Legit kitchen appliances & accessories

[jimmyjazz 46972]

We have a little air fryer someone gifted us.  I've used it once.  It worked, but it's too small to even do dinner entrees for even two people.

My question:  is an air fryer any better than just using the convection mode on a standard oven?

 

 

Edited November 21 by jimmyjazz

[Sam Lin 3590]

It's super fast for a small cook, less wasted power, less heating up the house, less cleanup. Does a better job of concentrating heat into the food so you generally get better crisping. No one needs one but is very convenient for a small household.

[thunderlounge 8318]

58 minutes ago, Sam Lin said:

It's super fast for a small cook, less wasted power, less heating up the house, less cleanup. Does a better job of concentrating heat into the food so you generally get better crisping. No one needs one but is very convenient for a small household.

This. With just 2 people, I can make all kinds of shit in mine.

I went with the ninja one that’s indoor grill, griddle, and air fryer.

Meatloaf, enchiladas, wings, brats, chicken, bacon, reheat pizza, whatever.

 

[ChickenSandwich 9918]

2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

We have a little air fryer someone gifted us.  I've used it once.  It worked, but it's too small to even do dinner entrees for even two people.

My question:  is an air fryer any better than just using the convection mode on a standard oven?

 

 

Former skeptic. Has all but fully replaced oven, toaster oven and microwave 

Air fryer wings last night 

 

[Celery Man 21076]

We have a Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer because my wife loves whatever gadget is the thing (we also have a ninja creami that I completely forgot about and an unused zojurishi bread maker I should use, but a rice maker is a waste of space so we don’t have that). I would use it almost all the time for oven stuff I can fit on a quarter sheet except my wife doesn’t like to keep anything on the counter except the toaster and coffee maker, so I don’t use it at all.

[Sam Lin 3590]

1 hour ago, Celery Man said:

a rice maker is a waste of space 

Ban yourself. Nothing can beat the rice from a fancy pressure control rice cooker.

[Celery Man 21076]

1 hour ago, Sam Lin said:

Ban yourself. Nothing can beat the rice from a fancy pressure control rice cooker.

Hey hey I didn’t say that, my wife said that. I want the fancy zojishiwhatever rice machine.

Oh yeah rereading that - needed a sarcasm tag. The creemi is needed but not a rice machine 🙄

Edited November 21 by Celery Man

[jimmyjazz 46972]

Is it THAT hard to cook rice on the stovetop?  Mine turns out perfect every time. 

I hate all the clutter of specialized appliances.

[Rimbo 26853]

9 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Is it THAT hard to cook rice on the stovetop?  Mine turns out perfect every time. 

I hate all the clutter of specialized appliances.

It's not, but if you're eating rice daily, a good rice cooker is fantastic. Plus it has settings for steaming (eg 小笼包) and porridge/粥 and other things. Ours gets as much use as the microwave and never leaves the countertop.

[jimmyjazz 46972]

2 minutes ago, Rimbo said:

It's not, but if you're eating rice daily

Not even close.  Maybe once every 2-3 weeks.

[Rimbo 26853]

Just now, jimmyjazz said:

Not even close.  Maybe once every 2-3 weeks.

Then I wouldn't bother.

We actually have two pans for ours to make it easier to use twice in a day without having to clean up. Which happens often enough to justify it.

[dcbc 14641]

6 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

We have a little air fryer someone gifted us.  I've used it once.  It worked, but it's too small to even do dinner entrees for even two people.

My question:  is an air fryer any better than just using the convection mode on a standard oven?

 

 

It is a convection oven.  The benefit is that it heats up quickly and allows excess oil to drain off.  We have one and use it regularly.  I couldn't tell you the brand if I thought really hard about it, and you wouldn't recognize it if I did.  But it has worked well for eyars.  You could probably get a broiler chicken to fit in it.  I overload it and shake the shit out of the basket halfway through the cook with vegetables, etc.  Works pretty well. 

[dcbc 14641]

33 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Is it THAT hard to cook rice on the stovetop?  Mine turns out perfect every time. 

I hate all the clutter of specialized appliances.

No, but everyone should have a rice cooker. They just make life easy and do it perfectly each time, even the inexpensive ones.  Grab an Aroma brand one for $30.  It doesn't take up much space and just gets it right.

19 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Not even close.  Maybe once every 2-3 weeks.

You need a rice cooker.

 

/If you have an Instant-Pot, just use that, especially if you're cooking brown rice.  Nothing does brown rice better than a pressure cooker.

