Unsure or regrets on Kitchen/Home products

[Pucks104]

I love my instant pot, I use it often. I don't really use it for meats, I use it for soups, rices, quinoa, potatoes, hard boiled eggs, and steam veggies in it.
I love my air fryer too. I use it for wings, drumsticks, potato wedges and I love salmon done in it.
At some point I'm going to upgrade to the toaster oven combo kind.

When we were quarantined I tried to make my own bread, it didn't turn out so great and I felt like it was a lot of work for nothing. I bought a bread maker and thought I'd use it all the time. Turns out when not having to quarantine I don't care about making my own bread and I haven't even opened it. I'm going to return it.
Another regret I have is the crock pot casserole dish. I thought I'd use it in my camper but I just end up bringing my regular crockpot and using that instead. I just "bought" one for the camper, it was free with Kohls cash so totally worth it
One thing I regret regretting and getting rid of is the soda stream. When I got it, it was a novelty for the kids to make their own sodas. The novelty wore off and I got rid of it. Now I wish I had it so I could make my own seltzers.

I just broke down and purchased an Always Pan. I need new non-stick frying pans and wanted to stay away from Teflon. I've read reviews on cheap ceramic and it seems that the coatings don't last very long. The Always Pan is pricey for one pan but I figure if I use it almost daily (which I will) it's worth it. It's back-ordered so I haven't gotten it yet, I do hope it doesn't turn out to be a regret.

I received my Always pan about a month ago and love it!

 

[aggiedog]

What attachment do you use for mashed potatoes?

The regular mixing paddle. While the potato chunks are boiling, I put a stick of butter, cut up, some salt, pepper, and sour cream if I have it in the bowl. Drain the potatoes and put them on top the stuff in the bowl for a few minutes to let it all melt. Then mix it for just a minute or two. Overmixed potatoes do this weird starchy thing.

I had a Pampered Chef chopper thing years ago. I hated it. I can chop veggies just as well myself without having to clean all those crisscross blades.

 

[cmrdgrs]

Thank you for this very smart comment - I don't know why I've never thought of it. I've got no use for an air-fryer but I do have a high-end oven and the convection feature is very under-utilized. I roast potatoes pretty often - I'm going to use convection next time and see how it does!

Good luck! What I do is spray whatever I'm trying to "fry" with cooking spray. Put in the oven on convection, flip and repeat. I just use my convection oven like a big air fryer.

I've seen posts from people using air fryers and/or instant pots to cook in their DVC studios. I've also read that it is against the DVC rules to use these appliances, but I've never seen anyone post they got "caught" or were spoken to by management about the appliances. If you're inclined to cook on vacation and you're in a studio it's a great way to make some easy meals.

 

[aggiedog]

When cleaning cast iron with salt, how much salt do you use?

I have one large pan I've finally got seasoned that I like for hamburgers and meats but I'm scared to do anything saucy because I feel like it strips the seasoning off. I agree that these pans seem like more work than they should be for something that doesn't actually get washed.

The wok comments are hitting home too. I've yet to find a wok that works, or even that I can make a decent recipe with. Things burn, the coating on the pan comes off, nothing seems rights. I've decided if you don't grow up with an Asian grandma, maybe I'm missing some sort of critical know how that just sort of absorbs over time.

 

[missnic]

I agree with cast iron. I don't understand all the hype. Mine get DIRTY with burned stuff caked on and no, I can't just "wipe it clean." I have always properly seasoned the pans, but in the end, they end up rusty and I just chick them. The idea that some people keep these pans forever and never actually wash them is lost on me. How do they avoid the caked on grime? Do they never season their food? Because it's the spices that always end up burned on the bottom of my pans.

I love my cast iron skillet. I've had it for several years and food doesn't really stick to it. I use it for home fries, pancakes, steak, burgers.. Just scour it with a good amount of salt and wipe it down with oil if it gets stuck on food. But I just got a brand new glass top stove, so I think I'm going to have to retire it

I've never liked my crock pot, but I do like my instant pot. The Foreman grill was awful. SO hard to clean.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

When cleaning cast iron with salt, how much salt do you use?

I have one large pan I've finally got seasoned that I like for hamburgers and meats but I'm scared to do anything saucy because I feel like it strips the seasoning off. I agree that these pans seem like more work than they should be for something that doesn't actually get washed.

The wok comments are hitting home too. I've yet to find a wok that works, or even that I can make a decent recipe with. Things burn, the coating on the pan comes off, nothing seems rights. I've decided if you don't grow up with an Asian grandma, maybe I'm missing some sort of critical know how that just sort of absorbs over time.

