Legit kitchen appliances & accessories

[52-80 19112]

Thermapen MK4.  Everyone already knows about this one.  But if you dont - just get one.  It cost 5x a generic chinese one, but its calibrated, it reads instantly, battery last a long time, and itll actually last

https://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4

 

Magnum peppermill by Unicorn.  I've bought tons of mills (its sort of a habit) but this one shits on all of them.  Smooth body is easy to clean.  Large window to load peppercorns in.  But the real reason is it uses a large all-metal grinder that really crushes the hell out of pepper.  Tre Spade makes the grinding mechanism, so if you find their own branded grinders its probably just as good...

http://www.unicornmills.org/magnum.html

 

 

[dcbc 14442]

I'll call it an accessory.

Matfer-Bourgeat 11.xx" Carbon Steel pan.  Liked mine so much, I got the 8.5" version to cook omeletes on.  Absolute workhorses.

https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK

[Thetexashammer 1062]

Stick blender. Best value ever.

[Sam Lin 3542]

13 hours ago, 52-80 said:

Thermapen MK4.  Everyone already knows about this one.  But if you dont - just get one.  It cost 5x a generic chinese one, but its calibrated, it reads instantly, battery last a long time, and itll actually last

https://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4

Champ has strongly recommended Lavatools as a cheaper alternative to Thermapen. I had issues trying to order from Lavatools directly, was able to get an order through Amazon. Do like the product for the months I've used it.

FB Kamado group just had a guy this weekend who sent a Thermapen back for intermittent contacts and they refused to warranty it because food had gotten past the seal onto the contact. Somewhat surprising and disappointing.

[Sam Lin 3542]

Random accessory, Wusthof drawer knife organizer. I know everyone has different preferences here, but I have a drawer with these at every house and smile every time I open the drawer. Such a clean, neat, convenient presentation and protects the blades:

Narrow: https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Drawer-Storage-Tray-Slots/dp/B000066SYQ

Wide: https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Wide-Drawer-Storage-Slots/dp/B0009NMVV4

 

There are many others that make similar products, some plastic, some wood. I've tried a couple and keep coming back to the Wusthof above for usability and flexibility with knife shape/size/access.

[Loco 3752]

cast iron skillet

Ove glove

Salt Caddy https://www.amazon.com/Alton-Cellar-Stainless-Keeper-Server/dp/B01GT542SA

Decent knives you get professionally sharpened every 6 months or so

A kick ass Toaster oven https://www.amazon.com/BREVILLE-BOV650XL-Counter-Oven-Silver/dp/B00357YS3A?ref_=RAsinC_Ajax&pf_rd_r=40CZFEE55857NG6ZZMK0&pf_rd_p=7293a6c6-af90-5cf8-afe4-b6e09c05e8ea&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-10&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=289937&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

optional

Sous Vide thingy

Ninja Blender

Ceramic Non stick Frying pan

[conVINCEd 21468]

The little plastic/silicon sleeve thing for peeling garlic is the best $5 I’ve ever spent.

[elfenix 34196]

11 hours ago, dcbc said:

I'll call it an accessory.

Matfer-Bourgeat 11.xx" Carbon Steel pan.  Liked mine so much, I got the 8.5" version to cook omeletes on.  Absolute workhorses.

https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK

2nd

[elfenix 34196]

51 minutes ago, Wayne_hogdong.com said:

My wife Elaine's Kitchen Aid Mixer has been in our family for years. It was her favorite thing when she passed. She loved to make banana bread! Haha I think she sometimes bought bananas hoping we wouldn't eat them so she could make the bread when they turned brown. But of course we liked bananas alot so that rarely happened!!

nice try now this

[Paco 1932]

Go home hitby you're drunk

[brown water 3761]

Team Vitamix checking in 

[Landomatic 3813]

I use the crap out of this scraper thingy...

https://www.amazon.com/Rachael-Ray-Tools-Scrape-Shovel/dp/B00NHOZBN2/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=Scraper+%26+Chopper&qid=1582551001&s=home-garden&sr=1-12

