Author: Madeline Muzzi

If there’s one rule I live by, it’s my three-beverage rule. The first is typically water (still or sparkling), the second is coffee (hot or iced), and the third is often some type of juice. While the first two beverages support life, the third is simply for fun. But what’s not enjoyable? Paying someone else to push some produce through a juicer and charge you upwards of $12 for it. Plus, maybe they overload it with ginger and send you into a sneezing fit (it happens!). So, if you’re a frequent imbiber of juices, you might consider investing in a juicer, which will allow you to buy several pounds of produce for the price of one fancy bottled juice. 

And while most people are familiar with citrus reamers and manual juicers, here we’re focusing on electric, countertop juicers that can turn whole fruits and vegetables into sweet and tangy beverages. The two most common types of this style of juicer are centrifugal and masticating—but what do these science-y words mean? And which is better for your lifestyle?

What’s a Masticating Juicer?

Masticating juicers, also known as slow juicers, use a rotating auger to extract juice by crushing and pressing produce through a filter. This method squeezes out more juice and fiber, resulting in less waste, and also in thicker, fresher-tasting juices. It also takes a bit longer than a centrifugal juicer (hence the “slow juicer” moniker); our favorite masticating model, the Omega VSJ8443QS Vertical Slow Masticating Juicer ran at a speed of 46 RPM (rotations per minute). It takes a few minutes to finish juicing, but the machine is fairly quiet, and the slow speed prevents it from heating up and cooking the juice (no one wants carrot soup when they’re looking for carrot juice). 

Masticating machines are also more expensive than centrifugal juicers, but the increased yield means that you could save money on produce over time. Cleaning-wise, masticating juicers often have more components, which can be a bit of a pain to wipe down. The other con is that the openings at the top of this style of juicer are often smaller, which means you need to cut larger pieces of produce down to size before running them through.

And What’s a Centrifugal Juicer?

Centrifugal juicers contain a high-speed spinning blade that grinds fruits and vegetables into pulp. The centrifugal force generated by the blade rotation separates the juice from the pulp—solids are sorted into a separate container and juice is filtered out of a spout. 

Centrifugal juicers work more quickly than masticating juicers—some models list speeds upwards of 10,000 RPM. Our favorite model, the NutriBullet Juicer Pro Centrifugal Juicer Machine, boasts a 1000-watt motor. The extra power creates a few advantages: It means even tough vegetables like beets and carrots can be juiced in seconds, and they can also fit larger pieces of produce, requiring less prep work than masticating juicers. However, with great power comes more noise: these machines tend to be very loud. Plus, spinning at super-high speeds creates heat and exposes the juice to more oxygen (which could give it a more cooked, stale flavor). Juice made by a centrifugal juicer is also usually thinner, retains fewer nutrients, and is more likely to separate overnight (that said, you can always give it a shake to re-combine).  

So, Which Should Be My Main Squeeze? 

In for a penny, in for a pound. If you plan on making juice frequently, investing in a masticating juicer is the best way to create nutritious beverages and reduce waste. Although they’re slightly more expensive, they produce smooth, high-quality juice. 

That said, centrifugal juicers are a good option if your priority is a budget-friendly machine that yields quick results.

FAQs

Which is better: a centrifugal or masticating juicer? 

Masticating juicers produce thicker juice with less foam and more nutrients. They also reduce waste. For serious juice drinkers, masticating juicers are a great option. A centrifugal juicer may be better if you’re looking to juice particularly firm produce, like beets and carrots, or if you have a limited budget. 

What is the best way to clean a juicer?

As a general rule, anything with a blade is annoying to clean. Juicers, unfortunately, are no exception. To clean a juicer, start by unplugging and disassembling it. Then clean each component separately with warm soapy water. For detailed steps, check the manufacturer's instructions. 

What can I put in a juicer?

You can put a lot of produce in a juicer. As long as they’re clean, juicers can handle tough fibrous fruits and peels. Avoid juicing fruits or vegetables that you wouldn’t want to eat raw—some people find that large amounts of raw broccoli can cause indigestion, and no one wants to eat a raw potato. Some produce has naturally low water content, so fruits like bananas, avocados, and coconuts don’t have enough liquid to produce juice.

Blenders come in all shapes in sizes, and choosing the right model for your needs can feel a bit like taking a personality quiz. Do you enjoy a post-workout smoothie, or do you see yourself sitting down to a leisurely dinner of creamy, pureed soup? Is your ideal evening sharing a milkshake with a loved one, or whipping up a batch of frozen margaritas for a big dinner party? No matter how you answered, there’s a blender to suit your lifestyle. Blenders typically fall into two categories: personal or full-sized. Though they’re meant to achieve the same goals, there are significant differences in both design and function between these two styles. Here, we break them down, so you can decide which is right for you. 

Personal Blenders Offer Petite Portions and Pared Down User Interfaces

The most obvious difference between personal blenders and full-sized blenders is their capacity. Personal blenders are designed to hold one to two servings, while full-sized blenders double that amount. In our review of personal blenders, our favorite models held between 20 and 32 ounces. These small blenders are well-suited for making individual smoothies, but they’ll cause a major party delay if you’re hoping to serve round after round of piña coladas. In contrast, our favorite full-sized Vitamix model has a stated capacity of 64 ounces—that’s enough space to make frozen drinks for a small crowd. 

Personal blenders also have a slightly different design than full-sized blenders. They’re composed of a small jar, an extractor blade that screws directly onto the jar, and a motor base. To use, the jar is filled with ingredients, inverted, and placed onto the base. Personal blenders are designed for ease and efficiency, and generally have fewer settings than full-sized models. Our favorite personal blender from Zwilling had a simple dial with three settings: on/off, pulse, and smoothie. 

Full-Sized Blenders Allow for Recipe Modifications

Once the blade is screwed onto the jar of a personal blender, it’s completely sealed—you can’t add any new ingredients and, if something gets stuck, you won’t be able to reach in with a spatula or wand to give things a stir unless you take it all apart (Note: Serious Eats does not condone reaching into a blender with your fingers under any circumstances). 

Full-sized blenders offer a little more flexibility. These models include a large pitcher with an attached blade (usually; some models have blades that screw up into the bottom), a lid, and a motorized base. 

