diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Bookmark.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Bookmark.java
index 1e1afbd..0f0d806 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Bookmark.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Bookmark.java
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 import jakarta.persistence.*;
 import lombok.*;
 
-@Data
-@Builder
+import java.util.Objects;
+
 @Getter
+@Setter
+@Builder
+
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
 @Entity
@@ -22,4 +25,17 @@ public class Bookmark {
     @ManyToOne
     @JoinColumn(name = "recipe_id", nullable = false)
     private Recipe recipe;
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+        Bookmark recipe = (Bookmark) o;
+        return Objects.equals(id, recipe.id);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(id);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Comment.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Comment.java
index fcf9e9d..3205558 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Comment.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Comment.java
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@
 
 import jakarta.persistence.*;
 import lombok.*;
+import org.apache.commons.lang3.builder.ToStringExclude;
 
 import java.time.LocalDateTime;
 import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-@Data
+@Getter
+@Setter
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
@@ -18,8 +21,10 @@ public class Comment {
     @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)
     private Integer id;
 
+
     @ManyToOne
     @JoinColumn(name = "user_id", nullable = false)
+    @ToString.Exclude
     private User user;
 
     @ManyToOne
@@ -37,4 +42,18 @@ public class Comment {
     private Set<Upvote> upvotes;
 
     private int upvoteCount;
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+        Comment recipe = (Comment) o;
+        return Objects.equals(id, recipe.id);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(id);
+    }
+
+
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Cuisine.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Cuisine.java
index 6adc193..f40e8e1 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Cuisine.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Cuisine.java
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
 import jakarta.persistence.*;
-import lombok.AllArgsConstructor;
-import lombok.Builder;
-import lombok.Data;
-import lombok.NoArgsConstructor;
+import lombok.*;
 
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -14,7 +11,8 @@
 import java.util.Set;
 
 
-@Data
+@Getter
+@Setter
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Dish.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Dish.java
index 5932f74..aa1da9b 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Dish.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Dish.java
@@ -2,15 +2,13 @@
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
 import jakarta.persistence.*;
-import lombok.AllArgsConstructor;
-import lombok.Builder;
-import lombok.Data;
-import lombok.NoArgsConstructor;
+import lombok.*;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
-@Data
+@Getter
+@Setter
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Ingredient.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Ingredient.java
index fbccf64..be53c19 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Ingredient.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Ingredient.java
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 import jakarta.persistence.*;
 import lombok.*;
 
-@Data
+import java.util.Objects;
+
+@Getter
+@Setter
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
@@ -18,4 +21,16 @@ public class Ingredient {
     @ManyToOne
     @JoinColumn(name = "recipe_id") // This column in the Ingredient table will hold the foreign key to the Recipe
     private Recipe recipe; // This is the 'recipe' field expected by the 'mappedBy' attribute
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+        Ingredient recipe = (Ingredient) o;
+        return Objects.equals(id, recipe.id);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(id);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Rating.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Rating.java
index c11ce61..ad64aaa 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Rating.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Rating.java
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 import jakarta.persistence.*;
 import lombok.*;
 
-@Data
+import java.util.Objects;
+
+@Getter
+@Setter
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
@@ -23,4 +26,17 @@ public class Rating {
     private Recipe recipe;
 
     private int ratingValue; // Assuming ratings are integer values
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+        Rating recipe = (Rating) o;
+        return Objects.equals(id, recipe.id);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(id);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Recipe.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Recipe.java
index cce1d40..9592178 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Recipe.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Recipe.java
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
 
-@Data
+@Getter
+@Setter
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ public class Recipe {
     private Date createdAt;
 
     @ManyToOne
+    @ToString.Exclude
     @JoinColumn(name = "user_id", nullable = false)
     private User user;
     @OneToMany(mappedBy = "recipe", cascade = CascadeType.ALL, orphanRemoval = true)
@@ -49,6 +52,18 @@ public class Recipe {
     @CollectionTable(name = "recipe_allergens", joinColumns = @JoinColumn(name = "recipe_id"))
     @Column(name = "allergen")
     private List<String> allergens = new ArrayList<>();
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+        Recipe recipe = (Recipe) o;
+        return Objects.equals(id, recipe.id);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(id);
+    }
 
     @Override
     public String toString() {
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Upvote.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Upvote.java
index 74d4f24..c1be106 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Upvote.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/Upvote.java
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@
 import lombok.*;
 
 import java.time.LocalDateTime;
+import java.util.Objects;
 
-@Data
+@Getter
+@Setter
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
@@ -24,4 +26,17 @@ public class Upvote {
     @ManyToOne
     @JoinColumn(name = "comment_id", nullable = false)
     private Comment comment;
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+        Upvote upvote = (Upvote) o;
+        return Objects.equals(id, upvote.id);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(id);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/User.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/User.java
index 16a2e4b..a483141 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/User.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/entities/User.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-@Data
+
 @Builder
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @AllArgsConstructor
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ public boolean equals(Object obj) {
         return Objects.equals(id, other.id);  // Compare only IDs for equality
     }
 
+
     @Override
     public Collection<? extends GrantedAuthority> getAuthorities() {
         return null;
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/services/RecipeService.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/services/RecipeService.java
index 9113302..9fd4f26 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/services/RecipeService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/group1/cuisines/services/RecipeService.java
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ public UpvoteDto upvote(Integer commentId, String username) {
         upvoteRepository.save(upvote);
 
         comment.setUpvoteCount(comment.getUpvoteCount()+1);
+        comment.getUpvotes().add(upvote);
         commentRepository.save(comment);
         return new UpvoteDto().builder()
                 .id(upvote.getId())