Indispensable Kitchen Gadgets

[FormerMod-a1]

Not the OP, but that's too expensive for me.  $50-60 for a waffle maker seems high.  I have one that still works I think I got for $20.   I just walked down the aisle of Myers (not the Kroger associated one, a local chain in MI) and bought a cheap one.  Now that I live in MN I would do the same at Target (since no Myer's here), plus Target is national.  

[DeLurker]

A while back MargeGunderson recommended The Sweet Home for pretty comprehensive reviews.  I checked them out and found them very helpful. 

 

Here's the review on waffle irons.

[KicksandGiggles]

I love cinnamon ice cream, Bella! It's so hard to find, I've only ever seen it in one ice cream place where I live and they went out of business. To me that's the best part of having an ice cream maker, being able to churn out flavours that you can't find anywhere else. My current summer ice cream love is vanilla buttermilk, it tastes amazing on top of a fruit crisp or pie.

 

I had no idea you could shred chicken with it. I'm a vegetarian now, but that would've been handy to know before I gave up meat. I always used to hate getting chicken-y bits stuck under my nails.

 

I have a kitchen gadget question that I'm hoping somebody can help me out with. I'd like to start making fresh pasta and I'm trying to decide between getting the KitchenAid attachment or the hand crank kind. Anybody have any experience with either? 

 

Sorry, I know that your question was a year and a half ago, but I just discovered this site thanks to Athena :).  I have the Kitchen Aid pasta attachment and absolutely love it! I really didn't think I would make much fresh pasta, but my husband really wanted to try making it, so I gave in. We purchased the 3 pasta attachment package; spaghetti, noodle, and sheet. We have made all. I loved the spaghetti, but must admit that personally, I feel that I can purchase Barilla spaghetti, especially the whole wheat when it's on sale cheaper than I can make it. I make the egg noodles all the time though, and must admit that there really is nothing like a beef noodle soup or stroganoff with homemade egg noodles. And don't even get me started on lasagne! By far, the best with homemade noodles, red sauce, and topped with a bechemal.  I have found though that it is best to make the pasta sheet a bit thicker, then run it through a 2nd or 3rd time on a thinner setting (sorry, I can't remember off-hand if I start with 5, then work my way down to 3 or exactly what it is). Either way, I do know that it was worth the money, and it sadly wasn't cheap. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you enjoy pasta.

 

The only other thing that I have to add regarding kitchen gadgets that I really love:

 

a silicone garlic peeler - it's a cylindrical shaped thing that strips the peel off the garlic with just a couple of quick back and forth presses. So easy!

 

and silicone egg poachers - you put the egg in the cup shaped silicone and boil, simple, and if buttered, the poached eggs slide out so easily. I love a recipe that I have that calls out for some bacon and a poached egg on a salad. Sounds a little crazy, but oh so yummy!

[mansonlamps]

I learned an egg poaching method on a cooking blog and will never do them any other way, simple and works every time. I put two ball jar lids in a pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and turn off flame. Crack egg into each lid and cover pan. Let stand for 4 1/2 minutes. Remove lid and take eggs out with large silicone spatula. Foolproof! Eggs come out with rich, creamy yolks.

The only thing you might have to perfect is the timing if you are using jumbo eggs for example, or if you like your eggs super soft or a little bit harder.

[ethalfrida]

Yesterday I learned how valuable the slow cooker is. With a turkey and two whole chickens in the oven,  I ran out of cooking options for the pan of dressing. First, I had to Google to see if there cooking times listed, found and then discarded. Went ahead and used the cooker and dressing was done same time turkey and chickens were. 

 

And look, I said dinner would be ready at three and it was. Everything was on the table at exactly that time. Scared myself.

[Quof]

Have you seen the new quick Ramen cooker????  Now, I haven't eaten ramen noodles since my poor, student days, but I don't recall being frustrated by how long they took to cook.

[Trini]

Ha! How long does it take with the ramen cooker?

I remember I had my process down to 6 minutes exactly: 1) noodles and water - microwave 2 minutes, 2) stir in seasoning packet - nuke another 2 minutes, 3) let sit for 2 minutes, 4) Eat.

