Kitchen Reviews

No kitchen--from the cramped apartment "aisle" kitchenettes to those of professional catering establishments and restaurants--should be without this wonderful implement.

Zesting fruit has never been so simple! Traditional zesters produce only limited quantities of fruity zest, scraping small bits of the rind away and leaving the cook with cramped fingers and often squashed, messy fruit. The Microplane simply zips across the rinds of oranges, lemons, limes, etc. without bruising the fruit or cutting away the bitter white pith beneath.

Cheeses are a snap as well, particularly if you like a finer shredding than you get with most traditional graters. Parmesan never tasted so good!

Additional uses include grating ginger and making fine chocolate shavings (make sure to keep the chocolate cold before grating to avoid breaking or melting it, though). I have yet to attempt making fine ice shavings or grating nutmeg or other hard spices yet, but likely the Microplane will tackle such tasks just as easily as it does zesting fruits and shredding cheese.

One of the chief benefits of this particular Microplane over some of their other models is that you can purchase a little guard that holds your cheese, nuts, or whatever against the grater and thus save your knuckles. I highly recommend purchasing that accessory should you come across it, as it only adds to the excellence of this wonderful kitchen tool.

Once you've tried a Microplane zester, you'll wonder how you ever got along without one.

I'm a big fan of Kitchen-Aid quality wares so I was loathe to try this new product from Microplane, but I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised! The grater makes short shrift of ginger, and citrus zest, and copes well with most hard cheeses. It failed the acid test, Brie, but I'll let it off as the pores are very fine. You can use it for grating garlic bulbs over freshly buttered toasted french bread as well, for a potent bite of garlicy goodness. As usual, take care not to slip, because the points are fine, and will easily shred flesh. A very good purchase.

As you've probably read elsewhere, the Microplane grater was born when a cook discovered how good a carpentry rasp was for zesting. It is indeed a superior tool, well worth the premium price, both in usefulness and in durability (someone I know who cooks all the time is still on her original one, which does NOT have the bells and whistles this one does!) In particular, I now prefer it to my garlic press as it is quick, thorough, and easy to clean. The "pusher attachment" is essential, and will amortize out because you will not stop with just one Microplane once you see how useful it is.

I have been looking for a small spinner like this for years. My mom had a small "regular" style spinner in her home for years, and I have been trying to get them to give it to me. When I saw this item, I knew I had to have it!

Regular sized salad spinners are just too big and cumbersome for some jobs. This small size is perfect for making salad for one or two people, but I use it the most for cleaning herbs. I always got annoyed at having to use my giant spinner to clean a bunch of parsley, and the mini is perfect for this. I use fresh herbs almost exclusively when I cook, and with the mini spinner I wash all my herbs when I come home from grocery shopping and just grab them from the fridge for use later and I don't have to worry about cleaning them. I just fill the bowl with water and let them soak (in the basket) for a few minutes, pull out the seive, dump the water and spin! This also works great for berries.

In addition to the convenient size, I love the fact that you just have to push the handle down to dry the greens, no cranking or pulling ridiculous strings like you're starting a lawnmower. And there's a brake function to stop the spinning. It's also very convenient that you can lock the "pusher" into place when it's not being used.

Who knew a salad spiner had the ability to make me so pleased?

This is a wonderful item for your kitchen. Makes washing lettuce and other vegtables so easy. It's also kinda fun, because it's like the old time children's toy the "spinning top" It's really easy to use and has a feature on it that I really like, a button to stop the spinning. It also has a option of storing the push top by just sliding the little slider bar and locking the "top" down. I love it's size too, it's just right for setting on a shelf, not too big and not too small either. This is a great tool for 2 or 3 people sized families, but it works so easy and fast, you don't mind using it to make even more for more people. It's a hit with me!

