While any mixing bowl will do the trick, if you’re in the market for a new one (or a few new ones), you probably want the best. Our list of the best mixing bowls takes into account a few different criteria, including customer reviews, size, design, and durability. We’ll also be including some of our favorites that look good, too! Read on for our reviews of the best mixing bowls you can buy.
Stainless Steel
By far the most popular mixing bowl material, stainless is a great option for a long-lasting workhorse that’s dishwasher safe. Of course, stainless isn’t microwave safe, so look elsewhere if you want something you can multitask with. These are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Here are a few of our picks.
Top Pick: Cuisinart 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set
With three useful sizes and lids to match, this Cuisinart set is priced well and boasts positive reviews. We like the lids, but do be careful washing them (handwashing is always a good idea!) as they can warp and note that they might stain over time. Storage is simple as these bowls stack well.
Like most SS mixing bowls, these Cuisinart bowls are safe for both fridge and freezer. The lids fit well and keep food fresh. The bowls are lightweight and are designed well — the lip allows for pouring without making a big mess. If you don’t need lids, you can save a few bucks and choose the “Without Lids” option when you buy.
VonShef
VonShef offers two options for SS bowls. The three-piece has handles, an anti-slip bottom, and pouring spouts and comes in 1.7-, 3-, and 5-quart sizes. They nestle even with the handles, so don’t worry about them taking up additional space. This option does not include lids, however.
The five-piece has lids, anti-slip bottoms, and three different grating inserts for multi-purpose use. The included sizes for the five-piece are 1-, 2-, 2.6-, 3.6-, and 4.7-quarts. The lids, in addition to accommodating the graters, function as splash guards when the insert is removed.
Other Options Worth Considering:
- FineDine Set of 5: For around the same sale price as the Cuisinart set, you can get a five-piece with lids from FineDine. The included sizes are .75, 1, 1.5, 3, and 5 quarts. The lid design and bowl design is similar to Cuisinart’s.
- Vollrath Single Bowls: Just need one bowl? Vollrath offers single bowls in a wide variety of sizes, from large to small. These are basic SS bowls priced cheap.
Glass
Glass is another popular material for mixing bowls. It has the advantage of being fridge, freezer, oven, dishwasher, and microwave safe. It’s also inexpensive and doesn’t react with anything. The downside is that glass can be heavy for some, and the shape isn’t always as well-liked as some other materials.
Top Pick: Pyrex Smart Essentials Set of 3
You’d be hard-pressed to find a mixing bowl enthusiast (if that’s a thing) who doesn’t love Pyrex. Long known as the standard for glass kitchen products, their mixing bowls typically top everyone’s list when it comes to glass.
This set has 3 bowls ( 1.5-, 2.5, and 4-quart sizes) and three colorful lids. Pyrex features a two-year warranty and their products are made in the USA. The included lids are BPA free and dishwasher safe, though as we mentioned before, hand washing is always the safest bet to avoid warping.
Other Options
- Pyrex 4-Piece: Want one more bowl? This four-piece option has a 1-quart size in addition to those listed above.
- Duralex 10-Piece: Very elegant and easily nested, this is a huge set that includes small prep bowls in addition to mixing bowls.
Side note: One of my favorite mixing bowls is a vintage Pyrex bowl like this one. Old Pyrex has a huge fan club, and the original mixing bowls (made of soda lime opal glass) are excellent additions to your kitchen if you can find them (which isn’t too difficult but can be expensive). They are darned durable and I love the size of mine. Check out this article from NPR about Pyrex collectors and the brand’s enduring popularity.
Plastic
Plastic and other materials like melamine are great materials for mixing bowls…with a few caveats. First, these are not great for microwaves, so don’t go for these if you need your bowls to be microwave-friendly. Second, it’s important to understand that these materials aren’t indestructible — they’ll probably take a beating, but plastics are prone to scratches, warping, and deterioration. Having said that, there are some durable and handy bowls on the market. These materials are lightweight and colorful, so they have a lot of appeal for a lot of folks.
