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Steve Yun posted:They appear to be a variant of Miracle Blades: In other words, they're selling these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Qzz8R_J1c&t=75s
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Dec 19, 2011 06:49
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Josh Lyman posted:My wooden cooking spoon is chipping apart. I would get a stainless replacement but I use it a lot with my nonstick skillet to break apart meat. Is there a better option than just buying cheap replacements at Target? no way. I bought my newest wooden spoons at a dollar store for a 3 pack, small medium and large. I think that was about 5 years ago now. I use them still basically every time I cook. buy the cheapest, dumbest wooden spoons you can find, and never look back.
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Dec 19, 2011 10:17
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mindphlux posted:buy the cheapest, dumbest wooden spoons you can find, and never look back.
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Dec 19, 2011 10:49
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Time to get my Christmas cooking-addict shopping done. What hand mixer, stick blender, and electric grill/griddle would you guys suggest? ~$50 each but that's a loose limit.
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Dec 19, 2011 15:03
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Steakandchips posted:This. Do not buy fancy wooden spoons. I disagree. Wooden spoons generally last a long time and even decent ones don't cost very much. If I'm going to use a spoon for 2 years, I'm going to spend an extra 2 dollars and get a nicer spoon that feels good in my hand, provides some grip, and is shaped in a way that lets me scoop poo poo out of the corner of pots and pans. I hate working with those pencil-thin spoons that feel like they're made out of balsa. For the better quality, I'll pay the $.005 premium for each meal I cook.
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Dec 19, 2011 17:58
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I'm in the UK. My brother has not bought us a wedding present after 3.5 years (my fault, not his). I want a Kitchen Aid mixer. Any issue with just buying the KA Artisan?
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Dec 19, 2011 18:02
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Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:Time to get my Christmas cooking-addict shopping done. What hand mixer, stick blender, and electric grill/griddle would you guys suggest? ~$50 each but that's a loose limit. I love the cuisinart stick blender. Amazon has it at fifty, but I just saw it (though I think sans whisk and minichop attachments) at sur la table for 30 and I got it from costco with those for 30. I don't really see the point of the variable speed some sticks have -- I'm not putting it in anything I don't intend to obliterate. Hand mixer, I'd just buy whatever was cheapest but not obviously trash. I've never seen any job for a hand mixer that the worst hand mixer couldn't handle. For grill/griddle, the real question is if you want the ability to press things.
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Dec 19, 2011 18:31
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therattle posted:I'm in the UK. My brother has not bought us a wedding present after 3.5 years (my fault, not his). I want a Kitchen Aid mixer. Any issue with just buying the KA Artisan? I bought the standard Artisan with wedding gift cards and it works great. However, after using it for 1.5 years, I wish I would have went with something bigger. The size is great in that it fits under my cupboards nicely, even when tilted up. The standard 5 quart bowl is a little small, though. For example, making a double batch of cookies can get pretty crowded in the bowl. As a references, I would say that a general sugar cookie recipe would be less than ideal if you had more than 4 or 5 cups of flour. We made a shitload of cookies over the past week, and one batch was 6 cups flour and 2 cups sugar. If I would have put any more in, it probably would have started sucking batter up into the gears and stuff. Also, something a little bigger would make it easier to add ingredients while the mixer is working and not end up getting stuff all over the head.
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Dec 19, 2011 18:43
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Hey guys, I just picked up a package of six Pure Komachi 2 knives for $29 at Costco in Norfolk, VA which was a stupidly good deal. It came with a chef's knife, a santoku, a citrus knife, a tomato knife, a bread knife, and a paring knife. If you've got a Costco around, go check it out!
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Dec 19, 2011 20:50
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Test Pattern posted:I love the cuisinart stick blender. Amazon has it at fifty, but I just saw it (though I think sans whisk and minichop attachments) at sur la table for 30 and I got it from costco with those for 30. I don't really see the point of the variable speed some sticks have -- I'm not putting it in anything I don't intend to obliterate. The hand mixer will have to be as close to a stand mixer in capability as possible, its for someone without the room for a stand. As for the griddle how much would having the ability to press cost/make it less capable in other areas?
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Dec 19, 2011 21:27
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Mr Executive posted:I bought the standard Artisan with wedding gift cards and it works great. However, after using it for 1.5 years, I wish I would have went with something bigger. The size is great in that it fits under my cupboards nicely, even when tilted up. The standard 5 quart bowl is a little small, though. For example, making a double batch of cookies can get pretty crowded in the bowl. As a references, I would say that a general sugar cookie recipe would be less than ideal if you had more than 4 or 5 cups of flour. We made a shitload of cookies over the past week, and one batch was 6 cups flour and 2 cups sugar. If I would have put any more in, it probably would have started sucking batter up into the gears and stuff. Also, something a little bigger would make it easier to add ingredients while the mixer is working and not end up getting stuff all over the head. Any suggestions for a larger model?