[CooterBrown 17944]

I'm not a fan of kitchen gadgets in general but I do love this mini food processor.  I make fresh salsa every few days instead of a large batch. It also won't over blend like a full size food processor or blender.  The consistency is great.

https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-72500RY-Food-Chopper/dp/B00006IUX0

 

[Tailgate 3019]

Carbon steel wok

[NoName 16333]

On 2/23/2020 at 8:05 AM, 52-80 said:

Magnum peppermill by Unicorn.  I've bought tons of mills (its sort of a habit) but this one shits on all of them.  Smooth body is easy to clean.  Large window to load peppercorns in.  But the real reason is it uses a large all-metal grinder that really crushes the hell out of pepper.  Tre Spade makes the grinding mechanism, so if you find their own branded grinders its probably just as good...

ive had that unicorn mill in my card/saved items at Amazon for months...Bon Appetit test kitchen cooks highly recommend it as well as a ton of other folks. 

[52-80 19112]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

I'm not a fan of kitchen gadgets in general but I do love this mini food processor.  I make fresh salsa every few days instead of a large batch. It also won't over blend like a full size food processor or blender.  The consistency is great.

https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-72500RY-Food-Chopper/dp/B00006IUX0

 

agreed.  i like this baby cuisinart for the clean design, low volume/space requirement, and also means easy cleaning.  perfect for pico de gallo and etc

 

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DLC-2A-Mini-Prep-Processor-White/dp/B0000645YL/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=kitchen+processor+mini&qid=1582563037&sr=8-1

 

[C-Man 27083]

14 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Random accessory, Wusthof drawer knife organizer. I know everyone has different preferences here, but I have a drawer with these at every house and smile every time I open the drawer. Such a clean, neat, convenient presentation and protects the blades:

Narrow: https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Drawer-Storage-Tray-Slots/dp/B000066SYQ

Wide: https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Wide-Drawer-Storage-Slots/dp/B0009NMVV4

 

There are many others that make similar products, some plastic, some wood. I've tried a couple and keep coming back to the Wusthof above for usability and flexibility with knife shape/size/access.

When I get around to buying some Shun steak knives, I'll need to get something like this.

[Chewbacca 7730]

4 hours ago, brown water said:

Team Vitamix checking in 

Was coming here to post this.  

[hornbri 1378]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

ive had that unicorn mill in my card/saved items at Amazon for months...Bon Appetit test kitchen cooks highly recommend it as well as a ton of other folks. 

Looks like it is sold out on amazon, their website says it will begin shipping back to them in March. 

[DalTxHornFan 3088]

We've had one of these forever and use it all the time.  Great for smoking salmon with alder wood, pork tenderloins with pecan, making all kinds of smoked cheeses, enchiladas and even potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and other veggies.

[tx 3 putt 76514]

5 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

I do love this mini food processor.  I make fresh salsa every few days instead of a large batch.

Same but salsa verde. 

[Celery Man 20903]

In the mini processor vein, I use the shit out of our nutribullet. Salsa, mojo verde, etc, but also a smoothie out of yogurt/milk/frozen fruit/oats that I’ll take as a meal several days a week. Super easy to clean and I have several “cups” anyways.

[Buzzrock 14880]

Kitchenaid mixers are expensive as fuck but they are a legit piece of hardware.

Also will pile on:
Anova sous vide
Vitamix blenders
Silpats
Drawer-sized knife blocks
Mr Coffee. Bulletproof.

[Butch Had Not 2940]

22 hours ago, Wayne_hogdong.com said:

My wife Elaine's Kitchen Aid Mixer has been in our family for years. It was her favorite thing when she passed. She loved to make banana bread! Haha I think she sometimes bought bananas hoping we wouldn't eat them so she could make the bread when they turned brown. But of course we liked bananas alot so that rarely happened!!

Home made cinnamon rolls in the stand mixer are amazing. 

[pops 6975]

Breville toaster oven. I use it probably 4x to the standard oven and can easily cook enough for a family of 4. 

[Deej 76600]

[bluto 4895]

In addition to sous vide, cast iron skillet, toaster oven...

