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Post by ksbruns on Dec 29, 2016 3:00:49 GMT
I so envy you all with the bottom drawer freezers...I had one in Pittsburgh and loved it so much.
One day I will have a kitchen with enough low cabinet space that I will not need a stepladder.
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Post by jamescat1 on Dec 29, 2016 4:18:02 GMT
We should start a thread about old appliances that still work. My sister is using my mom's toaster that mom got in 1945. Still works great and makes beautiful toast. It's a toastmaster. My large freezer was bought in 1978 and it still works great (fingers crossed) The only thing I don't like is I have to defrost it every year. I think it helps that the freezer has never lived in the garage; it's been in our utility room all this time which has helped the motor. My color from the 70s was avocado green; I never had the harvest gold appliances! Oh, and lmenglish I love, love, love, my new Kenmore Elite refrigerator that I got this summer. French doors on top, freezer on the bottom. Really do like the layout. What kind did you get? My freezer from the 1970s died this year. My microwave that was at least 25 years old died this month. Luckily Sharp made one that was also huge and fit in the space occupied by the previous one.
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Post by alias123 on Dec 29, 2016 6:20:20 GMT
I got a few small appliances this year. I am well satisfied with them all.
Breville toaster oven - Love it ! Breville is expensive but it is well worth it if you can afford it.
Ninja Auto IQ blender - Great. The Vitamix is the best. However this is a lot less expensive.
Ninja Coffee bar - the one with the built-in frother. makes a nice hot cup of coffee. Love the frother.
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Post by thyme2 on Dec 29, 2016 14:47:49 GMT
I have a Magic Bullet blender this i got to replace my 43 year old osterizer, it still worked! I like the bullet. I need a bridal shower!! Linda, I looked up the comparison between the Magic Bullet and the Nutribullet. Seems that the power and speed and assessories are the differences. The Magic Bullet looks like it might fill the bill since I would like to do dressings, salsa, and liquidy things that don't work as well in the food processor. I may try some smoothies but I don't care for most. The Magic is actually cheaper to. Glad you mentioned it. The info said that the Magic is better for things that you want to have "chunkier" and the Nutri pulverizes a bit more. Thanks!
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Post by zazzles on Dec 29, 2016 15:13:32 GMT
zazzles Leave it to the Germans to invent something this complicated. I'll have to study the video to learn more about it. Well, at over $1,800 it is not an appliance any of us are likely to be purchasing. Just because one appliance CAN do everything doesn’t mean it SHOULD do everything!
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Post by azcristi on Dec 29, 2016 15:15:35 GMT
On the subject of InstantPots, I do use mine but not as much as I could or should. And I have no hesitation in using it to pressure cook. I’ve had several stove-top pressure cookers, including my grandmother’s, and a couple of multi-cookers with pressure feature and never had a problem.
Beans are notorious for blowing up pressure cookers, especially old ones, because they foam while they cook and the foam can rise up and clog the pressure vent. Most manufacturer’s cookbooks for old pressure cookers specifically say not to cook beans or split peas. And modern books usually say to add oil to prevent foaming.
azcristi , on the subject of Air Fryers, I do use mine a lot more than I thought I would, but not for “real” cooking. I use it to defrost and heat baked goods (100-calorie blueberry muffins; blueberry scones, etc.), and for anything that I want to crisp after baking—for example, I’ll microwave a baked potato, then spray with a bit of oil and sprinkle with salt and throw it into the Air Fryer for 3 to 5 minutes to crisp the skin (which I like to eat).
If you do consider an air fryer, I’d steer away from Philips because they are ridiculously expensive over units that do the same thing and are a lot cheaper. One to look at would be the NuWave Brio which looks like it may be made by Philips. It is about 1/3 the price of the Philips and has all the features if not more.
The only holiday “appliance” I acquired this year is a popover pan. I bought it today. Guess what dinner was???
And back to slow cookers: I had a conversation on Christmas Eve with someone whose son wants a slow cooker that can be set to hold a precise temperature (something that doesn’t seem to exist). But it reminded me of an ad I glimpsed for a slow cooker that also cooks sous vide. I tracked it down, and it is made by Hamilton Beach. If I didn’t already have a sous vide portable circulator I’d be tempted to try that Hamilton Beach which the company is selling on their own web site for $99.
I have two (old?) Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers that I used to use all the time... WHEN I was taking pressure cooker cooking classes (try saying that 10 times fast!)... I don't use them as often anymore. So for the fact that I have 2 pressure cookers (stove top), I had no problem returning my Instant Pot. zazzles - Mike, thanks so much for the tip on the NuWave Brio air fryer... if I recall correctly, you had posted about this on the old board a while back. I'm going to search for it now... hopefully on Amazon. And yes, the Phillips is pretty high in price.
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Post by azcristi on Dec 29, 2016 15:37:11 GMT
Wow!!! That is impressive. Maybe for me when I'm retired.