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Dec 19, 2011 22:35
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therattle posted:Thank you very much. Does the Artisan come with a larger optional bowl or is it limited in capacity? I nearly ordered the Professional Model recently, but it seems like people either loved it or complained that the motor would burn out. In the end, I didn't think we'd need a larger mixer anyway, so I ordered the Artisan, since it's the same mixer that my mother users. That being said, Cooks Illustrated seems to really like the pro model: quote:KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer Edit: Here is their summary of the Artisan: quote:KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Aniki fucked around with this message at 00:47 on Dec 20, 2011 |
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Dec 20, 2011 00:45
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Aniki posted:I nearly ordered the Professional Model recently, but it seems like people either loved it or complained that the motor would burn out. In the end, I didn't think we'd need a larger mixer anyway, so I ordered the Artisan, since it's the same mixer that my mother users. Thanks, that's extremely helpful. I do enjoy baking bread, so that is very pertinent. Gah! All I can find in the UK is the Artisan range, and then the K5 and K50, both of which have the 5-quart/4.8L bowl. The Pro line doesn't seem to be available here. The K5 seems to be the UK heavy-duty mixer, and also comes in a pleasing red. Why wouldn't anyone buy that instead of the Artisan? Ah! Google-fu says that the K5 in the UK is the Pro 500 Series in the US http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/product/KSM500PSER/ I don't think I'll need the bigger bowl, as that already handles 4.5 loaves. Seems like a better buy than the Artisan - I think I'll go for that. Thanks again for the advice. therattle fucked around with this message at 12:32 on Dec 20, 2011 |
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Dec 20, 2011 11:41
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Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:The hand mixer will have to be as close to a stand mixer in capability as possible, its for someone without the room for a stand. This is sadly sort of wrongheaded -- a hand mixer really only beat/whips and sort of mixes. It'll cream butter/sugar, make whipped cream and egg whites, beat eggs, mix liquids and really that's about it. Maybe very thing batters, like you could do with a whisk. I had a proctor-silex that did all those just fine, but I don't have room for a stand mixer either, and there's a lot of stuff I just could not do. Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:As for the griddle how much would having the ability to press cost/make it less capable in other areas? Won't make it much less capable -- the Cuisinart grill barely has a gap when folded down into all-griddle mode, but it will cost almost twice as much (but also fold smaller for storage). But I love pressed sandwiches, so I'd consider that worth it. Mileage varies.
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Dec 20, 2011 16:54
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Mr Executive posted:I disagree. Wooden spoons generally last a long time and even decent ones don't cost very much. If I'm going to use a spoon for 2 years, I'm going to spend an extra 2 dollars and get a nicer spoon that feels good in my hand, provides some grip, and is shaped in a way that lets me scoop poo poo out of the corner of pots and pans. I hate working with those pencil-thin spoons that feel like they're made out of balsa. For the better quality, I'll pay the $.005 premium for each meal I cook. I disagree right back atcha. All my 'nicer' wooden spoons have rounded edges and poo poo, and if they're larger to "fit in my hand" better they're usually horrible at getting into corners of pots and pans. The thinner cheap wirey balsa wood ones not only are better at getting into corners and lighter/more nimble for delicate tasks like flipping fish but I also don't feel bad about putting them into a dishwasher. not that I feel bad about putting nice wooden spoons in dishwashers...
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Dec 21, 2011 06:14
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thats right bitches, i flip fish with a wooden spoon. what of it. 
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Dec 21, 2011 06:15
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I buy lovely wooden spoons by the pound and abuse the poo poo out of them.
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Dec 21, 2011 06:19
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therattle posted:I'm in the UK. My brother has not bought us a wedding present after 3.5 years (my fault, not his). I want a Kitchen Aid mixer. Any issue with just buying the KA Artisan? You would have to be crazy to buy a KitchenAid in the UK when you can get Kenwood chefs and their attachments at the price you have them there. They are a better machine and if anything does go wrong with it your repair costs are going to be much lower than KitchenAids just because of their prevalence among nanas where you live.
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Dec 21, 2011 08:38
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Fredus posted:You would have to be crazy to buy a KitchenAid in the UK when you can get Kenwood chefs and their attachments at the price you have them there. They are a better machine and if anything does go wrong with it your repair costs are going to be much lower than KitchenAids just because of their prevalence among nanas where you live. My wife is crazy. She prefers the way the KitchenAid looks. She also prefers the way the Artisan looks to the K50, although the K50 is more powerful and about the same price. Guess what we're getting? (Honestly, I am sure that after having had nothing we'll be delighted with the Artisan, otherwise I would have put my foot down).
