Here are 4 things that I think will allow you to cook about 90% of everything you see on the internet.

A decent 8" kitchen knife. The Victorinox is a heavy lifter without breaking the bank.

A solid dutch oven. Here I recommend a Lodge, but Le Cruset is fantastic as well. A dutch oven allows you to do tons of one pot meals, braising, frying, soups, sauces, baking bread etc..

A 12" fry pan. This is for proteins, sauteing, all kinds of breakfast applications (eggs, homefries, shakshuka, etc).

A 3 qrt saucier. This one is pretty pricey, but you can get other good, cheaper options if you do a little research. This can double as a pot to boil water, make sauces, curries, and candy. A sauciers smooth sides are much easier to clean and can serve as a good compromise between a saucepan and a saute pan.

I've listed them in order of importance. A knife and a dutch oven can do a ton by themselves. I'd also recommend a pair of kitchen tongs, a handheld fine mesh strainer, and am immersion blender. In fact, I'd try to get those before the fry pan and the saucier, they open a lot of doors for you.

You're in luck.

I've considered buying this

$25: Digital food scale from Amazon. You think you know what a portion size is until you actually weigh it out :)

This thing is absolutely indispensable.

I hate you. I had just found the link to post that :(

ALL THAT WORK

I'M POSTING IT ANYWAY

http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448/

Neener.

If you like the edges, then this product, is for you good sir!
http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448
(Found this awhile back, thought it was cool myself lol)

I bought a Thermapen and I love it. But back when I was living with my folks, my mom also really liked using it from time to time. For Christmas I bought her a Lavatools Javelin because it was cheaper but still looked good. I also found that I liked that thermometer as well. Plus, it has a magnetic back so it hangs out on the fridge, so I found that more often than not I was reaching for it instead.

Again, I love my thermapen, and it's absolutely worth its price, but for those balking at the cost, that $25 Javelin is a really good buy.

You need this -> https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

Your brownies look delicious, btw! 😋

I got this one at the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market.

I also got this Zojirushi travel mug for my birthday. This thing is great. It'll stay piping hot all day, and most times I need to unscrew the lid and let it cool for awhile before I'm actually able to drink from it.

I'm very happy with my Zojirushi. Can't use a straw, but I've never had trouble with ice cubes. And it's insulated like a mofo, ice cubes stay solid overnight.

I thought you were linking to this.

The Great Barstool Brownie Debate - Center Pieces vs. Corner Pieces

Pretty heavy CW in the article.
> Now over the years I’ve had my fair share of disputes over arbitrary opinions such as this, but this one is disappointing and flat out scary. I cant believe we live in world where people want corner brownies with burnt, crunchy edges.

and

>The center brownie embodies everything that makes a brownie a fucking brownie. And thats why its superior.

and

>And dont you dare…DONT YOU DARE…bring pizza into this.

The cultural homogeneity on this is becoming really scary. The center culture has captured the mainstream. Here's Buzzfeed with So, Brownies On The Edge Of The Pan Are Trash And I'll Tell You Exactly Why. Here's Delish.com with 5 Reasons You Should Never Eat The Edges Of Brownies. And more, and more, and more. Everywhere - you - look, the center culture reigns supreme.

I work at a large technology company, and in office discussions center culture is just automatically assumed. I'd love to be able to talk about what I like, but I'm afraid that any deviation from the center line will get me branded an edgelord. It seems that just five years ago or so, it was OK to cautiously admit that edges aren't that bad, but nowadays the best I can do is to try to quickly change the topic.

For now, Edge Culture can still use technology, but now that the Overton window has shifted away from it, I worry this solution won't last. These devices already have to carry cancer warnings in California, and I think the state legislature is mulling over an outright ban.

I can only hope that some of the IDW members will adopt Edge Culture and help counterbalance the relentless drive to the center… although I doubt even that will help, at this point.

> I researched dutch ovens about two years ago and came to the conclusion they weren't worth the money

You certainly know what's best for your own situation, but I can tell you that my enameled dutch oven is a workhorse for me and looks to last for decades (already had mine over 10 years). Again, YMMV, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them in general.

Almost any ricer cooker is better (imo) than no rice cooker. They're super easy and idiot proof.

In my experience the cheaper ones make more of a mess.

I've owned this one and it wasn't very expensive, it's easy to clean, and it makes a limited mess on the counter (unless it's super full). We follow the measurement directions and the rice is great every time.

I currently own this one and it makes almost no mess ever. It's pricey, and I'm not sure it's worth the cost difference if you don't use it a lot, but not having to clean up the counter is super.

I worked in a lot of high end scratch restaurants. I had a Hattori HD 9.4" gyuto that I used as a daily prep knife. I always kept it sharpened on my natural whetstones. I walk back into the kitchen one day and a server had grabbed it to cut lemons. He was "sharpening" it with a tabletop sharpener. I lost my shit on that guy.

A few weeks later I walked back into the kitchen and the same guy had taken the Sous chef's 8" MAC gyuto and was stabbing at a container of frozen strawberries. That was enough. I let loose on the guy and told him to get the fuck out of my kitchen. I talked to the GM and he was never allowed past the kitchen doors again. He literally had to ask the dishwashers to grab stuff for him.

you will still burn your mouth from your coffee days later in this sucker https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=54527844125&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2K3rBRDiARIsAOFSW_545FztJw3-pb8bFO-f8A7UDR1NTUqTjMBlysNCdvC9IKIDns6J_fgaAriwEALw_wcB&hvadid=274745891416&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9067609&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9987121713613636684&hvtargid=aud-649564993678%3Akwd-299157307330&hydadcr=14889_10218911&keywords=zojirushi+thermos&qid=1567347339&s=gateway&sr=8-3

How about something like Ikea's veggie balls?

I picked up a few bags back in early December, emptied two of them into a gallon freezer bag, and toss a few into my rice cooker's steamer tray whenever I cook rice. I'm sure there are recipes to make them at home too.

Edit: My rice cooker that can rice and steam at the same time.

Hence the creation of this lil' beauty.

Be aware that BPA-free plastics often contain other endocrine disrupters, sometimes even worse than BPA. Your best bet is to go with one that is uncoated metal (I believe many of them coat the inside with plastic to prevent the metal from reacting with the contents and producing an odd taste).

That being said, since the "what's the best insulated mug" question comes up on BIFL about every 13.6 minutes in average, I can confidently tell you the answer is Zojirushi. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005PO9T44?pc_redir=1396962660&robot_redir=1

One reviewer claims it is uncoated.

Stay at home Dad here. I cook for six every night. Prior to about four years ago the most cooking I did was on the grill. I started with the Betty Crocker Cook book. Literally. Red book in binder format. It has simple comfort food and the recipes are simple. I now have 30+ cookbooks, some better than others. (Giada's are only good for the pictures.) Once I started cooking, I then started watching Alton Brown for other ideas and other techniques, but without a firm base of at least six months of trial and error, it won't help much. Without that, it'd be like watching a Michael Jordan video having never even picked up a basketball and thinking you could play like him. Get used to the environment first.

Start simple. Do a chicken breast and a vegetable from a can. Maybe rice. But note what works and what doesn't. Get a feel for what a "done" chicken breast looks like and feels like. Same with a pork chop. Same with some pasta. Get yourself used to the chemistry and physics of cooking first, then work on more complicated techniques and dishes.

Starter Supplies:

• One good frying pan - nonstick
  
  
• One good Chef's knife - [$25 on Amazon]
  (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008M5U1C2/182-6325493-8824318)
  
  
• Cooking Thermometer - $14 on Amazon - Cook all meats to 160 degrees F to start. You can get fancier later. To start don't poison your guests.
  
  
• Flexible cutting boards - $5 Amazon This makes it easy to chop and then dump straight into the pot/pan.
  
  Clean while you cook.
  Salt and butter are always your friend. And cheese. If something sucks, add cheese. Good luck!!! Report back please.
  
  
  TL;DR Just start cooking. Keep it simple, but start cooking.

You may want to invest in this.

Alright- I'm gonna throw at you my standard 'I've got cash to buy new cookware: what do I get' list. It's pretty much the same for a guy/gal who just got divorced, a dude/lady moving out of the dorms and into their first apartment, or really anyone who is working with nothing but some bare cash and wants to turn it into food.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. 10 or 12 inch cast iron pan - Lodge. Goes for $18 on amazon. You want this for 'general purpose' preparations; that's essentially putting heat on anything that isn't fish or eggs (more on that later). You're gonna get it pre-seasoned so some regular maintenance (eg. make bacon in the pan once or twice a month) will keep it just fine. Wash it with soap and water after each use, dry it thoroughly, don't ever let it sit in water (it can and will rust). It'll last longer than you. This isn't going in the dishwasher- sorry. But it's easy to clean and will reward your patience. Steaks, pan pizza, shallow frying, roasting a chicken, fajita veggies, making quesadillas, pan nachos, whatever it is that isn't fish or eggs goes in this pan.
   
   
2. 6qt enameled dutch oven - Also lodge. Goes for 50 bucks on amazon. This is your big-deal saucepan for building tomato sauces, stews, soups, deep frying (get a fry thermometer), braises- anything where you need a lot of liquid and need to put some heat on that. It's enameled because acids can leech into raw cast iron and alter the flavour of your food; and tomato is acidic (for example). Making short ribs? Sear 'em on the stovetop, move the pot into the oven for a final braise. This sucker will also last longer than you. Yea- it's dishwasher safe, but if you want it to stay pretty wash it by hand- it takes a few seconds and she's a pretty looking thing. Treat her right.
   
   
3. 12 inch stainless pan Tramontina, 18/10, Tri-Ply, fully Clad 60 smackos on the 'zon.com. You don't really need this per-se if you've already got your 12" cast iron, but if you go 10" on the cast iron (which I recommend, they're heavy and 10 is easier to manipulate), snag this puppy in 12". She's your go-to roaster for things that won't fit in your 10", for example. Or if you're prepping a multi-course meal she's available when your cast iron isn't.
   
   
4. Nonstick pan any cheapass pan will do this one is $12, so whatevs. This pan has exactly two uses, so listen carefully. Eggs. Anything egg-based (except quiche since that goes in the oven- but fuck quiche, and poached eggs since they go in water)- so omelettes, eggs over easy, eggs over hard, eggs scrambled, crepes. Fish. If you need to put heat directly on fish it goes in this pan. Abuse the piss out of this thing if you want to, but the second anything starts sticking to it- throw it out and have a new one shipped amazon prime. This is disposable just like every piece of nonstick cookware in the world because none of them last forever, and ignore anything that tells you differently.
   
   
5. Stock pot specifics are also unimportant this one is 22 dollarydoos. This pot has 3 major requirements- it needs to be big, it needs to have a lid, and it needs to be big. Nothing crazy or special about this thing because it only has a few major uses: bringing liquids to a boil/simmer is one of the major ones. This is where you'll make your stocks, boil your pastas, and really that's about it. Water should be the first thing in this pot most of the time.
   
   
6. Saucepan don't really care about this one either- here's one I think it's $30. Just like your stock pot- this is for liquids (sauce pan- duh) except smaller. Late night ramen, rice, and steamed milk are going to be its biggest uses initially. Over time? It'll take anything your dutch oven doesn't have to do, and anything your stock pot doesn't want to do. Requirements? Lid. Handle. That's about it.
   
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   You'll notice the startling lack of any 'set' or anything of that sort here. That's because sets of pots you don't need are dumb. You'll note none of these have glass lids, that's because glass breaks. You'll note none of this stuff costs a fortune, and that's because it doesn't have to. This setup can handle 95% of cooking tasks without breaking a sweat, and without your credit card company celebrating the new statue they can build outside their main office because of all the money you spent. Leftover cash? Buy a knife, get a few wire racks and baking pans, and buy a nice cut of steak, some pasta, some salmon, and veggies to try out your new gear.

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)

"I'm too poor for nice cast iron"

Cast Iron $16: https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8SK3-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-10-25-inch/dp/B00006JSUA/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1486658136&sr=1-1&keywords=lodge+cast+iron

Maple Syrup $18: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Springs-Organic-Maple-Formerly/dp/B00COBZH06/ref=sr_1_2?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1486658154&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=Maple%2BSyrup&th=1

I bet you can find a used one at Tag Sale and re-season it for less.

Below is the recipe - I also added broccoli :

Ingredients -

• 1 package super firm tofu
  
• 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
  
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  
• green onions for garnish
  
• rice for serving
  
  Instructions -
  
  
• Remove tofu from packaging. Place about 4 paper towels on a plate. Set tofu on top of plate and cover with more paper towels. Place a cast iron pan or something else that is heavy on top. Let sit 30 minutes.
  
• In a medium bowl, stir together Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
  
• Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces. Place in bowl with sauce and toss to coat. Let sit 30 minutes.
  
• Heat olive oil in a medium cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once really hot, add tofu. Once nicely seared on the bottom, flip over. Continue to cook until seared on bottom.
  
• Drizzle with sesame oil and remove from heat.
  
• Sprinkle with green onions and serve with rice.

Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder

Melitta Ready Set Joe Single Cup Coffee Brewer

Filters

That leaves you with about $12 to spare, which you could spend on some beans.

(This is my own setup btw, so I may or may not be biased. It is cheap though.)

I bought one of these, use it once or twice a week and we love it. $35

https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO

There are larger capacity ones as well, and others with more features, I wanted something multipurpose, but yet basic enough.

Zojirushi has some of the best travel mugs period. Mine will keep my coffee hot all day and if I forget to drink it (rare) it will still be hot the next morning. Disassembles easily for thorough cleaning and comes in a variety of sizes and colors! It also fits perfectly in any cup holder because it's slim design and can easily be operated with one hand while driving.

Be careful about Stanley mugs, some reviews say the quality has dropped.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005PO9T44/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1452784590&sr=8-1&pi=QL40&keywords=zojirushi&dpPl=1&dpID=11EBcYF%2B%2BuL&ref=plSrch

I would highly recommend the victorinox as a first knife. It's a great knife and it's cheap. There are better knives in the world, but none I've met give you a better quality:money ratio. Learn with the victorinox - your first knife will take some abuse as you learn how to control it, and it's better to ding up a $30 knife than one that costs $100+.

Keeping your knife sharp is also a high priority. I would also recommend getting a knife sharpener like the Accusharp. You can run this over your knife a few times after each use and it will stay in top condition. This will take the guesswork out of sharpening. For a pricier knife, I wouldn't recommend actually sharpening a knife after every use since it takes off a tiny bit of metal each time, but the victorinox is cheap enough that this is not a major concern; you could sharpen it after every use for a few years before destroying the knife, which is more than enough time for you to learn knife skills.

Once you have more experience, you can buy a butcher's steel and a sharpening stone to perfect your sharpening technique which will be easier on your knife, and eventually you can splurge on a fantastic knife based on what feels comfortable to you. But starting off, the victorinox and the accusharp are a great, affordable kit that will put you leaps and bounds ahead of what most people actually have.

Whats so funny about a dutch oven?
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-EC6D43-Enameled-Island-6-Quart/dp/B000N501BK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407013173&sr=8-1&keywords=dutch+oven

You could always go with this, but the reactions when you show up to the office potluck won't be as interesting. https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

This is great advice. The only addition (or substitution for the Aluminum Skillet if you're on a budget) I would make is a cast iron skillet. Not as 'non-stick' as the caphalon but will literally last a lifetime.

This!

It's nice and small but it can hold so much. And I love to go all out for my lunch since I don't eat much dinner. Add to the fact I hate when I spill soup in my backpack this is the best thing since magic for me.

There are ways to make sure the turd brownies turn out perfectly everytime.... http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

Always at least 2 crunchy edges

I've used a coffee filter to filter my bacon fat and the end result is crystal clear, melted gold.

edit: if you find that you're needing to filter bacon fat often, I'd buy one of these, granted you aren't filtering gallons of the stuff at a time.

I haven't used this gold filter for bacon fat, but in terms of coffee making, some fine dust particles will make it through this filter. If you want something that'll filter out almost every solid, maybe you can go with this.

Wait until your fat has cooled off a bit, then plop this filter cone on top of an open jar, put a coffee filter in, and pour away. I have seen both of these filter cones in multiple grocery stores like Wal-mart and Kroger. Super cheap and reusable!

I got a 12" Lodge cast iron skillet off Amazon for $17 bucks a few months ago. It's pre-seasoned and fantastic, and Lodge is a great brand. Ships free too. I absolutely adore it.

Check it out: http://amzn.com/B00006JSUB

Must Have Kitchenware:

• Measuring cups. Until you get better at "eyeballing", stick with measuring cups. Additionally, it gives you a good starting point if you see a recipe online or such.
  
  
• A rice cooker. This one (EDIT: I lied, I meant this one. For $7 more than the above one, it has a slow cooker function) doubles as a crock pot as well, if you're smart about it. Leave some veggies and let the rice go, easy meal. Which leads into the next point:
  
  
• A crock pot. If you want something more extravagant than rice and beans, try learning how to use a crock pot. It's easy to make ribs or pulled pork: just leave some bbq and pork in the pot and go to class. I know I had some trust issues leaving a kitchen appliance going for hours at a time, but once you get past that it's a life saver.
  
  

  Places to Shop:
  

  
  

• The Meat Lab (scroll down to the bottom). Great prices, and great quality. It's food right from the farms at school. As the name might suggest, you can get meat and eggs from there.
  
  
• Far East Grocery. Fave place to get my oriental groceries and everything you could ever want. It's cramped, very confusing, and has sketchy lighting-- reminds me of home.
  
  

  General Tips:
  

  
  

• Clean while you cook.
  
  
• Don't buy ramen because it's "the college kid food." One cup of (filling) ramen is ~$1, maybe 60c if you're lucky, or 40-60 bucks assuming you eat 2 meals a day. In comparison, 20lbs of rice is $10, and a month's veggies+potatoes+eggs is $15, and soy sauce is $5.
  
  With all of that, you can make a month's supply of some really damn good fried rice.
  
  
• When shopping for a recipe, write out what you need. Nothing sucks more than coming home and realizing you forgot turmeric.
  
  When I'm super lazy, here's my go-to meal-- Rice, salt and pepper, cumin, with a tomato sitting at the top, and maybe some carrots. I just toss them all in the rice cooker and watch some TV.

The 10.25" Lodge skillets is $14 and pretty much holds at that price on Amazon. They are BIFL as long as you season it correctly and condition it after every use.

Also, on a side note, consider getting the roommate a very cheap cast iron pan.

It's EXCELLENT at searing things, and pretty much indestructible. Here's a super cheap, very reliable cast iron pan.

That way you can avoid strangling him later if he does it again ¯_(ツ)_/¯

People will say things like 'screaming hot cast iron'. I disagree.

Let me recommend one of these. Then buy a bunch of high quality unsalted butter and make ghee (just cook the butter very low, crockpot even, until all the layers are seperated. Scrape the fat off the top, then pour the middle layer into a container, do not let the stuff at the bottom get in. You will lose a tiny amount of ghee but it's just butter so don't worry about it.). Ghee won't smoke till like 485. anything between 400 and 450 is plenty hot enough for a good sear.

Cast iron doesn't heat evenly. It retains heat exceptionally well. So what I do is preheat the pan for about 5 minutes on a 4/10 on my stove (flat glass stovetop). By then, at least half the pan's about 400. I throw in the fat, wait for the fat to get up between 400-450 (takes seconds), then drop the seasoned steak on a part maintaining that heat large enough to cover the steak. I do 3 minutes a side at that temp.

Sear's great. I can leave up the smoke alarm. I don't even need to open windows. I don't even put the overhead fan for the stove on...cause there's next to no smoke.

Here's a steak I made last night (half eaten).

I've yet to try, but I will next week; putting a cast iron weight on the steak while it vacuum seals. This, in my head, should keep the steak perfectly flat instead of getting 'scrunched' a little by the vacuum sealing. The only part on my steaks that haven't seared well were where the steak got 'scrunched' and wasn't flat and even. I think that will solve that.

EDIT: Quick note since people like this comment...Someone made a comment that changed my life a bit with sous vide. They said to just cook the meat sous vide, ice bath, then fridge. You can then keep it in the fridge for like 2 weeks (I've never let it go that long, usually within a week) but it ends up being like 75% meal prep'd. Searing takes all of 10 minutes with the pan preheat. Pop steaks out in no time flat.

Applicable point about searing is that from cold is key (3 minutes per side from hot will 100% overcook it).

Cast iron pans are not as expensive as you think they are

• +1 for $30.59 cast iron and $30.00 non-stick. See if you can get a non-stick that is oven safe. It will be more versatile.
  
• $13.58 Make sure to get a high temp silicone spatula so that he can use them in his non-stick pan. Nothing sharp in the non-stick, ever.
  
• $39.95 Get him a decent, sharp knife. The Victorianox is a good knife that you can get for cheap.
  
• $5.78 Tongs, metal tongs from the asian market are about 3 bucks but totally useful.
  
  Total ~119.90
  That leaves you ~$80 to get ancillary things like measuring cups and spoons, cutting board, and a sauce pot.

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!

AWS Gemini-20 is the gold standard. It's the most common .001 scale by far.

Amazon link if you're American.

Edit: More links for convenience.

[UK][CA][DE][FR][CN]

Baratza Encore ~$130 new. Check Baratza refurbished website from time to time

The Encore isn't the best but is a good starting electric burr grinder

Edit: links

Some of us like the edges...

even more so the corners...

https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

Yes, ditch it. You'll get better coffee for less money with less environmental waste from any of the methods suggested here.

I'll put in my vote for what got me into pour-overs, and which never seems to get much love on this sub: a good old fashioned Melitta drip cone, which makes a more than decent cup of coffee with easily obainable (and cheap) filters with a minimum of fuss. You can pick up a small one that's perfect for one or two cups for under ten bucks, and a set with a larger cone which also includes a glass carafe (perfect for making multiple cups at once) for not much more than that.

https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Coffee-Single-Pour-Over-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6

https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-640446-Pour-Over-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0000CFLCT

I am too lazy to learn how to use a whetstone and whatnot, so I got this thing. It's $8, easy to use, and works pretty well at making my 10-year-old Ikea knives usable.

If you are making your boyfriend lunch every day, you need to take a look at bento boxes! It's a Japanese lunchbox. Usually it has rice, fresh veggies, eggs, noodles, chicken, sausages, or anything else you can imagine! I've even made sushi, dumplings and soup. I haven't made any in a couple years, but I used to make them for my wife. They are very healthy and filling and don't need heating.

They make special boxes if you want. However, a couple Tupperware containers will work fine. If you really get into it, you might find a thermos lunch jar.

You can try this book from Amazon. It's a good intro from an American perspective.

http://www.justbento.com/

http://www.aibento.net/

http://lunchinabox.net/recipes/

I use a coffee filter cone. It's dirt cheap (mine was $2.50) and makes a single serving.

You're worried that you don't have a right to care about what he eats, but this is a potentially-long-haul relationship, right? You do have a vested and legit interest in him staying healthy so you two can live a long, healthy, and active life together.

You go to the gym, right? Or go for runs? Just invite him to work out with you (doesn't have to be every one of your workouts, but at least reasonably often). Also, start counting calories together using MyFitnessPal and a food scale (I use this one). You don't even have to nag him about his daily goals - if he sees he's regularly ingesting 3500 calories, that'll spur him to action, at least to cut out whatever junk food he's eating.

Approaching health and fitness as a thing you do together is going to make it easier for you guys to keep each other accountable without coming across as nagging. Good luck!

Cholesterol you eat has very, very, very little bearing on your blood serum levels. Bad-cholesterol levels are tied to genetics and inflammation. Good news! Eat all the eggs you want. Bad news! Stress contributes to inflammation.

How much longer are you going to be in this situation? Would it be worth it to pick up a cheapish chef's knife and a dutch oven? Because my-oh-my what you can do with a dutch oven on a stovetop is amazing and I am just full of recipes.

Also, these caffiene stir sticks have been getting popular at my local college.

I can't do much to help you, but if you want some recipes I can help out a bit with the stovetop cooking. (In the interest of transparency, some of these recipes are from my own blog.) As far as the smell goes . . . fuck it, the crab hates you anyway so just make like a duck and let her roll off your back.

Seafood Stew - I say dutch oven for this, but you can totally use a regular pot.

Cheeseburger Tacos

Carnitas Tacos

Chicken Paprikash

If you've got a broiler in the oven that works Eggs in Prugatory is a favorite of mine.

If you're feeling up to making dumplings, I have a recipe for pierogies that is pure comfort food.

And I could go on about eggs the way that Forest Gump's buddy did about shrimp.

Sir please sit down and let go of my hand, I'm here to help. That's a Thermapen by Thermoworks, it's one of the world's fastest and most reliable digital thermometers, but it comes at a price. - a cheaper option is the Thermopop, and an even cheaper option is the Lavatools Javelin - I haven't tried it myself, but the reviews on Amazon are stellar.

1. A good, sharp chef's knife. Nothing fancy, I use a Dexter that I got for like $20 and have it resharpened. You can get a lot nicer, but you don't have to. The first kitchen I ever worked at (20 years ago) used knives almost exactly like this.
   
   
2. A good meat thermometer. I use this one which works similarly to a ThermaPen but without the ridiculous ~$90 cost.
   
   
3. A good cast iron skillet can be pretty versatile. Cast iron holds heat very well, which means that it's great for stuff like searing steaks.
   
   
4. Some cheap, non-stick frying pans. I recommend getting cheap ones because once the coating starts coming off (and it always does at some point, it seems) you're going to throw them away and get new ones. You can spend $300+ like I did once and get high-end stuff like All-Clad or whatever, but even if you're super careful and use only wood and silicone utensils to cook on it, it'll still start peeling its coating, and then All-Clad will say you used metal silverware on it and your warranty is invalid, blah blah blah, and that's more hassle than you need. Just get cheap ones.
   
   
5. Now THIS is where you can spend some legit money. A tri-ply, high quality frying pan without a non-stick coating. These are great for making pan sauces while you cook, etc. I made a chicken, garlic, and olive oil with a red wine vinegar based pan sauce with this pan (well, and some baking dishes) that was incredible. All-Clad is the industry standard but the Tramontina stuff is 1/2 the price or less and built to near the same level of quality.
   
