In keeping with the kitchen theme of yesterday. I thought I would talk about some of my beloved kitchen items today. Not only are these items pretty practical but I think they set the standard for good product design.
First off is the Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler
. The Griddler is not a Batman villain, but the most perfect inside grill in the whole world. In a move that haunts me to this day, I set my old Griddler precariously atop my stove in order to clean the counter. The Griddler crashed to the floor and broke. I lived for almost 6 months without a grill. I finally reached my breaking point; I couldn’t take stovetop hamburgers and broiled chicken anymore. With some Amazon credit and birthday money burning a hole in my pocket, I ordered a replacement. I never imagined that this one would be better. Instead of separate grill and griddle plates, this one has reversible plates. It also has an internal grease trap, instead of a little cup that you set at the side. And now they have Waffle Plates
!
Next up are the Progressive International Magnetic Measuring Spoons
. What I love about these measuring spoons is that there are two spoons for each size, one round and one long and narrow. I don’t know why they haven’t been making measuring spoons like this for years. I don’t know about you, but when I cook I usually have to use the same spoon to measure multiple ingredients. Now I can use one end for dry ingredients, and the other for wet. And the narrow end comes in handy for things like spice jars.
Nothing brings order to a kitchen like some good storage containers. I love the OXO Good Grips Containers
. While the set is nice, I primarily use three sizes. The 4-Quart
is perfect for holding my different flours and sugars. The 2-1/2-Quart
is great for pasta and cereal. And I use the 0.9-Quart
to store small bags of coffee. In addition to the organization of having matching stackable containers, I also heard somewhere (think maybe it was Dr. Oz but I’m not sure) about mealworms getting into cardboard food boxes before they enter your house and it’s best to put all your food in bug-proof containers. I’ve been using these containers for several years and have been very happy with how they’ve kept my food fresh. There are less expensive containers available, but I see these as an investment in good quality design. They are products that I will use for years. Amazon’s everyday price is usually the best if you don’t want to wait around, but if you can combine a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon with a sale, or a Kohl’s coupon with a sale, both stores carry them as well and I’ve scored deals on them at both places.
My mother gave me this Strawberry Huller
as a stocking stuffer one year. While I don’t typically use it when I’m just preparing a couple of strawberries for my cereal. It’s perfect for hulling lots of strawberries. And it’s so cute!
I don’t understand people that eat off of paper plates everyday (sorry if that’s you). For one thing, it’s such a waste of money, not to mention it’s not very good for the environment; I think good plates are a must in any home.
Fiestaware
is not only practical, it’s fun to use. I have 13 place settings, each in a different color. I would really like to add the Lemongrass to my collection. Fiesta periodically adds new colors and old colors are retired. It’s fun to go to an antique store and find a color I’ve never seen before. Because of this, if you were to ever tire of it, you can sell it on ebay and often get more than you paid for it. In fact, I think I might sell my least favorite color Rose and pickup a set of Lemongrass!