[mansonlamps]

Well you piqued my curiosity, so I had to look it up and I was introduced into the world of rapid cooking, apparently started by a contestant on Shark Tank. Rapid Ramen, Rapid Mac and Cheese, Rapid Rice, Rapid Oatmeal. A college dorm room dream. Products get 4-5 stars, so apparently this is the real deal. Note - DO NOT buy on QVC where it costs $18.75 for a two pack vs. $4.99 each at Target or $19.99 for a "college dorm room set" of all 4 products at Amazon.

Oh and it claims to take only 3 minutes and you eat right out of the same container.

Edited November 29, 2015 by mansonlamps

[mansonlamps]

This isn't the exact right thread, but is anyone else deeply saddened by the discontinuation of Chef's catalog and website? That seemed to be the only place you could get an abundance of reviews on most products. It was a little pricey, but I loved their spices and their selection of products. Damn Target!

[DeLurker]

It's not a gadget, but an appliance I covet* ...my Mom got a new Kenmore double-oven range.(in black).  The top oven heats up faster than my toaster oven!

 

*I don't think I have ever coveted an appliance before.  It is very odd.

[possibilities]

Wow! That does look nice! And in addition to the double oven, you get the 5th burner (my stove has 4). Now I want one!

[harrie]

We have that range, a few years older though, and our fifth burner is actually a warming thing. The double oven is extremely handy; it's taken a lot of abuse and is still hanging in there.

[DeLurker]

My Mom has used that top oven more times in the 8 days I was there for Christmas than she has in 40+ years living in Florida!  She loathed using the oven because she said it heated up the house too much.

[ShellSeeker]

We have that range, a few years older though, and our fifth burner is actually a warming thing. The double oven is extremely handy; it's taken a lot of abuse and is still hanging in there.

 

We also have something similar. The top oven is the one I use almost all the time. I use the lower one for cooking things in large pots that won't fit in the top one, making cookies, etc. It gets the most use on Thanksgiving, when I've got a bunch of things all cooking at the same time. In our old house, we had a full set of double ovens, and I was sorry to lose them when we moved. But this setup gets me about 90% of the way there. There are times when I'd really like to have full double ovens, but they're pretty few and far between.

[possibilities]

How does one abuse an oven?

[harrie]

How does one abuse an oven?

 

I used it a lot, baking cookies several nights a week in addition to regular mealtime preparations for about ten years. I was asking a household appliance to carry a commercial oven's workload, which IMO is abuse.  As always, YMMV.

[harrie]

I got a new hand blender for Christmas, and the hub chose a Cuisinart model with attachments (see below).  Used the chopping thing for the first time today, and it's awesome!   There's just the two of us, and this is great for knocking off small amounts of chopped basil (today), nuts or whatever without hauling out the bigass food processor.  I highly recommend.  

[Bastet]

I have that, but I've only used it as an immersion blender; I haven't used the chopper.

[harrie]

The (chopper attachment) blades look tiny and useless, but they worked great. Then again, I was chopping basil, not ice.

Edited January 28, 2016 by harrie

[DeLurker]

I have that one too - it is pretty awesome, but I use the immersion blender about 95% of the time.

[harrie]

I have that one too - it is pretty awesome, but I use the immersion blender about 95% of the time.

 

Me too; that's why I was so excited that the gadgety attachments work so well (so far, anyway).

[JTMacc99]

I've had three different brands of immersion blender. The current Cuisinart one I own is BY FAR the best one. Mine doesn't have the attachments, but it is bright green, so I have that going for me.

[Qoass]

I've got to stay out of this thread.  It makes me want to buy things.  I have an immersion attachment for my KitchenAid hand held mixer and it doesn't do the job at all.

[JTMacc99]

I've got to stay out of this thread.  It makes me want to buy things.  I have an immersion attachment for my KitchenAid hand held mixer and it doesn't do the job at all.

$35 for just the basic model.  Comes in lots of colors. Doesn't destroy my cookware.

 

I know I'm not helping...

[Qoass]

Or with the attachments for about $48 if I use a 20% coupon at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

 

Oh, god.

[sashakhilova]

I'm on the hunt for a slow cooker. I've never owned or used one before, but love the thought of coming home to a warm meal that's ready to eat. I don't have a lot of counter or storage space in my apartment and am mostly cooking for two. Any suggestions?

