Kitchen Gadgets/Cleaning Tools
by I know, I have been posting way too many threads lately, but I just have so many good ideas! haha, not really, I just want to waste time. I wanted to post some of my favorite Kitchen & Cleaning Tools...and away we go:
Electic Skillet-This thing is soooo handy, it has the perfect/even distribution of heat, has a cover and is nice and deep.
Garlic Press-I would have never thought to put this on my registry, but it is super efficient. Chopping garlic gets a little messy, plus I have not mastered the art of fine chopping, (quickly) this does the jobby for you.
Electic Griddle-this is great if you're having a lot of people over for breakfast, which happens pretty often since a lot of fam & friends live outta state...cuz you can put like 14 slices of bacon on at the same time, 10 eggs..you get the picture. It's BIG & convenient.
Calphalon Knife Set-These are SUCH awesome knives, they cut through ANYTHING! (I'm an info-mercial) I especially love the kitchen shears, I use these whenever I can.
Dust Buster-(Is that what they're still called) it's the kind with the long handle, looks pretty much like a regular vacuum, just always stays plugged in. This is so handy, instead of breaking out the whole vacuum with cord & stuff...this is quick and works really well.
Swiffer Wet Jet-This is SO much easier than getting out the bucket & mop, however, if the floors are pretty bad, you def. have to break out the bucket & mop, it's still not quite as good as the old fashioned way.
Disposable Toilet Bowl Cleaner-I think these work better then the scrubby brush that used to sit next to the toilet. (Plus I find that kind of gross) I actually like the cheaper version of the toilet bowl cleaner, the one you can flush, rather than the Clorox one that has to go in the garbage.
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I adore my OXO mango pitter. I highly recommend for anyone who eats a lot of mango.
My Cuisinart blender is fab for my whey protein smoothies. I can't believe I used a hand shaker for so long.
Next on my list is a block of Wustofh knives. I want them so baaaaaaaaaaad.
Mango pitter? I didn't know such a thing existed - williams sonoma? Wustofh knives are totally worth the investment. When Macy's has their one day sales, they're always like 30% off, and that's when I buy them. I've had one for a little under 3 years and it feels the same way it did right out of the box.... ahhh.... I love great knives.
Yeah, I found the mango pitter at Williams Sonoma. I go in there about once a week/every other week to look around. I think I am going to buy a julienne peeler because I don't have good knives yet.
I need baking accesories too. But I must pace myself. I love that store so much.
WS carries Chicago Metallic bakepans, which I think are amazing. They're really heavy, but light-colored, so cookies always come out perfect! I think Le Crueset ceramic baking dishes (you can get them at Macy's, too) are perfect for baking lasagnas, casseroles, etc. I made a fennel-potato gratin and the dish conducted so well that all the sides touching it were perfectly browned and crisp. Love it. They also make a few baking dishes that are suitable for stovetop and oven use, for making a roast chicken and then gravy in the same pan. That's going to be my next purchase.
WS carries Chicago Metallic bakepans, which I think are amazing. They're really heavy, but light-colored, so cookies always come out perfect! I think Le Crueset ceramic baking dishes (you can get them at Macy's, too) are perfect for baking lasagnas, casseroles, etc. I made a fennel-potato gratin and the dish conducted so well that all the sides touching it were perfectly browned and crisp. Love it. They also make a few baking dishes that are suitable for stovetop and oven use, for making a roast chicken and then gravy in the same pan. That's going to be my next purchase.
WS carries Chicago Metallic bakepans, which I think are amazing. They're really heavy, but light-colored, so cookies always come out perfect! I think Le Crueset ceramic baking dishes (you can get them at Macy's, too) are perfect for baking lasagnas, casseroles, etc. I made a fennel-potato gratin and the dish conducted so well that all the sides touching it were perfectly browned and crisp. Love it. They also make a few baking dishes that are suitable for stovetop and oven use, for making a roast chicken and then gravy in the same pan. That's going to be my next purchase.
WS carries Chicago Metallic bakepans, which I think are amazing. They're really heavy, but light-colored, so cookies always come out perfect! I think Le Crueset ceramic baking dishes (you can get them at Macy's, too) are perfect for baking lasagnas, casseroles, etc. I made a fennel-potato gratin and the dish conducted so well that all the sides touching it were perfectly browned and crisp. Love it. They also make a few baking dishes that are suitable for stovetop and oven use, for making a roast chicken and then gravy in the same pan. That's going to be my next purchase.
