10 Pro Picks for Your Kitchen Registry

A well-stocked kitchen (and countless tasty meals) begins with high-performing, long-lasting tools. We asked professional foodies, including our in-house experts and tastemakers around the country, to dish on the items they truly adore, then choose a few Martha-approved recipes to get you really excited. Dig in!

The Pick: Martha Stewart Collection 6-quart Enameled Cast-Iron Round Casserole

Why It's Great: "This hardworking Dutch oven is great for stews, soups, and other long-cooked dishes, and it goes from stovetop to oven to table with ease," says Sarah Carey, editor in chief of Everyday Food.

Recipe to Try: Mushroom And Lentil Soup

The Pick: KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Stand Mixer

Why It's Great: "The best mixers combine power with a variety of speeds and basic attachments. this model was the first one we used in our pastry kitchen when we started our business, and i still love it for at-home baking," says Rick Mast, founder of Mast Brothers Chocolate in Brooklyn, New York.

Recipe to Try: Simple Puff Pastry

The Pick: Simplex Copper Teakettle

Why It's Great: "This beautiful workhorse has lived on my stovetop for the past 20 years and still looks and functions as if it were brand new," says Lucinda Scala Quinn, editorial director of food and entertaining at Martha Stewart Living.

Recipe to try: Vanilla Rooibos Tea

The Pick: Lodge Manufacturing Cast-Iron Skillet

Why It's Great: "This is the best all-around pan—you can skillet-fry, sauté, bake, roast, broil, and put it on the grill. Once you season one of these, it becomes nonstick, and cleanup is a breeze," says Jennifer Aaronson, editorial director of food at Martha Stewart Living.

Recipe to Try: Meal-in-One Cast Iron Pork Chops

The Picks: John Boos Cutting Boards

Why They're Great: "Thick, heavy, and sturdy, these last forever and never warp or nick. The ones with grooves are also good for catching any juices that seep out when you're carving meat," says Aaronson.

Recipe to Try: Spiced Roasted Pork Tenderloin

The Pick: Sur La Table 16-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot

Why It's Great: "This model is large enough that you can use it for boiling corn on the cob or even for cooking lobster," says Aaronson.

Recipe to Try: Boiled Lobsters with Corn and Potatoes

The Picks: Martha Stewart Collection Ceramic Mixing Bowls

Why They're Great: "If I'm trying a new cookie recipe or just chopping veggies, I always reach for these colorful containers; they're stylish enough to use as snack bowls, too," says Courtney Whitmore, Nashville-based cookbook author and founder of the blog Pizzazzerie.

Recipe to Try: Jacques Torres's Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Pick: Cuisinart Elite Collection 14-Cup Food Processor

Why It's Great: "All you really need in a food processor is an 'on' button and a 'pulse' button. This fits the bill and is perfect for making salad dressings or any sort of emulsified sauce," says Josh Habiger, culinary director for Strategic Hospitality in Nashville.

Recipe to Try: Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip with Pomegranate

The Pick: Emile Henry Roaster

Why It's Great: "It's dishwasher-safe and resists temperature changes, so you can put a dish from the freezer right into the oven!" say Robyn Coval and Howard Nourieli, owners of Bowery Kitchen Supplies in NYC.

Recipe to Try: Classic Cheese Lasagna

The Pick: Calphalon 3-in-1 Immersion Blender

Why It's Great: "Instead of transferring hot liquids into a blender and risking burns, you can purée soups right in the pot," says Erica Huss, cofounder of BluePrint juices in Los Angeles. (Also genius? Mixing smoothies in the accompanying measuring cup.)

Recipe to Try: Pureed Butternut Squash Soup