280253 Wed Oct 12 17:22:17 -0700 2005 22 31 Home Cooking 0 1488255 Hey folks. I'm a recent college grad looking to stock up on kitchen accessories for as little money as possible. There are a few gadgets that are indispensible for the kind of cooking I do, and I'm pretty sure that for each high-quality, high-priced piece of equipment, there's a much less expensive, nearly as effective version. So that's the challenge: come up with inexpensive but effective versions of the following equipment: mandoline-type slicer spice grinder (I assume a coffee grinder would do the trick) hand blender Any other advice on putting together a nice kitchen on a budget would be great... Cookware and knives are the trickiest -- I'll probably have to bite the bullet and drop some cash on those. Wed Oct 12 17:22:17 -0700 2005 0 J.A. 1 1488260 oxo peeler, cup measurer, can opener, and a good size whisk. Wed Oct 12 17:35:57 -0700 2005 1488255 0 theSauce 1 1488262 Go to TJMaxx and look for your non-electrical gadgets there. They often have Nor-Pro Mandolines which work very well and might run you $30.00 It comes with a suite of cutting blades,is adjustable for thickness and is fairly easy to clean up. They also stock a lot of gadgets from the better makers, Zyliss, Kuhn Rikon etc. Krups makes a coffee grinder that is oval in shape. The advantage of this over the round type is that the shape throws the coffee or spices back into the middle instead of flinging it to the sides and gives you a more even grind. It is not difficult to clean either. For your immersion blender don't forget Bed Bath etc. and their 20% off coupons. Wed Oct 12 17:38:19 -0700 2005 1488255 0 Candy 1 1488314 What sort of things will you be cooking? I know that's a big question, but are you planning to bake a lot, make large quantities of stews, etc. and freeze, are you vegetarian, are you cooking for one, or a group? I'm a student too, and after all the moving around, I've cooked extensively in three different kitchens in as many years. I'd say my most-used equipment is a small non-stick omelette pan, a non-stick gallon pot, a casserole dish, a chopping board, a good knife and a decent spatula. I bake a lot, so I have assorted tins, cookie sheets, rubber spatulas, a scale, etc. that I couldn't live without. Next on my list of things to get: a Lodge castiron skillet that can go from stovetop to oven. Yay steaks. Thu Oct 13 01:06:25 -0700 2005 1488255 0 kate 1 1488319 You can find relatively cheap mandoline slicers at your nearest Japantown. I know, it seems ironic that something cheap can be found in a Japantown, but give it a go. A coffee grinder is a great spice grinder. A mortar and pestle is even cheaper and worth considering unless you grind a lot of spices often. I like the mortar/pestle because it's easier to rid if of funny spice smells. I really wouldn't spend money on a hand blender unless you're willing to buy a top of the line model for around $100. The cheap ones have no power. You've gotten great advice so far. I think Kate's got a pretty good handle on what you need in a barebones kitchen, and I second theSauce's recommendation for OXO equipment. Candy's also right: definitely buy only what you need to survive and then start hanging out at discount stores, keeping your eye open for brand name equipment. You'll be shocked what you find. Also, go buy one thing at Bed Bath and Beyond. They'll start sending you one 20% off coupon a month. They come in handy for large purchases (I'm thinking a nice santoku chef's knife to get you started). Thu Oct 13 03:06:40 -0700 2005 1488255 0 nooodles 2 1488445 The japanese mandoline is called the Benrinnner. Great gadget. Thu Oct 13 15:43:19 -0700 2005 1488319 0 rexmo 2 1488451 Sara Moulton recommended grinding up a piece of white bread in your spice/ coffee grinder, and it would get rid of funky smells. I haven't tried it, but it sounds reasonable! Thu Oct 13 16:04:04 -0700 2005 1488319 0 Katie Nell 3 1488465 SOunds like a plan! I bet you should use stale bread, though...the less moisture, the less it'll stick to parts of the blade, etc. Great tip, thnx! Thu Oct 13 16:41:59 -0700 2005 1488451 0 oakjoan 4 1488484 Actually, I've done this a couple of times and fresh bread works better. I don't know why, maybe it's like using a damp washrag instead of a dry one, I don't