Glass, Ceramic, Plastic or Steel? The Best Mixing Bowls

1. Pyrex Ribbed 8-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set with Lids – Four Sizes, Four Lids

Best overall

If one set has to cover everything from a bowl of pico de gallo to a batch of cake batter, a lidded glass set is the safest place to start. This Pyrex set gives you four nesting bowls, 3 cups, 6 cups, 10 cups and 4.5 quarts, each with its own colored lid, according to the Amazon listing.

Glass suits a Mexican kitchen for a simple reason: lime. Pico de gallo, guacamole, ceviche and carne asada marinades are all acidic, and America’s Test Kitchen lists glass, with stainless steel, as nonreactive and safe with acidic ingredients. Glass also lets you see the bottom of the bowl, so you can tell when the onion and tomato are evenly dressed without digging in with a spoon.

The lids are the other half of the appeal. Toss salsa in the largest bowl, snap on the lid and it goes straight into the fridge; the listing rates the set for the microwave, fridge, freezer and dishwasher, and says the bowls are made in the USA. The ribbed sides are there for grip, Pyrex says.

The usual glass caveats apply. Pyrex’s own safety instructions say not to use its glassware on a stovetop or under a broiler, not to add liquid to hot glass, not to set hot glass on a wet or cold surface, and not to move it straight from the freezer to a hot oven. This listing does not state oven use at all, so treat these bowls as mixing, microwave and storage bowls.

Why we like it

• Four nesting sizes from 3 cups to 4.5 quarts
• A lid for every bowl, for fridge storage
• Microwave, fridge, freezer and dishwasher safe, per the listing
• Glass is nonreactive with lime and tomato, as ATK notes
• Made in the USA, according to the listing

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you want one set that mixes, microwaves, stores and serves, and you do most of your prep in quantities up to about four quarts. It covers salsas, marinades, batters and leftovers, and the clear walls make it easy to judge a mix at a glance.

Skip it if you make big batches of tamale masa or cook for a crowd: 4.5 quarts is the ceiling here, and glass gets heavy as it gets bigger. ATK weighed a 4-quart Pyrex bowl at about 3 pounds 10 ounces.

Pros and cons

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2. OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set – Light, Grippy, Easy to Pour

Best plastic set

Plastic bowls are the light, quiet, unbreakable end of the market, and OXO’s set is the one we would point most people to. You get 1.5-, 3- and 5-quart bowls with a wide grip and a spout on each, a non-slip base, and bowls that nest for storage, according to the listing.

Those features matter more than they sound. A non-slip base keeps the bowl still while you whisk eggs for a batter one-handed or work a dressing with a fork. The wide grip gives you something to hold when you tip a bowl of batter into a pan, and the spout puts it where you aim. The 5-quart bowl has room to toss a big salad or a bowl of shredded cabbage for tacos.

Plastic has trade-offs. America’s Test Kitchen did not test plastic bowls in its mixing bowl review; it says it avoids plastic for microwave and hot-food use and that plastic can hold onto oils and stains. In practice that means a bowl of guacamole or anything with chile oil may leave a tint. OXO’s listing does not say whether these bowls are microwave safe, so we would keep them for cold mixing and serving. The listing title states they are dishwasher safe.

Why we like it

• 1.5-, 3- and 5-quart sizes cover most jobs
• Non-slip base steadies the bowl while you whisk
• Wide grip and spout for pouring
• Nests for compact storage
• Dishwasher safe, per the listing

Why we recommend it

Choose it for everyday cold prep, for a kitchen with children helping, or anywhere a dropped glass bowl would be a problem. It is the lightest way to get three useful sizes with grips, spouts and steady bases.

Skip it if you want a bowl for the microwave or for melting butter over a pot: the listing does not rate it for heat, and ATK steers away from plastic for hot food.

Pros and cons

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3. Mason Cash Cane Collection S6 Mixing Bowl, 6.35 qt – Heavy, Wide and Steady

Best ceramic

The tan, cane-patterned Mason Cash bowl is a classic of English baking, and it earns its place here for one reason: weight. A heavy earthenware bowl sits still on the counter while you beat, knead or stir something stiff, without a rubber base to do the work.

This S6 size holds 6.35 quarts and measures 13 inches across by 6 inches high, according to the listing, which describes it as yelloware earthenware made in England. That is a broad, fairly shallow shape, and it suits jobs where you want room to work with your hands, such as rubbing fat into flour for flour tortillas or working broth into masa for a small batch of tamales.

The listing rates it for the microwave, oven, freezer and dishwasher. As with any glazed ceramic, avoid sudden temperature swings and knocks; a chip in a glazed bowl is the beginning of the end. In an email to a customer, quoted on a third-party blog, Mason Cash’s owner Rayware said its products meet European and UK standards for metal release but that it could not advise all of them to be entirely lead- and cadmium-free; we found no explicit lead-free statement from the maker. America’s Test Kitchen did not test ceramic bowls and notes they are usually heavy, expensive and offered in few sizes, which is a fair description of this one, though the weight is also the point.

Why we like it

• 6.35-quart capacity, 13 inches across
• Heavy earthenware stays put while you knead or beat
• Microwave, oven, freezer and dishwasher safe, per the listing
• Made in England

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you bake bread, make flour tortillas from scratch or simply want a bowl that will not skate across the counter. It also doubles as a good-looking serving bowl for a big salad or a pot of rice on the table.

Skip it if you need a set of sizes or a bowl you can lift one-handed. It is a single heavy bowl, and earthenware can chip or crack if knocked or dropped.

