(Part 4) Best home & kitchen products according to redditors

>They did find a scale ...

Better not go into my kitchen or else they'll find a scale too. Anyone who does any sort of cooking in their house is going to have a decent scale.

>... bunch of small plastic bags

Anyone who does any sorts of DIY or arts & craft projects has a 'bunch' of small plastic bags. I can open a kitchen drawer and probably find two dozen from when I have purchased screws, fasteners, bolts, nuts, etc from the hardware store over the years.

I've used a T-Fal professional near daily for five years now. I don't put it in the dishwater and I don't use metal utensils on it, but other than than I don't follow any other precautions. It stills works like new.

That over cooked ring is still way too large. You need to sear hotter and faster. This is more of what it should look like.

I got a sous vide a few years back and use it at least once a week.

I'd suggest doing it with the chimney starter itself, al la Alton Brown, or get yourself a torch and a Searzall

I like using the torch at the table because it impresses all my drunk friends.

I use a reuseable metal-mesh K-cup, they are made and sold by the same company...

http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396239942&sr=8-2&keywords=refillable+k+cup

Microplane. For people who still zest with something like this, it's life-changing.

I just finished furnishing a house and bought several mattresses and bed frames. I got an INCREDIBLY COMFY king bed and frame for less than $400 on Amazon. Here's the mattress I got.

If your bottle top diameter is 1.75 inches/4.5cm https://www.amazon.com/Froz-Ice-Ball-Maker-Food-Grade/dp/B00H8W54EK/ref=pd_aw_lpo_79_bs_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=H9WTD2Q76ZVVYSR82FF5


If it's 2.5 inches/6.35cm

https://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Leak-Free-Sphere-Molds-Silicone/dp/B007ACTN54

i'll play. go get an aeropress, it's like a french press on HGH.

http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B000GXZ2GS

The Aeropress if you drink coffee. It's £24 on Amazon at the moment but it has been under £20 before. https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Coffee-Tea-Espresso/Aerobie-AeroPress-80R11-Maker/B000GXZ2GS

I don't really understand how it makes such good filter coffee, it's magic or something, but it's really easy to use and makes great super-fast one cup coffee for those who want to use filter or grind their own beans but don't want to run a full coffee maker / make loads of cups / wait around.

Nonstick is okay in certain circumstances. I have a good quality 12" Nordic Ware pan which I got off Woot and is great for some purposes. If you're warping your pans, you're probably getting it too hot and then throwing it in the sink. Even a high quality pan is not immune to thermal shock.

My biggest advice is to NOT buy a set but to buy individual pieces as you need them. If you must buy a bunch at a time, I advise going à la carte.

Here's what I recommend:

• A 6 qt enameled Dutch Oven - Mine is made by Tramontina but Lodge and Le Creuset make some great ones as well (just expect the French made Le Creuset to be far more expensive.) This pan is a great multitasker and you can make bread in it, cook stew, boil down bones for stock etc.
  
  
• 2 qt and 4 qt saucepans. Look for high quality welded handles instead of rivets. Tri-Ply (where a layer of aluminum is pressed between two layers of stainless) is your best option and All-Clad is a nice made in the USA option, but Tramontina (sold at some Walmarts but also Walmart.com) and Sur La Table's store brand are also excellent.
  
  
• A 12" stainless skillet - again, go with TriPly from Tramontina or Sur La Table (All Clad if you are rich)
  
  
• A 12" Cast iron skillet. These are a pain in the ass for the first year or so and you'll get a lot of circlejerking and such about the best way to season (expect lots of stupid old bacon jokes and rednecks talking about cooking "critters" they ran over and stuff like that.) Wading through that mess, you can find that cast iron is essential but not the only thing to cook in.
  
  
• 12" T-Fal Non-stick skillet Again, not BIFL but a good quality piece that will make cooking eggs a lot easier if you aren't willing to deal with cast iron.

Or you could just go buy a set of two molds for $10.

People do realize they can use their own coffee grounds for the keurig, right?

http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI

Edit: I'm not trying to discredit you or the article, but there is a perfectly fine green solution already available and not mentioned by either you or the article.

The angle makes it weird-looking but it's actually one of these guys. Probably like 3-4x the volume of a Keurig cup.

In my opinion, ceramic is crap. It is VERY sharp, and relatively cheap. But the sharpness and edge retention comes at the price of brittleness too. (Steel can get brittle too if it is taken to a very high hardness.)

You know what else is VERY sharp, and is a fair price and will last you a lifetime? Good steel knives. Opinions differ, but I really like Japanese knives. Here's a good example from Tojiro, my favorite bang-for-the-buck knife brand (the DP line specifically.) I've had mine for 10 years and it's never let me down.

Tojiro DP Gyutou - 8.2" (21cm) by Tojiro http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UAPQGS/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_PZFktb025ZKNT

If you get the Tojiro or something else, this is, in my opinion, the only knife sharpening method to consider. My Japanese wet stones have been collecting dust since this thing arrived 2 years ago.

Tri-Angle Sharpmaker by Spyderco http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_42Fktb1S4K15V

If you want that mirror polished edge you'll want to pick up a Ultra Fine Triangle Stone to go with it.

I'd trade 20 ceramic knives for one Tojiro and a Sharpmaker.

Source: Professional chef for 15 years (so far)

Reusable K-cup thingy you can fill with your own coffee.

1. Depending on how much work you want to do you can still find homes for sale inside the city for that price. If you are looking to rent everything should be in your budget as well. Also when you say Pitt do you mean University of Pittsburgh or just Pittsburgh? Pitt is the school, PGH is the city, PIT is the airport. [its a quick way for people to clock you're new if you use those interchangeably]
   There are a ton of other posts about the real estate market in town and its really a sellers market right now. We have a ton of new-build apartments that have gone up recently and are expensive for what Pittsburghers are used to paying for rent but are in-line with your budget.
   
2. Amazon - seriously. Unless you want spring for some reason they have this 12in foam mattress for $190 which will be cheaper than anything you can get locally.
   
3. This is a tough one because it can vary so much. I would research the type of car you want to buy, then look comparable ones up through Kelly Blue Book or AutoTrader and go from there
   
4. Verizon FiOS is the best speeds per price if where you decide to live gets the service - and honestly if you were between a couple places and theyre close go with the one that gets FiOS. You can expect to pay around $100/mo for 100/100mpbs fiber. $60 will get you around 50/50mpbs. FiOS is the only provider that matches upload/download speeds.

Dude I got an all foam mattress from amazon for $300. Best bang for your buck right there. Edit: I'm 6.3", got the king size. I love it. https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Green-Mattress-Queen/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=sxts_k2p_hero1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2668835622&pd_rd_wg=7Dgaw&pf_rd_r=R0Q4AB4ZJT4GH2EVRFMJ&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00Q7EPSHI&pd_rd_w=RNO6r&pf_rd_i=foam%2Bmattress&pd_rd_r=XRZV2Q5NRKBBZA7YR8W1&ie=UTF8&qid=1478811580&sr=1&th=1

buy one of these and add water. Scented water if you're feeling pretty.

This is greenwashing at its finest, they are only compostable in a municipal facility so if your area doesn't collect compostable waste and you try stick them in your compost heap they aren't going to break down. Buy a brewing basket, I've had mine for over 5 years and it's still going strong, one cup at a time.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finum-Brewing-Basket-Permanent-Filter/dp/B000I68NCS/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=single+cup+coffee+filter&qid=1568014539&s=gateway&sr=8-8

https://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO

U need this

Here ya go!

small portable space heater like this less than 20 dollars and put it right by your keyboard to blow hot air on your hands?

It's called an induction cooktop and it isn't that impractical. (induction cook tops don't use a flywheel, they use an electromagnet, but same principle)

https://www.amazon.com/Secura-8100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B0045QEPYM

My simple guide for UK beginners.

• Hario Mini Slim grinder
  
• Aeropress
  
• Decent coffee roasters house blend
  
  Don't waste your money buying fancy AA single estate small batch beans because you just won't get the best out of them. You want a reliable and inexpensive blend that doesn't need a chemistry degree and £300 worth of equipment to achieve good results every time.
  
  I would go as far as to recommend new comers just pick up some decent supermarket branded beans to practice your technique and figure out what type of coffees work for you. The when you become more confident with your method feel free to start exploring more luxury beans.
  
  

I have a Misto oil sprayer (https://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0) and it works great with any fine oil. But I support your brush-on idea.

I find a lot of things don't need oil at all. If I am (for example) going to brown some onions, I'll lubricate a non-stick pan with a little chicken or vegetable stock. Adds flavor and achieves the goal without adding oil calories at all.

I love my Misto for this. Just a light coating of oil, but not so much that they feel greasy.

Bonus because it's also great for popcorn, or garlic bread.

I use a fine microplane for ginger, garlic, and zest.

And a coarse microplane for cheese.

Both are very sharp, and I hand wash them to keep them that way as long as possible.

Calorie-free pan stray isn't actually calorie free. The serving size is just so small that they are legally allowed to list it as 0 calories. It's just regular oil in a spray can. You can just buy [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV) and use your own oil. That's what we do in my house.

Lodge cast iron.

I've gotten a 12 inch skillet ($20 at Target) and a 5 quart dutch oven with a 10 inch skillet lid ($33 on Amazon). I use them almost every day and they're my favorite tools in the kitchen, as well as my sturdiest.

I also got a Saddleback medium bifold wallet that's been perfect for the last couple years. I anticipate many more decades to come with it!

Going through this thread, I've remembered a couple more. I now have 2 Orion belts that I wear almost every day! The first is the hot dipped harness leather belt, and the second is the tan harness leather belt that I got for around $28 on Massdrop.

The last BIFL item I've gotten is a pair of Ex Oficio briefs this Christmas. They've been great so far...hopefully they hold up!

The pre-grated stuff you get in the cold aisle at the supermarket doesn't count, and neither does the "Parmesean" that costs way less. Go to where they have the fancy cheeses and get a solid wedge or block of Parmigiano Reggiano.

I also like Pecorino, but same idea.

You might want one of these graters, also very useful for zesting citrus and grating nutmeg.

First google result i got for ice sphere -

http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54

~$10 for 2 without a death star (if that isnt your thing).

Definitely NTA. And if you are looking for another place to live to make it more bearable in the meantime for the last months you live there it might be worth it to get an induction cooktop like this

Duxtop 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XGBUCb8NZ4ATH.

So if your landlord complains about you using HER stove, you can just say that you bought your own and she can just screw off.

This is the model I have: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_27ABybM378CRH

Pros are it's cheap to get into, expandable up to 12 trays, and easy to clean.

Cons are the heat comes from one end, so you will have to rotate trays part way through.

An alternative is something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017HX1966/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_F.ABybB9VDQGT

Pros are it heats evenly, so no need to rotate.

Cons are you're stuck at the amount of trays it came with (anywhere from 6-12 usually), and it's a little harder to clean.

Edit - Either way, you'll need to be careful of the smell, it'll get into everything. My dad bought one. I tried to warn him, he didn't believe me (although he did use his balcony). Thought I was exaggerating. Until his neighbor two doors down asked him what he was cooking (jerky). I recommend doing it in a shed or garage.

I’m not sure what your current financial situation is, but I wanted to share this anyway. Maybe you could quickly save up for it or make a mini GoFundMe.

My husband and I purchased this mattress when we moved to an apartment together. It’s super inexpensive but has been the best mattress either of us has slept on, ever. It’s a perfect combination of firm and soft. The prices also vary depending on what size/length you get

mattress link

No, absolutely not, that cooker is not designed for canning.

You'd get more mileage and resale value out of a dedicated canning cooker. If you like it, yay! You have a real canner! If you don't no big deal, you resell it on ebay and lose maybe $50 over whatever price you paid.

Or for $20 more dollars over the one you listed you can get a real one from Presto for $70 right now.

Also, canning 3 jars at a time is a waste of energy, imo.

>You can make better coffee if you're into that sort of thing.

no shit. it's about convenience. being able to pop in a pod for tea, hot chocolate or coffee and having it available in a couple minutes is pretty fantastic.

> Also the pods are very difficult to recycle and only parts of it are recyclable.

Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter

If cost is a factor, definitely consider getting a dehydrator. I have this one.

The case:

1. It's easy. There are recipes all over the Internet, and many are slightly intimidating, but it basically comes down to "Get food without big chunks, spread it out on the tray, and turn the dehydrator on."
   
   
2. It's cheap. Check out the cost on dehydrated bulk items. Compare with the cost of fresh items (a little tricky because of water weight, but compare per calories). Grocery store food is inexpensive and your dinner leftovers are practically free. Dried bulk items cost a fortune.
   
   
3. You can make more calorically dense foods by including fat. Dehydrated meals tend not to have much fat, because it goes rancid over a period of weeks or months rather than the years that people expect backpacking food to last. If you dehydrate your own food, though, you can make your stuff a few days before your trip and have it be fattier and tastier. Yeah, you can also just add oil during rehydration, but that does mean you'll have to carry a dreaded extra container. (And it's not as tasty in many recipes.)
   
   
4. Better food, straight up. Food I've prepared at home and then dehydrated is delicious. It's way better than anything made from pre-dehydrated ingredients. You can get all the spices and sauces perfectly adjusted BEFORE dehydration instead of tossing raw ingredients together and hoping that they come together in beautiful symphonic unity when you rehydrate them. Meat that's been simmered or slowcooked with herbs is waaaay yummier than meat that's been rehydrated with herbs.
   
   
5. There's a lot to be said for dehydrating fruits and vegetables at the absolute peak of their ripeness. I'm currently obsessed with banana jerky (banana slices dried to a leathery texture). When I do our weekly grocery shopping, I buy several bunches for about $2, all in, and watch them patiently. On the day that they're first lightly speckled, I toss them into the dehydrator. I cannot describe accurately how good this shit is. I'm not kidding. It's fucking up my diet.
   
   
6. More options. This is somewhat addressed in point 1, but doing your own dehydrating frees you from the tyranny of foods that rehydrate easily. I can have normal spaghetti if I want it -- I'm not stuck with ramen because it'll rehydrate without simmering.
   
   
7. Healthier food on trail. This is a knock on from everything else, but after getting the dehydrator, I found my food choices drifting away from candy and toward healthy, real food. Well-made mango leather is way tastier than Skittles. I'm sure there's no meaningful health benefit over the course of a short trip, but it just feels pleasant and right to be eating real, natural foods on trail. It's a wrinkle I hadn't expected. I still like Snickers bars here and there, but it's become a treat rather than a staple.
   
   
   

> So the toxic-leaching fear-mongers have finally gotten to me

Well stop that. Teflon is chemically inert; that's what makes it stick-resistant in the first place. You could eat a spoonful of the stuff and it would pass through your body unchanged, coming right out the other end.

Buy this. It's the best nonstick pan for home cooks currently on the market. Done.

Why the fuck are you using amazon.com instead of amazon.fr or .uk or .de?

Hario Buono kettle and either the Hario Skerton or Porlex. Use the rest to buy a scale if you don't have one, or a pour over if you don't have one, or a bag of beans :)

That's what I assume and I think it's fantastic. I further assume with a vessel that large there are a couple of these clinking around inside. It almost makes me want to go get a pineapple.

LPT: Buy a dehydrator. They are so worth it. I dehydrate leftovers from dinner and I get stocked with great food that weighs practically nothing. There's nothing like home made chili out in the freezing woods.

I recommend
Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_xP-zybA94HKTR

I got my mattress off Amazon and it's one of those memory foam deals that comes all compressed. It is super firm, so if you're not into firm, you would hate it. It was under $200, though, so way worth it for me! I have not noticed any of the temperature issues other people have with memory foam.

Zinus Memory Foam 12 Inch Green Tea Mattress, Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zLg4AbXMH0X9B

I love my OXO. It has a nice wide plate that can accommodate all sorts of produce and unwieldy objects, and a pull-out display for those occasions when I'm scaling onto a wide bowl or half-sheet pan that would otherwise obscure the readout on a smaller scale. There's also a backlight you can click in when it gets dark in the kitchen. It switches between ounces and grams, no prob, and the latest version of this scale can do ounces-only, rather than splitting measurements into pounds and ounces.

For small measurements, anything under 4g, I recommend a jeweler's scale like this one. Measuring anything under 1/8th of an ounce is a real crapshoot on large format scales.

Ich mach mir meinen täglichen Kaffee hiermit.

I'd go for an aeropress. It's what got myself, and later on my girlfriend, into coffee, and it's pretty cheap. It will make a strong, small batch of coffee each time, somewhere between an espresso and a french press (in my opinion).

I'm guessing the macchiatos your fiance is talking about is the Starbucks variety. Macchiatos are supposed to be an espresso shot with very little milk added.

Anyway, continuing on the assumption that the drink she likes is 1-2 shots of espresso and a mug of foamed milk (and flavoring), I would start by making a copy of that at home with the aeropress.

The way I did that is I'd warm up a mug of milk while I'm boiling the water, and use a handheld frother to froth the heated milk. (This won't create the same caliber of foamed milk as you'd get from an espresso machine/steamer but I'm guessing you don't want to drop the cash on one quite yet)... Once the milk is frothed and the water is heated I'd add freshly ground beans(important that they're fresh!) to to the aeropress, and then water, and brew the coffee right into the mug of frothed milk.

At this point you have a pretty close replica to a latte. Since you are newcomers to coffee, you might want to add some sort of flavoring to it. I rarely do, but when I did, I'd just add a little vanilla extract and sugar.

Tips:

• 
  You're going to want to grind your beans at home. Buying preground beans almost guarantees they're going to be stale.
  
• Following what I said above, freshness is key. Try to buy freshly roasted beans.
  
• A lot of the process of coffee making is tinkering to your own taste. If you make a cup of coffee and it's way too strong, don't give up. Try something else untill it's good for you!
  
• Once you get used to the milk-laden coffees, try to broaden your horizons. There are a wide range of coffee types, and they all have their bonuses.
  
  Gear:
  
  
• Aeropress $25.95
  
• Milk frother $2.00
  
• Hario Skerton Hand Grinder $48.50 (Ceramic burr grinders are the best type of coffee grinders, but they run around $300 on average, this one, however is $50.00 but requires some work. I own one and it's worth the effort in my opinion)
  
  Beans: (Places I've tried)
  
  
• Intelligentsia
  
• The Roasterie
  
• Klatch Coffee
  
  Mugs:
  
  
• Great mug
  
• Also great mug, but pretty large
  
  If you have any questions, or if I'm wrong about something let me know! I think this is all for now.

Okay I guess -

This one is pretty, and comparable to this teapot

Stainless steel tea kettle. Compare stainless steel teapot.

Pouring Kettles typically function as their own pot, in the style of these gooseneck pots.

This Kettle is Black, and calls out his friend The Teapot as also being black.

I'm convinced that this glorified Tea Kettle is really the same product as this novelty Tea Pot.

Who wore it better?

Is it weird to think my best hiking purchase of the past year was a $50 dehydrator? I understand many hikers take on a "food is fuel" mentality but I also can't state enough how amazing it is to be able to eat my favorite chili recipe from home after a long day of hiking.

I'm sorry to hear about your fuzznoodle. :-(

• Treats. Spoil him rotten. Most ferrets that I've encountered have love for things they shouldn't have like peanut butter, honey-nut Cheerios, and raisins. Don't skimp on the FerretVite or FerreTone.
  
• Build a (sterile) dirty dig box. Use bagged topsoil to create sterile soil, load up a large plastic bin, and let him go nuts. He will create a huge mess and will likely be engaged for a long time, but he will find it endlessly entertaining and won't want to leave. If you're lucky (and he's got the energy) he may even create a small burrow in/under the soil.
  
• Physical contact. Pet him, hold him, carry him. I have a small hip bag that's specifically designed to carry a ferret, and a quick look on Etsy shows similar contraptions (plus a "neck bag" that's sort of like a scarf with a ferret-sized pocket in it). Let him sleep when he wants and don't hold him if he wants to run around, but let him know you're there.
  
• Introduce him to new or rarely-seen environments. My ferrets live in a playpen/cage environment but every once in awhile I bring them into the living room and they go nuts from being in the new space. Let him run around a place he's normally not allowed in (provided the space is safe for him).
  
• Make sure his sleep space is dark, warm, and comfortable. If he sleeps in a cage, drape a heavy towel or blanket over it to keep light out and warmth in. If the cage is in a drafty area, set up a small personal heater outside the cage to gently blow warm air into the covered cage. My ferrets have this one outside their cage which keeps things toasty-warm. They adore it.

General Storage:

Get a big storage box, one of the ones that looks like this. (Not recommending that particular one, just an example of the style I'm talking about.) You'll probably be traveling with this, for furcons and such, so make sure it fits in the trunk of your car and/or meets the requirements for a checked bag on your airline of choice. I also highly recommend getting one with wheels so it doesn't take both hands and brute strength to move it around.

Head Storage:

Get one of these styrofoam heads, and keep your fursuit head on it. I got one for a buck or two from a nearby Ulta. This will keep the inside in shape. If your real-life head is bigger than the styrofoam one, you can bulk it out some with duct tape and scrap cardboard. Wherever you keep your fursuit head, make sure it's not squished at all. If your box is big enough, you can just leave it in there. I keep mine on top of a bookshelf.

Bodysuit Storage:

You want to hang your bodysuit up. If you fold it, the fur can get kinked, and it will never brush out soft and smooth again. I use one of these wetsuit dryers, and I highly recommend them. It's made for holding heavier clothes than a regular coat hanger, the shoulders are rounded such that you won't stretch it the same way a regular coat hanger would, and, most importantly, it has a built-in fan in the top of it, which really helps your suit dry out before it can get funky. Which leads me to suit care...

Drying:

Getting your suit dry after you use it is really really important. Get a cheapo desk fan ( I have one of these ) and put your head on it after you wear it. (Without the styrofoam wig head inserted, of course.) Hang the bodysuit up (ideally using the wetsuit dryer mentioned above) and lay the paws and miscellaneous bits out where they can dry. Never EVER just take the suit off and leave it in a pile, or stuff it in your box. Stuff will grow in it right away, and you will stink to high heaven.

It may be overkill, but I also keep some of these desiccant packs in my box, just to make sure it stays dry.

Sanitizing:

Get a little spray bottle from a drug store and fill it with a 50/50 solution of rubbing alcohol and water. Whenever you take your suit off, spray every surface down with this mixture, especially the inside. This will help keep unpleasant things from growing in it. Don't use undiluted rubbing alcohol, because it will actually evaporate too quick to finish killing everything. Don't use febreeze, perfumes, or other sanitizers. The febreeze and perfumes will just (badly) mask all the nasty smells without killing the source. Other cleaners can leave residue, and most of them you really, really don't want to be breathing in the next time you wear your suit.

Brushing:

You'll want to brush your suit after you wear it, so that the fur doesn't get kinked and you don't look mangy. Get a wire cat brush and run it down the fur with the hooks facing backwards, such that they don't catch. You'll still pull out a little fluff, but it shouldn't be real bad, and you'll end up yanking out a lot more if you let the fur get matted anyway.

Washing:

Washing fursuits is hard, and to be avoided if possible. If your fursuit smells noticeably, you need to wash it, but if you're letting it dry and spraying it with alcohol, you can go a long time before it needs to be washed. Everytime you wash it, you'll inevitably lose a bit of the fluff.

Anything with foam in it is going to be problematic. If parts of your costume are just fur fabric, you can machine-wash them. Washing temperature depends on the fabric your suitbuilder used; consult them, or the store you got the fabric from. Turn the pieces inside-out. To dry, you can machine-dry them on NO HEAT/AIRDRY, or you can hang them up to dry. Never use a dryer with the heat on; it's pretty easy to melt the fur together, ruining the suit. You may be able to get away with the 'low heat' setting, but it's highly dependent on your dryer and the fabric, and I don't suggest risking it.

Pieces that contain foam should be spot-cleaned. (Get a damp washcloth or something and just dab the insides, rinsing the washcloth out repeatedly.) If that's not enough, you can submerge them in your bathtub and do some cleaning there, but don't do so if you don't have to. You run a good chance of messing up your head if you submerge it. Also, it will take a very long time for foam to dry; spray it with the alcohol and use whatever fans you have around to expedite the process. Never machine-dry any foam parts; they'll likely break from the tumbling.

The K-cups for tea are generally garbage compared to good loose tea, and way, WAY more expensive. I use my Keurig all the time for tea in 2 ways -

Run it with no K-cup as a quick way to get hot water into your cup or single-serve reusable pot/steeper.

Buy a reusable filter and use it for tea instead of coffee.

You're new to the industry, and new to cooking. Quite frankly, your skills are at the point where you won't really have a huge preference one way or the other, and you won't perform any differently with a 50 dollars knife versus a 5000 dollar knife. Similarly, fancy whetstones, glass stones, sharpening systems, etc won't make a difference either.

Right now, get the basics. Good solid stuff that's relatively cheap so that you can figure out what you like, and don't like. You have 1300-1500 to spend-- Good. Save it for now. Industry doesn't pay much. Here's the basics to start you out that has the best bang for buck, and gives you some different styles and feels to try out, so that you can figure out what you'll eventually enjoy the most. If you want more information on any of the knives, let me know.

https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS

This is a knife that's full tang, VG-10 steel(same as Shun), and has decent heat treat. Western style handle, with a westernized santoku Japanese style blade. At 60 bucks, it's a steal.

https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2

Ubiquitous western style knife. Steel is the same as the more expensive Wustofs, Mercers, and anything that claims to use "German Stainless Steel". It's all x50crmov15, with slightly different heat treats. Victorinox does it right.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kohawagy21.html

HAP40 high speed tool steel. This is the high tech stuff used in blade competitions. Japanese style handle, maintains a really sharp edge for a really long time. A little more expensive, but that kind of steel for that price is really, really worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/Winco-Chinese-Cleaver-Wooden-Handle/dp/B001CDVXUK/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485154695&sr=1-7&keywords=cleaver

Look, a cleaver's a cleaver. You don't need fancy steels or anything-- You just need a whole lotta force behind a whole lotta steel. Hone and sharpen often, and this'll do great for you.

Speaking of cleavers, though...

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/cckcleaver2.html

Chinese cleavers are awesome. They're not actually cleavers though, don't use them on bones and the like-- They're the Chinese version of the all purpose chef knife or gyuto knife. Chinese chefs are expected to be able to do everything with this knife, from fileting to tourne to peeling to chopping to brunoise, so they're actually quite versatile. Speaking of which-- This also fills in for the Japanese Nakiri role. Tons of fun to use.

https://www.amazon.com/King-Sided-Sharpening-Stone-Base/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485154779&sr=1-1&keywords=king+1000+6000

This is a fantastic stone, one that Master Bladesmith Murray Carter uses. I ran a knife sharpening service, and this is the one I used for most knives as well. Since you won't have to deal with weird recurves and tantos and nightmare grinds and the like that can show up on folding knives, this will serve you very well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004WFU8/ref=twister_B010SQ9IXK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This is in case you get some gnarly chips on any knives. This'll get it out quick and easy. Bonus-- Use it to flatten and maintain your King stone. This and the King stone is all you really need for sharpening. You can easily get a shaving edge with it.

Besides those, stick with what you got in the Mercer kit for the specialty knives. You really don't need fancy versions of those. You also really don't need a serrated utility knife at all. In the professional kitchen, the three knives that saw the most work were the overall chef knife(even for fileting and some light butchering), the 4 dollar Victorinox paring knife(quick and easy to sharpen), and the Mercer tourne knife.

Buying all this will amount to 431.31, giving you a combination sharpening stone, a flattening/reprofiling stone, and 5 fun knives of all different kinds to play with, at a fraction of the cost. You'll notice I didn't put any Super Blue or White #1 steels in there-- That's because A) They're more difficult to take care of, and B) They're really overpriced for what they are, simply because their "japanese" moniker makes people think they're super laser swords from a land of secret steels(they're not). The HAP40 steel beats these steels in pretty much every category.

Hope you found it helpful! Have fun with whatever you decide to choose.

Shun and Wusthof are the big name brands that people usually consider to be top of the line kitchen cutlery. While they aren't bad they are far from being the best and usually are not good values.

Lets look at some knives from both:

• Wusthof classic 8", X50CrMoV15 steel at 58 HRC , $100
  
• Shun classic 8", VG-MAX (likely not VG-10) at 60 HRC, $140
  
  These two knives will basically perform the same except for the Wusthof being tougher and the Shun holding an edge noticeably longer but being more brittle. The $40 price difference mostly comes from the fancy damascus cladding which, while looking nice, does not affect performance. Wusthof's inclusion of a bolster is often an annoyance and is removed on other models. The Wusthof is a mono-steel knife in that is is made of a single piece of metal where as the Shun is san mai. This doesn't significantly affect performance but it can in some cases affect the knife's ruggedness and how thin it can be made.
  
  Now lets look at some alternatives:
  
  
• Tojiro DP gyuto 8.2", VG-10 at 60 HRC, $65
  
• Misono UX10 8.2", UX10 at 60 HRC, $131
  
• Kohetsu gyuto 8.2", Blue #2 at 62 HRC, $140
  
  The Tojiro is made with virtually the same core steel as the Shun and is also san mai but costs nearly $80 less.
  
  The Misono is mono-steel, just as hard as the Shun, yet manages to cost about the same.
  
  The Kohetsu will hold an edge significantly better than the Shun (because of the additional hardness and use of Blue #2 instead of VG-series steel), is also san mai, also has a fancy finish, yet manages to cost the same.
  
  Compared to the Wusthof, every thing else I've mentioned will hold an edge significantly better.
  
  tldr: Shun and Wusthof make good products but in terms of high end kitchen cutlery they are closer to being middle of the road than anything special and are not priced accordingly.

As someone who does everything in the kitchen by weight I don't recommend this -- it's the least useful form factor for a digital scale and topping out at 1000 grams isn't nearly enough.

This is the one I use:

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display/dp/B000WJMTNA/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1418137628&sr=8-11&keywords=digital+kitchen+scale

It's a bit more, but still not bank-breaking.

It has a pull out lighted display for weighing large objects, switches between ounces and grams to a one gram accuracy, and most useful, I've found, it weighs up to eleven pounds.

I make all my recipes by weight now. I just put a big bowl on the scale and keep adding ingredients.

