You haven't lived until you have had a Fondue Party. For lovers of cheese and chocolate, the Fondue Set is an essential piece of equipment for any kitchen. Rarely has anything so simple tasted so good and been such fun. Gather your friends around a fondue set and you're away. Don't limit yourself to chocolate and cheese, Fondue Sets are great with seafood, meat, fruit and vegetables too.
Types of Fondue
The most popular types of fondue pots are cheese, hot oil, dessert, and electric. Depending on how often you entertain, choose the fondue pot that best fits your lifestyle:
Cheese Fondue Pots
Cheese fondues are probably the most popular fondue type, ideal for dipping everything from bread and fruits to cooked meats and vegetables. To make the melted cheese, melt cheese and wine in a saucepan and pour the mixture into your cheese fondue pot.
- Shape: Large opening with a flat base ideal for dipping
- Material: Usually made from ceramic or earthenware
- Fuel type: Suitable for use with adjustable alcohol or gel fuel burners as continuous heat is required
Hot Oil or Broth Fondue Pots
Hot oil or broth fondue pots must be able to withstand high temperatures as they are designed for cooking raw meat, vegetables, fish, and more.
- Shape: Wider base and curves at the top to keep splatters at bay
- Material: Stainless steel, cast iron, or copper. Ceramic pots are not recommended as they may crack
- Fuel type: Suitable for use with adjustable alcohol or gel fuel burners
Dessert or Chocolate Fondue Pots
A fun way to serve desserts, these fondue pots are great for dipping fruits, cakes, bread, chips, and much more.
- Shape: Smaller than other fondue pots, ideal for chocolate, caramel, and more
- Material: Ceramic, earthenware, porcelain, tempered glass, and more
- Fuel type: Suitable for use with tea lights
Electric Fondue Sets
Electric fondue pots offer optimal versatility, ideal for cheese, oil, and dessert fondues; they can also be used for making soups, hot pots, and more. Simply plug it in, set your desired temperature, and dip!
- Shape: Usually comes in 1.2L capacity pots
- Material: stainless steel, non-stick, and more
Other Fondue Equipment
- Fondue forks: Long two-prong or three-prong forks for dipping your treats into the pot. Make sure the handles can withstand heat.
- Fondue Plates: These plates are designed with separate compartments for different foods. Great for keeping dipped and undipped foods separate.
- Dipping trays: Ideal for serving different types of dips to complement your fondue. Some trays come with a lazy susan to allow easy access for everyone at the table.
Types of Fondue Fuel
The type of fuel you need is dependent on the fondue set you have. Be sure to read the instructions that come with your fondue set to ensure you are using the right fuel type for your pot. The most common fuel types are tea candles, gel, alcohol, and butane burners.
Tea candles: Easy to find in stores, tea candles are great for keeping chocolate and caramel fondues hot and in liquid form. These candles do not work well for cheese or oil fondues as it does not burn hot enough.
Gel fuel: These types of fuel are also used with adjustable burner units, great for cheese or dessert fondues, but they are not well suited for oil or broth fondues.
Alcohol fuel: Typically used with an adjustable burner unit, alcohol burners can be adjusted to accommodate different fondue types. Ideal for cheese, oil, broth, and dessert fondues.
Butane burner: Odour-free and safe, butane burners offer great heat control for cheese, oil, or broth fondues. However, this fuel type is not suitable for dessert fondues as it may burn too hot.
Our favourite fondue set brands
Enjoy many years of fun and delicious fondue parties with high quality fondue sets from brands including:
Other accessories to consider when buying a Fondue Set
These kitchen essentials will make your fondue preparation a breeze:
FAQs
Are there any fondue etiquettes I need to learn?
While enjoying a session of fondue, remember not to double-dip! Never eat food directly off the fondue fork and once something has touched your lips, do not return it to the pot. To avoid double-dipping, use a dipping fork to dip, then remove the food onto a plate and enjoy with a separate fork or spoon.
What else can I do with a fondue pot?
When not serving delicious fondues, your electric fondue pot can be used for other purposes. Try making soups, stews, or deep-fried chicken in your electric pot. Your electric fondue pot can also be used for Chinese hot pot or simply to keep food warm.
