32 replies to this topic

[OliverB]

I'm populating my Christmas wish list with fun kitchen things. One item I've wanted for a while is a cream whipper, ISI seems to be the way to go, but there are a lot of options.

I guess a pint one is the most versatile, but even those come in a wide range of price. I don't really care if it's stainless stell, brushed, painted or tiled, dipped in lava or what ever, as long as it works and doesn't look like I pulled it from the trash.

But there's also the Thermo Whip, which is an insulated container. Seems neat, as it keeps things cool or hot for hours, but I can imagine that this also will hinder in the production of things that need to be cooled in the fridge before making a foam etc. The insulation works both ways, so cooling something warm in there in the fridge might take a very very long time.

I guess I could keep something warm or cold in an according waterbath instead, what would you pick?

Oh, and I'll most likely never make whipped cream in there, as I can't stand that stuff, but fluffed soups, deserts of some kind, things like that are of interest.

I'm tending towards a regular steel one, but am curious to hear of others that might have one of these, especially if you have the thermo.

Thanks!

Oliver

[David A. Goldfarb]

I have a Thermo Whip, and it is advantageous for many things that it will keep them hot or cold, but if you might want to make something hot and then reheat it later or serve it at another meal on another day (because things are very well preserved in the NO2 environment), the Gourmet Whip is better, because you can warm it up in a bain marie.

[mkayahara]

...but I can imagine that this also will hinder in the production of things that need to be cooled in the fridge before making a foam etc. The insulation works both ways, so cooling something warm in there in the fridge might take a very very long time.

You're bang-on with that. The Gourmet Whip is probably the better bet, unless you're a caterer and need to be able to hold the contents hot or cold in a room-temperature setting.

[tomdarch]

I've got the .5L Gourmet Whip, but I do make whipped cream with it occasionally (it's actually in the fridge with cream in it now.) I don't know if you'll care, but I've used it to make soda water with the CO2 cartridges, and at some point I should try "fizzy fruit".

[OliverB]

Thanks! I've been giving this some more thought, while the thermo is neat in some way, it probably won't matter much to me as I'm at home cooking and can keep things on temp. I read a review on Amazon where somebody was doing something with gellatine I guess and had to cool the thermo for 15 hours to get the internal temp down. Not sure if that person knows what they're doing, but I can see the problem.

I figure if I want to make a foam of some sort for savory eating I'll have the ingredient hot/warm already or can keep it warm in a water bath, and for desserts I have a fridge.

Thanks, and I'll report after Christmas what - if anything - santa brought :-)

Of course, if others stumble across this thread and have input, please post, I will revisit :-)

[mkayahara]

I read a review on Amazon where somebody was doing something with gellatine I guess and had to cool the thermo for 15 hours to get the internal temp down. Not sure if that person knows what they're doing, but I can see the problem.

That sounds about right; I think it's more or less what the manufacturer recommends. Whenever I do any foams with gelatin in the Thermo Whip, I make them up the night before and chill overnight.

Let us know what you get, and what you use it for!

[FoodMan]

Input needed please: Is there any reason why we should not buy a different brand of NO2 (or CO2) cartdidges for the iSi Canister? I am specifically talking about these: http://www.acemart.com/prod7661.html

They are about half the price of the iSi ones and claim to be compatible with standard dispensers. Has anyone used these? Of course iSi tells you to only uses iSi brand, but they are not exactly unbiased.

[Kerry Beal]

Input needed please: Is there any reason why we should not buy a different brand of NO2 (or CO2) cartdidges for the iSi Canister? I am specifically talking about these: http://www.acemart.com/prod7661.html

They are about half the price of the iSi ones and claim to be compatible with standard dispensers. Has anyone used these? Of course iSi tells you to only uses iSi brand, but they are not exactly unbiased.

I use a variety of brands - they are standard sizing.

[ChickenStu]

You should be fine with any brand cartridge. I use whatever is cheaper.

