Cooking Tool Reviews

There's not that much to say, is there? This dough blender works perfectly. It's much faster and more comfortable than the old "two knives" method. And it's sure easier to clean than a food processor. For making biscuits, pie or tart crust, or any other kind of baked pastry product, it's a great tool to have. It costs less than $10, so if you're thinking about getting it, stop thinking and do it.
A tip: if you're good at planning ahead (I'm not, unfortunately), you might want to try putting it in the refrigerator an hour or so before using it, which will help to ensure that the butter doesn't melt excessively before you can finish cutting it into the dough.

This tool makes it so much easier to make dough for biscuits, no more cramped hands! You'll never go back to the "two knives" method again! It's also incredibly easy to clean, I just stick it in the dishwasher. So far, so good! Highly recommend!

If you make biscuits by hand (no Bisquick!) or make a pastry dough now and then, this is a useful device. I used to just cut in the dough by rubbing the shortning in with cool hands or with a fork, but this is so much faster. Unlike a food processor (which I no longer have) it doesn't heat the dough. The thin tines don't clog the way a fork does.

This BBQ Kit is as cool in person as it looks online. The pieces are all very good quality and everything you need is included. I like the aluminum case so we can take it camping with us. I know my friende will be green with envy when I start dishing up the ribs this summer with the great spatula.

The perfect gift for the Bar-B-Q guru. I bought this as a gift and have never seen such a huge smile. The pieces are a beautiful stainless and very durable. Definately a good value.

I bought for my bro's birthday, now I want one! Top quality, everything you need, and very sturdy, which is a plus on the grill. Warning, though, knife and serated edge on spatula are very sharp--not for kids who can't handle themselves. Main pieces are really long so you don't get burnt over the grill. Heads for the grill scrubber were $5, totally replaceable. Corn cobbers are really cute, too. Perfect gift for a bbq'r!

Easy to grip, easy to hold, I have used both the blade cutters and the wheel cutters and this one has really impressed me. Most of the Wheel cutters I have used are really light and you have to use alot of force to get them to work this one is no whimp and very little force is needed to cut even the hardest crust. ***Very impressed***

very nicely designed. comfortable handle as with most OXO products. has safety grip and blade guard. sharp blade rolls freely, making cutting easy. i like the hefty feel of this tool. highly recommended.

I ordered a pizza stone and this cutter. I didn't realize that it was 4". It's a big one. We laughed at the size. All I know is if we ever make a thick pizza...... we will be able to cut it. :)
Don't let kids use it. I think it could remove a finger. It's a good one !

That's what all the kitchen "supervisors" said when I showed them this great gadget. Even those whose only reason for entering a kitchen is to get another beer applauded when I effortlessy lifted a twenty pound turkey from the roasting pan to the cutting board with one hand. You don't need to tell jokes to get a good laugh....just pull this out of the drawer. I'm ordering several for gifts.

When I received this as a gift, I wasn't too sure about it. But it works great for turkey, chicken, or any other bird. It was easy to lift a 15lb turkey from the roasting pan - easier than my mom's turkey tongs that take two hands. This also works nicely for draining juices from the cavity of any unstuffed bird to use in gravy.

My mother reports that this works beautifully. It also makes a great mystery gift (without its packaging). Ask people to guess what it is. the answers will be hilariously varied.

This is an absolute necessity for Calphalon professional hard-anodized users! Protects the cook like no hot-pad could!

Forget about the clumsy thick baking mitts and pot holders which do not allow for a good grip on the pan. This little piece of suede is perfect with cast iron pans with handles even though it is designed to be used with Calphalon pots and pans.

Much easier to use than a clumsy and not-as-effective potholder, and, like all Calphalon products, will last forever. It's essential for the original line of professional hard-anodized products with handles that are impossible to grasp once the pan has been heated (unless you wish to be permanently branded).

I grew up in a Scandinavian family from Vashon Island, Washington and have such fond memories of these light and airy delectable treasures during the holiday season and the cold winter months.

Just bought myself (from Amazon) a second set to share, since I also like the ease of making Swedish Rosettes and the fact they are lighter than cake donuts and come close to the French curl donuts we prefer.

