When Cheaper is Just Fine

[Dave the Cook]

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.

Let me know if you need any help. Really, I wouldn't mind. I mean, hey -- anything for a fellow eGull.

[sandra]

The silicone cutting boards at IKEA - 3 pack for about £3-4 white or any other colour - right into the dishwasher... and the colanders also, even the plastic ones for £1...

[fresco]

"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."

My Rabbit corkscrew comes under the category of When Cheaper is Just Fine. My brother, who owns a liquor store in a small Alberta city, thought they'd be a big hit in an oil community with big disposable incomes. But the local tipplers couldn't figure out how to put them to use on a bottle of rye, so his total sales were zero. They became Christmas gifts.

[SWoodyWhite]

In anticipation of our move from CA to DE, my partner has bought a couple of tamale steamers. He figures they'll be great for cooking lobsters, and for the life of me I can't think of a reason why he'd be wrong on this one. The steamers ran something like $7 each for a 31 quart pot.

[JSD]

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.

That's not bad, but I bought a Chinese cleaver at an estate sale for ten cents. I haven't seen it mentioned, but garage sales are the absolutely best place to buy good stuff cheaply.

[Mayhaw Man]

This is a good thread. It needs a new chance in life.

I have a couple of different size pairs of tongs that came from Target. They have a cool locking device at the top that is engaged/disengaged be squeezing them together and either holding them upside down or rightside up (depending on whether you are locking or unlocking). $2.50 a pair. Plenty strong and dependable.

Knock off brand of Good Grips veg. peeler from Wal Mart. $3 bucks. Razor sharp and have held up wonderfully.

Wooden spoons and other implements made of wood purchased in a supermarket in Mexico. Even cheaper than from a street stand. I bought a bag full, which should last just about a lifetime. 2/3 of the stuff is in a box in the attic waiting for a chance to be used when the other stuff wears out.

Le Creuset purchased at various garage sales. It is usually being sold by unsuspecting/unaware relatives selling all of Grandma's stuff after she went 10 toes up. The satisfaction of buying these pieces at $5 or less can be immense.

[markf424]

Don't forget Le Creuset and All-Clad at Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Stein Mart, etc. They're not garage sale prices, but they're more than 50% off of retail. You can also get some great deals on cookbooks and other kitchen gear. Year old, sometimes a dented handle, whatever. Mine look that way soon enough anyway.

[Comfort Me]

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

I bought one of the composite mandolines from Chefs Catalogue -- Usually $100, but now on sale for $39.99 -- and I am pleased as punch. The blades go in and out easilly, the whole things just gets dunked in a sink of soapy water, and the mandoline and the blade case all hang on the pegboard. It takes 10 seconds to set up and 45 to get it clean and hung up.

[Bombdog]

Yeah, Screwpulls are great -- until the day they literally fall to pieces without warning. :

You just need to phone them. They'll give you a return authorization and send you a new one. Mine broke about a month ago and I just got a NIB via UPS yesterday.

[lala]

I had been hankering after a mandoline for eons, but bought the $30 Japanese slicer, and I Love it I can slice my fennel thinner than paper for salad, and julienning is a breeze.

Oh, and paring knives. I buy cheap paring knives because they fit my hands better. A $5 knife works just fine. Although for any other size knife, I do use my Wustoffs, etc...

And my huge Lodge cast iron frying pan is my favorite, and it cost, what $15? Amazing.

Other than that, I don't buy the cheap stuff, because I had to use that stuff for so long, due to personal economics, and hated it. Revereware sucks, and I've actually broken those cheap wooden spoons making pate a choux. I really enjoy using the good pots and pans, olive wood spoons, etc. But I Do wait until our local kitchenware store has it's mondo annual sale to get these items, so I get them at 50% off. Does that count?

[HKDave]

I'll chime in again with the cast iron - Wagner in my case. Saute pan, big chicken fryer, ridged grill pan - cheap, lasts for generations, and easy to cook in. Love 'em. Plus I get a free workout whenever I lift them.

My expensive German cook's knife is now catching dust because I did what every Chinese cook in this town does - got my butt down to Chan Chi Kee Cutlery and bought one of their own brand knives for US$10. Ok, it looks like something from the last century (and the design probably is), and it's carbon steel, but it works great, holds a razor edge, and it's less than 1/10th the price of your Global. Newly arrived Western chefs in this town all wonder why the guys on the line in their kitchen are all using these weird cheap knives.... but they all eventually see the light, pack up their expensive knives and convert. And you pick up a little plastic handle paring Victorinox there for another $5 for fine work and you're all set. Good enough for the pros, good enough for me.

http://www.chanchikee.com

Edited to add: the knife I'm talking about is the one on the top right in the first picture on the web page, the smallest wood handle one. It's about 8" long. Those are knifes, not cleavers - don't get fooled by the shape.

Edited April 23, 2004 by HKDave (log)

[GG Mora]

More cast iron. I picked up a Griswold #10 for $1 at a tag sale. It was badly crusted with cooked on scudge & the owner thought it was hopeless. Sucker. A quick trip through the self-clean cycle and a salt/oil rub & it was better than new.