To use the blender, the pitcher is filled with ingredients, placed on the base, and switched on. Once things are running smoothly, the lid, or lid plug, can be removed to add additional ingredients. This can be helpful in a variety of recipes, but it’s essential if you’re using a blender to make something like homemade mayonnaise, where the oil must be drizzled in slowly to successfully form an emulsion. 

Full-Sized Blenders Are Also More Powerful

Full-sized blenders—like our favorite the Vitamix 5200 (which has a 1380-watt motor)—are more powerful than their petite personal counterparts.

This machine is capable of blending everything from soup to nuts, literally—the motor is strong enough to churn whole nuts into creamy nut butter. In contrast, the Zwilling Enfinigy Personal Blender has a stated power of 500 watts (less than half the power of the Vitamix). Personal blenders generate enough force to puree fresh or frozen fruits, but for tough jobs like making nut butter or crushing ice, a full-sized blender delivers more consistent (and smooth) results. When reviewing personal blenders, we found that many models included a warning against crushing ice and only the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender was able to deliver a satisfying slush. Crushing ice is key to creating a variety of icy cocktails and drinks, and a standard blender is well-equipped to churn them out.

Storage and Cleanup Differences

Personal blenders are small and light—this is a big advantage when it comes to storage. Not only do they take up less space in a cabinet, they’re also easier to get off a shelf. The Vitamix 5200 weighs a whopping 10 pounds, 9 ounces—about the size of a healthy newborn. The effort of hauling a heavy blender out of a cabinet may be enough to deter your spontaneous impulse to make a milkshake, so it’s often easier to store full-sized models on the countertop. Doing so, however, requires significant space. The Vitamix is just over 20 inches tall, and may not fit under low cabinets. If clearance is a concern, the base and pitcher can be stored separately—keeping the base on the counter and the pitcher in a cabinet will eliminate the need for heavy lifting. Shorter, wider models like the E310 Explorian, are also available. 

Blenders make many kitchen tasks easier, but let’s face it: they can be hard to clean. Viscous treats like thick milkshakes coat the sides of the jar or pitcher, and tough pieces of produce tend to get stuck around the blade. The construction of personal blenders makes cleanup fast and simple—most models include dishwasher-safe jars and lids, and it’s easy to remove the blade component to wash it under running water. The jar can also double as a serving vessel, giving you the option to cut down on dishes. Full-sized blenders require a bit more effort—it can be difficult to reach the very bottom of a tall pitcher with a spatula to remove debris. The best way to clean a full-sized blender is to rinse it, fill it with warm soapy water, and run the blender on high until clean. 

So, Which Should I Buy?

It’s time to evaluate your quiz results. If you just use a blender to make daily smoothies, a personal blender is a great choice. These small machines are compact and easy to clean. Their simplified construction makes for quick to set up, use, and break down, and gets a smoothie into your hands quickly. 

Standard blenders are the answer if you’re looking for power and versatility. Although they’re larger and bulkier, full-sized blenders are well-suited to a variety of tasks including (and beyond) smoothie making. If you like to cook and find yourself whipping up mayonnaise, nut butter, or even dehydrating vegetable scraps and pulverizing them to make flavored powders, a powerful standard blender can't be beat.

FAQs

Which is better: a full-sized or a personal blender?

This is a personal choice—only you can determine the best blender for your home. For making multiple servings of a blended drink or pureeing soups, a full-sized blender will offer you the most power and versatility. If your priorities are ease and convenience, a personal blender provides a quick solution for single-serving smoothies,

What is the best way to clean a blender?

Our favorite way to clean a full-sized blender is to fill it with warm soapy water and run it on high for 30-60 seconds. This is also the method recommended in the Vitamix owner’s manual. Personal blenders are a bit easier—most models include dishwasher-safe jars and lids, and the blade component can be detached and rinsed in the sink. 

Can a personal blender crush ice?

Generally speaking, personal blenders are not the best tool for crushing ice. While reviewing personal blenders, we found that several models specifically stated that they are not intended for this purpose. The Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender is a notable exception—this model even features a specific crush setting.

What is a standard blender size? 

Standard blenders come in a variety of sizes. Our favorite full-sized models have stated capacities ranging from 36 to 64 ounces. When the pitcher is placed on the base, they measure between 11 and 18 inches tall.

Wine is constantly evolving. Living organisms and the exchange of oxygen through porous, natural cork allow wine to continue to breathe and develop, even after it’s in the bottle. This is why the flavor of many wines improves with age. There’s one caveat here—and it’s a big one. For a wine to age well, it must be stored properly. 

Excess exposure to light and heat during storage can ruin a bottle of wine, and investing in a wine fridge is one way to avoid the tragedy of a damaged Bordeaux. Even if you don’t intend to age or store wine for a long period of time at home, a wine fridge can be a useful way to keep wine at the proper drinking temperature and free up space in your main refrigerator. 

Why Temperature Matters When It Comes to Wine

The temperature of a bottle makes a huge difference in how we perceive its flavor. When we consume wine, we’re using our sense of taste and smell. Our tongue detects basic flavors like salty, sweet, and bitter. Our sense of smell fills in the blanks—it picks up on subtle notes like fruit, spices, or herbs. Temperature affects both of these elements.

Our taste buds are extremely sensitive to heat and cold, as explained by America’s Test Kitchen. Cold temperatures cause tastebuds to shrink—making them less receptive to flavor. Marie Tribouilloy, the owner of Forêt Wines, describes this phenomenon simply, saying “Excess cold will numb your tongue.” A wine that’s consumed too cold will appear muted and flavorless. To observe the power of temperature, Tribouilloy encourages wine lovers to try this experiment at home: “Take a bottle of white wine out of the [kitchen] fridge and taste it right away. Then, let it warm up for 30 minutes and taste it again.” 

Temperature also affects the wine itself on a molecular level. At high temperatures, molecules in the liquid are moving around quickly and freely. This means more of them escape into the air where we can experience their aroma. In wine, these are referred to as volatile aromatic compounds. The warmer the wine, the more of these compounds reach our noses. At a certain point, this can become a negative. Scott Carney, Master Sommelier and Dean of Wine Studies at the Institute of Culinary Education, describes the relationship between heat and wine, saying “As it warms up, it all becomes more apparent—all the good, all the bad, and all the everything.” Wines that are consumed too warm are more likely to reveal their flaws and may seem overripe or flabby. 