[dan27]

I actually own four crock pots in varying sizes. The small one is great for breakfast oatmeal or a side dish of dried beans. The largest can hold a whole chicken or small turkey or baked potatoes for the whole family. And the in-betweens are perfect for a typical chili or soup meal.
The one MUST HAVE feature is a removable insert; the first one I ever had (a hand-me-down from my parents when I was in college) was a one-piece thing, and it was a pain to wash. A removable insert can to into the dishwasher. Beyond that, the differences are minimal - of course, I must admit that I have no experience with the browning features; they might be worthwhile.
I'll also recommend two websites: http://topreviews.best/main-review/slow-cookerand http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/ You'll be surprised at just how many things you can cook in a crock pot.

[auntlada]

You also have to think about if you are ever going to use it to take food elsewhere. If so, get one with a lockable lid.

 

When you get one, buy slow cooker liners. It makes clean-up a lot easier.

[JTMacc99]

I've got to stay out of this thread.  It makes me want to buy things. 

So... I don't even need this thread to do that to me. I just let my mind wander for a little and then with the help of the internet, I can whip myself into a MUST BUY THIS ITEM RIGHT NOW frenzy.

 

My train of thought went on a rampage the last couple of days. It started with the news that Forged in Fire will be coming back on the air for a second season soon. Then I realized that tax return money will be coming soon, as will my birthday.  On top of that, I've been talking with a person at work who has me inspired to make a list of things I want to do, which is another way of saying "don't forget to live a little" while I'm also taking care of all my responsibilities.

 

The result of all that is the sudden desire to treat myself to a really nice custom made knife.  The idea had been in my head for a while. It started when I saw an interview with Alton Brown where he was asked where he gets his knives and he responded with Cut Brooklyn.  They are really beautiful knives, but they sell out super quickly, and worse, they're really expensive.  Like $650 for the big chef knives, which is probably what I would want.  I mean, if I'm going to spend a fortune on a knife, it should probably be on the one I use all the time, right?

 

So with a little help from the internet search engines, and also Instagram (you follow Cut Brooklyn, and Instagram points you to others like it and so on), I found a whole bunch of little guys who make custom knives.  Some make some chefs and Japanese style knives priced down in the range I consider extravagant (less than half of Cut Brooklyn's rate), and some are more but goodness they are gorgeous.  I'm going to be hemming and hawing over this decision for a couple weeks. It should be fun!

 

Here are just a few of the other ones I've found so far:

NHB Knifeworks

Nafzger Forge

Doghouse Forge

Bloodroot Blades

Edited February 5, 2016 by JTMacc99

[DeLurker]

I'm on the hunt for a slow cooker. I've never owned or used one before, but love the thought of coming home to a warm meal that's ready to eat. I don't have a lot of counter or storage space in my apartment and am mostly cooking for two. Any suggestions?

Late to the party, but this article, Slow Cookers for Beginners, is pretty good IMO.

[Maharincess]

Holy crap! If I'm going to pay $650.00 for a knife (which I'd NEVER do) that damn knife better bring some steak and lobster and cook it then clean up.

That's just insane to me, why would anybody want or need a 600 knife?!

[JTMacc99]

It is all relative. Why would anybody need an $80,000 car, a $7,000 dining room set or a $400 purse? If you are going to use one knife almost every time you cook for the next 30 years, it is not so hard to convince yourself to spend as much as your personal situation allows I assume.

By the way, I got my Crockpot brand slow cooker on Amazon for less than $20 by choosing a pattern on the outside that I guess was less popular.

Edited February 14, 2016 by JTMacc99

[JTMacc99]

I know we've talked about cast iron pans here before, but I don't think I've shared my latest use for them: PIZZA!

 

Who knew? Take about half or a third of a store bought pizza dough, and make it into a pizza that fits into your cast iron pan. Both the grill pan and the regular type work. Cook the dough until the bottom starts to firm up and get a little crispy/brown as if it were in a wood fired oven. Flip it over and that's when you put on the toppings. I've tried cheese first and sauce/other stuff second, which helps melt the cheese faster.  I've also done it the other way, simply because the sauce is easier to spread around quickly that way.

 

Obviously you'll need to tinker with the heat level. It will get burned if it's too hot, and it might not get the fantastic wood-fired crispy texture if you cook it too low.

 

This is one of my new favorite things, (the idea was given to me from one of my new favorite people so there might be a little sentimental attachment to it as well) and I hope everybody gives it a shot. It's yet another reason to own at least one piece of cast iron cookware.

