Kitchen appliances chat

If you get a Wusthof, make sure you get one with a half-bolster, the traditional full bolster is a gigantic pain in the arse.

I'd also suggest going for a 24omm blade, the extra length is genuinely useful. Big enough for squashes and bunches of herbs and stuff, still easy enough to use the tip accurately.

Any knife is only as good as your ability to keep it sharp. A Japanese knife is usually harder than a western knife which means better edge retention, but is easier to chip. My Tojiro DP (HRC 60-61) stays sharp much longer than my partner's Robert Welch knives (HRC 55, same as the Victorinox fibrox) and it's frankly frustrating. The Victorinox are good, a nice shape and ergonomic, but they're hardly a joy to use and they're designed for professional kitchens where they get beaten up and sharpened constantly.

More than anything go to a shop and handle the knives. Learn the correct pinch grip. See whatchoo like. I do not like the Global handles at all, for instance.

If I was in the market I'd be tempted to get something from here https://cuttingedgeknives.co.uk/collections/gyuto-knives/in-stock

99% of the time I use either the 240mm gyuto, or a CCK vegetable cleaver

Thanks, that’s good to know re bolsters. I’m not likely to be doing any butchery so not sure why I’d need a bolster particularly as in unlikely (hopefully!) to ever be in a scenario where I hit an unknown hard object with sufficient force to need the protection it provides.

240mm/10”, I’d thought about this a bit and will probably try and pick up both to see how they feel in the hand. I don’t have the largest hands and haven’t felt constrained by my current knife which I think is 8”. Will take a look at the Japanese options as well, more likely to be slicing/cutting softer foods than hard ones so would hope risk of chipping is low.

Definitely looking for something that is more in the “inspires joy” category than “good tool” category, will have a browse of that link

I was going to say, definitely try and get a test of different lengths. I also have relatively small hands and started with a 160mm and have now sized down to a edit: 120 140mm (I think) which I find much more comfortable although I still use the 160 for chopping cabbage etc etc. Can't imagine ever being comfortable with a 240 for home cooking.

Also would definitely recommend stainless. I'm sure Carbon steel is objectively better but I know for a fact that I'd ruin it at some point by leaving it damp or with lemon juice on or something. The peace of mind of stainless is much more practical IMO

Wild, I might grab the 160 to dice garlic occasionally but nothing much bigger :p My fingers cover probably a full quarter of the blade. Didn't think my hands were THAT big, aha.

Yeah funny how subjective it can be. Just checked and it's actually a 120mm 😙

me cooking at Branwen's house

Thermomix and bamix

Has anyone used a vented induction hob before? Considering one instead of a normal induction hob and hood.

Saw one in action in a kitchen recently and was very inpressed.

Also stayed in a holiday rental last summer that had one and it was good.

Miele has created some kind of super fancy microwave. I don't really understand how it works and none of the examples make sense but still sounds impressive.
https://www.miele.com/brand/en/revolutionary-excellence-38683.htm

I don't really understand how it works

Really? Yet the copy was so specific and detailed.

What I understood:

1. You can cook half a fish if you want
   
2. There's another fucking app you have to download
   
3. Chicks dig snapper
   
   

(the clock display does look nice tho)

Is shark still the forum approved™ vacuum brand?

Looking at robot vaccums, why on earth have the Manufacters made it their lifes goals to make the product ranges as confusing AS POSSIBLE. Insane naming, seemingly identical models etc

With the new Dialog oven and M Chef technology it is possible to prepare Salmon fillet half cooked and half raw.

Scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should.

Ah, now it's clear. It's all about the Gourmet Units

M Chef
The new M Chef cooking method utilises energy in form of Gourmet Units. The appliance maintains a constant dialog with the ingredients to cook dishes in their entirety, until achieving the desired result.

Gourmet Profi
The programme for advanced users: You determine all settings for your perfect result yourself, like the amount of Gourmet Units, the operating mode or the temperature.

I spent months trying to unravel this. Just when I thought I understood another variant was released.

In the end, I picked which manufacturer I wanted then chose based on value given offers at that time.

Im glad its not just me, I've spend over an hour trying to understand Euphy product stack alone.

I did exactly the same a month ago

What did you both end up getting?
I think my current front runner is the Euphy G40 (newer version of the G30, but same price), as it has path maping (as all G series do via a gyro and floor tracker) so it knows where its been, but doesnt actively map your house with lidar etc ( L series ) which I really dont trust, given Euphys history with privacy. Annoying though it needs an app, I would rather a remote control with no reliance on an app at all.

All the other models (S11, S11 Max, 15c, 15C Max, 30c, 30C Max) are all 'bumper car' style ones which just bumble about until its time to recharge.

Is whole fish cooked in ice a German thing?

I've got a 30 Edge or something. It's a bit more sophisticated than bumbling about and does keep track of where it has been so can fill in the blank spots but it is slower than the lidar ones that scan the room first.

No real difference in the end result that I've noticed.

So your microwave talks to the food.
Better than you talking to the microwave. Maybe.

If you want a full sized classic hoover, I am still in love with my Miele bagless thing.

Seconded

Good to know, G30 and G30 edge/verge are identical but have magnetic boundry strips to stop the machine going places.

https://support.eufy.com/s/article/The-Differences-Between-RoboVac-G30-G30-Edge-G30-Verge-and-G30-Hybrid

I dont need that so i'll get whatever is cheaper

Yes, I think I got strips with mine as it was the cheapest but never used them.

You probably don't need to connect it to your wi-fi and install the app, it's got physical buttons as well.