I recently replaced my old spinner with the OXO Mini Salad and Herb Spinner and find it is not only a great looking kitchen helper but it also serves an unexpected double purpose. It is quite large enough for a medium salad for 2 people and the water seems to fly off, and when I take the spinner out, the outer bowl - after a quick rinse and drying - serves as a great bowl for the salad. The OXO people have supplied me with a bowl that looks like glass and I no longer need to find a Salad Bowl - my OXO Salad Spinner supplies it!

I needn't have worried about where to store it. It gets so much use it is rarely put away. A most versatile piece of equipment. Even heat, easy cleanup, perfect size for so many different tasks, as other reviewers agree. (More than you'd imagine until you actually start using it.) A pleasure to use every time, and a great value at the sale price. Beautiful to look at, it also makes a great gift.

I'm tired of those non-stick pans that eventually lose their coating and thought that I'll try stainless steel pan for almost everything but frying an egg. Boy did I pick the right pan to start with! This pan, besides being beautifully made, is the perfect size for almost everything I cook. It's very heavy, but the helper handle helps. It conducts heat very well, so I no longer use the high setting on my gas stove or the food would burn. Despite being made in China, the quality is excellent. I'm sure it will last decades. My only complaint is that sometimes I wish the stainless steel cover is made of glass so I can see through. But, I'll still give it 5 stars because I'm very very happy with the design and quality.

Awesome to cook in and clean up is a breeze. Remember to follow the instructions to keep the heat on Medium and close the lid. I have even cooked rice in this and it has come out great!! Highly recommend this pan.

I bought two of these new this summer and they are great. The air to noise ratio is great, it is the best fan I have ever owned. I like the continuous variable speed adjustment and the ability to angle the fan up. It really can move some air!

Purchased two of these fans both came looking perfect. Very quiet with variable speeds also look very stylish. I will definately stick with the Vornado name in my future purchases.

I OWN 5 FANS MYSELF AND EACH OF MY KIDS OWN 1-3 OF THEM AND THEY ARE THE BEST !!!!!!THEY LAST FOR EVER AND ARE GREAT ITEMS TO OWN !!!!!!!!!

You can't go wrong with the Champ in your pocket. Owned mine for a good 9 years and is still serves me well since the day I bought it. I even brought it with me when I did volunteer work and never failed me, not even when I used it to hammer some nails onto plywood. Now for the "other" camp, the LEATHERMEN's camp, sure, the Champ's pliers aren't beefy enough for some jobs but along with a good pair of Craftsman or Snap-on pliers and my trusty knife, I'm pretty sure things will be fine.

Besides, how many stories have you heard of a guy using a Leatherman to perform a tracheotomy on a choking child on a plane? I'm sure you haven't. But a Swiss Army knife did, right?

The swiss champ is the handiest thing you can own.Once you buy it your life will become easier.I use mine daily. The Swiss have a well earned reputation for building the finest watches in the world and Victorinox builds the best swiss army knife in the world.The build quality of these knives is jewel like,everything fits and works perfectly.I much prefer the swiss champ over any of the multi-tools. The multi tools are all too heavy to carry in a pocket and I don't like wearing a belt, plus I keep pliers in my tool box anyway.The swiss champ is a world recognized tool and has proven itself everywhere.It only has one drawback. When you use it everybody wants to hold it ,check it out and marvel over it. Buy one now and tell your friends to get their own.

As you can see, this knife has many many tools. However, calling it a pocket-knife is a little misleading. It is a bit big to fit comfortably in a jeans pocket. Buy the sheath that is made for it and wear it on your belt. The sheath also has a pencil, sharpener, compas/ruler, matches, signal mirror, string, safety pin and more. When I've worn mine, the sheath has come in almost as handy as the knife. If you want one that fits in a pocket a little better, try the Delux Tinkerer, has a lot of the tools that I found useful. The victorinox knives are all great quality, withstand abuse, and the tools open and close very smoothly. For heavy-duty cutting, though, I'd look for one with a locking blade, such Victorinox's version of the leatherman.

This knife also comes or at least used to come in black. That's a really nice look and not as common as the red.