[DeLurker]

Awesome! Can't wait to try this.

[mansonlamps]

Do you do the cast iron pizza on the stovetop or in the oven? If stovetop, uncovered or covered?

[JTMacc99]

Do you do the cast iron pizza on the stovetop or in the oven? If stovetop, uncovered or covered?

Right on the stovetop.  My range has a cast iron insert in the middle, which at this point is only being used for pizza. I made the first couple in my grill pan with the ridges on the bottom before I remembered I could do what you see here in that picture.

Edited February 25, 2016 by JTMacc99

[mansonlamps]

I have a similar stovetop with the 5th burner and the cast iron, but I never thought of using it for pizza. I mostly use it for grilled, cheese, eggs and pancakes. I'll have to give that a try.

[JTMacc99]

Grilled cheese is a great use for it.  I love my long rectangular electric griddle for pancakes. I set it to 350 and they all come out perfect.

[Zahdii]

Anyone heard of this informercial?

 

"Best Pan Ever!

Copper Chef is the non-stick, no clean up pan that serves as a roasting pan, rice cooker, steamer, stock pot, wok and baking dish!"

 

I wasn't able to watch the whole commercial due to the extremely annoying woman acting as co host (she was apparently desperate to make sure no one forgot she was there and wouldn't shut up - at all!)

 

Anyway, has anyone used any of the pans from this company?  Are they really as wonderful as advertised?  One of my kids is fascinated with them and has a birthday coming up, so I'm wondering if it would make a good gift.

[krimimimi]

I don't know anyone with a Copper Chef pan, and find most infomercials painful. (Netflix has completely changed the way I spend sleepless nights.) But top among my favorite kitchen things is definitely a pan, so that might not be a bad idea.

I was lucky enough to get a Silit Ceraprotect pan for about a third of what they usually go for a while back, and if I wasn't already married, and lived somewhere where marrying inanimate objects was a thing, I would totally elope with that puppy. It's amazing. The one I have has a plastic handle, but they come with metal handles too, and if so can handle temps up to 400* C. So oven would definitely work. I don't actually use my frying pans that way, so don't think it really matters that I have the plastic handle (that can only handle oven temps up to 150* C).

I had always dreamed of having Calphalon pans (even as a kid, I was a foodie) and was lucky enough to get a non-stick Calphalon frying pan set a decade or so ago, but they were such a let down. And in retrospect I realize it's largely because I couldn't keep my husband from using them over too high heat - we weren't using them within specification. But we expect pans to do more. The Silit Ceraprotect pan I now have, in addition to being cheaper than the Calphalon, is so much better. It doesn't have PTFE, which the predecessor did (and we totally were using it long after we should have disposed of it for health reasons, because I couldn't bear to just throw it away), so that's a relief. But it too wants you to follow some rules. For example, you shouldn't use olive oil, because olive oil doesn't cope well with the heat, and will ruin the non-stick properties of the pan. So I usually use cholesterol-free canola instead. I pan-fried battered feta cheese the other day - required little oil to do so, and I can literally clean up using a paper towel when I'm done. I've never owned (or used) a pan that let me do that before. I actually *enjoy* cleaning that pan, and I hate doing the dishes. If you are likely to stick to spec, I can recommend it wholeheartedly, if not, I'd steer clear. (In use almost daily.)

My next favorite kitchen doohickey is a tea bag tong. Only four or five bucks, super well spent. No more spinning the damn bag around my spoon only to have it sploosh back into my cuppa. No more burnt fingers. Adore it. Not many other people get that though. It's not exactly flashy. (In use several times daily.)

Then I really like and very regularly use my Braun food processor, which I didn't want, but Mr. mimi decided I needed. He was right. I think I used to make him do the "blending stuff in small batches" work with the old blender, and never realized how frustrating that was. This is *so* much better. Made cole-slaw this weekend, mayo, leek soup, tomato sauce, and even my own cocoa mix. All with that machine. So basically it gets used almost every day. My only secret there is I have it on my counter, because if I had to get it out all the time, I probably wouldn't. We don't have much counter space, and it's the only thing I've got on permanent "display." And it totally deserves it.