Those are the ones I used to use at work, always got a giggle that they were called whip-it! (but i've never seen anyone do one off of one, and I'm not endorsing it)

I got my whip for free for coming in third at a beverage competition at the FCI. The person who won had all her friends come vote for her a lot. At 2$ a vote it cost her about $50 to win a nice blendtec. She basically made a variation of an orange julius, which wasn't even blended properly. Either way she considered the angles better than I did...well played...

Edited by ChickenStu, 19 August 2010 - 07:51 AM.

[Kayakado]

I thought about an ISI, but too much plastic for my taste. I bought a Liss, totally stainless. I have 2 tips (regular and tulip),2 heads and 3 bottles (½ pt, pint, quart). It gives me plenty of room to experiment or just make appropriate size batches for the portion size I need. Liss was also ATK's best choice.

[mostlylana]

I'm finally ready to buy my ISI Gourmet Whip. I'm now deciding on size... I would like to have the option to do a full frame of bubbled chocolate - my frames hold 1400g - but I want to use it for smaller applications as well. I was going to get the 1 litre (1 quart) model but have since read that it needs to be completely full when used. Hmmmmmm....

I was hoping someone could let me know how much the chocolate expands onced 'foamed'?? Would a pint dispenser be adequate for my frame? That means the chocolate would have to expand almost 3x's. I'm thinking I might have to go with the 1 litre (1 quart)...

So if I have to go with the 1 litre, will that size work with smaller amounts of ingredients?? If anyone has experience using a smaller quantity than recommended in the ISI, I would love to hear about it. If it does work, would you need to use more chargers for 500ml (a pint) of ingredients in a 1 litre dispenser as compared to a pint dispenser?

Maybe I need 2 of these puppies.

[Mjx]

Can anyone pinpoint the diferences between the iSi Gourmet and Gourmet PLUS models?

The iSi site only lists the Gourmet PLUS model (in both the US and German versions of the site, I'm guessing the latter model has supplanted the former).
I can get either model on amazon, but not from the same seller, and the sellers' descriptions don't make it possible to compare the same points:

bullet points listed for the PLUS:
High-quality stainless steel bottle and head
Etched markings to indicate maximum fill level
Fixed stainless steel dispensing valve for precise application and control
3 Decorator tips with durable stainless steel threads
Silicone banded head for heat protection during hot applications
The description also notes that 'The Gourmet Whip's features for the professional chef also include: -Heat-resistant silicone gasket with removal tab for quick, hygienic cleaning -Ergonomic charger holder with non-slip silicone grip -Dishwasher safe -Closed and sealed system - supports HACCP requirements -2-year warranty'.

The seller of the Gourmet (not PLUS) model just uses a lot of nonspecific language to say 'it's cool and pretty, you gotta have it', which deosn't tell me a thing about which of the PLUS features it has/lacks.

[pep.]

Can anyone pinpoint the diferences between the iSi Gourmet and Gourmet PLUS models?

The "Gourmet" without the "Plus" had a aluminium-cast head instead of a stainless one.

[Mjx]

Can anyone pinpoint the diferences between the iSi Gourmet and Gourmet PLUS models?

The "Gourmet" without the "Plus" had a aluminium-cast head instead of a stainless one.

Thanks! I admit I do prefer stainelss to aluminium, but if that's the only difference... Hm.

[pep.]

The new head is dishwasher safe, which is the main benefit AFAIK. I'm not sure, but the old one may not have had the silicone grip-band, either.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I am interested in an an iSi whip. I am still unclear after reading whether the devices have to be fully filled to work properly, or if smaller recipes can be made in larger whips. I intend only to buy one size, probably 0.5 liter. Does anyone have information about this?

[Mjx]

You don't need to fill the whippers to capacity, but for the 1L one, you still need to use two chargers, even if you're using less than the full amount it will hold.
It seems that the advantage of having a 0.5 L unit is that you use fewer chargers, if you're making just a single, smaller batch at a time.

I recently got an iSi Gourmet Plus (thanks for your advice, pep.!), and decided to go with the 1L size, because my usage pattern is more likely to be 'occasionally, but a good-sized batch', rather than 'small amounts often'; if I'd got the 0.5L model, I'd probably still be using two chargers, plus have the hassle of having to stop to refill, part-way through (you can't overfill).

