Lodge LGP3 Pre-Seasoned Rectangular Cast-Iron Grill Press

Not just for Carnivores!
I am a vegetarian and I use this grill press all the time. It's great for grilled sandwiches! It will help you make great stuffed french toast. Your hashbrowns won't be a sloppy, crumbly mess anymore. This heavy little bugger is perfect for the aforementioned applications and about 40,000 more but the thing I use it for on almost a daily basis is preparing tofu. That magical bean curd benefits tremendously from the steady pressure of a hot lodge grill press!

Double-duty as a small sandwich/panini and meat press.
This press heavy enough for use as a small meat or sandwich press. You may need to get another one if you like to cook for a large group or like to cook different things in a large pan.

You will still need to season it a bit for sandwiches or they will stick. If you are just frying bacon, then the original finish will also season up in no time.

A basic, no-nonsense product. Handle will get hot.

the press
I bought this for my inside grill. I found when I cooked pork chops the corners wouldn't be quite done because they liked to curl up slightly. This has totally fixed my problem. I do have to adjust my cooking time because the press is a bit heavy & the meat cooks more quickly than before.

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Vesture Hot Pack-Replacement Microcore Pac for Casserole Carriers (Red Pack For Microwave Heating)

Glad replacements are available
I have used my insulated food carrier for over 15 years, so I guess last night's explosion in my microwave can't really be considered a serious problem. In fact, I love this system and use it very often. The heated core really keeps a hot casserole hot for quite a long time. However, beware - when it overheats, first the cover puffs up alarmingly. I've observed this several times in the past. Last night, however, multitasking (like getting dressed to go to the party I'd made the lasagne for) caused disaster in the form of an exploded cover. I have heated it that length of time dozens of times, but maybe the cover eventually gets weaker? At any rate, try to keep your eye on it when you are heating the core - if it puffs, turn the microwave off immediately and remove the core. On the really plus side - there was absolutely no mess in my oven, and I went ahead and used the heated element to keep my lasagne warm last night!

Really Hot Pack
This Hot Pack is really great! It stays Hot forever. It is much thicker than the one it replaced and seems to be made of thicker covering. The last potluck I attended I used it to keep my food item hot and when I left the potluck for home my dish was still hot, after 4 hours.

Great replacement
I purchased this as a replacement for the heat pads that came with my Pyrex Portables several years ago. The original ones were just worn out. These work great. They are slightly larger than the original ones but still fit in the intended slots.

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Wilton Chocolate Pro Electric Melting Pot

Candy shop creation possible
Some time ago, I worked as a pastry chef/candy maker using a very expensive chocolate melter/temperer as one of my equipment staples. I have melted and dipped more chocolate than you could shake a candy box at.

I took a chance and picked up one of these locally (Wilton Chocolate Melter Deluxe) with a melting/warm/off switch. There are no exact temperature controls on this model, no recipes, but the instructions are pretty straight forward. The worst enemy of chocolate is water, which they casually mention in the instruction phamphlet. I'd like to pass along that even just a tiny sputter of water will cause beautiful, satiny melted chocolate to seize up with no recovery at all possible. So if you want to dip fresh fruit, it absolutely must be 100% dry or your chocolate will harden in seconds. Don't even chance a strawberry hull (the green part) being the least bit wet because even just the smallest droplet of water is all it takes to ruin a whole batch of chocolate...

Wilton Makes it Easy
I have made Christmas candy for years, but have always used the good ol' double boiler method for melting my chocolate. Someone suggested using a fondue pot and while doing a little more digging, I saw they have pots just for melting chocolate. Who knew? Then I came across Wilton's Chocolate Pro Electric Melting Pot. I read all the reviews, good and bad (cheap handle, switch, didn't keep chocolate smooth and silky) but decided to go ahead and purchase it.

The chocolate melted quickly and evenly. It kept it smooth and silky, easy to work with. I think the quality of your chocolate will make a difference with its texture, not the machine. I made and dipped turtles for about 3 hours and that little pot was on the whole time. It did a great job!

The handle is sturdy and the switch is a slider button. I didn't have to mess with controls or buttons to keep the heat consistent. It has only a warm or melt mode... I don't need anything else. No problem for me...