Until I used this product, I too, wouldn't have believed that one could become passionate about a cooking utensil. But All-Clad has outdone themselves with their LTD nonstick line. I've been wanting an upscale grill pan for a while, but was reluctant to spend a small fortune. This product would be well worth it at twice the price. Heat distribution is outstanding; meat, poultry and vegetables have beautiful grill marks and NOTHING STICKS! Even burnt on cheese from chicken cordon blue wipes out with a paper towel. Needless to say, cleanup is a snap. I've put my outdoor BBQ on hiatus~ this gives terrific results without the uneven blasts of heat, the bugs and the wilted appearance of the hostess (ME!) after standing over a hot grill in 96 degree heat while everyone else in staying cool, sipping on pina coladas. It's a MUST HAVE.

I am not a big fan of the All Clad LTD line but I do love this pan. I much prefer the All Clad polished stainless steel line (I have almost every piece and love it). This grill is a perfect size for grilling for 1-4 people. I debated on the grande size, I decided that since I don't grill everyday it didn't make sense to spend the extra money and deal with storing the larger size. Also, I selected the round style over the square, my stove burners are round so I figured that the round style made more sense for me.

I often marinade chicken tenders in Emeril Lagasse's marinade (he has several different marinades that you can find in your local supermarket) a day in advance and heat up this pan and toss on the chicken. I usually make a veggie or two and some rice, it is a very quick and easy dinner and is also very healthy! You can also use this pan for everything from burgers to a tuna steak.

This pan is not dishwasher safe due to the nonstick surface, but don't worry it is a breeze to clean. I have the George Foreman grill that has been sitting in the cabinet collecting dust since I bought this pan. I don't like the George Foreman grill because you can't really wash the grill surface very well. The grill surface should be removable so you can really clean it. This pan is very, very well made and is backed by a lifetime warranty. Sometimes this pan is sold as a special..., if you see it grab it. It is a steal at that price. Once you try All Clad you will be hooked too! Highly recommended! A+!

I could not believe that I found this pan at this price. I was further astounded when I received it and started cooking on it. It is absolutely fabulous. NY Strip streak comes out truly delicious when you simply sprinkle some salt and cracked pepper on it and then throw it on the grill pan. Also works great for bacon. Also works great for burgers. Also works great for...anything you could think of. For cleaning, I recommend immediately filling it with water after taking the food out, enough to cover all the bottom, and then let it sit til after dinner and you start doing the dishes. If you do this, then I recommend an OXO brush (ASIN B0000CFQOB) with nylon bristles. Gently brush between the grooves to loosen the remaining material and then use a sponge. I recommend the nylon brush because it is hard to get a sponge to get every bit of remaining material along the grooves. But overall this is incredibly easy to clean and even easier to cook on. I still cannot believe I paid only fifty for this item.

I have wanted to upgrade my pans for some time, so several months ago I started looking at Anodized Aluminum cookware.

I wanted glass covers, stay cool handles, durability and rigidity/flatness. The last feature is critically important on my electric stove's glass surface. Pans that are warped wobble and food moves around in them making them annoying to use.

This set has every feature I was looking for.

I bought my first set from Amazon, and they are still rock solid. I use them constantly. An egg in the fry pan falls in the pan and stays, it doesn't take a hiatus to the low point of the pan.

The surfaces are durable. I follow directions pretty much, but have used metal utensils on occasion and found them unscathed.

My only complaint is this small 9 piece set gives you a 1 quart pan and a 3 quart pan. 1 quart is very small and doesn't get used much, so that puts too much demand on the 3 quart. Fortunately, I was able to pick up another set piecemeal, and now, with two 3 quart pans and a couple of extra covers, I am very happy.

I have purchased some Calphalon, and I have no qualms with the products. I just don't see any quality difference for the money. For nonstick, I think Anolon is better. If you want some pans that are not non-stick, you can augment this set with Calphalon separates (like I prefer the Calphalon broiling pan with rack so I can use metal utensils making gravy).

I guess what I am saying overall is this set is, if not better, as good as, Calphalon. And it is way cheaper, so there is just no comparison.