   
6. A nice, enameled Dutch Oven, whether it be from Le Creuset or Tramontina, these are the best for stews, soups, chili...etc. Hold heat forever, well built, and easy to clean.
   
   
7. A good fish spatula, which I almost never use to cook fish. It's actually just the best shape for omelets, eggs, whatever. Flipping anything in a pan with a utensil like this is awesome.
   
   
8. A thick ceramic baking dish for making things like lasagna or casseroles or even just roasting meats/veggies.
   
   
9. Believe it or not, cookie sheets covered with heavy duty aluminum foil are how I do a lot of my oven roasting of small things, like diced veggies or potatoes. They work perfectly and being so large they're able to be spread out so they get roasted on all edges for a little extra flavor. Brussel sprouts & diced bacon in a cast iron skillet to start and then dump them onto this and blast them in the oven at 425 for 15-20 minutes and you'll have a great side dish.
   
   
10. No matter how careful you are, you're going to get something caked on or get a dish so dirty you think it's uncleanable. For that, I recommend Barkeeper's Friend which is an awesome powdered cleaner. Add a little water, use a paper towel and this stuff to make a paste, leave it in the pan for a few minutes, then rinse. I have yet to see this fail. Awesome stuff. Saved some pans.
    
    
    There are lots of other things I use daily:
    
    

• Good kitchen towels
  
• Heavy Duty Aluminum foil
  
• A good dish scrubber for cleanup
  
  etc.
  
  But the point I guess I'm making is that you can get lots of good, cheap stuff to start with.
  

I use this one and I like it: https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44

My advice for perfect rice every time.

https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1465785298&sr=8-2&keywords=aroma+rice+cooker+stainless

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3PrCzbEJ53R4V

A good chef's knife will likewise cut through ligaments and muscle quite well. I have the Victorinox chef's knife I got off Amazon and highly recommend it. Get one of these to keep them sharp.

This one is pretty sweet, but I recommend you get yourself a virtual skillet. Coming off an addiction as serious as yours you can't just jump straight into cookware like that man.

In my experience there are two things to look for, taring and resolution. Most kitchen scales can tare (zeroing out what is on it) however not all digital scales have the same resolution.

http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1373151593&sr=1-1&keywords=food+scale

I have bought this twice already, it goes down to 1 gram of resolution, which is nice if you have OCD. I had to buy another because I was dumb the first one. I spilled soy sauce in it during a move and got the buttons sticky, however it still worked properly after I opened it up and cleaned out the circuitry. Then a year later, a liqueur bottle fell on it from 4 feet up and cracked it. If anything were to happen to my new one, I would probably buy another one again.

Excuse me from copying my reply from a previous BIFL, but I still feel strongly:

MISTER BENTO MISTER BENTO MISTER BENTO

It's a bit complicated--follow me here. It's an insulated tube just like a thermos, with four round containers. I'll take you through them, from the bottom up.

Soup bowl: Actually a pretty nice soup bowl. It's got a lid that screws on, as well as a pressure-valve on the lid to prevent a vacuum forming as it cools (it's going to cool a little, no matter the insulation... thermodynamics still exists).

Rice bowl: It's a Japanese product, so there's a big compartment for rice. I never have a problem fitting a sandwich in here, if that's what you're in the mood for. You... you get used to sandwich-pucks eventually. Important thing here is that the lid on this bowl is thick and insulated, to help keep whatever's in here and the soup warm.

Veggie bowl: As I understand the typical Japanese meal (read: none), this is a bowl that's supposed to house some vegetables. You may have noticed that the bowl below this has a thick insulating layer. The way it's designed, this compartment and the one above it aren't insulated. It's actually pretty cool, when you think about it. I would usually use this for some roughage... dry cereal or something.

Tiny top bowl: This is it. Another non-insulated bowl. I'd usually put a cookie or two in here.

The whole thing is leak-proof, and it really does a fantastic job. Once you think about the two-hot-two-plain thing, you can put some fun meals together. The insulation works well--soup was always warm come lunchtime. And it's surprisingly big, too. You won't finish eating and want for any more. I didn't finish a lot of times, or I'd use one of the compartments just to hold a mid-day snack.

I know you might balk at the price, but if you think you might like something like I'm describing, I really can't endorse the product enough.

Baker's Edge Nonstick Edge Brownie Pan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MMK448/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_F2oWCbXERXVBJ

The enamel Lodge pots have an average rating of 4.5 with over 1300 reviews on Amazon, and they are less than $50.

The Le Creuset is probably better, but that's a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a pot imo. Even if you replaced the Lodge pot every 5 years, it would take you almost 30 years and 6 pots before you sunk enough money in them to equal one 1 Le Creuset pot.

Holy shit! That scales "Acceptable Tolerance (+-)" is 200mg! Source

In case I'm not being clear: 100%, you cannot trust that scale.

If you're measuring anything below 1g, it requires extreme accuracy, which that scale cannot provide!

Here is the recommended scale of /r/nootropics:
American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G

I have this scale. Even though it measures down to 1mg (.001g), the acceptable tolerance is still +-5mg. It also measures up to 20g, so that's an overall accuracy of +-0.025% compared to the max weight, which is extremely accurate for a scale (note: your scale comes in at 0.033% compared to the max weight)

If you have any questions, let me know. Good luck!

Get a scale. This one is like $6. Then look for ShadeTree's taper technique in the sidebar.

I love my Encore:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK

Fuck dem kids who say they can't help you. If I can't help you it's because you're not willing to do what I say.

PHYSICAL

• You're balding? Shave your head. Completely. Wax it. Embrace it, and free yourself from the toilet bowl.
  
• Join www.myfitnesspal.com and tell it you are sedentary, then enter ALL exercise manually. Set it to lose 2lb/week and DO NOT EAT MORE THAN YOUR DAILY ALLOWANCE.
  
• Buy this and use it to weigh everything before eating and logging it: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404304637&sr=8-2&keywords=digital+food+scale
  
• Join a gym. Download this app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stronglifts-5x5-workout/id488580022?mt=8
  Follow its routine consistently.
  
• Go to a big and tall store, and ask for help. A lot of help. Get clothes that fit you and are flattering now. In six months, go again, and get new clothes. Look at yourself in your old clothes, then in your new.
  
  FINANCIAL
  
  
• Separate your debts into categories, based on the interest rate. Pay the highest first.
  
• Downsize your apartment. I don't care how small it already is. Go smaller. Sell the shit that has upkeep which you don't need. Get your lifestyle down to a level where you can apply a sizable portion of your income to your humongous debts. Be sure enough is left that you have some joy in life. Focus on that.
  
• Get a roommate. This helps you socially, too.
  
  SOCIAL
  
  
• When at that gym I told you to join, go up to the biggest guy there. Tell him you want to change your life. Tell him you are there to learn to do the lifts in your routine safely. Ask him to teach you. He might be a jackass. If so, go to the second biggest guy there. This is an exercise in mental conditioning about meeting scary new people (and a way to ensure you do the physical stuff right), not just a way to make friends. You WILL find someone who is willing to help. When he's done teaching you, thank him.
  
• Get that roommate. Advertise yourself as a nice person who is looking to make more friends. You'll meet people who are like you. You're NOT alone.
  
• Go on meetup.com, and join groups that do things that interest you. Attend events. Don't be bitter at those events. Drinking and socialization often follows them and you'll get invited if you are pleasant.
  
  
  JOB
  
  
• Accept that for the forseeable future you do need to work this job that you hate. Accept that most people hate their job. Make the most of it.
  
• Volunteer for tasks outside your hated 'area of specialty' that don't sound totally awful. My wife is a technical writer who is about to be made proposal manager because she volunteered to work proposals when someone left. She did it for a long time. Then she became the expert. Now she's getting the job, and it's much more in line with what she wants.
  
• Attend training courses offered by your employer to build skillsets that actually do appeal to you. As well as the boring ones that don't--the social ones called 'Leading BLAH BLAH BLAH' and 'Time Management'. These will give you ideas for improving your life that I haven't thought of because I'm not a professional.
  
• Talk to your boss. Tell him you'd like to get more education in a different area from your specialty in support of these tasks you've been volunteering to do. Find out what your company can/will pay for. Take 100% of that money and educate yourself.
  
• Stop focusing on that dream of owning your own business and start focusing on the dream of doing things that give you some satisfaction.
  
  
  
  If you do all this you won't have time to masturbate to porn all night like I know you are doing right now. It'll be worth it.
  
  I didn't include a dating category because if you do all of this you're going to meet a woman eventually. It won't be immediate; it might not be until you are 200lb lighter. But you will eventually meet someone who appreciates your drive to improve yourself.
  
  You might be 30 before this pays off in ways that you consider valuable right now, but by the time you're 27.5, you'll be appreciating how it has changed you.

I got this one. I can keep it in my purse and use it at work or wherever. No excuses!

Have you considered a seasoned cast iron skillet?
The Lodge ones are cheap and will last forever if you wash them properly after use.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00006JSUA/

I got one of these 7 years ago after a few years of wasting money on the usual variety of non-stick pans and its still going strong.

You need to take a little care in how you clean it after use, but its great to cook with.

Cast iron pans are AMAZING for cooking almost anything in. Try to avoid cooking highly acidic foods in them, because that can break down the seasoning that builds up as you use the pan. In other words, use an enameled pot for dishes that have a lot of tomatoes. The best cast iron frying pan to get is the Lodge 12-inch skillet -- it's big and heavy, but not too big for your stovetop, and it provides a lot of room to fry in. They typically sell at Wal-Mart for between $16 and $19, depending on the Wal-mart you go to. It's very easy to find a used cast iron pan at yard sales, flea markets, Goodwill, etc; but based on experience I've seen those pans are usually the 10-inch size or smaller, and if you only have one cast iron pan then I'd suggest going for the 12-inch size. (TJ Maxx/Marshalls had a shipment of those Lodge cast iron pans earlier this year, with the 12-inch size going for $14.99; if you look in one of those stores you may still be able to find one.)

I'll admit to being biased in favor of cast iron, so based on my advice above for an enameled cooking pot, I'd likewise suggest a big, heavy, enamel-coated cast iron pot. The really expensive enameled pots like Le Creuset can run into the hundreds of dollars, and their owners swear it's worth the price; but for most folks, a less expensive brand of enameled iron pot will perform just as well for a fraction of the price. If you're near an Aldi's, with its own brand names for just about anything in the store, you can usually find a 5-quart enameled iron cooking pot for $20 to $30 in there. Wal-Mart sells a 6-quart enameled iron pot by Lodge for $50, which I think is a great price because Lodge is a very reliable and durable brand.

Generally speaking around here the Thermoworks Thermapen (and the other Thermoworks products) is considered the gold standard. And there is no reason why it shouldn't be. It is accurate and fast. But it is also somewhat pricey. Especially for people just getting into grilling.

Personally, especially for people just getting serious about grilling, I tend to recommend the LavaTools Javelin ( https://smile.amazon.com/Lavatools-PT12-Javelin-Thermometer-Chipotle/dp/B00GRFHXVQ/ ). The price is nice and low and the performance is fairly comparable to the Thermapen. (source: http://www.brewunited.com/index.php?blogid=150 ) Note that the tester ( u/sufferingcubsfan ) thought he was testing the PRO model when in fact he was just testing the standard.

While the testing wasn't exactly vigorous or scientific journal worthy, it was enough in my book to save myself the $75 and go with the Javelin. That was @ 1.5 years ago and I haven't looked back yet. I've also given it as a gift to friends that either grill or brew beer (or both) and haven't heard a complaint yet.

He has an espresso machine, can't read the model name, it might be this capresso model, but it looks standard enough.

he has a vacuum coffee maker, looks kinda like this

Then he has an electric coffee grinder that's pretty good sized. it's not exactly this model, but it's close enough. Edit: it may be this Capresso model grinder as well

I personally think his coffee mugs are way too small, but I drink coffee by the 20oz thermos mug. I might have a small addiction.

Then I'm seeing Angostura Bitters, Milagro anejo tequilia, sailor jerry rum, pre-made simple syrup, and a couple bottles I can't see.

Now I'm imagining one of these in the shape of a swastika for themed deserts.

"One hot moist gooey blondie swastika, topped with a heaping scoop of our housemade "Bav-Aryan creme" ice cream and lightly sprinkled with a light almost ash like dusting of our "Holo-chocolate" that'll have you stand up and shout "Sieg Delicious!"

God... now I kind of want to go to Nazi TGIF.

Try one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1345422894&sr=1-4&keywords=perfect+brownie+pan

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-Non-Stick-Solutions-Brownie/dp/B00457RHL4/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1345422894&sr=1-2&keywords=perfect+brownie+pan

Also, Lodge makes enameled cast iron as well. It's good stuff too.

http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2011/06/06/dutch-oven-battle-lodge-vs-le-creuset/

> spiceindiaonline.com/crispy-chicken-65/

I'm inclined to mostly agree with /u/Amnizu. I dont think I've ever seen deep frying in a pot like that, even if it is heavy bottomed, the outside is not heavy so it will not retain the temperature of the oil as well as cast iron would. A $20 Cast Iron pan is usually my go to for frying. Even safer and probably better would be something like this. A Quart of Oil is actually quite a bit in that kind of pot. When using the Cast Iron get an 1-1.5 inches of oil up to temp then slowly add in each piece of chicken. The recipe you are using has water in the ingredients which is ok, as long as you don't have excess sauce on the chicken when you put it in. Water and frying are not friends. You might even want to reduce the amount of water just a little. To be safe keep some Baking Soda near by to put out any potential grease fires. I'm no pro so take what I say with a grain of salt. I usually use a cast iron pan and it comes out great, makes the house smell though. Hope this helps.

I have, maybe six, pans I use for 90%+ of my cooking:

1. 12" All-Clad stainless skillet - perfect all-purpose fry pan. Steak, chops, pasta sauces, pan roasting, sauteing, you name it, this pan does it well. $89 from Amazon is a steal!
   
2. 6qt Lodge Dutch Oven - braising, soups, stews, for the price it's well worth it, though I'm not sure how long it'll hold up.
   
3. 3.5qt non-stick Calphalon sauce pot - great for making sauces, boxed macaroni and cheese, steaming veggies, etc... Very versatile, could easily be stainless too, I just happened to be given non-stick.
   
4. 2qt All-Clad stainless sauce pan - great for sauces (duh) and all kinds of other stuff, super versatile.
   
5. 12" Nordic Ware non-stick skillet - non-stick pans should be treated as "disposable". I replace mine every 12-18 months. Nordic Ware is cheap, and well designed. Handle can take enough heat that you can put it in a sub-375F oven and it won't melt, if you care about that. Mine is most often used for Sunday morning fritatas, finishing pasta in a sauce, and egg things.
   
6. 12" Nordic Ware Stock pot (and a lid) - Gotta have a stock pot, and for the price this one is fantastic!
   
   Runners up - stuff I use enough that I'm glad I have them, but if I didn't wouldn't really notice:
   
   
7. 8" Nordic Ware non-stick skillet - awesome for making omelets, roux, etc...
   
8. Stainless saute pan - really big, flat bottom, straight sides, with long handle, and a loop on the opposite side. It looks a lot like the All-Clad 3qt saute pan, but it was a hand-me-down and definitely isn't all-clad. It's great for braising or when you just need a ton of pan space.
   
9. Calphalon 11" griddle pan - when I need me some french toast or pancakes!

Everyone should own a cast iron skillet.

They are like $15 on Amazon

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
  

You wouldn't download a Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet - 12 Inch Classic Cast Iron Frying Pan with Assist Handle (Made in USA).

This is a pretty good skillet and it's well under budget. http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-Inch/dp/B00006JSUB

Solid job! Definitely better than my first steak-cooking experience. A few recommendations, echoing the other ones here:

1. Try and cook at a higher heat. You started to develop a nice crust, but getting the cast iron scorching hot will give it a complete, brown, and crispy exterior. While you're prepping, stick your pan in the oven at 400 degrees to get it hot and then throw it on a high burner just before cooking.
   
   
2. If you're pan searing, adding a few knobs of butter + garlic + thyme about halfway through cooking will add a lot of flavor. If you choose just one of those though, make it the butter. Basting it [Gordon Ramsay style] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEx9gPhtjzs) will really complete what you've got.
   
   Again, nice work - happy cooking!
   
   EDIT: Took a second look and I noticed it was a nonstick. I can't recommend highly enough investing the $30 in a [Lodge cast iron skillet] (http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-Inch/dp/B00006JSUB). It'll last you a lifetime and cook considerably better than anything else!

I second the food scale specifically, the one I have and has worked for 5 years is this one and get a foam roller with the remainder. This foam roller is $13.51 and is the same style that my gym has.

That said, this food scale is only 11 bucks with the same rating as mine, so I would recommend buying that one! The most important thing to me for a food scale is idle time -- if I leave it for 2 minutes, will it turn off? I don't want it to, sometimes I am mid-weight and still chopping and want it to remain "on".

You want a fast reading digital thermometer, by the way. Something like this will do the job.

There's an amazing instant read that's even better, but they're like $100. But temperature is your main concern, really.

Also, an excellent technique for cooking meat that's quite forgiving is braising in a slow cooker. It's stupid simple, cheap, and you end up with something tender and delicious.

1. Obtain slow cooker.
   
2. Obtain pork shoulder.
   
3. Place pork shoulder in slow cooker.
   
4. Dump in a cup or so of a braising liquid - Coke classic works well for pork, but anything with a decent level of acidity and reasonable flavor profile will do the trick.
   
5. Cook on low for 8 hours.
   
6. Shred it with a fork and season to taste.
   
   You can stick on in the oven on a baking sheet under the broiler to crisp up a bit. With some salt and other seasonings of your choice that can go great on tacos.
   
   Or you can combine with BBQ sauce for a pulled pork sandwich.

Grinder

>Capresso Infinity - $89
>
>or
>
>Hario Mini Mill Slim - $30 - If you don't mind hand-grinding your beans


Coffee Maker

>Aeropress - $23 - Balanced flavour, easy cleanup
>
>or
>
>Hario v60 - $19 - If you enjoy the process of preparing your coffee, and enjoy a brighter (more acidity) cup of coffee.
>
>or
>
>A french press - $20 and up - If you want to make more coffee at a time than the Aeropress, don't mind a "thicker" (more coffee particulate and oils in the cup) coffee, and are not opposed to having a little bit more clean-up.

You'll need a kettle for any of these brew methods; a programmable/temperature controlled kettle like this one ($95) is ideal for manual brew methods, but any kettle (and a thermometer if you'd like to get fussy) will do just fine.

Personally I would get the Capresso and the Aeropress if I were you. It's a very balanced and forgiving brew method that can make coffee a few different ways (eg. paper filter for a "brighter" cup, metal for a thicker one). Set aside the rest of your budget and find a good coffee roaster near you!

I wrote an answer to a similar question yesterday. Here's a version edited for you, hope this helps.

​

Cheapest possible way to get into it is a whirly blade grinder and a french press. No filters needed, just fresh ground coffee made rather quickly and easily. This was my first ever coffee set up, and really got me into drinking better coffee. Buying locally from a reputable roaster will be the best option for quality beans for a good price, and you seem to know that already.

​

The other option, is to buy nice or buy twice. After using the above set up for a few months I was hooked and decided to upgrade everything. So I will send you some options for the most cost effective way to make specialty level coffee. For this I would look at a nicer grinder and a pour over set up. While hand grinders are great, almost everyone upgrades to an electric one. The linked options there are my favorite for the money. The electric model from baratza can be found refurbished on their website from time to time for additional savings.

The next thing you'll need is a pour over and a kettle to pour with. I recommend a Chemex here as they are good for serving one to three cups comfortably. I recommended a glass handle chemex because they are beautiful, but wood necked models are a little cheaper. I would get the white square filters with it as they impart less papery flavor. As for a kettle you have a ton of options. I am going to link a budget electric kettle as I find the stovetop models to be more of a hassle. The additional cost for an electric kettle is pretty marginal.

​

Hope this is helpful! Happy brewing and welcome to the fam!

Not exactly at your desk, but I've manged to drop 20+ pounds just making some basic changes at work.

Taking stairs to my floor (16 flights), utilizing a treadmill desk (walking) 2x a day for 30 min each time, packing a decent lunch 3x a week instead of eating out 5x a week (knowing Friday is my cheat day helps).

In regards to lunch buying a scale like this for kitchen use helps immensely with portion control. Typical lunch would be a deli sandwich, apple, diet pop. Sometimes subbing chips for an apple.

Lodge pans are cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cast-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-10-25-inch/dp/B00006JSUA/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1503956693&sr=1-3&keywords=lodge+cast+iron

I got mine for $18 at a Target. Not sure where you are but those prices are way too much.

http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

Personally I'd toss it, drinking glass makes me nervous. Buy a $20 digital thermometer as a replacement.

I use this one and love it http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0021AEAG2?pc_redir=1408766971&robot_redir=1

These awesome popsicle makers. They come and go but should pop up for about $17.

A butter bell... never deal with hard butter again

A probe thermometer... it's changed my cooking accuracy like no one's business

A safety razor and 100 blades... shave like your grandfather and stop paying $8 for shit blades

15 bucks over budget. Maybe skip the popsicles.

http://www.amazon.com/Raytek-MT6-Non-contact-MiniTemp-Thermometer/dp/B000O80B5M

No joke. I use it all the time when cooking. It stays in my kitchen. It really opens up your eyes on how uneven the temperature of your cooking surfaces are. SURFACE TEMP ONLY! to temp meat like chicken, use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/CDN-DTQ450X-ProAccurate-Quick-Read-Thermometer/dp/B0021AEAG2

Also: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=chainmail%20scrubber I don't know which one I have, I think the knappmade one, but these are also awesome. Work great for cleaning stainless steel pots and pans also.

Zojirushi, hands down. I've had this one for two and a half years now, and it's just as good as the day I got it.

What's more, they sell replacement parts - the whole lid, the mouthpiece, all the seals & o-rings... You can get an entire rebuild kit for around ten or twelve bucks.

edit - fixed link. apparently, reddit doesn't know what a link is without http:// out front.

I'm a huge Kenji fan myself. I've cooked nearly half of the Food Lab book, and dozens of his recipes from the website, great stuff!

My thoughts on gifts

Lavatools PT12 Javelin

A Nice carbon steel wok

A good Dutch Oven

A torch for searing, or Creme Brulee

An awesome knife

Another awesome, but cheaper and well rounded knife

The list could go on, and on, and on....just some thoughts though.

Zojirushi thermos. I absolutely love this thing. I typically use it as a carafe and serve my coffee into a small mug. I highly recommend it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_HjAQub0K13A5S

Seeing this page, I feel like japanese brand Zojirushi is a really good option. Namely the previous generation Stainless Steel Mug.

Considering what you've described I'm surprised you're considering a hand grinder. A $99 refurbished Baratza Encore (or a new one) is a great price to performance value.

Hario Skerton: Baseline manual grinder

Baratza Encore: Baseline electric grinder

Hario v60

Kalita Wave

Clever Dripper

Pick a grinder, pick one of the pourover methods (or get a French Press) and filters, and you're set. You can get a gooseneck kettle if you want for a better pour.

Probably the gourmet shop in five points will have a baratza burr grinder. This is the one I have and it is 👍👍

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_X6zVDb8FAAGD8

As a college student cooking for one (completely off a dining meal plan), my go-to recipe last semester was the following:

1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn (not creamed corn)
handful of chopped green onion
dash of salt and cumin
throw it all in a skillet and heat until mixed, and eat with tortilla chips. No access to a stove? Throw it in one of these: rice cooker/food steamer with some water, and press 'steam', stirring occasionally. This thing saved my sanity.

Other than that magic recipe, my advice is don't get home from class hungry. Have something waiting for you, be it fruits or veggies or some hummus and chips. Also, because pizza tends to be a main food group in college, try and find a local pizza place that offers no-cheese options, or Daiya (fake cheese) - it's getting more and more common. :)

I use cast iron daily, let me address your problems here:

>First issue- stuff sticks to it all the time. I used to be able to cook eggs without even touching a spatula, but I can't shake them loose anymore, and of course the yolks break when I try. If I nudge them with a spatula, they come off clean, but then there's just one more thing to wash in the morning.

Are you putting down any butter or oil before you fry your egg? If your eggs are sticking, you're probably cooking them on too high of a heat. Since your pans are brand new, I'd hold off on frying up eggs just yet and just cook tons of bacon and other greasy foods in them to help build up the seasoning or put the pan through another seasoning process.

>Oh wait, you're not supposed to wash cast iron, are you? Except you can, except you shouldn't, except that's a myth, except it etc. etc. etc. No one has a straight answer and it's annoying.

The "no soap" myth hearkens back to the days when most dish soaps contained lye (this is what strips the seasoning). That isn't the case with most soaps anymore. You can use soap, but I wouldn't recommend it on a pan that isn't sufficiently seasoned. If you can get away without using soap when you clean the pan, do that instead.

>Okay fine, I think, so the bottom of the pan is rough which apparently isn't how it's supposed to be, and I've heard people like to grind the surface down to make it smooth. Let's try it. I got some sandpaper and sanded it down, not baby-ass smooth but still a major improvement. Time to re-season it.

The smoothness of the pan isn't super important in the "non stick" properties of the pan. I've been cooking with modern lodge pans for while with the rougher texture and haven't had an issue.

>I have tried several times now, both on the grill and in the oven, to re-season this thing and it just goes to shit. I tried more heat, less heat, different amounts of oil... but it's frustrating to have to wait several hours only to find out that it didn't work, again.

Follow this guys guide instead. I have no idea how you were seasoning them before, but this should yield some excellent results as I use the same process.

>"You have to really use it for a few years to get it really non-stick and working well."

Whoever said this is very wrong. As long as the seasoning build up is good, you use plenty of oil and not cooking on too high of a heat you shouldn't have things sticking.

Edit: I like to use a infrared thermometer to make sure I'm getting my pans up to the right temperture before I start cooking.

I'm sorry you've had such a bad time with cast iron. I for one tossed out all my teflon and non-stick pans due to the fact the coating would come off due to how much I cook.