I don't know why that posted so many times. Sorry!
wow i guess you REALLY wanted us to know about those bake pans
I don't know what gratin is. But I love fennel. I have never eaten it cooked though. I will need to look into this.
Have you ever used those silicone baking sheet liners? Or are they unecessary if you have good baking pans? I keep on seeing them and I never remember my Mom using them as a kid.
i always bring fennel..(we call it phonocchio) to the assemblies because it cleanses your breath, and people always think I'm eating big chunks of onions...it's so funny to see people's reactions.
my brother in law is so not adventerous so the one night him and my sis were over for dinner and she scoops up fennel, tells him it's mashed potatoes. sohe eats it and is like, "yo those mashed potatoes were bangin" and we just laughed b/c if we told him what it really was or tried to explain it he would have hated it. but him not knowing and he loved it.
I don't have one, but I'd like to get one when I move and have a larger oven. The oven I have now only fits 10x10 baking pans, and I can't readily find silicone mats that small. For cookies, I don't think they're necessary. If you were making candy, like brittle or something, then yeah, they would make sense. But I can't say they're completely useless, since I've never had cookies made on them. But the Chicago Metallic baking sheets really brown well, so I'm not desperate to get a silicone mat, ya know?
i've been looking for an oven to stove top baking dish & large dutch oven for quite some time now...so Williams Sonoma carries them?
dutch oven, huh huh huh huh
Yeah, wiliams sonoma & Macy's carry le crueset goodies. I've also gotten mine at marshall's, believe it or not. It's worth looking into, if you can find one that carries them. HUGE savings. I got a 12 quart dutch oven for $175, regularly $290.
oh, so all le crueset stuff is oven & stovetop okay? i've seen it a Ross for pretty cheap...like under $100.
Well, Le crueset makes ceramic stuff and enameled cast iron. The ceramic stuff is only for the oven, but the enameled cast iron can do anything. It's amazing. The ceramics are only baking dishes. They make one roasting pan that's enameled cast iron, and I'm not sure if you'd be able to tell the difference if buying it at a store rather than online (I imagine it would be a lot heavier, but I can't say for sure). As far as pots, all are enameled cast iron except the really large stock pots, which you can tell are not because they're really light. Check the lid of a pot to be sure - the enamel won't go to the very edge and you'll see the gray cast iron.
oh, awesome, thanks!
Man, I'm getting all happy just thinking about my dutch oven. I made beouf bourguignon (sp?) the other week, and the technique of browning all your ingredients on the stove then braising them in the oven is just amazing. I love that you can make $2/lb. chuck beef taste gourmet.
a mango pitter!! OMG i must have this
Ok, I don't typically rush out to buy something I see on TV, but this is too cool to resist.
It's an automatic pepper grinder that works on gravity, so when you tip it over, it grinds. I've been fighting spending like $50 on one of those battery operated button pepper grinders, but this one is so much cooler! It's perfect for seasoning while stirring or when your hands are wet. I always have to clean my current pepper mill after I cook because I've gotten all kinds of gunk on it. No more!
WOW! I have the same problem. I want this.
This fabulous pepper mill arrived yesterday and I have to admit, I'm not usually so impressed by a gadget, but it rocks! It's quicker than grinding the pepper by hand and produces coarse or fine grinds, depending on how you set it. I loved that when I was seasoning my chicken, I could pick it up with one hand and salt and pepper with the other; I'm no longer spreading salmonella germs!
Wow. I'm sold.
Does anyone have a bread maker? I want to get one and I'm soliciting opinions/suggestions.
i want one....but i know that would be disaster cause i LOVE bread....i wouldnt leave my house cause i'd make bread all day and eat! lol
But if I have one, and I'm your personal chef, part of my job would be to NOT LET you eat all day... so you should buy me one. :)
OH NICE! i didnt think of that....
I think this one looks like the best:
http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=387&item_id=483&cat_id=6
Man, I've got to actually do some work while I'm here at the office...
My parents have one, but it never lets the bread rise for long enough, so the bread comes out really dense.
i hear 50's housewife music in the background
i am loving my mom's cusinart coffee pot ... also we have a brew station at work, it RULES (the commerical with the guy who gets coffee all over himself)
lauren and i registered for the new george foreman grill with removable grill (for cleaning) and her mom TRIED TO STEAL IT ... she was like "oh you can have mine and i can take the new one" and lauren and i immediately rejected that idea based on the fact that we like new stuff
is the brew station the thing where you put in individual little coffee grinds, so you can create a freshly brewed cup & there are like 10 flavors to choose from?
we had one at my old job. it was cool, but they made us pay 50cents a cup! lame!