This was my first purchase of a "professional" quality cookware set. My other pans were the Teflon specials and Revere Ware bought from discount stores. Man, what a difference! These pans are simply awesome. I bought the big 12-inch sauté pan and then I bought a complete set. The heat distribution is amazing and I absolutely love the glass lids.

Drawback: The side and lid handles get fairly hot when in use (not enough to burn you, but you can't hold on to them more than a few seconds). I wished they did not use metal handles on the lid, but something that would not transfer the heat as easily as metal.

This is a minor annoyance in an otherwise great product. Hey, grab a handle once or twice and you'll learn real fast. A great addition to any kitchen and highly endorsed!

I am a person who loves to cook although I wouldn't call myself a "gourmet". I waited a long time before getting new cookware, but these were worth the wait.

Anaolon Professionals are very resonably priced and are a delight to work with. They are easy to use, easy to clean and handsome enough to display. Food cooks very evenly and quickly, it is actually hard to burn anything, and the no-stick surface is very durable. They clean easily with soap and water and require no special care. I could not be more pleased with my purchase.

I just got this pot. If I only had two words to describe this pot they would be, large and conductive. This pot is great and brings a 3.5 gallons of chili to a boil in no time, even on my feable burners. Faster than my old two gallon pot. I couldn't bring myself to give it the full five stars however. I can't help but to question the way the handles are attached to the pot. Instead of being bolted on or made as part of the same peice as the pot as is common with most designs. These handles are saudered on, and it doesn't look like they are saudered on well. They are definetly a point of weekness. Although they seam sturdy now, I dredge to think that one day I'll spill some 2-4 gallons of chili all over my kitchen. But you aren't going to find anything better at this price. Besides even if the handles come off I'll keep using the pot. The rest of the pot looks to be constructed with top notch crasftsmanship.

Okay, I'll admit that I'm a bit biased towards Farberware in the first place, but with this pot they've done just about everything right. The aluminum slug sealed into the base makes for very even heating, which is important since it's wider than most burners. And it holds up to high heat well - I've been browning meat and making roux in mine for a few years now. The lid is snug enough without being a pain and the loop handles are nice - the smaller Classic series stock pots have the molded plastic ones instead. The only thing I'd change in the design of the pot is to use a brushed finish - I tend to prefer that over chrome because any chrome pot that I use very often ends up with a patina of scratches anyway, and I prefer that they all run in the same direction. But who's complaining? This pot performs where it counts - it heats quickly and evenly and has taken quite a beating over the years without so much as a ding.

I am not usually a fan of Farberware. But this Classic 16-Quart Stainless-Steel Stockpot is wonderful. I just LOVE it. I would recommend this product if you are in need of a stock pot.

The finish on this pot is excellent. With its no stick finish you can cook pasta, vegetables or anything without sticking. I have always used stainless steel and this is far better even for cleanup. You do not need abrasives to clean. Just dish detergent. The 6 quart size is just perfect for my family of five. You won't be disappointed.

I also only expected the pot and lid, which were an exceptional value.Was trying to find a pasta insert. I love all
my circulon and this one is no exception. I have replaced all
of my cookware over the past couple months with circulon so I
cannot comment on it's durability but have used several pcs.
several times and am very pleased with the results and clean-up
is a breeze. Both price and product are unbeatable!

This type of pot is really a must for those who enjoy making pasta frequently (Atkin's people...that was your cue to stop reading). The design is better than most other Pasta Sets I have seen. The problem is usually with the size of the collander insert in relation to the pot. Sometimes the collander doesn't go deep enough to allow room for enough water/pasta. No such issue here. Everything fits nicely in place and there is the typical Circulon quality.

One point to consider is that this model pot is thinner than some of the newer Circulon products. Though, I've found this to be a good thing. The nicest thing about this pot is how light it is. I have other Circulon styles that are more sturdy, but they really do get heavy - especially when filled with water. I really think Circulon got it right with this particular
version.