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Entries from Talk tagged with 'appliances'
To dream the impossible coffee dream...I want it all
I want to get a Coffeemaker-Espresso maker-Cappucchino maker that grinds beans and froths milk. Does anyone know of one. IF not...(say if the bean grinding doesn't exist) which triple threat do you have and like. I want to stay under 400 bucks. The milk frothing is non negotiable!
Know of a good food processor?
I am on the lookout for a good food processor - something that doesn't break easily and is not too loud (ideally).
Immersion blender recommendations
I've decided it's time to get serious about an immersion blender. All winter I've been making pureed soups by transferring the soup to the regular blender and pureeing it in messy batches, which requires two pots and too much time.
These things aren't cheap, so I want to be careful about what I buy. If you have one and love it, can you share the details? (one caveat - I am terribly non-mechanical and don't want to fool around with anything too complicated.)
Favorite kitchen appliance?
What kitchen appliances do you love best?
Me, I love my Kitchenaid mixer. It kneads, it mixes, it grinds meat and stuffs sausages, and it makes ice cream. Among other things.
On the other hand, I've gone about 3 weeks now without a stove. The old one attempted to burn the house down (oven wouldn't shut off) so its been banished to the scrap heap. And so I went shopping. Decided that if I was going to get a new stove, I might as well replace the old vent hood with a microwave/convection oven/vent hood.
Considering that I usually bake bread a couple times a week, living without an oven has been difficult. And I'm getting a little tired of crockpots and other electrical devices for cooking. But the end is near.
After much electrical work, the microwave/convection oven/vent hood is now in place, and I just pulled a batch of cinnamon buns out. Mmmmmmm.... finally....home-baked goodies.
In a few days, the plumber will be along to run a gas pipe for the gas cooktop, and I may be back in full operation by the end of the week. The new stove may replace the Kitchenaid as a favorite, for a while. I look forward to being able to boil water for pasta, and to sear meat on a cast iron pan.
But then the Kitchenaid will probably win back my little electrical heart. Because once the weather heats up, most of the actual cooking moves to the outdoor grill.
So what appliances to you love? Which ones couldn't you live without?
Recommendations for knife sharpeners
I would like to hear about your experiences with knife sharpeners, especially those for serrated blades. I keep my straight blades sharp with a steel, but am looking to expand as my serrated knives are starting to dull.
Thanks!
Appliances in a dorm room...
So, kitchen appliances such as hot plates and toasters are -technically- not allowed to be used in the dorm rooms here, but they are permitted in common areas. The trouble is, the only common area on my floor is the laundry room, and I'm not about to start flipping pancakes on top of a washing machine. My question is: Has anyone gotten away with using one of the aforementioned appliances inside a dorm room without setting off the smoke detector/fire alarm? And what would it take to set it off? I mean, would it take billowing flames, or just some intense heat to get that siren going? I'm sick of microwaved, steamed food- Please help!
Refrigerator-freezer advice needed:
We have a vacation home which is used heavily but sporadically during the year. It goes from one to between ten-twenty people at a time and is occupied for about four months of the year. So the fridge gets heavy use for weeks at a time and then is unopened for a period of months. We like to keep it on since people drop by when they can and without much planning. And for me, I travel halfway around the world to get there and want a cold glass of wine and something I can defrost and eat when I finally arrive!
We have a Jenn-Air fridge/freezer which has been pretty much of a failure. I am looking to replace it (YEAH!!!!) and was hoping for advice. Actually I have two questions:
1) What are some good websites for reviews of major kitchen appliances, and
2) What do you look for in a fridge-freezer and what would you recommend? (Think large!)
In the market for a new deep fryer; need your advice.
so i've had a Philips deep fryer for about 6 years now, and even with regular upkeep and cleaning and changing of oil and degreasing and whatnot, it's just getting old and not as efficient as it once was (although 6 years is not a bad track record for one - i think). we've use ours pretty regularly (at least once a week - my husband must have chicken wings on Sundays), so we'd need one that would stand up to frequent usage and not poop out on us in two years. for those of you who have a deep fryer (and even those who dont, but know a thing or two about 'em), what kind of fryers do you prefer? is there a brand that has stood out lately? i need your advice! thanks!
Is there a Rice Cooker without an Aluminum Insert?
I have a confession to make... I can't make rice without a rice cooker. I have tried many times, but it just won't come out right. For years, I have been cooking mostly on stainless steel and avoiding the use of aluminum cookware. However, my trusted rice cooker is the only appliance/cookware I still own that has aluminum . I feel like I am cooking wrong everytime I use it.
Do you know if there are any rice cookers without an aluminum insert? When I search on the internet they do not specify. Please help.
Another KitchenAid Question
I am not sure if this has been asked before but I couldn't find the question. I am buying a stand mixer as a gift (partly for myself) and I am wondering if people have suggestions about the different sizes and wattage. Price is of course an issue, but I would much rather spend the money then get something that does not do the job I want or breaks in a year. we wouldn't use it a ton, mostly for pizza dough and some candy and cookie making. some wattages ive seen are 275, 325, and 350 Is the low end model good enough?
My KitchenAid Artisan is sick...help!
My beloved fuchsia Artisan mixer is not well. I've had it for a little over 4 years, and I bought it refurbished from the company. It has been wonderful to me for these years, but a few days ago, the motor started making a funny (bad) noise, and there was a distinct smell of burning rubber. I turned it off, let it sit for a bit, then turned it back on. The same thing happened, and it was clear that the motor was messed up because the attachment was moving very slowly. I turned off the mixer and haven't touched it since for fear of further damage.
OK, now that you have that info...
I emailed the folks at KitchenAid and they told me to take my mixer to an authorized service center, the closest of which is an hour away (in Gaithersburg, MD), which is, quite frankly, a long way to drive to fix my mixer.
For those of you with KitchenAid mixers - have you had any problems with yours, and, if so, how have you fixed it? I am trying to avoid going to this service center so any and all advice is greatly appreciated!!!
Ronco rotisserie??
Does anyone have a Ronco rotisserie? I am usually very skeptical of infomercial kinds of things but have heard good things about this. Any comments?
Rice Cooker Cooking: More Than Just Rice
I am going to share my mom's recipe for chicken in the rice cooker - it's delicious and simple, and great for you homesick college kids! Please also post your own suggestions for other stuff you can cook in the rice cooker.
need reccos for the strongest blender ever
i need a strong, lasting blender. something hardy. a product that murders ice -- because i love icy fruit smoothies, and drink them almost every morning. Any advice?
