Fondue Set

I must confess, I really love cheese fondue!  There are few things more fun than gathering family and friends and sharing a pot of cheese fondue and a couple of great bottles of wine!  My favorite part of entertaining with fondue is that it is so easy on me!  I just chop a few things ahead of time, shred some cheese in the food processor and I’m all set.  Of course, it helps that I have the most fabulous cheese fondue recipe.

If you are thinking of serving fondue for the first time, one thing you will need to get is a fondue set.  There are three different types of fondue that you may want to serve – cheese, meat and dessert.  While some fondue pots can work for all three types, other pots are more specialized to just one type of fondue.

Electric Fondue Sets

The most versatile type of fondue set is an electric fondue pot.  It can be used for meat, cheese and dessert and most good pots will deliver great results every time!  Some of the best electric pots have a metal basin for oil, wine and broth when you are cooking meat.  If you want to cook cheese, you simply fill the basin with water and place an earthenware insert over it.  You can use the insert to cook either cheese, chocolate or caramel!  One feature that you want in an electric pot is the ability to control the heat.  The more control the pot you are considering has, the better off you are! After all, this is the primary reason to go with an electric fondue pot!

Sterno Fondue Sets

Another common type of fondue pot, is one that is heated by sterno.  This is the most traditional type of fondue pot and the first type I ever had!  Sterno pots are great for cheese and chocolate, but can be challenging if you are trying to cook meat fondue.  The main problem is that controlling the heat can be difficult and you may end up with oil or broth that is either too hot or too cold.  When cooking cheese or dessert fondue over sterno, make sure that you stir your fondue frequently.  Because heating can be uneven, it is not uncommon for the bottom of your fondue to overheat.

If you are going to use sterno for your fondue, make sure you are careful!  While it is safe for indoor use, it doesn’t hurt to use a little extra care.  You should also make sure before your party that you check your sterno because it can evaporate even when it is sealed.  You certainly don’t want to open the sterno to ignite it only to find out there is none there!

Tea Light Fondue Sets

If chocolate fondue is on the menu, you may want to consider getting a simple pot that keeps the chocolate warm with a tea light.  I like to have this type of pot, because it prevents me from having to wash up in between my main course and dessert.  It certainly isn’t much fun to have to leave my guest and head in to scrub pots!  Having a second pot allows me to remove the main pot and place it in the kitchen and replace it with an already prepared dessert fondue!