Indispensable Kitchen Gadgets

[Qoass]

Unfortunately, yeast and I have an uneasy relationship. I have a tendency to accidentally kill it.

[JTMacc99]

Like me with goldfish and non-cacti house plants.

[ariel]

I need some suggestions for a food mill & a baking weight scale.  The food mill I would like to go OXO.  I'm not sure which one to choose. 

The baking scale, I want a good quality one that will last for years - something Mary Berry would approve of - no soggy bottoms.

[biakbiak]

14 minutes ago, ariel said:

 

The baking scale, I want a good quality one that will last for years - something Mary Berry would approve of - no soggy bottoms.

I love my Oxo baking scale, so does America's Test Kitchen.

[ariel]

11 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I love my Oxo baking scale, so does America's Test Kitchen.

Thank you. Oxo products have served me well.

[DeLurker]

I had some lovely chocolate fondue at my brother & SIL's last night.  In addition to fruit, she had waffle batter and iron all prepared, so we had waffle pieces to dip in it too and it was quite good.

I've never eaten a lot of waffles and I figured out why:  I only like the edge pieces and not the middle.

Is there a waffle iron that has more edge?  The one we used last night made a single circle waffle.

[HunterHunted]

6 hours ago, DeLurker said:

I had some lovely chocolate fondue at my brother & SIL's last night.  In addition to fruit, she had waffle batter and iron all prepared, so we had waffle pieces to dip in it too and it was quite good.

I've never eaten a lot of waffles and I figured out why:  I only like the edge pieces and not the middle.

Is there a waffle iron that has more edge?  The one we used last night made a single circle waffle.

Have you tried a bubble waffle iron? 

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/cucinapro-trade-bubble-waffle-maker-in-black/1041533727?skuId=41533727&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_kitchenelectrics_online&product_id=41533727&adtype=pla&product_channel=online&adpos=1o4&creative=224271657011&device=t&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KCQjwx8fOBRD7ARIsAPVq-NlFksclPwaHG2-gklvoXRSmxO1b6x-5tIHVNiR1fEs1wCTZgA5Fzg0aAkPlEALw_wcB

You could also try pouring the batter in a round iron to maximize crispy edges.

[chessiegal]

Not really a kitchen gadget, but I have been lusting after under cabinet kitchen lighting. At Sam's today for something else, and saw Hoover brand LED battery operated lights - (2) 12" strips with a remote control for $19.95. They had a sample set up, and they seemed really bright. I bought one set and am so pleased. They are really bright! I think I'll get another set. They have a remote control and have blue, green, red in addition to white.

[possibilities]

I love LEDs! It's shocking how much less electricity they use and how good the quality of light is. And no flicker or hum like fluorescents.

[DeLurker]

16 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

You could also try pouring the batter in a round iron to maximize crispy edges.

I had to go look up what a bubble iron is - interesting!

I pondered if just pouring less batter in would work.  On my SIL's, if there was insufficient batter, the red indicator light that it was cooking wouldn't come on.  Her's has got to be at least 10 years old and wasn't a fancy one to begin with, so I did not know if that was a common feature that would spoil my plans.

[JTMacc99]

9 hours ago, possibilities said:

I love LEDs! It's shocking how much less electricity they use and how good the quality of light is. And no flicker or hum like fluorescents.

I was just thinking about replacing the one strip of under cabinet lighting I have over my cutting board with an LED strip. I just replaced the two in the range hood with LED bulbs, which was a solid choice because that light often stays on for long periods of time.  The current under cabinet lights are also kind of hot. so a nice low power LED replacement is probably a great idea. It'll probably be picked up as soon as tonight since I'll pass by Lowe's a couple times while driving a child to and from her various after school activities.

[Mindthinkr]

My indispensable gadget is an old Farberware coffee pot. I use it to make asparagus (I have another vehicle to make coffee). I break off the tough bottoms and then stand them up with an inch of water and turn it on. When the cycle is completed I drain the water out through the pour spout and its cooked perfectly every time. It comes out al dente. 

[DeLurker]

A few weeks ago when my Mom was visiting she got this at Sur La Table on clearance.  My nephew came over to help patch some hurricane damage on my garage roof and said "Wow!  Nice!  My mom would love that".  Since we were celebrating her birthday 2 days later, I went to pick it up for him that day since he had to work, just got done crawling around on my roof and they only had 1 or 2 left when we were at the store.  My SIL loves her's too.