Carney refers to the ideal temperature as the one that “flatters the wine.” The recommended serving temperature for red wines is slightly below room temperature, between 55ºF and 65ºF. In the wine world, this is commonly referred to as cellar temperature. The ideal temperature for white wines is between 45ºF and 50ºF. This is considerably warmer than the temperature of the average kitchen refrigerator, which is generally 40ºF or below. A dedicated wine fridge is an easy way to hold wine at the proper temperature while simultaneously protecting it from the elements. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Wine Fridge 

Whether you’re aging your own wine, or just looking to keep a few bottles cold, these are the factors that wine enthusiasts of every level should consider when looking for a wine fridge. 

Space 

Space is a major consideration when investing in a new appliance. Consider the available space in your home, as well as how many bottles you’d like to store. For the majority of wine enthusiasts, an under-the-counter wine fridge will offer more than enough space. If you refer to the wines in your home as a collection, you’re probably going to want something bigger. 

Under-the-counter models can hold around 30 to 45 bottles. For serious collectors, larger fridges are available in the form of 48-inch wide lowboys or tall, vertical models that can store hundreds of bottles. When evaluating space, Carney recommends taking the listed capacity with a grain of salt. He explains that manufacturers calculate storage space using standard Bordeaux bottles. Although they hold the same amount of liquid, Bordeaux bottles are narrower than classic Burgundy, Zinfandel, or Chardonnay bottles. 

Dual-Zone Temperature Control 

Many wine fridges are divided into sections with individual temperature control— allowing you to store wines at two different temperatures. Dual zones can be used to simultaneously store red and white wines at their optimal temperatures or to separate the bottles you’re cellaring from the bottles you intend to consume immediately. 

UV Light Protection 

Exposure to sunlight can damage wines over time, creating a flaw called light strike. To protect your wines from harmful UV rays, look for a wine fridge with a double insulated glass or solid door.  

How to Use a Wine Fridge 

To extend the life of your wine fridge, Carney emphasizes the importance of proper installation. The less stress you place on the compressor, the longer the product will last. Avoid placing your wine fridge flush against a wall, where the compressor will have to work overtime to exchange air. Keeping your wine fridge in a cooler area of your home, like a basement, will also limit how hard the compressor has to work. 

After installation, set the fridge temperature and load in your wine. Wine bottles should always be stored on their side to prevent the cork from drying out. The racks in our favorite wine fridges are designed so that the bottles can be laid down horizontally. Most models will have notches on the shelves to hold individual bottles in place. Don’t overfill the shelves; one extra chilled bottle isn’t worth the risk of a collapse. 

Which Wine Fridge Should You Buy?

If you’re willing to dedicate a lot of space to a wine fridge, consider a full-sized product like the Bodega 70-inch DualZone Wine Chiller. This model can store up to 174 bottles. In addition to DualZones and double-paneled glass doors, this Bodega wine fridge features front-facing ventilation. That means that it can be installed against a wall without placing extra stress on the compressor. And while it is expensive, this correlates to its size and features.

For smaller spaces, we love the Wine Enthusiast 18-Bottle Slimline Dual Zone Wine Cooler. This narrow model offers premium features with a super small footprint. Wine Enthusiast is a trusted name in wine products with an excellent reputation for customer service and a warranty available on most items.

Yeego offers a less expensive option that still stores a full case of wine. Their 15-inch wine cooler can hold up to 33 bottles. Double-paned glass doors keep the temperature stable, and a one-year warranty protects your investment. This is a single-zone wine fridge. Although that somewhat limits storage options, it also reduces stress on the compressor, which may prolong the life of the product. 

FAQs

What’s the best temperature for wine?  

The ideal serving temperature depends on the style of wine. Sparkling wines should be served cold, between 43°F and 47°F. White wines should be served chilled, between 45ºF and 50ºF.  Red wines should be served at cellar temperature, between 55ºF and 65ºF. 

Should you put wine in the fridge?

Storing wines long-term in the refrigerator isn’t recommended. The dry air in a refrigerator can dry out a wine cork, exposing your wine to oxygen, and diminishing its lifespan. 

If you don’t have a wine fridge, you can use the refrigerator to chill your bottles. For white wines, place them in the refrigerator the day before, then take them out to warm up for about 15 minutes before serving. Store red wines at room temperature, then place them in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before serving to add a slight chill.

Can you put red wine in a wine fridge? 

Yes! Some wine fridges have dual zones so that red and white wines can both be stored at optimal temperatures. For red wines, adjust the temperature to somewhere between 60ºF-65ºF.

Almost every list of essential kitchen supplies will start with the same thing: a great chef’s knife. We’re not here to dispute the importance of this indispensable tool, but take it from us: slicing and dicing isn’t always the answer. Sometimes, you just have to crush it. 

Cutting, crushing, or otherwise processing food doesn’t just make it smaller. When fragrant foods like alliums are broken down, a ton of flavor is released—but how you go about breaking them down makes a difference. Cutting with a sharp knife creates a clean break along a single plane, while crushing with a mortar and pestle pops and breaks cell walls. When compared to garlic sliced with a knife, mashed or grated garlic will have released more sulfuric compounds, making it spicier and brighter. 

Mini mortar and pestles are a great tool for hand-milling small amounts of alliums, spices, or herbs. We’ve tested full-sized mortar and pestles in the past, but we wanted to find a smaller option for cooks who don’t plan on using this tool every day (sometimes you just need a pinch of freshly ground pepper). We tested 10 mini mortars and pestles to find a set that was small enough to store easily, but still strong enough to mill tough spices, mash garlic, and more. 

The Winners, at a Glance

This granite mortar and pestle can do it all. The pestle is large (without being too big; it still qualifies as mini), easy to hold, and heavy enough to crack through hard spices. The natural granite texture of the mortar created a rough surface that helped break things down, and its tall side walls prevented any food from escaping during the milling process. 

This petite yet powerful mortar and pestle is easy to use and crushes food quickly. The grooved interior holds things in place and helps break food down, and we think that the classic white marble design looks lovely when displayed on a countertop. 

This cast iron mortar and pestle is shockingly heavy for its size. The broad, weighty pestle is extremely effective at cracking through even the toughest peppercorns.  

