Kitchen Gadgets!

[Merlin5]

I agree, £30 is more sensible. Just be aware, those £30 ebay pens are the previous mk3 incarnation and don't have a bunch of cool features. Such as: auto and manual backlight, 360 auto display rotation, motion sensor wake up, adjustable auto shutdown timer, waterproof, slightly faster and slightly more accurate temperature. Depends if those features are important to you of course. If so, it would be worth the extra £20 for as long as they still have the reduced £50 mk4 for sale.

I only got the newest version because it cost me nothing as I used some Amazon vouchers I was given on my birthday.

I'd first considered the cheapo £10 pens until I looked into how good the Thermapen is. It should last years. You get what you pay for as the clones will be slower and less accurate and probably less durable.

 

[BlueMerle]

Saw a super cheesy (literately) American advert on youtube and bought it online for a few quid.

Thought it would make BBQ season that extra bit better with some silly sized stuffed burgers. Novelty aside, i actually love it!

It actually is a fair bit easier to use than the guy in the video shows. Had some tasty blue cheese burgers, spicy Mexican cheese burgers and had a go at making vegetarian burgers with quorn mince (need to work on how to get it to bind).

This gadget is no game changer and obviously a bit of a gimmick, that said, i feel it was well worth the few quid!

Thanks for this! I remember the ads from a while back but never bought one because they seemed, as you say, gimmicky and I didn't want to just throw money out the window.

Off to Amazon!

 

[SpeedFreak]

I have said this before, this is the best can opener ever:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kuhn-Rikon...ocphy=9045888&hvtargid=pla-349482706053&psc=1

 

[Merlin5]

What's so special about it? Most cans these days have pull tabs anyway.
I have a white Culinare MagiCan, never had a problem with it and leaves no sharp edges.

 

[SpeedFreak]

What's so special about it? Most cans these days have pull tabs anyway.
I have a white Culinare MagiCan, never had a problem with it and leaves no sharp edges.

Hard to describe but it doesn't actually cut the can and allows the lid to pop off.

 

[krooton]

Recently got a milk frother as we don't have a fancy coffee machine and are happy with our cafetiere.

It's like a tiny kettle with a little whirring bit at the bottom that froths up the milk, makes for lovely cappucinnos.

 

[V_R]

Oooh, thats a good idea. We stayed at a place that had a Nespresso machine with one of them on the side, I loved it and was thinking of getting one, but that might make more sense...

£20 vs ~£160!

 

[Merlin5]

Just had some great after sales service from Etekcity. I bought two of their gadgets from Amazon this year, a lasergrip IR thermometer and kitchen scales. Both working perfectly but the little glass screen on the scales has developed some marks that won't come off. Can't see them when the backlight is on, only in daylight when turned off.

I emailed them mentioning I own both items, am very happy with them and just asking if there's a way I can clean up the screen.

They were very apologetic, asked me to send the original Amazon order number, asked me what things I weighed with it and where I store it.
I sent them photos, purposely including both items in view.
They sent me a new one which I got today! I really wasn't expecting that, so bonus! They recommended I keep it away from heat sources as I sent them a photo which shows the scales are close to my hob.

Original scales and new replacement in box.

 

[Train]

Just had some great after sales service from Etekcity. I bought two of their gadgets from Amazon this year, a lasergrip IR thermometer and kitchen scales. Both working perfectly but the little glass screen on the scales has developed some marks that won't come off. Can't see them when the backlight is on, only in daylight when turned off.

I emailed them mentioning I own both items, am very happy with them and just asking if there's a way I can clean up the screen.

They were very apologetic, asked me to send the original Amazon order number, asked me what things I weighed with it and where I store it.
I sent them photos, purposely including both items in view.
They sent me a new one which I got today! I really wasn't expecting that, so bonus! They recommended I keep it away from heat sources as I sent them a photo which shows the scales are close to my hob.

Original scales and new replacement in box.

Isn't that the plastic screen protector or is it just deceptive in the picture?

 

[wandgrudd]

Isn't that the plastic screen protector or is it just deceptive in the picture?

Feek has kindly sorted my old account out so the above post that now shows the user as banned was from me asking about the screen protector?

Sorry for any confusion.

any way can anyone recomend a good egg cracker for someone that has trouble with grip?

 

[Merlin5]

Hi wandgrudd. I was wondering the same myself. In fact a new scratch has appeared. It really does seem like the kind of thing you get with a screen protector, but I can't get it off. I've just tried again, and nope, definitely not a protector and I've scratched it up more now. Lucky I have a replacement. Very odd, definitely something substandard with the screen.

 

[Merlin5]

I got a steamer from Ikea, £3. It fans out to fit inside any saucepan and works well. Not really meant for nonstick pans because it has feet that can scratch, but my pans are circulon and the coating is pretty strong.

 

[Merlin5]

I was told it's dishwasher safe!

 

[Steeps]

Where do you get those massive apples from?

 

[ChrisLX200]

lol!

 

[Merlin5]

Where do you get those massive apples from?

 

[Merlin5]

I sometimes post on a UK baking forum, joined about a year ago. There's an american woman who posts quite a lot there, she's been to baking school, very knowledgeable, really knows her stuff. How to work out bakers percentages, all that kind of thing that I tend to forget and have to brush up on.

She's helped me and others a lot. We've become friends now. She said she has way more baking tools than she needs and out of the goodness of her heart sent me a parcel all the way from California! Got it today.

So generous, she's sent me a NordicWare Bundt tin and a US Sur la table muffin tin, a scoop, even a bag of Guittard baking wafers and a box of cake flour. The tins are heavy, real quality. NordicWare is expensive over here. The shipping alone was $85! I've thanked her and said I have to repay her shipping. She even included a lovely card as she knew about my mum. Nice eh. Some lovely people in the world Just wanted to share some photos. Can't wait to make a chocolate cake with lashings of Guittard ganache dripping down it.

6

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Oooh, thats a good idea. We stayed at a place that had a Nespresso machine with one of them on the side, I loved it and was thinking of getting one, but that might make more sense...

£20 vs ~£160!

you can get a nespresso machine for £70 that comes with a voucher for £100 worth of capsules.

the more fancy machines are crap IMO. we had a £200 machine at work and it was louder and slower than my £100 machine.

 

[jpaul]

I thought he wanted a milk frother ?

Can't wait to make a chocolate cake with lashings of Guittard ganache dripping down it.

we're waiting ... I'd like to see the hairy biker one I posted on before
http://cookbooksgalore1.blogspot.com/2012/06/chocolate-cake-schokogugelhupf.html ...a whisked egg whites + almonds (!) recipe
Guittard must be the usa equivalent of Callebaut .. perpetualy in my amazon basket

 

[ChrisLX200]

I just dropped my Masha on the floor and the end snapped off Only gadget I can say I really use all the time. Trying to fix it but if that fails I'll definitely be buying another.