know. Doesn't stick to the blades much and I usually give them a little wipe with a piece of paper towel and everything's fine. Also, if you need inexpensive sauce pans, Farberware is a good choice. Bob Thu Oct 13 17:44:33 -0700 2005 1488465 0 Sony Bob 5 1488491 I've also heard that grinding uncooked rice does the job. This isn't for the budget-challenged OP necessarily, but if you can drop $30, I highly recommend the KitchenAid blade coffee grinder. It's the only one, to my knowledge, with a removable canister that can actually be washed (in the dishwasher, even). The canister is stainless stell and around three times the size of the average coffee grinder's, so has a large capacity, the grinder is powerful, and the canister pops right off so it can be completely cleansed of any trace of herb, spice, or coffee odors with hot water and soap. It's awesome. Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005USQS/qid=1129154125/chowhoundcom Thu Oct 13 18:25:02 -0700 2005 1488484 0 Caitlin McGrath 1 1488330 As nooodles recommeded, an Asian Benriner brand slicer is a cheap alternative to mandoline. I also like its small size. A Microplane zester is probably the best $10 you'll ever spend on a kitchen tool. Not only does it make the best zest, but it grates hard cheeses and chocolate extremely well, and purees garlic and ginger. Link: http://www.beyondsalmon.com Thu Oct 13 09:25:33 -0700 2005 1488255 0 A Fish Called Wanda 1 1488331 stocking a kitchen doesn't have to be expensive. properly seasoned cast iron is wonderful to cook with and inexpensive. with a little practice, it can be used for almost all applications for which more expensive cookware is touted (given its mass and heat retention properties, reducing heat rapidly is one of its greater downfalls). a large heavy, flat-bottomed pan usually supplants a wok, especially on electric cooktops. for non-stick cookware, i look for the cheapest pan with a heavy bottom in the shape i want. i don't find that cost equates to longer life regarding the non-stick coating. i'm willing to sacrifice a little performance for a significantly reduced cost. it just means i have to pay a little more attention to what i'm cooking. for me, the biggest problem with the cheaper non-stick cookware is finding oven-safe handles. i know it's heresay, but i go against the expensive knife philosophy. i have several very nice knives, but i barely use them in favor of cheapo restaurant-supply blades. about the only time i break out the expensive knives is when i have a lot of prep work to do and hand-fatigue due to balance will be an issue, or when i'm doing something presentation heavy and very consistent slices/dice are important. the cheapos don't take an edge as well, and dull quicker, but have the advantage of being disposable due to their low cost. i have an electric knife sharpener (which i don't like to use on my good knives because the tang interferes with the sharpener housing and because of the lesser quality of the edge versus that produced by a well-wielded stone), and simply run the blade through every so often. i always have sharp knives, because they're cheap i don't care if they get dinged up, and once they get too ground down i shell out $8-$14 for a new one (they don't have to be replaced too often, i think i've purchased one replacement 10' chef's blade and one four-pak of paring knives since i adopted this strategy 6 years ago). works for me. a good mortar and pestle are the original spice grinder. i have better control over consistency with this method, although i do admit it can be a pain if you do large quantities. you can pay as much as you want for one. i would caution against single-purpose gadgets. i find that i use them for a short time, then relegate them to a forgotten cupboard where i'm too lazy to look for them and return to my old tried-and-true methods. these items regularly wind up in garage sales selling for far less than i paid. the only single/limited-use gadgets i own that really get used are a garlic press and fondue pot. i suggest starting with the basics, then adding fancy stuff and gadgets as you have the means. Thu Oct 13 09:28:11 -0700 2005 1488255 0 mark 2 1488398 When I was in Italy, and had very little money, I would go to a dusty, hole-in-the-wall kitchen shop where everything was cheap (and