C'mon OP...

• Bialetti Moka pot
  
  
• Lido 2 hand grinder
  
  
• Lodge cast iron skillets one large one small
  
  
• Lodge enameled cast iron dutch oven
  
  
• All clad copper core sauce pan
  
  
• Miele washing machine
  
  
• Miele C2 vacuum cleaner
  
  
• Vitamix 5200
  
  
• Duralex glasses - tumblers??
  
  
• Zojirushi NS-LLH05 rice cooker - only 1 left!
  
  
• Cuisinart Perfectemp Kettle
  
  
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale
  
  
• OXO Good Grips Cutting board
  
  
• Corelle winter frost dinnerware set
  
  
• Light my fire titanium fork-spoon-knife - spork?
  
  
• Darn Tough socks
  
  
• Exofficio briefs
  
  
• Felco 2 Secateurs
  
  
• Wahl Peanut beard trimmer
  
  
• Dualit Toaster
  
  
• P38 can opener??
  
  
• Zwilling J.A. Henckels knife set
  

Here's the source article which has a slightly better explanation. But honestly it looks like someone just took a standard induction burner that has existed for years and put it in a microwave...

if it shuts the fucker up... not a bad price http://www.amazon.com/1800-Watt-Portable-Induction-Countertop-8100MC/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419836772&sr=8-1&keywords=induction+stove

> > I was thinking, "Hey, they could make cooking devices like this.." and then realized they already have had them for years, and I'm a dumbass.

> They actually can't and don't...

Then what is this?

I'd have to recommend looking away from a pod based machine. Because it's pre-ground the coffee is stale already when you buy it. In addition to using stale coffee these machines aren't capable of producing enough pressure (9 bars) to produce real espresso. Instead of opting for a machine I'd get an aeropress.

An [Aeropress,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GXZ2GS/) [grinder,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PE85xb5KY6678) [scale,] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004164SRA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NG85xb8VP81H3) and [kettle] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8J85xbF33PVD0) will be cheaper than the Nescafe and will produce significantly better coffee.

The nice part about the aeropress is its simplicity and versatility. You can use it as an espresso substitute for Lattes and milk drinks, drink it black for a clean, bold cup, or dilute it to an americano for a traditional cup of coffee. Make sure to get some fresh beans from a local roaster too!

You have to pick up a microplane grater. Do yourself the favor, it's less than $15 and you deserve it you beautiful bastard.


It will revolutionize cheese for you, more and more specifically make Parmigiano Reggiano a spiritual experience

If you have a stovetop pressure cooker that can reach 15 psi (~105 kpa), you have an autoclave :) You can find a good one for about $75-100 on Amazon. Here is the not-so-fancy one I have for pressure canning meats and veggies.

They also make "legit" stovetop autoclaves that are made from heavier duty cast aluminum and are larger and a bit more rugged.

edit: That said, not all plastics deal with autoclaving well. A lot of medical plastics are sterilized by irradiation because they will warp under extreme heat and pressure (polystyrene is one of them.) So if you're experimenting around, don't be surprised if something pops out from the autoclave looking like a booger.

Hey man, your choice, but can you at least use one of these instead of the little plastic cups they use? Those things are hell for the environment, and usually end up floating in oceans, choking and killing sea life. The reusable k cups also end up being cheaper over time as well because buying a tin of coffee give you more bang for your buck.

A perfect chef's knife is the first place to start (that's my preference, the Wusthof Ikon Classic 8", $160). Go to a kitchen supply store, or even Bed Bath & Beyond, and test drive some steel - see how comfortable it is in your hand, how balanced it feels. If you want to save money for other things, you can't go wrong with the Victorionx Fibrox 8" chef's knife, at an extremely reasonable $40. The chef's knife is an impossibly versatile tool all on its own, but if you want a smaller knife for detailed work, grab a paring knife from whatever manufacturer you choose for your chef's.

A huge, heavy cutting board ($88). For most of my life, I went with the $20 3-packs of plastic OXO or other cutting boards, ranging from small to extremely small - nothing will slow down your cooking more than an inadequately sized cutting board. Things roll off, you pile up your chopped veg and run out of space, you feel constantly crowded, and you can never carve a whole chicken or roast. Buy a piece of non-slip material (usually used for carpets) ($9), place it under the cutting board when you use it, and it will never slip or slide around - more convenient and safe.

A Thermapen. Expensive - it's $100, but it's the fastest and most accurate kitchen thermometer money can buy. A less expensive alternative would be the Lavatools Javelin at $24 - not quite as good, but a damn sight better than any other digital food thermometer you'll get your hands on. This is essential for cooking any meat, deep frying, baking - it will change your game.

An All-Clad Sauté Pan ($129). Also expensive, but an absolute essential tool for everything from sautéing to braising to deep frying. Do not go cheap with your stainless - you can do cheaper than All-Clad, but even heating, comfort, and build quality are absolutely essential.

An inexpensive but awesome nonstick set($164 for 11 pcs). Alternately, you could get a very versatile 12" TFal Professional Total Nonstick, an impossibly stickless, oven safe, dishwasher safe wunderkind.

A 12" Cast Iron Skillet ($34). These are kind of a pain to take care of, but are invaluable for searing, baking, even serving. It'll last you a lifetime if you take care of it.

yup. The reason anybody buys this at all is because the ice that it forms is completely clear. The cheap molds always end up cloudy. Also, buying the press is cheaper than buying a month's worth of pre-formed spheres. It also looks cool.

Many cheaper sphere ice molds available on Amazon but they don't turn out this clear

Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds - Set of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ACTN54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LKYIzbYRP7X6J

Benzomatic TS8000 with the large camping propane tanks and if you really want to do it right, add a searzall.

Kenji's steak advice (Step 10A) is to use the torch WHILE finishing on your castiron - Which i find helps a LOT.

Awesome, thanks for the recommendations!

Links for others:

• Tojiro: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UAPQGS/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_1_w
  
• Misen: https://www.misen.co/products/misen-chefs-knife-black

Here are some of my favorite tools:

• Mini measuring cups/beakers - I love these! No more spilled/wasted vanilla extract.
  
• Instant-read thermometer - I use this to check on the temperature of my dough/ingredients and even to confirm things are done baking.
  
• Maybe you already have these, but if not, I use my kitchen scale and oven thermometer all the time.
  
• Bakeware rack - This keeps my baking sheets and smaller pans better organized and more easily accessible than just stacking them on top of each other.
  
• Marble slab - keeps pie/pastry dough cold as you roll it out (I keep mine in the fridge so it's always ready).
  
• Pastry strips for making sure pie (or rolled-out cookie) dough is rolled out to an even thickness. Pastry cloth/sleeve for keeping dough from sticking.
  
• Cookie scoops - for drop cookies, muffins, cupcakes, and really anything that needs to be portioned out evenly (including non-baking stuff like meatballs). Whenever I use these, I'm always really grateful for them. Mine are Zeroll dishers I got from King Arthur Flour, but Webstaurant Store has them for cheaper, and Oxo has a line of cookie scoops too.
  
• If you make layer cakes, you may already have a turntable, but if not, this one is really good. I also like this cake lifter.
  
• Of course, there's also stand mixers. Super-helpful for things like whipping egg whites for meringues/souffles/angel food cake, creaming butter and sugar, and kneading bread dough. If you ask for a stand mixer, the KitchenAid Pro has a stronger motor than the Artisan. I have the Artisan, and it's worked fine for me for several years, but if I could go back, I'd go with the Pro instead. An extra bowl is very handy as well.

One of the things that really works for me is limiting the cooking pieces I have to a few, high quality, specific pieces. Don't buy a 12 piece pan set filled with crappy pans and non-universal lids. I have one high quality stainless steel 12" skillet, one 3 qt SS saucepan, one non-stick for eggs and cheese, and a couple dutch ovens.

Those literally take care of 90+% of my cooking. If you only have a couple pieces, it's way easier to keep clean, since nothing can pile up. Also, having a far fewer number of pieces allows me to spend an equal amount of money as people do on sets, but on higher quality cookwear. I'm very happy with my setup, and it's easy to store and clean.

Can't go wrong with a finium brewing basket.

This is why the Aeropress was invented. A french press typically produces gritty coffee, while the Aeropress uses a paper filter and is much cleaner. Filters cost $6.50/350 or about a week's supply if you drink as much coffee as most grad students...

Cheap one also available on Amazon w/ various shapes: sphere, cube, highball etc

Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds - Set of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ACTN54/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_inJxxbRKX50FZ

I'll throw my vote in for a sharpening stone. If he doesn't already have a nice sharpening set, maybe consider getting him something like a nice diamond sharpening stone; I've seen them for $50 or less.

Tools are always nice. Here are some suggestions to think about:
~ microplane grater
~ Japanese mandolines can be fun to have around.
~ Fish spatulas can be a handy tool.
~ Does he have a good quality peeler? Everyone has a "normal" peeler, but I like to have a good quality horizontal peeler, like one of these, to use sometimes.
~ Does he do a lot of baking? If so, maybe some silicone baking mats for his baking sheets, or maybe some parchment paper.
~ Does he like to use fresh citrus juice very much? Does he have a citrus reamer?
~ Does he like to use fresh garlic? Maybe a garlic press?
~ Silicone spatulas?
~ Does he have a pepper grinder for fresh ground pepper?
~ Does he have a set of mise en place bowls or something to use to keep his stuff organized when he's working?
~ Does he have a scale? You can find plenty of options for home-use digital scales that can weigh up to 11 or 12 pounds, and use either pounds, or grams (if he's doing anything metric.)
~ Something like a good quality cast iron pan can be a lifetime investment, because if they're well cared for, he'll be able to pass it on to his grandkids someday.
~ A dutch oven will always be useful to serious home cooks. The enameled cast iron type are very popular, but they come in many different sizes and shapes, so keep that in mind when picking one out.
~ Knives are always nice. Paring knife, utility knife, serrated slicer, etc.

Those are just a few suggestions that popped into mind. Good luck, I hope you find something nice for him.

I'd definitely pick up a microplane to go with your box grater when you get the chance, this is a super nice one that's kind of the gold standard.

Fantastic for hard cheese, really the only tool for zesting citrus, and also great for getting a quick garlic or ginger paste.

I don't have time to make sure it's comprehensive and everything but I can throw some stuff together real quick:


Knives

You really only need 2, a chef's knife and serrated knife. A pairing knife is occasionally useful but rarely necessary. If you really like sharp knives, buy a whetstone and learn to sharpen, cheap knives can get just as sharp as expensive ones.

• https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-KP-05-German-Offset/dp/B0029SMITC/
  
• If you want a pairing knife, just buy an ultra cheap one, it's not something that really needs to be sharp
  
• Here's a cheap and decent whetstone if you want to learn to sharpen knives. Def recommend doing that, there's a million Youtube vids about it, not that hard really https://www.amazon.com/Sharpening-Whetstone-Non-Slip-Sharpener-Waterstone/dp/B074YJRL7T
  
  ​
  
  Pots and Pans
  
  You need four or five things here. I'd say your mainly looking for a large saute pan, a stock pot, and a sauce pan. If you cook eggs you can grab a non-stick saute pan too. Don't use non stick pans for things that don't stick to pans. They wear out fast and they're garbage when they lose their coating. Oh and a sheet pan.
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Finish-Aluminum-Frying-Commercial/dp/B002AGY7OW/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=aluminum+saute+pan&qid=1563996953&s=home-garden&sr=1-3
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-12-Quart-Stainless-Stockpot/dp/B01M7RNBZA/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-719-16-Classic-Stainless-Saucepan/dp/B00008CM69/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sauce+pot&qid=1563997129&s=home-garden&sr=1-3
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-02569-Nonstick-Anodized/dp/B079ZLDG14/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-36831-Commercial/dp/B009LA10OA/
  
  ​
  
  Other Shit
  
  
• Possibly the most useful cooking thing ever https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-FG1962000000-Silicone/dp/B0000CFO2S
  
• Cheese grater, garlic press, zester all in one https://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8
  
• A wooden spoon, like any wooden spoon
  
• A spoon with holes in it, you probably have one already
  
• A sturdy metal spatula, like this https://www.amazon.com/Winco-TN719-Hamburger-Turner-6-Inch/dp/B001VZAKGM (fucking lol at calling that a "harmburger turner")
  
• Any type of cutting board is fine as it long as it's not glass or marble or something (those are probably the best example of conning rich people with an actively horrible product)
  
• This is better than any colander out there and has other uses too https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-34127-Perforations/dp/B009LLIJCA
  
• Some kitchen scissors, any are fine but these are nice https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-51-0621-Unlimited-6-25-Inch/dp/B0009XYW9
  
• Any knife steel, a cheap one like this is fine https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Knife-Sharpening-Rod/dp/B07J1TZ4DK/
  
• A ladle and a whisk, you probably already have them
  
• A cheap immersion blender is a great alternative to ridiculously expensive food processors/blenders
  
  ​
  
  This is just suggestions if you don't have the stuff already, I think the real bottom line is that the stuff you already have is likely fine, and being a good cook is about knowledge and technique and putting effort into tasty food for people you care about, not gear.

You can get this little doodad and use regular oil but spray it like Pam. [Link] (http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465172360&sr=8-1&keywords=misto)

This 23 quart Presto will serve you quite well.

I think the same thing every morning when I make a cup.

FYI, you should invest in this

I highly recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display-11-Pound/dp/B000WJMTNA

A lot more expensive than Babish’s, but you can take the top off, still read it with giant pots on it (numbers come out on cord) and it is extremely accurate.

It is America’s Test Kitchen’s most recommend.

Though, if you want visual style the etekcity looks sleek, can’t argue that.

They do sell it loose leaf https://www.amazon.com/Twinings-English-Breakfast-Loose-Ounce/dp/B009G3TTFE

and go buy an infuser like this https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/

Seconding the use of a large in-mug infuser like this one

All I drink is green tea and they are wildly different in flavor and worlds beyond bagged tea. Remember that especially with green tea, you can and should perform multiple infusion at the appropriate temperature since each subsequent infusion will have a slightly different flavor. The in-mug type of infuser makes multiple infusions super easy to do.

If you keep it well seasoned it will be fine. For cleaning I just wash my gently with water and little soap, dry and wipe with canola oil after each use. I haven't ever had a problem.

The pot in the picture is a Lodge Dutch oven. The lid doubles as a skillet, makes a nice piece.

Sounds like OP has one of those 'convertible' dutch ovens - like this - which has a lid with a flat base that doubles as a skillet. I don't think this technique would work so well with a regular dutch oven lid!

I bought the dehydrator linked below for <$60 and bought 5 additional racks for it to increase capacity. Between chicken, turkey, and beef, I've probably made upwards of 200 pounds of jerky on the thing. Two years later, it's still running like a champ.

https://www.amazon.com/Nesco-FD-75A-Snackmaster-Dehydrator-White/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_pm?keywords=dehydrator&pd_rd_i=B0090WOCN0&pd_rd_r=d83ef1d1-9212-48e7-9dac-8ebbc708e7ba&pd_rd_w=YkRn2&pd_rd_wg=K52cT&pf_rd_p=6034bbf7-e1cb-46a0-92a7-12ce26e57be9&pf_rd_r=CQZS8MS1NPZXD2MK0R9W&qid=1556808165&s=gateway

Better than a plain torch is the Searzall Torch Attachment which is designed specifically to provide wide and even heating for cooking purposes.

This is a good complement to sous vide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB1x0O-bhrw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS5oW_LNbA8

i love my memory foam mattress, very comfortable and resilient. it was also much cheaper than the average mattress. the 2 main downsides i have come across though are that they can be a little hot. so not great in summer and if you lay in one spot to long it can be hard to move. so if your say watching a movie in bed or reading a book it can be hard to adjust your position into something that is more comfortable for sleeping. i won't lay in my bed anymore unless i know for sure i am going to sleep. other than that though the mattress is fantastic, it's very easy to fall asleep you don't get lumps in the bed, and if you have a partner movement doesn't transfer much so you don't wake them up. oh thats one last complaint, sex is a bit harder since you sink into the bed more. i would definitely recommend getting one though if your looking for a mattress. i purchased a Zinus Memory Foam 12 Inch Green Tea Mattress, Queen for 200 bucks at the start of 2016. when it was on sale. it's 279 now.

My opinion, for the cost:

Jennings scale
Plastic v60 02 and filters
Encore grinder
I have the Fino kettle but I'm sure the hario is fine
I have a flow restrictor from here
Plus your phone (to time), favorite mug and a notebook to keep notes.

Does he have any pourover devices? If he does, a kettle would be really nice to have. This is the one I have, and I love it.

I guess that is something I would buy myself, though, so that doesn't fit your question....

Hario Buono Kettle for $36. I'm considering it myself as I don't have a kettle at all. Hario V60 Buono Coffee Drip Kettle, 1.2 L https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_rhSPwbMRE3BG8

Here is a Microplane off Amazon, and here is a Joyoldelf off Amazon. Take a look at the photos. Even the close-ups, the blade shape and layout are identical. And yet there's also a possibility that it works worse because it was a knock off.

Is it really worth getting in a tizzy over someone calling that specific style of zester "a microplane" when it immediately gives you an instant visual representation of what they're using, so that we can try to help them better/faster?

"I have this issue" should be met with possible solutions, not "WELL I DON'T HAVE ISSUES SO YOU MUST BE WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING."

This is the one I use.

EDIT: Also including a video because you might just be using it incorrectly.

You could try a reusable pod like this one if it works with your office's keurig.

If I were to build my kitchen from scratch, it would be pretty much what I have today w/out having to go through all the old, cheap stuff that I wound up buying getting rid of because it was low quality and wore out or broke or didn't work as well as it should have. So as follows:

All Clad Stainless:

• 12" skillet
  
• 1.5 qt pot
  
• 3 qt pot
  
• 8 qt stock pot (I have the 12 qt but most people won't use something that big
  
  Cast iron:
  
  
• 12" skillet
  
• 8" skillet
  
• other cast iron pieces for grilling that most people won't use
  
  Enameled dutch oven (Staub):
  
  
• 3 qt round cocotte
  
• 7 qt round cocotte
  
  Various Appliances:
  
  
• Kitchenaid mixer (hand mixer first, then stand mixer)
  
• Cuisinart stick blender
  
• Coffee maker (I have a Cuisinart, but I'm not stuck on the brand)
  
• A toaster oven (again, I have Cuisinart, but check reviews)
  
• An electric kettle (no brand specific)
  
• Vitamix (optional - I love mine and use it daily)
  
  Knives:
  
  
• Shun 10" chef knife
  
• Shun 4" utility knife
  
• No name super-thin flexible fish filleting knife that debones poultry like it was butter
  
• Honing steel
  
• Magnetic strip for storing knives
  
  Other misc stuff:
  
  
• Fish turners in all sizes
  
• Good set of bamboo (not wooden) spoons/spatulas
  
• Set of silicone scraper/spatulas
  
• Oxo tongs in various sizes (at least short, med, long)
  
• A mandoline slicer
  
• Epicurian cutting boards
  
• Microplane grater/zester
  
• A variety of mesh strainers (I use them more than colanders)
  
• Thermopop instant read thermometer
  
• A good quality probe thermometer (the kind you leave in the oven)
  
  Bakeware:
  
  
• A basic set of Corningware
  
• A couple of half sheet pans
  
  
  Fun things to have if you think you'll use them:
  
  
• Pasta maker or attachment for your Kitchenaid
  
• Ice cream maker
  
• Bread machine
  
  These are the things that I have right now that I'd get from the start if I were starting over from scratch. I have other stuff, but it's been gathered over time and I'm sure I've left out a few things, since I'm kind of working off the top of my head. Oh yeah, like a good set of storage stuff (Rubbermaid or similar) and a garlic press ... and ... and ... :)

Cooking spray is only LISTED as 0 calories if you use a 1/3 of one second spray. It still has calories and most people usually use more. I always log it for 9 calories/ 1 second spray.

That being said it is a very good way to use MUCH less oil to cover a bigger surface area. I don't know if the sell it in Sweden but you can get a mister bottle like this to make your own!

no. get the stuff yourself at stores and such. this way you know exactly what is going on. You can go big as hell for about 250$, bigger than this kit.

Heres your supply list


Quart jars -12$ for a pack of 12

Aluminum foil- cheap

spores- find a good shroomery sponsor

Pressure cooker- just got this bad boy the other day. get it. http://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1367466002&sr=8-4&keywords=pressure+cooker

Some 66 gallon sterilite tubs - ~10 dollars each where i get them

some rye berries or wild bird seed - i get it at whole foods by the pound. cheap

vermiculite - 5$ a 32oz bag i believe where i live

coco coir- ~10$ a 3 pack at petsmart

some sterilie supplies such as gloves and isopropyl alcohol and disinfectant spray. etc.


If you want any help at all shoot me a message! im more than happy to help.

A reusable K-Cup filter, filled with good, fresh ground coffee from your favorite roaster! You can get a small hand-cranked grinder if you want to kick up the freshness factor.

I work at a retail chain selling these things and I always recommend the reusable filters. http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI

The K cup packs are bad coffee and too expensive. With this I get whatever coffee I want and I can make it as strong or as watery as I want. After a few times you figure out how much you want.

Saves a ton of money paying for the 10$ Dunkin Donuts coffee at walmart for something like 50 cups or 20$ for 16 pack for 16 cups.

http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI

Best $10 Ever Spent


I use the 33.9oz container of Folgers from the local grocer which gives me roughly 200 cups of coffee for about $10, about $0.05 a cup

Ikea makes a really good non stick for 25$ or so. It has all the things you described.

Also the tfal prof 12.5 has a thicker bottom and does a great job. It's also around 25$.

If used both and enjoyed both. The Ikea one is much heftier. But the tfal pro is very slick and makes the perfect French omlette.

Edited: 7 years is a good life span for a non stick. Mine last a year to two years depending on how much I abuse them. So 25$ ever 1.5 years puts you a little behind your 100$ u year investment.

Edit edit:

Ikea pan with lid
https://m2.ikea.com/us/en/p/oumbaerlig-frying-pan-70292095/

Tfal

T-fal Nonstick Fry Pan, Professional 12-Inch Nonstick Pan, Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator, Black, Model E93808 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rrEwCb32CNRBH

Its not a good plan to invest that much $ without knowing if you honestly like tea or not. To begin just get a simple infuser this one works , hopefully you already have a mug. Just boil or microwave water to start before you are sure you really love tea. You could always get a cheaper kettle but the most basic way to start is just infuser+mug+tea . Grab yourself a few sample from adagio or harney. I like harney to start since their samples are 2$ each. Grab some from as many of the major tea groups as possible. Find what you like. Good luck.

TL:DR Spend more money on tea, less money on accoutrements

Obligatory /r/tea plug.

what-cha.com is fantastic! Great selection and good prices.

Use 1 tsp (5g) of tea leaves, and you can steep them multiple times (up to 3-5 depending on the tea you use), so 50g of tea is quite the value. You can also try samplers of more "exotic" tea if you want to try them out.

I highly recommend Yunnan black tea, tastes like chocolate and caramel black tea without all the watery fillers and flavorings. :D It also doesn't get bitter if left steeping for a minute or two longer than you intended.

I also just tried a sample of their Kenyan Flowery Orange Pekoe black tea recently, and it's basically a higher grade of the regular black tea you get in stores. Less astringency, more delicious juicy flavor.

I use this type of strainer and it works great in all sorts of mugs.

Hope this helps!

Is your apartment unfurnished? If so you will need some basic furnishings:

• a table
  
• some chairs to go with that table
  
• comfortable seating of some sort- possibly a couch (a futon is nice if you are going to possibly have guests sleep over) or love seat or upholstered chair of some sort
  
• a TV if you feel like you want one (optional)
  
• a bed and a mattress and some bedding and sheets (obviously)
  
• a bedside table (optional)
  
• somewhere to store your clothing if your room does not come with a closet already
  
  As far as basic living supplies go:
  
  
• 4 spoons, knives, forks
  
• mugs
  
• 2 dinner plates, bowls
  
• some knives for cooking
  
• cutting board
  
• mixing bowl
  
• spatula (HEAT RESISTANT) and turner and spoons for mixing. Also possibly a whisk but really you could usually get the job done with a fork
  
• cheap set of pots & pans
  
• a cookie sheet
  
• a fan is usually useful for some airflow
  
• microwave if this is already not included
  
• books just for fun
  
• cleaning supplies: shower cleaner, clorox wipes, swiffer, toilet cleaner, dish soap, windex
  
• plunger & toilet brush
  
  School supplies in college are pretty basic- you don't need much, but depending on your major this could go waaay up or down. But as far as I'm concerned your basic supplies are as follows:
  
  
• laptop (optional- there are always computers everywhere anyway, laptops are just convenient)
  
  
• notebooks and folders OR binder with looseleaf paper, depending on your organizational preference
  
  
• stapler
  
  
• pens and pencils (I like to have two different colors for pens)
  
  
• calculator (if you will be taking math courses- go for scientific because a lot of the time graphing is not allowed)
  
  Things to consider:
  
  
• Will you be paying for wifi and/or basic cable (if you want a TV)?
  
  
• Is your lease for a year or X months? If it is a year, will you have to sublease while you're away for the summer (if you are going away)?
  
  
• How far from campus do you live? What does the general area look like? Are you going to have to take public transportation different places? Know the area.
  
  I know its scary, but living alone is great, and studying in a university is really not a huge deal once you get into the rhythm of things. You'll do great, kid.

This is the gold standard for a lot of us:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jYJLybPEEVZT1

Best thing I ever did was to build a BrewPi and install that heater in a chest freezer.

You may be right. If it got cold enough, you could have frost in a line or faucet. That'll make a nucleation point and draw a lot CO2 out of solution.

You could add a little heater to the fridge and set it with a temperature controller.

That sure is the truth. I never thought I'd be remotely interested in actual cooking, but I got my first cast iron (a Lodge 5-quart double dutch oven) about two months ago, and I've been finding excuses to use it at least twice a week ever since. It's extremely motivating to have a decent piece of very flexible equipment that actually requires a bit of care.

An Amazon registry (I would skip the Kohls cutlery offerings) will limit you somewhat, but there are certainly decent options available. I think your selection of two chef knives, a bread knife, and a paring knife is a good choice. For the most part I'm going to suggest fairly costly knives because, frankly, this isn't /r/culinary.

Chef knives first. Everything I have to say about 8"/210mm knives I would apply to 10"/240mm knives unless I make note.

If you want a hefty Western chef knife, I find Messermeister to be best in show. They take an edge better than other stainless German knives I've owned and they keep it longer. I find the grind and profile to be slightly more modern and workable in the Elite models opposed to the highly popular Wusthof Classic and sundry Henckels lines. The fit and finish on them is on par with Wusthof, which is to say impeccable. Messermeister makes three different handles for its Elite lines and offers the blades in a thinner Stealth version, which I like. Since Messermeister's Amazon offerings are a bit wonky I would highly suggest you look around the site for the style you like. You might even find some other kitchen gadgets you like. If you are interested in a French profile, look at K-Sabatier. A carbon K-Sab is a lot of fun. And though the stainless knives they produce aren't really as magical as their carbons, they're still fine knives.

• Messermeister Oliva Elite Stealth: Olive wood handled. My favorite. Extra classy.
  
• Messermeister San Moritz Elite Stealth: Poly handle option. I don't like it as much as the wood handles, but it's much cheaper as offered here.
  
• Messermeister Meridian Elite: Classic black pakka wood handle. It's classic and black.
  
• K-Sabatier carbon: This knife is king of the hill. Yes, it's a hill out in the middle of nowhere, but it's still a nice knife. This style is timeless, but it's also out of stock.
  
• K-Sabatier stainless: I believe this knife uses the same steel as Wusthof and Henckels with a similar heat treatment. The biggest difference is the profile.
  
  There are many good Japanese companies and makers to consider. These knives will all be lighter and somewhat thinner than almost any Western knife. If you want something functional and somewhat reasonably priced, Suisin, Mac, and Tojiro have some good options. In the next price bracket up, a Kikuichi, a Yoshihiro, a Takayuki, or a Misono fits the bill, though Misono knives have become incredibly inflated in price. If you have a rich Uncle Ed, slip a Takeda into your list. I would definitely consider other knives at these general price ranges, but they're not available on Amazon.
  
  A few budget suggestions:
  
  
• Tojiro DP gyuto: A great knife line. Tojiro's VG-10 heat treatment is on par with if not better than Shun's. If you're used to a heavy 10" knife, a Tojiro DP 270mm wouldn't be out of the question.
  
• 7.25" Mac Chef "chef" knife: This is definitely a gyuto, regardless what it's labeled. I've used it on a restaurant line during service and it is quite durable. It's reasonably priced, which makes it a popular choice in the food industry.
  
• 10" Mac Chef chef knife: Though they're from the same line, this knife has a wholly more substantial feel on the board than the above. It's still light. It's not priced as well as its shorter cousin. This is the knife that opened my eyes to what Japanese knives could be. The knife is available in the 12" length which, like the Tojiro, coming from a full weight Western knife would still be light.
  
• Suisin HC gyuto: A carbon steel knife selection. These knives have good production values and take a great edge. These knives have decent asymmetrical grinds, which is a definite plus for me. Suisin also makes a comparable Inox stainless line that is quite nice.
  
  To find out who really loves you:
  
  
• Takayuki Grand Chef gyuto: To be fair, I have not used this knife. Those who have like it, though they usually consider it a bit overpriced. It's made from AEB-L, which in kitchen knives is my favorite stainless. I would prefer the Suisin HC.
  
• Misono UX10 gyuto: This knife has been around for a few years and it's pretty popular at high end restaurants. It's nice, but it's a bit overpriced for what you get; the steel and grind on it are unremarkable. The fit and finish on it is probably the best you can buy, though.
  
• Yoshihiro gyuto: This knife is again a bit pricey for what you get, but it does at least include a saya. It offers you a crack at a wa handle, which is a slightly different experience. The steel is somewhat softer than I would like.
  
  Rich Uncle Ed special:
  
  
• Takeda 210mm Aogami Super gyuto: It's thin. It's light. It's made by a wizened old master craftsman. It's got a weird grind that does a whole lot of work while cutting something. It's made out of one of the finest carbon steels being produced today. It's... really expensive. Takeda lovers swear by them, but they're much too tall on the board for me.
  
