When Cheaper is Just Fine

[maggiethecat]

Thanks Kate and Tommy - I guess I'll go with my gut instinct and just drop the "thingy" part. 

I've heard them called "crumbers"...Restoration Hardware sells them for under two bucks.

Hmmmm. Where is mine?

[Rhea_S]

My half-sheet pans from the restaurant supply store -- around $9/ea while inferior cookie sheets retail for over $12.

[KateW]

I just got a google whack! For those who don't know, it's what people with too much time on their hands try to do over at google--they put in two words and try to come up with just one result. Well, it works for "crumb thingy"...

Ok, so I'm one of those people with too much time on their hands. Proceed.

[tommy]

ha! oh man, i was totally thinking to myself "don't type 'thongs', don't type 'thongs'".  and so it went.

i was just watching How to Boil Water. the guest chef guy pointed towards a tray that had tongs on it, and the host, who i suppose acts dumber than she really is, said "why are you pointing at the thongs, what do you want me to do." so, you see, i'm not alone in this.

[MatthewB]

the guest chef guy pointed towards a tray that had tongs on it, and the host, who i suppose acts dumber than she really is, said "why are you pointing at the thongs, what do you want me to do."

tommy,

You've the beginning of a very fine script here.

Can I take care of the soundtrack?

[bloviatrix]

My m-i-l picked up 4 sheets of Silpat for $5/ea thinking they were interesting placemats. I was the beneficiary.

Other than that, half-sheet pans for $4.50 at a restaurant supply store.

[torakris]

I love my cheapo Japanese slicer/grater thingie, I couldn't imagine paying major bucks for a mandoline.

Of course now that I have learned to use a knife I rarely pull it out.

[Suzanne F]

I love my cheapo Japanese slicer/grater thingie, I couldn't imagine paying major bucks for a mandoline.

Of course now that I have learned to use a knife I rarely pull it out.

Ah, Benriner! The big bad Bron only gathers dust.

I guess some of us are born instinctively knowing, "Never pay retail." But it's even better when places that already discount (such as Broadway Panhandler or Century 21) cut prices further. How do you think I got all my AllClad? Even better, extra Microplanes, silicone spatulas, sieves, rolling pasta shape cutters, etc. etc. I always figure that if I get a year's use out of something really, really cheap, any further use is lagniappe.

[formerly grueldelux]

Following the advice of either Consumer Reports or Cooks Illustarated (can't recall which), I bought the Osterizer 12 speed Blender and I've been pounding it pretty hard for a year and it's showing no signs of letting up. Wouldn't suit a pro kitchen but for someone doing basic stuff at home, it's great and only $25. Vitamix is 10 times too much tool for most cooks, even serious ones.

And speaking of Asian markets, I've picked up a ton of trivet/hot pad thingies over the years for nothing, I mean like 50 Cent. I like the ones made of wooden beads and the woven wickery ones, both usually in cheery colors.

also

Tramontina paring knives at the local hardware store for $2.50. And Martha Stewart step-style wire spice racks at Kmart. Under 3 bucks, if I recall.

Lastly, I think the basic Krups coffee grinder is all you need, but I know many disagree. With practice and the right amount of gentle shaking you can get a perfectly even grind, and the small amount of heat it produces has no effect on the final coffee, in my opinion.

[fifi]

I got my heavy aluminum half sheet pans at the kitchen supply for about $6. Beatcha!

Cheapest wooden spoons etc. possible. I got my last batch at the outlet mall in San Marcos about 3 years ago. I even put them in the dishwasher. If they split, throw them out. But none of them have split yet. Even my wooden spatula type thingy is still alive even though I use it to make roux. It is getting a little toasty on its edge but is still working.

Basic white porcelain dinner ware from Crate & Barrel. No kidding. They also have some of the best looking wine glasses for the price.

Ikea is the place for stainless steel big spoons, ladles, spatulas, whisks, etc. They look really nifty (think Rosle or whatever that expensive brand is) and I haven't found anything more than $8, though it has been a couple of years since I bought their stuff.

