Kitchen Gadgets - "stocking stuffers"

[andiesenji]

Speaking of microplanes....

[andiesenji]

This is another favorite place for gadgets. I just ordered 3 of the automatic soap dispensers on page 1

A set of the shaped ice cream scoops on page 2 and 6 of the "cool touch" oven guards on page 3.

Brylane.

Not exactly a gadget, but I just ordered one of the tree wreath Bundt cake pans from Sur la Table.

I have a collection of Bundt pans and this one is particularly attractive.

Tree wreath pan.

[bloviatrix]

What about non-standard measuring spoons?

Edited November 28, 2004 by Jason Perlow (log)

[fifi]

What about non-standard measuring spoons?

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Ooooo... Good one. I have been going through Paula Wolfert's books lately and have come across recipes that call for a third of a teaspoon of something. Then I can't find that measure. At least, this one has a 2/3 teaspoon.

Edited November 28, 2004 by Jason Perlow (log)

[bloviatrix]

Dough scrapers (either stainless or plastic) also come in handy. I use them to pick diced vegetables off the cutting board when I have large quantities. Edited November 28, 2004 by Jason Perlow (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Fixed the Amazon links to be eG-friendly, thanks.

[Dave the Cook]

Full size Kevlar cooking gloves are pretty pricey, but these glove liners fit the bill for cool, and would be great if you've got recipients that do a lot of shucking.

And don't forget welder's gloves for your BBQing friends.

Edit: I spoke to soon. Just found these: Ove Gloves

[mrsadm]

Last year I bought a potato brush (at bed bath beyond) whose handle looks exactly like a spud. Very cute and it works well!

[Malawry]

Scandinavian cheap U-shaped peelers. I have about 6 of them floating around.

The little beak-shaped knives, for those who tourne

THERMOMETERS. For the fridge, the freezer, the oven, probe thermometers, candy and deep-fry thermometers.

Fish spatulas. Useful for picking up anything.

Offset spatulas. Useful for spreading anything. Little ones are cheap and perfect for cupcakes.

I absolutely love those 6" long spreader knives. They have an oval-shaped head and they are perfect for sandwich spreads.

Most folks can use a new kitchen timer.

Dobie pads for scrubbing up. A plastic hopper that sits on the side of the sink with suction cups to hold the Dobies and sponges.

Cute refrigerator magnets with built-in clips

Silicon high-heat spatulas

I can't live without bench scrapers. I use them to scrape the griddle, move food from cutting board to pan, work doughs without working the gluten, scraping up bits of cookie dough from the counter when I'm done.

Silpats fit in a stocking. Love my silpats.

Fancy muffin tin liners are good for a baker, and cheap. I like the silvery ones more than the pastel paper ones from the supermarket.

Most folks could use more kitchen towels.

[spaghetttti]

Scandinavian cheap U-shaped peelers.

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I'd love to have one of those that juliennes, too. Does such a gadget exist?

[Malawry]

I use the mandoline or the food processor to julienne. Or, for some things, a knife. Nothing like old-fashioned knife skillz.

I thought of something else, a higher ticket item but a great one nonetheless: a diamond steel. I adore mine.

[andiesenji]

Long before the "Ove Glove" was available in the U.S., I was using these Coolskins from England.

Sold by the pair they cost a little more than the Ove Glove and, in my opinion are much better quality, certainly enough to justify the additional cost. When it comes to protecting my hands, I don't skimp.

I have them in all three size, extras in the long length as well as the mitts.

I have given them as gifts to friends who are bakers and like me, have to reach into a deep oven (My oven holds full-size sheet pans lengthwise) to move something such as a large bain-marie and before getting the long gloves, often burned the back of my wrists or forearm on the rails at the sides of the oven.

The sizes are generous and fit even the largest hands, something you don't get with the one-size-fits-all Ove glove.

If you have to handle things that are wet as well as hot, the coolskins are large enough that you can wear a heavy rubber glove under them to protect from steam.

[bentherebfor]

That reminds me, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets is a sliding measuring spoon. I have two of them and I like them a lot. They are helpful for when you have to measure a 1/2 tsp of one thing and then a tsp of something else, you can get the last bits of the 1/2 tsp out when you meausre the tsp! Now that I see it typed out it sounds kinda stupid but....anyway...