A good Grease splatter guard
Silicone spatchula
Sturdy cutting boards
Box of foil sheets

[tigol 2383]

Magnetic knife block.

[tigol 2383]

On 2/24/2020 at 10:47 AM, NoName said:

ive had that unicorn mill in my card/saved items at Amazon for months...Bon Appetit test kitchen cooks highly recommend it as well as a ton of other folks. 

They're available to purchase again for a March 8 delivery date.

[NoName 16333]

3 minutes ago, tigol said:

They're available to purchase again for a March 8 delivery date.

Thank you!

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 2/24/2020 at 9:28 PM, pops said:

Breville toaster oven. I use it probably 4x to the standard oven and can easily cook enough for a family of 4. 

We bought one recently.  Love that thing.

[4th&Five 41465]

I eat a ton of watermelon.  This thing is great for cutting down on storage space when slicing it.

[Woland 729]

[Baboontyme 2808]

I just got a pineapple corer . It works pretty great. It's way more fun than buying pre-sliced pineapple, plus the empty pineapple makes for an awesome, though somewhat prickly, alcoholic beverage vehicle. 

[Jiggy-Z 3432]

The Alex Honold Signature Spatula.

[Jiggy-Z 3432]

3 hours ago, Woland said:

..and always popular with the ladies.

[BabaYaga 15215]

[After irth 1243]

On 2/26/2020 at 2:48 PM, Baboontyme said:

I just got a pineapple corer . It works pretty great. It's way more fun than buying pre-sliced pineapple, plus the empty pineapple makes for an awesome, though somewhat prickly, alcoholic beverage vehicle. 

Or stuff it with pork and throw it in the smoker. 

[Ten Bears 2479]

On 2/23/2020 at 11:54 AM, dcbc said:

I'll call it an accessory.

Matfer-Bourgeat 11.xx" Carbon Steel pan.  Liked mine so much, I got the 8.5" version to cook omeletes on.  Absolute workhorses.

https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK

How is the non-stickiness compared to a well seasoned cast iron pan?  Can it cook an egg without sticking?  Even in butter, my best cast iron can't really cook eggs without sticking.  After watching The Devil We Know on Netflix about the issues with Teflon (F Dupont), I am ready to replace all of those for something let toxic.

[52-80 19112]

8 minutes ago, Ten Bears said:

How is the non-stickiness compared to a well seasoned cast iron pan?  Can it cook an egg without sticking?  Even in butter, my best cast iron can't really cook eggs without sticking.  After watching The Devil We Know on Netflix about the issues with Teflon (F Dupont), I am ready to replace all of those for something let toxic.

Functionally, almost identical.  Dense, heavy, tough, requires a fair bit of maintenance, all metal - so fully oven compatible. 

I have a Debuyer version.  It has thermal mass and warp-resistance of cast iron, but has smooth and kitchen-friendly surface unlike cast iron (so its better on ceramic cooktops). 

Only difference is these are generally made as frying pans with shorter sidewalls.  Cast iron skillets are typically taller, so higher volume, better for braises and etc.

***

All in all nice equipment, but not indispensible IMO.  I could live with just a nice fully cladded SS one (demeyere).

***

Not specific equipment recommendation but general tip:  for most things, buy the biggest version.  Certain things I prefer a compact or size-appropriate version, but for most everything else like blenders, pots, chopping boards, etc , the bigger the better.

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13419]

On 2/23/2020 at 11:54 AM, dcbc said:

I'll call it an accessory.

Matfer-Bourgeat 11.xx" Carbon Steel pan.  Liked mine so much, I got the 8.5" version to cook omeletes on.  Absolute workhorses.

https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK

Been cooking more lately and the normal non stick skillets ultimately suck. Somehow YouTube started suggesting I watch some vids on carbon steel skillets and now I’m just deciding which one to buy.

[DalTxHornFan 3088]

I've gone with a couple of new carbon steel pans since I read a piece about them in the WSJ this past December.  I am very gruntled with them.  Once you get them seasoned, they are as slick as any of the "non-stick" pans plus you can use metal implements without worrying about damaging anything.