I won't ever go back to teflon pans.

That's basically how I started and discovered that manually brewing coffee is much better than a drip machine.

You can get a Melitta very cheap. It's probably cheaper at a box store than on-line. It closely replicates the cone you used, as it only has one hole. Additionally, the filters are very inexpensive.

For your next upgrade, I'd highly recommend a scale. You'll be able to produce consistent results. After than it's all about better toys tools.

my guess is that you're not tracking your food intake correctly. It's good that you've made healthier choises...but a calorie is a calorie...and if you eat too many of them it'll hinder your progress.

get yourself a food scale and start weighing in your food.

I bought this lunch container for my daughter when she was in kindergarten and it's still going strong, and she loves it. It has two temperature-controlled containers and two "regular" containers, so I can give her hot and not-hot foods at the same time (e.g., soup and a sandwich). I can make her a hot lunch at 7:45am and by lunchtime it's still hot. As a bonus, the lid doubles as a bowl so I can give her foods to mix on the spot at lunch, which she adores.

My daughter is now 10 and in fifth grade and I've made virtually all of her school and preschool meals. I learned three distinct lessons in those years:

1. Never put food or drink that she's never had before into her lunch.
   
2. The ingredients of a food matters less than the presentation; it needs to be fun.
   
3. Think about the effects of preparation and packaging.
   
   The first point is easy enough to understand so I won't dwell on that.
   
   The second point ties into your frustration with your sandwiches and wraps. Those sorts of foods aren't fun for kids. Know what is fun? Finger foods, foods that look gross, and foods that they can assemble themselves. Turkey and cheese sandwich? Boring. Turkey, cheese, and bread, cut up into cubes, maybe with a little cup of mayo on the side for dipping? Fun. Add a drop of green food coloring to the mayo to make it "gross" and even more fun. Pizza bagel: Half a plain bagel, a small cup of pasta sauce, a small cup of shredded cheese, and a small cup of pepperoni. Let your kid assemble his own pizza before eating it. Fun. Chicken noodle soup is boring; chicken alphabet soup is fun. You can give your kid make-it-yourself tacos in his lunchbox with a couple of small flour tortilla wraps (they sell 6" wraps at my supermarket) and little containers of lettuce, cheese, and cooked ground beef. So much fun.
   
   Preparation and packaging is also very important, especially when you're dealing with breaded foods (chicken nuggets or fish sticks, for example). Through trial and error I discovered that I can fold half a dozen chicken nuggets into a paper towel, put it in the "hot" part of my daughter's lunch box, and she'll still have reasonably crisp nuggets when it's lunch time. PB&J is usually a soggy mess for kids; the jelly soaks into the bread which in turn gets mushy and gets squished in the lunch bag. This can be fixed by spreading PB on BOTH pieces of bread, then covering and refrigerating overnight. In the morning, apply jelly, put the sandwich together, and put it into a sandwich container. The PB acts as a moisture barrier to the jelly, the refrgieration keeps the PB's oils from soaking through the bread, and the sandwich container keeps it from getting squished. Perfect PB&J at school, every time. If you aren't sure how something will hold up, try it yourself. Make yourself the lunch you'd give to your kid, prepping it at the same time you would normally prep lunch for him, storing it as you would for your kid, and then take it out and eat it when it's your kid's lunchtime and see how it holds up. Soggy bread? Crushed chips? Unappetizing appearance? Keep those things in mind because if YOU see it then your kid is going to see it too.
   
   I'll also throw out a bonus tip: Take extra condiment packets any time you eat out. Individual serving packets of ketchup, mayo, honey, jelly, etc go a LONG way to making your kid's meal better.

I'd recommend a victorinox 8" chef knife with fibrox handle, like this http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-8-Inch-Fibrox-Straight/dp/B008M5U1C2

From the same brand, I'd grab a bread knife, a paring knife, and maybe a 6 inch utility. That will cover 99% of anyone's knife needs.

Then grab a sharpener. This kind works well: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004VWKQ/ref=pd_aw_sims_5?pi=SS115&simLd=1

You see a lot of hate for this type of sharpener around here because it removes more material than a stone. However- for someone who doesn't want to spend a ton of time and money using special water stones and sharpening jigs, it gets the job done very well. We used them in the restaurant kitchens I worked at. Quick and easy.

You might also get a honing steel.

Keeping knives sharp can be as simple or involved a process as you want. Being a master sharpener is not a prerequisite to being a good cook.

Get this and NEVER take an unknown amount of any substance. This is simple stuff, really. You need to do a lot more research about this stuff.

1. Control the tempature with the bottom vent. Always leave the top open.
   
2. Don't lift the lid off too much.
   
3. Use some newspaper with veg oil crumpled up to light the chimney. Weber cubes work well too.
   
4. Set up for two zone cooking everytime. Bank of coals on one side, none on the other.
   
5. Don't rush the chimney. You’ll know the coals are ready when the ones on top have started to turn a bit gray with ash (10-15 minutes).
   
6. Buy a digital probe thermometer.
   
7. Read all you can on http://reddit.com/r/grilling - http://reddit.com/r/smoking - and http://reddit.com/r/BBQ

These thermometers read accuratley in about 1 second and also leave a very small, non leaking hole.

Do you have a photo of the second boa? BCI and BCC aren't THAT different in size, though BCC average a foot or so larger.

I use thermometers like this, and place the probe on the substrate in the center of the hot spot. I have a temp gun like this to make sure the temps in other areas are within acceptable ranges.

You ALWAYS want to know the temperature of your hot spot, since the heating element can get hot enough to cook your snake. I just noticed this, but you need to get that lamp out of there - she can reach it, and she will burn herself on it. Boas LOVE climbing and they are dumb at registering pain.

Take out the lamp and replace it with an under tank heater or heat tape regulated by a thermostat (unregulated UTHs are dangerous). You can get a decent and affordable thermostat here.

The Thermapen is awesome, for sure, but I'm not entirely convinced most cooks need it when something like this can give similar results at maybe a second or two slower and fractions of degrees less accuracy for 1/3 or 1/4 of the price.

Zojirushi is a fantastic brand as far as insulated bottles and jars go. They are pricier than Thermos brand but worth the added cost. That being said Thermos makes a damn good product.

I have this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005PO9T44/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That thing is incredible.

If you want to reduce your oil consumption in other ways, here are some tips you might want to experiment with.

• Steam your food in a rice cooker. Cut your food up, add water, turn it on, done.
  
• If you're baking goods that need to be softened, try blending in soft fruits like bananas, dates or apple sauce. Pancakes made with bananas, spelt, rolled oats and whole wheat flour are amazing.
  
• You can use vegetable stock instead of oil to prevent sticking when baking or sauteing.
  
• Some things like onions and mushrooms release enough of their own juices that you shouldn't need to add anything when cooking with them. Add them to the pan first.
  
• If you're cooking with meat, most meats shouldn't require oil. The fat rendered out of the meat is usually enough to prevent sticking.
  
  
  One final note, if you make the move to either eliminate or drastically reduce oil consumption, you need to make sure you're still getting an adequate amount of fat within your diet. On a typical day I find that I can get an adequate amount of fat from my normal diet of whole grains, beans, starches, fruits and vegetables. If I need a bit more, I'll look to higher fat foods like avocados, seeds and nuts.

Get yourself a $30 rice cooker. Here's the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/

I used to waste $2 per meal on the microwave instant rice. Now I get a huge freaking sack of rice for some insanely cheap price at Walmart. And properly cooked rice actually has a lower glycemic index than instant rice, so it's much healthier to boot.

https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=pd_lpo_79_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SGMTA56PNA69SWR724SQ

Makes some of the best rice I've ever had, It's fool proof, I make cups, and fill the water up to the third line

A rice cooker. We use ours every week and rice goes with everything.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007WQ9YNO/ref=s9_top_hm_awbw_bjv5Fj_g79_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-11&pf_rd_r=1761HHX34NDVW2B0999G&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=92464350-d8e4-5a70-b245-7cff2c0e39a5&pf_rd_i=678540011

Zojirushi for sure.

Those ratings. 1184 5 star, 27 1 star. Hard to go wrong.

Replace all meat with tofu/vegetarian similars (ie Beyond Meat, Gardein, Morning Star Farms, etc) -- I sometimes imagine Red Kibble being similar to Vegan/Vegie Crumbles (I think Morning Star Farms or Gardein makes it) mixed with some curry powder, paprika, cayenne pepper for the spiciness and color....maybe in a tikki masala sauce....

If you have deep pockets (Mr Mao style): lab grown/cultured meat

oh yes....Mushrooms of all types (visit an asian grocery store for a wider selection) cooked in different ways (sauted, soups, seared, fried, etc)

For Alex's lasagna, just swap out the meat for non meat mentioned above and swap out the cheese for soy cheese or artificial cheese (I guess Velveta like products would also be ok)...add some sauteed mushrooms for good measure...the noodles and tomatoe paste/sauce would probably be the same?

....and of course "tubes of goo"... You could make it fun (not really) - taking labels off/tape over all tubes and let folks figure out what they are sucking down (squeeze cheese, frosting, applesauce, yogurt, etc...if feeling passive aggressive...throw in mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce into the mix...)

​

//update

one more thing about Alex's lasagna - if you wanted to make it true to the episode, I remember he baked/served it in one of those all edge brownie pans: https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

Alex's Lasagna Image reference: https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/styles/1200x680/public/wire/legacy/beauty_shot_lasagna_0.jpg

​

For the real cheese - I think I recall Miller saying they confiscated "Wheels of Cheese" (think it was cheddar from Vermont...or maybe Wisconsin?)that was bound for Titan- that could be kinda expensive....maybe stop by costco and get a good sized wedge or small wheel/ball and make labels (to stick to the outside plastic) saying things like "UN Customs clear", "Inventory ID: Earth-Titan23of67", "Ceres Customs Cleared", "Evidence - Star Helix - DO NOT REMOVE", generate barcodes and folks can decode with barcode apps, etc.....

https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

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 don't work as a professional chef or nothing, just chopping onions at home. I've been using this cheapo sharpener with the same victorinox for about 18 months now:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VWKQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Believe it or not my knife hasn't exploded or anything. Still the sharpest knife have ever owned and haven't had trouble cutting anything so far.

I like to focus on cooking in the kitchen. Not spending two hours interpreting some youtube nerd honing a 600 dollar japanese blade that I'm just gonna slice a carrot with.

Roommates and storage will likely do more damage to your knives than any sharpener ever will.

Large Clever Dripper is my vote, the ease and larger cups of a french press, but paper filter to make it a cleaner cup and much easier cleanup. The aeropress is fine, but the small cup size is slightly annoying as you have to make a concentrate and water down if you want larger, though it is faster. There's also the cheap test if you want, to get a $5 Melitta dripper with #2 filters that are sold at almost every major grocery store, a lot of times cheaper than you can get online. This is what I use most days now over the Clever/Aeropress/Chemex, I make about 14oz cups.

​

It's better to grind right before brewing, but if it's down to like a $10 blade grinder or ground 4 days prior by a big Commercial grinder, the commercial will be better as it's much more consistent. if you want to try before investing in a grinder, go to your local nice coffee shop and when you buy a bag have them grind it for you on their big shop grinder.

I think that the complexity of different coffee flavors keep enthusiasts coming back! There are so many nuances in a cup that can change with brewing method and even drink temperature. So, if you're finding that there's a lot more to it than a caffeine boost, you're right! There can be a lot of ritual to your morning cup, and it's an essential part of my morning. I rotate between two brewing methods: aeropress and pourover. my wife got me a very simple pour-over a couple years ago and I love it: https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1480523276&sr=8-6&keywords=pour+over
If you're looking for different brewing methods, you can't beat this one on price and quality. You can find filters for it on amazon or most grocery stores.

You are trying to save your own life right now. It will take a few dollars and a lot of dedication (maybe some tears)

http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1405488024&sr=8-3&keywords=food+scale

that is the food scale i have (have maintained a 50 lbs weight loss for over a year now I am 5'10 165lbs M)

I use myfitnesspal http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

create your profile, put your life as sedentary. Do not EVER log what you do as your normal day as exercise. Dont eat back the calories. Myfitnesspal is great, but it overestimates workout calories (in my experience)

my stepdad has used myfitnesspal and lost about 30 lbs for over a year now. He has never been able to keep it down until i showed him that site. He does eat back the calories, but only on days he goes for his 4 mile walk. It usually nets him a dessert.

Throw away your condiments that have calories... become good friends with yellow mustard, horseradish, hot sauce and pepper. Become great friends with grilled chicken, broccoli, eggs and water. I swear condiments were my own personal "secret eaters" episode.

I drink a lot of water It helps me nix my cravings.

join /r/loseit the community is really nice, and helpful.

people who really love you want you to LIVE. Sometimes that means tough love.


edit: once the weight is off you set myfitnesspal to maintenance and then get some of your cake with steak... just now it will be 1 slice instead of teehee size.

If you can stretch your budget, Capresso Infinity isn't too bad, and comes with Prime shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AR7SY/

​

I've had this one for 4 years and I love it. Cheaper than the Baratza Encore. I'm no coffee expert, but it's miles improved over the previous budget grinder I had before.

When buying new gear like this, I often find it worthwhile to buy the good stuff from the beginning. It'll cost more upfront, but in the long run you save money by not sinking it into gear that you're just going to upgrade away from. I know you're looking for a starter kit, so I'll outline some entry level stuff and then some recommended upgrades.

For a burr grinder, a decent entry level manual grinder is the Hario Skerton. One complaint with this is inconsistent coarse grind size, which is what you'll be using with a French Press. Orphan Espresso makes an upgrade kit that fixes this problem, but personally I feel that if you're going to spend $40 on the Skerton and $15 on the upgrade kit, you should just spend a few more bucks and get something like the Capresso Infinity. This grinder is going to be way more convenient, versatile, and consistent than the hand grinder. For one last option, there's the Baratza Encore. This is probably the best grinder you'd want for French Press, because anything better / more expensive would just be overkill as they're primarily aimed at espresso.

The Press itself isn't too important. Bodum is usually the recommended brand.

You'll also need a way to heat water. You could go with a stovetop kettle, but I think electric kettles are more convenient, and are roughly the same price anyway. You can get a pretty standard one for less than $25. But getting a gooseneck kettle is going to help control your pour better and ensure the coffee grounds are completely saturated. If you don't want to worry about getting the perfect temperature for brewing, a variable temperature kettle will take care of it for you.

Other than that, you might want a kitchen scale to get the right coffee-to-water ratio, and a thermometer to check your water temperature.

I'd go pour-over. I feel like it's a good place to start because the more expensive things that you need are useful to have in general, but you can also get away with skimping on. Variable temp kettle, accurate scale, burr grinder. You could spend $5 on an instant-read thermometer, and go with the "let the water boil and then sit for 30 seconds" route instead of getting an electric kettle with temp settings, and you COULD buy local coffee in small bags that has been ground right when you buy it (though personally I'd rather buy a burr grinder than buy coffee every couple days). A bee house dripper and filters are like $30 and totally sufficient if you only want to make one cup at a time. Then you can upgrade as you go with kettles, grinders, different pour-over brewers, etc. Although you'd probably want at least a cheap gooseneck kettle.

This is what I'd get. Granted, slightly over $150.

Electric kettle with temp setting

Burr Grinder

Pour-over brewer

Filters

Scale

Sure thing! Zojirushi SL-JAE14SA Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar

so I suppose you would hate living with someone that owns THIS

I use this one, it's pretty good.

TL;DR warning

Are you willing to invest in some tools? Do you like Five Guys? (skinny burgers) The fastest burger procedure that I know of is Kenji's Ultra-Smash technique, which makes a pair of thin patties in no time. Takes about a minute per burger (two patties with cheese). Details here:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/the-food-lab-maximize-flavor-by-ultra-smashin.html

You can also do a regular smash burger, which is thicker (McDonalds-thin), but takes longer (~1.5 minutes per side, about 3 minutes total per burger):

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/09/the-burger-lab-smashed-burgers-vs-smashing-burgers.html

The advantage of the ultra-smash is that it's super quick & you can toss a piece of cheese to melt between two patties, so you can pump out a ton of burgers in no time. You will need a few tools, namely:

1. A metal cooking surface
   
2. A hi-temp heat source
   
3. A smashing tool
   
4. A high-quality spatula
   
5. A scraper (if doing ultra-smash)
   
6. A cheap IR temp gun
   
7. A cheap digital kitchen scale
   
   It's not rocket science, but getting a proper setup will let you have a workflow that makes cooking for a crowd a breeze. I have a big extended family, so I cook in bulk a lot, but I also use this for just my immediate family because it's so fast to get setup. There is an up-front investment required, but everything you'll buy will pretty much last forever, so it's worth it if you like to eat burgers!
   
   So the first two things you need are a metal cooking surface & a heat source that can pump out a lot of heat. I don't recommend a regular grill because they simply don't get hot enough; you need 600 to 700F to do this. You can either do a compact setup (a 2-burger surface with a single burner) or invest in a quality flat-top setup (more expensive, but lets you do more burgers at once). The ideal surface to do this on is a Baking Steel, which is very expensive. There are knockoffs for cheaper, but I like BS because they have a Griddle version with grooves to catch the grease:
   
   http://www.bakingsteel.com/
   
   You can also do it with cast iron. Lodge has a griddle for $25:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LDP3-Double-Reversible-Griddle/dp/B002CMLTXG
   
   If I'm just doing a single regular smash burger at a time, I use a 12" cast-iron pan. $28:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cast-Iron-Skillet-L10SK3ASHH41B-12-Inch/dp/B00G2XGC88/
   
   If you do get into cast-iron, read up on this seasoning procedure (i.e. the way to keep it smooth & slippery without Teflon). It's a bit of a pain, but it's worth learning because anything you buy in cast-iron can be handed down to your kids because it lasts forever:
   
   http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
   
   You will want a heavy smashing tool as well. I have this massive 2.5-pound cast-iron press. It fits inside the 12" pan above (but not the 10"). $13:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-Heavy-Weight-Hamburger-Commercial/dp/B002LDDKZ6
   
   If you plan on doing ultra-smash burgers, you'll need a scraper. This is the one Kenji recommends, but you can probably find something locally: (Home Depot or Lowes)
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Plextool-Wall-Paper-Stripper/dp/B00AU6GQLQ/
   
   Anyway, getting back to the cooking part: you'll need a hi-temp burner. I like Bayou Burners, they sell them on Amazon. I have an SP10: ($50)
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-SP10-High-Pressure-Outdoor/dp/B000291GBQ
   
   I use that with my 12" cast-iron pan for when I'm just doing a few burgers for the family. 15 minutes = 5 burgers. You can also slap a flat surface like a cast-iron griddle or Baking Steel on that puppy. Also comes in a square version (not sure how the BTU's compare). I also have some KAB4 burners that I use with my Baking Steel, among other things. More expensive, but larger shell & burner: (more even heat over the cooking surface)
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/
   
   For cooking more at a time, you can get a cooktop. Blackstone has a 36" cooktop available, but it doesn't get very hot (don't get me wrong, it's an awesome tool, but I've had trouble breaking 500F on mine, which means you're not cooking 1-minute burgers on it, plus the heating is kind of uneven, so you have to work in the hot spots for faster cook times). Also comes in a slightly smaller 28" version (but it's only like $50 less, so it makes more sense to get the full-sized version because you get so much more cooking area). The nice thing with this setup is that for $299 (or a bit less if you shop around at places like Cabela's), you can cook like 20 burgers at a time, it's absolutely insane! I make epic breakfasts on it. Plus it folds up for transport, which is really handy. We use it for all of our family events & holidays:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYN0438
   
   A better version is from Tejas Smokers. They make camping stove carts that have burners built-in & have griddles available separately. They get super hot, downside is the cost: you can easily spend $700 on a nice setup.
   
   https://tejassmokers.com/Camp-Stove-Carts/23
   
   Oh yeah, Blackstone did just come out with a compact outdoor griddle which can run off those little one-pound green tanks if you want. They go for around $99 ($79 if you have an Ace Hardware near you). I have not tried this, but it gets good reviews. I'd be curious to see what kind of temperatures it can achieve:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Blackstone-Portable-Griddle-Outdoors-Camping/dp/B0195MZHBK
   
   So that's a basic introduction to the cooktops: you need some kind of decently-sized metal surface, a hi-temp burner, a smashing tool, and optionally (but recommended) a scraper. You will also want to get a strong, high-quality spatula. A good one is $32:
   
   http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/equipment-the-due-buoi-wide-spatula-my-new-fa.html
   
   Available here:
   
   http://www.duebuoi.it/x/uk_usd/catalog/p/spatulas~805-16x10.html
   
   If you opt for cast-iron, get an infrared temperature gun (doesn't work too well on shiny metal surfaces like steel tho). $17:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-1080-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00DMI632G/
   
   A cheap digital kitchen scale is useful too, for measuring out the proper amount of meat. $14:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Kitchen-Capacity-Stylish/dp/B003E7AZQA/
   
   This collection of tools ensures that you have the proper workflow: a metal surface to cook on, the ability to bring the surface to a high temperature (and know what that temperature is for precise control), the ability to weigh your meat so you can pre-measure out what you need, the ability to smash the burger down, and also to properly scrape it off. Again, it's not rocket science, but if you have a wussy grill or a crappy surface or weak smashing/scraping tools, you're gonna have a bad time. You just need the right setup to pump burgers out fast!
   
   So on to prep. For ultra-smash, you do a pair of 2-ounce ground beef balls. In the tutorial above, they use a mix of meat for 25% fat. I just grab some regular 80/20 ground plus some salt & pepper. For regular smash burgers, do a single 4-ounce ball (optionally 5 ounces...useful if you have a big cooktop for a bunch of burgers at one time & are only doing a single patty per burger). The nice thing is, there's no special prep required for the meat, so you can make all of your burger balls ahead of time. If you have 10 people & are doing ultra-smash, let's say half of them get 2 burgers, so 15 burgers total, or thirty 2oz balls. If you have 20 people & are doing regular smash, again with half getting an extra burger, that's 30 burgers total or thirty 4 or 5oz balls. So that takes care of prep...adjust as needed. If you're feeding mostly dudes, you'll want to add more seconds (and thirds) to the equation.
   
   There are a variety of buns you can get. Crap buns will make for a crap burger. See if you can find potato buns or brioche buns. Those are pretty soft. Buns aren't overly hard to make, but I have yet to find a decent recipe that takes under 40 minutes, so I usually only doing fancy home-baked buns for my family rather than a crowd. Buying 5 or 10 pounds of ground beef & making smash balls out of them will take you all of ten minutes, but making buns can take forever. Here's a good recipe if you want to try it out tho:
   
   http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/07/light-brioche-burger-buns/
   
   Or this, if you wanna get crazy:
   
   http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/05/fresh-cemita-rolls-mexican-sandwich-burger-bun-bread-food-lab-recipe.html
   
   Or this one, nom nom nom:
   
   http://amazingribs.com/recipes/breads/brioche_hamburger_buns.html
   
   But eh, just hit up Sam's/Coscto/BJ's and buy some hamburger buns in bulk, problem solved. Or find a local bakery that has good rolls. There's a good shootout of buns here:
   
   http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2011/04/the-burger-lab-whats-the-best-bun-for-my-burger-taste-test.html
   
   (continued)

At my last pastry job they used this Now I can't live without one. I use it for everything

Nigga get a fuckin scale

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.

Spend $5 on one of these suckers.

The MyFitnessPal app is very helpful, as the other response said. That alone got me on the right track. Most food scales you purchase, I use this one, will come with a calorie guide. It will have a list of foods (vegetables, pastas, breads, fruits, meats, dairy and common preparations) each with a number next to it; you multiply the weight of the food by that number to get the calorie count in that serving.

this is better than any store brand, pretty much the best you can get without spending 2-300 on a creuset

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Color-EC6D43-Enameled-6-Quart/dp/B000N501BK

i got mine for 40 but 50 is still a great deal

Easy recipes huh?

Well, I am from Louisiana, born in NOLA, love to cook.

Jambalaya:

Celery (stalk)

Onions (2)

3lbs of smoked sausage (Conecuh or sim)

Chicken soup base, chicken stock or water

Long grain rice

Olive oil (any oil. Or shortening or butter or margarine)

Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne)

Prep:

You need a generous pot (I use a 6qt) with a thick bottom (avoids burning) here is mine.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-EC6D43-Enameled-6-Quart-Island/dp/B000N501BK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1527677444&sr=8-3&keywords=lodge+dutch+oven+6+qt

Chop your celery and onions up (smallish, but not tiny) I leave the leaves on the celery, prefer to have it for a little garnish value when using in rice dishes. So I just chop right off the whole stalk and add leaves and all. You want to put equal amounts of celery and onion, about half a stalk of celery. I chop onions in two halves then dice face down each at 90 degrees.

Slice your smoked sausage to no larger than 1/2” - (bite size)

Combine in pot with just enough olive oil to keep it from sticking, high heat initially then turning down as the sausage begins to cook, cook medium, covered, stirring often, until onions are changing to translucent and celery is softer and sausage is leaking.

Measure out two cups cups of rice and add to mixture, measure out twice as much water as rice and add. (Any seasoning you add to water will flavor the rice, so I tend to substitute chicken soup base or chicken stock for my water to give the rice some flavor)

Stir until well mixed, add seasonings. (Dash salt, dash pepper, half dash cayenne or Cajun seasoning (Tony chachere’s w/e).

Bring to a full boil, cover, then turn off, and ignore for twenty minutes.

This makes enough for dinner plus guests and leftovers.

You want to make sure that you get the sausage and veggies sautéed well, because the cooking stops when you add the water. What you have then will be what you get when the rice is done. The rice will cook, but be prepared for a mushy rice the first few times. When you bring the mixture up to a boil, the longer you cook it, the gummier and mushier the rice will be. This isn’t a problem for most folks, but if it bothers you then keep in mind that after adding water, bring up to boil quickly and as soon as it does, cover, turn off, and let the magic happen.

Edit spelling

Hello and welcome... You can lok through the Kratom 101 for good information about different types of kratom, effects, usages, and dosages.