I ordered one online a week or so later for myself.  It is an amazingly versatile pan plus oven safe.

[possibilities]

Years ago, someone gave me a "salad shooter". At the time, I thought it was way too much gadget for so little function. But then I found myself using it constantly, to grate carrots, and sometimes potatoes.

The motor has died, and I've started to grate carrots manually again and let me tell you-- I'm eating way fewer carrots now, because it's a huge, exhausting, slow process that I don't enjoy.

I'm wondering if anyone has an electric grater they like? A food processor seems like overkill for this. Ideas?

[Lovecat]

33 minutes ago, possibilities said:

Years ago, someone gave me a "salad shooter". At the time, I thought it was way too much gadget for so little function. But then I found myself using it constantly, to grate carrots, and sometimes potatoes.

The motor has died, and I've started to grate carrots manually again and let me tell you-- I'm eating way fewer carrots now, because it's a huge, exhausting, slow process that I don't enjoy.

I'm wondering if anyone has an electric grater they like? A food processor seems like overkill for this. Ideas?

I'm sorry if this comes off as snarky, because it's not meant that way, but...why don't you just get another Salad Shooter?  They still make them, and they're available on Amazon for 30 bucks.  I don't know what model you have, but a quick search on eBay for "Salad Shooter motor" turned up several options, if you just want to try to replace that part.

[possibilities]

Honestly, I thought of that and I might do it. I just thought I'd ask in case anyone had a recommendation for something better. Sometimes there are better gadgets than what I know of, and the folks here tend to be good resources for this kind of thing.

[chessiegal]

If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, I'd look into their attachments.

[chessiegal]

We visited my oldest stepdaughter and family last week. She cooks every day for her now large family, and we got to discussing the Instant Pot. She said she had a friend who cooked vegetarian Indian food and sang the praises of it. Opening my latest BB&B flyer, I see they are selling an 8 qt. Fagor-Lux 8 in 1 cooker for !59.99, with a $25 gift card. So with 20% off plus gift card, seems like a good deal Got good reviews except for 2 people who got pots with defective lids that didn't seal properly. Anyone familiar with this brand? I've got room for it on my kitchen counter, so am interested.
 

[chessiegal]

Question for Instant Pot owners - I bought the Fagor 8 qt multi-function cooker today. It didn't come with a steamer insert. Did the Instant Pot come with a steamer insert? When I went to Fagor and tried to order their steamer insert, I get an error message. Will any kind of steamer insert do? I'm assuming you just need something to keep the food above the water. Thanks.

[biakbiak]

It doesn't, anyone that fits will do. 

[chessiegal]

39 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

It doesn't, anyone that fits will do. 

Thanks. Crazy as it may sound, I really want to try making hard boiled eggs in it.

[biakbiak]

8 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Thanks. Crazy as it may sound, I really want to try making hard boiled eggs in it.

It's my favorite thing, so not weird at all.

[chessiegal]

Question for the hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot folks - how long do you cook the eggs? I tried it today in my Fagor Versa - 9 minutes on low pressure, and the yolks weren't as firm as I like. I also put them in an ice bath for 15 minutes. They were fairly easy to peel, but not totally without some shell pulling the white away.

[biakbiak]

29 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Question for the hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot folks - how long do you cook the eggs? I tried it today in my Fagor Versa - 9 minutes on low pressure, and the yolks weren't as firm as I like. I also put them in an ice bath for 15 minutes. They were fairly easy to peel, but not totally without some shell pulling the white away.

I do 8 minutes high pressure, quick release than a cold water bath. Firm yolk with shells that fall off everytime.

[chessiegal]

42 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

I do 8 minutes high pressure, quick release than a cold water bath. Firm yolk with shells that fall off everytime.

Thanks. I'll give it a try tomorrow. I'm done experimenting today.

[mansonlamps]

15 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Question for the hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot folks - how long do you cook the eggs? I tried it today in my Fagor Versa - 9 minutes on low pressure, and the yolks weren't as firm as I like. I also put them in an ice bath for 15 minutes. They were fairly easy to peel, but not totally without some shell pulling the white away.

https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-soft-hard-boiled-eggs/

This website shows how to cook boiled eggs using low pressure (it claims it makes the whites more tender), and gives you pictures of how firm the yolk will be in one minute increments starting at 5 minutes all the way up to 14 minutes.  These guys really did some homework on this topic!  I like this site because sometimes I want the yolk more creamy if I'm eating them right away.

