Reddit reviews OXO Good Grips Utility Cutting Board
We found 9 Reddit comments about OXO Good Grips Utility Cutting Board. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
10 1/2 by 14 1/2 inch cutting board with black edgesCrafted from nonporous, odor resistant, durable polypropyleneDouble sided design features juice groove and non slip edgesSoft, tapered handles for comfortable lifting and carryingDishwasher Safe
Ah! I haven't tried using one of those yet. I'm talking about this. The issue I've had with exacto knives is that they can't turn corners cleanly, so I usually cut out block-text, then slow shave slivers off to get clean curves.
[Like this is really easy](
https://imgur.com/a/NjltA) on the cutting boards mentioned above.
This was one of the harder projects, forgive me I can't draw hands (and I wish I had beautiful penshipship like this sub to fill in a beauty & the beast quote ><)
Cheap tips...
Rice Cooker, Slow cooker, Food Processor, Blender.
Zojirushi Rice Cookers are consistent and long lasting - I had one of these for 12 years, and it always got the job done right. When I moved in with my wife, she had a rice cooker that was old, but still worked (another Zojirushi). We recently splurged and got a really high end one. It's AMAZING, 10-15 minute perfectly cooked rice.
Cuckoo CRP-HV0667F IH Pressure Rice Cooker - For reference.
Anyways...
Get the simplest cheapest crock-pot - Less things to go wrong when it's as simple as this.
Get a cheap food processor
Get a decent blender - Don't go too cheap on blenders, you really get what you pay for in a quality blender. Blenders and mixers are the two things KitchenAid does best.
Now... The reason why I said get cheap stuff? Because you said you know nothing about cooking, and you might destroy a nice piece of equipment in your ignorance. It's bound to happen. Since you are going to be living on your own, if family gives you free stuff, don't feel bad about getting rid of it if the equipment sucks. They didn't want it anyways. Good tools? And you'll do a good job.
Watch this for other equipment...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-av6cz9upO0 - Gordon Ramsay may be a celebrity, but his kitchen knowledge is definitely high-end.
Personally don't skimp on the saucepans, frying pan, and the knife (honestly for 99% of jobs you just want a really good chef's knife, other than a pairing knife can do most everything). They will make your life easier if you have quality equipment. I disagree with him about the cutting board for 2 reasons (10 years in restaurants in the past here)... One, you are a beginner and might ruin a wood board. Two, wood boards can accumulate bacteria from meats if not taken care of properly. I advise this one...
OXO Grips Utility Cutting Board
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHRXUeVsAQQ - Great video showing you some good techniques in cooking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJy1ajvMU1k - Another video along the same vein, great techniques for cooking.
As others have said Budgetbytes is great.
Raw beans and raw rice are always going to be significantly cheaper than buying pre-made/pre-cooked. Use a slow cooker to cook beans overnight. Use google for a recipe.
Chicken skin-on, bone-in is always going to be significantly cheaper than not. Breast is usually drier/tougher but lower calorie per oz. Thighs are juicier/softer, but higher calorie per oz. Remove the skin if you want to be more calorie efficient. Keep the skin on for flavor. Personally? I always leave skin on, remove the bone (but use it for cooking to extract the flavors), and I always use a chicken thigh. Personal preference. A cool tip is to remove the skin, coat in olive oil, and fry by itself. Try that out, see if you like it. Fry till like crispy bacon. If you don't use the skin in cooking, you can use it like this as a snack later.
Seasoning things is really important. Don't over-season, less is more. Because you can always add more seasoning later. When I make chicken, I always put a pinch of salt on each side, grind some pepper (use a pepper grinder, it's always superior to that pre-ground pepper crap), slap that into it. Olive oil, don't skimp out on this either. Get stuff actually from Italy, larger bottles are usually a better deal. Chicken with salt, pepper, olive oil is simple and tasty.
