Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories
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Pasta lovers make it often enough that good tools pay off fast. Start with Parmesan: the Zyliss rotary grater grated it faster than every other model America's Test Kitchen tried, so everyone can grate their own at the table, and Microplane's zester and paddle-style graters are both ATK picks.
The T-fal 12-quart stockpot is ATK's co-winner, one of the lightest it reviewed, and the RSVP Endurance is its winning colander, which it calls the best it has ever reviewed. OXO tongs are ATK's longtime favorite. For fresh pasta, the OxGord is TechGearLab's pick for value-oriented shoppers, and the Marcato Atlas 150 is its best overall pasta maker. The splurges are the Philips Compact, TechGearLab's best automatic machine, and the Made In 12-quart pot, recommended by ATK. Every pick is on my pasta night list with its source.
Who this is not for. Skip this if they bake more than they boil; the gifts for bakers page fits better.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zyliss Classic Cheese Grater | budget | under $15 | passing around the table so everyone grates their own | 1 outlet |
| Microplane Premium Classic Zester/Grater | budget | $15-25 | parmesan plus lemon zest and garlic | 1 outlet |
| Microplane Gourmet Series Fine Grater | mid | $15-25 | big fluffy piles of Parmesan, fast | 1 outlet |
Best cheese graterbudget pick · Handheld
Best for passing around the table so everyone grates their own
America's Test Kitchen's winning rotary grater: it grated Parmesan more quickly than every other model it reviewed.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning rotary grater.
under $15
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budget pick · 7.25 x 1 in blade
Best for parmesan plus lemon zest and garlic
America's Test Kitchen's best zester-style rasp grater, for its impressive grating performance and soft, grippy handle.
Heads up. Many ATK testers preferred the wider surface of the paddle-style grater
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Zester-Style Rasp Grater.
$15-25
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mid pick · 4.25 x 2 in blade
Best for big fluffy piles of Parmesan, fast
America's Test Kitchen's best paddle-style rasp grater: lots of relatively flat, supersharp teeth across its large blade.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Paddle-Style Rasp Grater.
$15-25
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-fal Specialty Stainless Steel 12 Qt. Stockpot | budget | $25-50 | a big pot that's easy to lug to the sink | 1 outlet |
| RSVP International Endurance Precision Pierced 5 Qt. Colander | mid | $25-50 | one colander for life | 1 outlet |
| OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs | mid | $15-25 | one pair of tongs for everything | 1 outlet |
Top pickbudget pick · 12 qt
Best for a big pot that's easy to lug to the sink
America's Test Kitchen's co-winning stockpot: one of the lightest models it reviewed, and one of the least expensive.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen co-winning stockpot.
$25-50
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mid pick · 5 qt
Best for one colander for life
America's Test Kitchen's winning colander, which it calls the best it has ever reviewed: tiny perforations drain fast and it didn't dent when dropped.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning colander.
$25-50
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mid pick · 12 in
Best for one pair of tongs for everything
America's Test Kitchen's winning tongs and its longtime favorite: the scalloped, uncoated pincers felt very precise.
Heads up. The uncoated pincers didn't securely grip ceramic ramekins
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning kitchen tongs.
$15-25
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Best pasta makermid pick · Countertop clamp
Best for getting hooked on fresh fettuccine
TechGearLab's best overall pasta maker: spaghetti aside, it has impeccable performance any homemade pasta fan can appreciate.
Heads up. Doesn't make spaghetti
1 outlet. TechGearLab best overall pasta maker.
$100-150
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budget pick · Countertop clamp
Best for trying fresh pasta without a big spend
TechGearLab's pick for value-oriented shoppers: a user-friendly machine at an unbeatable price.
Heads up. The clamp may not work with all countertops, and TechGearLab saw minor stripping on it
1 outlet. TechGearLab best for Value-Oriented Shoppers (pasta maker).
$25-50
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Top picksplurge pick · Countertop
Best for fresh pasta with no cranking
TechGearLab's best automatic machine: it does the bulk of the work without the bulky size.
Heads up. Tedious to hand-wash
1 outlet. TechGearLab best Automatic Machine (pasta maker).
$150-200
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splurge pick · 12 qt
Best for a splurge pot that also does soups and stock
Recommended by America's Test Kitchen: shorter and wider than most of the pots it reviewed, so it was easier to maneuver.
Heads up. America's Test Kitchen notes it weighs more than 5 pounds
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen recommended stockpot.
$200-300
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
A great colander or a cheese grater. The RSVP Endurance is America's Test Kitchen's winning colander, with tiny perforations that drain fast, and the Zyliss is its winning rotary grater, the fastest at Parmesan in its test.
It is for someone who wants to try fresh pasta. The Marcato Atlas 150 is TechGearLab's best overall pasta maker, though it doesn't make spaghetti, and the Philips Compact, its best automatic machine, does the bulk of the work with no cranking.
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