Cheap stainless bowls from the now departed Auchan. They had a special a few years ago... $3 each for the big ones.

Chefmate stockpots. Lodge Cast iron, of course.

Amazon specials on Calphalon... clickety on the eGullet Amazon icon, of course.

My New Braunfels smoker. 7 years old and still good, though looking a bit abused.

I am in a lather for a mandoline. I may rethink the pricey one.

Edited July 11, 2003 by fifi (log)

[cdh]

I'll second the recommendation for the chp* Ikea stainless spoons, skimmers, spatulae, etc. They're pretty, they're great, and they're about $3 a pop.

*so cheap that Pat Sajack wouldn't front you for the vowels

[hjshorter]

Cast iron frying pan, of course.

Oxo Good Grips chef's knife, because I wanted an extra.

Half sheets I picked up at Costco, $15 for three.

Stainless bowl set, and a two-pack of nonstick skillets from Costco.

Assorted platters and serving bowls from Target. I love Target.

Chopstick rests, rice bowls and utensils from Asian markets.

All of my everday placemats and tablecloths are bought on clearance.

[smallworld]

A good portion of my kitchen stuff came from the 100yen shop (like a dollar store, only better). With a few exceptions (knives!) 100yen shop stuff works great.

The best buys:

Wooden cutting boards. I have a few thin wooden cutting boards to suppliment my big sturdy one (not from the 100yen shop but cheap anyway) and they work fine.

Dishes. Japanese (and Chinese) food needs a lot of little dishes! It would have cost me a fortune to buy all my dishes at a regular store, so they were all (except for gifts) from the 100yen shop.

Most of the dishes there are tacky, so when cool ones come in I buy lots because they sell out fast. The ones I can't use make great souvenirs.

Chopsticks.

Box graters. Mine has a nifty suction cup on the bottom so it won't wiggle around so much while being used.

Sponges and kitchen towels.

Not from the 100yen shop, but my bamboo steamers are awesome. They're trimmed with decorative metal so they were a bit more than the usual cheapo steamers. But still cheap. The metal not only looks very cool but serves to reinforce the thin bamboo. Should last me years.

[Human Bean]

I've mentioned my favorite knife elsewhere (and more than once), but it definitely fits here.

Chinese cleaver, purchased for $8 at an Asian market quite a few years ago. Stainless, full-sized, and holds an edge. Slices, dices, chops, and purees (well, almost) and includes a handy surface for scooping up the cut stuff. I don't own a big heavy German chef's knife; the cheap Chinese cleaver gets the job done just fine.

[fifi]

Oooo... I forgot about the bar towels that I get at the kitchen supply. I have A BUNCH and if one gets a little damp or soiled I just get another one. I have been known to do a whole washer load after a big cooking orgy. They make great gifts. How many people get gifted with a stack of 25 (or more) towels.

I also forgot about the deli containers I get at the kitchen supply. They come in stacks of 50 in different sizes. What a way to send guests home with leftovers at about 10 cents a container. I also use them to store portions of soups and stews in the freezer.

[maggiethecat]

I believe that Cook's did a test on roasting pans awhile back, and decided that the black mottled enameled ones, exactly like your Granny's, were, at seven bucks, as good as any hundred and fifty dollar roaster.

Ikea has amazing prices on candles. We have a ten candle candleabra, and it's the only lighting sourse in the dining room, so we go through a lot of candles!

And then there's the neighbourhood charity resale shop. Those onion soup crocks were twenty five cents apiece, and looked unused. The tablecloth at a dollar, ditto. The angelfood cake pan at fifty cents...virgin. I now drop in a couple of times a month looking for the rarely-used stuff: I'm still looking to cop a soup tureen, preferably not in the shape of a turkey.

[slkinsey]

I second what others are saying about good deals to be had at Ikea. The best for me are the large cutting boards they sell that are actual end grain, which is getting harder and harder to find these days. 25 bucks a pop. Not only is this cheap, but I am not sure I have seen end grain cutting boards anywhere else.

I have three of them.