[chessiegal]

18 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I do 8 minutes high pressure, quick release than a cold water bath. Firm yolk with shells that fall off everytime.

This gave me soft cooked eggs with somewhat difficult to peel results. I think I'm going to keep on experimenting to see what works with my cooker.

ETA: 14 minutes on low pressure worked.

Edited November 7, 2017 by chessiegal

[wilsie]

I've been on other forums for a few years now but this is my first post here.   I enjoy reading your posts and learning about new gadgets.  I have a chance to get a 12" ceramic-coated electric skillet.  My main uses would be making eggs, pancakes, and other breakfast items.  Also, I would probably use it for browning ground beef with onions and peppers.  Does anyone have any advice about whether it's worth the space having this appliance?  I usually just cook for one but I do cook every day.  I appreciate any help.

[Sandman]

On 7/19/2017 at 8:37 PM, ariel said:

I'm not sure if this can be considered a gadget, but I like Formaticum cheese storage bags.  They keep my cheese fresher for a longer time.

I was wondering if I'd see any reference to these in the thread. I love them! They really work -- the cheese storage paper from the same company seems to have two distinct layers, but otherwise work just the same. It's almost unbelievable how much longer cheese lasts when wrapped in them. (Confession: I never use the little adhesive sticker/seals that come with the box of cheese paper. The bags you just fold over -- no seals.)

I wouldn't want to do without these, my little Japanese Benriner brand mandoline, and a couple of Microplane graters -- and my old second-hand rice cooker. They're probably what I used most, other than my knives, which I've had for twenty years or more. Oh, and pair of medium-sized tongs. (How did ever get along without spring-loaded tongs for pasta?)

I also have a pair wooden toast tongs, which seem like a fussy solution to a near-trivial problem, but I never burn my fingers using the toaster anymore.

I think I'd really like an Instant Pot, but I have limited counter space, and I don't think I can justify it. (My rice cooker lives on the shelf of the coat closet at my back door, just off the kitchen.)

[JTMacc99]

The praises for the Instapot, and I heard somebody outside of my office door talking about the one she just purchased so it isn't just here, have moved it to the top of my "something to put under the tree for myself Christmas morning" list. 

I'm sure I would use it, even though I have tools in my kitchen that do each of the things it does. 

[MargeGunderson]

2 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

The praises for the Instapot, and I heard somebody outside of my office door talking about the one she just purchased so it isn't just here, have moved it to the top of my "something to put under the tree for myself Christmas morning" list. 

I'm sure I would use it, even though I have tools in my kitchen that do each of the things it does. 

I finally bought one from Amazon yesterday. I will be looking for recipes, so please share if you have any favorites!

[ariel]

10 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

I finally bought one from Amazon yesterday. I will be looking for recipes, so please share if you have any favorites!

 If you like hard boiled eggs, try that.  It's usually the first recipe for most people.  You will be amazed how easy the egg shells come off.

Edited November 29, 2017 by ariel

[JTMacc99]

So there are different types. It seems like I'm going to be in it for the first six (pressure, slow, rice, saute, steamer, warmer) for the most part. The 7 in 1 adds yogurt maker, which I would do exactly zero times ever. 10 in 1 says it has a cake maker, fondue, and sterilizer. 

The thing is, the $79.99 six quart option has the words Cake and Egg right on the control panel.

Any reason I would want to pick any other option than the 6 in 1 given that it sure looks like it would do everything I would ever want it to do? I'm most likely to use it as a pressure cooker and a slow cooker fairly regularly. If the more expensive ones function exactly the same with that stuff, I think this is a pretty clear choice for me.

[theredhead77]

On 11/29/2017 at 8:40 AM, JTMacc99 said:

So there are different types. It seems like I'm going to be in it for the first six (pressure, slow, rice, saute, steamer, warmer) for the most part. The 7 in 1 adds yogurt maker, which I would do exactly zero times ever. 10 in 1 says it has a cake maker, fondue, and sterilizer. 

The thing is, the $79.99 six quart option has the words Cake and Egg right on the control panel.

Any reason I would want to pick any other option than the 6 in 1 given that it sure looks like it would do everything I would ever want it to do? I'm most likely to use it as a pressure cooker and a slow cooker fairly regularly. If the more expensive ones function exactly the same with that stuff, I think this is a pretty clear choice for me.

I have the 6QT 6 in 1 DUO and LOVE IT!

Whichever model you choose, take the time to read the instructions and accept that there is a bit of a learning curve.

