RL Questions Thread

Exelethril

Figured a thread like this might be useful. Achaeans helping other Achaeans out with anything related to irl advice - health, jobs, advice etc.

Anyone know any good kitchenware brands that don't cost an arm and leg?

Szanthax

What are you looking for specifically? I got my kitchen aide stand mixer at an estate sale for super cheap. Know you can find deals on that stuff if you're patent

Exelethril

Good brands that will last awhile but are affordable. Kitchen aide's good?

Minifie

I don't win lotteries ever, yet I enter another one.

Do I have a problem /ach/?

Szanthax

Like I said depends on what you need. I like kitchen aide but it tends to be more expensive.

For toaster I'd recommend a toaster oven,  For example. More versatile. Blender vitamix is ridiculous good but stupid expensive. Works have to do more research for that... I just use a robot coupe... Erin.. what do they call r those things... I use the kitchenaide home version. Blenderthingy...

What else do people have in their kitchens.. microwave? Dont have one...

Quisse

Toaster over takes up so much damn space. Yeah, it's versatile, but omg, it's a beast on the countertop. If you don't have a lot of space, stay away from the toaster oven.

But what do you mean by kitchenware? Are you looking for pots and pans? Appliances? Utensils? Details, man, we can't work with this otherwise!

Morthif

recommend a good sharp knife that doesn't cost a fortune? For dicing onions etc

Aesi

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00068J2A0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00068J2A0&linkCode=as2&tag=pickmyknife-20&linkId=UUFKII4L67EFY6M7

I have this, which is rather cheap as far as good knives go.

Exelethril

Toaster ovens are a good idea, hmm. Not particularly a fan of bread in general cause I'm allergic to wheat but iirc I can cook chicken in those things too.

I'm looking for "everything" (useful) because I have nothing atm and kinda broke

My kitchen

[spoiler]
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Aesi

I want your god's damned kitchen.

Achimrst

Exelethril said:

Toaster ovens are a good idea, hmm. Not particularly a fan of bread in general cause I'm allergic to wheat but iirc I can cook chicken in those things too.

I'm looking for "everything" (useful) because I have nothing atm and kinda broke

My kitchen

[spoiler]
[/spoiler]

You see that little thing next to your microwave. That is an actual oven which can also cook chicken. If you want good appliances that don't break because you didn't read the directions you better start start chopping off arms and legs. If you want cheap crap you can replace every year at a reasonable price try Big Lots, Wal-Mart, or even Target items. Amazon will have a good selection you can compare and find coupons for as well. As for silverware and such you are better off with anything that is steel.

Edit: Forgot to add that you can also find cheap mediocre crap at the "As seen on TV" Store located in a mall. They have semi-useful stuff but they will have a blender type item. Buy this instead of some conventional blender. That is all.

Edit #2: Also forgot, Crock pot. If you are going to buy a crock pot because that seems to be something cheap and easy that you will absolutely love do not get a cheap one and try to get a brand like Rival, because that's the brand I use and love.

Szanthax

I'll agree with @Achimrst

I look at kitchen and wonder what do you need. I dint know because I'm not you. You have enough to get by. I'd toast bread in your oven.. buy a good pot/pan set from Amazon or group on, test it nice and you'll be fine

Aesi

Things I can think of:

- Cutting board/s
- Knife block
- Wine glasses
- Toaster
- Crock pot as @Achimrst said, easiest thing to make meals while at work ever.
- Spice Rack
- spices to go in said spice rack
- Rice cooker if you're lazy and like rice
- Some sort of coffee maker
- cutlery
- good nonstick frying pan
- griddle
- set of pots and pans
- cookie sheets
- pizza pan


I donno what your situation is. Single guy and some weeks I live on grilled cheese because I don't feel like cooking. Whatever you feel you need!

Quisse

The slow cooker (crock pot) is an absolute must for everyone. Go buy one now. You need to own one. 

Once you have one, hit me up and I will show you what you can do with that baby. Oh my my.

Morthif

she says that and never follows through

Quisse

Morthif said:

she says that and never follows through

You don't speak to me ever. I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH YOUR FACE.

Aesi

Quisse said:

Morthif said:

she says that and never follows through

You don't speak to me ever. I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH YOUR FACE.

I do love me some slow cooker pulled pork

damnit, now I'm hungry

Austere

Personally, I don't buy kitchen products before I have a need for one.  A very good set of cast iron(learn to season them), some pyrex baking dishes, can opener(a decent manual one isn't bad if you don't use a lot of canned products and are super tight for cash,  but the electric ones are cheap as shit), a few decent utensils (knives, spoons, spatulas, a strainer, a cutting board), and miscellaneous pots will go a long way. 

I wouldn't spend a ton of money until you're sure it's going to be used.  There is no point in buying a muffin pan unless you're going to fix muffins.  Kitchens are like tool boxes: upgradable. 

Aesi

Austere said:

Personally, I don't buy kitchen products before I have a need for one.  A very good set of cast iron(learn to season them), some pyrex baking dishes, can opener(a decent manual one isn't bad if you don't use a lot of canned products and are super tight for cash,  but the electric ones are cheap as shit), a few decent utensils (knives, spoons, spatulas, a strainer, a cutting board), and miscellaneous pots will go a long way. 