  Unfortunately I didn't spot many knives on Amazon that I have confidence in and feature a Japanese handle. That's a shame because they're a treat.
  
  Unlike my essay on chef knives, I have only one bread knife suggestion, the Mac Superior 270mm bread knife. It's the best Amazon has to offer and one of the best bread knives you can buy. Tojiro makes a clone that sells for less elsewhere if no one gives you one.
  
  Paring knives are a little different. Edge retention and grind are much less important than geometry. I have this Henckels Pro 3" and I like it; the height of the blade is very comfortable. It has no flex, though, so don't expect to use it optimally for boning tasks. I am almost as happy with any Victorinox paring knife. I would suggest you try as many as possible in brick and mortar outlets to figure out what you like.
  
  And finally, storage. A wall mounted magnetic strip is popular. Those made of wood have less chance of scratching or damaging a knife, so they're somewhat preferable, but as long as you pop the knife off tip first you won't damage it. I've used this strip from Winco for the past year at work with no ill effect. A knife block actually is a good storage option if you can find one to fit your collection. The biggest risk is catching the tip when the knife is inserted into the block, but that's not much of a concern if the user is careful. I use a Victorinox block that was a gift at home for most of my house knives. This block is great, I've been told. A drawer insert is another good low space option. I like my Knife Dock for the stuff I want to keep safe. It lets me slip in as many knives as I have space for the handles. This insert from Wusthof is also popular.

You will never regret this purchase. I use this, and a 22oz Tervis Tumbler almost every day of my life.

I don't like tea balls very much because they don't allow the tea to fully expand, which results in a less flavorful tea. I prefer metal strainers because they are easier to clean and produce a more flavorful tea.

This is the one that I use: http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317657140&sr=8-1

Though, if you find a good tea ball, it might be more ideal, simply because you could store it inside your thermos after you're done drinking the tea.

Own these, work great
http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54

Not enough thermal mass to cool off anything.

I really like the 2.5" ice balls - you can find them here:

http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1380899755&sr=8-5&keywords=big+ice+ball+maker

Cool looking but not super practical—only one part of the bourbon is being cooled at any given time.

A good ice sphere will chill the whiskey more efficiently and melt nice-and-slow. I use these molds with distilled water and they work pretty well. (When the ice sphere finally cracks, I end up fishing out the smaller chunks so they don't dilute the drink.)

I'm not sure how you're making it but I've never had a stinky batch in my life. I use a food dehydrator and let it run for 6-8 hours. Here's a link to one, and pm me if you have more questions.

NESCO FD-75A, Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_ba90Db2142C3R

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/

$229 for a queen with free shipping. Only $199 for a full.

While a french press is good I highly recommend the AeroPress. It works similar to a french press but is much easier to use and clean. I switched to the Aeropress about two months ago from a decend drip maker and have been using it every single day since. Its also the quickest way to make coffee which I like because I'm often in a rush.

What are you looking for and what does he like? You can get a standard infuser like this one that I use.

Or you could get him a "reverse french press". The reverse french press is one of the best and easiest ways to brew. It lets the leaves float in the water, but allows easy extraction of the water into a mug (it is much harder with a regular french press because pressing down the leaves can cause them to expel a lot of bitter flavor into the water).

Generally speaking, avoid anything that will smash the leaves, or will not let them float easily. If he generally uses a big teapot, make sure to get something for that. If he typically uses just a mug, the two things I listed will work great. I even use my regular infuser in my large tea pitcher/pot.

But, if you give me a price range and a general idea of what you would like him to have, what he already has or what kind of things he likes, I can definitely help you out. I love tea myself, and would hope that my wife would ask someone knowledgeable when she goes to buy something for me.

OH! And if you're looking to get the best bang for your buck, avoid teavanna. They're not bad they're just overpriced.

The best non-stick pan by far is the T-FAL E9308 for $25.74. This is a case of paying less and getting more. The pan has decent weight, it heats relatively evenly (they seem to dome, with a high point in the center), has a lifetime warranty, and most importantly the coating is absurdly slick. I'm not a T-Fal guy, probably like you, and first went to a $160 pan, but this is simply a better pan.

http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Professional-Thermo-Spot-Indicator-Dishwasher/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453570389&sr=8-1&keywords=t-fal+nonstick

The T-Fal outperforms the $120 All-Clad, $160 Scanpan, and $100 ceramic coated pans. The All-Clads are pure trash -- amazing steel pans but their non-stick doesn't actually prevent sticking. The Scanpan is great but the coating died for me after a year with med-high heat. Others on Amazon have the same problem and there doesn't seem to be a serviceable warranty.

Edit: lots of grammar

The general tradeoff is taste for ease of use, a keurig you'd just pop in a capsule and get mediocre coffee, with some other brew method you'd get better coffee but you would have to work harder. A common starting setup which is quite quick and easy whilst providing a good cup of coffee is an Aeropress, Hario Mini Mill and any decent scale.

Not trying to start a debate with you but... French press, aeropress, chemex, etc. Less than 30 pounds to make amazing coffee.

Way off topic, but this is well worth the extra $6.

I use a finum basket to brew in a mug. It provides plenty of space for the tea to expand, and the mesh is fine enough that you won't have any particles to deal with in your tea.

> pretty no frills diffuser

Please elaborate.

If it's not a mesh basket one like this, I'd call that a more urgent priority than a gaiwan.

I'm not a very interesting person

A strainer (Preferably one with a very fine mesh so you don't get too much grit at the bottom of your mug/pot), an electric kettle (preferably one with different temperature settings for different teas), and if you want to make two or three mugs of tea at a time, maybe a teapot or two. For storing tea and keeping it fresh long-term, you will either want to get double-lidded tins, or I prefer dark glass jars, such as amber glass or violet glass.

If you want to get into gongfu style brewing, that's a whole other animal in terms of equipment.

Edit: oh, and if you want to be extra fancy about weighing out exactly how much tea you are using, a pocket scale is also a nice thing to have.

Everyone keeps saying aeropress, but I think that's overkill. Here's a really good review of a lot of the options: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/coffee_beautiful_cup.html#.U1E-2fldWSo

I just started using the MSR filter basket. I just make cowboy coffee and filter out the grounds. It takes a little practice to get it exactly how you like it, but it makes really good coffee for basically no size or weight penalty.

So you might just want to get him one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I68NCS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've found it a bit difficult to clean, but these Finum basket infusers have a VERY fine mesh, you can't drink your tea while it's in place but they do filter out even the smallest bits of leaf very effectively.

You’d be much better off with the inexpensive but good Victorinox/Forschner chef’s knife or the Tojiro-DP wa-gyutō:

• https://smile.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B000638D32
  
• https://smile.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS
  
  Henckels and Wüsthof knives are excessively heavy and most chefs prefer other brands.

Making tea requires 3 things:

• [1] Kettle
  
• [2] Brew vessel
  
• [3] Tea Leaves
  
  Anything else is mostly extra however most people like split out #2 into a brewing vessel and drinking vessel.
  
  Since you already have #1, you can get by with just a brew basket like this one. You put the leaves in, put in cup and then lift in cup. The combination of your cup and brew basket becomes your brew vessel.
  
  It's important that the brew vessel gives space to the leaves to unfurl especially if you get into Chinese/Taiwanese style teas that do not break up the leaves during processing.
  
  If you wish to dive into Eastern style brewing I am a huge fan of plain white, porcelain gaiwans which are just cups with nifty lids. They require a bit of skill to use but honestly it seems many people exaggerate how hard they are. A day of practicing and some common sense will make you proficient.
  
  Pots are another step up. Japanese Kyusus are an easier to use alternative. Of course English style tea pots are another options. I would recommend against a large 12oz English style because the pot itself soaks up so much heat.
  
  In many cases, the pot itself will have a build in strainer to remove leaves but many times small bits still get through. In which case a small strainer is poured through. You have English style strainers which are really pretty and the Chinese style strainers which come in metal, bamboo etc.
  
  I would stay away from any clay unglazed pots like Yixing when starting off. This market is filled with tons of misinformation and in general is an unscrupulous industry. Porcelain, ceramic and glass are the way to go.
  
  Dollar for dollar, buying better leaves will always yield better tea than any kind equipment you can get. Bad tea in a 5,000 USD, early R.O.C. Yixing Pot will be forever be bad tea. However very nice leaves in a 5 USD gaiwan makes for good tea.
  

Keep in mind that there's a huge difference between box graters! Most graters are stamped metals, meaning that it's made with machine that takes flat sheets of metal and punches out the teeth so they stand out at an angle. This is your typical grater that you find everywhere.

Unfortunately, the teeth aren't very sharp as a result, and grating something with this grater will ultimately tear, not slice, your food.

What you want is a grater where the teeth have been etched. This process involves chemically photo-etching the surface of the metal into a triangle shape, like that of a knife edge, before the teeth are punched out. It was pioneered in the 1970s, I believe, by a company called Microplane. The result is a grater with super sharp teeth that last many, many years of use.

Microplane makes really good graters. I have this handheld microplane, and this zester. Both great and will easily deliver lots of grater cheese without much muscle power. I use the wider microplane to grate directly over dishes. One of its benefits is that you can rest it on the table, at a slight angle, and use a pushing motion to grate. This requires less muscle power than pushing the cheese down the side of a box grater.

For grating larger amounts of cheese ahead of time, I use this amazing Cuisiart box grater, which also has etched teeth. The Wirecutter has been naming it the best grater for years, simply because it is superb.

A pro-tip: If you're not tall, put the box grater on a chair or something lower than your average countertop. You want to be pushing down. If you put a box grater on a countertop, your arm will have less leverage.

Some people like cranked rotating gadgets. I don't like them, for a couple of reasons. First, these things usually have multiple parts that need to be cleaned — a friend uses one that has three parts (drum, handle and the lever that closes down on the cheese to push it down). It's finicky to clean, and I hate cleaning it.

The second reason is that the action of turning the rotating handle while simultaneously forcing the cheese down is just not good physics — you have one force pushing down and the other pushing laterally. The only way to get good traction is to rest the thing on a table. You can also get table-mounted nut-grinder types of gadgets, but they need to be clamped to a tabletop or similarly sturdy surface.

Finally: Blenders can grate cheese. I don't know about small personal blenders like Nutribullet, but a higher-powered one like a Ninja can certainly grate soft and hard cheeses really well.

The presto 23 quart is a nice unit. Also includes a pressure gauge so you can glance at your operating pressure $90.

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_L0YKzb5SDJTTT

I use these re-usable cups, where you add in your own coffee and just dump it out when you're done. That way I don't have to pay the inflated prices for the K-cups and it's more green.

And 200 cups for $15? Are you re-using your coffee grounds 6x over? No coffee I know of is that cheap.

If you are looking at teas from unusual origins, say the country of Georgia, try what-cha.com.

if you are looking mainly at Chinese teas, Yunnan sourcing and teavivre are good places to start.

you can get some wonderful Taiwanese teas at Beautiful Taiwan Tea, and they have a very reasonable threshold for free shipping. You can also go to Yunnan sourcing's Taiwanese sister site taiwanoolongs.com

If you want to go down the rabbit hole that is Puerh, try out white2tea (they also have some gorgeously yummy black teas and oolongs) as well as the aforementioned Yunnan sourcing.

yunomi is a decent place to go to for Japanese teas, but since it is a marketplace type website, you would have to do some hunting (and Japanese teas are not my speciality, so I will leave much of that to other users.)

for flavored teas- there's really a plethora of places to get those, but the one that I have found with the best tasting flavored teas of the bunch is New Mexico tea company. This is just personal opinion, some people like Adagio better (and I do love Adagio's chestnut tea as well as a few others, so don't take that as a strike against Adagio).

I would stay away from most mall-type stores like Teavana because a lot of their teas are more cheap filler ingredients and less tea, just to cover up the low quality of their teas.

On the subject of tools, seeing as you are a coffee guy, might I suggest a hario teapot? A gaiwan would be the next step in going towards the gong fu style of tea. A very basic 100ml gaiwan would cost you less than 5 bucks + shipping. (shipping is expensive from here, so I would suggest getting more than one item).

For very basic tea drinking there are always in mug basket infusers.

Or you could always go grandpa style, where you just toss your leaves in a mug and refil the water whenever it gets low.

I'd consider this. Black or white. Very good for office settings. Only 200 watts, just to maintain a warm breeze.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003XDTWN2

I have these and I love them, they work like a charm.

I use the cheap nesco off of Amazon. It's pretty great, but I dont have a thing to compare it to.

NESCO FD-75A, Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_e68zDbZP3ZW58

Bro, it's time to up your game: Get a Searzall. It's a torch attachment that gives your food all of the searing heat, none of the gas fumes, and it runs off standard gas blowtorches. Fantastic for adding browning to anything cooked in a wet environment. Or just getting that toast just right.

Also 10 bucks, except you get two. Not a motherfucking death star, though.

http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

Personally, I'd skip the very expensive Excalibur units at this time. Stick with a cheaper and more basic ones at first to see if it's something you'll continue to do over time.

I have only had 1 dehydrator; the Nesco FD-75. I bought it about 1.5 years ago and I absolutely love it. It comes with 5 trays but can be expanded to 12 trays. I bought 2 extra trays because I need 7 trays to make a 5lb (beginning weight) jerky batch. I use is probably twice a month for jerky, dried fruits, or to dehydrate meals for backpacking. I think the biggest surprise was a backpacking Ratatouille. I made this for backpacking but I've used it more for pot lucks and dips for guests.

It has a temperature control but not a timer which, for me, isn't an issue. If I need a timer then I use one of these timers because I already have 3 of them for other uses. Clean up is easy since the heating and fan are on top. Everything below can be either hand washed or go through the dishwasher.

The best thing about this unit is the price; less than $70. This made it a reasonable investment at the time so I could see if I would use the dehydrator like I planned. I didn't want to spend a couple of hundred dollars for something and end up not using it. So far I've used this dehydrator for about 20 months and it looks like it's going to last for a while longer. I haven't had the first issue.

I got this one on Amazon and can back it up. I use it every single camping trip to dehydrate fruits, veggies, beans, rice, chicken, etc. There are just so many things you can do with one, and they save you so much money on dehydrated/freeze dried food that they pay for themselves in just a few trips.

I use the ziplock method, I tried doing a vacuum sealer but it got expensive and the ziplock method actually ends up working better. Couldn't get a good seal with the cheap vacuum sealers on amazon. No problems, I use a searing attachment on a propane torch (https://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO) and it sears beautifully. I've also done a sear in a really hot cast iron pan and that works really well on fattier steaks like ribeye. The pan tends to cook the meat a bit but the torch keeps it medium rare throughout the entire steak.

Hey, off-subject, but I was following your post history to see if I could find the drama, and noticed the bit about culinary torches?

I think this is the answer to your problem.

The Kickstarter is long over, but the page gives an excellent overview of what it is, what it does, and why.

It's now on Amazon.

If you thought /r/slowcooking was fun, wait until you get a load of /r/sousvide!

Here are some ideas:

• Shun Nakiri knife?
  
  
• Microplane grate. This is what I use for finely mincing ginger and zesting citrus
  
  
• Spice dabba, indispensable for keeping whole (i.e., unground) spices in a compact form factor.
  
  
• Silpat baking mat, great for converting any baking pans into a nonstick version. I've used it to roast vegetables, bake cookies and even macarons.
  
  
• Mandoline, self-explanatory. Great for making uniform slices or strips of vegetables for gratins or casseroles. I made the ratatouille in Pixar's Ratatouille with this!
  
  
• Combination pressure-cooker/steamer/rice cooker/slow cooker. This is an electric pressure cooker that has the advantage of not requiring the same amount of babysitting as a typical stovetop pressure cooker. If your GF cooks with a lot of beans and lentils, then pressure cooking is something she'll appreciate.
  
  
• Plenty by Ottolenghi features highly inventive vegetarian cooking using a wide assortment of vegetables. The book has a middle eastern emphasis, but still contains recipes from all over the globe. My favorite is the Soba noodles with mango and eggplant.

Get one of these: www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8

You'll never look back.

I prefer a microplane. I can also zest citrus fruit and grate nutmeg. And they are only $8-10

https://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1480179639&sr=1-2&keywords=microplane

One of these

If you use oils you can buy something like This Can that allows you to fill with your own oils and spray so you don't need to buy aerosol containers or waste money on overpriced oil cans.

One way to use less oil is to use a spray bottle (one designed for oil). it still coats the food but you use less of it.

http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV/

This bad boy right here works very well, bought mine in 2011, still going strong

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_i5SYDbJCTKVM9

Here are all the things you need to know to start canning foods at home.

Canning Basics

Only Pressure Canning is recommended by the USDA for home canning of Meats or Vegetables. I recommend this large capacity pressure canner

Fruits, Jams and Jellies, Tomatoes and Salsas can be Water Bath Canned in most cases. This is a nice kit to get started with from Jarden

Ignore the steam canner, microwave canner, open water bath kettle, and any "reusable" canning lids---these are all a quick way to discover food poisoning.

Buy standard canning jars at garage sales and thrift stores---I like the wide mouth jars best. I also run an ad on craigslist offering to buy jars when I need them. I pay $2.50 per dozen for the pint size and $4.00 a dozen for the quart size. Carefully check each jar's rim to make sure there are no flaws or chips. (Always store empty jars with rings on them to avoid getting chips.) New jars with lids and rings are available in most grocery stores for $9-$14 per dozen. Buy brand name jars only---this is not a time to use cheap knock offs. Each jar should be clearly imprinted Ball, Mason or Kerr. There are many brands of vintage jars and all of those should be fine as long as the rim is sound. Save the boxes and dividers that come with new jars and use them to store the finished products.

Always use new canning lids Never reuse this part!

Remember, you don't have to grow a garden to benefit from home canning--now is a great time to buy produce while it's cheap!

Today's Buy of the Day: 12 ounce bags organic green beans-already trimmed and washed at 2/$1.00 = 24 quarts of green beans with bacon and shitaki mushrooms(33 cents a pack!) now in the pantry for about 50 cents per quart!

If you're concerned with the waste, buy one of these Reusable filters

Its the only thing i use in mine, and you can use whatever the fuck cheap coffee you want, and fill them a bit more full with decent coffee and it tastes better. Highly suggest it! We even dump our grounds out of it into a composter.

It's toast. Don't buy another one; replace it with this pan, the T-Fal oven safe 12" non-stick. It's recommended and used by America's Test Kitchen. I have one, and I love it, but it's also $28, so when it dies in another 2 years, I won't cry when I have to buy another one.

I learned this lesson with my Scanpan 9" skillet, which lasted a good 5 years or so before getting so scratched up that it's not really non-stick anymore, but that cost $75. Buy a good one, but buy cheap, and assume it's disposable and replaceable on a ~2-3 year cycle.

Different surfaces for different things.

One decent nonstick pan is great to have for things like eggs, but isn't great at high heat applications like searing meat. You'll never build a good fond in nonstick, and having pots lined with nonstick coating is just unnecessary. A couple of pans -- a larger one for cooking fish or day-to-day "I'm just browning some ground beef" kind of stuff, and a smaller one for fried eggs or whatever -- will be plenty. You don't want to spend too much on a nonstick pan, though, because by their nature their lifespan is limited.

One cast iron pan is great to have because it's great at really high-heat applications, but can also be used for any number of other things -- you can sear a roast in it, you can bake a deep-dish pizza in it, or brown off some chicken and then braise it in the same pan. It can become pretty nonstick over time, with the right care, but that's a long-term process. Cast iron is heavy, though, and requires different care than other pans (it's not difficult to take care of, just... different. You can't chuck it in the dishwasher and walk away.)

For an all-purpose workhorse, look for stainless steel. It's good in a wide range of applications, and can do almost anything reasonably well. It's a little more prone to sticking (which is a good thing in many cases), but it's also durable enough that you can scour the fuck out of it on those occasions when you need to.

More important than the surface of a pan, IMHO, is the base. Avoid anything with a thin base; over time, it'll warp, and that creates hotspots and wobbles that make cooking a pain in the ass. You want pans that have a pretty thick base. If you can get something that has a layer of aluminum sandwiched in, that's great. Aluminum conducts heat better than steel, so pans will get hot faster with some aluminum included. You don't really want to cook directly on aluminum, though, so something with steel and aluminum layers in the base is ideal.

You're probably not going to find one single set that covers absolutely everything; I'd advise one base set of stainless steel, and then a few add-ons as time/money allows. I know Cuisinart does a pretty nice set of tri-ply stainless steel pots and pans that runs under $200, and goes on sale for even less regularly. Add a T-fal nonstick pan or two, and one good Lodge cast iron skillet, and you'd be well-equipped for most things.

If you buy a no messing around Teflon pan, you CAN throw them into the dishwasher and use metal utensils. Buy this...if you don't love it, I'll paypal you $10 if asked. I back up my advice with cash, come at me bro!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GWG0T2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you don't like it, look for pans (regardless of maker) that use Teflon Platinum finishes...they are just as good.

In my opinion, you notice the most difference with:

1. Grind your beans right before you brew.
   
2. Buy fresh-roasted beans.
   
3. Get a grinder with multiple settings.
   
4. Use different coffee brewers.
   
   I'd say the most important thing is a grinder. You can go for a cheap electric blade grinder, or you could go for a slightly more expensive adjustable hand grinder. The hand grinder is great quality for the price, with the tradeoff being it can take you 3-5 minutes to grind your beans.
   
   Start with a french press or an aeropress. Both are quick and easy, and you shouldn't have to spend more than £25 for one.
   
   

My favorite thing about coffee as a "hobby" is that, like some have said, it's a hobby that isn't just a waste of money. Fresh beans are a huge 1st step, they really just have tons of flavors that change almost as you work through the bag, and sometimes I feel like the first sip of a french press is different than the middle, etc. For me the different methods I use just work better for different beans, I'm still figuring that out myself. I prefer to french press african beans, pour over on more typically "harsh" beans, and I'm still dialing in aeropress, but I feel like it takes a lot out of the coffee so it seems to work best if I'm like "hmm I'm not sure I like this bean", aeropress... oh nevermind it's great.

You could buy:

Good grinder ~$140

Scale $15

Kettle $25

And three interesting and different types of brewers:

Aeropress ~$30

V60 ~$20

French Press ~$20

That's all the gear for now, you're SET until you become a crazy coffee nut, but for me 90% of the coffee I make is in one of those 3 methods. I have a moka pot, and they're cool too. But that's $250 for gear, and you could probably save a bit with different grinder options but plan to drop the biggest amount of that.

Add in $20 for some high quality beans (S&W is great and their reddit discount is on this page somewhere) and you're around $270 to be brewing great coffee a few different ways. Now you have 4+ different coffees, 3 ways to make it, and the equipment to make sure you're doing it "right".

Okay that's a lot and I hate this "if you buy a cup of coffee a day" crap, but let's just say you drink work swill most of the time, but get a cup of coffee out 3x a week. At $3/cup maybe you tip a quarter each time, you pay off this stuff in 6 months and these things pretty much last forever.

The point is, yes, some of the costs of entry (specifically the grinder) can be a little daunting, and sometimes we get carried away, but overall, the cost of making great coffee at home is significantly less than going out. You're actually getting BETTER coffee too, trying different ways to make it, and enjoying yourself. Wow, okay rambling there. Good luck!

I have am the CEO of a large aid organization which specializes in the playing of sweet bass to French Press and AeroPress coffee makers. He has a job with us, any time he's ready.

Incidentally, anyone who hasn't played sweet bass to an AeroPress loaded up with Lavazza Super Crema has yet to live.

Hi and welcome. We call this your first step into the rabbit hole. Like Alice, if you decide to go in this is just going to get deeper and deeper.

The two grinders you've linked are both electric and neither are particularly good. Assuming that you want to go with an electric grinder (and I would if you're drinking 5 cups a day) then then Baratza is the least you want to buy. The difference between this and the ones you have mentioned are the burrs - the cutting edges - that are in the machine.

Next, you say you start with a latte. Latte is espresso and steamed/textured milk. You are not going to get espresso anywhere close to your budget but you can get a good moka pot and then a milk frother will get you that drink.

For your coffee through the day then a french press will be fine - they're very simple just relying on a metal mesh screen to keep the used grinds out of the end drink or, if you are just making coffee for yourself one at a time then consider the aeropress.

Automatic machines are more complicated. You have to read very carefully as most on the market do not heat the water properly (they start dripping cold water into the coffee bed and, when they finish, they are putting boiling water and steam into it). Also, most will drip water through the middle of the coffee grounds which means that you get bitter tastes from the coffee that gets most of the water while the rest "under extracts" giving tastes of grass and moss. Unless you are willing to go to something like the Wilfa I would stay with manual coffee makers for now.

Bienvenue a r/coffee et bonne chance.

I've just recently bought a fresh batch of Ethiopian coffee from the local roaster, a nice man with a stall in the Cambridge Market. For the last few months I've been making coffee with an Aeropress - I can not recommend it enough, it's honestly the best £24 I've ever spent.

It's halfway between a French Press/cafetiere, and an espresso machine in that it uses immersion to bloom and extract the coffee, and pressure to actually get it into your cup.

Edit: my awful spelling

Anyone looking at getting away from instant coffee, or also for a nice gift, this should most certainly top the list.


Edit: Assuming you mean Americano in that you're using espresso and hot water, you'll actually get more caffeine from the drip/filter coffee! :)

Finium mesh strainer is my favorite

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000I68NCS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1419017756&sr=8-1

Since I'm a coffee nerd as well, if you're looking to get into coffee for god sakes save for a good grinder. Visit /r/coffee and browse around.

Minimum setup for decent coffee IMHO for a beginner

Grinder: https://www.amazon.com/Porlex-JP-30-Stainless-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0002JZCF2/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788564&sr=8-12&keywords=hand+coffee+grinder

Kalita Wave for Pour-over: https://www.amazon.com/Kalita-05033-Wave-185-Drippers/dp/B000X1AM0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788582&sr=8-1&keywords=kalita+wave

Goose neck kettle: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSVV60-Buono-Pouring-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788593&sr=8-7&keywords=gooseneck+kettle

Alternatively to the wave,

Aeropress - https://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1499788632&sr=1-3&keywords=aeropress

Clever - https://www.amazon.com/Clever-Coffee-Dripper-Large-Ounces/dp/B00EOM5RN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1499788656&sr=8-3&keywords=clever+coffee+dripper

Personal notes:
I've used all 3 types of coffee makers above and I still prefer my Kalita wave/v60. If I'm pressed for time and don't really want to think, the Clever.

The biggest game changers for me have been preshaping properly to develop sufficient surface tension and getting a [cast iron combo cooker ](http://www.Lodge.com/ L8DD3 Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven, 5-Quart https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ER.PAbR4HMAZC)

Amazon. I know it's a sin to actually order stuff off of teh Interwebs instead of physically going to a store, but you can find almost anything there that would be next to impossible to find in most stores -- and you can usually get then at a discounted cost far less than Williams-Sonoma, plus free shipping with Amazon's "super saver shipping." Some of the things I've ordered from there that simply could not be found in a typical store: Bayou Classic 16-quart cast iron dutch oven, Reddit's favorite Victorinox chef's knife, the Lodge "double dutch" oven combo, and two cast iron items that were far less expensive at Amazon than you'd find at Williams-Sonoma -- the Lodge cast iron wok (purchased with a 2010 Xmas gift card) and the Lodge cast iron pizza pan (purchased with a 2011 Xmas gift card).

You don't really needed it, but a dutch oven is by far the best thing for baking bread next to a commercial steam injected oven. I highly recommend it. You don't need to buy something super fancy or expensive. Lodge makes a super basic dutch oven that will do a great job. I've tried all of the other steaming methods. Really, if your making hearth style loaves, nothing compares to using a banneton, a cast iron dutch oven, and stupidly hot oven.

r/chefknives will have better suggestions but I bought a Tojiro Gyoto and it’s worked really well for me.

For $120 and two knives, there is the omnipresent starter option - the Tojiro DP line.

I'd start with the gyuto or the santoku. They overlap for the larger tasks and its really more preference on the shape. They both are too thin and the steel is too brittle to cut bones or hard vegetables (pumpkin/squash) with (which your Wusthof can take care of) but will go through veg and protein pretty easily.

Then you have budget left over for the petty, which is kind of like a long thin paring knife. Good for smaller tasks or things that need delicate tip work.

you might even have some budget left over to pick up a stone. This is a popular beginner option.

Edit: The other option is MAC knives. Same shapes apply

First off, everyone should read this before spending a good bit on a knife:

Honestly, at that price you should consider the aesthetics you liket, because diminishing return to quality sets in pretty quick at around $70 then again around $120-$130.

This is a really solid value Knife, though I'm kinda meh on the handle:

If you pair it regularly with this guy: if will outperform a way more expensive knife with poor upkeep.

I have the $50 Oxo and can highly recommend it, with a couple reservations, though it's sufficient for normal kitchen use. A couple things to consider before getting a scale, and the reasons for my reservations:

How much you will need to weigh at one time. This Oxo has an 11-lb capacity. They also make a 5-lb ($30), and a 22-lb ($70).

How little you will need to weigh at one time. The Oxo measures freedom units in 1/8-oz increments and 1g socialist increments. 1/8 oz = 3.5g, so measuring in metric is more precise on this scale. If you want to weigh 3g of salt, it might not even register until you've got 6g on the scale - it's not very sensitive for small amounts.

Other than that, I've had mine for a about 3 years and never yet changed the batteries. The magnetic, pull-out control panel/display is really useful for putting big things on it, and doesn't have any weak points as far as I can tell. I use it daily.

Also, are you using this for personal or business use? If you're using it to weigh something that's regulated by weighs and measures, you might need one that's certified. I don't know much about this, but I know it's a thing, FYI JIC.

It's time to get a digital scale and start weighing ingredients, which is what all professional and serious amateur cooks do these days. Oxo makes a good one that has been highly rated by ATK, SeriousEats etc:

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display-11-Pound/dp/B000WJMTNA/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=oxo+scale&qid=1569259526&s=gateway&sr=8-2

As far as this recipe, I've made it with duck eggs and I used the equivalent weight as for chicken eggs. These in-a-jar recipes are very flexible anyway.