admittedly, not the best quality) and buy paring knives for 1-99 euros each. I went back and replaced the knife once every six weeks, for the nine months I was there. In hindsight, I wonder if buying a 12 euro knife once would have been a better bet, but at the time it made sense to me! I think that psychologically 12 euros feels like a big chunk of money spent all at once. So basically, during the period of my life when I was cooking the most intensively (and probably the most creatively) I was using crap knives, well below the level of your cheap kitchen supply ones. Now that I've got a santoku, etc, perhaps my tang is better balanced, but I can't tell a difference in the quality of the food I'm churning out. So as far as knife quality goes, all I have to say is: go figure. There's more to cooking than expensive knives. Thu Oct 13 13:48:45 -0700 2005 1488331 0 Kate 1 1488336 First and foremost I would focus on knives, and acquiring knife skills. I have used cheap ones and expensive ones and I don't know what I would do with out my heavy Henckels 10" chefs' knife. Good knife skills can save you buying all sorts of dubious, expensive and space-hogging equipment. I was all set to break down and get the Oxo mandoline earlier this year until I took an intensive 3-day knife class at a culinary school and decided I didn't need it. A good cutting board is almost as important. I have a large one made out of some sort of rubbery material from a commercial supplier. It is kind to the knives and big enough that my kitchen floor is not always strewn with diced onion (as it used to be). A coffee grinder is fine for spices. I will add to the praise for Oxo tools--they work well, are comfortable to use for long periods of time, and you can get them at a discount bed and bath or hardware store. I'm not sure a hand blender is really necessary if you have a regular one, or a food mill (these are inexpensive and very useful if low-tech). I have a cheap hand blender I got as a gift; I do use it and it works fine despite a relative lack of power. But if I had to choose I'd pick the food mill. Other gadgets I, a miserly cook with a small kitchen, love: the Microplane grater/zester (I have the old hardware store kind without a handle); a comprehensive set of metal measuring cups (incl 3/4 c, 2 c) (I bake a lot); a good instant-read thermometer; and a set of 9 or 10 pyrex/glass bowls in graduated sizes--cheap and invaluable for prep. Good luck and happy cooking! Thu Oct 13 10:11:31 -0700 2005 1488255 0 LindaMc 1 1488353 Based on a recommendation from this board I bought this Hoffritz mandoline slicer on Amazon. It's cheap, has several blades, and does the job. Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004RHNF/qid=1129216200/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-1579504-5038338?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846 Thu Oct 13 11:12:24 -0700 2005 1488255 0 Scagnetti 1 1488405 A 10" carbon steel chef's knife by Sabatier at pcd (professional cutlery direct, 1.800.859.6994) costs about $100. Mine is more than 40 years old and still wonderful. Add a 6" for +/- $65 when you can afford it. They'll stain but are easy to sharpen. I second the cast iron skillet rec you received. Keep your eyes peeled for a 5 qt Le Creuset Dutch oven either on sale or at an outlet and you've got a great start of your "forever" kitchen. These are the same items I gave my sons when they graduated from college and 15 years later, everything is still in action. Of course they've added to the collection but the base is intact and used daily. Whatever you do, please do not be seduced into buying a "set" of pots & pans. Material that is great for sauteeing is not necessarily the best choice for a saucepan, etc. Add items as you go. It matters no one whit if it all matches -- who cares! You want hard-working gear, not home decor pieces. Good Luck! Thu Oct 13 14:09:59 -0700 2005 1488255 0 Sherri 2 1488442 Don't forget that the October Clearance sale is on at the LeCreuset outlets. If you are not fussy about color you can get some good deals and on thier pottery too and the other accessories and Screwpulls too. Check thier website for locations of out lets and phone numbers. They will take phone orders and I think there was free shipping on orders over $100.00 Thu Oct 13 15:37:00 -0700 