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Kitchen Gadgets - "stocking stuffers"

fifi

By fifi
in Kitchen Consumer

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DocDougherty

DocDougherty

Posted
Posted

Early in this thread somebody was looking for a way to contact Amco and couldn't find a link.

I don't know if this is the right one, but it looks like Amco is a common name in India with many companies by the same name making all kinds of products. I found a link that has an 800 number for an Amco that makes stainless steel kitchen stuff. Look here for the kitchenkapers.com listing of manufacturers phone numbers: (Listing containing Amco phone number) for context. The given number for AMCO is: 1-800-621-4023.

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fifi

fifi

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Posted

Just to bring everyone up to date on the Amco ss mushroom saga. Way back upthread, this discussion ensued.

Then, this information came to light.

Then, I actually talked to this lady.

Fast forward to March when this showed up.

Then, success was had starting here.

So goes the saga of the mushrooms. I have two left that are going to two very deserving souls for Christmas. As you see, I also found the elusive half sheet pan racks on Amazon. They have been ordered and delivered.

The search for more mushrooms continues.

If you haven't gone back and read this topic from the beginning, and if you are looking for gifts, please take the time to do so. Our members came up with some dynamite ideas that are still valid today.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted

I had to pick up some things at Wal-Mart today and saw this in a big display.

Rival Crock-Pot Barbeuce Pit

Click on the "larger image" and then on the "next" button to see what it looks like inside.

Something new and different!! What will they think of next?

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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snowangel

snowangel

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Posted

This sounds way stupid, but has been a popular gift. I just hate trying to get plastic wrap on top of a bowl. It sticks to me, sticks to everything, but I can never get a good seal. So, got a roll of elastic, and cut various lengths and tied them. I've given these (in a variety of lengths already tied) many times and they are very popular.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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fifi

fifi

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This sounds way stupid, but has been a popular gift.  I just hate trying to get plastic wrap on top of a bowl.  It sticks to me, sticks to everything, but I can never get a good seal.  So, got a roll of elastic, and cut various lengths and tied them.  I've given these (in a variety of lengths already tied) many times and they are very popular.

That is an extremely cool idea! I intend to steal it. :raz:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted
This sounds way stupid, but has been a popular gift.  I just hate trying to get plastic wrap on top of a bowl.  It sticks to me, sticks to everything, but I can never get a good seal.  So, got a roll of elastic, and cut various lengths and tied them.  I've given these (in a variety of lengths already tied) many times and they are very popular.

That is an extremely cool idea! I intend to steal it. :raz:

Indeed a great idea. I had much the same problem but finally resorted to buying the big commercial rolls at Smart&Final that have a very, very sharp cutter and since the weight of the box holds it in place, I can shove a bowl or pan under the sheet before I cut it.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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ladyyoung98

ladyyoung98

Posted
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nice to see this topinc was so popular last year that it was decided to do it again...hats off to whoever started the thread this year..... :laugh:

i wonder if we will wind up with any where near as many replies as we got last year..... :laugh:

a recipe is merely a suggestion

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Steven Blaski

Steven Blaski

Posted
Posted
I had to pick up some things at Wal-Mart today and saw this in a big display.

Rival Crock-Pot Barbeuce Pit

Click on the "larger image" and then on the "next" button to see what it looks like inside.

Something new and different!!  What will they think of next?

I was looking at one of these this afternoon at Target. I was intrigued, so when I got home I did some Googling to find any users' reviews: there's a helpful review (mostly negative) at the link below:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cookw...5243916954.html

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snowangel

snowangel

Posted
Posted
I had to pick up some things at Wal-Mart today and saw this in a big display.

Rival Crock-Pot Barbeuce Pit

Click on the "larger image" and then on the "next" button to see what it looks like inside.

Something new and different!!  What will they think of next?

I was looking at one of these this afternoon at Target. I was intrigued, so when I got home I did some Googling to find any users' reviews: there's a helpful review (mostly negative) at the link below:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cookw...5243916954.html

To me, the biggest drawback would be lack of the smoking process. The tending, the beer drinking, going to bed smelling ever so slightly of whatever it is you smoked. And yes, you can smoke outdoors very successfully on the coldest days of winter.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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JAZ

JAZ

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Posted

The Orka "Squid" combination basting brush and bulb baster is one of my favorite gadgets. When I first saw it I thought it was frivolous, but when I had to brush oil on three sheet pans of crostini for a class, I realized how handy it can be. The photo doesn't really make it clear, but the brush top comes off so you can fill the body of it with marinade, oil or whatever; then you can draw up additional liquid as needed. The removable top also makes cleaning easy. At less than $15, they're affordable too.