I would start with no more than 2 grams. You can start with 1 gram and wait an hour. If you are not happy with results, add another 0.5g and wait another hour. If you are still not happy with results, you can try to add another 0.5g and see what happens but I think it's better to try again a different day or wait at least six hours and do it again but starting with , wait an hour, add half gram, wait an hour and so on until you achieve results you are happy with.

Finding what works will take some time, patience, and [trial and error](https://www.reddit.com/r/kratom/comments/5ex0hn/ideal_dosage/dafrpkl/. Many times people starting out think that it is not 'working' at first. Some of that is about managing expectations. Your best course of action is to try different strains and keep notes - dosages, effects, pros & cons, etc. For pain, I would get some reds and maybe a white. Also important, get a scale if you don't already have one.

• List of Samplers Available for September 2017
  
  
• How Long Until You Found Your Right Strain?
  
  
  Here are some previous discussions that may contain something helpful for you. Some of them are older but might still have something interesting
  
  

  Kratom - Pain
  

  
  

• Which Strain is Best for Pain?
  
  
• Which Strains are Better for Back Pain w/o Sedation
  
  
• Best strain for pain relief with no stimulant properties?
  
  
• Herbal RVA's best strains for pain relief?
  
  
• A perfect blend for pain / headache / migraine relief!
  
  
• Which red strain would likely be best for motivation, focus, energy and pain relief?
  
  
• Pain Strain Advice
  
  
• I Live With Chronic Pain and Was Told to Look Into This
  
  
• Chronic Pain
  
  
• Best Strain for Pain?
  
  
• New and Needing Recommendations for Pain Relief
  
  
• Reds For Pain?
  
  
• What Strains Would Be Best For Back Pain
  
  
• New to kratom. Would like help finding the best strain
  
  
• Recommended Strain For Pain Relief That is Not Too Sedating
  
  
• Reds For Pain?
  
  
• Help With Kratom for Pain
  
  
• Kratom For Pain has some about Fibromyalgia pain but also some about pain in general
  
  
• Chronic Pain Relief
  
  
• Chronic Pain and Kratom
  
  
  
  
  

This is my favorite knife. I took a knife skills class years ago, and this is what the instructor recommended. I've been really happy with it. Pick up a handheld sharpener (I like this one) to sharpen it every couple weeks!

Full knife sets are a scam. You don’t need two different size chef knives and a santoku, you don’t need a serrated paring knife, or any of that crap. You’ll never use them and they’ll just sit there in your knife block, and you will have spent 50% of your money on knives you never touch. Here’s all you need, in your price range:

A henckels 8 inch chef knife - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004RFMT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433354&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=henckels+chef+knife+8&dpPl=1&dpID=31OX1pDMIvL&ref=plSrch. you’ll use this for 90% of the things you cut. Veggies, meat, whatever.

A tojiro bread slicer. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001TPA816/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433463&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=bread+knife&dpPl=1&dpID=312P9gZ10AL&ref=plSrch. this thing will eat through crusty breads, tough squashes, pineapples, etc, and you can also use it to cut paper thin tomato slices with those sharp teeth. It’s good quality and cheap, I just bought one myself and love it. I accidentally cut my dish brush and a cloth when washing and drying it the first time. That’s how sharp it is.

A victorinox paring knife. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0019WXPQY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433648&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=victorinox+paring&psc=1 - for when you need to do fine cutting work

If you have a good reason, you might add a boning knife or something like that, but these 3 knives are all I use 99.9% of the time. The only other thing to add is a sharpener and honing steel to keep them sharp.

If you’re not a professional chef, you can get away with a cheap (decent) knife sharpener like this one - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004VWKQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1510433817&sr=8-10&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=knife+sharpener&dpPl=1&dpID=41bRTplVVXL&ref=plSrch]

You don’t need to spend a bunch of time and money on stones to sharpen your knives properly unless you’re super interested in that sort of thing. Use this sharpener once every few weeks or so and it’ll keep your knives sharp enough to get everything done.

If I were starting a new kitchen from scratch, those are exactly what I’d buy to get started. Treat them well and sharpen them occasionally (except the bread slicer, it’s hard to sharpen but cheap enough to replace every few years when it starts to dull), and they’ll last you a long time.

I've heard that the best way to do it is to just take them to a professional. If you're not willing to do that, America's Test Kitchen raves about this knife sharpener. I bought one over Christmas and used it on all of mine. It seems like it has made a difference, and $8 isn't too much to spend if you're worried about the longevity of the product. It even sharpens serrated blades (I never understood how I was supposed to sharpen or hone that blade).

You're an adult now, just cook. It can be tough cooking for just one person because but it's doable.

Learn some basic, cheap recipes and get comfortable eating leftovers.

Here's one for you:

Hamburger Gravy

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (get the cheap stuff 75%/25%, you're a poor student)

1 1/2 cup white rice (uncooked)

1 family size can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, (low sodium is healthier but doesn't taste as good).

Cooking

I cook my rice in an Instant Pot, it's very fast, easy, and requires no supervision. Takes about 10-13 minutes depending on how much rice I'm making. I used to have an amazing Zojirushi Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker that was the most amazing thing ever, but an ex-girlfriend stole it, so... Use the Instant Pot, it's cheaper and faster anyway.

Rice cookers and Instant Pots typically come with a cup for measuring rice which actually measures about 3/4 of a cup, and the inside of the cooking vessels have graduated measuring lines showing you how much liquid to add for the amount of dry rice you're cooking.

Put the two "cups" of rice (1.5 cups actual measure) into the Instant Pot and fill it with water to the "2" line. Close it up and make sure the pressure valve is closed (I've failed to properly cook my rice too often because I am dumb and don't check this). Once everything is set, just hit the "rice" button.

While the rice is cooking put the soup in a sauce pan along with a can full of milk, any milk works but I prefer whole milk myself. Put the sauce pan on the stove, medium low and stir frequently.

Now that the rice is cooking and the soup is warming put the ground beef in a skillet. I like a good [cast iron skillet] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JSUA/) myself, they're cheap and indestructible, and because of the heat transfer properties of iron they tend to cook foods evenly without burning.

Cook the beef on medium high until it's browned, then drain all the water/grease out into a Tupperware container, do not pour grease down the drain! you can seriously make life hell for yourself and your neighbors if you do.

Add the beef to the soup, increase the heat to medium/medium-high and continue to stir frequently. You want the soup hot enough to bubble a bit, but not a full boil.

By now the rice should be just about done. Let the pressure out, take the lid off, wait a few seconds for the steam to abate then, with a large plastic spoon (you don't want to scratch the bottom of the Instant Pot), "fluff" the rice, just scoop and turn the rice in place, loosening it up, and letting more steam out.

To serve, scoop some rice on a plate, ladle some soup onto the rice, season with a touch of black pepper, and eat.

The rice is enough for 2-4 servings depending on your appetite, while the gravy is enough for maybe twice that. Typically it would be enough for two dinners for me, a 6'4", 225 pound man) and my girlfriend who is pretty petite.

Cost:

Beef: get the cheap stuff, depending where you go and the quality you get, this can be between $2-$5/lb. If your super poor, get a 10 pound tube of ground beef at Smart and Final for like $25, then break it up into 1 pound portions and freeze, otherwise it's about $5/pound most places. So let's say $5.

Rice: the cheapest food on Earth, and it's healthy too! You should probably plan on this being about $1/pound. Get a 10 or 25 pound bag and you'll be set for at least a quarter. Pro-tip: rice goes with literally everything. Add it to all of your meals for some good, clean carbs. Pair it with smaller portions of what you'd normally eat to get the same caloric intake but healthier and cheaper. Anyway the rice in this recipe has a marginal cost of maybe $0.15.

Soup: I think Ralph's usually has the family size can of Cream of Mushroom soup for $2-$3.

So, all in for one person, you could probably make at least 5-6 servings for $8, and it takes maybe 15 minutes to cook.

Store the rice and gravy separately in Tupperware in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Mix together in a bowl and b reheat in the microwave for 90 seconds to 2 minutes for leftovers. I prefer to make fresh rice each day, but making one larger batch then reheating it works as well.

Alternatives

• You can swap the rice out for a baked potato or mashed potatoes if you're feeling fancy.
  
  
• I've tried it with shredded chicken breast and Cream of Chicken soup, but it takes a bit longer, is a bit more work, is a little more expensive, and I don't like it as much, so I basically never do it, but you do you.
  
  There you go, cheap, quick, not totally unhealthy home cooking.

Oh goodie, I get to banter on about my preferences first.

My thoughts on the three sets you linked to, don't get them. If you absolutely must get a set of knives, you picked a great brand, but in my opinion all sets have knives you likely won't need and weird sizes to boot. I like a larger Chef and bread knife than is offered in any of those sets.

If I were to start over from scratch on a budget these are the knives I would absolutely have to get, in order of importance.

1. Victorinox 10-Inch Chef's Knife ($27)
   
2. Victorinox 3 1/4-Inch pairing Knife ($6)
   
3. Victorinox 10 1/4-Inch bread Knife ($27)
   
4. Victorinox steel ($17)
   
   If you are a meat eater, I am not, you probably will want a fillet knife as well ($20).
   
   If I had only these knives I would be able to do 100% of the things I need to do. I use these knives nearly every day at home and in a professional setting. They have few drawbacks and many wonderful qualities. I have large hands and love the handles, so I would imagine that would be a non-issue. However getting your hands actually on a knife is a great thing to do before you buy one a.
   
   The only caution I have about Victorinox is that their santoku knife isn't all that wonderful. I use a wusthof santoku and it is ok for limited things, like intricate carving of vegetables where a pulling cut is useful, but a rarely used knife in general.
   
   I would recommend putting them on a magnetic, wall mounted knife holder. I searched for one that I thought looked cool, and the magnet works almost too well, but I love the thing. Alternatively, if you really have to take up counter space, you could go with one of the Kapoosh Universal Knife Blocks that will help you keep your knives sharp and allow your collection to grow and change over the years.
   
   For keeping those knives sharp I would recommend skipping the professional sharpener and getting one of these for $10. If you use your steel every time you use your knifes you should only need to sharpen them 2-4 times per year with heavy home use, more for thinner knives.
   
   I do not like straight wood for a number of reasons. First and foremost after a long period of usage the wood will get shitty. It will splinter, possibly separate from the tang, etc. if left in water or just after a period of washings. Once it gets in this shape all sorts of fun bacteria creep into those crevices. Plus they are more expensive. The only wood handled knives I have are some sort of composite wood with plastic and they are ok. Like the handle, if you can get your hands on some it would be a good idea.
   
   All of the aforementioned knives and accessories could be had for a total around $130-ish on Amazon. You could supplement them with a few things like a santoku, a shorter Chef's knife, or shears (Here's a santoku/shears combo that would be good).
   
   I think the above should cover all your bases, but feel free to ask if you have any further questions. Congrats on the engagement, you poor bastard.

I've got this one: AccuSharp 001 Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004VWKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NTeSzb2HN6E3P which was recommended by America's Test Kitchen. While I like the idea of getting a sharpening stone, lol. I do not have time for that. I also don't sharpen my knife frequently - honing frequently is much more important based on what I've read. (Please note I am far from a professional.)

Can someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong? Bought this Lodge Cast Iron about 7 months ago. Cook in it almost every day. Lots of bacon. Generally my method of seasoning is after I finish cooking I wash the skillet in hot water and use my scrubber, dry with a paper towel, put back on the stove until it heats up a bit, and then rub in a thin layer of some standard vegetable (soybean) oil. A few days I spent oiling the skillet and heating it in the oven at 525 degrees about 3 times a day for a few days. It is definitely a little bit seasoned but just not the way I want it. After I wash and dry it it seems a bit dry. From what I've read I am not getting the same results and I would think after all this time it would be better. Any advice?

I can't tell you, but your health costs $19.

This reply is longer than I wanted, but I do have some experience in this area. Hopefully this will help you come up with a workable plan.

First of all, microdosing might help you see the harm that the adderall is doing to you, and may even help you with the motivation. But, to succeed, you'll still need a plan and a certain level of self-discipline.

 

Although, I have never taken adderall, I have managed to get myself off of addictive medication (benzos, various psychiatric meds etc) a number of times in the past. Many of these meds had horrendous side effects, even if you skipped just even 1 or 2 doses. The best approach, in my opinion, is to taper off of them slowly. This requires discipline, a plan of action, and a continual review as to how you are feeling. Tapering slowly minimizes the side effects and gives you the best chance of remaining functional during the process.

 

You can google the best way to taper off of adderrall, but here's an example of how I got myself off of Duloxetine. Note that Duloxetine is known to have really bad withdrawals, and the company even got sued because they understated just how bad they were. I started this process when I was taking 120mg a day.

• Week 1: reduce dosage to 90 mg
  
  
• Week 2: reduce to 60 mg. Then...
  
  
• 2 days at 30 mg
  
  
• 2 days at 15 mg
  
  
• 2 days at 7.5 mg
  
  
• 2 days at 3.75 mg
  
  Note that the capsules I was prescribed came in a minimum dosage of 30 mg. Once I got to this point, I had to open the capsules and calculate the number of balls inside each one. I did this using a set of reasonably accurate scales. I worked out that each 30 mg capsule contained 320 balls. So when I got down to 3.75 mg, I was counting out 40 balls for my daily dosage. I then reduced this as follows:
  
  
• 1 day at 30 balls
  
  
• 1 day at 20 balls
  
  
• 1 day at 10 balls
  
  
• 1 day at 5 balls
  
  
• 1 day at 2 balls
  
  
• 1 day at 1 ball
  
  This approach worked well for me, and I although I still experienced some withdrawal effects, I felt that they were manageable. These side effects lasted for about 4-8 weeks, but lessened each week.
  
  A couple of points to note about tapering:
  
  

1. It's worth doing this under the supervision of a doctor, but bear in mind that some doctors don't give the best advice in this area. For example, my shrink wanted me to taper off the Duloxetine much faster. However, I already knew from my research that many people had experienced unbearable side effects using the schedule he suggested. I decided to slow it down, knowing that I could go back to my doctor if things got too bad. Do your own research to find out what tapering strategies have worked for others, and the side effects they experienced.
   
   
2. Only change one thing at a time, e.g. don't try and taper off of two different substances at the same time. If you experience issues, you want a clear idea as to what is causing them. So, keep smoking the weed - you can taper off of that later.
   
   
3. Monitor how you feel on a daily basis. If the side effects get too bad, then it's a good indication that you are going too fast. In this case, you should revert to your previous dose until you feel normal(ish) again, and then resume your taper at a slower pace.
   
   
4. You might want to get a set of decent scales, a tablet cutter and some empty gel capsules (all available on amazon). This is so that you can measure out smaller doses when you want to go below one tablet.
   
   
5. If you are going to start microdosing, then either start it a few weeks before you do the taper, or wait until you've been off the adderrall for a while (see point 2).
   
    
   
   Let me know if you have any questions, but good luck with it anyway.

Purchased the Lavatools a couple months ago and have used it on a handful of brews since. Perfect choice for my needs. https://www.amazon.com/Lavatools-PT12-Javelin-Thermometer-Chipotle/dp/B00GRFHXVQ/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1488199480&sr=8-20&keywords=kitchen+thermometer

You should get an instant read thermometer to check for doneness so you don't have to cut into them like that.

People like this one, but I haven't used it. I use a Thermapen:

https://www.amazon.com/Lavatools-PT12-Javelin-Thermometer-Chipotle/dp/B00GRFHXVQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499449239&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=instant+read+thermometer&psc=1

>My budget is to stay between the $30-$50 range....NOT looking for a hand grinder though!

Sorry to say but that's an impossible ask. The cheapest automatic burr grinder is the Capresso Infinity which can sometimes be found for ~$70, otherwise you are stepping up to a refurbished Baratza Encore for $100 or a new one for $140.

Hey there. I'll give you a little summary of what I think most people on here will tell you in response to your questions.

Books: Blue Bottle ,Coffee Comprehensive and Uncommon Grounds are all good books to cover most of coffee and its processes.

This Capresso Infinity is considered a pretty decent burr grinder for the price. It will not do espresso but will be good enough for most other coffee brewing methods.

Getting a set up that is acceptable for "real" espresso is kind of expensive. A Gaggia classic is considered the bare minimum espresso machine for a "real" espresso. A Baratza Virtuoso is considered bare minimum for a decent espresso grinder. Now, you can (and many people do) find these items used, which obviously reduces the cost greatly. But depending on your area, finding these items up on craigslist or similar sites can be pretty rare.

I'm not from Rhode Island, but googling local roasters will provide some results. As for online ordering, tonx, blue bottle and stumptown are favorites around here for their price and quality. Beans are broken down on what region they came from, how they were processed and how dark they are roasted. Each region has different flavor profiles in their beans. African beans are known for being more fruity than other beans, for example. A little warning, most people on this subreddit believe Starbuck's espresso roast coffee to be too dark. However, many of Starbuck's light/Medium roast coffees have been reviewed as pretty decent. Most websites that sell the beans will list a flavor profile of the beans. The basic saying on this subreddit is that if you have crappy beans, no matter what, your coffee will be crappy. If you are going to overspend anywhere in the process, overspend on quality beans.

The espresso machines that you will be using at starbucks are machines that will basically produce espresso at the push of a button. They will grind, tamp and extract the espresso without any input from you. You should just know right off the bat that there is a whole other world to espresso making that is the exact opposite, with people grinding the beans to the right size, tamping by hand, and extracting shots with a lever that controls pressure. Neither way is right or wrong, you should just know that there are many different types of espresso machines and baristas.

I'll share a little bit of advise, take from it what you will. I was an ambitious college student coffee drinker just like you. I asked for a Breville espresso machine as my first real coffee making device (even before a grinder, how silly of me). I just wanted an espresso machine because that was all I was getting from these coffee shops. Since then I've gotten a nice grinder, a melitta pour over, french press, gooseneck kettle, aeropress, V60, moka pot, and chemex. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't turned on my espresso machine in over a year. There is so much more to coffee than espresso. There are so many methods to brew coffee that are cheaper, more complex and more interesting. If I had a chance to do it all over again, I'd buy the burr grinder I linked, and an Aeropress or any french press (Starbucks sells some pretty nice ones. You could get one with an employee discount) and just learn to love coffee on its own, without frothed milk and flavorings.

There is a ton of info on this subreddit if you stick around for awhile. Questions like yours are posted all the time and answered by very knowledgable people. Your enthusiasm for coffee is extremely exciting to see. Please don't let any of my advise subtract from your enthusiasm. Everyone takes a different path while exploring coffee. That's part of the excitement. You will learn a lot at Starbucks and you will learn a lot if you stay here. Enjoy your stay.

I'm not in school, but I throw everything in a bag then in my basket. I also had a Mr. Bento that had a carrying case that I slung on my back and rode in with.

This is why I always liked Alton Brown on Good Eats. He would always try to pick recipes and find ways around such extravagances. Want to have more edges on your brownies to get that extra crunch? You could go buy a $37 specialty pan, or maybe just go ahead and make them in the cupcake tin you already have. Does the recipe call for an incredibly expensive mushroom grown only in Svenborgia? Sure, but many local markets for international cuisine have something nearly identical for almost nothing.

[are you sure about that?] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MMK448/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oDoMybAK377K8)

i have this (http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342291038&sr=8-1&keywords=food+scale)... i like it a lot.

Impossible to tell. Buy a scale. Here's one for $8. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SC3LLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I love the Zojirushi - I am totally comfortable with putting one in my laptop bag as long as it's "locked" and if I forget about it the coffee is still hot 10 hours later...


http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44

Zojirushi hands down. Keeps coffee hot for way too long and doesn’t leak at all. I literally fill mine with hot coffee and drop it in my laptop bag (remember to lock the lid) and never a drip.

There’s a bunch of different models, but something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44

Zojurishi is a reliable brand

https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1537048435&sr=1-1&keywords=zojirushi+thermos

These were the things I initially bought when gathering cookware.

Enameled cast iron dutch oven

Cast Iron Wok or a carbon steel wok.

Stainless steel cookset

Pressure Cooker

Cast Iron skillet

Stainless steel roaster

*Pyrex Bakeware

Just get one. It's totally worth it. If you cook soups, stews or braise meats you can use them for that too. Multipurpose, baby! I use mine all the time. I got mine for bread but have since moved on to baguettes so I use it more for the stuff mentioned above.

I recommend [this one](Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Island Spice Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N501BK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_3Q4oybQAKHVA5)but you might be able to find it cheaper other places. I think I got mine for $59 a few years ago.

This scale is $8.68 and has good reviews - it can measure small amounts (under 1g).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TT.NDbQX3SFXG

They're fine and they'll make you trip, younger mushrooms are anecdotally more potent. Get a scale if you want to know weight or figure out what the dry weight equivalent would be.

Edit: for the record, I posted this before the lasybugs thing took off

You're not going to make any great progress on a PC build for that price. Besides, PC tech is changing so quickly, you shouldn't buy any one piece of it until you can buy all of it.

If you're looking for X1 games, I'm a huge fan of Destiny, but it's not for everyone. If you're looking for more of a sure hit, check out Shadows of Mordor or Dragon Age: Inquisition.

If you want to change things up a little, here are some of my favorite purchases (I'm a minor Amazon addict):

• The best thermos you've ever seen
  
  
• A super high quality door-hung b-ball hoop (you'll want to buy a nerf ball with it, the one it comes with is dangerous to valuables in the room)
  
  
• One of the best board games ever made
  
  
• A classy and useful EDC knife (there are lots of options on this front, /r/knifeclub has great recommendations)
  
  Check out my sub /r/everymanshouldhave for more recommendations like this. It's not super active of late, but it has some great suggestions if you look at the history

I know food processors are nice, but half the budget? I'd work on my knife skills and spend that money on a saucepan (non-stick for eggs, though a saucepan isn't ideal), maybe a strainer, and whatever else suited one's personal cooking style (I don't think my kitchen would feel complete without a rice cooker/steamer, for example).

Gainz or also this. I don't have the first but Ive heard its pretty amazing. I do have the second and I can attest to rice cookers being fucking awesome. I use mine for cooking noodles, rice, soups, wontons, etc.

Alternatively if you want it to be purely lifting related I hear that Donnie thompsons recently started selling his bowtie and formal bowtie. Which are for people who bench a lot and have ache-y shoulders and ive heard its good.

Failing that maybe think of lifting clothes that are comfy that they might want? Ive heard a few pots talk about wool socks being amazing (though i dont know if you wear those to lift in or just in boots?). Also some companies like strideline let you put your own logo onto the socks themselves. So maybe get the weak elephant logo and put it on socks?

When spending only $15-30 for a rice cooker, they're all pretty much the same. I would recommend going for one with the locking lid. The ones with the glass lid that just rests on top tend to spurt rice water on the surface next to it during cooking and the rice doesn't stay fresh/edible for as long.

Do it yourself from now on. https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker-Sharpener-204MF/dp/B000Q9C4AE

​

idiot proof and super sharp results

Don't let yourself fall into the trap of buying expensive items to "save money". For example, don't buy a coffee machine, get a simple single-cup brewer like this. Don't get an expensive tupperware set, grab a $3 pack of reusable containers from the grocery store.

My generic advice when I see people using folding knives for food prep (some or all of it may be inapplicable to you):

• Buy a Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife;
  
  
• Keep it razor sharp with almost no effort on a Spyderco Sharpmaker;*
  
  
• Learn how to hold the knife properly (generally use the blade grip, not the handle grip);
  
  
• Learn some knife skills.
  
  Now you're all set.
  
  *The Sharpmaker is especially easy on things like kitchen knives, which generally start with an edge angle lower than the device's 40-degree setting. This makes creating and maintaining a microbevel very quick and simple.
  
  

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker-Sharpener-204MF/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=spyderco+sharpmaker&qid=1566515206&s=gateway&sprefix=spyder&sr=8-5
Or


https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-4-rod-Turn-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B000B8FW0E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=lansky+turnbox&qid=1566515237&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Spyderco Sharpmaker is a great option.

Relatively inexpensive, effective (especially for quick touch ups) and easy to use.

Spyderco Sharpmaker


https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Triangle-Sharpmaker-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B000Q9C4AE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1C5MUORV48NG&keywords=spyderco+sharpmaker&qid=1551234732&s=gateway&sprefix=spyderco+sha%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-1

​

Easy to learn, easy to use. Additionally, I have their triangle-shaped 3rd tier, ultra-fine ceramics.


This works very well for "mirror finishing" blades. Complete overkill but sharpening with this system is like practicing zen buddhism:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004H5LQSE/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Truth be told, if you don't enjoy sharpening blades find a local guy who does this. Before I got that system I found a dude on Craislist who you could drop your knives in a drop outside his house. Three days later he would have them in a locker for you. Never met him / her. Butchers are another option, they do this for a living and they HAVE to sharpen their knives. Tip him a few bucks.

You can just use one of these. Maybe not the best, but I'm sure it's fine for the money.
https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1474305097&sr=1-2&keywords=pour+over

Sono Americano, per favore scusare il mio Italiano ma questo tema e vicino al mio cuore.

Non hai detto dove lei abita. C'è buon caffè a San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, e New York (forse Chicago, ma non so personalmente). In altre parti del paese, sia un disastro veramente. Dopo Starbucks c'è più o meno da niente. Non abbiamo la cultura di caffè al fuori delle città. È una vergogna. (Tra parentesi Starbucks hanno sempre espresso, anche se non lo elenchino nel loro menu.)

Due marche che mi piacono sono Blue Bottle e Stumptown Roasters entrambe di quale è possibile ordinare sul Internet. Naturalmente senza assagiarli ciò è una problema diversa. Però comincerei con Blue Bottle - Giant Steps. Stumptown hanno forse troppe scelte.

Per fare il caffè, mi piace una Melitta con filtro #2 o una pressa francese (Bodum). Qui è possibile trovare una Melitta nel tanti supermercati. Secondo me, il metodo e la macchina di caffè americano di base entrambe fanno schifo. Lei potrebbe anche ordinare una Bialetti da Amazon.com.

Detto questo, ho una macchina espresso da Illy a casa e anche una disposizione permanente con loro a spedirmi nuovi caffè ogni mese. Si funziona bene per me ma non è specialmente economico.

