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feelz good man posted:I don't understand why you need a $100 thermometer. This one costs $13 and they'll probably make it through a nuclear holocaust. We use them at work where they stay on for at least 14 hours a day and we use them to temp everything, even to temp the fryer oil. I have one and it's a champ. Nobody *needs* a Thermapen, but there's nothing wrong with buying nice stuff to use at home. If we all bought the same equipment used in restaurants, we'd be using the cheapest poo poo we could possibly get away with. The difference between a Thermapen and a cheaper digital thermometer is the incredibly fast response time and minimal immersion depth for the probe, as well as the simple design and easy to read display. This makes a huge difference to whether or not I'm willing to use a thermometer at home. I hated thermometers until I got the Thermapen. You probably *have* to check temperatures at work because of food safety laws.
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Jan 15, 2011 08:00
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Kenwood mixers aren't available in North America. They were marketed under the Delonghi brand, which morphed into the current Cuisinart models, afaik.
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Jan 16, 2011 01:34
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Great for pastry, poo poo for cutting.
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Jan 17, 2011 18:38
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Nione posted:There was a lot of talk in the KitchenAid thread about a flat beater that scraped the sides of the bowl as it mixes. BeaterBlade
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Jan 17, 2011 23:21
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NosmoKing posted:If you don't have a silicone (or several) basting brush, get the hell out there and get one. They beat bristle brushes harder than I beat my Seriously, silicone brushes are so much better. Easy to keep clean, no worries about burning or losing bristles. Oxo's silicone brushes are awesome. They have a part inside that holds a lot more liquid than normal (my only complaint with the normal ones). 
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Jan 19, 2011 05:17
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LoungieMu posted:Anybody got a recommendation on a good steamer? CI likes this inexpensive model. They also like the similar-but-more-expensive Oxo version, and traditional Chinese bamboo steamers.
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Jan 19, 2011 06:50
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Not an Anthem posted:I have this. I think the "holds more sauce" part is a bullshit gimmick but silicone brushes are AWESOME. Last forever, easy cleaning. It also helps hold liquids of different viscosities better (CI noted this too). I prefer it to the cheaper silicone brushes I've tried. It's not exactly going to break the bank at $7.
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Jan 19, 2011 22:30
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ZetsurinPower posted:I never thought I would say it, because I talked poo poo about them for almost 10 years. But ever since I got one, I use the gently caress out of my garlic press. After doing it by hand for so long, I feel like I have earned the right to be lazy. I don't get why people consider a garlic press and what you get from finely chopping cloves interchangeable. If I want tiny pieces of garlic, I chops it. If I want mush that will mix into the sauce, I use my Microplane (or garlic press if necessary). They don't even cook the same way. ZetsurinPower posted:and I'll also say that if you own more than one pot, you probably don't need a rice cooker or slow cooker. use the money on something else. And I'll say if you eat rice regularly it's a godsend not having to worry about putting the rice on when you're pulling together the meal at the end of cooking. I make a lot of Indian and Chinese food. I've used the poo poo out of my Zojirushi and I would buy it again in a heartbeat.
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Jan 26, 2011 07:01
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Also, why would you substitute saute pans for skillets? They're used for different things.
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Jan 28, 2011 12:18
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Schpyder posted:The one tool I use more than pretty much anything else in my kitchen is tongs. This. I use the nylon head version because I do a lot of cooking with a Le Creuset dutch oven I don't want to scratch.
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Jan 29, 2011 00:22
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Chemmy posted:For tongs I have the OXO ones with silicone coated flaps I have a set of these, and they remind me of trying to do everything while wearing oven mitts. Impossible to grab almost anything securely. I'm not entirely sure what they're useful for. Iron Chef Ricola posted:I had this exact one and it died after less than a year of medium-usage, I was sad! I have a Zojirushi one that's been going strong for ages. Took it to work and got another one for home because I like it so much. Especially handy when you don't have quick access to a sink. mindphlux posted:the important thing to me about tongs is precision - I need to be able to grab the tail of a shrimp by one of its still-attached-fins and flip it over, but at the same time I need to be able to get under an entire chicken and have the gripping power to flip it and stuff. I don't see why this would be an issue with the nylon tongs I suggested. They come to a fairly fine point and I've never had an issue with precision. I'd be happy to grab a shrimp out of the freezer and get goony with it if you would like...
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Jan 29, 2011 06:28
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Jars for what?
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Feb 1, 2011 09:19
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King Arthur Flour is having another tiered site-wide sale. They stock the red splash-proof Thermapens and are the only retailer other than the manufacturer who ever put them on sale. One Thermapen is $81.56 (or $76.76 if you add a $4 item you want to get 20% off), decent but not quite as cheap as the Thermoworks sale that just ended. If you and a buddy go in together and order two, they're $71.96 each after 25% off. You have to use the link included in the e-mails they send out about the sale. Here is the one I received.