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Post by alias123 on Dec 29, 2016 16:00:07 GMT
I like how compact the design is. It's very sleek and doesn't take up a ton of space.
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dbrn
Epic Member
Posts: 2
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Post by dbrn on Jan 1, 2017 18:37:43 GMT
I got my husband the Emeril air fryer from QVC for Christmas. It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I was skeptical, but the frozen fries he made in it last night with just a spray of cooking spray really were crisper and tasted better than when baked in the oven.
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Post by fullmahina on Jan 2, 2017 15:47:02 GMT
Years ago, when I was a little kid, Mrs. R down the block made pea soup in her pressure cooker. It exploded and she ran out of the house screaming. Everyone in the neighborhood went down to see what had happened. Her lovely 1950's kitchen was festooned with splats of pea soup, from the floor to the ceiling and Mrs. R was in tears. I remember holding my mother's hand as we and all the neighbors walked through the kitchen, coming in the front door of the little Cape house and leaving by the side kitchen door. All were quiet except for an occasional "Oh my GOD." We looked at the ceiling as if we were viewing the Sistine Chapel. Awesome. So...no pressure cooker for me. This year, I bought more Crock Pot Hookups. They are Crock Pots that you can cook in but the cords can hook up to another unit and are really great for the buffet table. I got a good buy from Costco on two 3.5 quart units (sold in a box of two) and I also have another unit that has two 1 quart inserts. GREAT for Thanksgiving---everything stayed hot, no last minute heating up of every dish, no Sterno things to worry about! I treated myself to a Le Creuset 5 qt brasier. We have an outlet store near us and they sent me a 50% off coupon that I couldn't pass up. No, the pot is not electric and does absolutely nothing except look beautiful and help me make lovely braised meals. The original Slow Cooker, lol.
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Post by linda72 on Jan 2, 2017 15:56:22 GMT
fullmahina Are you in the Houston area? We have a Le Creuset outlet mall near us in Houston but I've never gotten a 50% coupon! That would really make them affordable.
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Post by beckymax on Jan 2, 2017 16:29:45 GMT
i have used an old fashioned pressure cooker for years. No mishaps but I always made sure the little pressure telease pin hole was clear. Key factor. Last year I got an IP. I use it EVERY week, love it. I love it because it is quiet, no hissing and I do not have to watch it. it does not cook nearly as fast nor as well as the old fashioned one as the pressure is not as high but I like the convenience of it and the quiet so I use it indtead.
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Post by fullmahina on Jan 2, 2017 17:40:44 GMT
fullmahina Are you in the Houston area? We have a Le Creuset outlet mall near us in Houston but I've never gotten a 50% coupon! That would really make them affordable. No, I am in the Northeast. I have bought Le Creuset for gifts and I'm on the VIP mailing list and got the coupon via email. The 50% one-item discount was the best deal I've ever seen! They often have 30-40% discounts but this was irresistible!
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Post by Texans136 (Luann) on Jan 4, 2017 18:52:55 GMT
Speaking of crock pots... I had a very old one, almost 30 years old... I got it as a bridal shower gift when I married my daughter's father in 1987. It finally died on me last year. I replaced it with a fancy new one, a programmable.... I HATED IT. It just didn't heat up like my old dinosaur crock pot. I ended up returning the new programmable crock.
Then an old family friend offered me HER old, old model - also about 30 years old. And old Rival (like my old one). I'm so thrilled with the old thing. It's like my old one never died. I use it at least every other week. It's an old model with a turn knob: Off/Low/High.
They just don't make them like they used to!!! You and I must have the same one. I like the old turn knob, since I can plug the cord to a timer to set the amount of time that I want while I'm away at work. (I can't do that with the push button programmable one) Now for the outside of the well used pot, it's as ugly as sin with encrusted burned on stains. I will never be able to donate it, it's too ugly.
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cyndee
Transcendent Member
191.2/191.2/164
Posts: 970
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Post by cyndee on Jan 4, 2017 19:19:46 GMT
I know they're not kitchen appliances, but they are kitchen things. My husband (at my request) bought me an entire set of new mixing bowls to replace my extremely old and fading ones that probably dated back to the 1960s. They are just clear glass, but very nice. I expected only a set of 4 (very big, big, medium, small), but he bought me those plus a set of very very small bowls that almost look like what a doll would use. The smallest bowl is so small it could only hold maybe a tablespoon of spices. I don't know when I'll ever use that!
Hubby also bought me (at my request) a very large non-stick ceramic frying pan with lid. It's big enough (high enough sides) that you could even made stew or chili in it. It is also big enough to hold 4 pounded pork chops or many chicken parts. That's coming soon.
The last actual kitchen appliance I got was for my birthday last May 2016. My hubby bought me a Kitchen Aid mixer with many attachments. That is like a cook's major toy.
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