I REALLY LIKED THIS!
I used this for the first time last night and really liked it. I am new to dipping things in chocolate and was using the microwave. I just never seemed to have any luck -- the chocolate never seemed the right consistancy, it took long to melt and it got hard so fast I wasted a lot of it.

I think the nice thing about this Wilton melter is the warm setting. To use it all you do is preheat it on the melt setting for 5 minutes, then add the chocolate. When the chocolate is at the consistency you want you switch it to the warm setting. It was great. I didn't waste a drop of chocolate and it never hardened. I also didn't have to worry about working fast so the chocolate didn't get hard. You can actually stop if you need to do something while your working.

I have never used a double boiler, so I really can't compare the two. I was a little hesitant to spend the money on this but it seems like a good investment. It was very easy to clean. I dipped marshmallows,...

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Winco MS3A-8D Strainer, 8" dia., Double Fine Mesh, Flat Wooden Handle

Great little strainer
I was looking for a strainer to rinse quinoa, which is very small, and this strainer does the trick! I don't loose any quinoa through the mesh. The strainer is somewhat shallow, which I like. It's perfect for my needs. It's a great price on Amazon, even with the shipping.

Very good!
I bought this to strain my Yogurt into Greek Yogurt. It takes a pretty fine mesh for that and I was getting tired of using and cleaning cheese cloth to do the job. I wanted a strainer that was very fine mesh, sturdy and not to expensive. When I got it and placed the yogurt into the strainer it went right through to the bowl below. Very little stayed in the strainer. Dang! But the yogurt was still warm so I thought to place it in the fridge first and then try again once it was cool. Well it worked just fine. So the mesh is good enough for straining Greek Yogurt and that takes a pretty fine mesh. It's a good sturdy and reasonable product. It arrived quickly as well. I'm happy.

home chef in chicago
This strainer is exactly what I wanted and needed. It is sturdy, and balanced. The handle is comfortable to hold. These qualities are important in a fine mesh strainer.

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Lodge L12DCO3 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Camp Dutch Oven, 8-Quart

Cast iron is the most durable cookwear ever invented
This is the classic size Dutch Oven that is used by boy scouts, girl scouts, chuck wagon cooks, and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. My review is mostly limited to the outdoor uses of this wonderful classic dutch oven, but I use one at home as well. This model is a #12 dutch oven which is the "standard" size most commonly used, but there many sizes bigger and smaller. This one holds 8 quarts, measuring 12" in diameter by 5" tall. It has the tripod legs and a recessed lid best suited for cooking in coals. But those legs make it harder to use in a conventional oven, you need to maneuver the legs if possible onto your grill rack. They make a legless version with the domed lid for a home oven, and I have used it in a fire as well. On this model, you can even flip this lid over and use it as a skillet in a pinch if you need to in camp. You can do it all with a Dutch Oven - cobblers, stews, beans, roasts, dumplings, you name it. It is the ultimate "one pot" pan.

QUALITY: There...

Great item-- LOVE the Logic finish. Worth the extra money.
If you're reading this, you probably already know about camp dutch ovens. I've been a Boy Scout my whole life, and a Scoutmaster and adult leader for several years now... (and an avid camper and outdoor cook to boot.) I have owned 5 or 6 dutch ovens in my life, and I'm now convinced that there is no match for the quality of LODGE dutch ovens. They are worth paying a little extra for. The others aren't really worth buying-- the cheaper ones don't keep a finish like the LODGE ovens do.

I've bought the original finish and now this one with the LOGIC factory forged finish. I LOVE the pre-seasoned cookware. It isn't the finish that you'll get after years of seasoning, cooking and taking care of an oven, BUT you'll love that you will be able to cook on this oven RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. So, if you're into instant gratification (with no downside-- they season perfectly as you use them) this is the oven choice for you.

Don't be cheap, if you do you'll be sorry
In more than a decade of outdoor cooking experience, I have learned one valuable lesson: always trust anything from Lodge. This rule has been tested on everything from a simple skillet to the monster dutch ovens crafted to feed an army. In all those years, Lodge has never failed me.

