5 Colorful and Multipurpose Mixing Bowl Sets Best Kitchen Basics

We love to browse new kitchen gadgets and tools, but in the end, we tend to stick with the basics. We get new things now and then, but we always return to favorite classics. One of these classics is a set of sturdy, all-purpose mixing bowls. Read on for how we use our mixing bowls, and for five good sets of multipurpose bowls.

Mixing bowls are a necessity in the kitchen, of course, and we like to keep a range of sizes around. Bowls and wooden spoons; you can never have too many! We have one or two really enormous stainless steel bowls for big projects (we use these constantly) but we also find it's helpful to have a nested set of attractive, multipurpose bowls.

If you find the right set, mixing bowls can go from the kitchen to the table. Mix bread in the bowl one day; serve a salad in it the next. We are always using our smaller mixing bowls for serving side dishes and salad, and for storing prepped ingredients in the fridge.

What about you? Do you have a favorite set of mixing bowls? Here are five sets that would look great in the kitchen — or on the table.

• 1 Multicolor Earthenware Bowls, Set of 7, $159 at Williams-Sonoma. Whew, pricey! But very pretty. Maybe they'll go on sale soon.

• 2 4 2-Tone Plastic Bowls with Lids, $14.99 at Urban Outfitters. Yes, they're plastic, but they're inexpensive, colorful, and hey, lids!

• 3 5-Piece Parker Bowl Set, $36.95 at Crate & Barrel. A classic set, and very handsome.

• 4 Nigella Lawson Bliss Mixing Bowls, $50.95 at Amazon. OK, so these aren't very colorful, but we have had our eye on these for years. We love the way that food looks in egg-shaped bowls like these.

• 5 Colorful Earthenware Mixing Bowls, $19.99 at Chef's Catalog. On deep sale, down from $90. Just the cream and kiwi colors are left. We like how these bowls are a little more shallow -- great for serving pasta.

Comments (12)

i have a set of bowls with lids which are very similar to the Urban Outfitters pictured. i think i got them from an Avon catalogue. they're ridiculously useful.

I wish I didn't like the Williams-Sonoma ones best. So expensive :(

Emily

I'm lucky enough to have a couple sets of original Pyrex nesting bowls, including an almost complete rainbow set. I like the Chefs ones though, too bad they only have those colors left!

i have a set of parker bowls from crate & barrel (albeit a few years old) and they're great but for some reason i reach for every other bowl in my kitchen before i use them... i'm not sure why. i really, really wanted them and they are not nearly as useful as i had hoped.

19.99?!?!? Lucky me - my kitchen is green! Just bought a set for myself and my mom for Christmas. Thanks for the heads up, kitch!

Man, some of these are insanely priced. I would skip the UO plastic and get these Pyrex bowls instead. They also have lids so that they can do double-duty as storage bowls, but are clear so you can easily see what's inside.

I received the C&B bowls when we got married. One broke the first 3 months, and a second broke within the first year. and I tend to find them to (too?) deep for the kitchen. I use them to store things in our bedrooms. One day I would love to try again with a different set.

Here is a set of bowls I would love to buy from a British shop called Oliver Bonas. There are eight pieces: a small and large mixing bowl, a colander, a sieve, and four measuring cups. They are all rainbow coloured and they cleverly stack. Unfortunately, they cost 35 GBP. So I am probably never going to get them for myself, but the next person who gets married will be getting a set!

I got a set of the Crate and Barrel bowls as a wedding gift and while I adore them and use them often, they chip like crazy! I think each of my bowls have numerous chips around the rims.

As this was just reposted, I see that the first set has gone up in price! :(

Chef's Catalog bowls unavailable...:(

I got a set of three Parker-like bowls from Crate Barrel a few years ago on sale, in yellow. I like them but they're HEAVY! Sometimes that's good, usually not. Cheap stainless bowls from restaurant supply shops get lots of love in my kitchen.

Here's a nice set of four Pyrex bowls with lids, $25:
http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-Smart-Essentials-8-Piece-Mixing/dp/B000FBUMLQ