The Tests

• Grind Black Pepper Test: To examine how well the mortar and pestles perform at grinding up tough spices, we filled each mortar with three tablespoons of whole black peppercorns. We used each set to mill the peppercorns, timing how long it took to achieve a fine grind.
• Grind Cumin Seeds Test: To determine if mortar and pestles could grind up softer and smaller spices, we filled each mortar with three tablespoons of cumin seeds. We used each set to mill the seeds, timing how long it took to grind them into a powder.
• Garlic Paste Test: To see how the mortar and pestle perform when crushing aromatics, we used each set to create a paste from three cloves of garlic and one teaspoon of salt. 
• Cleanup Test: We washed and checked each set for scratches to evaluate ease of care and durability. 

What We Learned

Textured Mortars Were Better

Food rests in the bowl of the mortar during milling, while pressure from the pestle crushes the herbs, aromatics, or spices, and breaks them down into small pieces. In order for this to occur, the food needs to stay put. Mortars with textured bowls did a much better job of keeping ingredients in place. The smooth marble Radicaln Black Mortar and Pestle Set scored major points for beauty, but no matter what we tried to mill, it went flying—spices and garlic shot out from under the rounded pestle, up the sleek marble walls, and all over our kitchen counter. The Thunder Group Marble Mortar and Pestle is also marble, but this model’s mortar is designed with grooves that create a rough textured surface that holds food in place. 

Sensitive Ears Beware 

If you suffer from misophonia, you should choose your mortar and pestle very wisely. Sets like the Norpro Mini Mortar and Pestle Ceramic and the Crate and Barrel Matte Black Mini Mortar and Pestle use unglazed ceramic to create a grippy texture. During testing, pounding and grinding a ceramic pestle against a ceramic mortar produced a nails-on-a-chalkboard level screeching sound that had us in tears before our peppercorns were anywhere near powdered. Models made from other materials, such as marble or wood, were much quieter. We were able to happily hammer away at everything from herbs to nuts using the Fox Run Granite Mortar and Pestle. The same went for the IMUSA USA Bamboo Mortar and Pestle: no matter how enthusiastically we milled, it never produced more than a soft thud. 

Bigger Pestles Made Easy Work of Pulverizing

If you’re pulverizing peppercorns, you better have a powerful pestle in your paws. The length and weight of the pestle play a huge role in determining the overall ease of use of your set. A large, heavy pestle will do a lot of the work for you—just picking it up and setting it down generates plenty of force. With a smaller pestle, you need to bring the power yourself. Large pestles can be gripped with your whole hand, making it easy to use the strength of your arm or your body weight to generate force. Smaller pestles, like the one found in the Fox Run Mini Mortar & Pestle, need to be gripped with your fingers, which provided an unpleasant hand workout. After six minutes of milling with this smaller model, our palms were aching and our peppercorns were still mostly intact. 

Larger Capacities Were Better 

Mortars aren’t designed to be filled to the brim. You need a little extra space to accommodate the food moving around while milling. The smallest models we tested (the Norpro Mini Mortar and Pestle Ceramic, the HIC Mortar and Pestle Spice Herb Grinder, and the Fox Run Mini Mortar & Pestle) had a capacity of just 1/4 cup (or four tablespoons). There wasn’t much space left once they were filled with three tablespoons of peppercorns. During processing, the pestle displaced the spices and sent them cascading onto the countertop. A slightly larger basin gave the food room to move. The Thunder Group Marble Mortar and Pestle had a slightly larger capacity (six tablespoons), which allowed the food to stay put.

Stability Really Mattered

When you’re hammering away, the last thing you want to worry about is your mortar and pestle flying across the counter. Models with an elevated bowl performed best in this respect, since the elongated base was easy to hold and stabilize while milling. Sets like the Thunder Group Marble Mortar and Pestle, which was three inches tall, featured a pedestal-shaped stand that acted a natural handle while milling. Flat models, like the Frieling Cast Iron Mortar and Pestle, rocked from side to side and were difficult to stabilize. To hold a flat mortar in place, you have to grab the size of the bowl, which puts your hands dangerously close to the grinding action. One exception to this was the Frieling Manu Cast Iron Mortar & Pestle, which, weighing in at 3.97 pounds, was so heavy that it didn’t require a hand to stabilize it. 

The Criteria: What to Look for In a Mini Mortar and Pestle

For the best stability, choose a heavy mortar and pestle, or one with a raised base. Look for models with a textured interior, like a naturally porous stone, to keep food in place. For comfort, go for a heavy pestle that is long enough to reach the bottom of the mortar when gripped with your entire hand.

What we liked: This was a useful, versatile mortar and pestle set. It’s made from heavy, unpolished granite, which gives the interior a slightly rough texture and helps keep food in place during milling. The pestle was easy to grip and heavy enough to create plenty of force. During milling, it made a gentle knocking noise like a rock being dropped on the sidewalk. 

What we didn’t like: At 6.7 inches tall, this was the largest mini mortar and pestle that we tested. Although smaller than a full-sized molcajete, this will still require dedicated storage space. 

Price at time of publish: $25.

Key Specs

• Weight: 3.97 lbs
• Mortar dimensions: 4 x 4 x 3 inches
• Pestle length: 5 inches
• Material: Granite
• Capacity: 3/4 cup
• Care: Hand-wash 

What we liked: This was the smallest and lightest of our winners. The well-proportioned design helped make this truly small mortar and pestle effective. Even though the overall set is miniature, it includes many of the features of a larger model, like a flared base for stability and a long pestle for grinding power.  

What we didn’t like: The grooved interior works well for keeping spices and herbs in place, but it was less effective when it came to making garlic paste. Once moisture was introduced, the food scooted around the sides instead of staying trapped under the pestle. 

Price at time of publish: $25.

Key Specs

• Weight: 0.5 lbs 
• Mortar dimensions: 3x 3 x 3 inches
• Pestle length: 5 inches 
• Material: Marble
• Capacity: 1/3 cup
• Care: Hand-wash

What we liked: This heavy-duty mortar didn’t budge an inch on the countertop. The pestle featured a mushroom-like design with a large footprint that made it easy to crush a large amount of spices with each motion. The super heavy pestle was tough enough to mill tough peppercorns quickly, but if more force was needed, it was easy to lean on the flat handle and apply pressure to the pestle. 

What we didn’t like: The cast iron construction offered appealing durability, but it requires a little more care. If not dried completely after washing, this set could rust. Although this was a top performer when it came to milling spices, the cast iron imparted an unappetizing black hue to garlic paste. 

Price at time of publish: $43.