Having made it with both types of eggs, I can't say it made any noticeable difference (maybe if you tasted them side-by-side, you might detect something).

But it is cool to tell your guests that you are serving them "duck egg cheesecake"!

Because I love kitchen gadgets...

You can get a basic food scale for about $10 or you can get more fancy (pull out display, lighted display, weighs up to 11 lbs. so you can also use it to figure postage for packages).

I’m American, but I love weighing ingredients. I have an Oxo brand digital scale and I also keep my flour and sugar in large Oxo containers.

I’m terrible with math, so I use the zero function on the scale before adding each ingredient. Easy!

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display-11-Pound/dp/B000WJMTNA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=oxo+food+scale&qid=1571705231&sprefix=oxo+food&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-10-Piece-Airtight-Storage-Container/dp/B0029096ZO/ref=sxin_2_osp60-cef0d719_cov?ascsubtag=cef0d719-1890-4ade-be64-00252940cb2a&creativeASIN=B0029096ZO&cv_ct_id=amzn1.osp.cef0d719-1890-4ade-be64-00252940cb2a&cv_ct_pg=search&cv_ct_wn=osp-search&keywords=oxo+food+storage+containers+with+lids&linkCode=oas&pd_rd_i=B0029096ZO&pd_rd_r=8608dbe4-a76a-4384-804b-81ebfd1c6cdb&pd_rd_w=b2W2l&pd_rd_wg=g1wdY&pf_rd_p=33b90d57-4392-4d9b-9557-da4c9de25645&pf_rd_r=34HKW47DKJRSD3YS6J8R&qid=1571705273&sprefix=oxo+food+s&tag=mlbonsitepub-20

As a person with a newly diagnosed kid, I can agree that everything is super overwhelming in the beginning and help from friends is welcome. The thing we needed most was the space to learn about our new life, and someone to just talk to about everything. Seems contradictory, but I would reach out with no expectations and wait to hear back.

In terms of more tangible things, you could pitch in to hire a temporary cleaning service, even if only once during the 1st couple weeks. or help buy some of the items they will need such as a quality digital food scale, Frio insuling cooling case, or books. The two books I've found to be the most helpful are Think Like a Pancreas, and Sugar Surfing.

Also the JuiceBox Podcast is really wonderful, and I highly recommend it.

If it works, it works! Personally I would just use an infuser like this one. Arguably even better for lazy people because you don't have to worry about leaves getting in your mouth. Steep, remove, drink. I have found no easier way to brew tea.

I have a 1000w and this is what I have gotten to after many hours of pain and grief:

• Have the bottom vents open on the left and right side
  
• Have one fan for light going fast
  
• Have one fan for the carbon filter going slower
  
• Insulated ducting on the lights for heat and sound (on carbon filter for sound)
  
• To mix the air properly I have an expensive fancy floor fan in the corner shooting air straight up. Think of how a ceiling fan works better than a box fan in a room. I am replacing this fan with 1 or 2 cheap light-weight fans that I will hang front left and right. The fans will hang just above the canopy high enough not to affect the light footprint.
  
• Having the fans shoot up means I don't have the fans directly blasting air onto the canopy and the air goes through the canopy to the floor. This works much better than blowing directly on the canopy and having a supplemental fan under the canopy when the tent is full.
  
• For heat I have gotten a Heat Bud Personal Heater and an Inkbird controller for when the tent goes below 65.
  
  These are the fans I am waiting on: https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG
  

Hi Professor. I've been dying to ask this question but never met the right person. Hope you don't mind me asking an impromptu question. Let's say I have a standard two car garage that I use for an home office. I also have 4 small fans like this one.

I can open the garage door almost as far as 4 feet tall, but no taller (for privacy reasons).

What should I do? For example, do I:

• Put all the fans on one side and blow OUT?
  
• Put all the fans on one side and blow IN?
  
• Put two on one side to blow OUT and two on the other side to blow IN?

Just put one of these directly in front of your video cards. You'll probably need two for a 6+ GPU rig.

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_i

It doesn't look like much but I got this fan in college and I still have it a few years later. A few of my friends also had it and everyone always says how powerful it is for such a small fan.

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520092829&sr=8-4&keywords=desk+fan&dpID=51cns9iTCtL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Perhaps one of those personal sized space heaters. It will help move the air around in there too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XDTWN2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


working pretty well for me:
http://i.imgur.com/2xpfOa3.jpg


I'm using a chest freezer as well, the seal on the lid is flexible so I just have the cables coming out under the lid, temps are holding easily

Duxtop 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DH7ZBb10CGXYV

Zach, I think that you could do well with a toaster oven, a small slow cooker ( think chilli, spaghetti sauce), and an an electric boiler (like this:
https://www.brevilleusa.com/collections/tea-makers/products/the-iq-kettle-1) think: hot water for pour over coffee, or instant soup) and a hot plate or induction burner (https://www.amazon.com/Secura-8100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502774193&sr=8-4&keywords=induction+burner)

I'm using a Jennings CJ-4000. It's reasonably priced, accurate, doesn't automatically shut off, and can be powered through a wall outlet or with batteries.

Grab a jennings it's what is used in a lot of cafes. For ratios I would start at a 1:16 ratio amd adjust from there.

I find .1 to be overkill. Before the Pearl hit the scene it was pretty much the Hario scale and the Jennings CJ4000 that saw major use in coffee shops. I have both of these and an AWS pocket scale and I like the Jennings the best. It may not have as fine a resolution but it's way faster. The Hario scale lags quite a bit.

I would suggest that you get an in-cup infuser like the Forlife (there are other brands that should do the trick). I love my Forlife as it gives plenty of room for tea to expand and makes a great cup. You might also check out tea pots with large infusing baskets.
.
As to the question of microwaving, there is nothing wrong with it scientifically speaking. If you are microwaving water there are two things to pay close attention to. First, make sure you place a WOOD skewer or chopstick in the cup to give a place for bubbles to form. If there is no imperfection for bubbles to collect on you risk superheating the water without it coming to a boil, then when you move the container the jolt would set off the boiling and you could burn yourself badly as the water over flowed. The second thing with microwaving is that you will need a thermometer to check the water temperature before you start brewing. This is because you don't have good temperature control in a microwave and this can result in a bad cup.
.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JPA3Y8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For Life

Finum

I've used this fan for the past few years. Quieter than a lot of other fans I've used, and a bit cheaper than my last one that the maintenance crew stole.

This: http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHeat-Personal-Ceramic/dp/B003XDTWN2.

Fermenter

I would recommend any of the wide mouth, plastic fermenters. IMO they're all pretty similar. They are so easy to clean. Just make sure you only use a soft rag or sponge. Don't use anything remotely abrasive.

Heating Element

I use this guy. But that's only for heating the entire chamber. It doesn't put out a lot of heat, and I haven't tried using it in the full harshness of winter, with temps in the single digits. I like the heat belt idea, but most of my brews are 10+ gallons split up into multiple fermenters, so I try to keep the entire ferm chamber the same temperature.

Gloves

Two suggestions: Those Blichmann gloves look better than what I use.

But also, consider sparging instead of squeezing. I suspend my brew bag above the kettle, and I do a super lazy "sparge." I just have room temperature, pH and mineral adjusted water on hand. And I just pour it slowly into the top of the brew bag.

It sounds like a terrible technique, and maybe it is. But my efficiency jumped quite a bit once I started doing this. And I don't have to screw with squeezing a super heavy, steaming hot grain bag over my head.

I use this 200 watt heater from Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XDTWN2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'd be worried about using anything higher wattage than this in such a small space. I think hair dryers can pull well over 1000 watts which is a serious fire hazard in such an enclosed space.

single induction cooktop would be a good thing to have. something like this

http://www.amazon.com/1800-Watt-Portable-Induction-Countertop-8100MC/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

If you have access to an outlet outside, I'll suggest something a little different. A portable induction burner will offer you a greater amount of control and should allow you to get a good sear outside, without charcoal.

One thing I found that really helps is to get an induction stovetop. They are so much more powerful than electric and gas stoves. I put it right on top of my electric stove and only use that. Your cookware has to be induction capable though.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM for example

As /u/dirtmonger mentioned, you should invest in a scale. I have the cj4000 model and I really like it, I use it for everything from coffee to baking to cocktails and fermenting.

Second, are you using filtered water? Your response to /u/MrMurgatroyd where you mentioned things not fermenting or just rotting made me think that perhaps your issue is chloride/chloramine. It doesn't take a lot of contamination to throw off the lacto-fermentation.

My third thought is the quality of your produce. This is a relatively controversial opinion, but in my experience (and that of big name fermentation folks like Sandor Katz) home grown and organic (read: not walmart organic) produce tends to yield better results. The persistent pesticides present on conventional produce, or even the industrially administered USDA allowed organic pesticides/herbicides, can really mess with your ferment. I've had the best luck using local produce from CSA's and farmers markets. Yes, you're paying a bit of premium, but it seems less likely to fail to ferment and you're supporting local farmers and often times they're growing heirloom varietals that are important for genetic diversity in an increasingly industrial monoculture.

Best of luck, try and remember that even experienced fermenters have failures with some regularity. It's not an exact science.

Jennings CJ4000 scale: $32 with Amazon Prime, great for pourovers, runs on batteries or adaptor, auto shut-off can be turned off, 0.5g resolution. Pretty much the standard in all cafes

http://www.amazon.com/Jennings-CJ4000-4000g-Digital-Scale/dp/B004C3CAB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373501436&sr=1-1&keywords=Cj4000

CJ 4000 is my suggestion. Small, battery or wall outlet powered, and really responsive. With the Clever pour speed is not as much of an issue but in the Chemex you'll want the scale to update as soon as water is added. Also it has a cover which doubles as a measuring tray.

Aerobie Aeropress is easily the best coffee maker around. I have made coffee and espresso for some of my pickiest coffee nerd friends, and they love it and always ask me how I made it. Great Christmas gift for your coffee-loving friends.

Als jemand der auch lange Zeit auf French Press geschworen hat, schau dir mal eine Aeropress an. Ist nochmal ein paar Stufen höher auf der Hipster-Skala, aber der Kaffee der dort rausblubbert ist schon echt sehr, sehr gut. (und kann auch mit Metallfilter betrieben werden).

I take the aeropress as a luxury item.

AeroPress Coffee Maker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GXZ2GS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JDoUAb57EPTP0

Aeropress plus Hario or Porlex grinder. Perfect set up. Exactly €50. Add some great, fresh beans and you are sorted :-)

http://www.amazon.de/Aerobie-80R08-AeroPress-Kaffeebereiter-Papierfilter/dp/B000GXZ2GS - €27

http://www.amazon.de/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ - €23

In our office, we make drip in the mornings, when we're just looking to take the edge off the caffeine headache. In the afternoon, French press. I've actually considered getting an Aeropress. I've no personal experience with it, but the reviews are compelling.

This strainer basket is the cheapest, easiest option. This infuser cup is a little more attractive and also easy. Then you just need tea, there are many great options on the vendor list on the right.
Edit: If you want to invest more, and in my opinion get more out of the experience, you could buy a gongfu tea set. This video explains tea brewing and gongfu. Yunnan Sourcing sells all the pieces of a gongfu set for good prices, but there are many other sources.

Agreed. I have two of these - one for home, one at the office. They're the perfect size for a single mug of tea. Finum Brewing Basket

For western style brewing (little bit of tea to lots of water for a longer time) a brew basket is a good way to go for a single person. The ones from Finum are great, but theres a bunch of different options out there . I have been using a Davids Tea one for the last while and have no complaints about it at all.

If you want to get into brewing with gongfu parameters (lots of tea, little water, quick infusion times) then I'd recommend picking up a cheap gaiwan in the 100ml range to start out and see if you're into it or not. All you really need is a gaiwan and a cup or mug to pour it into. If you want to you can get little tea cups, strainers, and a fairness pitcher, but none of that is actually "needed". I'd start out simple and cheap then re-evaluate if you find it's something you really enjoy. This was my first gaiwan - its nice looking but simple, affordable and well built. Comes with a saucer too which is a plus for me. After a year or so of use I realized a smaller one would be more suited for me and I picked up a 55ml one from Bitterleaf that I love to death. The size really comes down to how you want to drink and you might not know whats best for you until you just buy something and use it for a while.

Bodum French Press and a Hario Buono kettle are probably enough to get you started. French press will be a bit more forgiving when it comes to brewing and you can probably keep your current grinder until you decide if you like it. Just make sure to try and keep the grind fairly coarse. Might take some playing around with. Cheers!

What's your price range? The Hario Buono Kettle runs for just shy of $40 on Amazon right now, and the Fino Kettle runs for just under $30.

If you're really tight on money though, you can always look for one of those tall silver-plated tea pots with a long spout from a local antique store. I picked one up for $3 and used that for years before getting myself a Bonavita. It's a little unwieldy but it gets the job done, and pours much cleaner and slower than a normal kettle.

The typically recommended options for stove-top would be:

1. Hario - 1,2
   
2. Fellow - 1,2
   
3. Oxo
   
4. Bonavita
   
5. Kalita - 1,2
   
   If you just want a standard stovetop kettle then you'll be fine with most reputable brands since there really isn't much that can go wrong with them.
   
   Edit: I just realized I'm not in /r/coffee. If you're not doing pour-overs then pretty much any kettle will work. I'd probably go with a $20 Cuisinart or something.

Jennings - $27 :: 4000g x 0.5g

Hario - $42 :: 2000g x 0.1g + timer

Brewista - $88 :: 2000g x 0.1 + timer

*I have the Hario and I like it. The time it takes to register weight is a little slow, but I don't care. Also I've spilt water on it (not more than 1/5 cup, and some ended up below it, near the battery) and I immediately clean/wipe and have had no water damage

Edit: Links & Notes

Jenning's CJ4000 $26

20 year warranty, .5g resolution, 11 lb capacity, AC adapter included.

If you can spare $10, you can be making them in your freezer. They are indeed cool (and a staple of any drink I make that I want on the rocks), but not cool enough to make up for the way that drink was served. Wrong glass... ehh ok I could give that a pass if they're going for style. Understirred... ehh ok it's being served on the rocks, could get a pass for not wanting to water it down too much before serving. But come on man, unless you're Gaz Regan finger-stirring a Negroni, your fingers have no business anywhere near the rim of my glass. This is Day 1 drink serving etiquette.

Believe it has to do with the the pressure applied by the weight of the ice press (and possibly the heat conductivity of the metal itself). If i remember from chemistry class, this is akin to how ice skating works. The increased pressure from your weight turns the ice below the blade to water so you can glide on it, and it refreezes as you move off that spot. In this case, the metal pushing on the ice block melts it, the water drips away so more of the ice can melt, until the shape & temp of the metal change enough so something about physics stops working (as you can see, not a lot of post-HS science education for me, so that's not very technical)


here's a site with a video, and they cite some problems with the device, i.e., that you need to get it back up to room temp before you can make a 2nd sphere


and an additional edit, I could never afford this sort of thing, the Tivolo ice spheres work well for me at home (my nephews find them hilarious)

Just a cool box and some of these the actual brand doesn't matter they're all the same. Water is tap water (we have good tap water in my area though, I'm UK) and it's best warm. Then I basically flip the moulds upside down so the air hole is at the bottom (forcing impurities out as it freezes) Also finally the cool box has to be deep so as to not have the moulds near the bottom of it and leave the lid off so it freezes from the top down. Sorry for wall of text, it took a while to get the process down so thought I'd save you the hassle. Oh shit yeah freezer on lowest setting, freeze time of approx 30 hours. Don't be tempted to peek lol. When you're done you'll have cloudy ice at the bottom and the balls should be crystal clear. Should. Lol

With this! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007ACTN54/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Get the $75 Nesco Dehydrator instead of messing around with fans and air filters, and you will never look back.

This is the one I have. It works very well. It is honestly quite fool proof.

Do some basic research about the meat you want. Slice it up. Marinate it. Pop it on here until it is done. It works well. I have done several batches for hiking/camping trips and it always receives compliments. If you have questions, let me know.

Yes. Some people use a Searzall attached to a Bernzomatic TS8000.
See here: http://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO

It does take more time than a quick sear on a grill or cast iron pan.

Others just use a creme brulee torch.

SEARZALL

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L2P0KNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_454PDbPTZAGH4

It ain’t cheap, but it’s good.

Absolutely. The final step with any sous vide cooking (of meat anyways) is to take the fully cooked steak/chicken/whatever out of the bag and then sear it. For a steak I generally use a cast iron pan with olive oil just below the smoke point. You cook it just long enough to get nice browning on both sides and all the way around the edge. Obviously this differs a bit for fish. I'd give it 30-45 seconds in a broiler on high. Chicken is a bit different as well because you might have some fat that you want to render out. Experimentation is half the fun.

There are other options as well. You can sear the meat on a grill, though I wouldn't bother with charcoal. Why heat up all that charcoal just for 30 seconds of cook time? Propane works great there. I just got a [Searzall] (https://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO) for Christmas that I'm excited to try out.

https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Green-Mattress-Queen/dp/B00Q7EPSHI

The artist who paid way too much for way too little.

​

I just bought my first mattress with my girlfriend for $250 shipped from Amazon.

​

Let me tell you, sleeping on this mattress is like sleeping on a cloud.

​

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Invest the $15 in a microplane. Seriously AMAZING. Garlic minced, lemons zested, ginger grated in an instant!

A Microplane Zester is a great tool for just this purpose. It is pretty easy to clean and can be used for cheeses and zests. I use mine all the time.

The microplane zester/grater is worth an investment. It's much sharper and finer than a normal grater since it actually cuts through the material than just grating it. A tough, fibrous root like ginger and galangal becomes a neat pile of pulp with barely any leftover.

>Her gastro doc is taking things very slowly and deliberately

He's probably just using some algorithm. He's probably checking for some sort of lactose intolerance, gall bladder disease, other stuff before he goes into (expensive) diagnostic testing.

Anyway, roasting typically used oil to the best flavor/texture. Steaming should be your go to for veggies. A bunch of veg is pretty darn tasty if steamed correctly; cabbage, spinach, broccoli, carrots; add some salt/pepper, maybe some lemon juice for brightness and you have a staple veg for every meal.

Fish in foil is a good one too, you can reduce/omit the oil and still be okay.
\
If you want to minimize, but not completely omit oil in a recipe (say grilling chicken breast or salad). Check out the misto

I hated the waste from aerosol cans as well. I switched to the Misto and it has worked wonderfully for me. You might want to give it a try too!

I suggest http://amzn.com/B00004SPZV
We have this one and like it, the hand sprayer one looks like it would work well also.

Are you using a real Keurig filter or a knockoff? I've never had grounds in the cup and I've had the same Keurig reusable filter for a couple years. I almost never use the K-cups for my morning joe.

EDIT: I fill the filter to the top and tap it a little to settle the grounds a bit. Also, don't use too fine of a grind.

Stores sell loose coffee filters and cups for them.

The standard opinion toward the Keurig is not a positive one. The consensus is that the pods contain subpar, already stale coffee, and the machines are not capable of heating water to a high enough temperature to properly brew coffee.

But what really matters is if you like it - if coffee comes out that you enjoy drinking, fuck the haters, and keep using the Keurig. I personally dislike Keurigs, but I think that they are not quite as bad as the community makes them out to be.

Some companies do make reusable K-cups that you can put your own coffee in, but they don't fix the low water temperature issue, and apparently they don't keep a seal well either, leading to underextracted coffee.

Basically, experiment a little and find what you like. You may end up learning that the best coffee that a Keurig can make is coffee that you make without ever touching a Keurig. Remember: the only good coffee is coffee that you like - even if it's from a Keurig!

I think it is something else.

I think it is little gnome miners in your body farming bloody bits to feed to their pet dragon that sometimes causes you heartburn when its unhappy.

I hope you feel better inside pain is the worst.

Item

Nonstick is the best for frying eggs but they aren't going to be BIFL. That said, if you take care of a good one it should last you for years. The best value I have found is T-fal. Get whatever size is most appropriate for your cooking. I have had mine for about 5 years now. It says safe for metal utensils but I always use only plastic or wood on it. I also hand wash instead of using the dishwasher.

If you want truly BIFL, go for cast iron and make sure you season it well.

Got this after America's Test Kitchen ranked it best non-stick skillet, hasn't let me down yet:

T-fal E93808 Professional Nonstick Oven Safe Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Fry Pan / Saute Pan Dishwasher Safe Cookware, 12-Inch, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_g5PExbB45FJ3S

Someone recommended this one when I asked for suggestions here, and I've been very happy with it! The big advantage is that there's no knob on the lid, which means you can flip it over and put the dough ball on the lid and use the pot on top. It's a lot easier to put the dough ball on the lid rather than trying to drop it evenly into the pot.

This is what convinced me to get a Dutch oven as well. I had been looking into the several hundred dollar le creuset ones, but after reading reviews about chipping of the enamel, I sprung for this $35 lodge one last year and it's incredible http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-5-Quart-Double-Casserole-Skillet/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1346088063&sr=8-11&keywords=lodge+cast+iron

Some dutch oven lids are reversible and can be used as a skillet. Lodge L8DD3 Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven, 5-Quart https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ienQzbBFWR9DD

I use this one. I would advise against enamel coated and also the 7qt. Larger isnt always better. If you have high hydration dough, it could spread the loaf out too wide. the smaller oven will limit how much it can spread.

I use the lid as the base and put the deeper part on top. just makes it easier to score it and get it out without accidentally burning yourself.

If you're looking for a knife just as good as the Victorinox for the same price range, look at the Mercer Genesis same steel as Wusthof and Victorinox, much better fit and finish than the rubber handle of the Fibrox.
However, if you really want to step up a level in quality to a more mid-range knife, look at the Tojiro DP Gyuto

I have several knives.

My most used knife, and the one I like the most is a 8 inch Wüsthof classic. I really like the balance and the grip of this one.

I also have a Mac Chef's Knife, 7-1/4-Inch. This is stamped, not forged, but for just a few dollars more than the Victorinox you get a knife that actually sits and balances well in your hand and it's made of much better steel. I actually bought it in a brick and mortar store for about $20.

It's not as well balanced as the Wüsthof, but I like the fact that it doesn't have a full bolster. It's much easier to sharpen. If I would start anew I would get half-bolster designs for my expensive knives, but it's really no big deal at all.

I also have Tojiro DP Gyutou. The price varies, now it's a few dollars more expensive than the Victorinox, but I bought it cheaper. This is an excellent knife with better steel than the above knives. The grip is fantastic. The balance is good, but not quite as good as the Wüsthof, nothing really gets there for me, but it's good. Again the lack of a full bolster is a great feature of this knife.

Personally now I think that the Wüsthof Ikon lines are better than the classic series, because of the half-bolster design, but I didn't know this years back when I bought my classic.

Also, I keep saying that these knives feel so good in the hand compared to the Victorinox but this is a very subjective thing and people should try for themselves. I know some people love the Victorinox, if that's the case, go for it; personally, I can't stand it. PinchGrip4Lyfe.

I also have a J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL Forged Synergy 8-inch Chef's Knife. This is cheaper than the Victorinox. The balance is pretty good, but the grip is not as good as the knives posted above. It's still light-years better than the Victorinox grip though.

If I had to buy a cheap knife I would get Kai 6720C Wasabi Black Chef's Knife, 8-Inch. This is way cheaper than the Victorinox. That being said, I haven't tested it.

My goal here is not to convince anyone that the Victorinox is awful. I know some people really like the grip, but to make clear that at around the same price point there are many knives, and you should get which one feels best in your hand. Victorinox is not the only option for cheap knives, unlike what the reddit gospel says!

At this point that Victorinox is ridiculously expensive. 45 dollars is getting into actual good quality knife territory. Everyone suggesting it has inflated the price over the years. I believe it used to be suggested as a $25 dollar knife. At that price it really was good. Now its just a very expensive stamped knife. I like the rest though.

Figured I should edit and give a suggestion at least. If you want something japanese you can pay 5 more dollars and get something MUCH higher in quality. [Santoku] (https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Santoku-6-7-17cm/dp/B000UAPQEA/ref=pd_sim_79_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XYK8APTJRV3GXQJ8FF0R) or for 15 dollars more than the Victorinox you can get a [chef] (https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS/ref=pd_bxgy_79_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TA5DHYJ86S2HA6SQP8VX) Style Japanese Knife. For something European I would go with Ramsey's suggestion to look at Heckles or Wosthof and just prowl Ebay. They will probably be around 45 dollars for a Heckles 8in chef knife.

Tojiro DP

You get what Shun uses if not better for like a quarter the price. They're dope too.

https://smile.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481569527&sr=8-1&keywords=Tojiro+DP

Originally I wrote this as a reply to another comment, but it got nabbed by the automod for accidentally having one affiliate link, and it's not a reply to that comment really, it's a reply to OPs question, so I deleted it as a reply and am posting it top-level here:

-------- PART 1 of 2:

There are several choices now for (i) Japanese (ii) fully stainless (iii) gyutos/chef knives of (iv) either 210 or 240mm in length and (v) $80 or less, thankfully:

1 Narihira 8000 (210mm) or 240mm

2 Mac Chef Series (8.5")

3 Misono Molybdenum (210mm)

4 Fujiwara FKM (210mm) or 240mm

5 Tojiro DP (210mm)

6 Yahiko VG-10 Western (210mm)

7 Yaxell Mon (8"/210mm)

8 Shun Sora (8")

So, #s 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all made of "Molybdenum steel" or "Molybdenum / Vanadium ("MV") steel". This is typically harder than European knives but softer than VG-10, right around 58-59 HRC. #s 5, 6, 7, and 8 are made with VG-10 steel, typically around 60-61 HRC. The Molybdenum knives will be easier to sharpen because the steel is softer, but they won't retain that sharp edge as long as VG-10. VG-10 is more difficult to sharpen, but at least in my experience it's still not that difficult. VG-10 is also more prone to micro-shipping along the very edge, because it is harder and more brittle, but with good boards and technique I don't think that's a problem and even if it happens you can take the micro-chips out with sharpening. Personally I tend to value lasting sharpness over ease of re-sharpening, so if everything else is equal I would prefer VG-10 for my main chef knife.

(1) I don't know a lot about Narihiras. Hocho Knife sells them and confirms they are made in Japan (one Amazon listing said China, though the others said Japan as well) and they appear to arrive in the same style of clear plastic packaging other definitely Japanese knives come in from my local Asian ethnic markets, so. They are notably cheaper -- 210 gyutos for $44. They might be a great value and allow you to get a matching petty for your $80, or they might be awful. At least Amazon has easy returns.

(2) The Mac Chef series is known for the cheaper non-bolster handles and for the blade being especially thin, to the point of having more flex than a lot of people desire. I had one and found it just a little too flexy for me. Also the stainless MV steel in that line will pick up just a tiny bit of slight discoloration with certain foods, I learned. Not super popular because of how thin they are, but if you want super thin, the way to go.

(3) The Misono Molybdenum series are Misono's cheapest line (Misono makes the king of western-style stainless gyutos for pro chef use, the UX10, about $200), but the fit and finish and grinds are still excellent.

(4) Fujiwara FKMs are really well-liked. Very similar in pretty much all external dimensions to the Misono. The FKM handles might be just a tad (1-4mm?) narrower. Sometimes in the past these were reported to have a knife here or there with less than perfect fit and finish, but that appears rare.

Among the MV steel knives, if price is factor #1 I'd start by trying some Narihiras from Amazon given the ease of returns. If you want a knife as thin and light as possible, the Mac. If you want a tried and true maker in a traditional style, if 210 is long enough I'd lean toward the Misono. If you'd rather have 240mm, the Fujiwara.

(5) Tojiros are the classic VG-10 starter knife. They're just very good all-around. Some people find the handles a tad wide, but... it's hard to know what to make of that not having your hands and not being able to hold one. It's not *way* wide, it's still in the normal handle range I find.

(6) The Yahiko is a CKTG exclusive line and the site owner strongly suggests that they're rebranded Tojiro DPs but that stay at $59.99 at his website. There's a whole load of internet drama over that vendor and while I don't like censoring reviews I also have only had very positive experiences buying form there so I think it's all stupid internet drama and I don't care. Seems to be a very solid knife "identical in every way" to a DP.

(7) Personally, if I had to give a gift of an $80 gyuto to someone, or if a single $80 gyuto was going to be my lone knife pride-and-joy for a while, I would buy a Yaxell Mon. The design is less traditional but more special looking, and I have another Yaxell VG-10 gyuto, and all the other knives I've had that were as sharp out-of-the-box as the Yaxell were $200+. Fit and Finish was second only to the Misono MVs, which had a slightly more rounded spine for me. The handle is also a different shape in that it is a bit thinner but taller, and it is a material that is a bit more grippy than the others.

(8) Some people will balk at recommending something as corporate as a Shun, but it merits mention. I had one for a while. It was truly very sharp. It also has a different profile than anything else here, and different from anything else in Shun's catalog -- there is a bigger flat section before transitioning up to a very short and agile tip. I actually really liked this profile in use. The VG-10 is braze welded onto the edge rather than being a thin layer all through the in the middle as it is on the other knives. Theoretically maybe that means after enough use and sharpening that might be an issue, but honestly I think that would take 100 years of use. The big downside is the handle. The handle is grippy but irritatingly cheap feeling. It feels like hollow plastic. But it does work as a handle. And Shun will re-sharpen your knives for free for life if you send them out to Shun by mail, so that might be a plus.

Among the VG-10 knives, if I wanted the classic handle look, I'd buy a Tojiro or Yahiko (probably a Yahiko and save a few dollars). If I wanted to be impressed when I open the box and feel like I had a unique real Japanese knife or I wanted the ultimate in (initial) sharpness, I would get the Yaxell. If I really wanted a big really flat flat spot (for an 8" gyuto), I would get the Shun. That profile is unique...

This one: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display/dp/B000WJMTNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373566948&sr=8-1&keywords=oxo+kitchen+scale

Accurate as hell, 11 pound capacity, nice and thin, uses "real batteries," back lit display, doesn't auto power cycle for a good long time and the pull out display seems like a gimmick but you realize it's not at the same time you realize that you're glad that it can do 11 pounds. I love mine.