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Not only saving on chargers but I was thinking that for home use the 0.5 liter would fit in the refrigerator more easily. However I checked on Amazon and from the specifications the pint unit (which I assume is the same as the 0.5 liter model) is 14 inches high, which is too big for my refrigerator.

I can't help but believe 14 inches must be incorrect. Does anyone have a pint/0.5 liter iSi that would be kind enough to measure it for me?


Edit: another vendor of the same unit on Amazon says it is 11.5 inches high, which is more reasonable.

Edited by JoNorvelleWalker, 17 December 2012 - 12:50 AM.

[Mjx]

I just measured my 1L unit, and the body is about 11 3/4". If you look at their site, you can see the smaller-capacity units are shorter, although I don't see a spec. list that gives the height, but just eyeballing it, it's got to be about an inch shorter.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks. I see from the instructions that the unit can be cooled lying down, though I would much rather store it in the refrigerator standing up.

Another question: are small particles, such as vanillla seeds, a problem?

[KennethT]

Yes - any kind of particles will be a problem - you should strain whatever you put into your whipper otherwise it will clog. If your whipper clogs, you have to be careful - usually, you unscrew the top very carefully, and just a little bit, until you hear pressure releasing (don't unscrew all the way or you could get hurt and will certainly have a mess). Once the pressure is released, you can completely unscrew the top, clean the valve and then repressurize.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Vanilla seeds (from what I've read) are about 500 microns (two hundredths of an inch). In any event they are smaller than any strainer I have seen for a home kitchen. From the pictures it appears the iSi strainer would not be able to remove particles that small?

[Baselerd]

Yes - any kind of particles will be a problem - you should strain whatever you put into your whipper otherwise it will clog. If your whipper clogs, you have to be careful - usually, you unscrew the top very carefully, and just a little bit, until you hear pressure releasing (don't unscrew all the way or you could get hurt and will certainly have a mess). Once the pressure is released, you can completely unscrew the top, clean the valve and then repressurize.

Another way to do this is to remove the dispensing piece (usually the red plastic part with threads on one end) and then press your thumb firmly against the spring valve. This will push the valve mechanism in further than the trigger will, allowing for pressure release. I've actually used this trick to dispense grainy batters that were clogging the valve.

[pep.]

Anything that goes through the (not very fine) ISI sieve won't be a problem. Vanilla seeds are fine in the ISI whips.

[nickrey]

Not only saving on chargers but I was thinking that for home use the 0.5 liter would fit in the refrigerator more easily. However I checked on Amazon and from the specifications the pint unit (which I assume is the same as the 0.5 liter model) is 14 inches high, which is too big for my refrigerator.

I can't help but believe 14 inches must be incorrect. Does anyone have a pint/0.5 liter iSi that would be kind enough to measure it for me?


Edit: another vendor of the same unit on Amazon says it is 11.5 inches high, which is more reasonable.

Measured my ISI 0.5 liter unit and it measures 24.5cm/9.65 inches without the spout screwed on.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks for the information! I guess I will go through with it. I am an immoderate fan of holandaise and bearnaise, and I understand such sauces can be foamed? Can they be foamed without additional stabilizers (as long as the sauce is smooth)?

Oh, and whipped cream too...

[nickrey]

Modernist cuisine at home has a recipe for sous vide cooked hollandaise that is dispensed via an ISI and not stabilised beyond using the egg yolks in the recipe. Cream also does not need anything added.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Maybe it's that time of year but now that I am ready to order, iSi Gourmet Plus are scarce as hens teeth, at least at unfoamed prices. I'm torn whether to get a Thermo Whip Plus instead. It would be nice to hold hot preparations (fancy term for hollandaise) at the table. Are there any downsides to the Thermo Whip Plus vs, the Gourmet Plus, other than those mentioned above in this thread?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I found a half liter iSi Gourmet for sale at a good price (and in stock) so I ordered it. It's a good thing I like whipped cream.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I just used my new iSi for the first time. It didn't explode! To my taste the cream is slightly over whipped, which I guess is a function of how much I shook the bottle. Maybe I should have made somewhat less to start with. Still good though.