[HungryChris]

Lodge cast iron, cheapo wooden spoons, but best of all is my collection of free paring knives that I have gotten over many years of attending those little demonstrations at county fairs and Walmarts. The guy that has a little temporary booth at the back who smushes the loaf of bread and crushes tomatoes with dull blades then saws the hammer etc...etc. They are quite good little knives. When the guy is really good it can be fun to watch. I think Ron Popiel got started that way BTW.

[Papaya]

Local hardware stores can also be a good source for cheap basic stuff, and they sometimes have random sizes or shapes that you might not find elsewhere.

[FistFullaRoux]

A stainless steel mixing bowl set we got from Wally World for 6 dollars.

A stainless steel ladle that was .50 more than the cheap plastic one.

And everyday dishes, 4 settings in a box for $20. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Can't beat 'em.

[NulloModo]

I bought my cast iron pan (not sure of the brand actually) for $5 at Dick's Sporting Goods. Appears to be made out of Iron, and pre-seasoned, so, I suppose it will do me as well as any other cast iron pan until I learn how to use it more properly.

Wooden spoons can be picked up for several per dollar at the dollar store (and that is the only place I will get them, as invariably at least once a month one will fall from the dishwasher onto the heating element and burn itself up).

My father is also a huge yard-sale/auction hound and therefore everytime I visit him and my mother I end up leaving with a random assortment of goods that he purchased on a whim but has no use for. My last visit resulted in a complete Chicago Cutlery knife set, an ancient Cuisinart food processor, and 8 lbs of ground buffalo (this came from Costco, he just overbought for the size of the freezer ;) ).

[lala]

Local hardware stores can also be a good source for cheap basic stuff, and they sometimes have random sizes or shapes that you might not find elsewhere.

Yes! Forgot about that one. My $10 blender from the hardware store 15 years ago is still pureeing just fine!

[ruthcooks]

I nominate my plain ole stove.

When I moved in with my daughter almost three years ago, I thought it would be for less than a year (another story). The "apartment" kitchen had only a sink and a few feet of cabinets. We moved in a refrigerator and I made do with a toaster oven and hot plate. After about a year, the hot plate gave out and I decided I couldn't live another day without a real stove.

I found a display model at Home Depot, for $275. When it was delivered, the fork lift people had evidently banged in the side a little, so I complained and got another $50 off. So for $225 I got a Hotpoint electric four-burner range with a large self-cleaning oven and a top that lifts up for easy cleaning. (I don't care that it's not gas, I've cooked on both kinds over the years.)

I can't think of anything I've cooked on this stove that would have been improved by cooking it on a stove costing thousands of dollars.

[vbmontana]

You can't beat Wall Mart or other discount stores ( renuy's in Maine) for inexpensive simple Champaign flutes.

Last summer I needed to serve 30 at a outdoor party and looked into renting. But buying them for $1 each was a better deal.

That is Reny's not renuy's...

Edited April 23, 2004 by vbmontana (log)

[adoxograph]

Please, please, please do not buy your microplane zester from the kitchen supply store. Go to wherever is your nearest supply store/catalog for woodworkers.

Mine came with a metal sheath for catching "shavings" (Ok, so my shavings are made of cheese or fruit) for 8 dollars. My SO's dad picked it up for me with his new planer or something like that. I saw one like it later for more than twice that at a kitchen store.

I second the nomination of the dough scraper from up thread.

I also have some 3 for $1 metal tins that I throw spices in and stick to my magnetic knife board for easy access, no counterspace storage.

And, of course, there is always the free dishwashing services of friends over the expense of a dishwasher, but that's not every night.

[carp]

Cheap plastic cutting boards purchased at IKEA and The Dollar Store. These are very handy and come out of the dishwasher spotlessly clean.

The best part is that once they get somewhat ragged or, in the case of several casualties, are melted beyond recognition because of being placed recklessly close to a stove... I toss them.

[culinary bear]

a £2.50 special offer fish-hook sharpener.. a plastic frame, about 2" x 2.75", that holds two thin ceramic rods at an angle. Phenomenal for keeping a good edge on your knives... then a few light brushes on a Wusthof ceramic steel (£35!) and you could split atoms.

[weinoo]

I like my spiders - purchased in Chinatown for about $5 each.

Just grilled some portobellas on a lodge double burner grill/griddle.

My $79 (for 8 feet!!) wooden counter top from Ikea!! As well as my Ikea cabinets - all drawers that are awesome.

[lorea]

I second (or was that third?) the Ikea end-grain cutting boards....mine is fantastic! It was only $20! I went back a few months ago to buy one for a friend, and apparently they no longer sell them.

I like my $.79 dough scraper, purchased at the business Costco. Or a good substitute is a Chinese cleaver.

$12.95 for a set of 2 half-sheet pans, 1 sturdy cooling rack, and 2 plastic lids that all fit together perfectly...from costco. I use them to transport my food around all the time.

How about the hardware blow torches? They beat the wimpy expensive ones "made for" creme brulee any day.

Cheap pyrex measuring cups.

And definitely my wooden stirring things and my Chinese bamboo angled spatulas. I use them for everything.

Cheap Chinese carbon steel wok.

We should start a thread called "When expensive stuff matters"

[carp]

I agree with the IKEA cutting board. Mine has served me very well. Too bad they don't have them anymore...