The Rosettes come with a small recipe book, are easy to clean and store and are an item we requested from our grandmothers estate when she passed away. There are some special customs I really feel are important and making rosettes with my family here in our Sierra home is one.

I come from a small farming community, in the mid-west. My family was of German descent. The neighbor lady use to make these wispy cookies that are so thin and crispy that they just melt in your mouth. Also, when I went to my aunt's houses, many of them had these wonderful delights. I use to wish that my own Mother would make some of these cookies, but she would always say that it took a special tool that she didn't have and couldn't find.
Here I am, almost 60 years old. I ordered this special tool and now I am impressing all of my friends with these special treats. No one can eat just one. I must admit that it does take a bit of practice to turn out the beautiful rosettes. However, it is much cooler than heating up an oven to turn out the wonderful wish from my past.

I have used this tool to make the rosettes. They are a wonderful light cookie that you dust with powder sugar. Warning: in our house they are gobbled up as quickly as they are made. They are deep fried so it is a job to be done by an adult, or teen age chef in the making. These cookies bring back wonderful memories for me, growing up it was mine and my sisters job to dust the cookies with the powder sugar. My older sister was allowed to make these pretty cookies, I was very envious. But, I did get to eat them! They are a wonderful addition to any holiday cookie collection. They are pretty, light and above all delicious! ENJOY.

Being a wine lover, I've used all kinds of corkscrews, from your basic twist model to the kind with the "wings" to the two-pronged kind. Finally, I received the screwpull (minus the foil cutter) as a gift, and my search for the perfect corkscrew came to an end! As others have said, the screwpull effort lifts the cork up, so there's no pulling--all you do is simiply turn the easy-use-lever at the top of the device. The screwpull has never failed to remove a cork; on the rare occasions when it had trouble removing the cork on the first try, simply starting over solved the problem. Spend a little money to buy this corkscrew and you'll never need to buy another again.

The Screwpull corkscrew (okay, "wine opener") is by far the easiest and clever I've owned. Its non-stick coated and sharp-ended worm glides into the cork and pulls it out cleanly and effortlessly. Because of the coating, it is less likely to crumble a cork. The sides of the device keep the pull in place so you're able to guide the worm straight down the center.

As a former waitress, I always hated the metal and bulky corkscrews favored by most of my friends. The worms were always too thick and never sharp enough; the rings meant to keep the opener on the bottle neck had a tendency to slip or list, leading to a crooked insertion. I preferred the simple waiter corkscrew - until I found the Screwpull. Now I use nothing else. My only adjustment has been putting the bottle on the table to open it. (With a waiter's corkscrew, you hold the bottle.)

This is a great gift for the wine lover. While you're at it, buy one for yourself.

We purchased this wine opener 12 years ago on the recommendation of a sales clerk at a kitchen supply store. At the time I thought $20 was a lot to pay for a corkscrew, but after using it at least once a week for the past 12 years I can't imagine using another type of wine opener.

I'm a make-do cook. When I saw a well-known personality touting this stuff on her TV show, I just poh-poohed the notion. Then, at a pre-Christmas sale, I decided to try a sheet. Whoa! What a wonder! I promptly bought a second sheet, and I would never try to bake cookies again without one. The savings in time (1-2 min per sheet), headaches (cutting parchment to size every time and then running out), and clean-up (nothing - I say again NOTHING - sticks to this stuff) make it worth every penny!

I LOVE this product - it works so fantastically I may never butter a pan again! I understand they have different sizes/shapes that fit in cake pans, muffin tins etc. and I'm going to start looking for them. I know that Martha Stewart uses a similar product, but these are quite a bit less expensive (about 1/2 the price as far as I can tell) and, since I've always wanted to try something like this but didn't want to pay the price, I was thrilled to find these. My only very SMALL quibble is they're a little hard to clean - my sink isn't really conducive to their size/shape, and I don't really want to put them in the dishwasher - so I put a little grease-cutting dishwashing liquid in the sink with some HOT water, let them soak a little while, then sponge them off and rinse. I sometimes have to do it a couple of times since they still feel "greasy" to me after I wash them - However, that is a VERY small "con" in a multitude of "pros!!!" I just wish there was something like Matfer sheets to help me with ALL the sticky situations in my life!

