Favorite Kitchen Gadgets/Appliances

[Anonymous]

OP here--thanks for all the great ideas! I ended up getting a red KitchenAid Mixer and a Wusthof classic chef's knife. I'm going to save the suggestions from this thread for Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I've cooked using less expensive pans that All Clad, and heft makes a difference between burning and not-burning. Bittman also doesn't use a rice cooker, but I LOVE mine for the convenience, perfect rice, and ease of cleaning.

Its not just heft, its the triple-ply and the way it conducts heat. It means that you can use a big pan on a small burner and heat will spread evenly, so you dont burn the middle while the edges dont cook. Sur la table has its own line of triple ply much like all-clad which are pretty good substitutes and much cheaper, but I do love my all clad.

[Anonymous]

I am not the OP but this was really helpful for me - thanks! Can I quasi-hijack this thread to ask the cooking experts - the all clad pans are NOT nonstick, right? How easy/hard is it to clean them? If you own all clad pans, do you also have a couple of nonstick pans - and if so, what do you use the nonstick pans for? Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not the OP but this was really helpful for me - thanks! Can I quasi-hijack this thread to ask the cooking experts - the all clad pans are NOT nonstick, right? How easy/hard is it to clean them? If you own all clad pans, do you also have a couple of nonstick pans - and if so, what do you use the nonstick pans for? Thanks again!

I've got All Clad stainless and use them for everything but making pancakes. They're not too bad to clean except when DH cooks But even if they get mistreated, Bar Keeper's Friend works pretty well without killing yourself scrubbing. I still have one nonstick pan in my cupboard but the only time it gets used is when my mom visits because that's just what she's used to. I use a nonstick electric griddle for pancakes--horrible to store, but we do pancakes 2-3 times a week and I can make 6 at a time.

And for the OP's original question, I'd be sure to pick up the Star Wars apron they have right now for my 5 year old. He asks for that and the cookie cutters every time we walk by WS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not the OP but this was really helpful for me - thanks! Can I quasi-hijack this thread to ask the cooking experts - the all clad pans are NOT nonstick, right? How easy/hard is it to clean them? If you own all clad pans, do you also have a couple of nonstick pans - and if so, what do you use the nonstick pans for? Thanks again!

You need to have the All Clad pans 1) hot enough, 2) with enough oil (don't skimp, but you don't need to deep fry either), 3) don't disturb the cooking food too early (for meats, let a crust or sear form before flipping over).

For eggs, I use a Lodge Cast Iron pan--just as good a teflon, but w/o the chemical off-gassing.

I haven't used a non-stick coated pan in years.

[Anonymous]

all clad makes non-stick too, but generally people are talking about their stainless. agree with PP - barkeeps friend is great for the stainless. I also have a couple all-clad non-stick, and only use them for eggs and sometimes quesadillas. never a saute or anything that needs to brown/carmelize.