Hobby Stash » Kitchen Gadgets

Thermos Sipp 16-Ounce Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug

Linda — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:28:27 +0000

If it was possible to have a love affair with a travel mug, this would be the one. I have a cupboard full of stainless steel insulated mugs that are totally useless when it comes to keeping my coffee warm let alone hot. This baby is the exception. It honestly does what it says it does…keep the coffee hot for hours. Worth every penny and more!!

Rating: ★★★★★

Out of the Woods of Oregon Bread and Bagel Slicer

Linda — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:23:17 +0000

This purchase was the result of a suggestion by Amazon while I was researching bread machines. I have mixed feelings about this knife. On one hand, because it’s so thin, it does slice through the bread very easily–nice when you can’t wait for the loaf to totally cool. On the other, it’s awkward to handle and tends to crumble the bread as it’s slicing. Another con is because of it’s design, it cannot be used with a slicing guide. I do get more even sized slices with this knife, but would still do better with the help of a guide. And, to protect my hands, I have to store it in it’s original box in my knife drawer. So my search for the perfect bread knife continues…

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Pickle Picker

Linda — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:39:45 +0000

My sister-in-law and I have been trading kitchen gadgets for several years now. When we started, we were serious about it. We’ve now progressed to the point we try to stump the other with little known and even less likely to be used items. We’ve run across some pretty bizarre ones. Here’s the latest I found for her at Bed Bath and Beyond. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have it….

Calphalon One Infused Anodized 9-Inch Chef’s Skillet with Lid

Linda — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:17:20 +0000

As I’ve mentioned previously, I love my Caphalon everyday pan. But this baby is perfect for those smaller sauté jobs.

Rating: ★★★★★

Meat Pounder

Linda — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:53:40 +0000

I love my meat pounder! After years of having my wooden meat tenderizer heads fly across the room after totally ripping apart chicken breasts, it was time to go shopping. I bought this baby 5 years ago (Price back then was only $19.99, which was on my way upper end for a tool I only occasionally use). The sucker is heavy but it does a wonderful job of flattening and tenderizing meat without ripping it to shreds. I wouldn’t pay the current price of $35 (Amazon) but if you shop Amazon on a regular basis (my home away from home), they have some pretty good sales and I’ve gotten in the habit of placing items like this in my shopping cart and just waiting for that moment.

Oxo Utensil Holder

Linda — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:30:22 +0000

I never would have thought I’d be writing a review on a utensil holder but I really like this one. Because of it’s unique shape, it holds a lot more tools without being unwieldly on the countertop. And it has divided sections so that you can sort the utensils for quick retrieval. I have my spatulas, whisks, and wooden utensils each in their own sections. Nice.

Rating: ★★★★★

Caphalon Fan

Linda — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:21:32 +0000

Okay, I’ll admit it…I’m a Caphalon fan….the ole hard-anodized aluminum variety. I’ve purchased several different pans over the years and frequently use them all. I just love the ability to go from stovetop to oven. There are only two downsides: they must be handwashed (although they clean easily) and they are heavy. Here are a few I have and recommend:

Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 2-1/2-Quart Shallow Saucepan with Lid

I have two of these and use them almost daily. Great for just about anything requiring a saucepan!

Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Lid

In my opinion, this is better than a wok because of it’s flat bottom feature. This baby frequently starts out on the stovetop and moves to the oven. And when I’m lazy, it goes to the table as my serving dish.

Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 10-Inch International Griddle/Crepe Pan

This is one of the few non-stick pans I own as I’m not a fan. It doesn’t seem to matter how much I spend, they just don’t last over the long term. But you do need at least one. I love the even heat of this pan. But it size is limiting. So…

Calphalon Traditional Simply Nonstick 5 Quart Saute Pan with Lid

…I bought my second any only other nonstick pan to handle larger delicate frying projects.

Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 8-1/2-Quart Saucier with Lid

Great for those slow oven-cooking or stovetop recipes

Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 7-Quart Chef’s Casserole with Lid

And when the 8-1/2 quart is a little too large, this one fits the bill nicely!