Posted: 1/8/2025 3:44:32 PM EDT
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I propose a pinned thread for cooking equipment. I often watch 'America's Test Kitchen,' and I've gotten many good tips there - for techniques, recipes, AND kitchen tools and gadgets. in recent years I've acquired a few things, some really simple and cheap, that turned out to be great and I wished I'd gotten them long ago. For example: a rubber/silicone spatula. I had no idea how much I would use the thing! Something like this: Attached File Share your equipment tips and help out Other home cooks! |
You don’t know me son, so let me explain this to you once. If I ever kill you, you’ll be awake, you’ll be facing me, and you’ll be armed.
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Originally Posted By MainePure: Avoid gadgets that are only good for one specific task. In general, I agree, but I have a notable exception: a rice cooker. We eat a lot of rice, and I make Asian-inspired dishes often. It has marks for the water and when it's done cooking it automatically switches to a 'keep warm' setting. It's nice to just put the rice and water in it, push the button, and forget about it while making other stuff. If you don't eat rice often, it's a waste. I got a budget one that's only like $20, but it was a good investment for me. I also have a mandolin, and that is a great tool. Wife loves seeing the uniformly sliced veggies on the plate. It makes my shit look professional... except for the time I sliced off the tip of my finger with it. I looked like quite the amateur that day. 
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You don’t know me son, so let me explain this to you once. If I ever kill you, you’ll be awake, you’ll be facing me, and you’ll be armed.
I'm sorry, did I just roll my eyes out loud?
Joined:
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Posts:
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EE: 100% (15)
OK, USA
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A good food processor. Just made red beans and rice and it would have taken much longer to mince my trinity.peppers first, then celery, then onions. 20 or so pulses and boom! mirepoix sized veggies. I also used it to reduce the size of my Tasso to make it all more palatable. |
What did socialists use before candles?..........Electricity
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A panini press. I will admit that the model we have takes up a good amount of counter space. But we use it almost every day. Grilled cheese sandwiches are quick and easy. Tuna or mahi loins cook perfectly. Of course pressed sandwiches like Cubanos are great. |
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Our counter and storage space are pretty limited, which is one reason I'm particular about size and usefulness of gadgets. I have a good food processor and a blender, and I might ditch the blender. |
The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody has decided not to see.
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Originally Posted By gearjammer351: Our counter and storage space are pretty limited, which is one reason I'm particular about size and usefulness of gadgets. I have a good food processor and a blender, and I might ditch the blender. I know you are keeping the processor but anyone looking for one to just process veggie i found an alternative. I use this all the time for the trinity and general chopping |
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Originally Posted By gearjammer351: In general, I agree, but I have a notable exception: a rice cooker. Being Cajun, I was raised on rice. I use this all the time along with my rice cooker(s). In my cupboards, I have long grain, medium grain, sushi rice, basmati, jasmine. If you cook rice, you should have one, IMO. Attached File |
q3131: I can enjoy necrobeastialexhibitionism as much as the next guy, but homonecrobestailexhibitionism is just plain sick.
Tomislav:If you truly love something, you need to shoot it, then set it on fire. (And then post pics!)
كا
Tomislav:If you truly love something, you need to shoot it, then set it on fire. (And then post pics!)
كا
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I'm taking over cooking duties. I fould that I like a runner spatula as well. I picked up a scraper at Dollar General. 6" wide, marked ruler. I grabbed these towels, both the hand towels and the dosh towels and really like them. They absorb well and dry quickly. Only had them a week or so.  
Just ordered this as well, because our drawers overfloweth. I'm keeping "my" knives elsewhere. 
Trying these out, because kids will ruin stainless. These pans are Project Farm tested and scored very well 
Finally, this board type was recommended, so I'm giving it a shot 
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If anyone wants to try a Nakiri for less, this Winco was $17 on Amazon. It cuts well and has the traditional grip. I didn't think I'd like it, but found it more comfortable than my Mercer. Still learning though. Not sure the handle will last on this one, but I can upgrade if I like it enough.
