9 hours ago, mumkin said:I am in the process of packing up my kitchen—we’re about to demo and remodel—and am sorting about 20 years of accumulated cookery bits into pack/donate/trash categories. Which led me to an article from the expert advisors at Epicurious, “The 9 Kitchen Tools You Need to Replace Every Year,” in which they advocate for an annual household purging of Microplanes, cutting boards, paring knives, dish towels and more (ideally replaced via convenient affiliate links).
Two questions (at least) arise from this:
- How much cheese and nutmeg grating does it take to dull a Microplane? I haven’t noticed a diminution in mine’s powers, and I’m pretty sure it’s at least decade old.
- Is there anything that you do replace annually on principle, regardless of its condition?
For the record, I don't think they're wrong about sponges.
(Also, Hello! I’ve been away from eGullet for quite a while and am ineligible to post a Welcome Our New Members Thread, but I’m a domestic dabbler in Portland, Ore. Mostly stovetop and sous vide of late, since my ovens have been out of commission for a few years… looking forward to getting my bake on soon).
Welcome back.
I've read through a similar article that shows up on Facebook, I believe from Amazon. It was clear that it was written to stir up sales. I do agree with melted spatulas, and damaged wooded spoons. Like kayb, my cutting boards go into the dishwasher (I don't use wooden boards at all).
My microplane is only used 3-4 times a year. Still very sharp.
I don't replace anything on an annual basis, but rather when something is no longer in good condition.
ETA: Paring knives? Really? Only if you haven't a clue of how to sharpen your own knives.
