Small wedding gift ?

chocolate moose ↓

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 3:58 pm

My coworker's son got engaged and while I'm not going to the wedding, I want to give them something small but useful.

The items I saw that are under $20 are:

rice cooker
immersion blender
coffeemaker
electric can opener
variety of baking pans
small chopper
hand mixer

It seems to me that since both sets of parents are in town the kallah may not be cooking too much, and since the chosson learns in kollel, they prob. won't be on their own for quite some time.

I want to give something useful but not extra - like, a rice cooker is very useful but rice can be made in a pot, too. Ditto for an electric can opener - I love mine, but I have a big kitchen BH.

What do you all think ?

yummy2

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 4:03 pm

For $20 you can get a nice silver challah knife they can use every shabbos...... Or a nice umbrella holder for their hallway...... How about a vase.....

Barbara ↓

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 4:23 pm

GetReal wrote:

I think the coffeemaker is most likely to be used.

Some people are really fussy about their coffee makers.

I'd go with an immersion blender -- very useful whether you cook a lot or a little.

Or you could go for some kitchen textiles, such as dish towels. Mixing bowls. Storage containers.

↑ GetReal ↓

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 4:31 pm

Barbara wrote:

GetReal wrote:

I think the coffeemaker is most likely to be used.

It sounds like these are things CM saw on the registry. CM, can you please clarify?

When I was newlywed, cooking supper two or three times a week and Shabbos once in a blue moon, my immersion blender rarely saw the light of day. But coffee was made!

Although, now that I think about it, once DH started kollel he drank coffee there, and I had to leave for work early so I made coffee at work. So maybe not such a good idea after all.

↑ GetReal

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 4:41 pm

Oh, I see.

When I registered, I chose a mixer - the one I saw my mother using, which no one bought me. I did not register for a hand mixer, but someone got it for me anyway. I very quickly realized that a big mixer would have been a big pain in my tiny apt kitchen, and learned to love the hand mixer.

So maybe that's a good idea.

↑ Barbara

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 4:45 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

These are items I saw at Century 21, which is a discount shop that I buy most of my gifts in.

I really do need to go there someday.

OK, then the immersion blender. Second choice are baking pans.

As I said, some people are coffee snobs. They wouldn't dream of using anything but a high-end, several hundred dollar machine. Others like the pod machines for single cups, or coffee makers with small footprints for small kitchens (that's me). Some insist on timers so their coffee can be ready when they wake up. Others think its practically a sin to use beans that were ground more than 5 minutes before brewing.

punktfarkert

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 4:45 pm

Do they have a registry? All the items you listed are ones that usually go on registries, and when you already chose the exact one that you want... it's at best strange and at worst disappointing when someone gives you another one... not to mention that it might be a repeat of another gift, especially since you said that you want to get them something "useful."

Some people aren't fans of registries and that's fine. How about a more unique gift then? Someone suggested a vase. Or a piece of art. Cookbooks are always nice wedding presents and are under $20.

Raisin ↓

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 5:26 pm

Barbara wrote:

chocolate moose wrote:

These are items I saw at Century 21, which is a discount shop that I buy most of my gifts in.

and others don't drink coffee at all.

sky ↓

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 5:34 pm

I LOVE my immersion blender - so I would say get that.

But what about a silver matches holder or the like. it would be something they could use every shabbos.

↑ Raisin ↓

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 5:37 pm

sky wrote:

I LOVE my immersion blender - so I would say get that.

But what about a silver matches holder or the like. it would be something they could use every shabbos.

I love my immersion blender, but you can get them now with all sorts of handy attachments for more then $20. So she may prefer one of the more expensive ones. Also the better ones have detachable handles and metal bottom part which I find very useful - I really would not want a cheap one.

get something small but good quality.

Annie

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 5:46 pm

My two cents . . .

We must have gotten 6 or 7 nice vases. They're pretty, but who can use that many. Same with small glass bowls.

Coffee maker is maybe useful if you know they're coffee drinkers and not particular. Immersion blenders are nice, but not essential. Dishtowels are always useful, baking pans, especially neat ones are always useful. The items I have that I use all the time are the nice ceramic bakeware (loaf pan, pie pan and 9x13 pan) that I got.

We also use our rice cooker at least twice a week. It makes a lot more than rice, and it's really convenient. I just don't know if a new kallah would appreciate it as much as I do now with three little kids, working and a dh who works odd hours.

Platters or unique plates are also good b/c you can use more than one of them and they'll work for serving.

ra_mom

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 5:58 pm

I'd go with the immersion blender (I have 3! and love them) or the baking pans.

(Someone bought me a set of mixing bowls. I didn't think much of them at the time. But now I use and appreciate them all the time. And I always remember the gift giver.)

↑ chocolate moose ↓

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 7:30 pm

I saw a beautiful immersion blender, in black - I don't like white appliances; I should have gotten it .... although if she ends up beign the kind of person with a cleaning lady, maybe white wouldn't have mattered ....

too bad she didn't register - that'd be convenient !

↑ Raisin

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 7:49 pm

ra_mom wrote:

I really appreciated the good quality small peices people gave me, like mixing bowls and so on. I think something like baking pans or pyrex dishes would be great. You can always use a few of those.

and give a gift receipt just in case she gets 20 of whatever you gave, if possible.

Ruchel

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 8:19 pm

Maybe it's cultural but I quite can't imagine giving a can opener!! Or a towel (unless it's a high class gorgeous one).

Quote:

since both sets of parents are in town the kallah may not be cooking too much

They won't eat there for every meal! and some couples davka try to eat alone together as much as possible in the beginning...

Quote:

For $20 you can get a nice silver challah knife they can use every shabbos

some people think receiving a knife is weird. I know challah knife is a common gift, but still.

Quote:

Or a nice umbrella holder

I'm not sure it's still used nowdays with those small umbrellas. I haven't seen one for quite some time.

Cookbooks you need to know their eating style.

↑ sky

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 9:20 pm

Raisin wrote:

[I think something like baking pans or pyrex dishes would be great. You can always use a few of those.

Pyrex is the best. I love the sets of bowls or oven to table dishes with covers. They are so practical. Or pie plates, or covered casserole dish. Or the pyrex salad bowls that can be used with covers so they can be in the fridge and on the table.

imaamy

Thu, Oct 08 2009, 9:25 pm

I wish I had an immersion blender. If they don't need it, they can give it to me! So much handier for quick jobs than dragging out and cleaning a blender or food processor.