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Feb 8, 2011 12:22
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Whiteycar posted:Also kitchen aid has a sweet dutch oven set that go into deep discount mode every 2 or 3 months. I picked up the one below for 30 bucks. Looks just as good as the other ones plus you don't have to buy new knobs for the top they are already heat resistant up to something crazy like 600F. For anyone who's interested, this will be on sale for $90 (55% off) from April 9-15.
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Apr 6, 2011 21:39
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Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:Any recommendations for a good deep fryer for ~$100? Waring Pro
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Apr 25, 2011 00:49
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If you're interested in All-Clad, I'd get this set. It's one of the few cookware sets I've seen that actually hit the right points in terms of useful pieces and sizes. I bought the original (non-D5) version a few years ago and use every piece on a regular basis. CI did a review of cookware sets last year and agreed with my assessment.
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Apr 28, 2011 20:10
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PRADA SLUT posted:So pretty much for all practical reasons, the the G5 is as just good as the copper core, but cheaper? I can't speak from personal experience, but everything I read when researching my own purchase lead me to conclude it wasn't worth the extra cost unless you like a pretty copper band on your pots and pans. There were some practical differences before, like the rolled lips on all the copper pans, but D5 has that too so it's no longer applicable.
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Apr 28, 2011 21:59
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I got mine for something ridiculous like $90 because they were clearing out the red ones at Future Shop here in Canada. I'm glad I bought the 12 cup model. I wasn't sure how much I would use it, but it's come in handy a number of times. Lately I have been making pizza dough, pastry dough, and grinding meat for burgers.
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Jun 10, 2011 07:08
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PretentiousFood posted:Rumor has it that the Cuisinart is actually a rebranded Kenmore, I'd check it out! Either way it looks way better than the KA. I think you mean Kenwood, but it's kind of complicated. DeLonghi bought Kenwood back in 2001 and started changing designs and marketing their mixers under the DeLonghi name in North America. There was also a rebranded Kenmore version, oddly enough, as well as Viking. The current Cuisinart mixers are apparently rebadged/reworked DeLonghis. DeLonghi no longer appears to sell any mixers under their own name. That makes the Cuisinart related the Kenwood, but I'm not sure how much is the same under the hood.
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Aug 12, 2011 23:33
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Cordless electric kettles are worth the extra money. Plus, it doesn't have an exposed heating element like the cheap one.
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Sep 21, 2011 08:27
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 ATTENTION TEPID PUDDLERS The $199 Sous Vide Supreme Demi deal is back on for a few days. The code is DEMIDEAL and it's good for the red, white, blue, and grey Demis and expires on Nov 11 at 11:59 PST. I'd recommend buying the separate "pouch rack" they sell because the one that comes with it sucks.
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Nov 8, 2011 18:53
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Ziploc bags have worked for everything I've wanted to cook sous vide so far. The medium size ultra heavy duty freezer bags are the best for most stuff. I kind of want a vacuum sealer for some stuff, but it's not essential by any means. Just a reminder to anyone on the fence about the Demi: $199 deal ends at midnight PST tonight.
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Nov 11, 2011 23:46
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Josh Lyman posted:As a resolution to my can opener story, I discovered one in my office file cabinet that I had borrowed from a friend about 2 years ago. It turned out to be a Swing-A-Way, the small one in black. My family has had Swing-A-Way can openers for as long as I can remember. It doesn't do any of that fancy edge rolling or lid holding, but it's by far the easiest to use hand can opener I've tried. Made in USA to boot, though according to people whining on Amazon that may no longer be the case.
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Nov 27, 2011 00:02
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Dim, Tired, and Elderly posted:Any recommendations on a good wood cutting board? I've seen some of the Boos boards being well reviewed. Any suggestions? http://www.theboardsmith.com/
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Dec 5, 2011 20:47
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Unless you are planning to use it for something other than boiling water or simmering stock, I don't see why the cooking performance really matters. I have an 8 quart All-Clad stock pot, but it's shaped to be used like a Dutch oven, which is mostly how I use it. I have a cheapie 12 quart KitchenAid stock pot I use for actual stock, and it's a much better size.
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Dec 7, 2011 01:38
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Dacap posted:Can anyone recommend a good online store for buying knives to ship to Canada? Can you be a bit more specific than "knives"?
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Dec 12, 2011 19:16
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e: hurr cannot read
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Dec 14, 2011 21:09
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poronty posted:So what's the most sensible method/tool for steaming stuff? I just realized I never steam anything because there's nothing among my equipment that is specifically for steaming. Is it the steel double/triple boiler/steamer? Are those bamboo steamers a better choice? Or are they for completely different things? I'm mainly looking for something to steam fish in. I like these.
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Jan 6, 2012 01:34
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I grind a lot of spices. This Krups grinder is a good choice. Don't grind cloves in it unless you like fogged plastic.
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Feb 23, 2012 22:28
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:I use mine for candy making a lot. The downsides are twofold: you have to hold it and it automatically shuts off after a couple of minutes. You have to close it and reopen it to turn it back on. This can be challenging when the probe has been sitting in 290 degree sugar. The current model (splash-proof) can be set to not shut off automatically. I've come pretty close to ordering one a few times, even though I already own one of the original models, because of this reason. Holy crap is it annoying when it shuts off in the middle of something important.