Edited November 22 by dcbc

[gsoda3 3358]

46 minutes ago, Rimbo said:

porridge/粥 

Past few years I've been using my instant pot for it.  Meat goes in frozen, a cup and a half of raw rice, 2T oil, 2T salt, and stew for an hour and a half.  

[Chewbacca 7827]

2 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Ban yourself. Nothing can beat the rice from a fancy pressure control rice cooker.

Yeah, anyone who says a rice cooker isn't worth it has never had one.  

[Jkwellborn 7006]

This. With just 2 people, I can make all kinds of shit in mine.
I went with the ninja one that’s indoor grill, griddle, and air fryer.
Meatloaf, enchiladas, wings, brats, chicken, bacon, reheat pizza, whatever.
 

I’ve got one of the ninja ones as well. I’ve made some decent fried chicken in it.

[Jkwellborn 7006]

Yeah, anyone who says a rice cooker isn't worth it has never had one.  

No kidding. I love ours.

[Chewbacca 7827]

4 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

No kidding. I love ours.

The best part, aside from perfectly cooked rice every time, is the hold function.  Put on your rice at 4 for dinner at 6:30?  No problem.

[PantsTent 2003]

2 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

Yeah, anyone who says a rice cooker isn't worth it has never had one.  

Never used one so I have to get in on this rice cooker discussion.  I can easily make good rice on the stove but to get it extra fluffy you have to rinse the rice first. Is that the same for the cookers or does it magically make it less sticky?  

[Rimbo 26853]

2 hours ago, gsoda3 said:

Past few years I've been using my instant pot for it.  Meat goes in frozen, a cup and a half of raw rice, 2T oil, 2T salt, and stew for an hour and a half.  

... there's no meat in rice porridge...

[Rimbo 26853]

21 minutes ago, PantsTent said:

Never used one so I have to get in on this rice cooker discussion.  I can easily make good rice on the stove but to get it extra fluffy you have to rinse the rice first. Is that the same for the cookers or does it magically make it less sticky?  

You should ALWAYS rinse your rice. Not just because it's sticky, but because it's DIRTY, and has arsenic on it.

Also, stickiness is more a function of the kind of rice it is. Also also, sticky is not a bad trait in rice.

Also also also, I don't agree with those who are saying a rice cooker is a must. It's great if you eat rice daily like we do. But it's really no big deal to cook it stovetop.

[52-80 19379]

get a zoji machine. and thailand-grown jasmine rice. (needs the green and yellow certification mark on it).  you should rinse, but dont absolutely have to. 

hit cook... and you could still eat it literally days after.

[52-80 19379]

air fryers are good for heating small portions of stuff, without the wastefulness of full size oven.  (and which i far prefer over a microwave).

although i'd rather use a boxy mini convection oven, it is convenient to have an air fryer basket to shake shit around.

we use a Philips branded one which is quite good, although the bottom of the heating chamber has a teflon like coating which is peeling the fuck off, so we're probably gonna get cancer from it but whatever.

[jimmyjazz 46972]

The average electric oven consumes $0.40 per hour.  If that's an economic driver for you, then you might want to downsize and move to a cheaper neighborhood.

[gsoda3 3358]

2 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

The average electric oven consumes $0.40 per hour.  If that's an economic driver for you, then you might want to downsize and move to a cheaper neighborhood.

i was thinking @52-80 was talking about heat waste rather than money waste.  i hate when my oven and stove are working against my ac.  it's why we switched to mostly induction and use the smallest size oven needed to fit whatever we're cooking. 

[jimmyjazz 46972]

1 minute ago, gsoda3 said:

i was thinking @52-80 was talking about heat waste rather than money waste.  i hate when my oven and stove are working against my ac.  it's why we switched to mostly induction and use the smallest size oven needed to fit whatever we're cooking. 

I get it, that's part of the rationale for LED light bulbs, but I don't use my oven enough to make a big impact.  People talk about it heating up the kitchen, yet I've never really noticed it.  I guess there is some effect.

[52-80 19379]

1 hour ago, gsoda3 said:

i was thinking @52-80 was talking about heat waste rather than money waste.  i hate when my oven and stove are working against my ac.  it's why we switched to mostly induction and use the smallest size oven needed to fit whatever we're cooking. 

And fuck 15 minutes of preheat to get up to temp for 2 filets of salmon when the air fryer has its heating element inches from the food and fan circulating heat around the small chamber

[Jkwellborn 7006]

And fuck 15 minutes of preheat to get up to temp for 2 filets of salmon when the air fryer has its heating element inches from the food and fan circulating heat around the small chamber

You know, technically you should preheat the air fryer, but ain’t nobody got time for that.