Many great ideas here. I have a suggestion for containment. I have this Japanese style Bento lunch container. All fits into one and will keep items warm or cold. Easy to carry in its own bag and comes with a spork. I did much research and this suited my needs. I love it.

Zojirushi SL-JAE14 Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000246GSE/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_EcUrub05ZDQYS

I got this Bento contraption (https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SL-JAE14-Bento-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000246GSE) a couple of years ago and have been brought hundreds of lunches to work in it. Nearly all the meals I've brought in are vegetable based, so I'm not sure how safe or for how long it will hold meat.

It's got 4 small containers, 2 of them intended to maintain temperature. A typical lunch would be a pureed soup in one heated container, sauteed vegetables over quinoa in the other heated container, and then baby carrots and hummus in the other two.

Amazon

They're not even expensive. It takes a little work to get it seasoned at first, but nothing monumental. 100% worth the effort.

Here's the link for those interested in this deal

​

https://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-Stovetop/dp/B00006JSUA?keywords=lodge+cast+iron&qid=1537280771&sr=8-5&ref=sr_1_5

I think that was the Lodge ones https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00006JSUA/ Haven't bought one yet but certainly will do in the future

Lodge cast iron Skillet. I know you said you don't like the weight, but you also said you are a student and it's hard to beat $15 for something that will last forever. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JSUA

If you need something smaller, they also make smaller ones.

If you really need something lighter though, look into carbon steel. Lodge also makes those, but I don't have any experience with them.

Pot:6.5qt Enamled Dutch Oven $50

Pan:Lodge 12" Cast Iron Frying Pan $19

Knife:Henckels 7" 4 star Santoku $75

People bag on Henckels for being expensive but they have a lifetime warranty so if i break it (or chip it) i can get a new one for free.

If it were me, I'd probably go with something like this:

• Cast iron skillet - https://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB $20
  
• Nonstick skillet (mostly for eggs and the like) - https://smile.amazon.com/Ozeri-PFOA-Free-Stone-Derived-Non-Stick-Coating/dp/B00GG5FBKW $21
  
• General purpose saucepan - https://smile.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Classic-Stainless-Saucepan-719-16/dp/B00008CM69 $17
  
• Stock pot - https://smile.amazon.com/McSunley-606-Stainless-Stockpot-Metallic/dp/B01CS5C49Y $15
  
• Half-sheet pan - https://smile.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Natural-Aluminum-Commercial/dp/B000G0KJG4 $12
  
  Total: $85, leaving you some headroom for another saucepan or a specialty pan (cake pans, roaster, casserole etc.)
  
  That said, I'd take a good look around thrift stores, craigslist and the like too.

Looks like a Lodge.

What you want is a digital thermometer like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-1080-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00DMI632G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473889665&sr=8-1&keywords=digital+thermometer+infrared

Is this still happening when you turn the bike on today?

To confirm it's only running on one cylinder, check the temperature of the exhaust headers while it's running. I use this thermometer, but you can just hover your hand over and figure it out.

I'm going to try to be as detailed as possible.

The best way to take crystals:

Preparation:

• Buy a reagent test kit to make sure what you have has MDXX in it and rule out the most harmful substances. These can be bought over Amazon or via Reagent Testing UK (Marquis is most often seen as the most important one though I strongly suggest to get the kit)
  
  
• Buy a microgram scale, the following one is recommended by most people: on Amazon Germany or Amazon UK
  
  
• If you want to crush them yourself, I would recommend buying a cheap mortar and pestle on Amazon Germany or Amazon UK
  
  
• If you want to put them into gelatin capsules, you can buy for example size 1 gel caps from Amazon Germany or Amazon UK
  
  -
  
  Dosing:
  
  First of all: do some research about the specific dosing you want to take. I know of the two most common ways:
  
  
• Use your scale to weigh the amount you want, then divide it into the doses you like, weighing every dosage carefully.
  
  
• Dissolve the amount of MDMA you have in a 1:1 ratio of MDMA in mg to water in ml. Dissolve the MDMA in the water and then divide the liquid into the amount you want.
  If you have 1g (1000mg) of MDMA and you dissolve it in 1 litre (1000ml) of water, every 100ml of water will contain 100mg of MDMA
  
  -
  
  Methods of taking:
  
  

1. Nasal a.k.a. insufflated a.k.a. rail it. Grind it into powder, weigh your dose and snort it.
   
   
2. Oral you have a couple of different options.
   
   

• You could straight up eat it, but that would taste absolutely horrible. (don't do this)
  
  
• You can dissolve the amount you want in liquid (coca cola, Gatorade, anything with a sweet taste) and drink it.
  
  
• You can parachute or bomb it, this can be done with rolling papers or with toilet paper/tissues. It can be done like this or like this. You just take it as you would take a pill. Due to the acidity in your stomach, it doesn't matter if the crystals are finely ground or not.
  
  
  

3. Rectal a.k.a. anal a.k.a. boof it. This means dissolving it in liquid (such as distilled water) and insert the liquid anally with a soft syringe. Don't forget to use lube
   
    
   
   I hope this helps, let us know if you have any other questions or unclarities.
   
   Roll safe.

I have the Javelin by Lavatools, (amazon link) that is currently $25.99. I've had it for over a year, use it for brewing and cooking (with good sanitation practices) and haven't had an issue. Some report the hinge breaking though. Lavatools also makes a stick version for less than half the price and has the same precision.

Speed/accuracy, but cheaper alternatives are catching up quickly.

I have not used the one you linked to, but I use this guy and it is only slightly slower than a thermapen and plenty accurate. A couple years ago, thermapen was by far the fastest "instant" read thermometer. That is no longer really the case, and now they are overpriced compared to the competition.

eh, its probably a throw away. I personally use the Lava Tools Javelin, both for brewing and grilling.

https://www.amazon.com/Lavatools-PT12-Javelin-Thermometer-Chipotle/dp/B00GRFHXVQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496853976&sr=8-1&keywords=lavatools+javelin

A heads up for people shopping for meat thermometers on Amazon. There's a lot with fake reviews that make them look better than they are.

Use a site like Fakespot to make sure the reviews are legit. I found this one that has honest reviews and works great.

I support this idea. If you are not drinking from a tumbler straw, this is my favorite water bottle of all time:

Zojirushi SM-KHE48AG Stainless Steel Mug, 16-Ounce, Smoky Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BLPNDb7RN077A

I got so used to drinking ice water (no longer room temp like a plebeian) and the ergonomics are unparalleled in this bottle. The ease of the pour spout makes it effortless to sip and work on something else, or tilt it in bed without spilling, not to mentions makes sharing easier since the pour is so good you don’t have to touch it to your mouth! Also if you forget to drink enough water one day, don’t worry, water will still be cold. It holds ice cubes for over 24 hours (meaning ice in water holds solid form for HOURS).

Too hyped on this but it seriously got me into a good habit of drinking water.

_____

The other trick I did at my last job was to get up and refill my bottle once every hour. It would make me race the clock to do a certain task or amount of work before getting up to pee and refill it again.

Because if I was drinking a bottle an hour and getting up every time, I had to pee every hour... which meant phone games and reddit every hour from 5-10 minutes an hour depending...

It made me a happier, faster worker, more hydrated, and I got paid an hour to pee EVERY day... (7 minutes to pee/refill every hour give or take extra pooping time X 7 work hours a day = 49 minutes).

It also helps you poop more if you drink more water and relax on the toilet. And I’d always say, save money on the toilet paper while also getting paid to shit!

r/hydrohomies for life

I have this one since about 3 years. Using it pretty much every day and can't complain.

a slow cooker may be too slow. i would get a rice cooker which doubles as a slow cooker but can also cook and steam much faster. for around $30 you can get a http://www.amazon.com/Aroma-ARC-914SBD-Uncooked-Digital-Steamer/dp/B007WQ9YNO don't get the larger one if you are only cooking for 1-2 people. an ever faster slow/rice cooker is an electric pressure cooker, but they start at more than double this price range, so i would not bother on a student budget.

once you have a cooker, familiarize yourself with the wide variety of affordable starches, hard veg and proteins that cook best in it. locate the indian and asian grocery in your area where you often find the best deals on a wide variety of rice, pasta and dry beans for your cooker. when buying hard and root veg, don't be afraid to buy 1-2 of each veg at a time - often buying big bags of them to save money does not work out, as you may not have the space, and they may spoil before you get to cook them. if you have the freezer space, you can stock up on your proteins if once home you make portion size ziploc baggies and freeze them properly. no need to defrost them before use as the rice cooker will take care of that.

Practice your fork put-downs fatty.

To lose 6-8 pounds in a short period of time, go see /r/keto and sign up for for MyFitnessPal. Buy a food scale and be brutally honest with your portion sizes.

What is your current height and weight?

one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE

makes things much easier, and the batteries last a good year or so with occasional use. 15g seems to be what many people use per cup of coffee.

you'll find more things to use it for as well, like weighing postage :)

For me, I've found the best value in having two scales. I have this one for smaller items. It goes to the nearest tenth of a gram, so that's good enough for me for smaller quantities. This is good for jewelery, small coins, etc.

For weighing a whole stack or something, I also have one of these. It's only accurate to the nearest gram, so the small one is better for small quantities, but this one supports up to eleven pounds and is definitely the best you'll find for the price. I also measure stuff other than my stack on it as well, so this is a decent multipurpose scale.

You could just learn how to make them at home. That's what I did.

Tools needed.

1. Weber kettle 18inch or larger(or you can sear with a chimney charcoal starter)(blue bags of Kingsford are on sale every grilling holiday over the summer for $5/bag at Lowe's and home Depot) don't use match light, use a chimney with a lighter cube or alternative
   
   
2. Slow n sear, this is needed if you want to sear without the charcoal starter.(YouTube the cold grate technique) you want end to end brown on the outside, not sear marks from the grate and gray between the marks.
   
   
3. A proper thermometer (thermopop$30 or thermapen $60+ ) I had this one on Amazon and it was accurate https://www.amazon.com/CDN-DTQ450X-Thin-Tip-Thermometer/dp/B0021AEAG2?keywords=cdn+thermometer&qid=1537113187&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3
   
   
   
4. Learning how and where to buy steak. Personality I buy an upper choice grade or prime for $15/pound my wife and I split a 1-1&1/3 pound steak every Friday night.
   
   
   Edit: you can YouTube and Google all the keywords I gave, there is lots of information out there. I think the cold grate technique video gives a great example of how to reverse sear a steak. But all the tools in the world can't turn a bad steak into a good one, focus on buying a proper steak, then focus on how to properly sear.

Forget the stop watch. Get yourself a good thermometer. This one http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0021AEAG2?cache=5d1e5c0c4c68e20ef8478543341af466&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1405258313&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1. Time is not reliable.

The Sweet Home highly recommends this one as it is really cheap compared to the Thermapen but works nearly as well.

Now where are my bonus points?

Do you understand why people don't use volume measurements, though? 1 tbsp of packed vitamin powder could easily be 2 tbsp of unpacked powder. Do you really want to risk an overdose because you scooped your ingredients out with too much force?

This is $8: http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-AWS-1KG-BLK-Signature-Digital/dp/B002SC3LLS

Just get a scale and do it properly. It isn't that difficult. Once you better understand your components and preparation method you can take shortcuts like volume measurement.

Scale, accurate to at least one more digit than what you're measuring. Something like this. Containers to measure with and potentially store prepared powder or oil in. Blender is generally unnecessary. Just get something to shake it up in. Blender bottles and similar protein shake paraphernalia are popular but just about anything will do.

Your savior has arrived.

check this out

It keeps coffee hot for a few hours, is easy to drink from and clean. Also it fits in most cup holders in cars. Best "mug" I have ever had.

Zojirushi SM-KHE48AG Stainless Steel Mug, 16-Ounce, Smoky Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_2tfjub1478EV0

I have one of these and it will probably be the last mug I ever buy. Its very well designed! Doesn't leak, easy to clean, keeps coffee hot for a long time.

There is a "slicksteel" version that has a polished stainless interior and a nonstick version (sm-kb).

Stainless steel and vacuum insulation should make for a good product. But it is kind of hard to see how the mouth piece works... I would probably go with a tried and true Zojirushi unless you really need the extra capacity.

SM-KA48 model is out of production. Look for SM-KHE48 or SM-KB48 (should be around $27 and $31 respectively). Those are the more recent models.


SM-KB48 is the newest with the only difference being it has a different (don't know if "better") type of non-stick coating on the inside of the mug.

> futuristic looking lasagna trays?

It's actually a brownie pan... here's the link

Is a hand blender really essential? I would add these things:

non-stick skillet

enameled dutch oven

normal kitchen tools

stockpot with steamer insert - many other options for this kind of thing too

And then probably a couple of normal saucepots.


If you want to roast poultry it's nice to have a roasting pan, too.

Both. This is the one I have, and you can use it on the stove or in the oven.

First you're going to need tools. I assume you have a 12oz mug.

• Next you should get a cup infuser. This one is inexpensive.
  
• Life is much easier if you pick up an inexpensive digital gram scale. 5g of leaves/12oz mug. Tea leaves come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and trying to do volume measurements can be frustrating.
  
• Check out the Vendor List
  . Pay attention to U.S. vendors. Nearly all of the have sample packages and that's where I would start. Adagio Tea is a good beginner's tea shop.
  
• Order some samples and come back for more advice.

Sounds like the wobbles. Kratom can vary immensely depending on how its ground, where it was grown, how it was harvested, what the growers put in it (not anything nefarious, stuff like matcha). The wobbles aren't fun, and you get it from taking too much. You won't die, but it sucks.

I HIGHLY recommend getting a cheap scale to weigh your stuff out. Find your dose and you can fine tune it. I've been taking kratom for 5-6 years now and I can tell a difference between 10.1g and 10.2g.

Seriously, get a scale and weigh out spoonfuls and you'll get different results just about every time, even from the same bag. One spoon could be 1.5g and the other could be 2.3g and then down to 1.6g.

[Here's one that's $10 and well reviewed.}(https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gram+scale&qid=1564754125&s=gateway&sr=8-3)

It's worth it.

ProTip ™ : Buy a small digital scale. Amazon has excellent options. I bought this one and it's totes awesomes. https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1536284257&sr=8-4&keywords=small+digital+scale

It helps keep your dosing accurate and consistent.

I used to not weigh my doses....I would just "measure" by size of scoop I was taking with my spoon....totally unreliable and inaccurate way of measuring dosage. I would get upset when I wasn't getting consistent results/got the wobbles when the day before I took the "same amount" and it didn't make me sick etc...

Scale is a game changer, dude.

ALSO: Less is more (to a certain extent): Find your effective dosage range, and try to stay in that range.

Mine is 6.5-8.8 grams per/dose. No more, no less. I took me a long time to figure this range out...lots of vomiting from taking too much....and a lot of disappointment/being a sad panda because my silly leaf powder wasn't helping.

This helps keep your tolerance at bay, adhering to a dosage range...as long as you're not dosing excessively (frequency wise). This is just my personal experience, however. Your mileage may vary. Your mileage might actually be kilometers. That's ok too. Just be mindful of your dosing, keep a little log book to record dosage, effects, duration, symptoms relieved etc. I did that for a while and it helped me figure out dosage, as well as the vendors I choose to purchase from (don't worry I'm not gonna name names, I'm cool man, I'm cool....), and preferred strain color (kinda...they're pretty much the same tbh...except some Red veins are waaaay more sleepy than any white, green, yellow etc.)

Alright done ranting.

Welcome to the family!

*everybody high fives awkwardly* :)

have you ever seen this

A bit more tricky to remove...but...all fucking edge piece.

Dutch oven!

At that point, get an enamel dutch oven. http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Color-6-Quart-Dutch-Island/dp/B000N501BK

I use my dutch oven for everything I used to use my slow cooker for, since I don't really leave my slow cooker unattended either. You get much more control, and it's much more versatile. If I had to go down to one pot or pan, it would be an enamel dutch oven.

The expensive brands in that same price range:

All-Clad, Le Crueset, Henckel, and Mauviel.

This five piece set is worth it's weight in... well, copper. Cuz copper is super expensive.

At a much more reasonable price range you've got Cuisinart, Calphalon, Lodge, Victorinox and a few others.

-------

Here's a list of things they could get (an entire kitchen revamp) for under $1000:

A $300 knife set with 4 steak knives (note: the 7 piece classic set is available from Costco online for only $80 if you have a membershit, same blades, no fancy handles. The steak knives can be got for $10-15 each, so the entire set is like $130 if you don't want rosewood)

Anova sous vide cooker for $110. Toys are fun.

Lodge enameled dutch oven for $60

Mauviel carbon steel pan for $40 (needs to be seasoned), or a pre-seasoned Lodge for $20

Lodge cast iron for $10-20 (depending on 8 inch or 10 inch).

Scrapers (super important!) and maybe silicon handles for $10

and the most important thing they'd want, is the Calphalon tri-ply set for $225 (which I think is also cheaper over at Amazon).

An Instapot (combined pressure cooker + slowcooker + ricecooker, this thing is like a slowcooker on crack). You can also opt for just a regular $30 slowcooker, too.

If they don't care about fancy looking handles, the Fibrox handles actually have a great grip, and Victorinox knives are sharp as shit.

Other things:

OXO good grips tools/spatulas/measures/everything for about $100 depending on what they want.

The Costco membership would probably be worth it just so you can buy the Victorinox knives (and I think also the Calphalon pans?)

---------

Total price: ~$1000 if going with the rosewood handles (I personally didn't bother), and instapot (I would highly recommend the instapot, though!)

If going with regular handles and instapot, $850 <--- my choice

If going with regular handles, instapot, but no sous vide, $750 <--- probably most economical choice

If going with regular handles and regular slowcooker, and no sous vide ~$650

Just regular Victorinox Fibrox knives, and Calphalon Tri-Ply set and one cast iron skillet: ~$400

Le Creuset is a bit overrated. I've cooked with dutch ovens like this and this and there is very little difference other than the price tag.

Most are ceramic coated cast iron which retains heat just like the plain cast iron ones. Lodge makes a great ceramic dutch oven at a very reasonable price.

They're just as good for browning and deglazing - if not better as acidic liquids (vinegar, tomato sauce) can be used to deglaze without any concern.

Yeah, it is enameled. It's very much the same item:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000N501BK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479674762&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=lodge+dutch+oven&dpPl=1&dpID=41UmRh4zzOL&ref=plSrch

All three can be had for cheap from amazon, which is where I got all mine. Check out the links below... It's the setup I have for even cheaper than I paid (closer to $15). Acid is pretty standard and you can't really get "bad" acid (Gerry Garcia may say otheriwse). The scale has been awesome to me (the reviews on amazon are good too). The loupe is pretty cool and has been pretty helpful. It's just a magnifying glass. As such, it's hard to fuck up.

Acid Test Kit

Scale

Loupe

Haha bunk police is about reagent testing. Its more for powders and pills. Actually I don't know if you can reagent test shrooms but my first thought would be probably not. Honestly I've always just trusted my shrooms were psilocybin and they've always been psychedelic (at different potencies). As far as scales go for something like shrooms you probably won't weigh out less than a gram. something like this would be more than fine.

Good Luck, my first mushroom trip was way fucking intense, I'd definitely recommend less than an 1/8th for your first time.

To add to the good sharp knives, a good, easy to use knife sharpener even good knives get dull eventually!

I second all of this. The R H Forschner by Victorinox are the best knives you can buy for the money, bar none. For $25, you get a chef's knife that's functionally the equal of just about anything else out there. It's a no brainer, and Cook's Illustrated recommended. You only really need 2 knives to start with; the chef's knife and a paring knife. A long serrated bread knife would be the 3rd, then you can go crazy after you learn to use those 3. I find a boning knife to be rather useful if you're cookin' a lot of meats.

I do not, however, recommend the rosewood handled ones. The "plastic" (AKA Fibrox) handles on the Fibrox Forschner's are more comfortable, and safer because they are much more slip resistant. Kitchen knives are tools, not decorations!

EDIT: And pick up the matching steel, and the best home sharpener you can buy: The Accusharp 001 for $10. Now we're talking frugality and function!

Got 15 bucks? Lodge L8SK3 Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned, 10.25-inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JSUA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FL-CybYXPF8PK

You really need to get yourself one of these skillets they are the BEST!!! I no longer need one since /u/Utinni was sweet enough to gift me mine for my birthday yesterday.

Seriously though, you NEED one!

Good luck with your move!

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.

Hilariously it's cheaper straight from Amazon and if you have Prime, Amazon will get it to you in 2 days free.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00006JSUA/

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-Inch/dp/B00006JSUB

They look pretty thin to me, and I don't like the idea of a riveted joint. this is my favorite, and Cook's Illustrated agrees - they rated it their number 1 cast iron skillet.

So far as I know, anodizing is a process that doesn't work on stainless steel pans - anodizing is basically induced oxidization ('rust') of aluminum. The anodized surface is kind of non-stick, though many anodized pans are also coated with additional non-stick materials. Anodizes surfaces can scratch pretty easily, too.

Both pans are 'safe' to use over high heat, though thermal shock can warp or crack them - one of the reasons that cast iron is preferred for intense heat. Slow to heat, slow to cool (never from the range to a sink, for instance) will help prevent damage. That's pretty much the same advice for any pan, however.

There are concerns (read: arguments about) how some of the pans with additional non-stick coating handle high heat, the material may degrade and (here comes the controversial part) offgas some material that you don't want to be inhaling.

If cast iron pans cost $100 in Oz, I'm going to start exporting them. They're relatively cheap in the States - you can buy a decent quality 12" Lodge pan for less than US$20, including shipping...

If you really want to get a block set then try the Victorinox 7 piece set. But honestly building your own is better.

• Get a universal block like this or this. Avoid wooden blocks, they may look nice but sooner or later unseen crud is going to build up. The Polymer blocks can be taken apart and the insides cleaned out.
  
  
• Victorinox 8 in Chef's Knife best bang for your buck ~$35
  
  
• Mercer Bread 10 in Bread Knife ~$17
  
  
• Victorinox Paring Knife ~ $9. Wusthof is supposed to be better but I'm not spending $40 for a paring knife.
  
  
• Kitchen shears depends on what you are going to do. Light duty shears get a Victorinox Classic ~$14. You'll be able to do all kitchen tasks and occasionally break down a chicken. If you plan to break down chickens more than occasionally then get a Shun Kitchen Shears ~$70. If you plan to break down chickens often then get dedicated heavy duty chicken shears (can't help you with that) and a Victorinox for the light stuff.
  
  
• Get a sharpener. If you're willing to learn how to sharpen get a Spyderco Sharpmaker and a cut resistant glove, if not get a Chef's Choice 4643. The Chef's Choice is a poor 2nd choice I urge you to get a Spyderco, but DO NOT forget the cut resistant glove. Most people after they get good at sharpening become less paranoid about cutting themselves and that's when they cut themselves.
  
  
• Get a honing steel any will do but I like the Wustof 9 in it's magnetic so it'll pick up any metal dust even though I always wipe my knife on a damp towel. Honing and sharpening do two different things. You should hone often, sharpen rarely.
  
  Here is something from r/ATKgear if you want another opinion.
  
  

I think the most idiot-proof sharpening methods are either the Lansky System or the Spyderco Sharpmaker.

I own both and I must say that I prefer the Sharpmaker more. It gets you to a shaving sharp edge in minutes. The Lansky takes more time but I think you will be able to get a sharper edge. More time meaning maybe hours for the initial reprofile.

If you want to learn to freehand, the Smith's Arkansas Tri-Hone is a cheap way to go to experiment. It gives you two decent sized Arkansas stones and a synthetic stone for just over $20.

The Spyderco Sharpmaker is an easy way to get a nice edge. It is pricey at $56, but it should last you for years and years, and you can sharpen damn near anything with it, including scissors, chisels, awls, fishhooks, etc.

Also, /r/knives would be a better place to get answers to this question.

You could just get one of these pour over cones and a reusable metal filter.

Or if you have a Jetboil you can just get a French press adapter. Or go for the titanium french press. I keep it simple and just do drip coffee with one of these.

BTW, PRzitremedy1, awesome! I think I'll bring my Bialetti for a hike next time!

Most bang for your buck.

• MyFitnessPal
  
  
• Bathroom Scale
  
  
• Kitchen Scale
  
  
• Zero-carb Protein Powder

No idea why you ended up with bananas in your scale searches.

I love this one for measuring hops, priming sugar, etc (i.e. accurate to one gram): digital kitchen scale

For water chemistry (i.e accurate to .01 gram), I love this one: precision digital scale

Can heartily recommend both.

I have this Capresso model, and it's working fine for me so far. I use fine for Aeropress and coarse for French press, how it compares to other models.

It's easy to clean. I got mine from a local coffee joint and I think it was less expensive than Amazon.

For a few more bucks you can get one with an all metal outer case.

There are definitely $100 grinders recommended in this sub (Baratza Encore and Capresso Infinity are both just over $100 and can go on sale)

https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B00LW8122Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465874028&sr=8-1&keywords=encore+grinder

https://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1465874043&sr=8-2&keywords=capresso+infinity

Before I start, I should warn you that discovering good coffee can be expensive. It's also a bit time consuming. If you're in it for convenience, stick with the beans you're drinking now.

Freshness of coffee is highly dependent on two things: the time since roasting and the time since grinding. The best thing you can do is find a good local coffee roaster and get whole beans from them. Then get a good burr grinder (I love my Capresso Infinity Grinder) and grind it yourself immediately before brewing. Getting the coffee locally is good because you'll get to know the roaster and they'll almost always print the roasting date on the bag. Grinding it yourself ensures that the flavor stays locked in the beans until you're ready to drink your cup.

If you don't have any local coffee roasters, you can try your luck with some decent coffee from Amazon. Cafe Altura Sumatran is pretty good, although they don't put the roasting date on their bags, so you'll have no idea how fresh it is. Some of the best coffee I've ever ordered online was from The Birds and The Beans.

If you're just starting out, then I recommend getting a french press or an aeropress. You can even use them to make pseudo-lattes. (Obviously, to make a real latte, you'd need an espresso machine. But those get really expensive, really fast for anything decent.)