I wouldn't spend a ton of money until you're sure it's going to be used.  There is no point in buying a muffin pan unless you're going to fix muffins.  Kitchens are like tool boxes: upgradable. 

This. I generally every payday, if i feel I need something, get one upgrade for my place. It accumulates over time.

Szanthax

Yeah. Don't buy something you'll never/rarely use. 

Grandue

Buy dexter-russell knives. They are commercial grade knives and are WAY affordable for what they do. When we got married I bought a bunch of expensive knives but when I started hunting a lot more I wanted knives that I could butcher game with and so I did a ton of research and settled on those and now I never even touch the expensive knives I bought years ago. Get a good steel and learn how to use it and take care of your knives and you'll love yourself for doing so. 

Kasya

I love my crockpot but I need to get one that my damned cats can't get into when I'm at work. Stupid animals. (I love them, but they ruin everything.)

Once I do, I expect to get a lesson in crockpotting from @Quisse. 

Aesi

I feel as though this is @Quisse

Taraus

A basic Mr. Coffee drip-style coffee pot. No fucking bells and whistles, just one with an on off switch.

Also, regarding appliances - they're one of those items where it isn't worth it to go cheap - spend the money now on something decent, and it'll serve you for years to come. Cuisinart, Farberware, Oster are reliable brands that stand up to serious usage. Hamilton Beach and Black & Decker are garbage

What I'd call "kitchen essentials" (besides the coffee maker, that's just a life essential, i literally used to carry one in my van "just in case"):

(Besides the obvious plates, cutlery, decent set of cutting knives of various types - a chef's knife, a paring knife, a large serrated knife)

A food processor with an array of attachments.

A good set of tupperware, various sizes.

Butcher's block/wooden cutting board.

A garlic press & a four-sided cheese grater.

Three sauce pans - small, medium, and large - with lids.

One medium/large frying pan.

WOODEN SPOONS. One can never have too many of these. In different shapes, sizes, lengths.

Cooking utensils: frying pan flipper (fuck  you, a spatula is a rubber thing you use to scrape bowls out with), spatula, tongs, slotted spoon.

There's a shitload of other stuff that's kitchen-essential, but only if you're a cook. Like Austere said, there's no real reason to buy shit you're never going to use

Khaibit

Love my crock pot. Can turn a bunch of herbs and some beans into a nice dinner that lasts for a few days and freezes... which is good for a poor student. 
Makes the house smell yummy too. 
Slow cookers are a must

Blujixapug

Aesi said:

- good nonstick frying pan

I'd get a cheap (decent) one over a good (expensive) one. No matter how well you treat it, it's gonna have to be replaced in a couple of years. God forbid another human being gains access to your kitchen and they so much as touch it with something made of metal.

Anedhel

I never liked garlic presses. They're a pain in the ass to clean and a knife does a better job! (Mince if you'd like, or sprinkle a bit of salt on the clove and slowly run the blade flat down and towards you, with the edge facing outwards, so you don't wreck it and/or injure yourself).

As for coffee maker, French press is the king of all: they're cheap, they make lovely coffee, and they're easy to clean, always a plus. (If you need to make more than three or four mugs' full, you're screwed, though)

Grandue

Get stainless steel pots and pans and pay the premium price for them. The non-stick garbage wears out over the years and stops working very well. Thin and cheap stainless steel will warp with high heat over time also, so break out the big boy bucks and splurge on the pots and pans if you intend to do any cooking. If you learn how to cook in them properly you'll never have a problem with food sticking to them, non-stick pans are unnecessary. 

Drying rack for when you wash your pots and pans and large bowls by hand.  I also like lots of metal mixing bowls of all sizes. I make a lot of marinades and dry rubs and my wife bakes a lot so she is always making different doughs and icings and batters and it is really nice to always have extra bowls sitting around when you need to whisk together a couple of things separately before adding in to the dish. 

Tahquil

French Press all the way. Other than the device you get your hot water out of it doesn't require power. If my commute was short I would honestly consider pouring the hot water in at home, carry it to work and plunge it there.

If you think you take sugar in your coffee, get some goods grounds and a french press and re-evaluate.

I prefer steel mixing bowls over plastic bowls as well. Some recipes require pristinely clean bowls and find them easier to ensure they are clean and dry. Some steel bowls have weights in their base as well which helps me... I sorta fling stuff everywhere.

Never boil a pot dry.
Always watch your pots and pans if you're warming oil in them. That shit catches fire fast.

Aesi

Blujixapug said:

Aesi said:

- good nonstick frying pan

I'd get a cheap (decent) one over a good (expensive) one. No matter how well you treat it, it's gonna have to be replaced in a couple of years. God forbid another human being gains access to your kitchen and they so much as touch it with something made of metal.

Farmboy.

My definition of good is like $30 lol

Sobriquet

Not a thread I ever thought I'd see here. That being said, I have two slow cookers for a reason. Priceless bits for the kitchen.