Key Specs

• Weight: 3.85 lbs
• Mortar dimensions: 4 x 4 x 3 inches
• Pestle length: 3 inches 
• Material: Cast iron
• Capacity: 1 cup
• Care: Hand-wash, and dry thoroughly 

The Competition

• Norpro Mini Mortar and Pestle Ceramic: This tiny ceramic set required major hand power to make a slight dent in whole peppercorns. The pestle also made unpleasant screeching sounds against the ceramic base. 
• IMUSA USA Bamboo Mortar and Pestle: This set performed well in the peppercorn and cumin seed tests. The soft wood is much quieter than stone or ceramic models, which makes it easy to apply lots of force. However, this model lost points because the porous bamboo retained aroma after being used to create a garlic paste.  
• Fox Run Mini Mortar & Pestle: It was hard to generate any force with this tiny, screechy mortar and pestle. 
• Radicaln Black Mortar and Pestle Set: This smooth, polished mortar and pestle set sent food slipping and sliding all over our kitchen. 
• HIC Mortar and Pestle Spice Herb Grinder: The tiny pestle and unappealing scraping noises made grinding whole spices with this set nearly impossible. 
• Frieling Cast Iron Mortar and Pestle: We loved the easy-to-hold pestle in this set, but the base wobbled and clanged against the counter during use.
• Crate and Barrel Matte Black Mini Mortar and Pestle: This set’s pestle was way too small; to reach the bottom of the mortar, it needed to be gripped by the very end, making it difficult to exert force.

FAQs

What is a mini mortar and pestle used for?

Mortar and pestles are used for milling and pounding. They can crush whole spices, make pastes out of herbs and garlic, and bruise chilis to extract flavor. A mortar and pestle is the traditional way to make pesto, chili paste, and guacamole. Mini mortar and pestle sets are best suited for doing these tasks at a small scale; they’re also often used to crush pills. 

How do you clean a mortar and pestle? 

Consult your manufacturer's instructions before cleaning your mortar and pestle. A few of the models that we tested are dishwasher-safe, but most require hand cleaning. For porous materials like granite, it’s best to rinse your mortar and pestle with warm water and a small amount of unscented soap. Heavily scented soaps could leave some perfume behind.

What are standard capacities for mini mortar and pestles?

The mini mortar and pestles that we tested had 1/4- to 1 1/4-cup capacity. For milling small amounts of food, we found that 1/3 cup capacity was enough space to prevent overflow. 

Which is the mortar, and which is the pestle?

The mortar is the bowl or basin that holds the food product. The pestle is the rounded wand that you use to crush and mill the food. If you have trouble keeping them straight, just remember: P is for pestle, a tool for pounding.

Your sense of taste isn’t the only thing that makes a meal enjoyable—touch also contributes to the experience. And the subtle differences in the weight, balance, and texture of your flatware can set the tone of a meal before you even start eating. 

Eating in a cafeteria? You’ll likely be dining with a thin metal fork. A fine dining restaurant? Expect heavy utensils that make a design statement and communicate the restaurant’s point of view—maybe you’ll even be treated to a chilled salad fork. For home use, it’s still worth taking the time to find a flatware set that you like and feels good in the hand. It’s something you’ll use almost every day, after all.

To find the best flatware for everyday use, we tested 12 stainless steel sets ranging from $0.80 to $10 per piece ($16 to $199 per set) and in a variety of finishes, including polished, matte, and bronzed. 

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Flatware Set: Made In Flatware

The Made In flatware is simple and elegant. We think the classic design will fit into any kitchen. During testing, we found these durable stainless steel pieces to be perfectly balanced and pleasantly heavy in the hand.

Also Great: Robert Welch Westbury Flatware Sets

This set is available in a mirror or satin finish. We tested the latter and found the satin finish and v-shaped handle added a subtle design flare to this simple flatware. This set performed well in durability, ease, and cleanup tests and was just really nice to use. It’s available in a single setting or as a 20-, 42-, or 50-piece set.

The Best Budget Flatware Set: Oneida Voss 45-Piece Flatware Set

This set includes service for eight people and five extra serving pieces, including a cute, shell-shaped sugar spoon. The thick handles feature a slight depression in the handle, which we found pleasing to hold. 

The Best Flatware That’s Available in a Few Finishes: Crate & Barrel Caesna Mirror 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting

This well-designed set performed well during testing. The pieces were balanced, durable, and smooth. It’s available in mirror, satin, and something called “Air Silver.” It can be purchased as a 3-, 5- or 20-piece set.

The Best Slightly Embellished Flatware Set: Lenox Portola 65-Piece Flatware Set

This set performed well during testing, and it’s a great value. The set includes service for 12 as well as additional serving pieces like a large slotted serving spoon and serving fork. The flared and embellished handles add a subtle design element.  

The Tests

• Tomato Soup Test: To test the spoons, we poured two ounces of tomato soup into bowls and used each set’s spoon to eat it. Spoons were evaluated for size, function, and balance. 
• Chicken Breast Test: To test each set’s knife, we prepared a roasted chicken breast and sliced through it on a dinner plate. Knives were evaluated for function and feel.
• Salad Test: To test the dinner and salad forks, we prepared a batch of farro salad. We used each fork to eat a serving of the salad, evaluating how well they stabbed and scooped small pieces, as well as considering the overall experience of using the forks. 
• User Experience Test: We shared a meal of soup and salad with friends to gather broader feedback on each set.
• Cleanup Tests: We cleaned each set by hand and ran dishwasher-safe utensils through the dishwasher. After cleaning, we inspected each item for tarnish or wear.

What We Learned

Finding the Best Flatware Set Was a Weighty Decision 

Weight was one of the key factors that determined how pleasant a utensil was to hold. Imagine the difference between drinking water from a paper cup and a heavy glass. Even if they hold the same amount of water, the heavy glass feels more satisfying and conveys a sense of quality. Thin sets of flatware like the LIANYU 20 Piece Silverware Flatware Cutlery Set were much lighter than our winners. The LIANYU dinner fork weighed in at 49 grams. This was significantly lighter than the Oneida fork, which weighed 72 grams, and the Made In fork, which weighed 54 grams.

