Cool tools

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We were shopping for a wedding gift today when I saw this rubber coated stainless steel bowl from OXO and had to have it (http://www.oxo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=491). What a great idea! The outside is all grippy and non-slip, no matter how you tilt it. And it looks cool too, very high tech. I'm turning my old plastic mixing bowl into a planter.

The other way cool kitcheny thing I have is a Screwpull, which is just brilliant at getting out corks. What are your favorite way cool kitchen tools?

― Jaq (Jaq), Saturday, 18 September 2004 22:49 (twenty-one years ago)

We just got an immersion blender (aka a "boat motor") and I loves it. And I'll never be without high-heat spatulas again.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 19 September 2004 02:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I was just gonna mention my immersion blender -- I use it almost every day and never use my regular blender or Cuisinart anymore. (Although I do still need to use my spice grinder, and I think I'll always do mashed potatoes by hand. But I don't mind either of those things.) Give me an immersion blender, a good knife, and a cast-iron pan, and I've got a kitchen.

― Tep (ktepi), Sunday, 19 September 2004 02:58 (twenty-one years ago)

It's not too cool, but my small (3-cup) food processor from Cuisinart is my current favorite. I can make pesto in 5 minutes.

― Vermont Girl (Vermont Girl), Monday, 20 September 2004 11:08 (twenty-one years ago)

potato ricer, I never use the masher any more, if I want crushed potatoes I'll use a fork now

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 09:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Silicon baking sheets: Yea or nay?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 23 September 2004 02:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm generally opposed to fannydangling tools, but a zester is really necessary if partaking of any significant citrus action. Grating your own knuckles isn't that much fun unless you have auto-vampiric aspirations.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 23 September 2004 09:25 (twenty-one years ago)

microplane grater - fantastic for zesty action

― Porkpie (porkpie), Thursday, 23 September 2004 09:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I think silicon baking sheets are pretty standard nowadays. Martha Stewart wouldn't bake a batch of cookies without one...

― Vermont Girl (Vermont Girl), Thursday, 23 September 2004 10:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I finally saw at the end of The Bread Bible where Rose Levy Beranbaum likes them as well. OK, I'm sold!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 24 September 2004 05:57 (twenty-one years ago)

can't live without my potato masher

― PVC (peeveecee), Thursday, 30 September 2004 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

eight months pass...

Okay, during our month of visitors we bought both a fancy waffle iron and a big cast iron skillet. I've never owned either before and now I can't imagine life without them. Even though it's goddamn 96 degrees out and therefore blazing in the kitchen, I must have more cornbread! And waffles with Nutella. Mmmmmm.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 31 May 2005 00:09 (twenty years ago)

How many pones did it take for the pan to be good and seasoned?

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 31 May 2005 00:57 (twenty years ago)

3 I think and some bacon and some sausage. I've been heating the pan up to 400 then dropping a tablespoon or so of bacon grease or butter in, then the batter. Dear god. Oh my.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 31 May 2005 02:49 (twenty years ago)

My wife washed my skillet once, with... soap and water. I was upset.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 31 May 2005 03:17 (twenty years ago)

seven months pass...

I am looking into buying a new food processor, and Cuisinart is the major name, but these reviews seem to say it's not what it used to be. Any anecdotes you'd like to share? Should I go with KitchenAid? Robot-Coupe?

― Paul Eater (eater), Thursday, 26 January 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

Back when I was 'in the trade' I'd have said Robot-Coupe, but I'm not sure I'd pay their prices for at home.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 26 January 2006 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

I have the KitchenAid, which seemed to be regarded as the best these days. I like it. Amazon often has good small appliance sales, but as I recall you're in the UK so it might not apply.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 27 January 2006 08:26 (nineteen years ago)

i just got one of those pump up oil sprayers. looks fun.

i think i need a silicone muffin pan.

― AaronK (AaronK), Friday, 27 January 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

i have a small cuisinart food processor, 3 cups. it's really great, but i got it used, so it could be a few years old.

― AaronK (AaronK), Friday, 27 January 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

Actually I'm in New York, USA.

Wouldn't a silicone muffin pan insulate your muffins so their bottoms don't brown at all? I guess you could overbutter the pan maybe? It certainly would make them easy to eject.

I shattered the blade assembly on my mini-Cuisinart, crumbing crusty bread. That's why I want something tuff, like the $1000 Robot-Coupe. (As I post here more and more, I am noticing a disturbing slight trend in myself toward Extreme Cooking.)

― Paul Eater (eater), Friday, 27 January 2006 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

I've always heard that silicone baking equipment leads to nonbrowned foods, but I haven't ever tried any of it.

I have crumbed crusty and stale bread in my KitchenAid with no issue. But if you have the grand to drop, why not the best?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 27 January 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

The one thing I will say about Robot Coupe, don't scrimp and always buy the proper blade rack. They'll keep their edges for far longer and you won't run the risk of cutting yourself scrabbling about in a drawer for them.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 27 January 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

I had a silicone bread pan and muffin pan. I got rid of them because they didn't brown things and because they were a pain to handle. While they were techno and a beautiful blue color, it didn't make up for the lack of crustiness and malliard reactions. You can make things look browned by flouring with cinnamon or cocoa powder, but it's not the same.

― Jaq (Jaq), Friday, 27 January 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

i wouldnt mind the bottoms not being browned - after all, that's what the top is for. however, i'd never really thought of this, and it may be ok with me for muffins, but not a bread pan.

i just really really hate dealing with gunked up muffin pans.

― AaronK (AaronK), Friday, 27 January 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't that what muffin papers were invented for?

What are the kitchen situations where silicone really really offers a paradigmal improvement? Pastry brushes, I'll say (this one is cool), and I like my waterproof oven mitt, but do we need silicone muddlers and ice cream scoops and cake pans and egg cups?

― Paul Eater (eater), Friday, 27 January 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

muffin papers suck too, they often are getting stuck too much to the muffin.

― AaronK (AaronK), Friday, 27 January 2006 20:08 (nineteen years ago)

Have you tried silicone-coated muffin papers?

― Paul Eater (eater), Friday, 27 January 2006 21:31 (nineteen years ago)

I do like the silicone pastry brushes.

Maybe if you replaced the flour in the muffins with silicone?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 28 January 2006 00:23 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

I got to unwrap one of these this morning! So shiny! Once all the basil is going, it'll be pesto time.

― Jaq, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 15:10 (eighteen years ago)

Koolio! Our frier is... well, different. It takes some getting used to, I guess. But I think for cleaning it's going to be much easier (than the old fashioned friers). I also need to test out my ice-cream machine. Woohoo!

― stevienixed, Thursday, 24 May 2007 08:58 (eighteen years ago)

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