Hope that helps. :)

I'm an entry novice to coffee and did a lot of research on grinders.
I found this grinder
http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1417670127&sr=8-4&keywords=capresso
From what I gathered, it does the job for everything but espresso.
Apparently it doesn't get a fine enough or consistent enough for espresso

If looking for electric, the most commonly recommended are:

Capresso, $90

Bodum (Red, $90)

Baratza Encore, $130

The Baratza will be the most recommended and if you look around you might be able to find it for closer to $100. Otherwise the Capresso is probably the best bet.

You need to know that your coffee is about to get a lot tastier. Also siltier. The silt puts some people off, but I love it--just decant carefully. Also, after the four minutes of steeping, press the plunger and get the coffee off of the grind immediately. Transfer it into a thermos or your cup, don't let it keep sitting there on the beans in the press.

But I will say: DO NOT get a french press without also investing in a decent burr grinder and buying fresh, quality beans from a good roaster (or learn to roast at home). I would recommend this one as a quality grinder at a good price. Set your grind to course, and don't grind until your water is near boiling. Your grinder is your most important piece of equipment for world-class coffee brewing; it is not the piece you want to skimp on.

I have had some truly transcendent cups of coffee...and blown the minds of friends who had never had french press before. Happy mornings!

I love my Bodum Brazil press.

I used to have one of these before upgrading to the Vario. It can't be beat in its price range - $45 on Amazon for a used one right now from Good Buy Products.

If you can spend a little more, try to get a burr grinder, it will make a huge difference, I got my first on used for $50, but I've seen them as low as $30. For the price I'd say either this or this these will be good enough unless you want to try espresso.

You can also get goodish beans at a grocery store. I recomend Peet's. Or you can order very good beans online from companies like stumptown, verve, or counterculture coffee.

Your next upgrade should probably be an aeropress, but if you've been on /r/coffee for more than 5 minutes you know that.

I don't know anything about that hand grinder, sorry. I just find it to be a pain in the ass to hand grind 48g for my wife and I every morning so electric all the way. Hario has some good hand grinders.

I like the Baratza because of the versatility, even grind size, ease of maintenance, and it's well built. For me, it's the perfect "foot in the door" to higher quality grinders. However, yes, you pay for it! You can go cheaper for example but you're going to get real crappy burrs (I think those are plastic...) and something that breaks if you look at it.

Moral of the story good sir or madame is this. Cheaper grinder:

• Low quality or poorly milled burrs
  
• Burrs wear down quicker
  
• Maintenance/wear/breaking issues (motor especially, plastic gears, etc)
  
• Uneven grind size
  
• High fines/particulates

I just replaced my grinder and was figuring out what to do with the old one (still works fine, but it’s loud and not the best grinder on the market).

Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00018RRRK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oXDTDb9JZFAFB

If you’re interested let me know. I’m in Fall River but will be in Dartmouth several times this week and could drop it off somewhere.

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SL-JAE14SA-Bento-Stainless-Silver/dp/B000246GSE

Zojirushi makes a vacuum-insulated one and costs less than the Kickstarter donation. =/

I use the Zouirushi Mr Bento set

It's convenient as hell, especially if you don't have a fridge.

seconding the bento; if OP wants food at hot/cool temps, an insulated bento would be good.

I'm a huuuuge fan of bento canisters like this and this. If you refrigerate containers overnight (or prime them with hot water before adding hot foods), they'll stay good for hours. Plus it's kind of comforting to have all your food sectioned out. :)

I have a this : https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000246GSE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479099554&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=bento+thermos&dpPl=1&dpID=41p5bbuAleL&ref=plSrch

I absolutely love it. The bottom two are great for warm food while the top two are good for colder food like fruits or other type snacks like that. You can even have soup!

Definitely something that might suit what you want.

Howdy OP,

Welcome to /r/leangains! Congratulations on taking control of your health. I have a few questions and a few bits of feedback for you:

Questions

• How much do you want to weigh? How much weight do you want to lose?
  
  Feedback
  
  To lose 1lb, you need to 'burn' 3,500 calories. The easiest way to do that? Eat at a caloric deficit and, over a week, run a ~3,500 - 4,000 calorie deficit.
  
  What's that look like? Let's say your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is ~2,000 calories. That means in a week you'll consumer (2,000 * 7 =) ~14,000 calories. If you want to lose 1lb/week, you'll need to run a 3,500 calorie deficit in a week. That means eating 10,500 calories in a week or 1,500 calories/day.
  
  That's a 'cut' (or a 'diet'). What can you do to succeed in your cut?
  
  
• Identify a specific goal that you're working towards. We all want abs, but a specific, quantifiable goal like 'Weigh 175lbs' or 'Have 11% Body Fat' is easily attainable. 'Soft' or 'fuzzy' goals like 'Look sexy' are wonderful to identify, but are crap for setting a goal.
  
  So? What's your specific, quantifiable goal?
  
  
• Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure using this calculator. Note: Set the exercise level as 'No Exercise (Desk Job)
  
  
• What gets measured gets managed - so start measuring your caloric intake. Use the app 'My Fitness Pal' to log your calories. Buy a simple digital kitchen scale to weigh your food. Log everything you eat.
  
  
• Eat at a weekly deficit! Log your weight every 2-3 days. Keep at it for ~4 weeks and check in on your progress. If you've lost ~4lbs, you're on target! If you're losing less than expected, adjust your daily calories down by ~50-100.
  
  Good luck!
  

This is the one I have. It's really good!

Not sure - I don't think anyone would say the thermapen isn't a great thermometer.

Although I WOULD say that you can get 95% of the benefits at a fraction of the cost with something like the CDN DTQ450X: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0021AEAG2

That's $17 for a water proof thermometer that gives you a reading within about a 1 second difference of the thermapen. I've personally been using mine for 3 years now regularly for food and beer making. I've dropped it in the mash, had it soaking in the sink by mistake, dropped it, left it outside - pretty shitty conditions and it still rocks on.

I have nothing against the thermapen but I personally wouldn't pay the money for one when something like the CDN is so much cheaper and effectively works exactly the same.

Amazingribs is great. So is America's Test Kitchen. And Serious Eats also gives great basic background on how to use a grill.

Examples:

• using a chimney as recommended above
  
• Buying a meat thermometer (cheap, good one)
  
• creating different temperature zones to better utilize direct and indirect heat (also covers covered/uncovered grilling)
  
• proper cooking temperatures and internal temperatures for various meats - this also would govern the whole grilling (high heat) vs BBQ (low and slow) conversation
  
  It's really not that hard. If you want some basic advice from me:
  
  
• I agree on the Weber front wholeheartedly
  
• Don't use lighter fluid or any kind of instant-light charcoal
  
• Buy cheaper meats and work your way up and use the hell out of that thermometer
  
• Brine just about everything but beef (and salt beef)

Sigh

AeroPress, for sure. Here is probably the cheapest setup you can do, and still get the best flavour/experience.

Aerobie AeroPress + Able DISK Fine - $40 (I strongly suggest the DISK Fine over paper filters, but the AeroPress does come with a bunch of filters.)

Pocket Scale - $7

Carafe - $7 (so you press straight into this, and measure yield, as most mugs will not fit on the scale; also great for serving two)

Hario Slim burr grinder - $34 (if you'd rather go electric, the Bodum Bistro burr is a great buy and can be had for $120 new or under $100 used/refurbished)

Bonavita Gooseneck kettle - $50 (You do not need a gooseneck for the AeroPress, but you do for any type of pour over, so why not?)

Good luck, and have fun! Give my video a gander to see how to prepare with the AeroPress. It is fun! Almost as fun as an espresso machine. Ha! Yeah, right! But definitely worth the small coin.

This is one is really tough to beat: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1395440012&sr=1-1&keywords=zojirushi+tumbler

I just got a new one, I don't find the lid to be fussy or hard to clean at all. I use it and the one I had before it every single day.

Not sure if they make different ones for the US market but the Japanese model is the only ones I know. This is the one I'm referring to.

A mug by this company is ideal for soups, coffee, even stews if you bring a bowl to pour it in. I have had coffee scalding my mouth 14 hours later. I often have to open it, let the contents cool and then consume because it retains heat so well.

Sorry for the Amazon link, I'm on mobile. This is the one I have. They fit perfectly in backpacks and can be strapped to a bike. Mine survives concrete floors and being dropped all the time. It's not pretty but still works as good as I got it in Jan of 2014.

Zojirushi SM-KHE48AG Stainless Steel Mug, 16-Ounce, Smoky Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_et-sxb3DDC6EY

[Edit] I see they have a 32 oz version now which is double what I have! I'll be buying it so I can bring coffee and a meal now!

If you’ve only had her for 6 days and have tried feeding 3 times, it’s way too much. On top of being in a new environment, having food presented over and over is stressful. When bringing a new snake home, you should leave them completely alone for a week- no handling- and then offer food. From now, wait a week before you offer food again, and don’t handle her between now and then. You should make sure she’s eaten at least 2 times in a row before handling, and wait 48 hours after she’s eaten so she has time to digest.

In the meantime, make sure her enclosure is set up correctly- correct temperature (78-80 cool side, 88-92 hot spot) with heat sources controlled by thermostats, humidity at least 60% or higher, at least 2 secure hides and other clutter like fake plants and branches. As others have mentioned, aspen is bad for holding humidity- cypress mulch or coco fiber/chip is better. Read through the care info in the group stickied post if you haven’t already.

Both of my BPs ate F/T right away despite being fed live at the breeder. To warm it up, thaw in the fridge overnight in a ziplock bag. When it’s thawed, fill a bowl with the hottest water from the tap and put the mouse (still in the bag) in the water. I usually have to change the water out a couple times as it cools. Warm it like this until the temperature measures at least 100 degrees measured with an infrared temp gun like this one . I would also use feeding tongs not your hand.

Hope this helps, congrats on your new baby. 😊

Hey Dave - I picked up one of these for measuring track and tire temps. Any thoughts on the adequacy of it for that purpose?

I've used your advice and typically adjust tire pressures based on temperature 3x a day: 9AM session 1 , 11AM session 3, 1PM session 4. This is the wear I shoot for - any suggestions? I have been running 31/32 in the AM and 33/34 in the afternoon.

I was just searching amazon for it

Either way, there are similar ones (same brand, actually, for $17.99): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESHDGOI?psc=1

You can buy a scale for relatively inexpensive, but if you buy 1 gram then the whole bag would be added to your pg. this is a popular one for under $29

Do some searching with the sidebar and you can find people's recipes for solutions and homemade nasal sprays.

To be honest with you, just buy heroin if you want to get that high. It's better for your body and lasts longer. I'm not kidding when I say U4 is worse for you than heroin. I played with one gram and I'll never touch the stuff again, although I'm not big into opioids. It's tolerance spike is insane, is caustic as fuck so the only relatively safe way is to take it orally, and if you shoot it it will fuck your veins almost immediately. I'm not trying to tell you what to do or anything because I do a shitload of drugs, but you gotta pick your poison and this is about the worst thing I've come across.

Smart Weigh GEM20 High Precision Digital Milligram Scale 20 x 0.001g Reloading, Jewelry and Gems Scale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESHDGOI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_3eCM9DygIZRrd

This is my scale. I love it.

Now that I do BIAB, I would highly recommend everyone starts at BIAB over extract, personally. It's not much harder, and requires barely any extra equipment, if any. And you get much more control when you want it.

Well, where do you plan to brew? Can you do an outdoor propane burner for 5 gallon batches, or are you limited to your stove? If you have to stick to the stove, I think you can really only do 2.5 gallon batches.

I personally do 5 gallon batches on a propane burner, so I can give you a rundown of what I use, at minimum:

Boil Kettle: 10 gallon minimum. I have an 8 gallon, get 10 or bigger
Propane burner (like a turkey fryer)
Propane tank
Thermometer, digital prefered. I have the Javelin
Stainless steel spoon or mash paddle
6.5 Gallon Glass Carboy, but you can start fermenting in buckets
Bottling bucket
Auto siphon
bottling wand (spring tip recommended)
Wing capper to start, bottle capper if you keep brewing
Bottles and bottle caps
StarSan sanitizer
PBW cleaner
Hydrometer w/ test tube
Other: hose for siphon/bottling wand, airlock, funnel,

https://www.amazon.com/Lavatools-PT12-Javelin-Thermometer-Chipotle/dp/B00GRFHXVQ

I like this one. Gets the temp fast and not as expensive as the Thermapen. I checked it in ice water and boiling water when I got it and it was accurate.

I agree. I have this one and love it.

This is the best container. It won't even spill too much if the lid's left open, it locks and maintains a seal really well in a bag, and if anything it's too good at keeping your drink hot. Also it's solid construction, I've really been hard on mine over the past 3 years or so and it's still marvelous.

For the sweet tooth (like my dad, these are all things he likes):

• A candy jar or bowl filled with her favorite candy.
  
  
• An artisan ice cream scoop.
  
  
• An ice cream maker. You could get an ice cream recipe book as well.
  
  
• One of my dad's favorite gifts was a sugar dispenser... I think that shows his level of sugar commitment.
  
  
• Some artisan marshmallows.
  
  
• A milk frother that doubles as a hot chocolate maker.
  
  For the executive (like my mom, these are all things she likes):
  
  
• A high quality thermos for coffee on the way to work.
  
  
• A smart home setup, maybe an echo and some smart outlets or the google home. Really good for turning lights on/off, asking for the weather and news, listening to music, etc.
  
  
• A FitBit to help her keep healthy even working long hours.
  
  
• A popcorn maker that allows you to make non-microwaved popcorn in the microwave.
  
  
• A white noise machine. If she has any trouble sleeping this thing is AMAZING.
  
  
• A Roku or Chromecast that makes it easier to watch Netflix on the TV.
  
  
• Wine tasting or cooking class that you can do together. Really my mom loves doing stuff with her family.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005PO9T44/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A23BMDV6UOKQGP I'm on my phone and can't remember how to post a link, sorry. This will keep your coffee HOT and your ice cubes from melting, won't leak, has a plastic mouth piece and is BIFL

I would say that the grinder is one of the most important part in brewing a good coffee because a good grinder ensures that you have the same grind size, which means that you have an even extraction. If you buy the beans pre-ground, the beans usually oxidizes and loses some of it smell and taste. I would say that I has a lot of effect in the taste and the smell.

Grinder option:
When you say "cheap" how cheap is cheap? If you want to use a manual grinder, I would recommend a Hario Skerton https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ

If you want an electronic grinder, you can buy a Baratza Encore https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1510625247&sr=1-2&keywords=baratza+encore&dpID=31mL3pz0NrL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

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!

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.

Baratza Encore Electric Grinder - $130 - One of the cheapest good electric grinders. Baratza has a great reputation, but you may wish to spend a little more on the grinder if you want to use it for espresso or for very coarse grinds (French Press, for example)

For your budget, I'd say either the [Baratza Virtuoso] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000EG70IK?pc_redir=1408943545&robot_redir=1) if you can spring for the little bit extra, and if not the [Encore] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007F183LK?cache=075d072a13b3a5940fafef883998d436&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1409057670&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1) is a very close alternative.

I'd also check Baratza's website for refurbished models as well.

I do this exact same thing most weeks. If it's nice out I grill the chicken (whatever meat) outside, otherwise I just bake it because I can do a bunch at once.

Also - I'd recommend getting out of the dark ages with stove top rice. This rice cooker is the jam and you can also steam your veggies in it. It is literally the most used kitchen appliance in my house. Has held up great over the past couple years.

What works for me:

I have this rice cooker.

It has a timer which is really helpful. Every morning I wake up to freshly cooked oatmeal, which is a dope way to wake up. I usually throw in some cinnamon and honey. If I have nuts, berries or seeds around, I'll add those too.

At meals I'll have a portion of whole grains-- barley, brown rice, quinoa, pretty much whatever your heart desires. I personally like these more than white rice because they have more texture and make me more full (not to mention the nutritional benefits).

I enjoy stir frying vegetables and some chicken or eggs and adding it to the grains. When I'm getting bored I'll buy some sauces or make some sauces and use those. Generally when I'm stir frying vegetables I like to vary the colors and textures/juiciness of the vegetables I use. Some that work for me: carrots, broccoli, broccoli, kale, sprouts, mushrooms, tomatos, zucchini, corn, and avacados. Avacados are the shit.

If you get a rice cooker you can also cook all types of legumes, and beans in there. With these you can make soups, stews, and many kinds of dishes.

I don't think I really used to like this simple of foods; now I really enjoy what nature has to offer though. I found myself in a similar position as you and walked in to the produce section and thought to myself, "wow, I can eat any of this...and, it's relatively cheap."

Here's my starter kit:

• Slow cooker: https://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCCPVP600-S-6-Quart-Smart-Pot-Stainless/dp/B004ZUW52W/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1495997790&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=slow+cooker&psc=1
  
• Rice cooker: https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1495997817&sr=1-4&keywords=rice+cooker
  
• Containers: https://www.amazon.com/Fitpacker-Containers-BPA-Free-Storage-Portion/dp/B00VWJHFTM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495997867&sr=8-2&keywords=fitpacker
  
• Food scale: https://www.amazon.com/Accuweight-Multifunction-Scale-Cooking-Capacity/dp/B013WU0CZW/ref=sr_1_2?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1495997980&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=food+scale&psc=1
  
  Today, I put a bunch of chicken breast in the slow cooker with salt, pepper, and a jar of pesto, and made quinoa in the rice cooker with salt, pepper, chicken bouillon, cumin, and turmeric.

I use a rice cooker.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WQ9YNO

Just picked this up a few weeks ago, my first rice cooker. I've made maybe a dozen batches so far, brown, white, basmati, short and long grain. Each turned out better than I have ever done on the stovetop.

I'm sold on using a rice cooker from now on, and quite happy with this inexpensive model. Maybe it won't last a lifetime, but when it eventually dies I'll just grab whatever the best inexpensive model is available at the time.

I use this Aroma rice cooker

1 (carried) Keychain

2 (on keychain) House key, Car key, Mailbox key, Office key

3 (on keychain) Leatherman Style PS

4 (on keychain) Streamlight Keymate

5 (on keychain) Data Traveler 16gb

6 (front right pocket) Kershaw Scallion

7 (front left pocket) Ronson Jetlite

8 (back right pocket) Chums Bifold

9 (in wallet) Tool Logic Survival Card

10 (in wallet) True Utility Pen

11 (in wallet) Forever Stamps

12 (left wrist) Timex Expedition Watch

13 (back left pocket) iPhone 4 with Mirrored cover

14 (face or neck) Gucci Glasses

15 (carried) Zojirushi insulated water bottle

Burn your mouth all day.

All the people I know who've owned glass tumblers have had them break. I'm usually very careful with my stuff, so I bought one too, but it broke within 6 months. It looked nice while it lasted, but what a waste of $25.

This one from Zojirushi is the best one on the market and a great example of Japanese engineering. They ripped off the design from Nissan, which at the time had the most well-designed tumbler on the market, but they made several modifications that made it even better. The older model maxes out at 16 oz, but the newer model comes in 20 oz. The newer model also has a high quality non-stick lining that should prevent any odors. Also, it's small enough to fit in a BMW cup holder.

They're a little expensive (around $32), but they last forever. My parents have used the older model daily for 3 years, and the mugs still look brand new.

The one I use personally is the Zojirushi 16oz insulated mug. This thing keeps your coffee hot for hours (I normally drink it when I get to the office after 45 mins and it's still hot)

The other one I'd recommend is the Klean Kanteen 20oz insulated which is almost as good. I used to have one but lost it a while back.

Either option would work well though...

If you are looking for an automatic coffee maker this one seems to get recommended often. I have never used one myself though.

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1500TS-Carafe-Coffee-Stainless/dp/B00SK5IXPQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1517883812&sr=1-6&keywords=bonavita+coffee+maker

For a grinder this one is recommended often as a basic electric model. If you want to save some money and don't mind a little effort than a hand grinder like the Hario might be a good option.

https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1517884047&sr=1-4&keywords=baratza+encore+grinder

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B01LXZACFB/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1517884146&sr=1-3&keywords=hario+skerton+pro

1. You should get a gooseneck kettle. I prefer them to not have hotplate attached (just use stovetop) and to have a built-in thermometer so you can be versatile with what you use it for. Small spouts are much better than larger spouts to control flow, however this may be hard to find when looking. Unfortunately, the one I bought is no longer up for sale on amazon, however this one is very similar: https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Kettle-Outstanding-Thermometer-40floz/dp/B07GPWZFRW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1550204612&sr=8-5&keywords=pour+over+kettle+gooseneck
   
2. Just a regular food scale should do. This one works and is popular in the coffee community. It's also super cheap. Only problem is that it is battery run and turns off without activity for a minute or so. I use it daily. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IP8KRXS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
3. This is by-far the hardest part. You must get a burr grinder. It's the only way to maintain consistent grinds. You can buy a cheap one for around 30-40$ that do pretty well for a pour over grind but not well for really anything else. The upper end of the cheaper burr grinders would be the baratza encore (https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1550204913&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=baratza+encore+grinder&psc=1), but i probably wouldn't drop the money unless you've got an experienced taste. Honestly, i've made better pour overs with a low budget burr than with a mahlkonig ek43.
   
   I do have another recommendation. IMO, pour overs are the absolute best way to brew coffee, as they extract flavor the best. For this reason, you want to optimize your setup for better results. You're already doing this by buying a scale, good kettle, and grinder for home. What I would also do is buy a paper filter based system. They are often cheaper or the same price than what you're considering buying. I use this V60 at home (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BA2I7A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and it produces amazing results. Additionally, filters are cheap and probably impact the environment equally to stainless steel filters (due to dumping grounds and excess water use), even though this is usually a big appeal for the permanent filters. Paper is significantly better for taste than the steel filters IMO.
   
   Buying good beans is also very important. I hate to use price as a reference point, but most high quality specialty beans are going to be around 15-20 for 8 to 12 oz bags. Stick with single origin light roasts. Look locally or online and build a sense for the flavor based on region and processing.
   
   ​
   
   Feel free to ask any questions!

You probably want to spend the majority of that on a grinder. Quick google That's about the minimum, in terms of quality of the grinder, that I would recommend.

Hey dude, here's the one I use: Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD 8-Cup (Cooked) Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker and Food Steamer with Stainless Steel Exterior, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_l8RDyb62MNS2K

I cook either 1 or 2 cups of dry rice at a time and it always comes out perfectly. You might even be able to go under 1 C.

I just could not cook rice to save my life, I ended up purchasing a rice cooker off of Amazon. I highly recommend the Aroma Rice Cooker. I have been using it at least 2x a week for the past 3 years. Best $30 I've ever spent.

I have this guy, and it never comes our right. I've tried basmati and jasmine rice. The bottom is always overcooked.

Edit: I lied. THIS is what's actually on my counter.

I use this rice and this rice steamer.

I made my rice (add rice vinegar, sugar and some salt after it cooks) and put sweet potatoes, mushrooms and asparagus in the steam tray while the rice cooked. Super easy. I then also cut avocado, red pepper and cucumbers. I then left my family choose their insides so they are all different. I also used regular and black sesame seeds. I can't really explain how to roll the sushi since I am so new at it but youtube has a bunch of good videos.

I have that exact one, very unhappy as it spits foamy rice jizz all over no matter what I do. He'd be moving from microwave boilover to countertop boilover.

I upgraded to http://amzn.com/B007WQ9YNO and couldn't be happier. It also has a setting for the brown rice I use, and it comes out perfect! I cook 3 (rice) cups at a time, and store it in the fridge to eat off the next few days.

I would pick up a Spyderco Sharpmaker - it's fairly foolproof to use, and the basic set will take care of most sharpening needs, though it's not great with really messed up edges (though you can buy coarser diamond rods to use as well.) I've been using it for a few years now, and it's taken care of hundreds of resharpenings for me without problem.

Here are my personal essentials.

• Spyderco Delica 4: $60 VG-10 steel, comes in tons of colors
  
• Spyderco Endura 4: Larger version of Delica
  
• Morakniv Companion: $12-$20 A really awesome fixed blade, outperforms knives triple it's price.
  
• Victorinox Tinker: $20-25 classic swiss army knife, really great quality in general. Lots of tools but not too many so it's easily pocket carried.
  
• Victorinox Cadet: Smaller Swiss Army Knife, aluminum handles. Lots of colors.
  
• Kershaw Cryo, or Cryo 2: $20-40 steel frame lock, Hinderer design, good price, tons of colors. The Cryo 2 is the same as the Cryo just larger.
  
• Ontaro Rat 1 or 2: $25-30 Classically shaped folders with a very rugged build for a liner lock. The 2 is a smaller version of the 1.
  
  Also, you're going to want a sharpening system that works for you in the long run. I personally use the Spyderco Sharpmaker But there are tons of good sharpening options out there.
  
  P.S: You're going to get a lot of people hating on your Gerbers most likely, that's because they're honestly not worth it in the long run. They use very low quality steel for the price and they don't have the best quality control. I'm not saying your Gerbers are trash or anything. But they definitely won't last very long. Just about all of the knives I listed will last you a lifetime if you treat them right, and oil/sharpen them correctly.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000Q9C4AE?pc_redir=1407052478&robot_redir=1

It's the spyderco 204 mf get some diamond stones on it and boom you'll never need a razor again

Here is a video with a pretty good explanation. http://youtu.be/-MHe_8wTHmg it does take you about 15 minutes but you will have a mirror edge, and You can widdle hair with it.

I've have used that chefs choice sharpener, it is pretty good but the diamonds (or steel) run out pretty fast. Of I could spend that money again I would definitely gone for the spyderco.

And if you get it don't be cheap! Give yourself that razor edge for the extra $35 http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0019JTNDQ?cache=48955fd73064588b9d00d11d1b3b957a&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1407287673&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

Don't be fooled they are sold per 1

This guy nails it. However, instead of a french press I would recommend this cheap-ass, easy-to-clean, impossible-to-break pour over cone. Although Amazon prices it at over $5, I usually see it in stores for $2-4. French presses make great coffee, but I think they're a pain in the ass to clean and oh so easy to break.

Dude, get one of these.