At the Same Time, the Best Flatware Was Balanced

If your flatware is perfectly balanced, you shouldn’t even notice it. It should feel like a natural extension of your hand. Balanced sets like the Robert Welch Westbury were easy to wield. Each individual piece was comfortable when held in the correct place (near the end of the handle). Others, like the Oneida Mooncrest, felt wobbly in hand. This was most noticeable with the large spoon. To hold this piece comfortably we had to correct for the off-center balance, which meant holding only the very end of the handle. 

Consider the Spoon

When testing the spoons, the most noticeable feature was size. There’s room for preference here, but to pass our test a spoon needed to be small enough to comfortably eat with and large enough to hold a satisfying bite of soup—without it dripping down the sides. The Zwilling set included a small spoon that at seven-and-a-quarter inches long and one-and-a-half inches wide resulted in an unsatisfying bite of soup. On the opposite end of the spectrum, measuring over eight inches long and one-and-three-fourths inches wide, the Our Table dinner spoon felt comically large and difficult to eat with. 

Flatware Should Be Smooth and Polished

The ideal flatware had soft, rounded edges (okay, except for the knife). Some sets we tested were smooth and polished all the way around, which made for a seamless eating experience. Others had slightly rough edges that caught on our mouths. The Crate & Barrel, Robert Welch, and Made In utensils were the smoothest. Others, like the Oneida Mooncrest, had unpolished edges on the sides of the fork tines, which just didn’t feel great to eat off of. 

Sharper Wasn’t Better 

Everyday cutlery is often kept in a drawer and heaped into the dishwasher. You want to be able to grab a handful without cutting yourself. For the knife, this means that the blade should be dull enough for safety, but sharp enough to slice through chicken. The best-performing knives had small serrations that helped them cut through meat without creating a sharp blade. The non-serrated options were either dangerously sharp, like the Laguiole Jean Dubost, or frustratingly dull, like the Knork Original Collection. 

The Criteria: What to Look for In a Flatware Set

Choose a flatware set that creates the feeling of everyday luxury. Look for perfectly balanced pieces with a pleasant heft and a design that suits your taste. Choose a high-quality, rust-resistant material like stainless steel, so that your set will last forever. To make your life easier, find a set that’s dishwasher-safe. This will simplify daily use and cleanup.

The Best Flatware Set: Made In Flatware 

What we liked: The Made In set is simple and timeless. We found each piece to be well-balanced with smooth, rounded edges and a satisfying heft. Its knife cut through chicken easily, while it’s spoon held the perfect bite of soup. Overall, you can’t go wrong with something so well-made and elegant.

What we didn’t like: This set is expensive. At $199 for 20 pieces, it comes with enough for a service for four. Unfortunately, Made In doesn’t offer additional single settings, so you’d have to purchase a whole other 20-piece set if you wanted, say, enough flatware for six people. Made In also does not include matching serving pieces. 

Price at time of publish: $199.

Key Specs

• What’s included: Dinner fork, salad fork, dinner knife, soup spoon, dessert spoon
• Number of pieces: 20
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

Also Great: Robert Welch Westbury Flatware Sets 

What we liked: This lovely flatware set breezed through all of our tests. It was durable and easy to clean and had a nice weight in hand. It’s available in two finishes. Plus, notice the subtle v-shaped handle: this adds a slight touch of personality to an overall classic design. We liked that you can purchase service for four, then add additional settings as needed.

What we didn’t like: At $50 for five pieces or $200 for a 20-piece set, this set is among the most expensive we tested. Serving pieces are not included, but a matching serving spoon and fork can be purchased separately. 

Price at time of publish: $200.

Key Specs

• What’s included: Dinner fork, salad fork, dinner knife, soup spoon, teaspoon
• Number of pieces included: 20 (though you can purchase a 5-, 42-, or 50-piece set)
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

The Best Budget Flatware Set: Oneida Voss 45-Piece Flatware Set 

What we liked: This flatware is a great value. The set includes service for eight, plus additional serving pieces like a slotted serving spoon and a cute, shell-shaped sugar spoon. The pieces themselves are pleasantly heavy in the hand. The thick handles featured a slight depression, almost like a thumbprint, that felt natural to hold. 

What we didn’t like: This set didn’t demonstrate the same attention to detail as the more expensive sets. While the pieces were functional, the edges of the fork tines were slightly rough. 

Price at time of publish: $130.

Key Specs

• What’s include: 8 dinner forks, 8 salad forks, 8 dinner knives, 8 soup spoons, 8 teaspoons, 1 serving spoon, 1 slotted spoon, 1 serving fork, 1 butter knife, 1 sugar shell
• Number of pieces included: 45
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

The Best Flatware Set That’s Available in a Few Finishes: Crate & Barrel Caesna Mirror 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting 

What we liked: This set performed well in all of our tests. Its neutral design veers towards modern with a slightly softened angle between the head of the spoon and the handle. It’s available in mirror, satin, and “Air Silver,” which appears to be shinier than the other two options. It’s also designed by Robert Welch, the maker of one of our other favorite flatware sets.  

What we didn’t like: At $150 for 20 pieces, it’s not the priciest offering we recommend, but it’s still up there. Matching serving pieces are available but must be purchased separately. 

Price at time of publish: $40.

Key Specs

• What’s included: Dinner fork, salad fork, dinner knife, soup spoon, teaspoon
• Number of pieces: 5 (though you can purchase a 3-, 5-, or 20-piece set)
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

The Best Slightly Embellished Flatware Set: Lenox Portola 65-Piece Flatware Set 

What we liked: This set comes with enough flatware to host a large dinner party, including the serving fork. The pieces are easy to use and clean. For those looking to add a little peronsonality to the table, this set includes a flared and beaded handle. 

What we didn’t like: The individual pieces of this set are on the lighter side. The dinner fork weighs 42 grams, which is noticeably lighter when compared to the 54-gram Made In fork. 

Price at time of publish: $126.