The Kalita Wave Pot is gorgeous and the comments say people use it on gas, electric, and induction stoves. It's just $1 over your budget.

The Hario V60 Buono Kettle is another option as well, slightly less expensive at $38.

Lastly, I know it's out of your price range and you don't need electric but wanted to mention it anyways. The Bonavita Variable Temp Kettle is pretty much the standard just in case you're interested!

The kettle is indeed necessary. It's only $40 though.

I have 2 Lodge 5q "combo cookers" I make all of my bread in. I prefer a combo cooker because I put my bread on the preheated skillet side and put the pot on top as the lid, this way you don't have to reach down the sides or flip a hot loaf out of hot Dutch oven.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DD3-Double-Dutch-5-Quart/dp/B000LEXR0K

Thats the fun part :)

currently I'm looking into getting a dutch oven / skillet combo to reduce the types of pots/pans.. like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=psdc_289818_t1_B01C4MPTWK

Dutch ovens are the bomb.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DD3-Double-Dutch-5-Quart/dp/B000LEXR0K

This one has a lid that's also a skillet. It's pretty cheap too and will last long after you're dead.

I keep recommending this one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LEXR0K

I have a different 5 qt Lodge that is a good size for the loaf you're looking to bake. I like this one more because you can bake the loaf in the lid.

The following is link to a old school crock pot called a dutch oven.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DD3-Casserole-Skillet-5-Quart/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1373772660&sr=8-4&keywords=dutch+oven+ceramic

The Lodge Double Dutch may be what you're looking for. The lid flips over and can be used as a skillet/frying pan, although it doesn't have a long handle.

Also, look into using your slow cooker as a rice cooker (google for instructions). If you're cool with the results, you can drop the rice cooker and get that wok.

I'm still learning but I do have some comments for you. Regarding the salt + 50g water - keep that step as is. You need that extra bit of water to get the salt to dissolve and mix into the dough.

One thing I've done to help with shaping (my nemesis) is reduce the water content. You won't get exactly the same crust and crumb, but no one will know and it still tastes fucking amazing. Try 50g less and see how that goes. I also use a LOT more flour than recommended with shaping. I kept losing surface tension from the dough sticking to my hand or bench scraper and it would have a massive impact on how my bread turned out l. Sad and deflated bread from that. I also watched a ton of videos on shaping and tried a bunch of different techniques until I found what worked for me.

I do my bulk fermentation on the counter, shape, put into bannetons and then fridge overnight. I don't think that part makes much of a difference.

Last tip: transferring the dough to the hot as hell Dutch oven. Get a Dutch oven that has a lid that doubles for a pan like this one. Then you can bake in the smaller side and don't have to put your hands near the tall sides. I also flip my dough out of the bannetons onto a parchment lined pizza peel. I slash it there and then drag it from the peel to the Dutch oven using the parchment. Lid (the big side) then goes on and you're good! Preheat the lid next to the bottom too so you don't have to lift if off, add bread, and then put it on. Saves one very hot step from the process.

Ok. One last last last thing. Slashing. I sucked at this for a long time. Asked on here and someone told me speed is key and they were absolutely right. Watch a few videos of professionals and you'll see they make the slashes very fast and don't meet a lot of resistance or drag from the dough.

G'luck!

Soooo jealous right now.

I've been trying to do that same thing with this.

Best bang for buck is usually considered to be the Victorinox chef's knife.

Best bang for buck when it comes to Japanese knives is usually considered to be the Tojiro DP line. Much cheaper than Shun and just as good.

This would be my first choice, link is for the the 9.5", the 8 is 20cad more for some reason:
https://www.toshoknifearts.com/collections/gyuto/products/kanefusa-fujiwara-nihonko-br-240mm-gyuto

House of Knives is having a sale on the Global 8" chef, this would be my last choice:
https://houseofknives.ca/global-gf-8-chefs-knife-gf-33/

There is also the Tojiro DP on Amazon, solid budget performance, widely recommended:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000UAPQGS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511671118&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tojiro+dp

If you wanted to save money, there are the Mercer knives on Amazon, not amazing, but I would still choose it over the Global: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B001B1AG7Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511671828&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mercer+culinary&psc=1

Get a tojiro dp gyuto https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000UAPQGS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1509878616&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tojiro+dp&dpPl=1&dpID=2108CSnwQ7L&ref=plSrch

It's A LOT better than the knives you're considering and cheaper too.

The steel in the victorinox is definitely softer. Here's my current suggestions for people thinking about buying cheaper knives.

(Copy and pasted from something I've posted before, but with some updates)


TL;DR: In the category of budget knives. For longer lasting edges, Tojiro DP Santoku or Gyuto for $43 and $52 (now $62) respectively, or the Augymer for $30. For easier maintenance, Kai 6720C or Henckels Forged Synergy for $32 and $35, respectively.



As a caveat, budget knives of all sorts are not going to have the fit and finish of higher priced knives. For Knives that are easy to obtain lump you into two categories that have pros and cons, German hardness and Japanese hardness. Which is mainly a trade off between sharpness/edge holding vs durability/ease of maintenance. Although you can sharpen really soft metals to be stupid sharp and a really acute angle, it will not last long at all. But when the edge gets rolled over from a cutting session, it can be easily honed back into place. Harder knives can still be honed back into place, but techniques and tools are slightly different--I would never touch my harder knives with a grooved steel.

German hardness is usually around 56-58 hrc. Hard enough to hold an edge for a bit, but soft enough to not chip and easily steel/hone back into place.

The Victorinox Fibrox at about 55 hrc used to be suggested all the time when it was $20 and even when it was about $35. But now that it is $40-45, that's just too much for what is a very cheap knife.

A couple knives still in this range, which are better quality than the fibrox anyway are:

Kai 6720C Wasabi Black Chef's Knife, 8-Inch at 57-58 hrc for $32

https://www.amazon.com/Kai-6720C-Wasabi-Black-8-Inch/dp/B000YL4NY4


So this one is actually made with Japanese steel by the same company that makes Shun. But, because it's hardened to only 57-58 hrc, I'm lumping it in with the german steel category.

and The Henckels International Forged Synergy 8-inch Chef's Knife at about 57-58 hrc for $32

http://www.amazon.com/HENCKELS-INTERNATIONAL-Forged-Synergy-8-inch/dp/B000FMVS4A

Henckels International (not regular Henckels) used to be really bad because they made their knives to 53-55 hrc, which is way too soft to hold an edge to get through a cooking session without nearly constant honing. I've heard their international classics are still being made w/ the crappy steel.


So your choice between these two are having that big bolster (which I'm not a fan of) and general aesthetic.

Japanese hardness is usually at least 59 hrc, with a good chunk in the 60-62 range. This means potentially better, longer lasting cutting performance between honing/sharpening. The tradeoff is that it becomes more difficult to get to this stage without specialty tools or sending it to a professional sharpener. At this point I personally don't even consider knives under 59 hrc, unless it's something that really takes a beating.

For the cheapest price point, while still having quality. I would really only recommend the Tojiro DP at 60-61 hrc. It used to be about double the prices, but the grinds also used to be more even. Either way, it's still a great buy.

The chef/gyuto is $52 (now $62 hopefully it'll come back down soon)

http://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS/

And the Santoku is $43

http://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Santoku-6-7-17cm/dp/B000UAPQEA/

So the main difference here is whatever knife shape you prefer (and the price). I've gotten some cheaper harder steel knives, but I've had to do way too much touching up to be recommended.

There's also the Augymer 8" "Damascus" for $30 allegedly hardened to 62 hrc:

https://www.amazon.com/Augymer-Japanese-Professional-Stainless-Sharp-Damascus/dp/B01H6KWUWC/

I'd be really afraid of fit and finish problems, and generally lower tolerances throughout the process of making this knife. You can even see the uneven grind on the Amazon page. I'd also assume that the hardness is a tad lower than specified (maybe 60 hrc), but it should still be a pretty good knife if you want to pinch your pennies. This could be a great knife with some TLC, especially if you send it to someone who knows what they're doing.

Lots of buzz words and nonsense on that website.

For an 8" chef in VG-10 check out this tojiro DP gyuto. I personally owned one for awhile and its a good knife with great build quality for the price.

For a higher price point knife, check out this TS madam. The manufacturing is identical as the Mighty Mac at a fraction of its $160 price.

I have bought two knifes from that ebay seller including this one and have not been disappointed.

This. For sharpening stones, buy a 1k and 6k stone, brand isn't a super big factor. King is apparently pretty good, but I use nawima or something. Edit: These stones.

link for the lazy

Victorinox makes a rosewood handled version. Mercer also makes some decent looking forged knives in your price range.

https://smile.amazon.com/Victorinox-Inch-Rosewood-Chefs-Knife/dp/B0019WZEUE/

https://smile.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-8-Inch-Bolster/dp/B00DT1XFSQ/

Nicer knife than the other 2, but you'd have to throw in $8 on top of your giftcard.
https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS

Hey, sorry to hear about your house getting broken into. That's a really tough deal and I wish you the best in bouncing back.


On rebuilding your roll, I have a few suggestions. I know I'm in the minority here, but I think carbon steel is less essential to have in a knife roll than stainless. Carbon steel knives are sharp as hell so you don't need to sharpen them as frequently, but even though I sharpen my knives every two days or so, it doesn't actually make a big difference to me if I only have to sharpen every third/fourth day... but again, that's just how I feel. Carbon steel knives also sometimes leave residue on food, so it's essential to have a stainless for some projects anyways. For rebuilding a budget roll, it's important to first have a few (3-4) beater knives for service. This is because you want to have knives that you can use for things like food allergies without having to drop everything to wash off a knife, which can put you in the weeds if you get a lot of allergy/aversion tickets coming in at once. I keep a set of these in my bag as well as a Mercer beater knife, although I like Fibrox as well. My main prep knife is a Tojiro 210 DP Gyutou. It's great for doing fine veg prep like brunoise and I even use it to portion raw fish (but I would definitely get a deboning knife if you're going to be breaking down fish). I definitely understand having one or two knives that you can be proud to keep in your roll, but at the end of the day, it's probably better to prioritize having the cheap essentials in your bag first.

​

If you've read this and your mind is still set on getting one of the gyutous you posted, I would recommend getting something with a little bit of a curve to it. Japanese steel tends to have a straight edge and some hybrids will be straighter than others. This is useful for motions where you're sliding the tip around the board, but having a curve is important for things like cutting chives where you want some rock to it (like the kanetsune you posted).

​

As far as sharpening goes, having a gyutou and a fibrox will teach you the difference in how you want to move the blade across the stone for different blade shapes, which I think is a pretty essential sharpening skill to have. I personally own two double sided stones, but since I sharpen my knives with some frequency, I only ever use the 3000/8000 grit.

​

Make sure you consider all the other things you need in your roll! Get a steel, a few peelers, like 6-8 spoons, tweezers, cake testers, maybe even a mandolin.... it can add up, but all these are essential to have before you buy that awesome aogami. I'm pretty confident you can have an awesome and versatile knife roll and stay under your budget so that you can focus on rebuilding and replacing all the other things that were taken. Best of luck to you!

this.

tojiro dp chef's knife. straight up best knife for the price. western handle. best of both worlds. so durable and not SO nice that you'll be afraid to use it.

https://www.amazon.com/Tojiro-DP-Gyutou-8-2-21cm/dp/B000UAPQGS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520118522&sr=8-4&keywords=tojiro+gyuto+knife

for some reason they're out of stock on ChefKnivesToGo and more expensive than usual on Amazon....i don't know why

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/todpchkn18.html

Unexpectedly received a new knife, a Tojiro Gyuto. I had put it on my amazon wishlist months ago as a "well when my current knife breaks or something" thought, forgot that my family has access to that list. So that was a nice surprise! It cuts beautifully and I think I'll be very happy with it.

You're not far from Kyoto, might be worth an hour detour the next time you're in the city. The wiki has a list of well known shops.

You actually have access to the no-frills cheap professional knives in the Japanese domestic market if you're willing to put in ~10000 yen for a high quality blade.

If that sounds like too much trouble, this is never a bad choice.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I may go with this knife as it's got some pretty great reviews and a decent price.

The reviewmeta on this is all right, they may have spread these out as freebies in a promotional push, but the legit reviews still are very positive. In comparison, Tojiro has no issues with reviews what so ever.

Also this brand is made in China, which is not a negative in and of itself.

I love my OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display, 11-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WJMTNA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5-CCCb3QYSF7V

This is one amazing. I’m weird and have tried 5 different food scales and this one is by far my favorite.
It’s $50 but it can hold up to 11 lbs which is wonderful because you can put huge pots on it and just add whatever by zeroing it out. I’ve weighed a weeks worth of food up to 4000 grams at once before (not including the pot). All the other ones I’ve tried max out at 5 lbs which really doesn’t hold much, if you’re trying to zero a heavy pot and food.

You can also pull the screen out so you can read the the display under large plates. The scale part is also detachable so you can wash it easily. Runs on batteries. I’ve been using this one every day since January and haven’t needed to change them yet.

I highly highly recommend it.

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display, 11-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WJMTNA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1Wj7CbVGK0XZZ

Mine makes me angry when trying to weigh something in a big bowl or plate because it covers the display so my rec would be one with a removable display like this: https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display-11-Pound/dp/B000WJMTNA

Food scale? I have this one: https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display-11-Pound/dp/B000WJMTNA

Bathroom scale I just have a Walmart one

I've got the OXO

It's pricy, but goddamn I love it. I use it more than any other kitchen gadget, and we cook a lot.

Buy nice, or buy twice.

I use this OXO and it is perfect because it has a metric conversion. They do make one for $30. And I use MFP as well and save the ingredients I use most often.

I really like the OXO scale:
http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Stainless-Pull-Out-Display/dp/B000WJMTNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377795918&sr=8-1&keywords=oxo+kitchen+scale

The 5 lb capacity one is cheaper if you like that better. The scale is very easy to clean and you want the 1 g resolution for baking.

If you want a really great scale this one would be hard to beat. Not the cheapest, but it has a lot of great features: backlight, pull out display panel so you can read the weight when there are large bowls on there, weighs up to 5K/11Lbs. Make sure you don't get the all black one that looks like the stainless one. It doesn't have all the features and can only do half the weight.

Those are kick ass, really love the beautiful & unique Russian one!
I just found my favorite infuser, works awesome.

Will vouch for this infuser. I have this one, and it helped a lot with my grit issue. I used to use a mesh ball infuser and it left ten times more grit in my tea than the infuser I'm using now.

I bought one of these the other day. The lid doubles as a place to set the infuser. I love it.

I use one of these and really like it a lot. The lid doubles as a saucer for the basket.

I'd try brewing it in an open basket like this one.

http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1412355993&sr=8-6&keywords=tea+basket

this is the basket my friend uses.

Personally I like to use a french press.

If you want easy, you can buy a mug strainer or empty tea bags to pack yourself:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JPA3Y8

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIRDSCC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J3JFJU

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HW1C7VK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00027CM5C

I think to best answer this request, we'll need a bit more info. Are you ok with a manual grinder, or do you prefer an electric grinder? Do you want a drip brewer or a pour over set up? Are you looking to get into espresso? And, what is your actual budget in your local currency?

And now for a guess at what might work for you...

A [Melitta Plastic Pour Over Dripper](https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527536804&sr=8-1&keywords=mellita) $5 to $6 (a lot of grocery stores carry these in stock)

A box of #2 Cone filters at your local grocery store $2

If you want an automatic drip brewer, and you are making smaller amounts for just you, the [Bonavita 5 cup](https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1500TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537674&sr=8-4&keywords=bonavita+brewer) is wroth a look. it runs about $66. I have the 8 cup for the wife and I and we love it.

Filters can be purchased, again, at your local grocery store for about $2.

[Brewista SmartPour Kettle w. Thermometer](https://www.amazon.com/Brewista-Variable-Temperature-Kettle-BKV12S02NA/dp/B01CFBBUVY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537033&sr=8-1&keywords=brewista%2Bsmart%2Bpour&th=1) $40. There are cheaper ones, but I personally have this one and have loved it.

[Scale](https://www.amazon.com/Jennings-CJ-4000-Compact-Digital-Adapter/dp/B004C3CAB8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537139&sr=8-1&keywords=Jennings+CJ4000) This is a must. $30

[Bratza Encore](https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1527537371&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=baratza+encore&psc=1&smid=A302OQK4GZWXCC) Grinder is the default recommendation around here, and for good reason. It's high quality, and easily serviceable. New they run $139, but you can save $40 and pick up a [refurb](https://www.baratza.com/product/encore-refurb/) (still with the 1 year warrantee) for $99 direct from Baratza.

If you want a cheaper option, and don't mind a manual hand grinder, there are a few options, but the [Hario Skerton Pro](https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Grinder-MMCS-2B/dp/B01MXJI90S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537536&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+skerton+pro) is about the lowest cost / still decent quality grinders, grinder that most would recommend. It runs about $60, and personally, I'd spend the extra $30 on an Encore refurb.

Happy Mug Beans are a pretty great option. I really enjoy the Big Foot Espresso blend (despite it's name) as a pour over, and even like it in my drip brewer. The Inspirational Artist Blend is a great option too. But really just try them out and see what you like. Their bags (for 1lbs of whole beans) run $11 - $13

Hope that helps.

Yep, that's why I called it the really expensive way. It's really one of those excess items, priced WAY beyond its actual value.

There are some pretty good moulds ^(not an affiliate link) out there, though, but it takes a little practice to make perfect spheres with them, since you need to leave a little gap at the top for the ice to expand.

Or, if you want to do it for $10, https://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54

Ha ha. Fair. These are pretty money, if you're looking for something different.

Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds - Set of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ACTN54/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_8QxjxbH7W35D9

These sphere ones keep showing up on Amazon's Lightning Deals for $7 or so. I bought a pair and think they're pretty neat, of course my ice is never as clear as I want it...but that's not the mold's fault.

Amazon has a set of 2 2.5" ice sphere molds for $10.99. How is this kickstarter necessary?

Here are the ones I use.

These things are fantastic. Get you some.

Yeah, that sounds like a bad ass Old Fashioned. There are a dozen legit ways to make this drink and have it still be considered an Old Fashioned. This one happens to be my favorite, but there's nothing wrong with more bitters or another twist or building it in the glass with smaller ice cubes. It's all about how you like it.

As far as the ice goes, I got a couple molds from a Japanese market. They are pretty good, but a friend of mine has a better one from Tovolo. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54

I'm glad you like the videos. I'm not sure what's going to be next. I've got a lot in the queue, some really classic cocktails the way likes them with specific brands being mentioned, some invented/interpreted drinks, some drinks that other characters enjoyed. All kinds of things. Was there anything in particular you'd want to see?

Came here to say that.

They're sold on Amazon; 2 of em for $10.03. Plus free shipping if you have Prime.

I borrowed a dehydrator from a friend and it had an on/off switch and that was it. I had no idea how warm the thing got or anything. I tried dehydrating a few different things with it but the results always varied and sometimes cooked/burned more than dehydrated. So I would definitely recommend one with adjustable temperatures.

One temp definitely doesn't fit all purposes. I ended up getting a Nesco off Amazon. I got this one. It's a little pricy than a thrifted one but I haven't regretted it and have made perfectly dehydrated mushrooms, fruit leather, and herbs. I still want to try an onion (outdoors!) and jerky.

Not to mention higher in fat and carbs than meats.

I bought a food dehydrator and now I make my own jerky. It's delicious, nowhere near as much salt as store-bought, and stupid cheap.

Just to add, you can get a really good dehydrator for about $65 that will do virtually anything you want. I've done jerky, fruit leathers, veggies, etc but you can also dehydrate cooked meals with great success. It's crazy how easy it is, you literally pat stuff dry, cut it into small/thin pieces, and plug it in. It's really that easy.

I just posted this comment elsewhere, I have had a good experience with this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-Snackmaster-Food-Dehydrator-FD-75A/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418357260&sr=8-1&keywords=nesco+snackmaster
It can be used to many so many different cool snacks, and the best part is that YOU made them!
it works very well for making beef jerky. It dries evenly.
If anyone is interested, heres a quick list of useful things:

1.) The beef jerky you make should cost about 35% of store bought beef jerky.

2.) Use large freezer bags to marinade the beef jerky.

3.) Try to time your day out when you make jerky, put the jerky in marinade overnight and then right when you get home put it into the dehydrator, that way you can stay up a little bit late if it takes too long, or take it out when it's ready so it doesn't overdehydrate and get brittle. You don't want to be away from home with it running in the dehydrator, because sometimes it will go quicker and then it may get overdried. It seems like it would take a LOT for that to happen though, a few hours past the correct time.

4.) Make sure to cut the meat across the grain, it will be super tough if you cut it with the grain. My best results are having the meat cut at 1/2 inch thick, across the grain, with "eye round roast" beef.

5.) Make sure to clean the dehydrator well when you are done. Be careful that you don't deform or melt the plastic trays in the dishwasher.

6.) Follow this recipe for jerky, it worked great for me http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Docs-Best-Beef-Jerky/

Make your own!! Here's a recipe. Just take the honey out of his marinade recipe. I use a marinade of soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, fresh ground pepper, and curing salt, and I also got a dehydrator to make it easier. I only marinated the meat for 2 hours, and it came out great!

Not at all. Just use the fruit roll sheets instead of the standard tray so there's no drip, or you can use parchment paper on the standard tray. Periodically just break apart the chili and flip it and voila, no mess. This is the dehydrator I use. I think it's a great starter kit for people who want to try dehydrating but don't want to invest in an Excalibur.

Sous Vide - $100

Basically, it's a precisely controlled water-oven, where it keeps water at a very precise temperature. Your food goes in a vacuum sealed bag (or use water-displacement method). You can make some amazing rare steaks, or make cheap cuts of beef turn out tender and juicy with a long-term cook (24-72 hours).

It's also good for cooking a variety of other things, where precision temperatures, and ensuring something is fully and evenly cooked are important.

I have zero complaints about the above Sous Vide linked. If you want something a little pricier, the Joule ($200) is a very nice one.

Vacuum Sealer $70

Vacuum Sealer Bag Rolls $18

This vacuum sealer is okay, no real complaints. Seems like there are probably better ones, but probably not at this price point.

A grill works great for finishing meats after sous-vide them (they're fully cooked at that point), but some people use a food-torch, like this one to finish after sous-vide.

A meat thermometer is also very important/useful for ensuring you don't overcook meats. Always use a digital thermometer, not a mechanical one, and preferably one with good ratings.

Digital Thermometer ~$10

An electric smoker is another good option if you're into that.

Not OP, but:

torch

tank (can be had much cheaper at any home supply or hardware store)

Searzall

usually dry it off, moisten it with EVOO and blast it with the Searzall.

I use the Searzall propane attachment when I want to reduce charring. It's not that cheap, but it's easy to store and transport (I used it at a friend's Thanksgiving dinner last year). The one annoyance is that it does take a bit longer that oven/pan searing. Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00L2P0KNO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497378167&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Searzall&dpPl=1&dpID=51LOGrFXs-L&ref=plSrch

Some people swear by this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00L2P0KNO/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?pc_redir=T1


But I use this. Works perfectly, and is more convenient.
https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7703789581971919845?q=heat+shrink+torch+kit&client=safari&hl=en&biw=320&bih=460&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX4Bs9jI7W5Gg6iWsXU-w08XNbu8FlSBB5ducpXHC7WScW45AciNbPxlIkc-eAs8T4V5fJQup5wCfrWk_TIDyjOJ-VPM4igbkdeRPN3UI4d7EBt0h6BIZAFPVH73oRU7lMu9VeQ2h-ZGLe3DV1fa-Kg&ei=XUy_VNbiLoufgwSNooKYDg&ved=0CHYQpiswAA

Either way, make sure to use map pro gas, it burns much hotter than propane.
http://www.ntxtools.com/network-tool-warehouse/VCT-0916-0122.html


If you use a regular focused torch head it can burn the steak and cause an off taste. These two attachments spread the heat out better. Also only salt before the sear, season right after because the torch will burn pepper and garlic.

If you have a hard time justifying the cost remember there are a lot of uses for a push button torch in the kitchen. I use it to sear roasts, melt butter onto food, melt cheese on hamburgers, warm plates, heat spoons (so fat doesn't stick to them), solidify the tops of eggs so I can flip them easier or eat the sunny side up. Its the most used tool in my kitchen.

they are only

$200.00

https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Green-Mattress-Queen/dp/B00Q7EPSHI

I got mine off Amazon. It's memory foam so it gets shipped to you rolled up in a box. You unroll it and let it air for a day, where it gets bigger and more firm.

I had a full size in college and when I moved I got a king size. 2 years later and it's really comfortable.

Zinus Memory Foam 12 Inch Green Tea Mattress, Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_S1WgAbGPQ4VTB

Let him keep the mattress and buy a new one. I bought this a few months ago. Cheap, fast shipping and the best sleep I've ever gotten... And it's new!

My husband and I got this one for our Airbnb: https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Green-Mattress-Queen/dp/B00Q7EPSHI

We get many compliments on how comfy it is. Can't speak for lifespan, but it's been used for about 2.5 years, is still doing great, and is a reasonable price.

Zinius on Amazon. Best mattress I’ve ever had and it cost $275 for a Queen.

Zinus Memory Foam 12 Inch Green Tea Mattress, Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pBy1CbVSDTB6Z

• Lawnmower for $400 and better than needs to be
  
  
• $200 mattress
  
  Taking out a loan at the same time that you bought a house isn't the best idea. Things are going to pop up later and if you need emergency cash to fix them later then get the loan then. Don't frontload the debt

I bought this:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Waiting for delivery, but I've read good things about it and at that price, I can't find anything queen size that cheap. Delivery is free, it's compressed into a box.

Definitely not judging you for buying used shit, but have you seen this?

Best mattress I've owned for just $250.

Well I bought [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) around 1 and a half years ago. I love it. It's not the most expensive mattress in the world but I really like it. My ex gf always raved about it. I have it on 2 box springs side by side on a metal frame.

You take it out of the package and give it time to expand and within 10 minutes you will be like 'wow' and within 3 hours you will be like 'how the hell did that come out of that box?'.

I used Amazon and bought a 12" thick memory foam mattress. I paid $289 for the Queen size 18 months ago. They vacuum compress it for shipping so it's not terribly unwieldy to carry into the house.

You should get a basket infuser like one of these:

1

2

These are large enough to let the leaves open up so you can the whole flavor. There are other options such as a gravity steeper or infuser thermoses, but these are a good place to start :)

I have this

This is it with a glass mug

I am currently using this tea infuser It fits most cups/mugs, and pretty much keeps all tea leave residue out of your tea. Only tea dust particles or VERY fine teas, such as Gyokuro will have anything getting through. You can also buy the infuser with different tea pots it fits in.

http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368540939&sr=8-1&keywords=tea+infuser
That's a really great infuser. It was recommended to me here and I love it

This works well for me, although you might be able to find something comparable for less money.

lived on the first floor of a UWP court during fall and spring term. highly recommend bringing a fan or two, especially a (reversible) window fan. had a small honeywell fan to circulate air around and a reversible window fan that fits in your sliding window.

i used my window fan to exhaust the air out in the morning or when it got hot. at night past 12:00 AM, the temperature would dip to below 20 degrees so i would use my window fan to blow air in to cool my room down by a huge factor. my room went from a sauna to a standard room with AC in 20 minutes. a window fan is very useful for a decent amount of temperature control in your room. very helpful for sleeping at night.

general ways of beating the heat would be to only go to your room to cook, shower, drop stuff off, or sleep. go to a place with AC (like grand commons or CMH) to study or do whatever instead. close all of your blinds and keep the lights off to keep your room as cool as possible. sleeping without a blanket became a necessity during the first couple weeks of september and all of july and august.

TL;DR - buy a reversible window fan

edit: formatting

My advice as well. Doesn't even have to be a big fucking one, though. This is a good fly-b-gone with some really decent power, and the base allows for various mounting options.

I'll just give you my generalize copy/pasta I usually hand out in situations like these so if you wanna read it when you got a chance, then you have it! Also has tips and purchase links for Amazon as well for different axolotl stuffs.


HOW TO CYCLE:

1. Set up tank with clean conditioned water. 2. Add recommended amount of beneficial bacteria per label
   
   
2. Add "waste" to the tank, so a little bit of say fish flakes ( they're cheap and you need a waste source since you DO NOT put a fish or axolotl in a uncycled tank. The flakes are gonna break down into ammonia. The goal with cycling is to get benefical bacteria to build up so they can change (eat) the waste & breaks down the ammonia into nitrite then finally break it down further into nitrate. All these chemicals can hurt axolotl.
   
   
3. Test tank a couple days later with a testing kit ( avoid strips, they will lie to you and give false results) if there is ANY ammonia or nitrite present, you arent cycled. If there is no nitrate present either, you arent cycled.
   
   
4. If you find ammonia or nitrite, take 50% of the water out and add clean treated water. Add more seachem stability ( benefical bacteria) ( add these each time you change water. Even if it's cycled)
   
   
5. Add a pinch more flakes & Continue to do this until your tank is cycled. Meaning you have no ammonia, no nitrite and a presence of 40ppm or less of nitrate.
   
   
   
   Warnings:
   1.If your tank isn't cycled, you are going to chemical burn them with ammonia in the water. And they will suffer. Nitrate ( the final of the chemical process) can also burn the fish/axolotl. This is why we keep this number under 40ppm. If it is higher than 40ppm, change the water 75%.
   
   
6. This beneficial bacteria lives in the filter. If you change your filter, you just ruined your cycle. Don't do this. If it gets nasty/clogged & you have to replace the cartirage, leave the old cartirage in with the new one for a few days so the beneficial bacteria can inhabit the new filter. If you can avoid replacing that, just rinse/gently squeeze out the filter in old tank water when you do clean the tank to keep from murdering the bacteria
   
7. Letting the filter dry out will also kill a cycle.
   
8. 
   
