Swissmar Meat Fondue Set

You can’t please everyone, especially while throwing a party. Choosing snacks is particularly anxiety-inducing. Food allergies, picky eaters and the amount of cleanup you’re willing to do all play a role in picking your party food. Fondue is a fun and flexible choice that adds a touch of class to any gathering.

To make fondue, you heat up a liquid (like chocolate, cheese, oil or broth) in a communal pot. Once your dipping sauce is warm and ready to go, you use a long-stemmed fondue fork to pick up a small piece of food (like bread, fruit or veggies) and dip it in the fondue pot. The result is a tasty combo of your favorite foods and sauces. It’s also easy for picky eaters to customize; you can dip almost anything in the sauce, so it’s fine if one person wants to use bread, and another wants to try steak or fruit.

Cheese is a favorite savory option for any fondue pot, and chocolate is great for desserts. Chocolate-covered fondue strawberries are a Valentine’s Day favorite. Toasty broth and warm oil are great finds for winter party snacks.

Classic fondue sets consist of a cast iron or ceramic pot, several long-stemmed stainless steel forks and a réchaud. Réchauds are small, portable burners that sit underneath the fondue pot and keep the pot’s contents warm. Réchauds use a gel fuel source to light up and keep your dipping sauce warm. You can buy inexpensive gel fuel in cans or in capsules online.

If you were married in the 1970s, says culinary expert Julie Chernoff, food journalist and member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, you probably received one of these classic sets as a wedding present.

“You would melt your chocolate, or cheese, on the top of a double boiler, and then pour it into the cast iron pot set over the small flame — enough to keep the mixture warm without burning,” she says. “Cheaper versions were set over tea lights.”

Cast iron pots are great for hearty foods, like melting thick cheeses. They excel at maintaining an even temperature for long periods of time. Ceramic pots have some of the same qualities, but they’re easier to wipe down and clean. 

If you’re looking for a modern way to enjoy fondue, there are plenty of electric models available. They’re versatile enough to use for all types of fondue, and they have a number of heat settings to help you maintain the perfect temperature throughout a party or date night. Just plug them in, choose your heat setting and enjoy. Many electric sets are dishwasher safe, too.

The newer ones aren’t ceramic or cast iron, but rather made from heavy-gauge stainless steel, so there’s no danger that they might crack over extended heat exposure.

“Best of all, they have thermostats, so the heat can be gentle for chocolate fondue, mid-range for cheese, and high enough to safely cook proteins in broth or oil,” Chernoff says. “Maintaining an even temperature ensures that your fondue won’t burn, which in turn makes the fondue pot easier to clean.”

Once you’ve got a handle on your fondue basics, you’re ready to start looking for the perfect set for your needs. Take a look at our Tips & Advice for specifics on choosing a fondue set.

• The first consideration you’ll want to make when choosing a fondue set is whether you want an electric pot or a classic pot heated by a réchaud. Electric pots are a snap to set up, and you can easily maintain your desired temperature with built-in settings. However, some people love the classic look and feel of a ceramic or cast iron fondue pot. Both varieties will make your next party delicious.
• The fondue pot’s capacity is another major consideration to make. Pots come in sizes ranging from four cups to 12 cups. If you have a lot of parties or a large family, a larger pot is a good idea. If you prefer smaller gatherings, date nights or solo evenings with your fondue set, a four-cup pot will do just fine.
• Make sure you’ve got enough room to store and use the fondue set you choose. If you’re in a small apartment, a four-cup set will be easier to set up and stash in your cabinets. If you’ve got a large kitchen, you can go to town with a 12-cup set. 
• Electric fondue sets let you set the exact temperature you’d like. You’ll use a dial that’s marked from low heat to high heat to find the exact degree you need to melt your cheese or chocolate. 
• If you go for an electric set, check and make sure the cord is long enough to make it to the nearest power outlet. It’s best to avoid using extension cords when using an electric fondue set. 
• Check your fondue set’s cleaning directions before you make a tasty mess. Some sets are completely dishwasher safe, some are only partially dishwasher safe and others are hand wash only. If your set is hand wash only, you can fill the pot with gentle dish detergent and water, and let it soak overnight. Everything else can be wiped down with a soft, soapy towel and left out to air dry.
• Many fondue sets come with color-coded forks to help everyone at your party remember which fork is theirs. If your set doesn’t come with color-coded forks, you can add a small dot of paint to the ends so that no one accidentally swaps forks.