Key Specs

• What’s included: 12 dinner forks, 12 salad forks, 12 dinner knives, 12 soup spoons, 12 teaspoons, butter knife, serving fork, tablespoon, slotted tablespoon, sugar spoon
• Number of pieces: 65
• Material: 18/10 Stainless steel
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

The Competition

• Our Table Colby Satin 20-Piece Flatware Set: The spoons and forks felt light in the hand. This set was slightly imbalanced, making the pieces feel a little unwieldy. It also appears to no longer be available.
• CB2 20-Piece Essence Brushed Gold Flatware Set: This set is functional and pleasingly heavy. It lost points because it isn’t dishwasher-safe, but could be a good choice for those seeking a pop of color, or a special occasion set you're willing to hand-wash. 
• Laguiole Jean Dubost 24 Piece Flatware Set: This set’s plastic handles feel inexpensive and brittle. The smaller spoon is quite tiny and can’t hold a satisfying bite of soup or pudding. 
• Zwilling J.A. Henckels Opus Flatware, 45-Piece Set: These pieces performed well, but the thin handles felt a little slight in hand. 
• LIANYU 20 Piece Silverware Flatware Cutlery Set: The forks, knives and spoons in this set are very thin and light. They were inexpensive but flimsy.
• Knork Original Collection Cutlery Utensils: This set was thick and bulky. The knife blade isn’t serrated and is set at a flat angle, which made cutting difficult. 
• Oneida Mooncrest 45-Piece Flatware Set, Service This large set includes service for eight and additional serving pieces. The fork tines had rough edges that caught our mouths.
  

FAQs

Which silverware sets don’t rust? 

Stainless steel is our top material choice because it doesn’t rust easily. High-quality stainless steel is rust-resistant and will last a long time if cared for correctly. To prevent rust, always dry flatware completely before storing it. 

What does 18/10 stainless steel mean? 

Stainless steel is graded for quality. The grade is given as a fraction, which represents the amount of chromium and nickel present in the steel. These elements enhance durability and rust resistance. 18/10 stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel, and is considered the highest quality.

What's the difference between flatware and silverware?

Although these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference. Flatware refers specifically to eating utensils like forks, knives, and spoons. Silverware can be used to refer to any item plated in silver.

Have you ever noticed that the second glass of wine tastes better than the first, even if they’re from the same bottle? This could be because the wine has had time to open up. Wine—especially big, bold red wine—needs airflow to unlock its best flavors. In a corked bottle, wine is essentially grounded—it’s locked in its room and it can’t play with its friends (oxygen molecules). Once the cork is removed, the party starts. 

Oxygen will begin to flow into a wine bottle the second it’s open. Over time, this airflow will react with the wine, lifting its aromatic compounds into the air where they can be inhaled and appreciated. You can speed up this process by exposing more of the wine to air via a decanter. 

Wine bottles are narrow. Even in an open bottle, only a small amount of wine on the surface is exposed to oxygen. Wine decanters create a larger surface area and more airflow so that wine will open quickly. While a wine might take several hours to aerate in a bottle, most red wines need under an hour to open up in a decanter. 

With the goal of providing airflow in mind, almost anything can be used as a decanter. Pouring wine into a pitcher, vase, or even the body of a blender would allow it plenty of room to breath. A specially made wine decanter brings a little more elegance to the table. Choose a decanter that you love and can store easily, and serve wine from it directly during dinner. To determine which vessels pair design with functionality, we tested 13 models.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best All-Purpose Wine Decanter: Made In Decanter

This was a simple, elegant decanter that checked all of the boxes. It allowed wine ample room to breathe, and was easy to pour from.

Also Great: Riedel Cabernet Decanter

Beautiful and delicate (its one con, as this makes cleanup more precarious), this wine decanter was easy to pour into and from. At $54, it's reasonably priced, too.

The Tests

• Decanting Test: We poured one bottle of red into each decanter to see if each vessel could hold 750 milliliters of wine (a standard size bottle). We also assessed how easy it was to decant the wine into the vessel—noting if the wine splashed and if the opening was large enough to allow comfortable pouring. 
• Aeration Test: For each decanter, we observed the aeration method and tested any accessories meant to enhance aeration.
• Taste Test:  For each decanter, we decanted one bottle of wine for an hour, tasting every 15 minutes to note its development. The same type of red wine was used for each decanter. 
• Ease of Pouring Test: We poured four glasses of wine from each decanter. We noted how easy it was to handle the decanter, and looked for any design elements that caused drips or spills. 
• Sediment Test: We filled each decanter with 750 milliters of water, red food coloring, and 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds. We poured four glasses of this liquid, observing how easy it was to identify sediment and stop pouring before the grounds reached the glass.
• Cleanup Test: We cleaned each decanter according to manufacturer instructions, using included accessories where relevant.

What We Learned

Surface Area Was Key

All it takes to aerate a wine is exposure to oxygen. Decanters with a wide base create a shallow pool of wine with a large surface area. This exposes more of the wine to oxygen at once, and will decrease the time wine needs to breath. Models like the Made In Decanter opened wine more quickly than the tall and narrow Riedel Wine Friendly Decanter.  Some models, like the Rabbit Pura Decanting Systemand the Onearf Wine Decanter included bonus features that agitate the wine as it pours. The goal of these features is to force more air through the wine and speed up aeration. During testing, these features did not significantly improve the decanting process. Although they may have started out slightly ahead, the wine still needed to breathe in the decanter to open up fully.

What About Electric Wine Decanters?

We tested one decanter that came with an electronic base: the vSpin Wine Aerator. When combined with a magnet, it spun the wine in the decanter and created a vortex. This swirling vortex introduced even more air into the wine and rapidly accelerated aeration. In fact, we model was able to dispel the flavor of alcohol and bring forward fruit flavors in a bottle of red wine in 20 minutes. However, it's also wicked expensive, at about $250, and because of this we thought it still felt gimmicky. Our advice: for the price, just get a standard decanter.

A Sharper Angle Wasn't a Better Angle

The angle of the spout to the base determines how much you’ll have to tilt the decanter when you pour a glass of wine. Decanters like the Rabbit Pura Decanting System and the Zalto Mystique Decanter feature a sharp angle—almost 90 degrees—between the neck and the base. This seems fine for the first couple of pours, but once you reach the end of the bottle, these decanters need to be turned almost completely upside down to pour a glass. This makes it difficult to control the flow and separate any remaining sediment from the wine. A surprising number of decanters failed this test. Models with sloped sides, like the Vintorio GoodGlassware Wine Decanter, only need to be titled slightly past 90 degrees to pour the very last drop.

Too Narrow Necks Were Too Difficult

We found the size of the decanter's opening determined how easy it was to decant into. Decanters with very narrow necks, with openings of about one-and-a-half inches, required a super steady hand to pour the wine, or some wine sloshed down the sides. Our favorite models had openings that were two-and-a-half to three inches wide. 