   *NOTE: Most bottles of beneficial bacteria say they cycle a tank in a day. Cycling can take up to a month in some cases but usually just two weeks if you keep on it. This requires constantly monitoring, testing and replacing most of the water in the tank when you get high ammonia/nitrite levels. You need ammonia/nitrite to be 0 and nitrate to be more than 0. Definitely less <40. If all your levels are higher than this, or if nitrate remains 0, your tank isn't cycled.***
   
   
   Summery;
   So basically, cycling builds beneficial bacteria which makes these waste breakdown chemicals go through a cycle of breaking down into a less dangerous form which keeps fish/axolotl from getting sick/dying. ... Most new fish people don't do this. And fish store employees try & tell them just adding something like seachem stability fixes this. It doesn't. An uncycled tank is basically new tank syndrome and it kills animals.
   
   You still are going to need to keep an eye on chemical levels after the cycle..Occasionally different things can cause the cycle to "crash", like changing the filters or a high tempeture, or the filters becoming dry..
   
   Once your tank is cycled, and you have an axolotl, honestly it's not that much work. The cycles the worst part. I feed my adult axolotls once every other day, I change 75% of their water twice a month, and add water to top it off / spot clean occasionally two-three other times a month due to the water I lose due to evaporation.
   
   
   Stuff you'll need:
   
9. Air stone+ airline+ air pump ( cheap ones are at Walmart.
   
10. Seachem stability ( beneficial bacteria)
    
11. Seachem prime ( it's a water conditioner I just prefer seachem)
    
12. A tank, 10 gallon minimum for 1 axolotl. But the bigger the better.
    
13. A filter
    
14. Hides for the axolotl
    
15. A syphon / water vacuum ( to suck out the poo/change water easy. I have a long food grade plastic hose I got from Ace hardware. I syphon and let it drain into the yard
    
16. A bucket
    
17. A Tupperware
    
18. A fan. Literally any fan you can put on top the tank and point at it will work. I have a table fan sitting on top my tank and blowing at the water to help keep it cool. A chiller is best, but they are expensive.
    
19. A tank thermometer ( don't get the thermometer strips, they lie
    
20. A master fresh water test kit.
    
21. Worms or repashy or pellets
    
    
    
    Links:
    
22. Test kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000255NCI/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784772&sr=8-2&keywords=master+freshwater+test+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=51FQhbpfB0L&ref=plSrch
    
    
    
23. Fan suggestion
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001R1RXUG?aaxitk=NqgMhM9.r7.gAHICKezCoA&pd_rd_i=B001R1RXUG&pf_rd_p=0ef604ef-c787-43e9-9404-52a4ff25a95c&hsa_cr_id=8386596470601&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F71pMktGGyRL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B001R1RXUG
    
    
24. Tank thermometer
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AQITK/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784880&sr=8-5&keywords=tank+thermometer
    
    4.
    Air pump + line + stone.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073DWVX5P/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784937&sr=8-11&keywords=air+pump+for+aquarium&dpPl=1&dpID=41%2BcSpzfDgL&ref=plSrch
    
    
25. Filter ( basic the tank you have probably already has one)
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000260FUM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785038&sr=8-2&keywords=hob+filter&dpPl=1&dpID=41Rr1kpTVOL&ref=plSrch
    
    
26. Shower poof ( hang these so they slow the flow of water coming out of filter. Axolotls don't like a lot of heavy water flow. Get these at the dollar store and rinse them before going in tank. You don't have to get these online. I'm just showing you)
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01F88BMC8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785094&sr=8-3&keywords=shower+pouf
    
    
27. Seachem stuff
    Prime; https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00025694O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785181&sr=8-1&keywords=seachem+prime&dpPl=1&dpID=41Q0rRc8NML&ref=plSrch
    
    Stablity:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002APIIW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785210&sr=8-1&keywords=seachem+stability
    
    
28. Food
    Pellets:
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0787T25J1/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785278&sr=8-1&keywords=axolotl+pellets
    
    Repashy:
    https://www.chewy.com/repashy-superfoods-meat-pie-gel/dp/166289?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Repashy%20Superfoods&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkfriBRD1ARIsAASKsQLQAXpk3WwGiCwRMr6OQmbfUXPIZutYnADrujltXxW1PPSVgYpPduEaAmAaEALw_wcB
    
    Ice cube trays for repashy( frozen is better. It's a jello. It will really trash your tank. So frozen is better):
    
    https://www.amazon.com/niceCube-Mini-Ice-Cube-Trays/dp/B01L7ZFBXW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785496&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=mini+ice+cube+tray&psc=1
    
    
    
29. Hides. Here's a good example..I soemthing similar. Just go to the reptile section at your pet store. Get one that's not rough but smooth. Plastics a good option. Just rinse it well before you put it in tank
    https://www.arcatapet.com/m/item.cfm?cat=22600&source=GA-PLA00522600&fullsite=0
    
    
30. Water vacuum. This is what I have + I have a big long hose for big water changes. I use this to spot clean poo and "vacuum' it into a 10 gallon bucket
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011DDJZ9Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785739&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+vacuum
    
    Feeding tongs: They're actually tweezers for planting a planted fish tank. These can grip worms very well.. The Amazon ones that are silver suck and will make your life hell. Don't waste your money on ones on amazon unless you can find these on Amazon.
    
    https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/fish/feeding-accessories/fluval-straight-forceps

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=fan&qid=1559326947&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Pm me ill wire you $12.99 lol

Cooling lappads, desk fans, temp checking regularly, compressed air to clean out from the side vents. Just fundamental maintenance.

Laptop cooling pad:
http://www.google.com/shopping/product/15669361734085630948?lsf=seller:10048,store:14989320933328089961&prds=oid:18022694577131878688&hl=en&ei=Bw6mVNDAJ5a5ogSKuoKIBQ&kpid=985884&gclid=Cj0KEQiA_ZOlBRD64c7-gOzvrP0BEiQAAYBnd3iBDbqeQuvbedO8_H2GktxLL6Wh-ZkucmkNaiiW8eIaAmu38P8HAQ


Desk fans like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Fan/dp/B001R1RXUG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420168755&sr=8-1&keywords=Desk+fan

Compressed air:

http://www.amazon.com/Dust-Off-Compressed-Gas-Duster-Pack/dp/B00DZYEXPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420168789&sr=8-1&keywords=Compressed+air

It doesn't even need to be a big fan. I use one of these on the floor to push the cold air back to the room with my stove. Small and quiet and it does the job.

But like you say, it works better to move the cold air toward the stove than to move the warm air to the other rooms.

Do you use pulleys for your lights? I hang my clip fans upside-down from the extra line on those. I tried a bunch of floor fans, and have settled on [one cheap fan] (https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG/ref=sxts_k2p_hero1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2668835622&pd_rd_wg=Dv31O&pf_rd_r=FF2P9FA7YGR5PWSV5SZK&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B001R1RXUG&pd_rd_w=vLG4Z&pf_rd_i=honeywell+fan&pd_rd_r=5FVGYW8X5KHB7ZYESBD0&ie=UTF8&qid=1478645451&sr=1) in each tent, pointing up at the canopy. Whether it's a 4x4, 4x2, 3x3.

I have a portable fan I put either on my table or down on the floor. Link to item on Amazon. I get lots of compliments on it from guests and photographers.

I also bring 3 changes of clothes. One to setup in, one to perform in, and one to tear down/drive home in.

I pack a roll of paper towels, but my next gig this weekend (outdoor barn venue in Georgia) I am bringing a small towel. The paper towels get soaked instantly and sometimes leave lint on my face.

Lastly, I would recommend dressing up in vest, shirt, and tie only if the clients requested it. My go-to is dress slacks and a golf style polo (the dry thread type). I got 3 of them at Sam's for $20 each and they are sharp. I have some long sleeve button down shirts that don't show sweat much I will wear if I want to really dress up. I have yet to wear a tie.

Don't be shy about how hard you are working. Other vendors and guests understand. If they see you pushing through it and not letting up they will be more inclined to party, too!

Good luck and stay hydrated!

Nutes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006XTQGLO?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

Few packages of these to hang lights and filter:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B010DD743O?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

Extension cords
Plenty of options

Lights
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01B4GQ6MO?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

Fabric pots:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TF9E6XE?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

Air control
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01H1R0K68?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

Fans
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001R1RXUG/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Outlet timer:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XC7GTCN/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tent https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01731MNJE/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Carbon filter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CJ5D4AG/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4 inch duct
Can find anywhere

Jewelers loop (super important)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K0BGNNC?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

To dry your buds
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01GXHQIKO?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

Surge protectors and ext cords
Find anywhere

Inline fans
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01M7S46YZ?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t2

Soil probe

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017GQ9VVY/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A few other things I got locally from grow shops. Quality seeds are important. Greenpointseeds.com is always having bomb sales, ship from Colorado, and are top quality. Soil from local grow shops but can also buy from online. I went cheaper on light, but I wouldn't do that again. Get good quality lights.

Is your keg in the garage? Where do you live?

It can easily freeze if it's cold enough. I live in the Twin Cities MN. I need a heater in my kegerator in the winter (it's in my garage), or else it easily freezes solid. Does your inkbird have both a heating and a cooling circuit? IF you live in a cold area and your keezer is outside, get one of these https://smile.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHeat-Personal-Ceramic/dp/B003XDTWN2/ and plug it into the "heat" part of the inkbird....that way this wont happen again.

That's a bit crazy though - I've had a bunch of kegs freeze solid - never had one overflow though.

First get a Infrared Thermometer. Here's a pen one for $10 on amazon

Then get another heat source. I use a mini space heater like the one shown here to bump up the ambient tempurature of the the whole tank to 80 and under the heat light to 110 . I got mine at Walgreens for under $20. You might check there today because if your beardie is vomiting that is a very bad sign and waiting 2 weeks on shipping could be dangerous.

Most people use a ceramic heat bulb like this though: http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiCare-Ceramic-Infrared/dp/B0002AQCPK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420993530&sr=8-2&keywords=heat+light+ceramic

One of these guys .....
http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHeat-Personal-Ceramic/dp/B003XDTWN2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1449093240&sr=8-3&keywords=small+personal+space+heater

I have a 2'x4'x4' tent in an attic -- right by the soffit no less. I have two of these: My Heat Personal Ceramic Heater, one on each end of the tent by the air intake. Makes a huge difference and has relatively low power consumption.

I also wrap my tent in a blanket and layer some cardboard to add insulation. Regardless of the air temperature, you're going to lose a lot of heat through the tent walls, and the branches closest to the walls will suffer. A little bit of insulation can make a big difference.

>I received the northern Brewer starter kit,

I am curious which starter kit you got, the currently on sale $99 home brew starter kit?

> Propane burner to heat up the wort faster.

FYI, My electric range tops did not work at all with 5 gallon kettles, but I am curious the take of the community on this one, I personally use a induction cocker Duxtop 1800, and 5 gallon stock pot and it works pretty fast to boil, and I have been able to walk away for 30 minutes while boiling the wart without fear. I assume the gas would not be able to set and forget. I have done a few whole grains with a brew bag, and that worked really well. Did my first saach' rest whole grain, and the temperature settings on the Duxtop didn't seam to work well enough for that. I am looking to find a way to insulate the pot for the next brew, to see if that fixes this problem.

Induction countertop stoves are really cheap anymore, you might do that instead if you've got a pot that will work with it. This is the first one to come up on Amazon, and its only 50 bucks https://www.amazon.com/Duxtop-8100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B0045QEPYM/

Can't say I know much about this at all, but using the same source of energy for both purposes makes sense in the winter- not so much in the summer.

Maybe a hybrid system would work? Propane or (my preference) wood heat in the winter which you could cook on, then use an inductive heating element in the summer. Induction is fairly inexpensive nowadays for a stand-alone element and very, very efficient.

Here's the first one that pops up on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/1800-Watt-Portable-Induction-Countertop-8100MC/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1412981855&sr=8-4&keywords=inductive+heater

EDIT: Now see? Here is the difference between a pyramid of greatness and a simple gudgeon pin. A gudgeon pin has no clue how to format a hyperlink. shuffle...shuffle...

Just get an inductive cooktop.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_X96Azb5Q4FVFH

Another option is an induction cooker. These won't be quick, but they'll do better than your stove. Note that while it's less power than a typical large electric stove element (1800 watts vs ~2200 watts), it is far more efficient because it sends all the heat to the pot rather than a lot being lost to the surrounding air.

If you check this blog, in the comments he said it took 1hr and 15min to get 6 gallons to a boil starting at 85. If you used full hot tap water at 120 or so it would probably get that down under an hour. Or you could try to find a more powerful induction burner but that might get expensive.

One key note, induction cookers require a pot with some iron content. Easiest way to tell is use a magnet, if it sticks to the pot it's good to go. Aluminum is right out, but many stainless steel pots will work.

Did you mean to do [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_k2vQzbMYTNDC2 "Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Gold")?

[this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_k2vQzbMYTNDC2 "Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Gold")

> We don't even use her kitchen unless we need to boil something.

We got a countertop induction burner to test-drive before we risked a bundle on an induction range. They're efficient, they don't throw off a lot of waste heat, and they're not bad at boiling and simmering. Ikea sells a range of inexpensive induction pots and pans.
There's also electric kettles. Alton Brown regularly misuses his to great effect.

We bought this one:

Secura 8100MC 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HfKZzbBBBGTZ8

It's not as good as gas, but it's pretty good. The only thing is you need pots that are compatible...iron or stainless steel (it works with magnets and whatnot)

How about an induction burner?
https://www.amazon.com/Duxtop-8100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B0045QEPYM

This would essentially give you a stove right on the countertop.

It's been a while since I used an electric range but I think the induction heats the pan much faster. Mine cook top can heat it to a certain temperature or by power level, both seem to work well.

One minus is that doesn't like to simmer at a very low temperature. It may be me doing something wrong but I don't consider it too much of a problem. I would definitely buy another to replace it if this one broke.

This is the cooktop that I have
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0045QEPYM

Jennings CJ-4000. I've had one for a few years and it work great. Comes with an AC adapter or can just run on batteries. Has Tare (really, all scales should have that).

Here's a link, probably the most used scale in coffee. Pros: It's cheap, reliable, and has a large capacity, very solid build. Cons: Not waterproof (though I've never had trouble with it) and a larger body (compared to the Brewista).

1. Slightly coarser than right in the middle.
   
   
2. Not necessary. The comparison class of the Bistro is the Baratza Encore and the Capresso Infinity. Most people think the Encore is the best, but I doubt anyone would tell you it's so much better that you should buy one when you already have a Bistro. And if you're using a drip coffeemaker, there's not really a need to step up to the next level.
   
   
3. Use somewhere between a 1:15 and 1:17 coffee:water ratio by weight. It's hard to tell by volume, since dark-roasted coffee is much less dense than light-roasted coffee. (If you don't have a scale, and you want one, this is a good one.) Different beans will work better at different ratios, so experiment!
   
   
4. If you want to step into specialty-grade coffee at a low price, Happy Mug is high quality and well-priced. Or you can check out your Trader Joe's to see if they carry anything locally roasted. Look for a roast date (not a "Use By" date), and pick something roasted within the past 3-7 days.

You also need a scale and excitement to learn!

SCALE: This scale is somewhat of an industry standard. If you spend more, you won't get much more. If you spend less, you may regret it!

EXCITEMENT TO LEARN: You seem prepared to make great coffee! That's awesome! I think you'll soon realize that is doesn't take much insight to start making better coffee than your local starbucks or even some local third wave shops (good coffee shops). But you also need to be ready to realize when you haven't made the best cup and use it as an opportunity to improve!

This hobby is so much fun. You're going to have an absolute blast!

The Jennings CJ4000 is a great scale that is found in a lot of coffee shops. It is nicely built, sturdy and can weigh to .5 of a gram. For the cost, I think it's a good buy.

The temp controlled one is great because it can hold the temperature for up to an hour and it gives you precise temperature control (obvious) which is good for teas or using different brew methods (some aeropress recipes use 175 degree water for instance). Whist I love the variable temp I wouldn't say its needed. As for scales the one I would recommend is the Hario Drip Scale for its water resistantness and its built in timer, but the American Weigh Scale or the CJ-4000 will also work well. The Kalita Wave is also a good recommendation and is more beginner friendly than the v60. I'd still say go with the v60 though, I think it produces a better cup.

I've had great luck with my Jennings CJ4000.

http://www.amazon.com/Jennings-CJ4000-4000g-Digital-Scale/dp/B004C3CAB8

I know this will sound callous, but, you live and you learn. $120 non-stick pans just aren't worth the extra money. The nature of the beast is that, unlike a hardened metal like stainless steel, or a super thick metal, like iron, your non-stick coating will wear out. Maybe it was overheated and the non-stick surface doesn't release as well or maybe it just starts flaking off.

Whatever the case, I regard my non-stick cookware as near-disposable. As such, I wouldn't worry about buying a primo non-stick pan. America's Test Kitchen ran several pans through a gauntlet of tests and rated the Inexpensive T-Fal 12" pan as one of their favorites, so you have that veneer of scrutiny. I have a similar pan (older from TJ Maxx) and it works well for what it is. Higher end pans will likely be thicker with a layer of less heat conductive metal in order try help maintain a steady temperature. All aluminum pans will have far more hot spots and make it easier to burn food.

I always say to never buy a set. I think you pay too much for things you will not use.

I would say you only really need 4 things:
A good non-stick skillet. Tfal has a great 12in non-stick oven safe skillet for only around $35. Necessary for cooking fish and eggs.

A good dutch oven. I suggest an cast iron enamel. Tramontina makes a great 6.5 qt dutch oven that WalMart sells for only $65. Perfect for soups, frying, pasta, and even roasting.

A stainless tri-ply saute or skillet. I recommend one that if fully clad, but those usually run >$100. One with a tri ply base should work. You can fry, saute, brown, and do just about anything in one of these. This is my primary pan.

Finally, a large (4qt) stainless saucepan. This is for any sauces, some frying, potatoes, and lots of other things.

Just get this. ATK recommended it and it's all you'll need. If it ever wears out I'll buy another.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GWG0T2

Except for the whole part where anyone, who has any basic knowledge of cooking, knows you can get scratch-resistant non-stick pans (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GWG0T2?pldnSite=1&th=1). Teflon itself isn't scratch resistant.

I highly recommend this non-stick pan. It was featured in Cook's Illustrated magazine as their top pick for inexpensive non-stick pans.

My go to budget conscious suggestions are: Hario Mini Mill + Aeropress or French Press of your choice.

$32 Hario Mini Mill

$26 Aeropress

$20 French Press

not a french press, but i recently bought an aeropress. i have to say, it makes tasty coffee.

If you get the chance you need to give an aeropress a try. Very different flavor profile, and you get your fix quickly. I absolutely love mine.

Another relatively cheap alternative is the Aeropress. One reason I like it more than pour-over is that it can make espresso-strength coffee for when I don't have time to sip a full cup.

This is way under your budget but I have an Aeropress.

I find that filter coffee gets bitter because the water stays in the grounds for too long. Same with french press (though I still like it). It's also way quicker than a stovetop espresso maker, but still tasty.

I buy coffee beans from wherever I can. I like columbian, but with the aeropress you need to go for espresso (ie fine) ground stuff so you might be more limited if you're buying it pre-ground.

I end up buying lavazza espresso ground stuff. In the blue tin.

We use these and they are great.

I use a Finum brewing basket and get virtually no dust. Even with yerba mate, much of which is finely powdered, I don't get too much residue. (On the other hand, the mesh is fine enough that it gets a bit clogged when I drink a lot of mate.)

First a tea clamp is not very good, you should get an infuser like this the clamp will not let leaves properly infuse. You can use that in a teapot just make sure you use enough tea (usually one teaspoon for one cup).Also a lot of teapot come with an infuser if you don't already have a teapot.

As other people said keep exploring what you already like so more green you could try more Japanese green or some Chinese green like Longjing (Dragon Well) and more Oolong but without knowing what Oolong you tried its hard to recommend anything.

Matcha is usually not bitter at all so my guess would be that your water was too hot you should try again with colder water (around 70°c)

I would recommend getting a single cup strainer like this one. I personally don't like grandpa style as I want more control over steeping times. I would buy that strainer, throw about 1 tablespoon of leaf per 8 oz of water into it, and pour water over it, then take out the basket once you're done steeping.

This looks identical to the Finum basket which is five bucks cheaper on amazon. I highly recommend it. It's the best infuser I've tried and I make loose tea every day.

Edit: Just weighed mine. 1 oz. with the top, 0.65 oz. without.

Steeping = leaving your tea leaves in hot water so you can get the flavour (and the caffeine) out of them. Different teas do best with different temperature and times. For green tea, you want around 165°F for 1 minute, or check the instructions your tea comes with. Adjust to your liking.

You can use teabags or "loose leaf", which is when the tea leaves come as they are. Both are easy to use and loose leaf can be cheaper, especially if you know where to look or order online. If you do decide to use loose leaf, you will need some kind of basket strainer or other infuser, to hold the leaf while it steeps so that you don't get bits of tea leaf in your cup. My personal favourite is this Finum Brewing Basket.

You don't need to use a teapot. I just brew and drink my tea out of a mug. The teapot I have is only used if I'm sharing tea with someone else.

For brands, check out the User's Choice list from the wiki. I started off buying from Adagio and Upton. Nowadays, I buy from Adagio, Verdant Tea, O-Cha, and Yunnan Sourcing, but all the shops in that list are good ones. As for supermarket brands... I don't really like any of them, because I don't like flavoured tea, and those non-flavoured teas tend to have been on the shelf long enough that they're a little stale. (Also I have a huge backlog >_>)

Some green teas worth trying out:

• Chinese Dragonwell a.k.a. Longjing
  
• Chinese Jasmine Green Tea
  
• Japanese Sencha
  
• Japanese Genmaicha (this is green tea with toasted rice added, great when it's cold out)
  
  Hope this helps.

There is a whole world of gadgets you can get to make tea in! Our FAQ is really helpful here If you are just stepping into loose tea an infuser mug like this is a good place to start. They're not super expensive and they make tea just for you and if you decide you are done with tea forever you have a nice mug. This is a good one too.

Teapots come in a ton of shapes and sizes, I'd pick something that 1. Is not too big (cups of tea should be small not big imo) 2. Won't break easily 3. Is easy to clean.

Give this a read while you're at it.


EDIT: Points 2 and 3 mean stay away from glass pots if you're clumsy like me and is made of a material that won't degrade and absorb like plastic. Good old ceramics are your best bet unless you know what you are looking for in a clay pot.

I have two Finum brewing baskets: one for home, one for work.

http://www.amazon.com/Finum-63-421-50-00-Brewing-Basket/dp/B000I68NCS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_2

First off, water matters. So if you live in a place with really hard water, consider getting a filter or bottled water.

Second, you can use anything to boil water in. Doesn't matter if it's a kettle on a stove or a tempered glass cup in a microwaver.

Third, temperature REALLY matters. Brewing green tea for example at 212F is going to make the tea very bitter.

You can brew the tea in anything really. However, if you're using loose leaf (which I recommend you do; tea bags are low quality mostly) you should get a strainer or a brew basket like this: http://www.amazon.com/Finum-63-421-50-00-Brewing-Basket/dp/B000I68NCS. Do keep in mind that steeping time matters as well. So use a timer or a clock or your phone to keep track of time.

>I thought about a pour over, but I don't really know what I'm getting myself into

Honestly, not that much. It's pretty straight forward. A Chemex produces a fantastic cup, and would only really require you get a gooseneck kettle. Ditto if you go the v60 route. Bonavita has a couple, either temperature controlled or not. Other wise Hario kettle would also work.

Regardless, take a look here at Brew Methods. It has summaries on a variety of brew methods, from chemex to other. May give you some ideas.

>I don't want to spend a ton of money,

Depends on what "a ton of money" is to you, but:

• you may want to consider a new grinder, it will allow for expanding what you can do with the coffee. Potentially too much money, but a refurb Baratza might be worth saving for. Especially the Maestro/Virtuoso if you aren't doing espresso.
  
• a scale to weight coffee and water to nail down variables
  
• a gooseneck kettle for pourovers
  
  > would a chemex be a better investment?
  
  Yes, imho. Buy a cheap gram scale, a gooseneck kettle, and a chemex/v60. You'll be very pleased with the results.

About a year and half ago I went from 0-60 with this setup:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Buono-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Dripper-V60-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=pd_sim_k_6

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-White-Filters-Brewer/dp/B001U7EOYA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906139&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+v60+filters

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906080&sr=1-2&keywords=hario+hand+grinder

http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906101&sr=1-5&keywords=kitchen+scale

Here is a video I found about how it all works:
http://vimeo.com/34182806

The big thing is to use FRESH roasted beans (we're talking ~3 weeks old or less). If you are buying beans that don't have a date on em, try again. Hopefully there is a coffee shop around you that will sell their own roast (usually comes in a 12oz package). If not you can try the grocery store or order online (http://ceremonycoffee.com/ is a good start), it really depends on the city you live in.

I had always liked the aroma and taste of coffee in other things (ice cream specifically) but it wasn't until I got into beer that I really started to appreciate it. Hopefully this finds you well, feel free to send a message my way if you have any specific questions!

The only thing is that you basically need the Bouno Kettle or a similar kettle to use the V60 properly. Unless OP has a kettle that can give a slow consistent pour, the V60 may be a bit out of the question...

Hey, the spam filter doesn't like those Amazon links. Could you simplify them? The last one could just be: www.amazon.com/dp/B000IGOXLS

Thanks!

The Hario gooseneck is floating around the lowest price it's ever been on Amazon. According to camelcamelcamel:

Currently: $33.49
Lowest: $30.97

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Link: here it is on amazon

• UK: amazon.co.uk
  
• Spain: amazon.es
  
• France: amazon.fr
  
• Germany: amazon.de
  
• Japan: amazon.co.jp
  
• Canada: amazon.ca
  
• Italy: amazon.it
  
• China: amazon.cn
  
  
  This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting).

I know this doesn't help you now, but what you should have bought is a microplane. Grates ginger, garlic, cheese, and zests citrus fruits.

Impress yourself! Because you are worth it, and you deserve a nice dinner. Make a very simple roast chicken; much easier than you'd expect. You can often find a chicken (at least where I am) for about a dollar a pound, and you'll get a few dinners out of it. Can save the bones to make soup or stock if you like, but for now...

I am a fan of two recipes, but there are 10,000 variations. Neither of these call for butter or oil, or anything exotic. So, it's basically just you and the bird. Roasting pan or cast iron, some way to raise the bird up (roasting rack, or one of those silicon trivets will do it, too), salt, pepper are the themes between both. The second recipe is slightly fancier and also calls for a lemon and some rosemary. You can use dried rosemary.

1. Thomas Keller's roast chicken. Roasting pan, roasting rack, salt, pepper, bird, oven at 450. You can tie up the bird, but I never do. You can take some of the extra steps (fooling with the wishbone), but I never do that either. Takes an 45-90 min depending on the size of the bird. Make a salad or some mashed potatoes (flakes don't suck -- throw in a little garlic if you got it) to go with it.
   
   ---this recipe is simply badass in its simplicity and its ease. Literally bird + salt + pepper + heat.
   
   
2. The Toby Ziegler (from the West Wing) method:
   bird, lemon, salt, rosemary, black pepper, a lemon.
   
   ---Zest the lemon if you have a zester. If you find yourself with a spare $10ish lying around, get a microplane. If you don't, don't worry about it. Cut the (maybe naked) lemon in half. Squeeze some of the lemon juice onto the bird. Get the zest onto the bird if you have it. Rub with some salt. Throw some rosemary on there. Get some rosemary and salt inside the bird, and put the lemon halves inside, starting breast side down. Put on roasting rack, 350 for... whatever the package recommends based on weight. I would hit the bird with some black pepper. Maybe throw a little garlic inside the bird. Not critical.
   
   ---I also tend to put in about 2 cups of liquid into the roasting pan -- usually 2 or 3 to one water to white wine, but if you don't have white wine (I buy cheap white and cheap rose for cooking) it's fine. I tend to flip the bird (haaaaaaaaa) after an hour or so. This is a much slower method.
   
   
3. throw together a simple salad to go with it. Some romaine, some tomato, a cucumber, some balsamic. If you have some fresh herbs around (maybe some basil) throw it right in there with the lettuce. A little feta or parm if you have it.
   
   
4. cranberry sauce is not a bad thing. I've got a recipe I like if you want to do that, but I am happy to buy the Ocean Spray stuff in the can because it tastes good. I don't always get it. It's not exactly health food, though.
   
   -----------------------------
   
   Other thoughts:
   
   
   
5. How to be poor and buy spices anyway: in the US (I'm in the Boston area), there are a good number of discount spice brands. I do not just mean the value brand at the grocery store (as often times those are teeeeerrible). If you have Badilla as a brand (check the Latin foods aisle), this is pretty spectacular, and cheap. Option 2 is find yourself an ethnic grocery store and buy Sadaf or one of those brands; e.g, I have a European grocery store near me (who also sell crazy cheap produce -- trying to help you stretch your budget), and got a large jar of taco seasoning for $2.50. This is versatile, and I've got some evil plans for it. But I mean, it's a brand I've never seen before (Castella), and 10 oz of the stuff. One of those places will probably have bullion cubes/powder, vinegars, and oils pretty cheap, too; I get sunflower oil for like $1.80/liter, which is awesome (if you like sunflower oil, but it's pretty versatile). I literally cut my produce bill in half starting to shop at a little Euro grocery, and my friends who live near this big Latin/African grocery have had similar benefits.
   
   --the bigger grocery stores sell like bulk tins of black pepper. These are often only a couple of dollars, and many times are the cheapest way to get it. If it gets a little weak, use a little more.
   
   
6. I really love Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. There is a new and updated edition that (used) runs about $10 shipped, but the classic big yellow book is about $5 shipped from Amazon. Idea fuel really, and it is how to cook frickin' everything.
   
   
7. learn to appreciate dried beans and their many uses. Cook the hell out of them so they get a good texture. I generally stick to chick peas, navy beans, and some other white beans. Buy the cheapest bags of them you can. These should never be an expensive item.
   
   
8. Do you have a slow cooker? Before you worry I'm saying "go throw $25 out the window," this is a solid yardsale/church rummage sale type of find. And people let them go for $5. A lot. See if you can get a 5-6 qt one. These are a common size. Slow cookers are awesome.
   