Top Pick: OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Set
If plastic is up your alley, you can’t go wrong with this excellent set from OXO. Three stackable bowls (in 1.5-, 3-, and 5-quart sizes) feature grippy bottoms, a handy handle, and a spout for mess-free storing. BPA free and dishwasher safe, the OXO set is available in tri-color or white.
Because these are plastic, do note that they can stain and sometimes retain odors. These are very durable given the material, but they can obtain scratches especially from hand mixers. Customer reviews on the OXO set are overwhelmingly positive.
Nordic Ware 4-Piece Set
Nordic Ware is an excellent, Made-in-the-USA brand that has something of a cult following. We like their BPA- and melamine-free plastic mixing bowls for their bright colors, lids, and useful sizes. With an unmatched 5-year warranty, this is a smart option if you want plastic and lids. The bowls and lids nest together for easy storage, and the sizes include large sizes: 2-. 3.5-, 5-, 7-quarts.
The brand says these are microwave-safe, but I would still recommend being cautious doing anything more than a quick warm up. As for downsides to this set, it is a bit more expensive (around $35) and some users have experienced issues with the lids.
Other Options Worth Considering:
- Vremi 13-Piece Set: This is a great product that’s more than just mixing bowls. Vremi’s set is a starter kit of sorts, complete with colander, measuring spoons, and more.
- Pioneer Woman 5-Piece Set: The Pioneer Woman’s stuff is always colorful and cute, and this mixing bowl set is no exception. It includes lids, but note that the bowls are handwash only.
Porcelain
My go-to mixing bowls are in a porcelain set from Crate & Barrel that I got almost 20 years ago. They have moved numerous times, go through the dishwasher regularly, and have mixed and held endless things. This material can be a bit more expensive, though, and there are fewer options out there.
Dowan 4-Piece Set
This set comes with four useful sizes and is a gleaming white design. Currently there aren’t any reviews on this set, but Dowan has a line of porcelain products that have high ratings. Because there aren’t as many porcelain options out there, I would recommend checking these out or scouring some of the more expensive kitchenware stores (like Crate and Barrel or Williams Sonoma).
The sizing is a bit smaller than most of the sets we’ve discussed: the bowls are 12, 22, 42, and 64 ounces. They are dishwasher, oven, microwave, and refrigerator safe.
Another Option:
Grace Teaware 3-Piece Set: This set features small sizes but is oh-so-adorable. If you don’t need large bowls, this would be a perfect set for prep or small batches. Check out the delicate florals and lovely blues.
Ceramic & Earthenware
Porcelain is a type of ceramic, but most bowls you’ll find that are labeled ‘ceramic’ will be quite different. Earthenware and stoneware, on the other hand, are a bit more rustic looking and are glazed. Of the three, stoneware is often the most durable but all three are common in dishes of all kinds and typically have the most vibrant and fun color and print options.
There aren’t any top picks from us in this category as none we’ve found fit all criteria (price, options, durability), but here are a few to consider (all three are featured in the image above):
- Fiesta 3-Piece Baking Bowl Set: Fiesta makes quality products and this set is no exception. It’s a lovely 3-piece set currently available in red or cobalt and sized 3-, 4-, and 6-quart. However, they’re pretty spendy. If they are in budget, you’ll get durable bowls that look good enough to stay on your counter full-time — plus a 5-year warranty.
- KitchenAid 5-Quart Ceramic Bowl: Designed for the tilt-head stand mixer, it doubles as a fantastic mixing bowl for many purposes. It’s available in multiple colors and, while priced fairly high (it is KitchenAid, after all), it’s a long-lasting and gorgeous bowl.
- Le Creuset Stoneware 2-Quart Batter Bowl: Le Creuset makes some lust-worthy pieces and their stoneware batter bowl is another to drool over. At around $50, it’s still on the high side but might be worth it for you if you want to add a bowl you’ll use for years to come.
Now, get cooking!
Ciao!