Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories
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Lunar New Year falls on Feb 6 in 2027, and for a lot of families it means a big shared meal, often with a mountain of homemade dumplings.
Whether you're folding them with your grandma or hosting friends for the first time, the gear is simple. America's Test Kitchen reviewed bamboo steamers for dumplings and bao, woks for stir-fries and fried rice, and spider strainers for fishing boiled dumplings out of the pot. Taste of Home's Test Kitchen tasted chili crisps, so the dipping bowl is covered too. Each card shows the drawback the testers called out. Start with a steamer or a spider, depending on how your family cooks dumplings, then add a wok. Planning hot pot instead? That has its own list.
Who this is not for. Skip this if your Lunar New Year plan is a hot pot dinner; the Hot Pot Night list has the pots, burners, strainer ladles and soup bases.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juvale 10 Inch Bamboo Steamer with Steel Rings | budget | $25-50 | steaming dumplings and bao year after year | 1 outlet |
| Joyce Chen 2-Tier Bamboo Steamer Baskets | mid | $25-50 | two layers of dumplings at once | 1 outlet |
| Helen's Asian Kitchen Bamboo Steamer | mid | $25-50 | a steamer that stays tidy | 1 outlet |
Best bamboo steamerbudget pick · 10 in
Best for steaming dumplings and bao year after year
America's Test Kitchen's winning bamboo steamer: it steamed dumplings, bao, salmon and greens quickly, and its steel-banded tiers stayed round and easy to line up after 10 washes.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winner bamboo steamer.
$25-50
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mid pick · 2 tiers
Best for two layers of dumplings at once
Recommended by America's Test Kitchen: it did a great job steaming dumplings and bao.
Heads up. It shed strands of fiber a few times, and picking them out got tedious
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen recommended bamboo steamer.
$25-50
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mid pick · Steamer set
Best for a steamer that stays tidy
Highly Recommended by America's Test Kitchen: it never warped and shed no more than a very occasional fiber or two.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen highly Recommended bamboo steamer.
$25-50
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor and Ng Natural Nonstick Wok Set | splurge | $50-100 | cooking the whole feast in one pan | 1 outlet |
| IMUSA 14-Inch Non-Coated Wok with Wood Handle | budget | $25-50 | a cheap first wok that still performs | 1 outlet |
| Joyce Chen Carbon Steel Wok | mid | $25-50 | stir-fry night, done properly | 1 outlet |
Best woksplurge pick · Wok set
Best for cooking the whole feast in one pan
America's Test Kitchen's winning wok: testers agreed unanimously it was one of the easiest and most comfortable to use, with the biggest flat cooking surface.
Heads up. The unpreseasoned version needs seasoning at home, so it takes a bit longer to become slick
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winner wok.
$50-100
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budget pick · 14 in
Best for a cheap first wok that still performs
America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy wok: lightweight but sturdily built, and it quickly became nonstick after its first seasoning.
Heads up. The chunky main handle was a bit hard for smaller hands, and the sides are a smidge low
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy wok.
$25-50
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mid pick · Large
Best for stir-fry night, done properly
The best budget pick in Serious Eats' wok review. Once seasoned, it was the most nonstick wok they reviewed, and the wooden handles stay cool over high heat.
Heads up. Carbon steel needs seasoning first, then hand-washing and drying
1 outlet. Serious Eats best budget wok.
$25-50
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Best spider strainerbudget pick · 5.4 in
Best for scooping boiled dumplings without tearing them
Recommended by America's Test Kitchen: it gets the job done nicely, with a basket that handled fried chicken and ravioli with care.
Heads up. Short handle, the bare metal can get hot and slippery, and food sticks in the handle strands
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen recommended spider skimmer.
under $15
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mid pick · Drawer
Best for pulling a whole pot of dumplings out in a few scoops
America's Test Kitchen's winning spider skimmer: a big, moderately deep smooth-wire basket and a large rubbery grip that hands of all sizes found comfortable.
1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winner spider skimmer.
$15-25
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Best dipping saucebudget pick · Jar
Best for spooning over dumplings
Taste of Home's best overall chili crisp: its Test Kitchen picked it for the crunch, and one tester said it's what she expects when she thinks of chili crisp.
1 outlet. Taste of Home best Overall chili crisp.
under $15
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mid pick · Jar
Best for sweet-heat fans
Taste of Home's most swicy chili crisp: noticeable sweetness with warm heat, the craveable sweet-heat that makes hot honey so good.
1 outlet. Taste of Home most Swicy chili crisp.
under $15
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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
Lunar New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, Feb 6. Many families celebrate over several days, so a dumpling night that week or weekend works well.
Both work, so go with how your family makes them. America's Test Kitchen says a bamboo steamer's flat tiers suit dumplings and bao, and its winning spider strainer lifts delicate food out of the pot without snagging it. Line the steamer with cabbage leaves or perforated parchment so nothing sticks.
Usually, yes. America's Test Kitchen notes that unseasoned carbon steel woks need seasoning at home before they turn slick, and its Best Buy IMUSA became nonstick quickly after its first seasoning.