   
9. make your own salad dressings. This is kind of fun. A 16 oz glass jar is a great size. I splurged on a couple of those salad dressing jars that have recipes and fill lines on the sides, but the writing comes off. They were about $2 each, though, with screw top lids. But improvise. This is where the cheap spices, oils, and vinegars from the ethnic groceries come in :)
   
   
10. once in a while, have dessert in whatever fashion that looks like for you. Go for a walk after if you want, but as I tell my diabetic mother, "a little handful of french fries is not going to kill you, and neither is the occasional piece of cake." Her sugar is very well-controlled, but the point is don't be an asshole to yourself.
    
    -----------------------------
    
    I hope this helps. PM if you like. I know depression and anxiety all too well, and not wanting to cook is common with that -- and just makes you feel worse.

I get your need for speed, so I'll let you in on my trick. Plus, it knocks out another rule of the kitchen: never own anything that performs only one job.

Get yourself a Microplane grater. A coarse one. This one.

Peel your cloves of garlic, then grate them into nothing. Be careful once it gets down to the nub, or you're going to lose some finger skin. Takes five seconds, you have perfectly minced garlic, and you can use it for all kinds of other stuff: mincing ginger or onion, grating cheese, zesting. They come in a bunch of sizes, too.

For example, I wanted to purchase a
Microplane Zester/Grater and some of the reviews suggest that some of the products received were fakes/knockoffs, even though purchased directly from amazon and not from a shady reseller. Similar cases for other kitchen/household products.

I always thought amazon would check the products in their warehouses since they are working with companies/suppliers directly, but it seems that is not always the case.

Getting oil/fat on every square inch. I don't mean that in "make it unhealthy" but that's how it's going to crisp up. If you have an oil mister that'll do wonders with light, even coats.

I too enjoy cooking with oil that's sprayed on.

Also, agree that roasted veggies are far better than steamed; weather you use oil or not. Alternative to chilly flakes is garlic (and olive oil).

BTW: you can get sprays in disposable aerosol cans, but also one of these reusable bottles:

https://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV/

Grab a misto oil sprayer or something like it.

Remember that oil spoils over a short period of time, so only put small amounts in the sprayer and clean it regularly.

My wife bought a pump up oil sprayer. It works great. This is the one we got. http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV

if you don't have a whirley-pop just grab a dutch oven and follow a process similar to this. i do like the whirley-pops tho

i like to use butter since that's the taste i grew up with, and you can melt some butter and place it in a misto olive oil sprayer to get the flavor without the sogginess. after that, just some plain salt for me

Use a Misto. You can use whatever oil you like, so even infused olive oils are a possibility. It uses a simple pump to pressurize. I have four for my choices.

http://amzn.com/B00004SPZV

YES! Winter canning! Canned soups, chili, beans, and chicken stock are my favourites. My garden isn't quite large enough that I need to can green beans and whatnot, but when it is, I'll be canning those too! I got this one two years ago and it has more than paid for itself already. You'll never go back to the commercially canned soups and chili etc after making your own. There's no comparison with respect to the quality of the finished product. I also find it's more fun. If you enjoy cooking, you'll like pressure canning things. Making vats of chili or chicken stock is so different from hunkering down with 50 lbs of apples.

I feel your pain re the pears. I put up around 100 half-pints for our lunch pails last summer.

As ShannonOh says, you'll need a pressure cooker. I use mine to can stews, chili, pork curry, basil chicken, and tom kah gai soup. If you end up getting a pressure cooker, work up small batches until you get the flavoring right. The pressure cooking process bleeds a lot of the flavor out.

I bought this pressure cooker, this kit, and this book. I like the book and the cooker, but the kit was somewhat low quality and is already in need of replacing.

You can also use a pressure cooker for just regular cooking too. The book talks about taking completely frozen roasts and cooking them in a couple hours! I haven't tried it yet, but I will.

I have a glass top stove and I use a Presto. I have both the Presto 23 Quart and the Presto 16 Quart. I use the 16 quart more though because it is just easier to handle with the low clearance of the microwave.

If you're interested in getting into canning, you could pressure can any amount of shelf-stable vegetable broth.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/

https://www.bernardin.ca/recipes/vegetable-stock.htm?Lang=EN-US

This is one I got and it’s $70

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iUqKDbT8V0XE5

Yeah it can be, you're not supposed to tilt them for ~24 hours, it can screw up the seal. Best to set them out and let them be. Watch them, if any of the seals aren't down, eat them immediately. If anything is suspicious throw it out.

As others have pointed out, go with a non-electric canner too. Presto canners work quite well, plus they come with a booklet for canning that is very helpful.

They are accurate and you can spend a little more and get one with a gauge, but it's not necessary. $95, Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_U4wzybNV0WZSV

23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker

This is what everyone starts off with
It will last you through the learning process and is good enough for growing your own

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1526745078&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=presto+pressure+cooker&psc=1

Once you get good and have more money and want to go smal scale commercial, you can upgrade to an "ALL AMERICAN 941"or Large 41 Quart Benchtop Autoclave Sterilizer

Watch YouTube! I love BexarPrepper, Linda's Pantry, and Deep South Homestead. Read the most current canning books, and follow processing instructions as printed. I also learned by watching my mom and talking with a few other avid canners. I bought this canner, the ball canning book from the canning aisle, read and watched everything I possibly could. Knowing how to can is great, because now there are things I will never purchase from store, like strawberry jam 😍

Almost all of the Keurigs and other K-Cup brewers will dispense just hot water, you just press the brew button without a K-cup in the brewer.
This is a reusable K-cup for using your own coffee.

Some other things to consider, is cup sizes and water capacity. Most brewers have more options on how much water to dispense for a cup of coffee. Which is handy when you want to make smaller or larger cups of coffee. Along with that, some have larger hoppers that hold water before it gets heated for making a beverage. The only real benefit of a large water tank is you don't have to fill it as often. If your boyfriend is only a light coffee drinker, the tank size wouldn't matter too much as it wouldn't get drained that often anyway.

All that being said, This is probably the least expensive one, only does 8 ounce cups, only holds enough water for one cup.

Something like This is your typical Keurig, 3 cup sizes (6,8,10 oz), 48 oz water reservoir

Personally, I have a model very similar to This one except I bought it from Costco. You can set it to automatically turn on and off in the morning on a timer, 5 cup sizes (4,6,8,10,12 oz) and a 72 ounce reservoir.

I would recommend looking at Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, etc. because you occasionally run into some deals. Good Luck.

Well roasted coffee and one of these

I think this is what you're talking about: refillable K-cup

They have a kurig insert that works with that brand that you can fill with any bagged coffee. Saves way more money.


In case anyone is interested. Target also has another brand but same idea.


http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI

I use a Keurig
(http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=keurig+machine&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&biw=1280&bih=821&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=4330306323317567334&sa=X&ei=yn0aUPHyJeHo6wG2uoHYCw&ved=0CIgBEOUNMAA)
for times when I'm working on a project and just want to hit a button every few minutes and receive coffee and mornings when I'm desperate to get out the door. (This is changing, but it's the reason I got a Keurig and the logic has held up for quite a while.)

Main suggestion I'd give is to get one of their new system: http://www.keurig.com/vuesystem

-The cups contain more coffee.

-There is more selectability when it comes to size and brew strength.

-The cups are recyclable.

-If you like strong coffee, traditional Keurigs can't brew a full mug of it from one Kcup. Your cost skyrockets and convenience goes way down if you use two. The new ones are supposed to be better in this regard.

-Keurig and affiliated coffee makers are going to transition more and more to supporting the Vue over time. Selection still sucks for it in most grocery stores, but the balance is already tipping.

-Supposedly, it's easier to make your own cups with coffee that you like. If you do buy a 1st gen system, I'd recommend not buying the "Keurig My K-Cup". (http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI) I tried and tried but could not get any reasonable brew strength from it. Looking online, this seems to be a common problem. Again, if you do get a 1st gen system and want to make your own cups, look at some of the various products offered online or tutorials on how to reuse a regular Kcup.

-Also, if you buy a 1st gen system, look for brands that advertise "Extra Bold". Anything less will taste very watery on the largest cup setting.

-Don't buy tea with it. Complete waste of money. I never understood why they even bother. The quality is no better than bagged tea of the same brand and, if you want better; loose tea with a metal tea ball and a hotshot with an automatic start is just as convenient.

• Make sure that you get one with a programmable on/off timer. If you leave it on all the time, it costs a fortune in power. If you have to turn it on and wait the couple minutes for it to heat, the convenience factor is just about gone.
  
  In any event, good luck!

300$ is top of the line stuff, you should be able to find stuff under 100$ pretty much everywhere. Have you checked Amazon, Walmart or similar? For example I have a no name SS from Macy's I bought almost 15 years ago and it cooks perfectly, still in pristine shape. I think I paid like 30 bucks for it.

Otherwise if you want a one size fits all nonstick pan to hold you over, Cook's Illustrated rated T-Fal their top pick. It's 26 bucks on Amazon US. It's a great pan!

https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Professional-Nonstick-Thermo-Spot-Indicator/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483926536&sr=8-1&keywords=nonstick

I believe non-stick cookware is one of the items where BIFL doesn't really exist. ANY non-stick surface is going to suffer wear.

Still, T-Fal Professional line I think was a America's Test Kitchen best pick. If you're willing to use something a bit bigger here's the 12" Skillet for $24.99. Mine's lasted me three years and is just now probably needing a replacement.

Don't buy expensive ones. I treat mine well but expect to replace them once a year or so. I only purchase restaurant type pan at supply places (or at Sams Club) so they only cost $30 or $40.

I have been testing out this T-Fal Professional 12" fry pan which got a top recommendation from Cooks Illustrated. It's been a super performer and it's only $30. So far not a single scratch although I only use plastic utensils and hand wash. It's only defect is that the bottom is slightly convex so oil has a tendency to slide to the edges rather than stay flat on the surface.

If they lasted 2 or 3 years I'd be very happy.

IMHO all the posts about using other types of pans are not reasonable. There's nothing like a non-stick pan for many types of food prep. I have no problems using them.

Why not just eat cheese and meat roll ups for breakfast? Take a slice of deli meat and a slice of cheese and roll them up. Salami and mozzarella, ham and cheddar, roast beef and provolone etc.

You could also make a cheese omelette the night before and under cook it a little so it doesn't overcook when you reheat it. This 8 inch pan the best omelette pan I've used.

Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for the Food is a great primer on the science of cooking. I read it in culinary school, and it was a great distillation of the main concepts (which cuts are of meat are good for braising, searing, roasting, etc. and how to properly perform each technique). If you end up enjoying Alton Brown's style, I would also recommend Fish on a First Name Basis for fish cookery. Lastly, Cook's Illustrated is a wonderful resource on food and cooking. The yearly online membership is only approx $25, and you get access to all previously published recipes and equipment reviews.

In terms of equipment, the knife I personally use is the Victorinox 10-inch chef knife. Japanese steel is great and all, but for the same price you could get this knife, a good electric knife sharpener, and a honing steel and still have some left over. The best knife is a sharp knife after all. I would also highly recommend a T-fal non-stick pan for a solid multi-purpose first pan.

Finally, for an herb garden, I generally try to aim for either expensive or infrequently used herbs for indoor gardening. The reasoning behind growing expensive herbs is pretty straightforward. I primarily grow infrequently used herbs to avoid wasting what I wouldn't use up when cooking (as you mentioned is oft a problem). In my region, basil, sage, thyme, tarragon, and oregano would all be good candidates to grow. Parsley, cilantro, and bay leaf tend to be cheaper at the market in my area, so I usually just purchase those.

I've got this one on my WL.

Cool mirror! Back in my pill snorting days I made my own mirrored bottom box with stuff I got from Michael's lol. I've always been a big arts and crafts fan haha. It was awesome! Pro-tip: get a micro plane like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S7V8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_a8iaAbY3E315Z and rub your pills on it to make the fluffiest nicest powder, it's just perfect for insufflation. Sure crushing them works, but now you can feel like you're on Top Chef while you prepare your dose!

Reggiano is always worth it. It has a more intense (and better) flavor, so that you do't need as much. Buy a microplane and live well.

Microplane

As a guy that like cooking and gadgets here are my suggestions:

• A mandolin (1 and 2 - extremely useful kitchen gadget. I recommend a V shaped blade over the straight blade, it just cuts better.)
  
  
• A knife sharpener (I use an electric one, but any multistage sharpener is a great gift.)
  
  
• Flat whisk (This is very useful for making any sauces, glazes and especially gravies.)
  
  
• Microplane grater (I got one of these and I have never gone back to my old box grater. They come in 2 shapes: long and narrow vs wide and short, I prefer the long and narrow. They come in 3 or 4 'coarseness' levels from zester up to extra-coarse. I would recommend zest for a first one.)
  
  
• Mini Ramekins (A set of these in the size range of 3 to 4 inches or 4 to 6 ounces has a variety of uses: creme brulee, warm cookie or brownie desserts, individual souffles. But what I use them most for is holding my measured spices together for when I cook. When I need to dump all my spices onto a heap of cooked meat, I can just dump them on instead of measuring them out one at a time directly onto the meat.)

Any combination of Sambuca, Rumplemintz, Frangelico, Rumchata, Irish Cream, Whisky, Creme de Cacao/Banana/Menth, Fireball and Tuaca, really. Almost any combination is good.

Frangelico Rumplemintz = Hazelnut Peppermint

Sambuca Tuaca = Vanilla Licorice

Whisky Whisky = Whisky

Add some whipped cream (fresh if you can get/make it) at the last second and get yourself a microplane and shave some fresh cinnamon and nutmeg on top.

I was actually starting to draft a little cooking ideas post like this. This is just what I found value in and will ramble because I haven't really edited it down at all. So if anyone reads it and has notes please let me know, it's fairly directionless at the moment. It is also from the perspective of and aimed towards young single people but not exclusive to. I am also well aware a lot of you folks are good cooks or at least have a functional kitchen and I in no way want it to sound like I'm more knowledgeable than anyone with an hour to watch youtube videos.

​

TL:DR Make sure your skills are on point before getting convenience tools as you might not need them, a cast iron or good stainless steel skillet and a good couple of knives can do most things in a kitchen, plan meals before you shop to avoid wastefulness.

​

This post is big, flawed, and broken into two main sections. One is purely skills based, stuff you can totally do for free and can start doing right this moment. That's a big part of minimalism for me, gaining skills and getting good at some things rather than owning and being okay at a ton of things. The second section is more of a buy guide, again all from my experience.

​

First off is to focus less on the equipment and more on the technique. Fundamentally, knife skills, understanding of cook times, heat, and technique, creativity and planning are some terms I like. In addition I have thoughts on tools and ingredients

​

First, learn your knife, do drills, practice good form constantly. When I started in a fast-food-y sandwich shop when I was 16, the manager (who was a line cook for years) suggested I practice things like chopping a carrot as thinly as possible, or celery, or breaking down onion and garlic. Then I got to work with the prep team (which was cool because they taught me Spanish) to learn basic stuff like sauces and cooking meats. The result is a few years later, I have a decent knife. Not as good as a legit cook or anything but enough that I can confidently use a sharp knife to do anything a home cook would ever need to.

​

Cook times. It's way less intimidating to work on food when you know "okay my chicken will take this long, oven takes this long, rice needs this much time", and so on. From a minimalist perspective, this will help you cut down on some tools such as a plug-in type grill, rice cookers, stuff that times or cooks food for you. Learning how to use heat also really improves the versatility of something as simple as a cast iron pan. Technique will allow you to make staple dishes or at least be able to take a guess at how to prepare just about anything, and the most valuable tip for that is look up how to make individual components of dishes rather than just recipes over and over. This becomes relevant in the next portion as well.

​

Creativity. As some people are mentioning, "aspirational groceries" cause clutter and waste in the form of garbage and money. Creativity helps solve this when paired with planning. When shopping, I found it valuable to plan out meals for the week. Buy what you need, make a note of what isn't used, and refine. That's planning. Creativity is ending up with some random ingredients and Macgyvering it together so you don't waste or overspend. That is made much easier by having solid cooking techniques so you have a bit of a starting off point for creativity.

​

Now into the stuff. I personally think a couple things are fundamental. Babish from YouTube has a great List . First off, get a good 7" to 8" Chef knife. I use a Gyuto but that's more because I impulse bought one when I first moved out and had all the money in the world from not having any expenses and was talked into it by a very nice saleswoman at the knife shop in town. Wusthof is a great name in knives and if you can get a hold of an 8" one of those, a bread knife, and maybe a pairing knife (I don't really use mine much but some people do) you will be able to do most things. I'd avoid buying a knife set just because you're more than likely paying for an extra 3 or so knives you won't use, and they're cheap for a reason. But to each their own, it is very convenient to have the steak knives, honing rod, and scissors that most of them include. No judgement here. Plus they're really really affordable.

​

Now as to everything else, I'm not as researched. I think a good cast iron skillet is fantastic from a minimalist perspective as you can do most things that you'd really ever need to do on it, from frying to saute to some baking. Kent Rollins is first off a joy to watch but more importantly uses very limited tools. He does have his specialized "bertha" stove but for the most part it's just him with either open fires or a hot stove cooking in cast iron pans and dutch ovens. If you want to know more, I'd just watch the babish video above, he talks more about why he has what he has, such as this expensive but amazing set of pots and pans. Off the top of my head: baking sheets, a large cutting board, a meat thermometer (safety), measuring cups and spoons, box grater (or one coarse grater and one microplane grater), spatulas, tongs, etc.

​

Like I said this is mostly ranting, and I'm going to research and trim it down for the future, but these are my thoughts at the moment.

It's not a required tool, but I love having my microplane around.

I am a manager at a Cannabis distributions company. I assign 1 staff member daily to microplane hash all day.Microplane Zester Grater made in USA stainless steel blade for zesting citrus and grating cheese - plastic handle - black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S7V8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_afnXBb780CVJQ

I can't say enough about how awesome [seltzer bottles] are. I picked up a couple vintage ones from ebay that I use. There are a ton of ways you can go, but making variations on simple syrups is a great approach. A basic simple syrup is equal parts (volume wise) sugar and water. You put it on the stove until it first starts to bubble and then kill the heat. At this point you can add herbs and let them steep for an hour or so and then strain the syrup and press on the herbs. I've had great success with mint, basil, thyme and lavender. You can also use citrus zest; I find a microplane to be essential for this. Ginger is also great for a simple syrup and I use the microplane for this as well.

Another great technique is muddling. You take some fruit and/or herbs and muddle them together. I prefer a plain wooden muddler with flat ends.

Here are some recipes; you have to experiment with quantities, but here are the ingredients:

Basil cranberry soda: cranberry juice, seltzer water and basil simple syrup.

Peach and basil soda: muddle peaches with basil, add seltzer water and basil simple syrup.

Blueberry and thyme soda: for this I puree the blueberries and run it through a strainer and then add thyme simple syrup and seltzer water.

Strawberry and mint soda: For this I chop and macerate both the strawberries and mint (add some sugar to the chopped strawberries and let them sit; it vastly improves the texture and flavor of the strawberries) and then puree it. I've also done this with cardamom instead of mint with the addition of orange zest gathered with a microplane. You then puree this and seltzer water.

Chai soda: I infuse a simple syrup with cardamom, ginger, black tea, cloves, nutmeg and smashed cinnamon sticks. I use four times the amount of black tea I would use to brew a cup of tea. Add seltzer water and you are good to go; a little whole milk can be a great addtion as well. A basic recipe follows:

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

8 bags of lipton tea opened and the tea is then emptied

6 cardamom pods; crushed with a spoon

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon of cloves

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

2 cinnamon sticks; crushed into dime size pieces

Watermelon mint soda: Purreed watermelon, mint simple syrup and seltzer water.

Peach ginger soda: Macerate the peaches, puree them, add ginger simple syrup and seltzer water.

Blueberry lavender soda: Pureed and strained blueberries, lavender simple syrup and seltzer water.

There are a ton of ways you can go with this sort of thing. Sometimes some fresh lemon or lime juice can help balance the acidity. Have fun. Enjoy the fruit that is in season. Create your own fun drinks. Cheers.

I am not sure of what you already have or what you would need, I am listing a few things on top of my head:

• Crock pot
  
• Cast iron skillet
  
• Dutch oven
  
• Victorinox chef knife
  
• Microplane zester
  
• Bread maker machine
  
• Mandoline
  
• Mortar and pestle
  
• Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza
  
• Tartine bread
  
• Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
  
• Espresso maker
  
• Cookie Sheet and cooling racks
  
• Meat Thermometer

I use lime zest but have not tried orange juice / zest. Microplane is awesome :) Not expensive! http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8

Right product, right place. I honestly like that stuff for what it is, but it isn't the right stuff for the job. If you don't have a microplane, seriously pick one up. It will help you make better food.

http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426870728&sr=8-1&keywords=microplane

That's kinda what I was going to do with it. I have a few "sticks" instead of chunks left. I have a knifething that will hollow out a cucumber, and i was going to put the stick and cream cheese in the cucumber and slice it like sushi. (I don't know what the knifething is. It's long and looks kinda like this grater, but it's not a grater and it's more "U" shaped. A friend got it for me in Lebanon.)

> I have a Misto oil sprayer (https://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0) and it works great with any fine oil. But I support your brush-on idea.

How well does it work at actually misting the oil? I have an oil sprayer that looks like a knockoff of the Misto, and it'd be more accurate to call it a "squirter" than a "sprayer".

You should be able to find it in a can at the grocery store. I'm a bit of a purist though, and I like really good olive oil that you'll never find in a spray can.

Anyway, Amazon has tons of options. It doesn't have to be specifically for oil, most food-grade sprayers will work:

http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV

http://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-Brands-Misto-Oil-Sprayer/dp/B008C9UA9W

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Sprayer-Mister/dp/B000SSW6TM

http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Spray-Bottle-Cooking-18-Ounce/dp/B00FMXG8XI

http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Gourmet-Olive-Sprayer-Silver/dp/B009I5U3GY

http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Raichlen-Barbecue-Marinade-Bottle/dp/B003FZAVWO

http://www.amazon.com/24-Oz-Sprayer-Bottles-Pack/dp/B00008VXNE

http://www.amazon.com/Honey-Can-Do-KCH-01085-Stainless-Bottle-14-Ounce/dp/B007ZSJ3X0

While I like your simple recipe, I would not call pam cheaper than normal cooking oil. All it is is vegetable oil and it's like $5 for a can that is what? 5-6 ounces? You can buy a lot of vegetable oil for that price. Even olive oil is more economical than pam. And if you really want your oil as a spray you can get a $10 oil sprayer that will work just as well as pam.

This is a great alternative to pam and the rest since you can keep using it forever with any oil you choose. Just takes a little bit to pump up to get pressure, the more times you pump it the finer the mist of oil it sprays.

I'd get an olive oil mister.

You fill it with liquid, pump it up, and spray away. Should work great for water.

http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV

That's a well known one, but I know that you can get cheaper ones at cooking stores.

Can you get one of those misto thingies?

http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV

You can fill with the oil of your choice.

Aerosolized cooking sprays (like pam) use some sort of pressurized gas to carry the oil. This carrier spray can dissolve non stick coatings. That's why it's a bad idea to use pam. You can get a misto or use a regular spray bottle to spray down your grill with oil. I like coconut oil for my high heat cooking, but it has to be around 80 degrees fahrenheit to be liquid.

EDIT: You can use whatever oil you think is healthy, as long as its refined. No extra virgin oils.

http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415523794&sr=8-1&keywords=misto

$10 with free shipping (if you have prime, but who wouldn't have prime). You can even get it in the color of eggplant!

I use a misto to spray oil when I sear. It works very well and is a lot cheaper http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Brushed-Aluminum-Olive-Sprayer/dp/B00004SPZV

For roasting, I don't use anything, but for pan stuff I use an oil sprayer. One quick spray, I count it as a 1/4 teaspoon oil and it's enough to coat the pan.

You can buy a pump sprayer and refill any time. Love mine.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SPZV/

I recommend a Misto or something similar.

You just fill it with whatever oil you prefer then you can spray it out. If you want to be super accurate with the calorie counting, you can just weigh the misto before and after spraying so you know how many grams of oil you've used.

Misto Olive Oil Sprayer. You can spray other stuff with it too I guess.

Try Misto as a compromise. It's a sprayer that you fill with whatever oil you like. Then it sprays on like pam. You end up using way less oil, but it's still good, pure olive oil instead of aerosol crap.

I think this one probably will give a fine mist without nitrogen.

I spent $8 on an oil mister spray thingy that you can hand pump. Olive oil in that, give the tray of veggies a very quick spray-over. I tested it out on a scale and it's like a gram of oil, so I don't bother counting that fat it since it's spread out over 2-3 servings of vegetables on a big tray.


With that method, I get a pretty good roasty char on things like cauliflower and broccoli.

edit: Here's an example of a mister that's similar to mine

Like other people have said, don't oil the water, just liberal amounts of salt--sometimes I add a bay leaf, but honestly I can't tell the difference with or without it. You don't really want to put oil on the pasta even after you've rinsed it because in general you want the pasta sauce to stick to the noodles and mix with the noodle starch.

I generally only add oil to my noodles if they are going to be sitting without sauce for a while (after I've served the first round). Or (obviously) if I'm just using olive oil as the sauce.

Get yourself one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Misto-Gourmet-Sprayer-Brushed-Aluminum/dp/B00004SPZV/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1347285552&sr=1-1&keywords=misto+oil+sprayer

You put your oil in the bottle and give the top a few pumps and then it sprays out. Noodles really don't need a lot of oil to keep from sticking to each other and this helps you just finely coat it. Also great for oiling up baking pans and evenly spreading salad dressings (can't have any sort of debris in it though).

I borrow one that is similar to this guy:

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-6-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B00006ISG3/ref=lp_289825_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485481958&sr=1-1

I use it for agar. Have to put a few canning rings down to elevate it. I tried a few bags inside, every single time they melt to the side of the pressure cooker. It just gets too hot on the sides.


I've never seen a pressure cooker of any kind in my local good will.


I have 2 of these. They work awesome:
https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485482118&sr=1-1&keywords=pressure+canner

Of course all American is the best you can buy:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002808ZM/ref=twister_B00DR737G2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I have 1 of those too.

1/2 pint jars or these 1 pint twist lids (yes the plastic is fine) work great but make sure they're twist lids.

You can find vermiculite stupid cheap if you can find a hardware store that has verm used as insulation (this also works great). If not, you can find small bags in garden sections everywhere for 5 to 10 bucks.

Brown rice from any grocer and a coffee grinder, or blender but a coffee grinder is best to make your own brown rice flour.

A pressure cooker Isn't a must but you probably want one. This is a good one because it will hold many jars and will also hold quarts if you go there in the future. You don't want this one because it's not big enough.

If you're just doing the 1/2 pints you can use steam/fractional sterilization in a pot with a lid (Google it) but I wouldn't use this for the plastic pints.

These are a few money/supply tips I can give and as far as the process goes, it's easier than you think. I'd say it's slightly easier than growing good bud but a different animal altogether. Don't worry to much about fucking up. It can happen, and if it does, you figure out what you missed and fix it. If you follow PF tek I think you'll do fine tbh.

As far as species goes, any cube will work. Reputable and cheaper source. There are others an r/sporetraders may be cheaper. not sure

I recommend against kits because they're not sustainable, you don't learn the process, they're expensive in the long run, may not be attainable depending where you're at.

There's lots of sites about DIY canning. Here's one with a tutorial. We got a pressure canner like this.

We like canning boneless skinless chicken breasts because the canning process if very simple and you can just pull it out, cut it up, and dump it into pasta or whatever without any extra prep time except what it takes to warm it up. We do dozens of jars at a time and you can reuse the jars. Once you have the supplies, there is very little cost except the electricity or gas for your stove. Canning takes a little extra work upfront, but it's really nice to always have meat and other goods handy without worrying about spoilage or freezer burn. Since you canned it yourself, you know what's going into your food, don't have to worry about unknown preservatives, etc.

Yeah, that's cooker + shipping.

Looking at this one here: https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=presto+23+qt&qid=1560423656&s=gateway&sr=8-1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=theshro-20

You mentioned the presto 23qt. Are you talking about this?

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_HT1nDbVQTSN54

My local store has that on sale for quite a steal. I just saw it listed primarily as a pressure canner and initially dismissed it. I could easily pick that up and be within budget because of the deal on it!

Do not use all in ones for pressure canning

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/electric_cookers.html

Pressure canners can be used to cook. But pressure cookers should never be used to can.

I bought this one back in December and I'd reccomend it:

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oflnDb0ZZT7BS

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_otA9BbM3368FQ

nice move on the temp controller for your first time! Took me several run throughs before I stepped up to it. I'd invest in a PC sooner than later ;) Looks good!


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Great point. Mine is a canner (this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYCFU/) so I’ve not paid attention to making the distinction since I wrote this for myself. I’ll update it to clarify since these instructions are out for public use. Thanks.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1543590904&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=presto+23+quart+pressure+canner&dpPl=1&dpID=410aORMkjVL&ref=plSrch

$70 just depends on how much it costs to ship it to you . Let me know when you find out cuz I'm interested .

I have an instant pot, but it's a bit small for the cook I'm looking to do. This is the pressure canner I have. It's quite a bit bigger than I remembered it being. It's a freaking monster!

Coffee grounds do work, but as they are extremely nutritious and high in nitrogen, it is also one of the easiest to get contaminated. You can also mix it in (~10%) into a substrate like straw or sawdust:

For a kitchen, instead of using straw you can use sawdust. Buy a bag of hardwood fuel pellets (HWFP); you can get them for ~$5 for a 40 lb bag at a hardware or home improvement store. Just hydrate the pellets and they turn into sawdust, which king oysters, lions mane, and shiitake love, and regular oysters do well on it as well. I use sawdust supplemented with wheat bran and gypsum for my grows.