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Originally Posted By SwiftyMorgan: I'm taking over cooking duties. I fould that I like a runner spatula as well. I picked up a scraper at Dollar General. 6" wide, marked ruler. I have several. This one is great for when I'm chopping a lot of veggies. Attached File |
q3131: I can enjoy necrobeastialexhibitionism as much as the next guy, but homonecrobestailexhibitionism is just plain sick.
Tomislav:If you truly love something, you need to shoot it, then set it on fire. (And then post pics!)
كا
Tomislav:If you truly love something, you need to shoot it, then set it on fire. (And then post pics!)
كا
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Originally Posted By CajunMojo: I have several. This one is great for when I'm chopping a lot of veggies. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/59505/616sI6VXe6L__AC_SL1500__jpg-3520613.JPG I like that, with the edges. I shall seek |
These are all stainless steel, hollow handles that balance surprising well and available in solid and slotted spoons and flippers, very good ladle and skimmer and a pasta server.
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We had gone to one of those hot pot restaurants and they had some metal ladle that would stay in the hot ass pot the entire time but you could still grab the handle and it was cool to the touch. I'd really like a similar one. Let me know if yours stays cool. Also, don't blame me if you burn your hands.
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q3131: I can enjoy necrobeastialexhibitionism as much as the next guy, but homonecrobestailexhibitionism is just plain sick.
Tomislav:If you truly love something, you need to shoot it, then set it on fire. (And then post pics!)
كا
Tomislav:If you truly love something, you need to shoot it, then set it on fire. (And then post pics!)
كا
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Originally Posted By engineer61: These are all stainless steel, hollow handles that balance surprising well and available in solid and slotted spoons and flippers, very good ladle and skimmer and a pasta server. www.amazon.com/dp/B007RPYRR8 Nice Wife has become very concerned about plastic in our food, so I'm gradually replacing all of the nonstick and plastic stuff in the kitchen. We're on the fence about silicone. I have several silicone utensils. |
The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody has decided not to see.
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Originally Posted By gearjammer351: Nice Wife has become very concerned about plastic in our food, so I'm gradually replacing all of the nonstick and plastic stuff in the kitchen. We're on the fence about silicone. I have several silicone utensils. I wasn't too concerned about plastic, but whe wife said wooden cutting boards hold bacteria, it responded, "these plastic cutting boards aren't smooth anymore. Where do you think those particles went??? She conceded the point. Neither of us had thought about. Her main goal was to segregate any poultry cutting board from the rest, which I'm ol with. Then I bought a decent wooden board mentioned above |
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Originally Posted By engineer61: These are all stainless steel, hollow handles that balance surprising well and available in solid and slotted spoons and flippers, very good ladle and skimmer and a pasta server. www.amazon.com/dp/B007RPYRR8 I could transition at some point as well...from plastic I mean! I'm very happy with my OEM parts  Do you have the pasta server? If so, do those slots holds one serving of pasta? Some servers are meant to be used to measure servings of pasta pre-cook. |
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@CajunMojo - I don't know if the ladle/spoons stay cool or not as I put the ladle/spoon/flipper onto a spoon rest (old pressed glass ash tray) when I cook and don't leave it in the pot. Next pot of beans or chili I'll have to try and see. @SwiftyMorgan I've seen YouTube videos about using pasta server to measure a single portion of spaghetti/linguine etc, but I don't do that when I cook. I cook the entire package at once, then eat leftovers for several days instead of trying to match the amount of pasta and the amount of sauce every time; easier to mix it all together at the start. I also don't yet have the pasta server but plan on getting it after I get another solid and slotted spoons. |
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Originally Posted By MainePure: Vitamix 5200 is indispensable in my kitchen. I'm getting ready to ditch my current one. It's old and the housing is coming apart. I'm on the fence about replacing it or just using the food processor for everything. I have a versatile processor, but I don't know if it'll do everything. I haven't tried using it to puree yet. |
The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody has decided not to see.