[Tonesky 1042]

On 11/21/2024 at 3:40 PM, Sam Lin said:

Ban yourself. Nothing can beat the rice from a fancy pressure control rice cooker.

Oatmeal too

[Baboontyme 2875]

My preferred method for cooking rice is microwavable pouch. 

[workswithseed 2201]

Ever do this to separate your grease, or in this case butter from the other contents? Just put all the drippings in a jar, turn it upside-down in the fridge for about 30 minutes till it hardens, and you can clean it that way.

[Rimbo 26853]

On 11/22/2024 at 3:32 AM, 52-80 said:

 

 

On 11/22/2024 at 3:32 AM, 52-80 said:

you should rinse, but dont absolutely have to

You should only rinse if you don't want arsenic poisoning.

Also, US-grown rice, and white rice, have lower arsenic levels than others.

[thunderlounge 8318]

[52-80 19379]

16 hours ago, Rimbo said:

 

You should only rinse if you don't want arsenic poisoning.

 

Dont threaten me with a good time. 

[CooterBrown 18272]

I was an air fryer skeptic until last year.  I bought the Ninja and probably use it 3 times a week.  My favorite it to cook boneless chicken thighs in it for gyros.  

If you haven't tried the frozen Ore-Ida Fast Food Fries in an air fryer yet, you're missing out.  I don't know how they actually taste like they're deep fried but just a tiny spray of duck fat spray and 10 minutes later they're the best fries you can make at home without actually frying. Roasted potatoes and Brussel sprouts also turn out great in the air fryer.

[Chopper 17429]

We were looking for a better way to freeze soups and chili type things and found the souper cube. Made of silicone and comes with a cover. Allows you to squeeze out the frozen stuff right into a pot on the cooktop. Holiday gift idea for the one who loves to cook or just loves organization.

Edited November 27 by Chopper

[Jerry Callo 8952]

I picked up an Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide gadget today.  $75 on Amazon, but it was $29 on Woot.  Not sure how much I'll use it, but at that price I thought it was worth a try.

[shnsajax 3605]

Thinking I want an outdoor griddle with 3 kids under 11 and doing less cooking on the stove. Is Blackstone really the way to go on these?

[Jkwellborn 7006]

Thinking I want an outdoor griddle with 3 kids under 11 and doing less cooking on the stove. Is Blackstone really the way to go on these?

It’s gonna be the most popular. Get one with a cover or lid. They have a ton of accessories for them. In reality, those things are all gonna be the same. Just pick out what BTU burners you want and get the 36”. You can get deals on them right. Tractor Supply has them on clearance. Blackstones website had some kind of deal the other day, not sure if it’s still going on.

[Captainant 28387]

1 hour ago, Jkwellborn said:

It’s gonna be the most popular. Get one with a cover or lid. They have a ton of accessories for them. In reality, those things are all gonna be the same. Just pick out what BTU burners you want and get the 36”. You can get deals on them right. Tractor Supply has them on clearance. Blackstones website had some kind of deal the other day, not sure if it’s still going on.

Heck I saw some Blackstones at my local Costco yesterday, a smaller portable one with two zones for $160, and a full grill sized one with four zones for $320

[Jkwellborn 7006]

Heck I saw some Blackstones at my local Costco yesterday, a smaller portable one with two zones for $160, and a full grill sized one with four zones for $320

Yeah the smaller ones will be around $100 by the time the new ones come out. If you can find one. Go ahead and get the 36”. You won’t regret it.

[WhatTheBuck 28904]

I’m thinking about getting a 4.5 qt KitchenAid stand mixer. As a single guy, I assume that will be large enough to suit my needs. If there are any other single people out there who can speak from personal experiences to tell me why I should choose a larger model, I’d appreciate hearing from you. Or if you can affirm my choice, that would be appreciated too. 

[dcbc 14641]

20 minutes ago, WhatTheBuck said:

I’m thinking about getting a 4.5 qt KitchenAid stand mixer. As a single guy, I assume that will be large enough to suit my needs. If there are any other single people out there who can speak from personal experiences to tell me why I should choose a larger model, I’d appreciate hearing from you. Or if you can affirm my choice, that would be appreciated too. 

We have one (family of four).  We also have an extra bowl.  It's been fine, but I hear they don't make 'em like they used to.  Ours is 23 years old and probably in need of service.