The instant pot will work initially, but it cooks around 10-12 psig, compared to the suggested 15 psig of other pressure cookers (I have an Instant Pot as well, but use a 23 qt Presto pressure cooker for mushrooming). This means you might not get quiiite as good of sterilization. However, if you use low or no supplementation (i.e. just use 100% sawdust), it should work perfectly. As you'll want to pressure cook for a fairly long time (~2 hours), you need to make sure to put a lot of

For the Instant Pot size, I'd suggest getting medium-sized mycobags. You should be able to fit one comfortably into the Instant Pot. It's generally advisable to put a piece of Tyvek (either a tyvek sleeve or part of a tyvek post office envelope) slid down the opening of the bag (and folded down) to ensure the bag stays open enough during the pressure cooking. You'll also want to put something on top of the bag (either a plate or something similar; I use a canning rack) to prevent the bag from expanding and covering the pressure release valves.

I realize this was a huge information dump, sorry if it's more than you wanted/needed! Happy to answer any other questions you have; I'm far from an expert but I keep trying :)

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU

Same brand but larger for the same price if you're looking to sterilize 10 qt jars at once. And the pressure gauge comes in handy.

Is it one of these monsters? (https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU)

You might want to invest in a smaller pressure cooker...if only to make your life easier when it comes time to clean the thing.

I know this isn't what you're asking, but I'd just like to chime in and say that if you're serious about mushroom cultivation you should invest in a pressure cooker. I have this 23 qt Presto, which, at around $90, may seem expensive, but it's really worth it, and it can handle the largest jobs you can throw at it. It makes the entire process so much quicker and easier and ensures you're getting proper sterilization.

I just bought this http://amzn.to/2puzIdE from all my research it seemed to be the best bang for the buck. I have yet to use it though.

Neat...

You can still make a good cup of coffee with the keurig.

Get a few of these, a hario hand grinder, and some good beans and you'll be pretty happy!

I'm interested in something like this.

You can do a grill out somewhere. People can provide their own meat and a potluck side and then you can grill it all for them or whatever. If you have a lake near by you can do this at a marina and people can go swimming in the lake too. My cousin had a food truck come to her house and cater our family reunion so you can also look into that. I think it was 20 dollars an adult though (includes feeding kids), so not super cheap but all you can eat and very convenient with no mess.

Happy early birthday and best of luck with this! As long as you get drunk it should be a success. Unless you're not into that then it is a disaster. Anyways, I would like this!

Make sure to buy one of the re-fillable pods that Keurig makes so you don't have to keep buying individual coffee pods. Saves a bunch of money. These machines are great for making a fast cup of coffee, but the pod cost sucks.

http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI

You can fill these with any ground coffee of your choosing.

You can find them for Tassimo as well. You can make these as well using Youtube tutorials. edit: Got another 13 minutes for Youtube Tutorial?

Or you could just get a Mr Coffee which brews a cup in less than two minutes anyways.

Keurig 5048 My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter - Old Model https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000DLB2FI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Di6kzb4M8BW7V

I use this thing at home. It's not as convenient but I'm the only coffee drinker in my house and I just want to make one cup so it works for me.

As much as I loved using K-Cups, the price alone isn't worth the convenience. But I'm also glad I'm helping the environment by being frugal.

http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-Reusable-Coffee-Filter-Single/dp/B000DLB2FI

http://www.keurig.com/Accessories/Keurig%C2%AE-2-0-My-K-Cup%C2%AE-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/p/keurig-2-0-my-k-cup


I might be missing something but it appears these are for sale from Keurig for the older and the newer machines. Beyond the fact that people have been selling these on ebay for years....

Help me get why I care about this Vancouver company doing what is clearly being done anyway.

Link

Did anybody else post this yet? I'm not into this method of course, but for those out there that are...

Luckily there's a slurry of companies that make reusable k-cups, including Keurig themselves. I can't vouch for their quality compared to regular k-cups, let alone a regular old cup of coffee, but it certainly seems to solve the issues you have presented.

K-cup thing so I can use my own coffee and tea instead of buying over priced coffee and wasting all that plastic. :)

It's the weekend!!

This is the one I love.

T-fal E93808 Professional Total Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Fry Pan, 12.5 Inch, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aExCybX9K8BH9

It's a great pan, and cheap enough to throw away and buy another one once the non stick wears off. Great for a situation like yours.

The following:

http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-Stainless-Tri-Ply-Dishwasher-Cookware/dp/B00FUF5K8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463006632&sr=8-1&keywords=all+clad+12

http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Professional-Thermo-Spot-Indicator-Dishwasher/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1463006621&sr=1-1&keywords=tfal+pan

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Classic-Chefs-Knife/dp/B0061SWV8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463006669&sr=8-1&keywords=victorinox+fibrox

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DOL3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Handles/dp/B00063RWYI/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1463006684&sr=1-1&keywords=dutch+oven

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-719-18-Classic-Stainless-Saucepan/dp/B00008CM6C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463006713&sr=8-1&keywords=2qt+saucepan

That leaves a bit of cash left over for randoms, and covers 90+ percent of your cooking. Alternatively, swap the dutch oven for a stock pot type of thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-766-24-Classic-8-Quart-Stockpot/dp/B00008CM6J/ref=pd_sim_79_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=31Dg3p7dZbL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0F6BGCPD6FGMSZWWMW2D


I'd vote keep the DO and use it for boiling any pastas in, etc.

With a good non-stick, you don't even need oil.

Seriously.

T-fal E93808 Professional Total Nonstick

Can you just get it delivered from Amazon?

This is the non-stick I have:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GWG0T2/

And, while I have an all-clad stainless, I have heard the cuisanart multiclad stuff is really close:
https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP22-30HCN-MultiClad-Skillet-12-Inch/dp/B00NAU8L76

Also, this is, pretty much, the universally accepted entry/cheap chefs knife to get:
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2

You'll need a tea strainer such as this one. Try to stay away from novelty infusers because they generally tend to not work as well. These
are temperatures and steeping times for different kinds of tea.

Loose leaf is really worth it with green tea, to start out with.

My favorite type of green tea is Japanese. O cha has some great stuff. Sencha is your basic Japanese green tea, don't worry so much about the other types unless you want to make a hobby of it. It is very strong, highly caffeinated stuff, which also means you have to be careful; don't brew it in boiling water or for more than two minutes, or it will take the roof of your mouth off.

China also produces some excellent green teas. I'd go to Silk Road Teas for that. Chinese tea is much more forgiving. It's pretty common to dump a scoop of leaves into a thermos and then just keep topping it up with more water all day. More subtle brewing techniques will let you play with flavor more, of course. Dragonwell is the most common everyday Chinese green, and it's easy to brew and drink, so it might be good for a beginner. Silk Road also does nice sample sets!

Many beginners also like Adagio. They're good at easing you into the world of tea, and sell a lot of teaware if you don't have any equipment yet. In-mug infusers are a fantastic approach if you don't feel like spending gobs of cash on decorative teapots, Amazon is also a good source there.

Green is only one category of tea, of course. Black is great stuff, oolong and white if you get interested in the complex flavors, and if you want a powerful hit of caffeine, try the pu erh. It's an acquired taste, but boy will it keep you awake.

ETA: Mug infusers that are in stock. They come in colors, but you'll have to look yourself. Also fill your own tea bags for the weak of heart who insist on tea bags.

Disclaimer: I have received so many canisters of fruit-flavored teas that I'll never ever drink - and I am an adventurous eater, I'll try just about anything once - that it has reeeally turned me against the idea of gifted tea unless you're totally certain the recipient will like it. If you must give someone tea, I'm also very strongly anti-sampler. One very nice tea is usually a better gift than four alright teas.

This is the situation that gift certificates were made for. Someone else suggested Adagio. If it seems too impersonal, combine it with a nice mug or a nice strainer for loose-leaf teas, like this one.

If she's not an adventurous person, that's okay and you're not going to turn her into one by buying her teas she might not want to try as a gift. If you really want to pick something instead of getting a gift certificate, remember that it's supposed to be a gift and not a chore, so get her stuff that you know she'll like. If you really really really want to get her a tea instead of a gift certificate, instead of getting her a sampler of new and different stuff, get her one or two things that she already enjoys, but a higher quality product than she'd ordinarily buy for herself. The one tea gift I've received that I actually drank all of was from somebody who knew that I loved jasmine green tea, so he got me...jasmine green tea. It was awesome.

If you know that she likes black tea and fruit-flavored teas, I bet she would appreciate a really nice earl grey, for instance, or maybe an oolong tea.

I use this infuser for my day to day brews, which has a lid. And looking through amazon, it looks like most infusers of this style have lids. It's a pretty functional option for western-style brewing, and quite inexpensive.

That said when I'm using a bag or something else that doesn't have a lid, I just toss a small saucer or custard dish on top of the mug, and that works pretty well to keep the heat in. I'm not the world's most anal when it comes to temperature but that seems to generally do the trick.

I'm not sure where you live, but if you have Wegmans grocery stores they have a really excellent and affordable (like almost Lipton affordable if you pick less expensive teas and double infuse them like I do) loose tea selection. They also have a variety of infusers and disposable tea bags (I would start out with something like this and upgrade to a reusable infuser like this if you decided that you're going to keep buying and making loose leaf tea). If you don't have a Wegmans, Google tea rooms in your area...some of them sell tea as well. If that still doesn't get you results, there are a ton of websites. Adagio is probably one of the more accessible ones for beginners...they sell an oolong called Fujian Rain, which is one of my favorite everyday teas. They also sell their teas in bags if you don't want to do the whole loose tea thing.

There are also reasonable quality bagged tea options...Numi comes to mind, I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting.

Also, don't listen to the snobs that are going to come into this thread to give you shit about ever having had Lipton.

For what it's worth, the plastic is BPA-free and flavor neutral.

The FORLIFE Brew-In-Mug is metal and would be a good option.

That looks like a good starter green tea. I'm not sure how happy you'll be with "Mister tea" though. It doesn't leave a whole lot of room for the tea to expand, and that gunpowder green definitely will. The basket for your contigo mug looks pretty good. You may want to look in to a basket type infuser for normal mugs, as well. This ForLife infuser and this Finum basket are both pretty popular around here.

Welcome to the world of tea. Cheers!

You might want a fan speed controller, unless you just want to always run it full blast.

Ratchet rope hanger can be helpful for adjusting light height. Also something to hang your fan... I went with paracord since I already had a bunch.

Smart/fabric pots are a popular option.

Some sort of fan(s), the small clip on ones are popular, can also go for the standing oscillating ones or a small one like this

A tent that small will limit you, I'd spring for a slightly larger one unless you really have space constraints.

Swiffer's are pretty great for cleaning floors and they aren't expensive. Also get a small vacuum for any carpeting. If you like coffee, definitely get a Keurig. If you're in an area that has cold winters, a comforter for your bed will be important (there are some really cute ones at Target). For when it's warmer out, having a small fan will help the air in your room circulate better. As for LED light strips, this one from Amazon worked really well for me.

Okay, listen. I know The Truth. The One Great Truth. and I'm going to share it with you. Ready? Here it is:

Fans.

Yes, fans. Those things that push air around. Get a reliable little 10+ inch personal fan for ~15 bucks, like this or this. It'll last you years.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Fans, really? That's the ultimate truth of the universe?

Yes. Fans are everything.

You only need one. Put it on a stand next to your bed, about 1-2 feet away from where your face will be. Aim it properly, turn it on, wrap yourself up and enjoy pure bliss. Your body will be warm and your face will be caressed by a pleasant cool breeze for the entire night. Hot flashes? Who gives a shit? Just turn that baby up one notch and go back to sleep. Boom, done.

It's not an exaggeration when to say that for me, sleeping with a fan is at least twice as easy and enjoyable as without. I've been sleeping this way for at least a decade.

Here are just a few bullet points in case you're not completely head over your heels in love with fans yet.

• They practically block out all noise, cutting through distractions and allowing you to sleep through everything but your alarm clock.
  
  
• They keep your face pleasantly cool, and provide a little cooling to your upper body as well, depending on how many covers you have.*
  
  
• They make it easier and more comfortable to breathe
  
  
• They astound your friends and make your enemies jealous
  
  
• They provide a soothing canvas of white noise for you to project your dreams upon.
  
  
• They cure cancer
  
  Don't listen to the Koreans. Sleeping with a fan on won't hurt you. If anything it will make you stronger. Praise the fan.
  ---
  * ^(Note: Depending on your climate this may not necessarily be a good thing. I am not responsible for any bodily injury, psychological damage, or freezing you may incur)

get one of these, fill it with water https://www.amazon.com/Maccourt-AT2606-x20-Plastic-Utility/dp/B001AQ0CDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468596249&sr=8-1&keywords=cement+mixing+pan



place one of these 4 feet from the water https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1468596308&sr=8-3&keywords=box+fan the dog will be cooled by the breeze.

edit; if you come home and the dog is in the water, don't blame me. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Fan/dp/B001R1RXUG

I use just a standard Lasko box fan in my current room. Back when I was relegated to a desk fan, the black Honeywell fans are awesome machines that won't break the bank.

I just use a little honeywell office fan, $14 on amazon

https://smile.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493832903&sr=8-1&keywords=honeywell+fan

Yeah, once i saw them in person it took about five seconds to figure out how they worked and were instantly less impressive.

http://preschoolmum.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/airflow-diagrams.jpg

I think maybe without even realizing it Dyson is playing on peoples memories of that Sharper Image thing from a while back and they think its some crazy sci fi stuff with charged wires moving the air.

If you need a small fan i can guarantee this is better than the dysons by any metric. https://smile.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-900-TurboForce-Circulator-Black/dp/B001R1RXUG/

It feels much better when you put the helmet on and it is very cool. This is the one I have, it rotates up and I just place my helmet on it until the next session.

How about one of these? Bigger is better right?

You might want a little bigger fan for flowering. Something like this maybe.

What is your plan for controlling the smell?

Something I rarely see suggested is bringing a fan for your room. Something like this. depending on your room some can get a little stuffy and having the fan to help circulate air around really helps.

This one is pretty nice Also Target has a box fan for 15 bucks and works well.

Have you tried specifically desensitizing him to the noises? I know this can be hard in an apartment where there are SO MANY noises and some that the pup can hear and you can't but it can be a start. Kikopup has a good video.

I live in an apartment as well and after about 2 months of "settling in" time my dog started barking at everything. How much exercise is he getting? What kind of dog is he? Sometimes they bark for boredom or attention when they normally wouldn't if they're too wound up. Honestly, upping exercise and general stimulation will likely help a lot.

Another we did that helped A LOT was the relaxation protocol. My dog is far more relaxed inside now, even if his needs haven't been 100% met in terms of exercise and training for the day.

In the mean time, I would get a small fan and run it in wherever he is hanging out. It'll create some constant, consistent noise and drown out some of the other things he's hearing (neighbors tuning a key in their apt 3 floor up)

I got one of these off of amazon and it's pretty good for the price. There's a larger 15 inch model.

If the factory is super hot + humid and you'd probably want to invest in a blower fan.

Get a small fan for under your desk.

I'm in Florida and workout before going to a professional office. Also, I am a world-class sweater. This made the difference for me.

I have two of these in my house. They're small, powerful, quiet and can be angled up/down to push the air where you need it to go.

I bought them several months back for about $13.00 each and see they are now $10.00 each. I felt the price I paid was excellent - for $10.00 these are a steal.

Edited to add - I bought the black, 11 inch ones.

Lasko Personal Heater is by far the best option IMO, its a heater and fan built in and has automatic thermal shutoff in case your fermentation controller fails.

Those paint can things scare the shit out of me knowing how fast and hot even low wattage light bulbs get. Ive had my STC1000 fail and get stuck on heat, luckily i was using the Lasko and when it hit its thermal shutoff(110F i think) it shut off and wont come back on until you manually switch the power switch off for 15 seconds then back on, even if power to it is cycled on and off by the controller it wont come back on.

I can only imagine the damage that could have been done if a light bulb can was stuck on for the entire weekend when i was away. Best case it would have melted my carboy and inside of my fridge before popping from the heat, worst case a fire.

Besides without a fan any other indirect heat source is worthless.

Yes, a heat lamp will work fine.

Many people also wire an incandescent light bulb and cover it with a coffee can. Those heat up pretty nicely too.

If you need it to pump out a lot of heat in the winter, I've heard This guy works well.

I have this at work next to my keyboard and it keeps my hands pretty warm.

You can find a chest freezer on Craigslist for almost nothing.
I use this tiny space heater for heat. It turns off automatically if it gets too hot, so I’m not worried about it burning down the garage, and it works really well. And everyone loves the Inkbird ITC-308. It’s cheap as all hell and has separate plugs for heating and cooling. That’s pretty much everything you need.

Im in ny and i use this cheap lasko heater along with my inkbird it keeps temps within 1 degree of target

This looks neat and would be cool at lans but I don't think there's a big enough need for a product like this. You've got $20 heaters like this on amazon that are tiny and good enough if people were looking for a solution to this problem.

I obviously could be wrong, just my quick thought.

I use this little space heater with an InkBird controller.

I use this space heater from Amazon. I tried a lightbulb in a can but the light bulb ended up busting. I don't remember if it was because I moved it....or it got too hot...but yea, I wasn't a fan either.

That bad boy kicks out some heat though. My chamber sits in an uninsulated shed and I can get it to kick and hold 100F even when ambient temperatures are in the single digits.

according to their website, the Inkbird STC-1000 can power appliances up to 10 amps at 120 volts. This gives you 1200 watts. What you are trying to power is pretty dang close to the upper limit, I don't think that I would do that if it were me.

In the rare occasion that I actually need to add heat to my fermenter, I use a small 200 watt space heater. This works well because it adds just enough heat, and it also has a fan that keeps things consistent in my ferm chamber.

This is why I went all out and got a chest freezer. I paid $100 for a 5cuft freezer on Black Friday that comfortably fits a 7 gallon Fermonster with plenty of room to spare. Add a temperature controller and a heat source (I'm partial to small personal space heaters) and for less than $200 you get full control over fermentation and cold crashing.

I haven't intentionally lagered anything yet, but I have let beers sit in cold crash for 2+ weeks while waiting for a keg to blow. I guess that's basically lagering.

I picked up one of these before it got too cold this year. I keep it under my computer desk and run it sometimes when I feel cold. It's only 200 watts and keeps me decently warm. I have one of these that works well too. The second heater has a low and a high setting (700W, 1500W) and I can heat an entire room with it. When I used it I would turn it on and off depending on the temperature of the room. I use it less now that I have the 200 watt heater because I don't feel so bad running a 200 watt heater constantly. I'd go with the first one if you're wanting to heat yourself, and with the second one if you want to heat the entire room. Running the 200 watt heater is like having two old school light bulbs on, I don't feel too guilty about its power consumption.

Warping is caused by uneven cooling. As the top layers cool, they shrink and pull on the lower layers. The trick is to minimize the difference between the extruding temperature and the ambient temperature in the chamber. For ABS at 240c you want the chamber around 80c, but any heat helps. This will cause everything to cool more gradually and evenly, reducing the chances of warping. Increasing the heated bed temperature can also help for the same reasons.

I put two 4ohm 50W power resistors on a cpu heatsink to make a small heater, but if I were doing it again I'd just make one of these things blow into the chamber. My heater is 72W, that one is 200W.

I have two outdoor fermentation chambers in Alaska, gets to -40F. That means when I ferment with Kveik the temp difference can be >120 degrees.

My chambers are chest freezers. I use a reptile bulb to make large swings in temp (no safety switch) and this to maintain.

The desk heater turns off if it rips or if it has been on for a long time.
It barely costs anything to heat and have not had any problems in my 3 winters of doing this.

They make a nice little 200 watt heater that is awesome for applications like this.

Link for reference

Lasko 100 MyHeat Personal Ceramic Heater, Compact, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_5l.YDb8VXF4Z9

http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHeat-Personal-Ceramic/dp/B003XDTWN2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1451152046&sr=8-7&keywords=ceramic+heater

https://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHeat-Personal-Ceramic/dp/B003XDTWN2 I use this in my 16 cubic foot freezer fermenter. It does a great job. Used it in my 7 cubic foot freezer. I also have a small fan running 24/7.

Edit: heater has been going for 2 years.

Happy to answer any questions people may have!

I'll start with a link to my build post: http://beer.thegremlyn.com/2015/07/02/fermentation-chamber-build-circa-2011/

Temperature Control

The chamber was built to use the cooling system from an old mini fridge, the kind with the coils on the back instead of integrated into the walls. I started with a Ranco controller for cooling only. I lived in a climate where it didn't really get cold, so heating was not required. I now live in a climate where not only does it get cold, but the fermentation chamber lives in the garage so it has to be heated.

I built a dual stage controller using an STC-1000 in a tool box: http://imgur.com/a/rDe8P and bought the Lasko Personal Space Heater, which I view as excellent because it not only heats but has a built in fan.

I also added two fans to the system to make sure the temperature is even in the chamber. One is always on, the other only when the cooling system kicks in. That means that when heating or cooling there are two fans runnings.

Build Design

I needed two things in a fermentation chamber: 1) space for two sanke kegs, which I use to ferment my 11 gal batches, and 2) front loading because I refuse to try to lift 11 gal of beer in a sanke keg up and over the rim of a chest freezer.

I plan to rework the door to be a single door for better sealing, but it holds temps well enough right now that I don't worry much and it is a low priority change. I originally did two doors as it wasn't going to be feasible to have one where it was designed to live.

Buy a small 200 Watt heater, and put it behind your mousepad. It's worked quite well for me.

A tad more expensive then a bulb and paint can, but I use this small heater and it works awesome.

It'll be heated too, ordered one of these guys: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XDTWN2 along with some 120v 120mm fans to move the air around.

It's likely I'll throw a collar on it too since I can't leave anything alone. :)

At that point I would have just spent $60 on an induction burner and not even bothered hooking up gas...

Honestly, if it's for home use, this one is very highly reviewed and inexpensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Duxtop-8100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1JAFLLETNIX05&keywords=induction+cooktop&qid=1565029402&s=gateway&sprefix=induction+%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

I have an 1800w induction cooktop and I've done full AG batches with it.

I prefer to brew on propane, but it's nice to have for those really ugly weather days. I can get 7 gallons from sparge temps to boiling within a half hour. Takes a bit longer to get there, but my boil off rate is pretty decent once it gets that hot.

This is the model that I have:
http://www.amazon.com/1800-Watt-Portable-Induction-Countertop-8100MC/dp/B0045QEPYM

If you have access to an outside area that's suitable, you might consider a portable bbq. If you're doing all the cooking inside, an induction cooker could help- just make sure you get pots and pans that work with it. This is the first example I found on Amazon.

You can also use cast iron with induction burners, just in case you didn't know that: https://www.amazon.com/Duxtop-8100MC-Portable-Induction-Countertop/dp/B0045QEPYM/

> You found out that propane heating can be wasteful so now you'll look to get a proper ceramic electric heater.

My rig has an instant gas water heater that's very efficient. It only heats water when you run hot water.

But I do use an electric space heater if I'm going to be plugged in when it's cold. My furnace will destroy a tank of propane in a weekend.

Another tip to reduce propane use is to get a portable electric cooktop, like this induction one. If you do a lot of cooking there are two-burner models too.

Doesn't need to be an "outside" one. You could use any cheap portable induction cooktop and drag it outside for use.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sMPQBbGGHWN9Q

It will work with your castiron.

I have been using [this one](Duxtop 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner, Gold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fPNZDbEHKZ8TM) for quite a few small batches with good luck. It fits my 5.5 gallon anvil kettle great, but it does take longer to get 3.5 gallons of water boiling then it did with just a couple gallons.

Maybe get an induction countertop and use it. Read up on what type of cookware is compatible with it beforehand.

Take tour pick: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dappliances&field-keywords=hot+plate&sprefix=hotplate%2Caps%2C414

For something safer try an Portable Induction Cooktop: http://www.amazon.com/1800-Watt-Portable-Induction-Countertop-8100MC/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=sr_1_1?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1344563516&sr=1-1&keywords=induction

Induction cooktops use magnets to cook so they are much safer then the other types of hotplates.

Consider getting a single burner induction stove/cooktop. Like this and this. It has temperature control, timer, and also cooks very efficiently. Only thing is, you will need to buy special induction friendly pots and pans.

Better still, have you considered changing your style of cooking? Try using a pressure cooker for example. It cooks meat and stews every bit as good as a slow cooker (in fact, better) and you are done in less than half hour. Look at Instant Pot or the equivalent - which is an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, and for general purpose cooking/sauteeing. You can literally cook everything in this single pot, and be done in half hour instead of doing the "all day cooking on slow cooker" thing. And it has a timer, temp control, the works.

If you want to try one out, Amazon has a pretty well rated single burner model for around $70 bucks.

You should look into getting a microwave and a contertop stove like this for things like cooking. The baby swing is a good idea, you could also look into pack-and-plays for overnight stays!

Getting rid of unnecessary furniture is also a great idea, just make sure you have good places to store everything. I had a day-bed and I stored all my clothes and my son's clothes under it while I lived there.

Would it be possible for you to draw up a diagram of what your bedroom looks like currently in MS Paint? I can give you a few more pointers if I have a clearer picture.

I don't have keen financial advice, but I can offer some practical answers to your stove dilemma.

You can get replacement burners or even standalone burners for under $20.

Hell, for $70 you can get a sweet standalone induction burner, which is cool to the touch and gets the pan itself hot by using induction to interact directly with the metal. (Which means, in addition to being friggin' neat, these are less likely to burn your house down than a standalone traditional electric element)

EDIT: Also, to echo some other sentiments... I highly recommend you try renting a place together first, before you attempt to buy a house for your lady and her daughter... make sure you can really live together before make a huge commitment.

Try:

1. dealextreme.com / dx.com (same place) or focalprice.com for infrared thermometers (their prices include shipping, and yeah, when you look up iphone cases, you'll be upset if you've ever bought one in NA at a mall stand) - the dealextreme.com place has a ton of electronics stuff, arduino-esque stuff too if you're wanting to get fancy
   
   
2. food-grade vinyl tubing at plastics/marine/hardware store; there are different types so ask until you're comfy with what you pick; if you ask at your local head shop, about the glass ends available for this sorta thing, there are several. For my Arizer (something like that), there are a bunch of glass fittings (compatible with other glass fittings I've seen) -wait, here's a link http://arizer.com/store/8-extreme-vaporizer-parts (I just picked up a $20 kit at my local shop with the whip, glass mouthpiece, Elbow to connect to the cyclone bowl, um...the screens for same...and another glass stirring tool... I believe that the 'connections' of the cyclone bowl, and so on are standard scientific-type connections; if you check out science-supply sources, you can find a range of glass 'bowls' you can use that connect to them; if you're in the US, you can even get them shipped to you cheaply...the nice thing, they're certified to not react, to deal with heat to a certain temperature, etc. and aren't going to melt/gas plastics, etc., when you're using them. This may allow you to heat directly on the glass itself (just drop to the bottom?) - think 'lightbulb vape' but not likely to kill you....
   
   here's an example - http://www.amazon.com/Chemglass-CG-1512-09-1000mL-Single-Evaporating/dp/B005WVRHFS/ref=sr_1_82?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1348542044&sr=1-82
   
   For that, it takes a standard glass connector (I think similar to that found in the Arizer packages) - but you should be able to get one with two holes, if you want (or a 2 way connector than plugs into the top to allow airflow etc. (you could actually put this on top of a cheap hotplate to get it going (scientific ones are $150+, but hell, you just need evenly distributed heat). If you really want to get fancy - check out these: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D318083011&field-keywords=20%2F40+joint&rh=n%3A16310091%2Cn%3A%2116310161%2Cn%3A317970011%2Cn%3A318049011%2Cn%3A318083011%2Ck%3A20%2F40+joint
   
   Anyway, I've not followed through with my plans, but that's some of the stuff I found when I researched it a couple years back.
   
   edit: oh there are also mason jars, of course, which tend to put up with heat fairly well. I did a quick test the other day, just punching two holes in the metal lid, and tossing some pot at the bottom of the jar - I held the base (with the pot) over the edge of my gas stove's flame, and presto, vapor ... I'd do some checking to see how much heat/the limitations for this stuff.
   
   edit2: if you're really temperature picky, invest in a calibrated hotplate - then you'll know exactly what you dial in is what you'll get. Hmm...now I'm wondering if something like this: http://www.amazon.com/1800-Watt-Portable-Induction-Countertop-8100MC/dp/B0045QEPYM , with a mason jar sitting on an old cast-iron pan (or does it need to be steel?) may just work...the conductive stovetop heats the pan, which heats the glass (this is where a flat bottomed boilign flask would be best, since the heating would be even), which heats the pot, which you then enjoy :D
   
   edit3: Depending on your 'container/bowl', would a simple flatiron (be it for clothes, hair, or craft (the tiny ~1inch square ones)) be sufficient to heat things up? (without all the noise of a heat gun?) ; you can also look into mesh/fibrous materials that you could heat that don't actually come into contact with your pot - (grab some inexpensive copper wire, roll into small ball with air spaces galore that fits at bottom of your cyclone bowl, attach the ends to a 9v battery and presto - a heat source, not in contact with your pot, that you can suck heated air through (that get's heated) to vape? And yeah, I'm at 7 after experimenting with the bong I just made out of a container for 2kg of Whey protein powder, some spare tubing, and a metal bowl/shaft I had lying around unused. HEll, there's enough room there for a bag of ice, and space to spare, I dont' think I'll use my 'real' bong ever again - this capacity was perfect, and it's so easily cleaned. Tomrorow I'll have to get some silicone to create better seals...thanks for prompting my creative energies tonight.

There is a noticeable and for me annoying lag in when the scale registers weight. Makes it easy to go past your target measurement.

I prefer the faster Jennings CJ-4000 scale for that reason alone.

Jennings CJ-4000 Compact Digital Weigh Scale 4000g x 0.5g PCS JScale Black AC Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004C3CAB8/

I have this one and I love it. It was $30 on Amazon, so, a little pricey, but got good reviews and works well. I like that it can tare, and measure in grams and ounces, and you can switch between grams and ounces with something on the scale.

https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Precision-Products-Digital-Minute/dp/B0007NIIOU/ref=zg_bs_289812_2

https://www.amazon.com/Jennings-CJ4000-4000g-Digital-Scale/dp/B004C3CAB8

33 bucks

I have this one. It stays plugged in.

https://www.amazon.com/Jennings-CJ4000-4000g-Digital-Scale/dp/B004C3CAB8

It's $27 on Amazon.