I mean, say you want to register for a toaster. You go to the Bed Bath & Beyond site and look up toasters—and get this.
Image via Bed Bath & Beyond
Four pages of toasters—and with 15 on each page that’s over 45 toasters. For people who have really specific tastes, this is probably awesome. Lots of choices! Customize your toaster! Heck, if you want you can get this toaster at $339.99.
Image via Bed Bath & Beyond
Not only does this toaster have four extra-wide slots and an insulated stainless steel body, it has an auto shutoff and apparently a bell that rings when the toast is done.
To be honest, I was just looking for a toaster that, you know, toasts bread. Like you put the bread in and a few minutes later it pops out warm and browned?
Obviously, this was just an example. I could have proven my point with cookie sheets or blenders—and don’t even get me started on flatware. There are just so many options! I know how to cook and actually enjoy cooking, but up until now I’ve either cooked out of my mom’s kitchen or out of my fully equipped kitchen in my furnished apartment. I didn’t have a brand preference and really had no idea what I even needed. Basically, I was overwhelmed.
I started with bridal registry checklists from sites like The Knot, Real Simple, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Although I definitely don’t agree with all the items on these checklists—ahem, I’ve never heard of anyone registering for a snow blower before?—it gave me a good starting point. I was able to look through the items and come up with basics of things we needed. It was easy to see “Oh, I need to register for a vegetable peeler, ice cream scoop, etc.” while disregarding the things I wasn’t interested in—such as a bar cart or patio furniture.
So I have a basic registry, but just like Miss Mongoose talked about last week—how do you know how many items to put on? Is it really two per guest?
I know we need to add at least a few more items. Right now we have basic kitchen utensils, cookware, etc. But tell me: Is there anything else we need to have? What do you use most in your kitchen? Anything you didn’t register for that you wished you had? What about the other way around?
Girl, don’t listen to people who tell you you need to register for a certain number of items. That’s crazy, and you’ll end up with a lot of stuff that you didn’t really need/want. Think of the things you use right now to cook, add in the things you really wish you had now (and you’ll use often in the future – nothing is worse than a ton of expensive kitchen appliances collecting dust), and you’ll be totally fine. We have plain white towels and dishes (sooo so easy to replace when they’re worn out/broken!), a great set of Le Creuset pots and pans, 3 sharp Wusthof knives (chef’s knife, bread knife, paring knife), and basic things for cooking and baking, and I’m more than happy 
I sometimes wish we had registered for a powerful blender, though.
I found BBB’s website really hard to select from (not that many review). I actually found items on amazon (which I found easier to search and decide on) and then added them to BBB if they had them or put them on our amazon registry if not. I’d register for a knife block, really nice salt and pepper grinders and a good tea kettle. Those are all things you use, and have out in the kitchen that are fun to have good quality of.
I love everything about this post since FI and I just registered last week! At first it was overwhelming, but we used the guide from Bed Bath and Beyond while browsing the store to have a good starting point, as well. I’ve learned from personal experience where the money should be spent when it comes to your kitchen. Sure, it probably seems like a good idea to add a fondue set, bread maker, and quesadilla maker to your registry, but how often are you going to use these things? When it came to more expensive items, we chose a good knife set and mixer (my mom has had so many hand mixers break on her, and I love to bake!). Toaster? You probably don’t need an expensive one. They all do the same thing, lol. Think of the things you use the MOST and that’s where you want to pick the better items. Good luck! After three whole days of looking over my registry constantly, I can finally say that I’m satisfied with what we have on it. Now to wait and see what we get!
We still don’t own a toaster (we’ve been married 4 months and 1 day) because toaster shopping stresses me out. They are flimsy sometime. I think I shall just order one off of amazon eventually with a good review and be done with it.
We JUST NOW got a blender. I feel your pain, lol.
Items that I registered for that I absolutely love:
New knife set complete with knife block
Oxo bag clips in assorted sizes
China- we are the type of people who use our china all of the time
Kitchenaid mixer
Modal sheets
Items I wish I had registered for in hindsight:
Salad spinner
New cookie sheets/baking sheets
Cake plate and serving set
Cake carriers for both round cakes and sheet cakes/cupcakes
Items I regret registering for:
Silicone bakeware. It doesn’t cook things like my metal bakeware does and that frustrates me.
Ceramic pie plates – they get too hot and the crust always burns and sticks
The toaster I registered for is still in the box, in the basement. I wish I had more counter space to use it.
Must have registry items: more kitchen towels than you think. The colors get discontinued and the towels get stained. Get some extras.
I didn’t register for a toaster (my husband doesn’t really like toasted bread, how funny!), but the items I registered for that I use every single day are a coffee maker, good pots and pans, good knives, cooking utensils, versatile flatware and water glasses, pretty throw pillows, towels, nice picture frames, and my coffee table. Items I use often are basic china, a slow cooker, bakeware, serving pieces (like a chip & dip), a pretty lamp, and vacuum cleaner. Items I’m glad to have but don’t use often include stand mixer, luggage, and an iron. I have never used my juicer, hahaha, but I recently bought a blender with a BB&B coupon and wish I had registered for one of those instead. Hope that helps!
We had 3.5 registries (BB&B, Amazon & Bloomingdales – and the Silversuperstore because they had the same china as Bloomingdales much cheaper, but a horrible website) and a lot fewer items than “suggested” – and we ended up getting only a fraction of that.
Overall, I’m very happy about every single item that people gifted us from our registries. I went in an bought the rest of the “needed to set up household” items after the wedding, such as a vacuum cleaner, stand mixer, duvet cover etc.
My most beloved kitchen items: our Shun 8″ chef knife (I never knew what difference an amazing knife makes!), garlic press, pastry blender, measuring cups, marble work surface, salad spinner, double boiler, big & small pots.