2005 1488405 0 Candy 2 1488500 In this day and age of some really high-tech knife steels, so-called carbon steel blades are still are the ultimate in terms of getting a really keen durable edge easily, and at a cost-efficient basis compared to stainless. ..but you have to be willing to deal with the added maintenance issues. Image: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b97/honesuki/carbon.jpg Thu Oct 13 19:27:47 -0700 2005 1488405 0 jo 1 1488448 Knives: find Kiwi brand at an Asian store. I don't know what they do to make these knives, but they stay sharp much longer than the top German brands. And most are under $5, the bigger cleavers being the exception. Boat motors: pretty easy to find at thrift stores in my experience. Thu Oct 13 15:49:23 -0700 2005 1488255 0 rexmo 1 1488464 Regarding a hand blender --- I saw a post below that said the cheap models have no power. That is certainly NOT true. I got a Braun hand blender with several attachments, including a small container with blade (mini-food processor) and a whipping attachment, along with the main hand blending dealie. It has lots of power and even whips egg whites (takes a while but not due to power but smallness of whipping attachment)...still more convenient than setting up the Kitchen Aid and beating that way. Anyway, if you can find this set, I'd HIGHLY recommend it. It even has a plastic blade in addition to the metal one. Thu Oct 13 16:40:34 -0700 2005 1488255 0 oakjoan 2 1488496 Ditto on my Cuisinart hand blender and has the same three blades. For the things that I use it for he 150 Watts is just fine. I do suggest looking for a decent electric hand mixer until you have space for and can afford a counter model. I have a Kitchen Aid hand mixer that is strong enough to handle cookie dough. I have the counter model too but the hand mixer is what I reach for for many different things, especially whipped cream and making choux paste and mixing it in the pan stove top. Thu Oct 13 19:00:23 -0700 2005 1488464 0 Candy 1 1488544 I didn't read all the replies so I don't know if i'm just repeating what others have said but basically: A coffee grinder makes a great spice/pepper grinder buy one good, high quality chef's knife and steel sharpener (get a paring knife if it's something you use a lot) This can last you a lifetime so it's worth the investment I cook a lot and while a mandoline would be fun, I've never found it to be necessary, a good box grater, however, is. Lodge caste iron "fry pan" is absolutely indespensable 1 8 or 10 quart le crueset is a must have 1 nonstick 10" skillet for eggs, crepes, sautee, whatever... a spatula tongs wooden spoons cutting board, again one good wooden one will suffice, just make sure to rub it with some vinegar or lemon juice post cleaning after meats I think that's the major stuff, for me at least. If you know any chefs or professional cooks then you know they take their knives everywhere with them. I mean, everywhere. They are the most important tool, and often the most expensive. Don't be skimpy with knives. Pans are important, but you don't need much to accomplish a lot. Fri Oct 14 00:04:07 -0700 2005 1488255 0 Morgan 1 1488546 I didn't read all the replies so I don't know if i'm just repeating what others have said but basically: A coffee grinder makes a great spice/pepper grinder buy one good, high quality chef's knife and steel sharpener (get a paring knife if it's something you use a lot) This can last you a lifetime so it's worth the investment I cook a lot and while a mandoline would be fun, I've never found it to be necessary, a good box grater, however, is. Lodge caste iron "fry pan" is absolutely indespensable 1 8 or 10 quart le crueset is a must have 1 nonstick 10" skillet for eggs, crepes, sautee, whatever... a spatula tongs wooden spoons cutting board, again one good wooden one will suffice, just make sure to rub it with some vinegar or lemon juice post cleaning after meats I think that's the major stuff, for me at least. If you know any chefs or professional cooks then you know they take their knives everywhere with them. I mean, everywhere. They are the most important tool, and often the most expensive. Don't be skimpy with knives. Pans are important, but you don't need much to accomplish a lot. Fri Oct 14 00:07:48 -0700 2005 1488255 0 Morgan