Janet A. Zimmerman, aka "JAZ"
Manager
jzimmerman@eGullet.org
eG Ethics signatory
Author, The Healthy Pressure Cooker Cookbook,  Instant Pot Obsession, and The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook for Two

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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted (edited)
nice to see this topinc was so popular last year that it was decided to do it again...hats off to whoever started the thread this year..... :laugh:

i wonder if we will wind up with any where near as many replies as we got last year..... :laugh:

I have been gadget shopping both in stores and online. It always amazes me how many things pop up every year at this time. Some ingenious, some stupid, some even hazardous, some simply mind-boggling.

However, every once in a while someone comes out with something that is clever and useful.

I have some "vintage" or antique gadgets that I think should be brought back. Something as simple as a folding wire egg basket, since I haven't been able to find a nice vintage one for a friend who wants one.

I have just placed an order for several items from this place which is one of my favorite online sources for gadgets.

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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andiesenji

andiesenji

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I also ordered a couple of whisks to add to my collection of odd/different-shaped whisks.

This one in two sizes

also an angled sauce whisk.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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DocDougherty

DocDougherty

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Posted
On one of the cooking shows, Joanne Weir uses a special "grill" for roasting peppers, etc., that fits right over the burner. It looks like it's made of the same "webbed" metal I've I have to grill vegetables or fish on an outdoor grill without letting them fall through the slots on the ususal rack. Only this one fits right over a single stove burner.

It may be one of the dodabs that come with high end stoves. Does anyone know if this is available commercially as a stand alone? If I use the one I have it will cover too much of the stove's surface. I'd rather not take my hacksaw to it to make my own.  :rolleyes:

I have a piece of stainless steel screen, about 10.5" square with all of the edges folded double and one edge bent up about 1/2" so you can handle it. It was intended to keep fish from sticking to the grill but it works even better for roasting chili peppers, though I prefer to use a heat gun for roasting bell peppers. My screen is about 170 mesh (13 wires per inch in both directions).

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Mottmott

Mottmott

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Posted
OK... andiesenji wins. She is the gadget queen. But then... We knew that.  :laugh:

andie... that site with the pastry brushes is the bomb. The prices are incredible. Some of them are really pretty. I have to have them. You have done a major service to your community. :biggrin:

Perhaps a topic in the Pastry forum is in order to see how they are used and how one would choose. I am wondering about bristle size for different uses. But, I know next to nothing about pastry.

That wooden mushroom is really cute, but the stainless gets the smell off. If I can't find the stainless I may go ahead with some of the wooden ones just because they are cute.

They're not as aesthetically satisfying, but I get my pastry brushes at the paint store: natural bristle in three widths, all a dollar or less. They have a metal ferrule, but I haven't found that a problem.

"Half of cooking is thinking about cooking." ---Michael Roberts

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Adrienne Carmack

Adrienne Carmack

Posted
Posted

Things I can't live without:

microplane

mini-measuring spoons

Silpat

variety of wooden spoons

GOOD tongs (the kind that lock)

set of round cookie cutters from 1.5" to 3.8750" with one smooth side and one

scalloped side

melon baller (used it today to seed a cucumber)

apple corer (so fast)

offset spatula

mallet with a smooth side

lots of little containers for spices and cruets for oils, vinegars, and vanilla

Things I use occasionally:

olive pitter

juicer (for most purposes, a hand works fine)

olive getter-out-of-jar thing (a little scoop with holes in it)

egg slicer (good for mushrooms)

Things I got but rarely or never use:

tea bag squeezer

fish turner

mini salt and pepper shakers (cute for dinner parties, but who uses pre-ground pepper? I suppose I could grind some fresh and put it into the shakers right before dinner)

I love to browse the little section of all these things at Crate and Barrel. They have all kinds of ...