Silicone baking mats (the matfer is one of several widely available brands) are amazing. If you bake, then get one. No if's, ands, or buts. I've used them to line the baking pan while making cookies, cakes, even sticky candy. Worked great every time - no more problems with your baked food sticking to the bottom of the pan, or dealing with tears in the parchment or whatever sort of liner you used to use. And no matter what I've cooked on it, cleaning the mat has taken mere seconds with a sponge and soapy water.
These mats aren't just a gimmick; they're truly an example of new technology making possible significantly better products.

OK, you are not going to fool anyone into thinking you went all out and spent a large sum of money. However, if you have someone who likes to BBQ and you need a reasonably priced gift item then this is a great idea. This is especially true if the person is somewhat "blue collar" and won't mind the plastic industrial-looking case.

Like most cheap things made in China the metal is of fairly low quality.

Everyone is giving this set perfect reviews and for how much I paid... I would say it is worth it and then some...
However, I would not say this set is perfect.
First off, it is Made in China. Considering this, I would say the construction of it is very well, the wood doesnt feel cheap and seems durable enough (haven't used it extensively yet). The metal/blades are usable, but I would not consider it ideal or the best for a cook or anyone who barbeques frequently. Pretty much it does its job.
I have two major beef(s) (no pun intended) with this set would be the case and the tong. The case is plastic and is reminiscent of a cheap tool case that comes with tools you buy, but isn't made well enough that you'd actually use it to hold all your tools in. I see the case as being important, and I am not sure this one will last. (barbequeing can get messy)
The second thing is the tong. I would say the tong is probably the most used tool when I barbeque. I use it as a catalyst throughout and even to move things around. This tong hurts my hands and requires quite a bit of grip to even hold comfortably.

Overall, especially for the price, this baby is a steal and a really good present to give anyone who barbques. Despite my two complaints, I use this set whenever I barbeque.

I just got this wonderful BBQ set today - I am simply amazed at the quality & abundance of utensils for the money [$$$] I could seriously see this set in [stores], etc for over [$$$] + tax! I got it for [$$$]... This BBQ set looks very expensive and would make a wonderful gift for your family or a friend! The first thing I thought when I got this set was "WOW, this set is gigantic and looks expensive!", each utensil is extra large and solid and the case is huge. The quality looks great! The handles look like redwood and they appear very sturdy like they'd last for years and years, which is what I and most of you need! There's even an oven mit included! Also, the corn holders are not cheapie plastic like in the store - they're real wood! Don't go out to the store and buy one tool for [$$$] or more....definitely buy this set- you won't regret it! I am BBQ'n tonight!! On a side note, we are a one income family and every dollar counts - that's why I went with this set after searching on Amazon.com - and honestly, it does NOT look like a cheap [$$$] set....this set is QUALITY!! Good luck w/your purchase; it's a MUST have for summer! :-) Enjoy!

I can find nothing to take to task on the All-Clad tools. I have nearly all the tools they make and I like them all. They are easy to clean, no nooks for stuff to get stuck. They fit well in the hand and have a substantial, but not heavy, feel to them. Their shape is very good for the task at hand. The sole negative is their price but when balanced against the good, including the fact that they should last longer than the cook, they are a bargain at the price.

This is a great kit to go along with any All-Clad cookware collection that you might have going already. Though it comes with a very nice looking stainless steel cup, I prefer to use the hanging rack (also available on Amazon if you search for "all-clad hanging rack"). Plus its not hard to find an alternate use for the cup for something else.

My opinion is going to be somewhat biased because I love everything All-Clad. Everything they make seems to have some kind of heft and beauty that I just cant resist. There aren't many things in the kitchen that you can use and abuse with the kind of ferocious angst as with an All-Clad Product.

This tool kit is quality at a great price.

After watching my mother use her All-Clad tool set over the last two years, and seeing how well it has held up, I decided to go ahead and purchase this item. I have not been disappointed, the quality is amazing. The tools have a very solid feel to them, yet they are balanced and not too heavy. They clean SO easily, and are even dishwasher safe. We are throwing away all of our old tools and replacing them with All-Clad - it's amazing! Amazon's price can't be beat.... I know for a fact that my Mom paid full retail through a very well known catalog (ending in Sonoma). Amazon's price was half of that. If you are contemplating this set, DO IT! You won't regret it.