Also those big sliding measuring cups are handy dandy for measuring honey and stuff. You can buy them as a set with the measuring spoons here from Chef's Catalog

Or you go could go with the one that I have here from Alton Brown

Personally, I'm hoping for a couple of these bad boys to show up in my stocking this year.

[fifi]

Great ideas all...

I can confirm that the gloves are well received. I gave them last year and I am still getting positive comments on them. Same with the silicone spatulas.

spaghetttti... I have one of the ceramic julienne thingies and I don't like it. It cuts too fine and is hard to use. The first thing I tried was jicama and I made mush. A carrot was impossible. W-S has it here.

I keep saying that I am going to get a diamond steel. I think I know just the person that might be worthy.

Dishtowels... How many times I have been in someone's kitchen and they are usually at one extreme or the other... rags with stains and holes or fancy schmancy useless things that don't absorb anything because they have had doses of fabric softener. (Spring fresh, you know. ) I did those a few years ago and will do it again. My favorites are those "bar mops" that I get in a bundle of 12 at the restaurant supply place. They are just the right size, about 14x16 inches, and a rather loose terry cloth. I go through stacks of them because as they get wet or soiled, I throw them in a heap. When the cooking is over, they go into the washer with a healthy dose of bleach. I used them to wrap individual items in a "goody box" one year.

If you don't already know, Ikea is the best place on the planet to buy ss utensils. For 3-5 USD you get the lovely things that are the equal to those horribly expensive ones.

Now where did I see those olive wood spoons and spatulas that were so pretty?

If I am going to someone's house as a "gumbo coach", I bring them a wooden spatula for properly stirring the roux. It is one of those things they don't know they need.

[bentherebfor]

Wow, this topic is all I'm thinking about now.

I just got a pair of Okra gloves and they are hugely helpful. Yes. they are bulky, but they saved my arms many time well roasting turkey.

Digital Instant Read Prope Thermometers! I just got one and I love it. I go around sticking it in things just for fun now.

Darn it! I had something else too. Well, no doubt I'll be back with more in about 30 seconds.

[Behemoth]

Dishtowels... How many times I have been in someone's kitchen and they are usually at one extreme or the other... rags with stains and holes or fancy schmancy useless things that don't absorb anything because they have had doses of fabric softener. (Spring fresh, you know. )

Ha, I thought of that as I was going to bed yesterday. I love the ones at IKEA, BTW -- they have cool abstract designs but work really well and last forever.

Also at IKEA -- I love those glass food storage containers -- they stack, they look great, plus the lids double as little condiment plates. My other favorite IKEA purchases are the stacking steel canisters. If you know a tea drinker, IKEA also has a cool little "stove" that holds two tea lights. I use it to keep my bodum teapot (the one with the plunger) warm. I bought that thing in Germany before they carried it here but saw it last year at the Chicago IKEA. Bodum teapots also really rock, the smaller ones would fit your price range, too.

I can't imagine saying no to extra wooden spoons, tongs, paring knives...

One final idea: I like to keep some verbena-scented liquid soap in a nice looking dispenser near the sink. (I am a semi-compulsive handwasher, esp. after handling chicken etc). Its a nice little sensory hit whenever I'm working in the kitchen. Most fancy houseware stores carry nice brands -- I think Thyme is one, there are lots of others...

[JAZ]

Isi, maker of the Orka silicone oven mitts, now has a new gadget out, called the Squid. I can't find a picture of one anywhere (not on Isi's site or Sur La Table's, even though SLT sells them), but it's a combination basting brush and bulb baster made of silicone. It looks like, well, a squid, with a long hollow body and a short basting brush on the end. There's a hole that goes from the body through to the base of the brush, so it can suck up marinade or whatever (like a bulb baster), and then brush it on to whatever you need to brush it on (like a basting brush.

I thought they were silly, until I was faced with the task of spreading olive oil on six half-sheet pans of baguette slices for crostini. Gotta say that the squid was the answer. I'm thinking that it would be the answer for brushing melted butter on phyllo dough, too.