I tried to save money by using cast iron utensils from other firms, and have paid dearly for it. No body has the durability, the skill, or the quality of Lodge. There is something magic about the Lodge method of manufacturing, and that magic is worth every penny that you pay for. When you purchase from Lodge, you aren't simply buying a pot or skillet, you're acquring a lifelong companion that your children will be using when you are gone.

I have 5 dutch ovens of various sizes, numerous skillets and griddles, and all of them bear the Lodge name and logo, and all of them still perform just like they did when I first got them, although they have improved with age because the taste...

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Presto 09995 7 Function Canning Kit

Sreamlines canning
I got this canning kit because I was tired of picking up boiling-hot canning jars and lids with salad tongs. The lid lifter works very well and does a great job of picking up and transferring lids from their prep water to the jar top and the magnet isn't so strong that you're always fighting it. The jar lifter worked very well for pulling the jars out of my steam canner following their canning cycle. The funnel was very helpful and resulted in the jars being clean even after filling--I only had to wipe 2 out of the 10 that I filled with the funnel, whereas without the funnel I always had to wipe all of my jar lids and then occasionally I would get one jar that didn't stay sealed and several that got stuck to their rims. This is a good kit well worth the <$20 that I paid for it.

Works just fine
I'm happy with these tools. I haven't had any problems with any of them. At the recommendation of my friend who cans a LOT, however, I purchased a separate stainless steel funnel. She says these plastic ones will begin to melt after a few canning sessions.

Durable Canning Set
Great little starter combo. Have used it a lot the past few months, and it's all holding together, no quality issues. Has everything you need to help move hot canning jars and their lids. The magnet (on the lid lifter) is a good strength to securely remove lids from hot water after boiling, but not so much you have to struggle to remove the lid from the tool and end up contaminating the lid in the process. Good kit at a fair price.

Update: We've canned hundreds of jars to include meats, fruits, vegetables and dairy. No melting concerns whatsoever. These have held up to canning and dishwasher cleaning great. Definitely recommend as a good starter canning kit.

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Circulon Contempo 2-Qt. Enamel Whistling Teakettle

Circulon Contempo Teakettle 2-Quart Whistling Enamel, Red
Circulon Contempo Teakettle 2-Quart Whistling Enamel, Red

Mainly at first I wanted a teakettle that I could hear and most I can not. The whistle on this one is not loud but low toned and I can even hear it in my bedroom through a short hall and the full length of the kitchen.

It is heavily enameled inside and out and heats water as fast as the stainless steel one we had. The big plus is the tea tastes better and I thought it was just me and asked my wife if her tea tasted OK from the water out of this kettle and low and behold, she says, it tasts better to me. Don't trust the cheap stainless steel from china or anywhere I believe today.

It has a thick spout and when you pour make sure the spout is half way or more over the top of the cup and you can pour out the last bit without a slobber back on stove or counter.

I keep it clean from scale by adding 2/3 cup regular...

Finally! My kettle quest is complete!
I don't often write reviews for things I buy, but the process of purchasing a kettle required A LOT of research in order to find a great one with no problems, so I hope to maybe save others some of the headache. Look no more! This kettle is outstanding! In researching kettles, there seemed to be "good" ones with one "minor" problem in all the ones I read about. Some dribbled when you poured them, or the handle got too hot, etc. This is built extremely well, and moreover seems to be designed by someone who is actually familiar with the process of making hot water! (as evidenced by user-friendly details, even an appreciation for the art of making tea). It's a great investment: it's built well, works beautifully, and is an attractive "statement piece."

The specifics: the lid fits in place securely and can be removed by pulling straight up with just enough force to pop it out. The handle feels sturdy, does not get hot (only warm at the most), and the whole kettle feels...

Terrific
Works as advertised. My girlfriend needed a new pot. She will only drink coffee through a french press and loves to use a pot on the stove compared to an electric kettle (don't know why?). She wanted black and we both love contemporary or modern looking products. This fit the bill perfect.

-Lid snaps on tight
-No dripping issues while pouring
-Large handle that does not get hot to the touch
-Loud whistle
-Heavy and sturdy (feels like it should last a long time)
-Boils as much or as little water needed very quickly

I would recommend this product to friends and family.....assuming they like the design.

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