thing other than a couple of eggs, bowls of all kinds come in handy for storing and serving as well as preparing food. When you go shopping, you’ll find a broad selection of mixing bowls made of all kinds of material at a wide range of prices. Which set is best for your kitchen depends on what kind of cook you are, but don’t worry, among our picks there’s something for everyone.
How We Picked These Mixing Bowl Sets
What's It Made Of?
Glass is attractive and see through. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe and microwavable. But accidentally knock a glass bowl over and you know the drill: Make sure everyone’s wearing shoes and pull out the vacuum cleaner.
On the other hand, stainless steel mixing bowls will last a lifetime. If one falls off the counter, it may make a mess or even wind up with a dent, but you can remeasure your ingredients and start all over. It’s also lighter in weight, so easier to handle.
Plastic offers some of the best attributes of both worlds. It’s easy to handle and won’t break easily. It may or may not be, depending on the plastic, safe for microwaving and dishwasher cleaning.
If you value appearance over all, and intend to keep your bowls on display, you’ll probably want a ceramic set. You can’t beat them for good looks or holding an assortment of fresh fruit, but they’re heavy to hold when you’re beating up a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
How Does It Shape Up?
Wide and shallow bowls with sloping sides are easy to get around with a spatula, whisk or electric mixer. But you need to be careful, especially when using high speed or you can wind up with splatters of frosting on your countertop or walls. On the other hand, with deep bowls, you need to work harder to get to the bottom but you won’t have to worry about spattering.
What Are the Small Details That Matter?
Rims or rolled edges help you get a good grip when you’re holding the bowl with one hand and beating with the other. Other helpful features include spouts for pouring out dressings, batters, and sauces; measuring marks to see how high your dough has risen; and handles to enhance your grasp.
Sharon Franke has been testing and writing about kitchen equipment for over 30 years. Before becoming a cooking tools expert, she spent seven years working as a professional chef in New York City restaurants. In her free time, she's busy baking sourdough bread and rustling pots and pans on her own stove.
