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Mixing bowls

jackal10

By jackal10
in Kitchen Consumer

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jgm

jgm

Posted
Posted

I think Pyrex probably would be a good bet. You might look for one that indicates the glass is tempered, if such a thing is available.

We have some Pyrex casserole dishes that I bought quite a few years ago. I would think some version of them is still available. If you could find the size you need, the handles on the side would make them easier to handle than a bowl, plus they're specifically made to take heat - but not rapid changes in heat.

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Dakki

Dakki

Posted
Posted

For mixing I'd worry more about size/shape than maker.

That said, I love Pyrex stuff and would probably go with that by default.

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

Pyrex, Fireking (same name, different language, different companies) and Anchor Hocking all make tempered glass mixing bowls, as far as I know. As noted above, you really need to look at the geometry of the bowl. Will it fit properly in your chosen pan and serve as the inner pot in a double boiler? If not, then keep looking.

I am especially fond of the Pyrex mixing bowl set that comes with lids - 4 bowls, 4 lids, all color-coordinated. The bowls are relatively shallow and are especially good for, say, bread doughs or marinades. For years I've just used the white glass bowls (possibly also Pyrex) that came with my mixer way back when. Those bowls were perfect in their heft and capacity, until Pyrex came out with the more gently-sloped sets that are my current favorite. Sure, they have a bigger footprint. No, they will definitely not fit on the turntable of my Hamilton Beach mixer that's older than I am. But they are pretty, and they're great for hand-mixing.

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CanadianBakin'

CanadianBakin'

Posted
Posted

I guess it depends what you plan to cook in it but I wouldn't recommend glass at all to use as a double boiler (bain marie). You need a metal bowl. Glass doesn't conduct heat as well as metal so it can take a lot longer to cook. For example, I tried to make Lemon Cream with a glass bowl and stirred for 2 hours without reaching the required temperature. After reading in the Pastry/Baking Forum about glass vs metal, I cooked the same thing in 10 minutes which is how long the recipe said it should take. Just my 2 cents.

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John Rosevear

John Rosevear

Posted
Posted

Duralex Duralex Duralex. The company that invented tempered glass makes wonderful bowls. Get one of the sets -- like this -- that all nest together. Gorgeous, durable, and easy to store. I wouldn't buy the cheap glass they put the "Pyrex" name on nowadays given such an excellent and affordable alternative.

But I agree with CanadianBakin' that using glass for a double boiler is likely to be a frustrating choice.

John Rosevear

"Brown food tastes better." - Chris Schlesinger

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dougal

dougal

Posted
Posted (edited)

Agree that for heat conduction, metal is going to be better than glass.

However, if you really want a 'glass' item, see if you can find a glass ceramic ("vitroceramic") item.

Made of similar stuff to 'glass' cooktops.

Not cheap. Very tough. Very safe.

Apart from Corning, not sure who else might offer this material.

Edited by dougal (log)

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jgm

jgm

Posted
Posted

I guess it depends what you plan to cook in it but I wouldn't recommend glass at all to use as a double boiler (bain marie). You need a metal bowl. Glass doesn't conduct heat as well as metal so it can take a lot longer to cook. For example, I tried to make Lemon Cream with a glass bowl and stirred for 2 hours without reaching the required temperature. After reading in the Pastry/Baking Forum about glass vs metal, I cooked the same thing in 10 minutes which is how long the recipe said it should take. Just my 2 cents.

This is really good information. I do use a metal bowl, but only because that's what I have, not because I chose it for any particular reason. Good to know. Thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted

I'm several years late coming to this party but I'm a stainless steel guy all of the way. I like two things about them. One: I can't break them like I can Pyrex. Two: I pick NSF rated bowls because it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling about how well they should clean up.

I have:

2 5 qt bowls

3 8 qt bowls

P1010012.JPG

1 14 qt bowl

I also have a non-NSF 4 qt bowl of the same construction. I like the fact that there are no crevices for gunk to get stuck in in this style of bowl.

I use these for everything (I don't bake).

There is Pyrex and plastic in the kitchen but they are used by my DW.

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

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  • 3 years later...
Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted (edited)

I need to get a mixing / storage bowl with a silicone, polypropylene, or other soft, durable lid and, possibly, with a non-skid base. I'd like it to be of stainless steel. I need it to hold 3+ lbs of potato salad, a similar amount of fruit salad, and the like. What I need to know is what capacity bowl I would need and if anyone has a recommendation. Mainly the bowl will be used for transporting food to potlucks and sometimes for serving at home. Thanks!

Edited by Shel_B (log)

 ... Shel


 

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted (edited)

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/72926-top-chef-stainless-steel-mixing-bowls-lids-set-of-3.html

If you google "stainless steel bowls with lids" you'll find all kinds of options.

Of course I did that. Many that I found had bad reviews, many came in sets, which I'd prefer not to get. But most important, I don't know what capacity I need for the amount of ingredients I'll be using. Can you help with that?

And, it would be nice to get a recommendation from someone who has used a particular bowl rather than just providing a pointer to something they just Googled. All the products I've looked at are described in glowing terms, but when I carefully read reviews I find many are poor quality or have problems.

Edited by Shel_B (log)

 ... Shel


 

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted (edited)

For 3 pounds of potato salad, I think that a 2 quart bowl should fit the bill with a bit of space left over.

A 3 quart may be best if you want extra mixing room.