Pros and cons

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4. American Metalcraft 13-qt Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl – Room for a Tamalada

Best for big batches

Home mixing bowl sets tend to stop at five quarts. That is fine for a weeknight, and not nearly enough for a tamalada, when masa, lard and broth for several dozen tamales need to be beaten together, or for a party-size bowl of pico de gallo. This is a restaurant-supply bowl: 16 inches across and 13 quarts, according to the listing.

Stainless steel is the right material at this size. America’s Test Kitchen calls stainless bowls virtually indestructible, lightweight and affordable, and lists stainless steel as nonreactive and safe with acidic ingredients, so lime-heavy salsas and marinades are fine. A glass or ceramic bowl this big would be very heavy to lift when full.

The listing says the bowl is dishwasher safe and does not absorb odors or colors, though at 16 inches it will not fit many home dishwashers, so plan on washing it in the sink. Like all metal bowls it cannot go in the microwave, and there are no lids, a base or handles: it is a simple, wide steel bowl.

Why we like it

• 13-quart capacity, 16 inches across
• Stainless steel is nonreactive, per ATK
• Light for its size compared with glass or ceramic
• Dishwasher safe, per the listing

Why we recommend it

Choose it for tamales, party salsas, big green salads, brining or any time you cook for a crowd. It is the one bowl on this page that will hold a full batch of tamale masa with room to beat it.

Skip it if you are short of storage or rarely cook for more than four: a 16-inch bowl is awkward to store and too big for everyday prep.

Pros and cons

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5. KitchenAid Universal Nesting Plastic Mixing Bowls, Set of 3 – Spouts and Non-Slip Bases

Best for pouring batter

KitchenAid’s plastic set is a close alternative to the OXO, with slightly different sizes: 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 quarts, according to the listing. Each bowl has a pour spout and a non-slip base, and the three nest together for storage.

The sizes skew a little smaller at the top and bigger at the bottom than OXO’s, which suits cooks who rarely need a five-quart bowl but often want a mid-size one. The 2.5-quart bowl is a good size for pancake batter or a bowl of crema thinned with lime; the 4.5-quart handles a salad or a double batch of guacamole.

The listing says the bowls are dishwasher safe and does not state whether they can go in the microwave, so, as with any plastic bowl, keep them for cold or room-temperature mixing. Expect strongly colored foods, such as adobo or a red chile sauce, to tint plastic over time.

Why we like it

• 2.5-, 3.5- and 4.5-quart sizes
• Pour spout on every bowl
• Non-slip bases for steady mixing
• Nests for storage; dishwasher safe, per the listing

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you pour as much as you mix: batters, dressings, aguas frescas being strained into a pitcher. The spouts and bases make it an easy everyday set.

Skip it if you need a bowl bigger than 4.5 quarts, or a bowl for the microwave, which the listing does not confirm.

Pros and cons

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6. Nordic Ware Prep and Serve Mixing Bowls Set, 3-Piece – Plastic You Can Warm

Best microwave-safe plastic

Most plastic bowls are sold for cold work only. Nordic Ware’s set stands out because the listing rates it for the microwave, so you can soften butter, warm a little broth for masa or melt chocolate in the same bowl you then mix in.

The set has three bowls: 2 quarts (8.3 inches across), 3.5 quarts (9.6 inches) and 5 quarts (10.8 inches), according to the listing. Nordic Ware describes them as heavy-duty, BPA- and melamine-free plastic with non-skid bottoms, and says they can be used for mixing, tossing, melting, heating, chilling and storing. The company describes itself as an American maker.

The listing does not say whether the bowls are dishwasher safe or come with lids, so we have listed both as not stated. Heat plastic gently and in short bursts, and stop when the food is warm rather than piping hot.

Why we like it

• Microwave safe, according to the listing
• Non-skid bottoms
• 2-, 3.5- and 5-quart sizes with stated diameters
• BPA- and melamine-free plastic, as Nordic Ware describes it

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you like light bowls but want to use one in the microwave, for example to warm broth or melt lard before mixing. It is the most versatile plastic set here.

Skip it if dishwasher use matters to you: the listing does not state it, so check with Nordic Ware before relying on the dishwasher.

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7. Joseph Joseph Nest 9 Plus Food Preparation Set – Nine Tools in One Stack

Best for small kitchens

If cupboard space is the problem, this is the answer. Joseph Joseph’s Nest 9 Plus stacks nine pieces into one tower: a 4.8-quart (10.5-inch) mixing bowl, a 3.2-quart colander, a 1.75-quart steel-mesh sieve, a 0.5-quart small bowl with measurements, and four measuring cups plus a tablespoon, according to the listing.

For a small kitchen that covers a surprising amount of Mexican cooking: rinse beans or rice in the colander, strain an agua fresca or a blended salsa through the sieve, measure the masa harina and broth, and mix in the big bowl. The bowls have wide non-slip bases and easy-carry handles.

The listing says the pieces are BPA-free polypropylene and are not for use in the microwave. Everything except the steel sieve is dishwasher safe; the sieve should be washed by hand. The large bowl is the only true mixing bowl, so this is a starter kit rather than a full set of bowls.

Why we like it

• Nine pieces nest into one stack
• 4.8-quart mixing bowl plus colander, sieve and measuring cups
• Wide non-slip bases and handles
• Dishwasher safe except the sieve, per the listing

Why we recommend it

Choose it for an apartment, a first kitchen or a cook who wants bowls, colander, sieve and measuring cups in one footprint. It is a sensible gift for someone setting up a kitchen.

Skip it if you mostly need mixing bowls: you get only one large and one small bowl, and neither can go in the microwave.

Pros and cons

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