The length of the neck also made a difference when it was time to pour. When filled, decanters are on the heavy side. The weight of the wine alone is around 1.65 pounds. Most decanters we tested fell in the 1- to 2-pound range. All together, this makes for a hefty serving vessel. To pour wine from a decanter, you grasp the neck and tilt it. Models with very short necks (two to three inches long, compared to our favorite models' four to six inches), were difficult to hold and pour.

Tapered vs. Flat Lips

Models with sharp, tapered lips were most effective at creating a steady stream of wine. The taper creates a natural place for wine to flow, and the sharp edge cuts the stream off quickly when the decanter is turned upright. Decanters with a wide flat edge, like the BTäT Decanter with Stand were more likely to cause drips.

Filters and Sediment

It’s perfectly normal for a wine to include sediment, especially an older bottle. Sediment is organic material, usually made up of crystalized tartaric acid, yeast cells, and fragments of grape skin. While it might not be pleasant, it’s not harmful if consumed. Professional sommeliers typically remove sediment by sight. When pouring wine into a decanter, they stop just before the sediment flows into the neck of the wine bottle, leaving any unwanted gunk (and a small amount of wine) behind. This process takes some skill. In theory, a decanter with a filter can help those with a less practiced hand achieve the same results. However, the one wine decanter with a filter we were going to recommend became unavailable shortly before publishing and we found other models with filters worked too slowly. Wine ended up backing up in the filter, making pouring difficult.

Plus, when decanting an older wine, a filter alone might not do the trick. According to wine educator Tess Rose Lampert, not even a filter can remove 100% of the fine sediment in aged wine. Instead, for best results, store the bottle upright for several hours before decanting, and stop pouring about 1/2-inch from the bottom.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Wine Decanter

Look for a decanter with a wide base. This will create a large surface area that will quickly aerate your wine. For ease of pouring, consider the spout. Look for a decanter with sloped sides and a thin, angled lip. This will make it easy to pour a steady stream of wine down to the last drop.

The Best All-Purpose Wine Decanter: Made In Decanter

What we liked: This decanter strikes a balance between elegance and strength. The thin, glass edge is easy to control when pouring wine, but the material feels sturdy enough for stress-free hand-washing. The sloped shoulders make it possible to serve an entire bottle of wine without dumping the last glass on the table, and the thin, angled spout gives the pourer enough control to stop the flow if any sediment remains. Compared to other models, the compact size of the Made-In decanter makes for easy storage. 

What we didn’t: This is a no-fuss, no-frills model. It’s well-suited for everyday use, but at $89, it’s one of the more expensive models we tested.

Price at time of publish: $89.

Key Specs

• Weight: 1-pound
• Material: Crystal glass
• Stated capacity: 1500 milliliters or 50.7 ounces

Also Great: Riedel Cabernet Decanter

What we liked: This was a solid, basic decanter. It poured easily and aerated well. It was also very lightweight, which made for easy pouring, even when the decanter was full. It had a wide, stable base and spacious opening that allowed for easy, stress- and splash-free decanting.

What we didn’t: The glass was very thin, and required careful cleaning. 

Price at time of publish: $54.

Key Specs

• Weight: .75 pounds
• Material: Glass
• Stated capacity: 38 ounces

The Competition

• Rabbit Super-Aerating Decanter System: We actually really liked this decanter and wanted to name it a winner (it has a filter), but it appears to be discontinued.
• Le Chateau Wine Decanter: This simple decanter aerated wine well. It lost points because the steep angle of the neck made it difficult to pour the final few glasses.
• Rabbit Pura Decanting System: This short, sturdy decanter dripped when we poured. The included filter separated sediment, but it drained slowly, making decanting difficult. 
• BTäT Decanter with Stand: The included accessories made cleaning this decanter extremely easy, but the wide, flat edge caused drips when pouring.
• HiCoup Red Wine Decanter: This large decanter makes a design statement, but the size and thin glass composition made cleaning a challenge.
• Onearf Wine Decanter and Carafe: This model uses an airlock to decant and aerate wine. Attach a bottle to the airlock, and invert it to drain the wine into the decanter. The airlock was a little unstable, required two hands to operate, and may pop or fizz, spraying wine all over your shirt. 
• Vintorio GoodGlassware Wine Decanter: This solid, simple decanter aerated and separated sediment well. However, the thick glass edge caused a few drips while pouring. 
• vSpin Wine Aerator: If you’re in a huge hurry, this decanter works well. Drop a magnet into the base of the decanter, set it on the included plate, and press the power button. The base rotates and creates a vortex that rapidly aerates the wine. Although effective, we found this product slightly gimmicky. It's also very expensive.
• Riedel Wine Friendly Decanter: This tall, narrow decanter was slightly unstable and wobbled on the table. 
• Zalto Mystique Decanter: The wide base of this decanter aerated wine efficiently, but it required a very steep angle to pour. This made serving the last few glasses of wine difficult. 
• Glassvin The Decanter: This decanter is beautifully designed, but was quite heavy when full. The narrow neck made decanting a bottle into the vessel trickier.

FAQs

Why should you decant wine? 

Decanting is a way to unlock the best flavors in a glass of a wine. Oxygen helps wine develop—this is the same principle that’s at work when a wine ages. Decanting will bring forward the fruit characteristics in a wine, mellow out the alcohol flavor, and integrate the tannis. 

Should you decant white wine? 

In general, white wines do not need to be decanted. White wines are full of fresh fruit flavors and aromas, and decanting can diminish those flavors. There’s an exception to this rule—if your white wine tastes a little off, it can be beneficial to decant it. Decanting can help dissipate unwanted flavors and aromas like ethanol or sulfur.

How do you decant wine without a decanter?

You can still aerate wine without a decanter. Try pouring the wine into a pitcher, vase, or even a clean blender to give it some time to breathe. Or you could keep things simple: just remove the cork about an hour before you intend to serve—the wine will slowly open up in the bottle and continue to develop once poured.

What’s the best way to clean a wine decanter? 

After use, simply fill the decanter with warm water and swish it around. Avoid using dish soap, as it can leave behind a thin residue and introduce unwanted flavors into your next bottle. If you use your decanter frequently it will require deep cleaning once in a while. Metal beads, a cleaning wand, or paper towels wrapped around a flexible silicone spatula can help remove residue from the bottom of a decanter. Whatever you do, resist the temptation to stick your hand down the neck of the decanter—the odds of getting your hand stuck and breaking the glass are quite high.