Edited November 30, 2017 by theredhead77

[mansonlamps]

Look for sales at Amazon on Black Friday or Cyber Monday type sale days.  They had the 8 quart for 74.99 on Monday, usually 129.99.  That's the oneI I have and I love it.

[MargeGunderson]

For those of us new Instapot owners, this looks like a good guide. I ordered the Melissa Clark cookbook yesterday.

Edited December 1, 2017 by MargeGunderson

[Sandman]

I love Melissa Clark's columns. I have to say her enthusiasm for the Instant Pot is a big part of what makes me consider buying one -- and in fact was the source for my awareness of it (even though I think the thing was invented in my home town here in Canada).

[Lovecat]

On 11/28/2017 at 9:42 PM, ariel said:

 If you like hard boiled eggs, try that.  It's usually the first recipe for most people.  You will be amazed how easy the egg shells come off.

Preach!  I'm currently obsessed with Instant Pot hard boiled eggs.  Problem is, I only like the whites, so I have a little container of yolks in my fridge that I don't know what to do with.  DH is ambivalent to egg salad, and there are only so many egg yolks we can feed the dog before he starts smelling like one of Yellowstone's sulphur geysers.   

[DeLurker]

Try using them in baking - Bon Appetite

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, Lovecat said:

Problem is, I only like the whites, so I have a little container of yolks in my fridge that I don't know what to do with.  DH is ambivalent to egg salad, and there are only so many egg yolks we can feed the dog before he starts smelling like one of Yellowstone's sulphur geysers.   

I only like the whites, too, and my cat will eat a little bit of yolk, but nowhere near a whole one, so I wind up wasting most of my egg yolks.  Raw or cooked, they can be used in a large number of baked goods, as noted above, but I hardly ever make those sorts of things.  I need to post on Nextdoor and Freecycle to see if there's anyone in my neighborhood who does a lot of baking and would like some extra yolks.

[biakbiak]

31 minutes ago, Bastet said:

  I need to post on Nextdoor and Freecycle to see if there's anyone in my neighborhood who does a lot of baking and would like some extra yolks.

It's a shame you don't live near to my mother, she is allergic to egg whites but loves the yolks!

[Lovecat]

On 12/6/2017 at 9:39 AM, DeLurker said:

Try using them in baking - Bon Appetite

Well isn't that something!!  Thanks so much for that info; I don't bake enough to use a half-dozen egg yolks a week, but with the holiday baking season coming up (or is it already here, OMG I'm so far behind...), I can probably get rid of a few of them :)

[theredhead77]

I picked up an electric kettle at Costco. Best $19.99 I've spent in a long time.

[rcc]

5 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

I picked up an electric kettle at Costco. Best $19.99 I've spent in a long time.

I've got one too. Love it.

[Quof]

Quote

Try using them in baking - Bon Appetite

As one who loathes eggs - the taste, smell, even the sight - I promise you I could taste cooked egg yolk in baked goods.  And, no, it's not the same as an egg that is mixed raw with the other ingredients, then cooked.   You don't taste those.

[DeLurker]

@Quof - I believe you.  My son cannot stand the smell of hard boiled eggs - it makes him almost vomit and he is not an overly dramatic person to begin with. 

[MargeGunderson]

Bought myself a mini espresso machine as an early holiday gift. It’s a Nespresso so it has the little pods of espresso. It came with a milk frother which works surprisingly well. It’s not as good as I might get at a top notch coffee place but its better than my usual Starbucks. 

[Mindthinkr]

On 12/10/2017 at 5:21 PM, theredhead77 said:

I picked up an electric kettle at Costco. Best $19.99 I've spent in a long time.

I also have an electric kettle. The water boils in half of the time that it would take on the stovetop. Also saves $$ on the electric. 

[JTMacc99]

Electric kettles are one of those things you don't think you need until you have one. Especially since actual tea kettles are cool looking on the stove and come in fancy designs. But once you get used to just flipping a switch to get hot water, you're done with using the stove.

Turns out that my research into the difference between the 6 in 1 and the 7 in 1 Instant Pot was irrelevant. It appears as though the 6 in 1 was an older model no longer available, so 7 in 1 it will be. I'll be sure to have a bunch of ingredients on hand Christmas morning, so that I can play with it that day when I unwrap it. 

Edited December 14, 2017 by JTMacc99

[Athena]

I definitely could not live without my electric kettle. I even had one with variable temp settings but it was a cheap one. Hoping to save up for a better quality one after my current one goes.