The amount of salt depends on dirty it is. If it's from burgers or steaks, what I do is put a bit of water in it and heat it up, so the browned bits come up from the pan easier (like making a pan sauce, lol). With frying fish, it's a bit more salt, because I'm trying to get the fish oil off. (I use coarse kosher salt, because that's why I have; my dad always used the fine table salt because that's what he had. IDK if there is a difference in the cleaning for them) Then dump the water out, put in some salt, do a quick scrub with a nonstick sponge, and rinse in hot water, then dry with a paper towel. Sometimes we will then heat it up and wipe with a bit of oil, cool down and wipe out again, if it looks 'dry'.

 

[lovin'fl]

All kitchen gadgets. I won't buy them because they are unnecessary space hogs. But my DD-21 just loves them and buys DH and I all kinds of gadgets for gifts. I have an iced tea brewer, a panini maker, egg cooker, huge 4 slot toaster....forget what all else. I keep them for a while then donate. Donated the ice cream maker and pasta maker. Had a giant George Forman which we used a lot when kids were young. But then we moved to a small townhouse with zero storage so it had to go. Dd also wanted a kitchenaid mixer. I was happy with my hand mixer. My mom had an old old mixer (sunbeam or something) and pieces had started breaking off. So i got her the kitchenaid but she hated it and continued to use the old broken one (still is and that was like 4 years ago). Mom ended up regifting the kitchenaid back to me. Or to DD really. It is in my kitchen and DD took my hand mixer to her college apartment. That kitchenaid is a beast to get out, use and clean up. We are now in a spacious house and still have trouble storing it and all the needless gadgets.

 

[DLgal]

The amount of salt depends on dirty it is. If it's from burgers or steaks, what I do is put a bit of water in it and heat it up, so the browned bits come up from the pan easier (like making a pan sauce, lol). With frying fish, it's a bit more salt, because I'm trying to get the fish oil off. (I use coarse kosher salt, because that's why I have; my dad always used the fine table salt because that's what he had. IDK if there is a difference in the cleaning for them) Then dump the water out, put in some salt, do a quick scrub with a nonstick sponge, and rinse in hot water, then dry with a paper towel. Sometimes we will then heat it up and wipe with a bit of oil, cool down and wipe out again, if it looks 'dry'.

Yeah, WAY too much work. If I can't wash it in under 5 minutes, it doesn't get a spot in my kitchen. Sorry.

 

[DLgal]

When cleaning cast iron with salt, how much salt do you use?

I have one large pan I've finally got seasoned that I like for hamburgers and meats but I'm scared to do anything saucy because I feel like it strips the seasoning off. I agree that these pans seem like more work than they should be for something that doesn't actually get washed.

The wok comments are hitting home too. I've yet to find a wok that works, or even that I can make a decent recipe with. Things burn, the coating on the pan comes off, nothing seems rights. I've decided if you don't grow up with an Asian grandma, maybe I'm missing some sort of critical know how that just sort of absorbs over time.

I have a NordicWare wok that has been great.

You HAVE to use only wooden or silicone tipped cooking utensils. Never let metal touch the inside and the coating will stay.

Real Chinese people use CHEAP stainless steel woks that they get at Chinese supermarkets. They are very thin so they get hot very fast but they require a lot of skill and very high heat to cook foods correctly. Stuff sticks to these without copious amounts of oil, though, which is why Chinese food is so high calorie.

I have a gas stove with a high BTU center burner that is designed to "express boil" water but I use it with my wok. Stuff cooks in under 5 minutes. It's a learning curve because I often ended up with OVERCOOKED veggies in the beginning because of how fast it goes.

But the NordicWare wok has been great.

 

[VandVsmama]

DH bought a wok once. I used it two times. Hated it. And after using it and cleaning it twice, it started to rust. Well, the package it came in didn't say anything about having to 'season' it like you do cast iron pans (I hate cast iron pans, by the way). Tried to negotiate with DH for 5 years to get rid of it. He never used it. He just wanted to have it. Then one day, it quietly went to Goodwill. Biggest waste of space in our kitchen. A big frying pan does the job just as well.

 

[Hikergirl]

I received my Always pan about a month ago and love it!

That is great to hear!

 

[Skippy918]

I don’t really use my crock pot. We have the storage so I’ve held onto it. Once we got the air fryer, we don’t really use the deep fryer. I love the air fryer. I use the instant pots often too. I have a 6qt and 3qt. I use it as a rice cooker. Glad I have a Dutch oven as well cause it came in handy for quarantine sourdough bread. My toaster and toaster oven get daily use.