I favor deep stainless steel mixing bowls.

Rosle makes a nice one, but I don't have experience with their lids which are available separately.

They may be priced lower on Amazon.

Edited by DiggingDogFarm (log)
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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

For 3 pounds of potato salad, I think that a 2 quart bowl should fit the bill with a bit of space left over.

I favor deep stainless steel mixing bowls.

Rosle makes a nice one, but I don't have experience with their lids which are available separately.

They may be priced lower on Amazon.

Thanks. The fit of the lids is very important as I'll often be traveling with whatever dish I make. I read that some lids don't fit well when a stainless steel bowl has been refrigerated due to different expansion/contraction rates of the stainless bowls and the lids, which are of a different material.

 ... Shel


 

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Mjx

Mjx

Posted
Posted

There's a good chance that you'll find a bowl you like that has no lid; if that's the case, you might want to look into one of the stretchy Lékué lids (which you can use withr a variety of different containers, not just the bowl), which come in various sizes. I've seen these at Sur la Table, and Bed Bath & Beyond.

  • Like 1

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

There's a good chance that you'll find a bowl you like that has no lid; if that's the case, you might want to look into one of the stretchy Lékué lids (which you can use withr a variety of different containers, not just the bowl), which come in various sizes. I've seen these at Sur la Table, and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Thanks! That info has just expanded my options <LOL>

 ... Shel


 

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Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted

I would go for something closer to 4 quarts so that you are not up to the brim when using it.

Below are pictures of my 3 qt and 5 qt size S/S bowls.

IMAG0222.jpg

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Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

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weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted

For transporting food to potlucks or to a dinner party, I find nothing better than the containers that my hot soup from the Chinese places gets delivered in. 2 of the quart size will hold almost 4 lbs. of potato salad.

Quart containers. Microwavable, dishwasher safe, etc.

You can then just leave them at the event or toss 'em into the recyclables.

I also use them at home for storage everywhere...they take up little space.

I use nothing stainless that has lids. Instead, I use plastic wrap on stainless, glass, etc.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

For transporting food to potlucks or to a dinner party, I find nothing better than the containers that my hot soup from the Chinese places gets delivered in. 2 of the quart size will hold almost 4 lbs. of potato salad.

Quart containers. Microwavable, dishwasher safe, etc.

You can then just leave them at the event or toss 'em into the recyclables.

I also use them at home for storage everywhere...they take up little space.

I use nothing stainless that has lids. Instead, I use plastic wrap on stainless, glass, etc.

Not at all my style. I want something that I can prepare the food in and then use for transport. I don't like using plastic at all, especially for food. Plastic wrap for a closure is wasteful - the stuff just ends up in a landfill, or, perhaps, in a recycling center, just like you suggest for the containers.

 ... Shel


 

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

I would go for something closer to 4 quarts so that you are not up to the brim when using it.

Below are pictures of my 3 qt and 5 qt size S/S bowls.

I've decided to get a set which has both 3qt and 5qt bowls, plus a smaller bowl. Thanks for the suggestion - we were on the same page.

 ... Shel


 

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Shel_B

Shel_B

Posted
Posted

If it's not too late and they're available in the US, I'd like to put in a really good word for the iMusa s/s bowls in 2 and 5 L sizes...

It's not too late. I searched for the iMusa bowls and came up blank except for a reference to them in someone's blog. They described it as the iMusa "Top Chef," and the Top Chef is one of the bowls I'm considering, although I don't know if it's the same set of bowls you're describing.

I went out to Bed and Bath, which carries the Top Chef on it's web site, but, apparently, not in my local store. I did see a few other bowls that gave me a good perspective on some of what I've seen on line.

I hope to make a decision in the next day or two.

 ... Shel


 

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Panaderia Canadiense

Panaderia Canadiense

Posted
Posted (edited)

I've got no clue - they're sold as simply "bowl hermetico delujo, inoxidable" down here, not as part of any line. What I like about them particularly is that they're hugely flat-bottomed, which makes them extremely stable on the counter and picnic table (no need for no-slip treads), and they're a heavy enough gauge that I can bake cakes in them should the need arise (my 2L bowl, the first in my collection, I bought in order to bake and store a custom-sized fruitcake....)

I checked out the iMusa USA website, and they're not even shown there (boo-urns!), which makes me suspect that they're a Latin American market thing only. And that's pretty dang silly IMHO, because they're easily the best s/s bowls I've ever used. When my internets speed up some, I'll check their Colombian site and see if they're there - that way I can give you a look at 'em - mine are all out on loan at the moment!

ETA - my nets sped up! Yay! The bowls I use are indeed on the Colombian website (link - in Spanish) - click on "Recipientes de Acero - Frascos" and they're the first item on the menu. I have the two largest sizes at the moment, which are both about the size you're looking for. You could, if you can't find what you're looking for locally, probably have them shipped to you from Bogotá....

Edited by Panaderia Canadiense (log)
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natasha1270

natasha1270

Posted
Posted (edited)

Shel - I regularly make around 3-4lb of potato salad at a time and use a 3 liter sistema container to hold it. It is usually very filled. I'm gradually switching over to glasslock containers so even though you asked for stainless, I would recommend the glasslock.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DYV574/

Eta: actually, I just realized that I use 3-4 lbs of potatoes to make it. Not sure what the final weight is but the volume fills the 3l container.

Edited by natasha1270 (log)
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