The other thing I purchased along with the carbon steel pans is a chain mail scrubber.  Works great on my carbon steel pans and my cast iron pieces. 

[dcbc 14442]

4 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Been cooking more lately and the normal non stick skillets ultimately suck. Somehow YouTube started suggesting I watch some vids on carbon steel skillets and now I’m just deciding which one to buy.

I've got 2.  The 11.75" one, the recommended one.  And an 8.5" one, pretty much for ommeletes. 

[dcbc 14442]

5 hours ago, Ten Bears said:

How is the non-stickiness compared to a well seasoned cast iron pan?  Can it cook an egg without sticking?  Even in butter, my best cast iron can't really cook eggs without sticking.  After watching The Devil We Know on Netflix about the issues with Teflon (F Dupont), I am ready to replace all of those for something let toxic.

It's much better.  Tried eggs on my well seasoned Cast iron, and it was a mess. 

On the C/S pan, with oil/butter, they slide around "like hockey pucks."

 

[Lurch 5921]

Sell me a waffle maker. Everything has a million 5-star reviews saying it’s the greatest device ever created, then another million “wish I could give it less than 1 star” reviews saying it’s a worthless piece of shit.

[Chewbacca 7730]

I've gone with a couple of new carbon steel pans since I read a piece about them in the WSJ this past December.  I am very gruntled with them.  Once you get them seasoned, they are as slick as any of the "non-stick" pans plus you can use metal implements without worrying about damaging anything.
The other thing I purchased along with the carbon steel pans is a chain mail scrubber.  Works great on my carbon steel pans and my cast iron pieces. 

Which ones did you get?

[DalTxHornFan 3088]

2 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

5 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

I've gone with a couple of new carbon steel pans since I read a piece about them in the WSJ this past December.  I am very gruntled with them.  Once you get them seasoned, they are as slick as any of the "non-stick" pans plus you can use metal implements without worrying about damaging anything.
The other thing I purchased along with the carbon steel pans is a chain mail scrubber.  Works great on my carbon steel pans and my cast iron pieces. 

Which ones did you get?

I bought the World Cuisine pans that Amazon was hawking on sale right around Christmas.  It was a shot in the dark experiment, so I don't know if pans that are more expensive would be any better.  The chain mail cleaner is called "The Ringer."

[52-80 19112]

7 hours ago, Lurch said:

Sell me a waffle maker. Everything has a million 5-star reviews saying it’s the greatest device ever created, then another million “wish I could give it less than 1 star” reviews saying it’s a worthless piece of shit.

Any failure or success of the waffle is down to the batter. 

The machine just needs to have high power, is heavy (solid waffle iron for thermal mass) and stable (when you flip it over).  Then adjustable power. 

Everything else is superfluous and more mess to clean, like a drip tray. 

[NoName 16333]

12 hours ago, Lurch said:

Sell me a waffle maker. Everything has a million 5-star reviews saying it’s the greatest device ever created, then another million “wish I could give it less than 1 star” reviews saying it’s a worthless piece of shit.

Wirecutter Waffle Maker recs: https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-waffle-maker/

I have the budget pick ($27 vs $76) and it works great, is easy to clean and i have used it to waffle all sorts of things (puff pastry pepperoni pizza)

Serious Eats Waffle Maker recs: https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/05/the-best-waffle-makers.html

 

[pops 6975]

12 hours ago, Lurch said:

Sell me a waffle maker. Everything has a million 5-star reviews saying it’s the greatest device ever created, then another million “wish I could give it less than 1 star” reviews saying it’s a worthless piece of shit.

I have a krups and for the 3 or 4 times a year I make waffles, it's fine. 

Was at my parents over Christmas and tasked with cranking out waffles Christmas morning. My mom has an all-clad and it's a beast. That being said, it has the most annoying fucking beeper in history. And you can't turn it off. Other than that, it's was pretty great. 

FYI, Emeril has a great waffle batter recipe. You whip the eggwhites separately and fold them in.