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Jun 16, 2012 07:22
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Mr Executive posted:Sure, it doesn't get the temp in 3 seconds, but it probably only takes around 5 or 6 seconds. Have you actually timed it? Inexpensive digital cooking thermometers often take 10 seconds or more to get a proper stable reading. After years of using crappy thermometers and avoiding them as much as possible, the Thermapen was just loving amazing by comparison. I consider it one of my best kitchen equipment purchases.
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Jun 16, 2012 07:27
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Fatal posted:It actually circulates the water, the demi just relies on convection to move the water around which should create pretty good results seeing as it's small, but will still result in hot spots. It kind of depends on how spergy your definition of "hot spot" is. I've seen people mention 0.5°F differences around the water bath, which is pretty insignificant. The convection system also means the SVS is completely silent, which is a benefit since a lot of people dont want an immersion circulator running in their kitchen for days.
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Jun 20, 2012 03:01
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Doh004 posted:I'm looking to buy a nice wooden cutting board to be my general cutting surface. BoardSMITH is my choice for the nicest end-grain cutting boards.
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Aug 31, 2012 23:40
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I gave in a while ago and just devoted a drawer to the spices I use regularly that fit in small tins.
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Sep 14, 2012 21:21
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Xovaan posted:Hey everyone, I'm looking to build a small kitchen set that will last me my entire life. So far I'm looking at Shuns for knives as out of all the knives I've handled I feel they have the absolute most comfortable handle / balance to them. Handle comfort is such a bullshit piece of knife buying advice. If you hold a chef's knife properly, the shape and size of the handle are almost meaningless unless it's an extremely unusual design. It's also worth noting that many high-end western-style Japanese knives will fail the "balance" tests.  Xovaan posted:The OP recommends getting an 8" chef's knife, which I agree with (I have a Miyabi down south but my mother uses it now that I'm away for college), but what's the general consensus on size for a paring knife? You want something very small, because you should be using your chef's knife for everything else. I only use a paring knife for very delicate tip cutting work like finely mincing garlic. Either get a couple of cheapies like this 3 1/4" Victorinox, or spring for something fancy like the popular 80mm Dojo.
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Sep 15, 2012 05:06
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mindphlux posted:I really disagree with this. I own 5-6 different santokus/chef's knives/gyotos, and I think handle comfort is really important, and different for all the knives I own. Some of this stuff is really nitpicking on finish and odd design issues with specific knives. If a gyuto doesn't have enough board clearance for a normal person to use it without constantly hitting their knuckles, it's a lovely gyuto, handle or not. I think I was getting more at handle shape-related "comfort" advice. A lot of normal people don't use the pinch grip, which is why you end up with "ergonomic" knife handles and other bullshit intended to make holding a knife wrong easier. I've comfortably used gyutos with rounded heels, straight heels, bolsters, no bolsters, full tang, rat-tail tang, d-shaped handles, octagonal handles, round handles, various western-style handles, and so on. Some knives have poorly made handles with exposed tangs that cause blisters, some have poorly finished edges. Many of these handles would be very uncomfortable actually held in the hand (as a lot of people think they should be tested). Pinch grip means you are just using the handle to lever the force, so any flat or round surface without poor finishing is generally fine. Only really unusually sized or shaped handles (e.g. Tojiro DP or Hattori FH) are issues for some people in this respect.
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Sep 15, 2012 19:11
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amazon posted:Perfect for ... biological collections CuddleChunks posted:19 cents a pop. Beat that. 
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Sep 15, 2012 23:02
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If you want specific temperature control, the new Bonavita variable temperature kettles are as good as it gets, but they cost about $90. A kettle like this isn't really a direct replacement for something like a Zojirushi hot water dispenser. For one thing, they aren't intended to be left on 24/7 like the Zoji. I find it really handy to have a constantly available and portable source of near-boiling water for coffee, cooking, heating cups, and so on. It's especially useful at work, where I don't have easy access to a water supply. I use a variable temp kettle for tea I brew below boiling, though.
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Oct 1, 2012 02:40
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These are my favourite spatulas: http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-2-Inch-Scraper/dp/B0042YHN6E/
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Oct 1, 2012 06:21
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EAT THE EGGS RICOLA posted:You can get a svs demi for $199 if you wait for a sale. How often is the Demi on sale these days? SVS raised the regular price from $299 to $359, so I doubt they will ever be that cheap again. I got mine for $199, and I'm pretty happy with it for what I paid, but I'd definitely at least consider other options at $359. Also note the price doesn't include the proper pouch rack ($12.99) and lifting handles from the regular model. My main issue with the Demi is that the aluminum base insert corrodes like crazy in my softened tap water. It's bad enough I have corrosion spots on the inside of the Demi itself now. It's also a bit heavy and awkward to drain and store as others have mentioned. One benefit over immersion circulators you might consider is the completely silent operation if you need to keep it in the kitchen.
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Nov 12, 2012 23:34
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