Get some kinda meal prep containers...
https://www.amazon.com/Freshware-15-Pack-Compartment-Bento-Lunch/dp/B01IIINCRS - These should work great. I like having a separation point in the container.
Some simple recipes I like...
http://luckypeach.com/recipes/miso-claypot-chicken-no-claypot/
https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=slow+cooker - Anything here.
https://www.budgetbytes.com/?s=easy - Again, using the search function at budgetbytes is huge.
One thing that helps is to develop your palate. If you will be doing okay for money, the occasional outing to a restaurant to try something new can be really beneficial. When you eat food out, imagine what possible technique they could have used to achieve a certain texture or taste.
I'm just rambling, but hopefully this will help a little.
I agree, this is just as or more important than your knife!
I suggest this one, as it's small enough to not cause clutter, large enough to do most of your prep work, cheap enough to afford a second or third one later on (for a designated meat/veggie board), and best of all it's dishwasher safe!
The most important thing is just using different cutting boards for different things.
Have a cutting board that you use exclusively for meats. Ideally one for each type of meat (red/white/fish) but a "do all" will work. This board should also be plastic (because you can run them through the dishwasher and replaced on a fairly regular basis.
Your second cutting board should be wood, and used for the vast majority of your chopping needs.
I use this wood and this plastic cutting boards. Both have worked very well and I feel will continue to last a long time.
Remember for those with wood cutting boards to care for them properly with a wax/oil and if you can help it NEVER submerge them in water.
Also agreed on the good chef's knife. However, you don't have to spend a lot. I can't remember the name of the best rated by Cook's Illustrated, but it's well under $100. I think I spend $40 on the one I bought for the ManBeast last Christmas. A nice thing to pair with that is a good cutting board. Oxo makes a great one that I highly recommend.
I love cooking in stainless steel pans, so I'd suggest those for pans. But if she's truly just starting, nonstick might be good. And perhaps a few plastic/wooden cooking utensils to use in said pan so that the pan doesn't get scratched up.
Beyond that, I really think it depends on what exactly she is getting into. I still love the hand mixer my parents got me YEARS ago, and am only replacing it this year because the ManBeast has agreed to go half in on a stand mixer for a mutual holiday gift for each of us.
don't worry about knives. let him do that himself. I'd say get him a nice large nylon or whatever material cutting board. not wood. I have an OXO 'carving board' that I asked for for christmas, and it's fucking awesome. granted, you have to have the counter space for it... but prepping ingredients is SO MUCH more enjoyable when they aren't constantly rolling off the board and you don't feel cramped.
plus, cutting boards are one of those things that a lot of people would probably consider to be like a 'boring' purchase, whereas a good knife is something that a younger person might be more happy to spend their own money on. let him pick out a knife on his own... you cover the quality-of-life stuff that's less fun to shop for ;D
This is a basic list with mid-grade item recommendations as links. You can definitely shop around and find better deals, but this will give you a place to start your shopping excursion from. Considering hitting up a local restaurant supply store for really good deals.
Please get a new cutting board. Hardwood or plastic is best. Glass (and bamboo, marble, etc) is really really terrible for your knives. I have several of this one and one of this one and I'm quite happy with them.
But they aren't getting the job done. You're not cutting your veggies, you're pushing super hard on them until they break. Go home, try the paper test, watch as you can't cut shit. You may think everything is ok, until you try an actual sharp knife and realize you've been lying to yourself all along and that the old dull one was complete and utter shit. And you don't need expensive knives, one of my go to knives in my drawer is from Target, but I sharpen it once a year and use a honing steel before every use. Make all the excuses you want or learn. it's up to you. Glass cutting boards kill knives, your knife is dead. It's that simple. Get a thick plastic cutting board and either a sharpener or a new knife, you can have both for $45 total off amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B000638D32
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Utility-Cutting-Board/dp/B000CBOTQ8/
The knife I hear you can get for $25 other places and there are probably cheaper cutting boards out there, just don't get too thin or they will warp and not stay flat.