Boil water, and you have drip coffee, with very little extra weight. I've carried mine for thousands of miles.

Well a funnel strictly speaking isn't the right angle to properly support a coffee filter, making it get lopsided easily and likely fold on itself. Now that said you can get plastic versions of these for about $6 and they're just as good. Although I'm sure you'll get someone complaining about the plastic interfering with the flavor, which is likely bullshit.

--

--

--

In the end tho, look how pretty the porcelain is!

You could look into a French press (I like bodum but all brands work). I also recommend getting a melitta brewing cone, for the $3-$5 it costs it makes insane coffee for the price. Also if you can, never go with pre ground beans, you can actually get a grinder for pretty cheap on amazon or at the least go to your local coffee shop (non Starbucks) and buy a bag of beans from them and ask them to grind it for you. Hope this helps! Excited for your coffee journey!

I'm not sure you understand what I'm saying, and I don't know what you're trying to say. The edges and bottom cook differently because they're in direct contact with the metal pan, which transfers heat more effectively and allows moisture to escape. The brownie pan in the video puts more of the batter in direct contact with the metal. This is the one mentioned: http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448 Maybe the second-to-last picture there will help you understand.

While you're there, take a look at the reviews and see if people who've actually used the pan think it doesn't work, or that the extra metal "does little" as you said.

Also this one.

I use one of these and I've been pretty happy with it. Not quite Le Creuset, but works just fine.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Color-6-Quart-Dutch-Island/dp/B000N501BK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331392165&sr=8-1

Get this, it's $50 and works wonders.

My parents' house burned down around Thanksgiving and they asked me for pot & pan recommendations as they rebuild. Here's a list I sent them of things that ought to last forever but won't break the bank (no Mauviel, Staub, All-Clad, Le Creuset, etc). #1 on the list is a 12" Lodge skillet, just like the one we have. :)

• 12" cast iron skillet, along these lines: http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-Inch/dp/B00006JSUB/
  
• 8-12qt stock pot. Here's a reasonably priced 10qt model: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-76610-26G-Classic-10-Quart-Stockpot/dp/B007HN67KU
  
• 2.5qt sauce pan (optional)
  
• 3.5qt chef's pan (not optional), similar to this (the rounded bottom/edges is critical): http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinox-Elite-Quart-Covered-Chefs/dp/B001BKKB3Y
  
• Stainless roasting pan (root vegetables, turkey, etc): http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP117-16BR-MultiClad-Stainless-Rectangular/dp/B0041Q409G
  
• 5-7qt enameled cast iron dutch oven (we use this as our primary soup pot. We only use our stock pot for pasta or when we're making soup for a really large crowd): http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-EC6D43-Enameled-Island-6-Quart/dp/B000N501BK
  
• Cuisinart electric kettle (this is SOOOOOOOOO much more efficient than either the microwave or the stovetop -- we never knew what we were missing until we bought it): http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CPK-17-PerfecTemp-1-7-Liter-Stainless/dp/B003KYSLNQ
  
• Measuring cups and spoons: http://www.amazon.com/Kitchenmade-Stainless-Steel-Measuring-Stackable/dp/B00IRQNHTK and http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Piece-Measuring/dp/B000P0W4MC
  
• Pyrex measuring cups (a 2qt and a 4qt)
  
• Nesting glass mixing bowls: http://www.amazon.com/Luminarc-Stackable-9-Piece-Bowl-Set/dp/B000V6W5ZG
  
• Large stainless steel (lightweight) mixing bowl. I'm not sure exactly how big ours is, but it's probably similar to this. We use it when we make salads for crowds, or any time we don't want to crowd whatever we're preparing. http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Group-Mixing-Bowl-13-Quart/dp/B001E0HQSO
  
• Colander (pasta, veggies): http://www.amazon.com/Bellemain-Micro-perforated-Stainless-5-quart-Colander/dp/B00O97D0DO
  
• Strainer (berries, rinsing beans):http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-8-Inch-Double-Strainer/dp/B00004OCLX

Le Creuset = enameled cast iron. Lodge = bare cast iron, at least until recently. Bare cast iron requires seasoning and all that jazz, while enameled cast iron does not. Thus the apples to oranges line.

Lodge's enameled products are roughly half to a third the cost of Le Creuset's stuff, but they're made in China, while Le Creuset stuff is exclusively made in France, as far as I can tell. Is there a difference? I don't know, but they seem to get fine reviews on Amazon.

I use one of [these](AccuSharp 001C Knife Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004VWKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fAifAb3Y2NDM1) to sharpen my knives. Is this a bad way of doing it?

The King 1000/6000 stone is all you need to get started. The 1000 is coarse enough that you can fix chips in a reasonable amount of time, and the 6000 is fine enough to get a shaving-sharp edge. You don't need a stone holder, a damp kitchen towel will do. You don't even need a nagura. Look up Murray Carter on YouTube—he's a really cool knife maker who uses 1000 and 6000 King stones on his crazy-expensive hand-forged knives. He's got a nice way of rigging up a sharpening station over your sink with a 2x4, although I just use a cutting board that happens to fit nicely in my sink. Carter's videos are more geared toward traditional Japanese knives, so I wouldn't use his exact technique, but his equipment setup is inexpensive and easy to use. Anyway, learn how to use the 1000/6000 to get a shaving-sharp edge (Carter calls it "scary sharp") and you can move on from there to more exotic gear.

All that said, I don't know if whetstones are the best choice for most people. If you really want to get into it for fun, by all means, go nuts. It's a nice relaxing ritual and you can get incredible results if you're willing to put in the time to practice. But if you're only interested in having a reasonably-sharp knife, then there are better options that can get you there with less fuss. A decent two-stage pull-through sharpener (i.e., one with two slots) will get you a knife that can slice paper and cut onions just fine. It won't shave your arm or slice ribbons of newspaper, but it's totally usable. I have a Wusthof one that cost about $30 but it seems Amazon has some higher-rated choices for the same money. They even have a single-stage sharpener that people rave about for $10.

FWIW, these kinds of sharpeners are extremely shitty. If you want a one-size-fits-all inexpensive sharpener, the Accusharp is where it's at.

I have a nice Chicago Cutlery Landmark Santoku knife (geez, name is longer than the knife) and a Kitchenaid Santoku (red).

If you would have asked me a year ago which one was better, I'd say the Chicago knife cuts better but both do okay. However...

Then I got the AccuSharp 001 Sharpener. This thing works so well it makes me fucking terrified of my knives, they're so sharp. Now I very, very much prefer the Chicago knife, just because the extra weight the knife has makes it feel much more under control, and the balance feels like it helps makes cuts more deliberate.

The only comparison I have is a golf driver - sometimes the superlight ones make you hit worse off the tee, because you can muscle them around easily and your swing can go all crazy. With a heavier club, it keeps you on path and is more difficult to go off-plan.

Consider that sharpener basically a throwaway. You'll probably be able to use it for a year with normal household use, flipping the stones halfway through. Toss it and buy a new one instead of trying a sharpener that will last forever.

I decided to teach myself cooking over the last year, and I can say that one good knife will be better than a block of knives. I do 99% of all my work with with 2 knives, a Santoku and a Partoku. I occasionally need a paring knife to carve pumpkins, peppers, etc..and I use a bread knife for my homemade bread, of course, but the bulk is done with the larger one.

If I didn't already have a block of generic-brand IKEA knives from before I started enjoying cooking, I'd have 4 knives, Santoku, Partoku, bread and paring. Get the sharpener I linked and a matching set of knives because they look nice and it'll help you from cutting yourself by getting used to the same balance across them.

My amateur $0.02, interested in any corrections or further insights from the pros.

I think these skillets are amazing and I want one so bad! Everyone should definitely own one!

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-Stovetop/dp/B00006JSUA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538510630&sr=8-3&keywords=lodge+10.25

This is a little over 15$ but if your mom cooks cast iron pans are awesome! 😂
here

Or this one. Never buy another pan and leave it to your descendants.

Lodge. I'm a little confused as to what you meant by your second question, but I needed a cast iron skillet, that's what they had at City Target, and I'd heard good things about Lodge! I've been using a lot of olive oil, but it's making lovely food.

Cast Iron will give you what you are looking for:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-12-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341688485&sr=8-1&keywords=cast+iron+skillet

They do require a bit of care but its not bad at all. Never use soap on it.

This was my list for a previous, similar post -

I would buy the following items in this order, if it were my $80:

1. A $29 Victorinox Chef's Knife
   
   
   
2. A good cutting board for $12-15
   
   
   
3. A cast iron pan for $15-$20
   
   
4. A utensil set of some kind for $15-20
   
   
   
   From there I'd get a solid set of pots and pans and/or a dutch oven. A rice cooker also is pretty helpful. I use mine constantly. Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-1080-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00DMI632G/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1467908210&sr=1-2&keywords=infrared+thermometer

I use mine all the time, and it has lasted for years.

Refined avocado oil does actually have a high smoke point. I personally use Safflower oil, which also has a very high smoke point.

I would recommend getting an infrared thermometer (this is the one I have) so you can more accurately control the temperature of your pan.

Get a "Brew in a bag" bag, if you want to do BIAB. They're resilient and worth the extra money. You won't find them on Amazon.

If you want to start going to all grain you can buy a large Coleman / Igloo cooler (60 quart is what I use, can do up to 10 gallon batches). Ball valve and fittings, some pipe tape too. Don't forget a pulley to help get the bag out of the cooler!

You can get a flask, stir bar, and everything else you need to start making yeast starters.

Grab a large spoon and/or a flask wisk to help mashing.

Amazon also sells immersion chillers to help with the post boil. I bought mine for $50 and I think it's the 25' one. Works like a charm for 5 gallon batches.

Get a good pair of insulated gloves for your brew day!

Amazon also sells thermometers to help track mash temperatures. I have this one and this one. They're both great. An IR thermometer is great to have for yeast starters too...but definitely not needed. Would put that at the bottom of my purchase list.

Oh! A sterile siphon is also awesome. Bought that from Amazon too.

And so I don't keep rambling, Homebrewfinds as a good list of filler stuff from Amazon. Things like campden tablets, hop bags, pieces to make hop spiders....etc. http://www.homebrewfinds.com/homebrewing-related-amazon-fillers

Congrats on your new baby! Since you're new to the world of beardies, please read up on their care with these wonderful guides:

Comprehensive Care Gudie, Nutrition Guide, A wonderful Cheat Sheet!

You will want to get in an Infrared Temp Gun for the most accurate readings for your basking/warm/cool areas. The sticky thermometers on the side are severely inaccurate. This will help guarantee your beardie's temps are where they need to be for proper digestion and health.

I cannot tell from the picture, but mealworms should be avoided until your dragon is over 6 months old as they're very hard to digest and can cause compaction- as should adult superworms.
Micro super worms, pheonix worms/black soldier fly larva, dubia roaches, silkworms, and crickets are all safe options for your baby.

What does your lighting setup look like?

I just received it from ND today as well.

1: It's a typo, 100mg is the dosage.

2: Get a scale. You should not be eyeballing substances. Especially when it's a substance like Polygala. Scale on Amazon

I said 10.000$. Not 10$.

And here you go

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00ESHDGOI/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Iam not going too answer any of you shit again ahahaha ignorance is a bliss, I guess.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00ESHDGOI/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00ESHDGOI&pd_rd_r=10619a15-5c79-11e8-a97a-9ba70c80a3ad&pd_rd_w=9vPgo&pd_rd_wg=qNa4X&pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=K24B8K5RB8NJNAX1CH2M&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=07871b8e-d32a-4963-b98f-ba712077f7f5&pf_rd_i=desktop

Wait, Home Depot sells homebrewing specific items? Awesome! And congrats on the first brew, looks great. Welcome to the addiction!

Edit: for the thermometer, I highly recommend a Javelin or Javelin Pro. Great thermometer and significantly cheaper than the competition. You'll find other folks on here singing their praises as well. I love mine.

Charcoal grilling is great! The only additional purchase I would make is for a chimney starter, if you haven't already. Weber makes a great one that will last you a while and is like $15. You can use newspapers, balled up paper towels, or the little chimney lighter cubes to start the chimney, whichever is easiest for you. I like the cubes, they're very consistent and easy.

This article from Serious Eats talks about several different two zone charcoal setups. They're all fairly basic, but they are good to know.

When you purchase charcoal, don't buy any of the stuff with the lighter fluid on it. And don't add lighter fluid. If you get the chimney starter right you'll never need it. It imparts a yucky chemical flavor in the meat. I prefer briquettes. They are more consistent for me and they are much cheaper where I live. Lots of people love lump charcoal but it's a lot harder for a beginner I think.

Learn where your grill vents are. They're much more important to charcoal grilling since they are how you control the heat.

These are all great resources that have been posted. Read through them and keep coming back here! This is a great community.

Edit: If you don't already have an instant read thermometer, you should definitely buy one. It's one of my most used tools in the kitchen and on the grill. There are a ton out there. I've had the Lavatools Javelin for a while now and love it. It reads the temp quickly, it isn't crazy expensive, and it looks nice. It really stepped up what I was pulling off the grill.

I have this one.. which works very well and is 1/6th the cost of a thermapen.

TLDR buy this. It's what I use and it's amazeballs for the price.

The Capresso Infinity is the only one worth buying under $100. If you don't want that, try to buy in half pound bags from a local roaster that will grind the coffee for you.

https://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Conical-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/

I can help you with this: http://www.amazon.com/Gaggia-16100-Evolution-Espresso-Cappuccino/dp/B0001KO9RY

Best decently priced entry level semi-automatic espresso machine to get

http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457504719&sr=8-3&keywords=capresso+infinity

Best entry level grinder

Get your beans from trader joe's (seriously cheap, but seriously good coffee, you'll find out that starbucks uses over-roasted beans)

I like mine with 2 oz espresso and 10 oz of foamed milk and half a tablespoon of sugar

I basically lived at starbucks for 3 years while studying 12 hours a day 5 days a week, this is the cheaper, tastier and faster version

There's a sub for that... /r/roasting

You are correct, the better electric burr grinders are just a bit smaller than a blender and start around the Capresso Infinity for $80 and proceed skyward from there. I thought you might enjoy giggling at our 110 lb, 220V, 3-phase Mahlkonig which can grind 6lbs per minute. For scale, that's a full pound of coffee sitting in front of it.

Well, you really should not buy this grinder: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DBM-8-Supreme-Automatic-CCM-16PC1/dp/B00018RRRK

The bouldering is absurd and the fines are ridiculous. I have to grind my beans like four times over to get anything even vaguely reminiscent of a consistent grind, it's loud, ugh. I'm not even making espresso, just pour overs...sigh. Terrible grinder.

I'm going to replace it with the Hario Skerton/Skeleton, I think. I read good things about it somewhere...

Whatever you do, don't get this: https://smile.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DBM-8-Supreme-Grind-Automatic/dp/B00018RRRK

​

It's too inconsistent if you're picky like me. Well, for drip it probably wouldn't be bad cause the filter will catch everything. All other applications you won't get a uniform size. Also the plastic container that catches the grounds is just a magnet for the grounds.

Grinds coffee to an exact size. So I can have the right grind for the brew method I want to use. Aka French press, espresso, cold brew, etc

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DBM-8-Supreme-Grind-Automatic/dp/B00018RRRK/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

a one time investment will improve the taste of your morning coffee for the rest of your life. i'm not trying to be pushy, but freshly grinding your beans is by far the most important thing to improving your coffee flavor. by far!

I'd get a Mr. Bento and then cook away!

how to pack

comfort food

more recipes

or, just any thermos and a hearty soup? You can pack a lot into a minestrone, or, a "stoup" or chili.

I love my Zojirushi Mr. Bento

https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SL-JAE14SA-Bento-Stainless-Silver/dp/B000246GSE/

The outer container is a vacuum bottle so if you fill it with boiling water and let it sit for 5 mins, then dump out the water and put in your containers of hot food, they will stay hot well past lunch time.

Check out these things. They work quite well at keeping food hot/warm. Takes an extra 10 min in the morning to warm everything up, but last for awhile and you can portion things out for easy calorie count.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000246GSE/

A Zojirushi sounds like it might be a good fit. I have this system and I am very happy with it and it's quality. The Ms. Bento is the smaller version of the zojirushi.

FYI, they make all-edge pans.

https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448

Happy Zambambo!

I hope you have a loverly birthday and thanks for the contest c:

Why would I want a brownie pan that puts all the brownies at the edge? Am I the only one who prefers the gooey center brownies?

Sounds like you need one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bakers-Edge-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448/

This is the one i got

Very accurate and very fast. I have one for brewing and cooking, but honestly, I don't think it is worth it just for brewing when you can get a Thermopop or CDN for ~$20. However, for cooking, the thin probe and quick read speed is really, really nice.

I've been using this one for several years now without a problem.

[Zojirushi definately one of the best vacuum flask coffee mugs out there](ZOJI SM-KHE48-AG Stainless Steel Mug, 16-Ounce, Smoky Blue https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qNgEybRKEQZ6V)

Get in the car. BURN your mouth on the groovy Japanese coffee mug. Burn it again a half hour later. Repeat x 2 . Drive an hour and a half. Eat a fruit cup. Come home and make turkey. This cup is not fucking around. https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44

I made this tea at 2 p.m. And its STILL hot 26 hours later

And, for non mobile users, here's the full size amazon page for that mug http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/

I'm sure she already has basic nursing necessities...the three things I absolutely must have at work are:

• Lotion...I love lotion especially with all the hand washing we do, good lotion is a must. I've gone through several and my favorite two are:
  Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion OR
  L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
  
  
• Water bottle and coffee tumbler
  Water: [nalgene 1L water bottle] (http://www.amazon.com/Nalgene-Tritan-BPA-Free-Bottle-1-Quart/dp/B001N86A8E/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396814263&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=nalgene+water+bottle+1L)
  
• coffee thermos: Zojirushi Stainless Thermal Mug AMAZING (but also pricey) but it keeps my coffee or tea hot for HOURS...my coffee is even hot during lunch time when I filled it early in the morning.
  
  You can also give gift cards to your local coffee shop and like others mentioned, a gift card/certificate for a massage! I'm sure whatever you decide to give will mean a lot to her :)
  
  
  

Zojirushi thermos http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1418959602&sr=1-2&keywords=tiger+thermos this thing is so great.

>Question everything you can - don't take no for an answer, have it explained to you step by step. Learn to count carbs, learn what to look for, question every bit of advice you get and make sure it's completely accurate.

This, 1000 times over.

Some more practical advice (assuming you're in the States):

• Order a food scale on Amazon tonight so it will be waiting for you when you get out of the hospital. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Something like this is fine.
  
  
• This is a good starting list of carb factors and an explanation of how to use them. Learning this method will help you have a more normal life as soon as you're home from the hospital, and it is is crucial for pumping.
  
  
• Ask for a Multiclix lancet. It is by far the easiest and most pain-free lancet for kids.
  
  
• Tomorrow, call your local JDRF and ask that they send you a "Bag of Hope." Inside will be a great book on Type 1, a stuffed bear your son can give shots to, and the most accurate BG meter as well as another Multiclix
  
  
• Order this book. While the ones already suggested by others are great, this is the best book specifically for children, IMO. The older edition is just as good, and less expensive, but is lacking some updated research citations and pump info.
  
  edited to add: if you have other children, ask for them to be enrolled in Trialnet

EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_8U-Qwb8C7G7XF

I've beat the shit out of mine. Still good. Still accurate.

Hello! I, too, am a female in my early 20's, have always been a fat kid, and came from a family who didn't give a shit about fitness and food. My heaviest weight was over 270lbs, and I have lost a total of 62 pounds since October by simply counting calories. That's all that is really too it.

1. Join MyFitnessPal It is free and wonderful, and add me as a friend! My Reddit name is the same as my username.
   
   
2. Buy a food scale on Amazon. This is the one I use.
   
   
3. Dig out your measuring cups and spoons.
   
   
4. Start out by MEASURING EVERYTHING you would normally eat using said food scale and measuring spoons. LOG EVERYTHING in MyFitnessPal. This will give you an idea of how many calories you are consuming with your typical food choices and serving size.
   
   
5. Experience second reality check.
   
   
6. Change.
   
   Start slow, make gradual changes, and stick with it. Once you have a set calorie goal (myfitnesspal will help you with that) you will realize that your current food choices are no longer keeping you satiated and under your calorie goal, and you will soon learn that healthy foods will keep you going longer and keep you under your calorie limit. And allow yourself one cheat day a week!
   
   Expect hunger pains and cravings for the first few weeks as you start to settle into your new, healthy routine. Once you get actual good food into your system and cut out all the junk, these cravings will diminish. However, be aware that once you eat 'junk food', you will find yourself craving it for a few days afterwards.
   
   
   A few awesome things:
   
   Water-Drink a lot. Coffee (watch the cream serving size and sugar!) helps control hunger when you are starting to shrink your stomach.
   
   Veggies-Steamed or raw, have them EVERYDAY.
   
   Non-Processed foods-learn to cook!
   
   Eggs-Awesome source of protein to keep you going.
   
   Lean Cuisine Dinners-With a steamed veggie on the side, perfect for a busy or lazy day.
   
   Don't buy trigger foods-Those bag of chips look good? How about all of those cookie choices? DON'T BUY THEM. If it isn't in the house, you are not going to cheat or binge on it.
   
   
   FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU! Experiment, change things up. What works for one person won't always fit the next person.
   

I've always liked this scale but haven't really tried anything else. It works pretty well. I bought a new one recently because the one I have that's a couple years old has been acting a little finicky (I'm assuming from getting splashed w/ water or food). I looked at the Ozeri one the other person posted but was dissuaded by a few of the negative reviews.

This is the one I've had since 2013. Accurate, takes up little counter space, clear display in grams, ounces, kilograms, or pounds and I've only had to replace the battery once in the last 3 years. Eatsmart also makes this awesome bathroom scale, which I also have.

I bought this one last week. So far I have no complaints, it had plenty of good reviews on amazon as well. It seems accurate, I'd say it does the job fine.

[This] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001N07KUE/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is the one I have. It's easy to use, accurate, and comes with a little reference guide to get you started. I'm kind of obsessed with it.

I don't like cooking boneless, skinless breasts in the oven as they are as you describe, dry or undercooked. I did start using an instant read thermometer to solve the undercooked problem..

But I've used this recipe with great success. I've used it by cutting up the whole chicken and I've used it with just breasts, but ones with skin and bones. And it's come out great - that is moist and done.

I still use the thermometer (this one) to make sure they're done.

Hope this helps...

Buy yourself a meat thermometer and stop worrying! You'll probably end up cooking meat better than most if you learn to use it.

There is zero evidence that you have to actively maintain temperature for your standard single infusion mash. It's yet another way that homebrewers make things more complicated than they have to be.

If you're the type who needs to stress about things, then insulate your kettle --or-- pre-heat the oven to 170-180°F, turn it off, and stick your kettle in the oven.

> I only have a crappy stick thermometer

Yeah, you're probably going to want to spend the $8-$13 needed to get a decent handheld digital thermo

We use these guys:
https://www.amazon.com/CDN-DTQ450X-Thin-Tip-Thermometer/dp/B0021AEAG2

Same accuracy as the thermapens, though not quite as durable, but you can buy five CDNs for the cost of a thermapen. What are you guys doing to these things though? Our head brewer has been using her personal thermapen for five years and it looks brand new.

It does depend on how thick it is, whether there is a bone present or not, the cut of steak, how cold the steak was before it hit the pan, etc. There are some basic guide lines you could probably goolgle. I would say to get a digital instant read thermometer and follow a chart on doneness. Eventually you will be able to get good at this by just feeling it and looking at it.

There's a difference between instant read thermometers and leave in probe thermometers. If there is a plastic/lcd readout directly attached to the metal probe, then no, you cannot leave it in the oven. If the metal probe connects to the readout part via a flexible wire, then yes, it's a leave in probe.

This is an example of a leave-in probe therm:

http://www.amazon.com/Polder-Digital--Oven-Thermometer-Graphite/dp/B000P6FLOY/

This is an example of a non-leave in therm:

http://www.amazon.com/CDN-DTQ450X-ProAccurate-Quick-Read-Thermometer/dp/B0021AEAG2

ATK has often referenced the fact that the Thermapen is their favorite thermometer - $100

**

They also tested cheaper models:
**

From Season 11: Fall Favorites

Inexpensive Instant-Read Thermometers
Testing notes

TIE FOR FIRST
ThermoWorks Super-Fast Waterproof Pocket Thermometer - $24

> An extra-thin probe that allowed for easy temperature checks, even inserted horizontally into chicken breasts, and relatively fast readout times put this model at the top of the rankings. We also liked the location of the readout screen at the side of the wand (as opposed to the end) and the simplicity of its controls. Its few drawbacks are a low maximum temperature, the fact that it can’t be calibrated (reset when accuracy seems off), and its lack of an automatic shutoff.

• CDN ProAccurate Quick-Read Thermometer - $16.95
  
  > Although this bulb-shaped thermometer felt awkward and cheaply made, and testers found it was too easy to hit the small buttons accidentally while gripping the head, it received top marks for speed, accuracy, and temperature range. An automatic shutoff preserved battery life.
  
  

I'd recommend a digital thermometer. I have this and it's been great so far. If you're doing extract a thermometer isn't quite as critical, but you'll still want to steep grains and pitch yeast at proper temps.

I guess I could call myself an experienced home cook now and I also would recommend Rachael Ray recipes. A lot of people on reddit seem to hate her because she's not Gordon Ramsey or Alton Brown, but I think that a lot of her recipes are a simple, realistic way to start cooking. Alton Brown, Julia Child, and the like are all great for learning to cook from, but most people don't have the time it takes to cook like them every night. Aim to prepare their recipes once or twice a week, but in the meantime, just gain some experience with the simple stuff.

Definitely get a meat thermometer! I've been using this one for a few years. I've had a few others, and this is the only one that has lasted a while. I used to say that I didn't like meat very much, but when I started using a meat thermometer, I really started to enjoy it. It's a lot better than cutting into it and losing juices, especially since you should let your meat rest for at least 5 minutes after cooking it.

Also, check out this slideshow about the most common cooking mistakes.