[locodos 5583]

59 minutes ago, WhatTheBuck said:

I’m thinking about getting a 4.5 qt KitchenAid stand mixer. As a single guy, I assume that will be large enough to suit my needs. If there are any other single people out there who can speak from personal experiences to tell me why I should choose a larger model, I’d appreciate hearing from you. Or if you can affirm my choice, that would be appreciated too. 

More than enough for what you'll need.  I wouldn't over think it.  

[WhatTheBuck 28904]

2 hours ago, dcbc said:

We have one (family of four).  We also have an extra bowl.  It's been fine, but I hear they don't make 'em like they used to.  Ours is 23 years old and probably in need of service.

Thanks. I’ve read that the bowl tends to get stuck to the base after some ‘extended’ use (which amounts to just several minutes of using the dough hook according to one Amazon review). My inclination is to be dismissive of that but the reviewer commented that they thought the same thing. I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker but yeah, nothing is made like it used to be. My maxim is, “Everything gets worse over time.” The cumulative effect of cutting corners, sacrificing quality for the sake of profit, bit-by-bit over time, leads to enshittification.

I still have respect for the brand overall, though, and while I’m sure your 23-year-old model is better quality, I’m betting the current model is probably still pretty reliable and superior to its competitors. 

[DDD Dad 14571]

49 minutes ago, WhatTheBuck said:

Thanks. I’ve read that the bowl tends to get stuck to the base after some ‘extended’ use (which amounts to just several minutes of using the dough hook according to one Amazon review). My inclination is to be dismissive of that but the reviewer commented that they thought the same thing. I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker but yeah, nothing is made like it used to be. My maxim is, “Everything gets worse over time.” The cumulative effect of cutting corners, sacrificing quality for the sake of profit, bit-by-bit over time, leads to enshittification.

I still have respect for the brand overall, though, and while I’m sure your 23-year-old model is better quality, I’m betting the current model is probably still pretty reliable and superior to its competitors. 

KitchenAid mixers have had a significant drop off in quality over the last few decades, but they're still better than most others.  If you're wanting to use it primarily for kneading dough, you should look at Ankarsrum.

https://amybakesbread.com/best-stand-mixer-kitchenaid-bosch-and-ankarsrum-review/

Edited December 6 by DDD Dad

[Mo Horn 8933]

5 hours ago, WhatTheBuck said:

I’m thinking about getting a 4.5 qt KitchenAid stand mixer. As a single guy, I assume that will be large enough to suit my needs. If there are any other single people out there who can speak from personal experiences to tell me why I should choose a larger model, I’d appreciate hearing from you. Or if you can affirm my choice, that would be appreciated too. 

Whenever I buy kitchen stuff, like Dutch ovens, pans, mixers,  etc, I always follow this rule. You can always put less in a bigger space, but can't put more in a smaller space. I would go with the bigger one, if finances allow. You might not need it 90% of the time, but the few times you do make something bigger, you're gonna wish you had the room. I've never been sorry that I have too much capacity. 

[dcbc 14641]

6 hours ago, WhatTheBuck said:

Thanks. I’ve read that the bowl tends to get stuck to the base after some ‘extended’ use (which amounts to just several minutes of using the dough hook according to one Amazon review). My inclination is to be dismissive of that but the reviewer commented that they thought the same thing. I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker but yeah, nothing is made like it used to be. My maxim is, “Everything gets worse over time.” The cumulative effect of cutting corners, sacrificing quality for the sake of profit, bit-by-bit over time, leads to enshittification.

I still have respect for the brand overall, though, and while I’m sure your 23-year-old model is better quality, I’m betting the current model is probably still pretty reliable and superior to its competitors. 

The bowl getting stuck is a thing.  It is secured by twisting into a groove in the base.  The action of the dough hook slapping the dough against the side of the bowl tightens it further to the point where it's difficult to remove.  If you can't muscle it out, a rubber mallet against the handle works just fine.  

[dcbc 14641]

6 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

KitchenAid mixers have had a significant drop off in quality over the last few decades, but they're still better than most others.  If you're wanting to use it primarily for kneading dough, you should look at Ankarsrum.

https://amybakesbread.com/best-stand-mixer-kitchenaid-bosch-and-ankarsrum-review/

The concern with overheating when using the dough hook on the recommended (2) setting is real.  I've pretty much stopped using it and hand-kneed my dough these days.  

[thunderlounge 8318]

I have a 3.5, from the 70’s, in that shit avocado “green.”

I run dough in it at least once a month. 
 

Been thinking about a new one, but we’ll see. Would be nice when hosting, or family gatherings to not have to mash potatoes in two runs.