 

[ronandannette]

I don’t really use my crock pot. We have the storage so I’ve held onto it. Once we got the air fryer, we don’t really use the deep fryer. I love the air fryer. I use the instant pots often too. I have a 6qt and 3qt. I use it as a rice cooker. Glad I have a Dutch oven as well cause it came in handy for quarantine sourdough bread. My toaster and toaster oven get daily use.

I have soooo wanted to try some of those trendy bread recipes but without a cast iron or stoneware dutch oven, I've not been able to. I'm maxed for kitchen storage though and getting one would mean getting rid of something else. I have a few things I use occasionally that have to be kept in other parts of the house and they'd get much more use if they were handier.

 

[jujubiee4]

Waste of money:
Very expensive wok. Turns out, it's easier to buy chinese food.

Panini press. Forgot I had it and I don't like paninis. I can crush my own bread just fine.

George Foreman grill. Easier to go to the BBQ or get out a frying pan.

Breadmaker. Mine was a vertical and it was so tall, I couldn't put it on the countertop, so I needed a table for it which got in the way. And we didn't like how the bread was like a stone on the one end (bottom) and not very dense on the top, so I started just using it to mix and proof my breads, then made buns in the oven. Might as well do it by hand.

Rice cooker. Too easy to make on the stove or run to the chinese takeout place for a large order.

Tupperware microwaveable rice cooker. See above. Also, I lost the instructions before I ever made anything.


On the fence about:
Kitchenaid. Okay, I know I'd love it if I could get to it. It's in the back corner of the kitchen with stuff piled on it because it was too heavy to move out of the way. Now, I just can't be bothered to clean things up to get to it and use a hand mixer for the few times I need it. I just don't bake all that much.

Vitamix. I used it at first for smoothies, but fruit is expensive to just mash it up and drink it. And we don't always have ice, so that's a problem. I do use the dry container to make break crumbs, though. I wonder if a cheaper mixer would do both jobs just as well?

Pressure cooker. I've used it for stew on occasion and for beef bone soup, to speed up getting the goodness out of the bones. But I still have to boil for another hour on regular heat after depressurizing, so not too much of a time saver.

Slow cooker. I use it for chicken soup. The only good thing is I can get a cooked chicken from Costco, get it home, debone it and toss the bones in the slow cooker all day (with a few veggies) and have soup and sandwiches from the chicken meat for dinner. But most other things I've made are too much morning work (like PP said) to bother.


Things I love :
Breville Citrus Juicer. That was one of my best purchases. Fresh and easy juice with an easy clean up. And I can do a lot of oranges/lemons at once without the motor overheating (like my cheap one did).
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Kenwood immersion blender and potato masher. I would never go back to hand mashing potatoes again. I bought one for my 80 year old mom and she says she finally can mash potatoes again. Her arthritis would hurt when she tried to do it manually.
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Foodsaver
This has kept so many foods from going bad in my freezer or fridge. I use it to repack all my meats that I'm not going to use up right away.
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PLEASE tell me how you are using your immersion to mash your potatoes ?
I used mine with the potato masher attachment and they turned gummy. Did
I do it too long? Do you add butter/milk etc before doing it? thanks

 

[_19disnA]

^^ Excessive mixing of mashed potatoes will make them gummy regardless of how you mix them. Whatever device you used, you likely mixed for too long.

 

[FigmentSpark]

PLEASE tell me how you are using your immersion to mash your potatoes ?
I used mine with the potato masher attachment and they turned gummy. Did
I do it too long? Do you add butter/milk etc before doing it? thanks

Well, yeah, I don't over mash them, just up and down around the pot once until they are done. And, yes, I put in the butter, but not the milk. I do the milk at the end after mashing, just to mix them up. Maybe it's your potatoes?

 

[cabanafrau]

Love my stove. Largely picked it for the very large oven which has turned out really handy for holidays and gatherings (ah, gatherings, how quaint, anybody remember those?). What I haven't enjoyed is the grates on the stovetop, which are cast iron like the grill/griddle insert over the center burner. I do cook with cast iron sometimes and several of my pots and pans are quite heavy, but I really dislike having to deal with all the heavy pieces to clean my stovetop -- which always looks dirty because it's black and not white like I prefer because the rest is stainless. Don't care how "dated" anybody thinks it looks, for me white appliances always look cleaner. Don't care how much attention I pay to the stainless and the black, I never feel like they're spotless.