I think a stand mixer (though hyped up to be the best thing ever) is not a necessity, but a good blender is! So missing that in our kitchen right now. It’s amazing how many recipes call for pureeing something.
My favorite things from our kitchen registery are the kitchen aide stand mixer and our tassimo coffee machine. It’s really all about what you like to do in the kitchen… sure you dont need a 300 dollar toaster but it is the one time that if there is something you have always wanted in your kitchen but just didnt see spending money on it to put down. Maybe no one will buy it but hey if they do then you dont have to wish for it.
@Mrs. Wallaby: I actually did register for a more expensive blender (although not ridiculous like a Vitamix blender… I still want one though) and someone made the comment “oh, you shouldn’t register for something that expensive!” Which made me feel bad, but I’m not forcing anyone to buy it. I’m totally fine if it doesn’t get bought, and I have plentyyy on there that’s in the under $100 and under $50 price range.
@Dela2012: Oh I did this too! I found something on Bed, Bath, & Beyond that looked awesome but the reviews on Amazon were awful… but if no one reviews it on Bed, Bath, & Beyond how am I supposed to know? Super unhelpful but it worked out!
@madteaparty: Someone said “Register for a salad spinner!” and I’m like umm what’s a salad spinner? Haha! I’m guessing if I’ve never used it before it’s not that important to register for right now. I totally feel you about looking over the registry over & over though.
@SuperDuperBrit: So glad to hear there’s someone else out there who gets overwhelmed by the stress of all those toasters. FOR REAL it’s ridiculous!
@estella: Can I ask a really dumb question? What’s a salad spinner? I mentioned in the comment above someone else told me to register for one but I have no idea what it is! I did already get my knife set and I’m SO excited about it! My future mother-in-law purchased it for us.
@tracylesq: Good advice on the towels. Mrs. Wallaby mentioned those too! I guess I think “Oh, I’m never going to have more than two towels out at a time…” but it’s definitely good to have extras. I know my mom would ask for towels every couple of years at Christmas… haha a boring gift but she loved them and having new ones!
@Red Poppy: I kind of want a juicer but I’m afraid I’ll never use it! I guess there’s a part of me that’s like “What if I register for fancy things and people buy me those INSTEAD of what I really need?” You know, like utensils, plates, pots & pans. My future grandparents-in-law (is that a thing?) graciously bought us a beautiful set of pots & pans though!
@Mrs. Bracelet: Ok, I feel much better about registering for a more expensive blender now. Like I told Mrs. Wallaby, it wasn’t Vitamix expensive, but it was more than just your basic blender. I also have things from several stores on my Amazon registry — it’s so convenient, but I feel like people use it less!
@Brittany: This may sound weird — I’m not a coffee drinker but I LOVE steamed rice and registered for a nicer rice cooker. My parents have one from when they lived in Japan and I think it’s the greatest thing ever. So I guess that’s my bigger item that I’d like but don’t have to get… I guess I’m just a little quirky like that
@Miss Lemur: There are no dumb questions! A salad spinner dries your leafy vegetables after rinsing them. Before I had one I hated making salads because I’d have to use tons of paper towels to dry my lettuce leaves. It actually makes making a salad not so annoying now! We have this Oxo spinner: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Salad-Spinner/dp/B00004OCKR
Also, my toddler loves putting toys in the spinner and pushing the knob, so she’s very happy we have one, too.
If your going to be short on counter space and need a microwave and toaster…they make some that are both. I have never had one piece of toast burn!
Someone actually just bought the toaster off our registry! It wasn’t expensive, I think $29.99 from Target. I don’t see the point in a fancy, schmancy one when they all pretty much do the same thing, haha. There are a few items I really hope we score off our registries, but Mr. A and I will of course be grateful for anything people end up buying us. We’re just starting out so we don’t have any nice things that match, so it’ll be nice to get a few sturdier kitchen items (like new pots and pans…fingers crossed on that one!)
@futuremrshockey: Oh I wish I knew what my future kitchen was going to look like! Unfortunately with uncertainty around Mr. Lemur’s job & me finishing up school we don’t have that luxury. I guess it’s better to ere on the side of not having a ton of space though, right?
@Miss Armadillo: Oh we’re definitely starting at the basic level too! I’ve actually been overwhelmed already with how much people have gotten us. Even families at my parent’s church who I haven’t seen for years have been very generous. Mr. Lemur’s grandparents bought us eleven pots & pans—eleven! I think that will cover us for awhile 
Right:-) and if you have extra space more space for cooking and baking!
When we registered at BBB, I wrote down a list of things that I need/wanted and did a couple of consumer reviews on the products as well as ask my sister and mom what brands they had or reccommended. From all of my research, cuisinart is the way to go for kitchen appliances (toasters, convection oven, blender, etc) as well as OXO for kitchen tools/gadgets. I hated BBB’s flatware, so boring and everyone has them so I went the other route and registered for them at Crate & Barrel while I got my china at Pottery Barn! Do alot of research and consumer reviews when selecting a product, it really helps!
Mrs. Lemur, Greenville, South Carolina Age and Occupation: 22, Graduate Student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 22, Security Officer Engagement Date: October 9, 2012 Wedding Date: May 2013 Venue: Pleasant Ridge Camp & Retreat Center About Me: I may fancy myself a doctor after too many episodes of House—but in reality I'm finally almost done with my degree in business administration (less than three months left!). My fiance and I met at school in undergrad hundreds of miles away from either of our hometowns and have been happily running and hiking together ever since. We're undertaking a long distance relationship as I finish school and we plan our casual wedding for a day after graduation—needless to say, it will be the busiest and most exciting weekend of our lives so far!
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