Lesley Stockton

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Anna Perling |Lesley Stockton |Ciara Murray Jordan

The Instant Pot is probably the most well-known electric pressure cooker—more accurately called a multi-cooker because it can also slow cook, sauté, and more—and out of all the brands we’ve tested since 2016, it’s still the best. A good electric pressure cooker can help get dinner on the table quickly and easily even when you’re swamped. Everything we recommendTop pickInstant Pot Rio 6-quartThe best electric pressure cookerThe Rio is a versatile time-saver in the kitchen.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Christine Cyr Clisset |Caira Blackwell |Rosie Guerin |Abigail Keel |Lesley Stockton

Listen to and follow The Wirecutter Show. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio | Other platformsOur experts share their time-tested strategies for better grilling. Senior staff writer Lesley Stockton reveals the proper way to clean and oil grates, why it’s probably time to clean your entire grill, and the unexpected tools (like restaurant tongs and a grill basket) that will immediately uplevel your next cookout.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Lesley Stockton

A blender is the only machine in your kitchen that can produce a beverage from chunks of ice and fruit in less than 60 seconds. And no other blender we’ve tested since 2012 can reliably make silky soups, spoon-thick smoothies, and stable emulsifications like the Vitamix 5200. Yes, this model is pricey, but we think its powerful motor, nuanced controls, and long-lasting reliability make it worth the investment.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Lesley Stockton

Outdoor flat-top griddles, with their expansive cooking surface, let you bang out pancakes, French toast, bacon, eggs, and more in a fraction of the time it would take to do it on a stove, even with multiple pans going. Griddles are also great for cooking delicate fish fillets, shrimp skewers, and stir-fried vegetables, all of which would be more difficult or downright impossible on a grill.

Feb 26, 2025 | nytimes.com | Lesley Stockton

Nothing elevates a dinner table from everyday to elegant like a crisp, clean tablecloth. If you’re looking to freshen up your tablescape, we recommend the Williams Sonoma Hotel Dinner Tablecloth. Made from 100% tight-weave cotton, it’s the best-quality table linen we’ve found for the price. This tablecloth is smooth and elegant, and it comes in a wide assortment of sizesFor a warmer feel and more-relaxed drape, we recommend the Rough Linen Smooth Linen Tablecloth.