[guajolote]

I'm still looking to cop a soup tureen, preferably not in the shape of a turkey.

If you see a turkey one buy it for me.

Love,

Turkey Boy

On Topic - I had a box grater that I bought 12 years ago for $5. It lasted 11.5 years before the top plastic part fell off. Bought a new one today for $7.

[mixmaster b]

I second what others are saying about good deals to be had at Ikea.  The best for me are the large cutting boards they sell that are actual end grain, which is getting harder and harder to find these days.  25 bucks a pop.  Not only is this cheap, but I am not sure I have seen end grain cutting boards anywhere else.

I have three of them.

Yes, I have the same cutting board, have had it for years, and it's great.

Ikea also has, on occasion. very stylish glassware and porcelain, and decent table linens. Also, my stainless is from Ikea, pattern DATA, and I love it.

[maggiethecat]

OK. Wasn't going to mention this because the quality isn't that great. But while we're on the subject of Ikea...

They sell a lightweight non-stick eight inch frying pan for under three bucks. The coating holds up fairly well, and it's wonderful for omelets and sauteed potatoes for two, and such-like. Best part? It's so cheap you don't mind tossing it, and it's the price of a Super Value Meal to replace it, about once a year.

And that three pack of scissors they sell...(2.98?...) I buy one everytime I'm there. Of course, I still can never find a pair of scissors when I need one.

Edit: Jeez...how could I have forgotten corkscrews? Although I'm faint with lust when I see a Rabbit in the hands of one of my oeno buddies (Guajolote? Awbrig? My cousin Cort) an eight dollar corkscrew can open a bottle of wine. Just fine.

Edited July 11, 2003 by maggiethecat (log)

[fifi]

Ikea also has this line of glasses with the horizontal ridges that are really cheap. You see them at about 10x the price in various high scale catalogues. I use them to serve wine bistro style or for juice glasses. My set has gotten broken so I need to make a run to Ikea. I will definitely look into those cutting boards.

[elyse]

Question about sheet pans. I was at the Bowery shops the other day, and they were selling sheet pans for say, $5.00, and $16.95. How cheap is too cheap if I'm a careful baker? The $5 ones didn't SEEM flimsy.... Would they warp? Pock? Cause me misery? I need around eight.

[slkinsey]

Edit:  Jeez...how could I have forgotten corkscrews?  Although  I'm faint with lust when I see a Rabbit in the hands of one of my oeno buddies (Guajolote?  Awbrig? My cousin Cort) an eight dollar corkscrew can open a bottle of wine.  Just fine.

As someone who has a Screwpull (got it as a gift) I can say that there is a significant difference. There are many corks that would crumble or tear with a regular corkscrew that come out no problem with the Screwpull. I actually tested this side-by-side using some bottles I had where the corks were in not-so-great shape.

[Dave the Cook]

Edit:  Jeez...how could I have forgotten corkscrews?  Although  I'm faint with lust when I see a Rabbit in the hands of one of my oeno buddies (Guajolote?  Awbrig? My cousin Cort) an eight dollar corkscrew can open a bottle of wine.  Just fine.

As someone who has a Screwpull (got it as a gift) I can say that there is a significant difference. There are many corks that would crumble or tear with a regular corkscrew that come out no problem with the Screwpull. I actually tested this side-by-side using some bottles I had where the corks were in not-so-great shape.

Yeah, Screwpulls are great -- until the day they literally fall to pieces without warning. Maybe they make a sturdier version than the ones I've had, but the plastic ones seem to have a time-lock on the glue that holds them together. One day, they just disintegrate -- and you have to resort to your $8 waiter's corkscrew. You know, the one you've had for fifteen years and has never caused you a bit of trouble?

Plus: Sam, you need to find some fresher wine, dude! Those old corks are a pain.

[slkinsey]

Plus: Sam, you need to find some fresher wine, dude! Those old corks are a pain.

Yea yea yea... I know... I really have to drink up what I have, too. I've got a case of 1969 Ch. Figeac, St.-Emilion I inherited that I really must drink before it turns into vinegar.