"God give us good taste, why bother?" Captain Jim's Sushi Chef
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Curlz

Curlz

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Ah...my favorite annual thread has returned! YIPPEE! :laugh:

And how timely--I was just on line looking at The Teastick, which I read about in Bon Appetit. Has anyone tried this thing? My s-i-l is a big tea drinker, and I may get one for her.

Let the gadgeting continue... :wub:

"I'm not eating it...my tongue is just looking at it!" --My then-3.5 year-old niece, who was NOT eating a piece of gum

"Wow--this is a fancy restaurant! They keep bringing us more water and we didn't even ask for it!" --My 5.75 year-old niece, about Bread Bar

"He's jumped the flounder, as you might say."

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prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
Posted
Ah...my favorite annual thread has returned!  YIPPEE!  :laugh:

And how timely--I was just on line looking at The Teastick, which I read about in Bon Appetit.  Has anyone tried this thing?  My s-i-l is a big tea drinker, and I may get one for her. 

Let the gadgeting continue... :wub:

Is she a tea enthusiast or just a tea drinker? Generally, tea enthusiasts frown on infusers. They cramp the leaves, preventing them from fully expanding and releasing all their flavours, and there's something else about the holes being too small (but I can't remember why that's bad).

That being said, it sure it cute, and I'd use it for my lesser qualities teas. :smile:

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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted
Ah...my favorite annual thread has returned!  YIPPEE!  :laugh:

And how timely--I was just on line looking at The Teastick, which I read about in Bon Appetit.  Has anyone tried this thing?  My s-i-l is a big tea drinker, and I may get one for her. 

Let the gadgeting continue... :wub:

Well, I know I have to get one, only because I get anything to do with tea. It is clever and looks to be much more efficient than the tea-ball-on-a-chain things. I have a round one on a stem but it doesn't close tightly and some of the fine bits escape.

I saw a mini, one cup French press for some ungodly amount of money on one site while I was at the office but haven't been able to find it again. It was different than the ones that have been around for a while and made by a company I had never before heard of.

My housekeeper just came back from a visit to Hungary and brought me some beautiful hand-carved wooden spoons. I will have to take photos, I am very impressed with them.

First I have to find my camera.......

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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highchef

highchef

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Posted
The Museum of Modern Art gift shop, in New York, sells clever collapsible funnels made of silicone. They store flat, but open up into a full-sized funnel. Made in Denmark. See: http://tinyurl.com/ap3uh

That is a seriously cool gadget, and one that I want. I shall order post haste.

Thank you. It reminds me of a 'flour mixer' that my mom had years ago...a stepped leveled lidded thing that you shook flour and water together to make a slurry for gravey. I haven't seen one of those in years. Looks like a milkshake glass with horizontal ribbs. did not collapse though. I don't think so at least. I need a funnel so badly, and this one folds flat. Yeah!!

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snowangel

snowangel

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Posted
The Museum of Modern Art gift shop, in New York, sells clever collapsible funnels made of silicone. They store flat, but open up into a full-sized funnel. Made in Denmark. See: http://tinyurl.com/ap3uh

They have some way cool items. Now, if I could justify $26.00 for a soap dish, my sink would be very happy.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted (edited)
The Museum of Modern Art gift shop, in New York, sells clever collapsible funnels made of silicone. They store flat, but open up into a full-sized funnel. Made in Denmark. See: http://tinyurl.com/ap3uh

That is a seriously cool gadget, and one that I want. I shall order post haste.

Thank you. It reminds me of a 'flour mixer' that my mom had years ago...a stepped leveled lidded thing that you shook flour and water together to make a slurry for gravey. I haven't seen one of those in years. Looks like a milkshake glass with horizontal ribbs. did not collapse though. I don't think so at least. I need a funnel so badly, and this one folds flat. Yeah!!

They are not collapsable but you can get these at Amazon. I found them at a 'Factory outlet' kitchen store here in Lancaster, plus a larger one that folds flat, the top edge has a grommet/snap on it that snaps the top together so it can hang up.

I also got several silicone "pinch" bowls for holding small amounts of ingredients. Their ability to fold makes it easier to empty things into narrow openings without spilling.

Pinch bowls

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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andiesenji

andiesenji

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This is not a gadget, but it is just so darn cute that I had to order one.

I love the animated Christmas/holiday things but have never seen one like this.

When I saw it I thought I would order it for a friend who collects bears but then decided I would get it for me.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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