I am loving my new Swiffer Vac-good for apartment life.
My quick-chop thingy. I got it ages ago, and basically you put some veggies or fruit or whatever in the cup, put the lid on, and smash the handle down a bunch, and it has these sharp things that come down and chop AND turn the stuff, for even chopping. Comes in quite handy, really.
Oh! I've seen the infommercial for this one and I want it!
this is good for nuts. i have a real mini cuisinart tho. love that guy. my friend that gave it to me calls it the salsa maker.
Didn't think about the nuts.....but I'll keep that in mind. Good suggestion!! :)
Calphalon ANYTHING.......skillets and pots and pans and such.....SO easy to clean!!
Handy dandy Kitchen Aid Electric Mixer.....the world's best, and prettiest kitchen gadget. LOVE IT!!! Best thing I registered for when I got married, hands down.
I want a scusy steamer, its good for cleaning everything!
my mom has 2 of these things, one big and one small. she loves em. i call it the stanley steamer
you WILL reply to my posts!!! YOU WILL REPLY TO MY POSTS !!!!
I use my flexible cutting boards every day. I put them over my huge cutting board so all that needs to be washed is the smaller one. Much less cumbersome than the cutting board that's like bigger than my sink.
I also use my mini-food processor almost every day. It's easy to clean and makes sauce-making simple.
I'm also starting to collect All-Clad and Le Crueset pots and pans, because they're supposed to be the absolute best. And I'm starting to collect Wustholf knives, because again, they're the best. All three brands are ridiculously expensive, though.
hmm, i use all farberware pots & pans. i like em. i've heard that royal prestige is the top of the line cookware. Austin & i went to a seminar on it. (we got a free 3-day trip for going to it) we actually were really impressed by it. if we hadnt had all brandnew stuff already (for only being married a month) we would have gotten some pieces. it's a few grand for the set....crazy. http://www.royalprestige.com/ really nice stuff though.
We went to the same thing! I think it's sort of a scam, though. Of course the company hosting a trial will say they're the best. I actually read in the latest "Food & Wine" that chefs polled across the country said All-Clad is the best.
haha, really?? that's so funny. why did you think it was a scam? we got a few nights free hotel stay & a $500 gift certificate. of course they are going to promote their product, i just meant that i've heard of royal prestige prior to the seminar.
see, what i dont like about one by one collecting pieces, is that everything wears at different times. you have one brandnew, one that's all dingy looking. granted, most of the better cookware is guarenteed for life.
Did you take the trip yet? I'm nervous because there's tons of extra charges. I calculated them out and you'd save more just staying at a holiday inn through expedia. Plus, there's no guarantee the hotel would be decent. And there's no guarantee they'd even hold the room for you - there's notations about the fact that they can't guarantee accomodations.
And the website that does the $500 gift certificate has only crap that no one would buy and serious "shipping and handling" charges based on how much you spend. So to use the $500 "gift certificate", you'd have to pay like $300 in handling charges. You can't apply the handling charges to the gift certificate. My father-in-law gives his clients gift certificates from that site all the time because they're cheap.
As far as pans, if they're made and cared for correctly, they shouldn't noticeably wear for like 10 years.
Scroll like 1/4 way down the page:
http://foodandwine.com/articles/invoke.cfm?label=what-chefs-know-best
no, we havnt taken the trip yet. but they are reputible hotels. and the gift certificate...we got quite a few things we liked...2 coffee thermases, a texas hold em' set, i got a tray..(that was pretty cheap) i got a couple old movies for my parents, austin got a video game...some other stuff. we used like $200 off the certificate, S&H was like 50bucks, but i think we got more than we paid in S&H.
I guess I'm just too cynical. I don't really think you can get anything for nothing. Plus, we won the trip like a year ago, so things might have changed since then. But I actually got a call last week saying we'd won again, and we didn't even bother to go because we both believe it's not worth it.
i mean, it wasnt as good as they made it SEEM, but i still thought it was decent.
The housewife-Uses all of the above and more to do all jobs in and around the house...
Seriously. The more I think about it the more exciting it sounds.
I LUV cleaning....I go over other peoples house and clean it's ridiculous.
I use all the cleaning supplies and gadgets it's the GREATEST! I swear I almost get offended if they're like "Oh no, just sit." I know I know, it's a sickness. Ummmm I need to go vacum my car (beach sand).
ok, ok, i'll marry you...
Cat traps... to capture cats.