Whether you're simply tossing a salad or getting extra fancy with your fish-plating skills, these tools will make your job easier -- and help you look like a pro in the process (cooking classes not required). Check out the next few slides for details on the servers shown here.

1. Match "Gabriella" carving fork and knife. These pewter pieces are handcrafted in Italy, tabulatua.com.

2. L'Objet "Hollow Braid" serving fork and spoon. Form meets function with a woven handle and platinum-plated stainless steel, homegrownpa.com.

4. Buccellati Silver "Empire" fish serving knife. The wide blade on this sterling-silver knife ensures mess-free plating, michaelcfina.com.

5. Towle "Old Master" asparagus server. This Victorian-style sterling silver scoop is dishwasher safe, lifetimesterling.com.

Turn special items, like this cake server, into treasured keepsakes by having them engraved with your names and wedding date.

6. Vera Wang by Wedgwood "Love Knots" cake server and knife. A subtle bow and delicate beading add a sweet touch to these silver-plated utensils, macys.com.

7. Teroforma "Lolo" salad servers. Sleek, perfectly balanced design -- ideal for the modern hostess, lekkerhome.com.

8. Iittala "Collective 2000" salad servers. These matte stainless-steel pieces, by Antonio Citterio, won the prestigious Design Plus Award in 2001, The Conran Shop, 866-755-9079.

9. Wallace "Grande Baroque" serving spoon. A classic sterling silver pattern since 1941, it (and its matching fork) are destined for family-heirloom status, lifetimesterling.com.

Remember what your mother told you: Don't judge a book (or a fork, knife, or spoon) by its cover. These pretty pieces were made to withstand breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even the dishwasher. See the details for our everyday flatware picks on the next few slides.

1. Kate Spade New York "Todd Hill." Faceted handles add understated elegance to simple stainless steel, macys.com.

2. Michael Wainwright "Gold Manhattan." Fit for loft-style living, the hammered gold-plated detailing was inspired by the New York City skyline, michaelcfina.com.

3. Crate & Barrel "Iona." Slick stainless steel with a glossy, reflective surface, crateandbarrel.com.

4. Seletti "Midas Golden Cutlery." A brushed matte finish gives gold plating midcentury-modern appeal, The Conran Shop, 866-755-9079.

5. Yamazaki "Grace." This stainless steel set relies on decorative finials to stand out on the table, bedbathandbeyond.com.

6. Martha Stewart Collection with Wedgwood "Chorale." Clean lines make this stainless design Martha's favorite for daily use, macys.com.

7. Arte Italica "Terra." Wood artisans hand-carved the faux bois pattern for the pewter-handled set, theregistryfranklin.com.

8. Pottery Barn "Maxfield." Flatware that looks like it's been passed down from your (stylish) grandma, thanks to a worn-nickel finish and embossing, potterybarn.com.

9. Sambonet "Filet Toiras." The polished gold plating -- complete with baroque touches -- will warm up any table, 888-921-9378.

10. Fortessa "Caviar." Ergonomic handles round out the stainless design, surlatable.com.

These slicing pros are extra-smart additions to your entertaining arsenal. Each looks as sharp as it works, and the craftsmanship will undoubtedly stand the test of time. See the details of these knives on the next few slides.

1. Godinger "Plume." Ornate silver plating makes special meals memorable, horchow.com, via MyRegistry.com.

2. Valpeltro "Filet" steak knife. A pewter handle meets a stainless steel blade in this hand-cast piece, horchow.com, via MyRegistry.com.

4. Gorham "La Scala." Surprisingly intricate for a steak knife, this weighty sterling silver piece is also dishwasher safe, lifetimesterling.com.

5. Laguiole "Tout Inox Brosse." Stainless steel that's handcrafted from start to finish by one skilled artisan, williams-sonoma.com.

Create a wish list of your favorite pieces from all over the web -- plus those from your existing registries -- at MyRegistry.com.

9. Reed & Barton "Royal Scroll." Purchase of these stainless, hollow-handled knives supports preservation of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Virginia, reedandbarton.com, via MyRegistry.com.

10. Crate & Barrel "Stanton Satin." Serrated stainless for effortless carving, crateandbarrel.com.

Enlist these distinguished pieces to add elegance to your parties, holidays, and special occasions (even the daily ones). They aren't meant for the dishwasher, but they're worth the extra care. Find more details on these pieces on the next few slides.

1. Christofle "America." Faceted silver-plated handles bring Deco design to the table, michaelcfina.com.

2. Wallace "Grande Baroque." The classic Victorian acanthus-leaf pattern in gold plating livens up sterling silver, lifetimesterling.com.

3. Valpeltro "Eloro." Stainless steel heads and pewter handles are hand-finished for an antique look, horchow.com, via MyRegistry.com.

4. J.L. Coquet "Prelude Gold." The porcelain handles are 24 karat gold plated, michaelcfina.com.

5. Reed & Barton "Spanish Baroque." Baroque design at its handcrafted, sterling silver best, reedandbarton.com, via MyRegistry.com.

7. Gorham "Buttercup." The flowery design is anchored by sterling construction, lifetimesterling.com.

8. James Robinson "Early English." Each piece in this set is shaped out of a single bar of sterling silver, 212-752-6166, via MyRegistry.com.

9. Ricci Argentieri "Raffaello Gold." The stainless steel handles are wrapped with a gold-plated fish-scale design, silversuperstore.com.

10. Robbe & Berking "Alt-Kopenhagen." Its sterling pattern dates back to 1874, michaelcfina.com.