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Dec 21, 2011 11:26
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Chemmy posted:I buy lovely wooden spoons by the pound and abuse the poo poo out of them. I use silicone/metal spatulas for pretty much everything. They last 5+ years, cost 2 bucks, and scrape the poo poo out of any pot/corner. I don't get the whole wooden spoon thing.
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Dec 21, 2011 13:08
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Is there any stand-based (like, it has to sit on a stand to boil, but then you can lift it off to pour without worrying about cables) electric kettle that doesn't absolutely suck, and won't melt in six months? I've owned three in the past two years, and each one has slowly deformed in one way or another. I relegated one to the office at work where I can keep an eye on it because the switch is basically melted and won't shut off automatically. The one I use at home, the power button melted for some reason and the lid won't close properly anymore, in addition to half the metal starting to show evidence of rust or some other type of corrosion. I drink what is probably an unhealthy amount of tea so my kettles work a lot. I'm hoping to buy one that lasts more than six months before showing some sort of flaw this time. I remain hopeful 
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Dec 22, 2011 02:13
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I have a £7 tesco one that is used almost daily, and it's just as sturdy and as the day I got it, which was a year and a half ago. No melty bits or anything.
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Dec 22, 2011 02:20
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Hmm. It looks like maybe I've just been extremely unlucky then, or maybe that the kettles I'm buying are just too fancy. I took a look tesco's site and their cheap ones look really basic with very little flash or "moving parts". Maybe this time I'll try to go cheap. Hopefully I can find something like that on this side of the commonwealth 
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Dec 22, 2011 02:29
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I have been reading this thread and enjoying all the recommendations. I just wanted to add that estate sales are great for kitchen finds. Go to the ones in the wealthy part of town. The fiance and I found the following: French 4mm copper pot: $18 French 2.5mm copper pot: $20 Kitchen Aid mixer with pour shield and 3 mixing attachements: $40 Happy hunting!
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Dec 22, 2011 15:23
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Mercury Ballistic posted:I have been reading this thread and enjoying all the recommendations. I just wanted to add that estate sales are great for kitchen finds. Go to the ones in the wealthy part of town. The fiance and I found the following: God. drat. I want a kitchenaid mixer.. and hunt estate sales often.
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Dec 23, 2011 01:05
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Martytoof posted:Is there any stand-based (like, it has to sit on a stand to boil, but then you can lift it off to pour without worrying about cables) electric kettle that doesn't absolutely suck, and won't melt in six months? I've had this Bodun Bistro since october, and it seems to be doing ok. http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-34-Ounce-Cordless-Electric/dp/B0041OMAW2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top . I only use it once a day, but it's everyday. Don't store it on the base, and you'll be fine. That's admittedly annoying, as it doubles the footprint, but pouring from a vessel without a cord attached is nice.
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Dec 23, 2011 01:50
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Mercury Ballistic posted:I have been reading this thread and enjoying all the recommendations. I just wanted to add that estate sales are great for kitchen finds. Go to the ones in the wealthy part of town. The fiance and I found the following: Goddamn. Great find.
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Dec 23, 2011 02:18
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Martytoof posted:Hmm. It looks like maybe I've just been extremely unlucky then, or maybe that the kettles I'm buying are just too fancy. I took a look tesco's site and their cheap ones look really basic with very little flash or "moving parts". Maybe this time I'll try to go cheap. Hopefully I can find something like that on this side of the commonwealth
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Dec 23, 2011 13:13
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Martytoof posted:I've owned three in the past two years, and each one has slowly deformed in one way or another. I'm a bit intrigued by your post. Do you keep the water boiling (or close to) all day long? Perhaps you should just fill up a thermos bottle instead?
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Dec 23, 2011 22:46
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Dr. Klas posted:I'm a bit intrigued by your post. Do you keep the water boiling (or close to) all day long? Perhaps you should just fill up a thermos bottle instead? I probably boil water four or five times a day. A thermos bottle might actually be more practical because my problem is that I boil a large quantity of water, make a cup, and by the time I'm ready for the next one the water is lukewarm at best and there's nothing I hate more than waiting for my tea to steep.
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Dec 23, 2011 23:02
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Martytoof posted:Is there any stand-based (like, it has to sit on a stand to boil, but then you can lift it off to pour without worrying about cables) electric kettle that doesn't absolutely suck, and won't melt in six months? I know it's not a stand-based, but my family has had a zojirushi water boiler for ~15 years and it's still going strong. So maybe consider that option?
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Dec 24, 2011 08:58
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.Z. posted:I know it's not a stand-based, but my family has had a zojirushi water boiler for ~15 years and it's still going strong. So maybe consider that option? This looks interesting, what is it specifically? Just a heater/dispenser? I'm not hung up on stand-based, just something i'd prefer because it makes pouring easier without having to unplug a power cord. If this is a dispenser that would also solve the pouring problem just as well as a stand would.