[Dani Mc]

I'm a big fan of these tongs:

Kuhn Rikon. $20 at Surlatable.com

[ladyyoung98]

fif..i looked at the link you provided..who knows...with a little luck and some heartfelt prayers one just may turn up....do you remember how much you paid for your ss mushroom?

[Eden]

This is another favorite place for gadgets.  I just ordered 3 of the automatic soap dispensers on page 1

A set of the shaped ice cream scoops on page 2 and 6 of the "cool touch" oven guards on page 3.

Brylane.

OK has anyone tried the shaped scoops, because I would love to buy them, IF they actually work well. I'm just afraid that they'll A) be weak & bend in harder ice cream and/or B) be difficult to use & get the cute shape to actually work.

Any opinons?

Oh and my favorite newish kitchen gadget is the serrated peeler! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...M/egulletcom-20

Mr. Bill said "what are you ever going to use THAT for?" when I brought it home, but you've never seen anything like it for peeling difficult items like quinces and stone fruits, and though I haven't tried it yet, I'm suspecting that butternut squash will now bow down before me in Fear

Eden

[ladyyoung98]

one other thing that id like to add to the list is a zester.....i never thought id have need for one even when my fiance bought one for me..(oxo..hope thats spelled right)..but lo and behold one day i was fooling around with a recipe and decided to use lime zest ...and ive been using it ever since

[fifi]

fif..i looked at the link you provided..who knows...with a  little  luck  and some heartfelt  prayers  one  just may turn up....do you remember  how  much you paid  for  your  ss mushroom?

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I haven't a clue. It wouldn't have been much because I am pretty tight with money. But then, maybe it was. If something really touches my heart I can get downright irrational. (Like a $200 rice cooker that I still love and have no remorse. ) I am actually going to try to contact the manufacturer and see what I can find out.

I just ordered Lemon Squeezers for the kids' goody box. I love these things. They are great once you figure out that you put the lemon in cut side down.

This thread has neatly handled my dilemma... I am traveling to my son's place in Chicago from Houston. My daughter is traveling to Chicago from DC. Now... How to get gifts there? Second problem... How does daughter get gifts back to DC?

Here is what I am doing. I am assembling two identical goody boxes. Luckily, both are building up kitchen stuff. I will ship one to Chicago and one to DC. Daughter in DC will have instructions to just put it away and don't open it. They will open the one in Chicago together, daughter knowing that her box is the same.

Here is what is "in the box" so far:

Heavy aluminum half sheet pan with rack

Heavy aluminum quarter sheet pan with rack

At least a dozen "bar mops"

Matfer Exopat for the half sheet pan

A set of silicone spatulas

Microplane

Lemon squeezer

All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking by Molly Stevens

An AMEX gift card (I haven't decided how good they've been, yet. )

The book is because they love their little Le Creusets that I sent them as much as I love mine. The first three items will require a trip to the restaurant supply. The rest is coming from Amazon... via the eGullet link, of course.

[andiesenji]

I've had one of the serrated peelers for several years. Mine just says ACME China on it. It has a fat white handle that is very easy to hold, with a grainy surface that doesn't slip in wet hands.

By the way, while trying to find the peeler, I found the SS mushroom.

here.

However it seems to have been discontinued at several vendors listed.

Amazon will take an order to search for one.

here.

People keep giving me gadgets to deal with garlic - I have some odd ones which I should get out and at least try. Most are still in their original boxes or bags.

This is a neat gadget that my housekeeper bought for me to join my collection of whisks for every purpose and I used it with great success in my T-Day gravy.

whisk.

I have several that are supposed to be perfect for gravy, including my old favorite, one that is at least 30 years old, and this one is better.......

Edited November 28, 2004 by andiesenji (log)

[fifi]

Yeah andie... I got all excited when I found it on Amazon, then all other resources dried up. I think I am back to contacting Amco.

I saw that really weird whisk somewhere and wondered about it. Now I might have to get one based on your report. My first impression was that it was the product of a demented mind.

What makes a serrated peeler special?

edit to add: I got all excited about this find, got all the way to placing an order for $11.95 each, and got an error message.

Edited November 28, 2004 by fifi (log)

[ladyyoung98]

fifi i got that same error message

Edited November 28, 2004 by ladyyoung98 (log)