Choosing the best set of knives for your kitchen can be a tricky problem. You can save time and money by simply purchasing a premade knife set. The potential downside to this is that you can end up with a cheap collection of knives that serve better as a decoration than for cutting. Your knives are the backbone of your kitchen, and they deserve careful consideration, … [Read more...]
Measuring Cups & Spoons: 100 Measuring Tools Tested
TEST KITCHEN - Over 100 Cups and Spoons Tested - Here's the Results. Setting out to find the best measuring spoons and measuring cups wasn't an easy task. It was the battle of measuring small differences. This article covers our testing methods and provides detailed results for each of the measuring tools we examined. Every recipe starts off the same way: a list of … [Read more...]
Meat Tenderizers [Test Kitchen] Review & Ratings
Confession time: I didn’t own a meat tenderizer before this test kitchen. Whenever I wanted to make something that needed cutlets pounded out, I’d use the bottom of my eight inch nonstick skillet. Every time, I said I should maybe get a real meat pounder, but then I’d be done with it and forget. Not to spoil the review, but pretty much all of these products are better than a … [Read more...]
Best Ceramic Knives & Knife Sets
Most technologies start out getting pooh-poohed by people in the field. There’s usually a good reason — they don’t match up to the established tech. Sometimes the new technology works its way past the hurdles and finds a niche; other times it never turns the corner and just fades away. For years, I’ve seen cookbooks and shows dismiss ceramic knives with a quick paragraph, but … [Read more...]
Whistling Tea Kettles [Complete Testing]
A nice cup of tea is very fine thing. The process is part of the experience, too. It’s a chance to slow down and let the small movements of tea-making take over your brain. All the pieces matter, too. Do you like bag tea? Whole-leaf tea in an infuser? Loose? Make a whole pot and enjoy the change as it steeps? One cup and go? There’s something meditative about a good cup of tea, … [Read more...]
Trader Joe’s Seasoning Blends
If there is one thing that Trader Joe's is better known for is their eclectic collection of seasonings and spices. Where there is a will, there is a way to season nearly anything bland to give it more taste, zest, or zing. Luckily for the near-endless selection found at TJ's, here are some shining examples of seasonings that are must-have items for your kitchen. Trader Joe's … [Read more...]
Our Favorite Ways to Make Tea
You might think that brewing tea is as simple as dropping a tea bag into a cup of hot water, but there are more than a few ways to brew tea properly. Just like brewing coffee, the ancient art of brewing tea is often more involved than you've been led to believe. How Brewing Tea Was Discovered These days, we are so used to going to the store and buying premade tea bags … [Read more...]
Ceramic Knives: Do They Work? Should You Buy One?
Should You Buy A Ceramic Knife? There are many positive reasons why to buy a ceramic knife since the hardness of the ceramic material is harder than steel. What most people don't understand are the problems that go along with ceramic knives. It's the essential iceberg that follows the frustration of many owners who now have a collection of knives that are damaged, chipped, and … [Read more...]