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Dec 24, 2011 09:01
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I'm assuming it's one of those Asian water boilers. You fill up the tank inside the water boiler and it heats up the water and keeps it at a certain temperature for dispensing at anytime. It's very convenient since you always have boiling water at the press of a button.
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Dec 24, 2011 09:27
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Zettace posted:I'm assuming it's one of those Asian water boilers. You fill up the tank inside the water boiler and it heats up the water and keeps it at a certain temperature for dispensing at anytime. It's very convenient since you always have boiling water at the press of a button. Another nice thing about them is you can set the temperature you want the water to be. Zojirushi always makes good products so I would recommend getting their water boiler.
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Dec 24, 2011 09:57
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Martytoof posted:This looks interesting, what is it specifically? Just a heater/dispenser? I'm not hung up on stand-based, just something i'd prefer because it makes pouring easier without having to unplug a power cord. If this is a dispenser that would also solve the pouring problem just as well as a stand would. They're designed pretty much precisely for always having hot water ready at exactly the right temperature for making tea. The different presets are at the different common steeping temperatures for different kinds of tea, plus boiling.
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Dec 24, 2011 11:22
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I was going to suggest that too. I think they are also known as urns. Like this: http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/Swan-Catering-Tea-Urn-c-164.html You probably don't need a catering-grade one.
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Dec 24, 2011 13:44
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Pigasus posted:Another nice thing about them is you can set the temperature you want the water to be. http://www.amazon.ca/Zojirushi-CD-WBC30-Micom-Boiler-Warmer/dp/B0011528S0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324845528&sr=8-1 I have that model for both at home and at work (I drink a lot of tea) cant recommend them enough. Some have a battery backup so you can still dispense while its while its unplugged. Plugged it into an energy meter thing and its saving me roughly 3 dollars a month not boiling water each time. Also an addendum to above. These ones will always boil the water first the cool down to your preset temperature. No idea why.
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Dec 25, 2011 21:40
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I'm getting married next year, and everyone keeps asking me where I'm registered. When I answer, "Nowhere," I am met with abject horror, so I want to use our apparently-required registry to build a kitchen. What is the best combination of basics to start with when building a really nice, versatile kitchen from scratch? I don't want to get a set, but if I were going to choose four super expensive items (> $150), eight medium priced items ($50-$150), and a bunch of little stuff that is Really Nice To Have, what should I put on the registry? I'm not necessarily asking for specific items with links and pictures, but I want an idea of the inventory I should start researching. I already have a really nice food processor and some small cast iron pans, but that's pretty much it. I love to cook, but most of my cookware has been collected piecemeal over the last ten years, mostly castoffs and items that I have no idea their origin. Any time I got something nice, it would inevitably get ruined by roommates in very short order, so I stopped even bothering with quality. I'm tired of awful, mismatched, lidless, warped, stupid cookware. Here's my vague idea right now. Expensive items: KitchenAid Mixer A rice cooker ? ? Medium items: An 8" Henkel Chef knife to go with my 10" Another Henkel Knife A saute pan A sauce pan A stock pot A differently sized saute or sauce pan ? ? Small items: A meat thermometer New cutting boards Mixing bowls Various ladles/spoons/whisks/etc ?_1 ... ?_i ... ?_n
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Dec 25, 2011 23:10
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I've got lower cooking demands than you, but I've similarly been putting together a survival kit of kitchen gear over the past year. Here are my novice thoughts:Valdara posted:KitchenAid Mixer quote:A rice cooker quote:An 8" Henkel Chef knife to go with my 10" quote:A saute pan quote:A meat thermometer quote:New cutting boards Other things I've found useful that you haven't explicitly listed are a nice wine key, an elegant set of (Oneida) silverware, quality stainless colander, ice cream scoop, and silicone-tipped locking tongs. Also, if you don't have a Swing-A-Way can opener, get one. It'll make your kitchen life less stressful. I also have a decent blender, the Ninja N600. It's comparable to my friend's Blendtec and it was only $40 refurbished on Woot (normally $100). It makes amazing smoothies and shitwrecks ice like it's jello. I picked up a set of Pyrex No-Leak bowls and the leak proofing is AMAZING. edit: vvv That's probably easier list to maintain. Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 01:08 on Dec 26, 2011 |
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Dec 26, 2011 01:01
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The way I see it, if you're registering, you should use it to ask for stuff that you want but might not feel you can justify the cost of yourself. And stuff that will last. Most of the equipment I've inherited from my parents were given to them at their wedding in 1972. It somehow makes the idea of buying (and wishing for) somewhat costly stuff more palatable. I'll try and think some more, but here's what I'd add, off the top of my head: Quality immersion blender A quality cutting board/butcherblock (if you have room for it) a la the boardsmith or John Boos Enameled cast iron dutch oven a la Le Creuset a good crepe pan Good storage vessels - tupperware sets or the like. A slow cooker? A tepid puddle rig?
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