And next runner up would be a 12 buck apple peeler, corer, slicer crank. My uncle had one, left over from WW II by the look of it. We teased him mercilessly. Until it was time to bake an apple pie. Sold. We ran out and got our own. Even just for snacking on apples, it's an improvement, and apple consumption in our household has really risen. Since owning it, four sets of our friends have decided they need one, too, and purchased one. I don't think any other product we own has ever convinced that many people of its usefulness before. (Usage varies from a couple of times a day to a few times a week. We go through phases.)

And then we used to use the heck out of our bread machine, in part because you could set the timer and wake to a fresh loaf, and because it didn't heat up the whole kitchen in summer. But we've stopped using it as much at the moment. I think because I'm experimenting with artisanal breads, and because it's winter, and heating the house doesn't seem like such a bad thing right now. I expect come summer, we'll fall back in love with it. (When in use, in use once or twice a week.)

I don't think it necessarily takes a lot of money to shine as a product. Four of the five things I listed were under $35 (except the Silit pans are usually a good deal pricier), two of them significantly so. What it takes is filling a need *well*, but that seems to be fairly rare.

[auntlada]

I've never heard of tea tongs before, but they're on my wish list now. Thank you.

[krimimimi]

Ideally something like

this

The curve helps the tea bag nestle while being squeezed. I use a *lot* of loose leaf tea in bags I fill myself, so I don't always even have the string to work with. At upwards of a quart of tea a day, the tongs were a real finger saver. And yeah, works on lemon slices, too. (Pretty sure I got mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond or the kitchen wares store that used to be across from it for less than Amazon wants, but then I had to leave the house for them. ;-))

I'm glad that was the item that caught your eye, because it has most consistently been on my favorites list and is the cheapest. It always makes me a little sad when visitors don't get it. But I guess they're coffee drinkers.

[DeLurker]

I love my silly toaster tongs.

[bosawks]

I've got this urge to get a waffle maker.

Any suggestions that fall in line with a social service salary.....

[mansonlamps]

As long as you are looking for the kind that makes one waffle at a time, there are several excellent choices on Target's website with close to 5 star reviews for under $25, one as low as $17. Not sure what your exact budget is.

[DeLurker]

Someone here recommended the Sweet Homes site for reviews (and apologizes for forgetting who and not looking it up!), but I liked their writeups.

 

http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-waffle-maker/

[krimimimi]

I've got this urge to get a waffle maker.

Any suggestions that fall in line with a social service salary.....

Coincidentally, I just made sweet and savory buttermilk waffles. For dinner. Yum. Being an adult has it perks, if you remember to take advantage of them.

We had a super cheapo waffle iron before, and it died, so we upgraded slightly to one that allows you to swap out the plates between waffles, those sealed sandwiches and grill plates. Moulinex, on sale, probably twice what we paid for the single use machine that died, and this one has now been in use longer than the other. Wasn't terribly expensive at the time, and for us, space is at a higher premium.

IIRC, Good Eats had a nice ep about waffles, where Alton also talked about what makes a good iron. The answer wasn't "expense." Probably on YouTube.

ETA: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h3in0JurBe8 from the 7:00 minute mark. A little silly as always, but does a good job of explaining why things matter. (Weight (heavy is good), size (too large isn't a good thing), shape (round is best))

Edited March 5, 2016 by krimimimi

[Sandman87]

Regarding tea-bag tongs: I've always just used a fork. Lifts the bag right up, leaves the liquid behind.

[ALenore]

Hey, thanks for the link to The Sweet Home.  I've been looking for a new kitchen scale.  The old one I have is way off (I tested it using a 1 pound weight disk I had and it was off by over an ounce.) I picked up one at random at Walmart, and it was off by even more.   They have a suggestion for a good kitchen scale that I think I may buy.

[JTMacc99]

Coincidentally, I just made sweet and savory buttermilk waffles. For dinner. Yum. Being an adult has it perks, if you remember to take advantage of them.

 

I go with Martha Stewart's buttermilk waffles recipe when I make them.  I've been trying to convince my 9 year-old chef to take a crack at them, but she's been sticking with pancakes since she's had success with them and it makes her feel good when things work out.

 

I had a Black and Decker waffle iron for a long time until I dropped it on the floor and it broke in ways I couldn't repair. (Like my marriage! ::rimshot::)  My parents bought me a Cuisinart one as a replacement, and it is excellent.  

Edited March 7, 2016 by JTMacc99