As for thermometers, I got this one from Amazon and have loved it. Cheap and accurate. Used to have an analog thermometer and it was impossible to get a good reading through the steam of the water/wort

The last time we had this discussion the CDN DTQ450X ProAccurate Quick-Read Thermometer came up as a more affordable alternative. I bought one and have found it not too bad. It only has ice water calibration and it's not quite as quick as you'd ideally like, but otherwise I'm happy with it.

I have an IR temp gun and it doesn't do shit for an enail.

Max temp I could get off it was like 250F and I tried EVERY ANGLE at distances from 1" to at least a foot out.

They say some of them are not accurate over a small area and require a larger area to test due to how they're focused which I'm not sure. They are also supposedly made inaccurate by reflective services which most nails are.

I bought a cheap kitchen probe which is rated to read up to 450F and is calibratable and it seems far more accurate and useful than my IR thermometer.

Useful for low temp dabs only (probably) because I could see one wanting to turn the actual nail's temp up beyond 450F but I feel that is a waste of terpenes.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021AEAG2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My enail is currently set to 573F but I get readings of around 405-435F with that probe actually touching my nail depending on where I touch the nail. (it takes close to a minute to get the first full accurate reading as the probe warms but it's worth it)

If I went much below a measured 400F the dabs would pool up some and not vape and that's because it's much closer to the ingredients boiling points and from my research a chemical at its boiling point is just as content staying in a liquid form as it is in a gaseous form (vapor) which is why one needs to have the temp a bit higher than the actual boiling point (THC boiling point is 315F for reference but a common terpene limonene is 350F)

That last bit makes a bit more sense if you think of a pot of water at its boiling point, sure it's putting off vapor (steam) but only slowly, most of the water is still liquid.

Basically I realized I had my nail set almost 100F too high after doing these tests. I thought a setting of 670F was low judging from what others say but on my nail it was not .. lol.

Cheap: https://amzn.com/B0021AEAG2

Not so cheap: Thermapen

American Weigh Scales Signature Series Digital Precision Pocket Weight Scale, Black 1000G x 0.1G

$50 seems like a ton for a scale. The scale I got off amazon is 1000g max, 0.1g accuracy and cost $9. http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-AWS-1KG-BLK-Signature-Digital/dp/B002SC3LLS/

I can even put my french press on it (about 400g w/ grounds), tare it, then add 700g of water so I know what my coffee:water ratio is.

There are other good, cheap scales on amazon too I think you can take your pick for sub $20. The only thing I would change about mine is to get a slightly larger one-- the small scale size works good for measuring coffee, but may not seat the chemex or french press well enough. I end up using like a coaster to raise the scale bed.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-AWS-1KG-BLK-Signature-Digital/dp/B002SC3LLS/ref=lp_289787_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1416070720&sr=1-4 works perfectly

One of the best investments I've ever made.

Do you happen to have a link to the one you have?

Is it this? https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-Digital-Pocket/dp/B002SC3LLS/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_79_lp_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KX6XY53WCH5G0M2VE5HK

This AWS 1kg x 0.1g scale would be the perfect addition.

If you travel and don't already have one, a nice thermos could also be valuable. Zojirushi makes my favorite.

Personally, I haven't had too much success buying teas from Amazon.

The secret? Buy a food scale (this one goes for less than $7 on amazon).

Reading food labels and measuring all of your precooked food, will allow you to keep track (Myfitnesspal app, Loseit app are two popular apps) of exactly how many calories you're eating.

• For example, I ate a spinach and bacon omelette with cheese (3 eggs, 4 slices of bacon, 4 ounces of shredded mild cheddar, 141 grams of frozen spinach). Total calories - 1,050 (5g net carbs/73 g fat/82 g protein).
  
  If you go out to eat, you should be able to find out the calorie amounts for different fast-food or restaurants in the tracking apps as well.
  

Here's my kit:

• Bonavita travel kettle
  
• Travel scale
  
  I shove everything in a cheap canvas tool bag for carrying places. It'll fit beans, kettle, aeropress, aergrind and friends with some nesting.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002SC3LLS/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Have had it for 4 years now and it still weighs perfectly

I use this AWS scale from Amazon

Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done at a fair price

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002SC3LLS/ref=psdcmw_678508011_t2_B002SVUDEW

Gram scales are really cheap online but get kind of expensive when you buy in person. A kitchen scale usually won't measure gram doses very accurately so the one I linked is what I would suggest. I've had it for over a year and it works great. You can get them at smoke shops but they're usually over $20 so I would definitely buy online.

I use this one for both business and personal yarn. You probably don't need 1/10ths of a gram for general knitting purposes but I needed it for measuring dye so... yeah. I definitely recommend digital since you can zero and calibrate it pretty easily, and it's a lot more accurate than a standard scale. If you do go standard, I'd recommend one that has a little slider as opposed to just a dial. They're more accurate and less likely to break.

Get this one!

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1410032739&sr=1-1

Save you the trouble of going through three or four to find a good one...probably spent 80-100 dollars on them before I found this one, don't even bother with the Contigo. Impossible to clean.

As for aeropress and the one liter thermos, I use it everyday at uni! Electric kettle, two AP scoops of coffee and it comes out great, just fill the aeropress up to the top, press and pour into the thermos, then dilute to the top!

Random recommendations from a sophomore in college:

Adidas Shower Shoes - These things have been great. They dry nearly instantly and are adjustable.

Zojirushi Travel Mug - If you drink coffee and would like to have access to it throughout the day, this is by far the best travel mug (and has many recommendations here on BIFL).

Water pitcher - Assuming you will have a fridge (you might not), having access to cold water can be surprisingly convenient. Even if you don't have a fridge, if you don't have a sink, this will be a lot more convenient.

Towels - This is more of a personal preference. For me, department store-bought towels are too soft and absorbent. I found that mine never got totally dry, and replaced them with Turkish peshtemal towels (like these ones from Amazon)

Computer monitor - You will use this all four years, I guarantee it. If you get a big enough one, you can also use it as a TV when friends are over.

Laser printer - do NOT buy an inkjet. You will go crazy when it conveniently runs out of ink before your lab report is due. Brother makes good laser printers. Wireless is nice, but probably not a necessity.

Some kind of noise cancelling headphones - doesn't have to be active noise canceling. College dorms can be noisy. Having a good pair of over-the-ear headphones can be nice, even if you just listen to white noise to drown out your roommate.



Things I didn't need:

A TV - nice, but not necessary

iPad - I don't know why anyone thinks this is necessary or why I have one other than watching Netflix in bed when I'm too lazy to unplug my computer.

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/

Best looking/functioning table mug: http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/product/merchandise/intelligentsia-filter-mug

Best looking travel mug: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44

A lot of roasters have cool t-shirts, too.

Amazon link - http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/

https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44

I've been using my Zojirushi for the last few years. It keeps my coffee hot pretty much all day and can take a beating. It's fallen onto the road while biking a few times and only has a few scuffs and a small dent to show for it. Not only that, but Zojirushi sells replacement parts for their thermoses, including seals and mouthpieces in case you ever need them.

Also, you can get it in a 12oz size if you're sure that's all you'll need.

I highly recommend a Zojirushi bottle. It will keep your expresso too hot to drink for most of the day.


Zojirushi SM-KHE48AG Stainless Steel Mug, 16-Ounce, Smoky Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ncC2CbX4RV2SA

Ceramic is like the worst choice for travel mugs, heavy, breakable and somehow it dose affect the liquid taste over time.
I'm using Zojirushi, this one: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1415168515&sr=1-1&keywords=zojirushi
it's a 16-ounce made of stainless steel, the best mug I ever bough.
It does come also in 20-ounce size.
Check this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/comments/2k1ic3/favorite_travel_mug_why_pictures_or_links_too/

How good of a deal is this? I'm going to stick the link to this thermos in here to hopefully get that PriceZombie bot to respond. Does anyone know if there is a way to poll that information directly?

Edges are the one true religion.

All Edge Brownie Pan.

I know you can order that lasagna pan on Amazon

Baker's Edge Nonstick Edge Brownie Pan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MMK448/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_u5E-AbA7H0R5N

Here's the Amazon product page for the brownie pan..

$35 USD hrm

Maybe one brownie tray per person?

Edit: To make it fully legit the $13 spatula probably needs to be bought also

I'll just leave this here.

Buy the Lodge 5 qt double Dutch Oven, it's designed to be used for baking like that.


But also buy a Lodge enameled dutch oven, for stews and roasts and the like.

It's enameled cast iron. here are some examples.

They were actually lodge brand. I have the same blue one.

Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Island Spice Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N501BK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WXtdzbQ7A931Y

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N501BK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_xqMUBbW7TSQEQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00063RWYI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_hrMUBb7XNG2YA


Comparatively cheap and good quality. I use the first.

7.5 quart blue enameled dutch oven comes out to $79.99 shipped. (the link defaults to 6qt red, so make sure to select the blue 7.5qt). You won't find a larger capacity enameled dutch oven for less, so you have to compromise on capacity or enamel (there's a bare cast iron lodge 8qt for ~$65).

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Color-Dutch-Island-6-Quart/dp/B000N501BK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344730369&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+dutch+oven

Alright, so the way to get from where you are now to this is to use a cast iron pot and follow Jim Lahey's directions here. Go to the library and get his book, both that one and the new My Pizza are awesome. The cast iron pot traps steam which combined with the high heats lets you get good 'spring' and a nice rich crispy crust. I've done this recipe with lots of diffent flours and they have much less of an effect on the overall outcome than good technique. It can be a bit scary handling a 500 degree cast iron pot but after a few attempts it gets pretty easy. A Lodge cast iron dutch oven like this will work great but I suggest replacing the knob on top with a metal version found here. Good luck!

I have a big 6-7 quart lodge dutch oven that has become my go-to for pretty much everything. All cast iron works with induction.

It’s like $60 on Amazon and will last forever if you treat it right.

Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Classic Red Enamel Dutch Oven (Island Spice Red) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N501BK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HVNRCb36A2J04

I have a Lodge dutch oven that works really nicely and is very inexpensive compared to Le Creuset: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N501BK/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00006JSUF&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1MP0B87KHG10R83F04M1

A Dutch oven is a large pot made of cast iron which can be coated in enamel. It can go on the stove and in the oven.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000N501BK/ref=mh_s9_acsd_top_b1DOU_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-4&pf_rd_r=XB3PMKW1HBDWD48NQB3P&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=85eb1b4d-f0d2-5d34-b279-fb67ac2b2298&pf_rd_i=289818

• If you're an engineer and have a little disposable income, one very popular choice is the Bonavita 1l variable temp kettle. Sometimes the lids on these do rust for no apparent reason. Cheap thermometers are cheap, and you might want to have one.
  
  
• A 10-12oz ceramic mug is good for starting out with. There is a Chinese style with a lid that has a lot to recommend it.
  
  
• Tea from good vendors comes in packaging that will keep it adequately fresh for months. You should just drink it up soon enough that you don't need storage.
  
  
• You are missing a basket-style infuser.
  
  
• Not absolutely necessary, if you are sticking with small broken-leaf tea that can easily be measured with a spoon, a small digital scale is inexpensive and useful for measuring tea with large, fancy leaf or tea that has been compressed.
  
  This is basic gear for so-called "Western-style" brewing for one person. If you decide you want to scale up with this method, there are pots that work with the same principle.
  

> I've ordered a scale ($20) because I've realized how important it is to know your exact GPD. You cannot get that by using spoons. Just knowing your intake is a step forward. From there you can taper

This is THE best advice for getting started. Forget cutting back or your plan. Just start by getting stable at a standard dose for the day (and you have to measure to know what that standard is). Just getting to a point where your intake is stable and not dictated by "well I'm going past the bag, I guess I'll get another scoop" or "I feel like taking another", is a good first step.

​

And you don't even have to pay $20 for a scale. This one works perfectly fine for $7!

​

Get started today. Keep a written log. You'll feel better getting it out of your head and onto paper, and that paper can help keep you accountable. You won't know how to get where you're going until you know where you are currently.

American Weigh Scales AWS-600-BLK Digital Personal Nutrition Scale, Pocket Size, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_eF1yzbAWXBF81

American Weigh Scales AWS-600-BLK Digital Personal Nutrition Scale, Pocket Size, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_vnTURcDBwNe8o

It does up to 500g, has been SUPER accurate for me, and does Troy oz. Love it

1. This is the one I see recommended most https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&dpID=41jRR6dsBiL&dpPl=1&keywords=aws%20600%20scale&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&qid=1483226736&ref=plSrch&ref_=mp_s_a_1_1&sr=8-1
   
   
2. Weights should never be taken as concrete, there are a lot of factors that can screw with it. Like some have more plastic wrap around them, glue, and other small factors like that. It is best to combine a scale and layout if possible. But using a scale can be very beneficial for sets that dont have layouts tho.
   
   
3. I really dont think most care. But I personally would not take a scale into a small comic shop and weight out the rares, it just seems awkward to me. Ive also seen people mention that their hot topics are super anal about it and forbid it. I personally havent run into any issues at any store I have done it.

No worries at all, I'm more than happy to help as much as I can. I'm super passionate about tea and love seeing new people want to try it out, especially gongfu!

Because you've expressed interest in having a full gongfu set up, below I'm going to give you a couple examples of starter-packs consisting of a tea table, gaiwan, pitcher, strainer, and tea cups (and a tea pet if you're really feeling like going all out).

Nearly everything I'm going to list below is from Yunnan Sourcing's US-based website, because that way you won't have to wait for China shipping. Although, don't get used to US shipping. The deeper you get into this hobby, the more you're going to be ordering from vendors who ship directly from China, which generally takes anywhere from 10-15 business days. It's best to accept that fact up front and just get used to it--honestly, now I don't even notice. It shows up when it shows up.

Okay, without further ado, here's the full gongfu package that I'd recommend for one person just getting into gongfu.

Tea Table: ~$45.00USD (US Shipping)
https://www.amazon.com/Tasteful-Bamboo-Gongfu-Table-Serving/dp/B00M3Y8LNY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503637708&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=gongfu+tea+tray&psc=1

Gaiwan + Teacup: $10.00USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=1074&controller=product

Cha Hai (Glass Pitcher): $6.50USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=86&controller=product

Strainer: $3.20USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=89&controller=product

^That will have all the brewing utensils that you'd need to get started with gongfu (though some would argue you don't need the tea table, just use a cloth or a dish or something, but since you seem interested in the full package, that's what I'd go with...that's actually the table I use now!)

Now...when it comes to tea...

I'd first highly recommend picking up a scale (this one from Amazon is only $9.00USD and works really well: https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503639369&sr=8-1&keywords=American+weigh+scale

As for strong sweet flavor that doesn't need sugar, I'd recommend starting with oolongs, which are typically very smooth, sweet, floral, and somewhat creamy.

Here are a couple of my personal favorites that are extremely budget-friendly, ship super fast, and are all from Eco-Cha.

Four Seasons Spring Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/four-seasons-spring-oolong-tea-1

Dong Ding Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/dong-ding-oolong-tea

Alishan High Mountain Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/alishan-high-mountain-oolong-tea

If you're feeling adventurous, then I'd definitely pick up some puerh as well. The Basics Puer Tea Sample Set from White2Tea is
one of the best introductions you can ask for. It's $39.99USD for 400g of solid tea (4x100g cakes of Spring, Autumn, Huangpian [large leaf], and 10-year-old tea), and it always comes with a free puerh pick, and ships anywhere in the world for free, which is super nice.


If you purchase everything I listed, you'd spend ~$130.00USD, which would set you up with a tea-set you would grow into, and enough tea to last you roughly 2 months, and that's assuming you drink 10g of tea every day, which is highly unlikely.

If you're on a super tight budget, then I'd recommend ditching the tea table and just getting the gaiwan+teacup, the scale, and the teas. Everything else isn't nearly as important, though if you have the money, it's certainly nice to have the full setup.

Scale here for $7.04 at Amazon-I have this one and love it. I paid $9.00 for it.

One idea is to prepare your lunch at home and bring it in.

Amazon has a few possibilities searching for portable scales

https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526663128&sr=8-3&keywords=portable+scale

Love that you're seeing improvement and a higher degree of consistency! Some super simple steps to up your game on a budget would be to time your brewing times on your phone.
In addition, I recommend picking up the American Weigh pocket scale for $6.
Equipped with a scale and a timer you will be able to further improve consistency and avoid over/under extractions.
Hope this helps you out!

Link to the scale: https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526391144&sr=8-3&keywords=american+weight+scales

For those who don't know :)

[600g (0.1g increments) scale $7.90 w/prime delivery] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000O37TDO)

$7.99 - 500g calibration weight (MUST HAVE)

Coming from a professional: Try weighing your ingredients. It’s common to be a little heavy handed with measuring flour by volume, and more water makes a crust tough. Your problem sounds like too much flour to butter, since liquid should be kept to a bare minimum and you really don’t need much.

Try a vodka crust (look for recipes online), you get to use a little more liquid since the vodka cooks out and it lends to a much nicer crust (NO vodka taste, and the crust is more tender)

Keep ingredients cold. Use ice water. Watch some YouTube videos.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000O37TDO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511506338&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=American+Weigh+Scales&dpPl=1&dpID=41jRR6dsBiL&ref=plSrch

This is my favorite scale. It’s $8 and extremely accurate

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O37TDO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i got that one mate

Don't worry too much about the particular strain, because you never know which one will work better. I would say that a red, gold, Bentuangie, and green vein would be good options. Gold Bali, Red Maeng Da, Royal Bentuangie, and green hulu kapuas are some of my favorites. I highly recommend getting the Royal Bentuangie from herbal-Rva, as it is one of the best pain relieving strains, and is very popular. Other great vendors are socal herbal remedies, canopy botanicals, or Gaia ethnobotanicals. To find their Kratom, search "speciosa" in their shop. You might want to order an ounce of a few different strains to see which one you like best, then order more as some might not work for you at all, while others work great. I highly recommend getting a scale like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000O37TDO/ref=pd_gwm_psimh_0?pf_rd_p=cc000f63-21ee-4dc4-b9b6-9082ebacae63&pf_rd_s=blackjack-personal-1&pf_rd_t=Gateway&pf_rd_i=mobile&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=05T0HCY3Q9DQDTP26KWD&pd_rd_wg=4JzCE&pd_rd_r=05T0HCY3Q9DQDTP26KWD&pf_rd_r=05T0HCY3Q9DQDTP26KWD&pf_rd_p=cc000f63-21ee-4dc4-b9b6-9082ebacae63&pd_rd_w=dubzY&pd_rd_i=B000O37TDO to know how much you're taking, what dose works best, and to avoid taking too much and getting nauseas because of it.

brita or tap? i like it cold so i use the brita. and i use this pretty much instead of a glass

https://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SM-KHE48AG-Stainless-Steel-16-Ounce/dp/B005PO9T44/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504984564&sr=8-1&keywords=zojirushi+bottle

I tried a few different mugs before finally getting the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug when it was on sale. My biggest problem with Contigo and other leak proof mugs was the cleaning as well and the Zojirushi comes apart pretty easily for cleanup.

The only problem, if you consider this a problem, is that it keeps things very hot inside. Drinking hot coffee from the wide spout while moving can potentially cause you to spill on yourself which is why I've seen people recommend pouring the contents into a separate cup. I haven't had any issues with it but still just wanted to give a heads up.

Ok, so if you want a consistent grind that you can dial in accurately, you're going to want a burr grinder. Really any should be sufficient for a moka pot, because the only problems might be on the extremes of the grind size. Stay away from those whirly-blade spice grinder type of grinders.

For your low-price options, you're going to be looking more at hand grinders. They're perfectly fine (and some think they actually give a more consistent grind than the electric counterparts), they just take a little more work. A good one at a low price point would be the Hario Skerton mill ($31.58).

If you have a bit more to throw around, you might want to try an electric grinder. Some of the better ones in the middle price point are the Bodum Bistro ($140, though you can sometimes find them on a good sale). Or, you could go with the Baratza Encore ($130).

If you're looking for something more than that, I'm probably not the one to ask. But, if you're just doing moka pot coffee, those should do just fine.

Others are more than welcome to weigh in here, though!

What is your budget?

The aergrind is possibly the best valued grinder, but it is a manual grinder. This guy can grind espresso quality and will greatly improve your mokapot and aeropress. Their Feld2 is also great but less portable. These expensive manual grinders are much easier to grind than the cheaper ones, you dont need nearly as much force. They grind as good as electrics 4x the cost.

If thats out of your budget you could go for this porlex or mini mill but these produce far less consistent grinds, harder to turn, and cant grind as fine.

If you want electric, the baratza encore is a popular recommendation. This is good enough for everything thats not espresso. This is very easily repairable, so it can last longer than other options.

But honestly the price difference to the bodum bistro isn't worth it. Id go for this if you wanted a cheap electric. Also wont grind espresso, but good enough for just about everything else.

Hope that answers your questions!

Great setup. For when you're ready.

Something that's cheap and reliable:

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BJJGDbZW2HR7G

Something that's super cheap (blade grinder)
KRUPS F203 Electric Spice and Coffee Grinder
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SPEU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6KJGDbFZSYVDE

Gooseneck kettle is a must for pour overs if that's what you see in your future! I have the Bonavita 1L electric kettle. Looking back, I would have invested in the more expensive version that lets you vary temperature, but I've had great results with mine regardless.

I started out with a v60, then a Chemex, then the Aeropress. Of the 3, I use the Chemex the most often; it gives the best quality brew with the highest quantity (37g @ ~600mL of water). It took me quite a while master the pour, but it was definitely worth it!

Hope this helps and good luck on your coffee journey!

EDIT: For grinders, I have the Hario skerton. It takes a while to grind the beans, but was marvelous for my budget at the time. Once I have the money though, I'm going for the Baratza Encore. It's cheaper than the Virtuoso, but an old roommate had the Encore and I LOVED having all my beans ground in such a short amount of time.

Just some food for thought!

As noted a couple of times by others... Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W8IzCbV0EW1FV

After a year of Starbucks on my walk to work (and adding it up and shaking my head), I reached out to a high school friend and mega coffee nerd, and ultimately went with his recommendation for "best entry level" brew at home set up. It's been great. A little spendy to get into it, but it paid for itself quickly, and I've loved experimenting with different roasts of whole beans and doing the grinding myself.

​

Grinding:

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

​

Brewing:

Breville BDC450BSS Precision Brewer Thermal Coffee Maker

​

Storing Beans:

Airscape Coffee Canister

​

Good luck, and happy brewing!

​

Edit: Formatting

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.

I was in the same shoes as you, from Canada with a Hario Skerton - which did a fine job at grinding beans consistently in my experience. But who in their right mind is going to get up every morning and manually grind beans, it's gets old.

Bite the bullet. Order yourself a baratza Encore from Amazon. I've never found myself desiring anything more and it is the single best piece in my coffee arsenal

A few gadgets can help. Get a rice cooker with a steamer basket, microwave, and mini fridge. I could cook probably half my diet with just those things. With the rice cooker you can do rice, quinoa, lentils, pasta, steamed veggies, oatmeal, and some simple soups. A small nutri-bullet style blender will let you make smoothies and some sauces. And never underestimate the classic PB&J.

Edit to add some more:

Vegan rice cooker recipes: http://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-rice-cooker-recipes-that-arent-just-rice/

Rice cooker recommendation (not an affiliate link- I've just used it for years and like it): https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1484017119&sr=1-1&keywords=rice+cooker

You should! I recommend this one. Steamer tray, white and brown rice settings, a delay timer.

And there are cookbooks and sites out there with recipes for other things you can cook in a rice cooker. And another tip, wash your rice. It comes out much better.

This! Also this. Between steamed veggies, soups and rice, you've got a no-brainer dinner option always at the ready.

Instant pot is great for large portions. For 1-2 servings I'd recommend getting a smaller rice cooker. I've had this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_tBie2VjX5I8MT for 4 years and used it 5ish times a week. Perfect everytime. Other cheap ones I've tried burn rice.

for a slightly smaller one of the same version here is the amazon link

Gift One: [Rice cooker] (http://www.amazon.com/Aroma-ARC-914SBD-Uncooked-Digital-Steamer/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=248F1IX5XB&coliid=I1UO7W7RA0E2A8)

Gift Two: [Popsicle Mold] (http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-423-Ice-Pop-Maker/dp/B0002IBJOG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=248F1IX5XB&coliid=ITALZ5IKX5WPM) C'mon...gimme.

I haven't seen you today, but I am sure you look very nice.

Do you have an ALDIs store where you live? If so, you can quite easily eat decently on a budget. If not, then try and look around online for the cheapest store which sells items I am about to mention. I wouldn't go with the Dollar Store/Dollar General as they have higher prices usually. If you have a dented food store, commonly ran by Mennonites, you can save some decent money on food. Make sure to check the dates. I ran across an item before where it was 2 years past expiry.

Do you have a rice cooker by chance? You can pick up an awesome one on Amazon for $30 and it will more than pay for itself. You can also find a decent slow cooker for $50. Once you have these two items, you will never go back to Ramen and Mac.

The trick is to cook once for several days. If you are like me and work 10 hour days, you are pooped out and just want to crash, so having time to cook is rare. You can cook in bulk ahead of time and save time, money, and eat healthier. That $1.50 box of Mac and Cheese can be replaced by a bag of rice and some I currently only have to feed myself and I do it for between $100 and $150 per month on average. This includes things I don't mention here. I don't coupon, but I do watch for sales. I don't know what your budget is or what your dollar store carries, but here are some of the items I eat and what I do.

• Chicken
  
  Chicken is a very healthy and affordable protein you can buy to use in many items. I normally buy boneless, skinless breasts or thighs when they are around $1.29 to $1.99 a pound at whatever nearby store. I will buy about 4 packages of them and break them down into meal-sized servings and freeze for later use. The reason I don't go with bone-in chicken because the price difference of boneless makes up for the loss of meat from the weight of the bone and the time spent picking it off when using a slow cooker. However, it is more of your own preference. You can find drumsticks and thighs with the bone for as little as $0.59 per pound.
  
  Once you have chicken, you can do lots of things. I like to bake it and then slap on some Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce for a few minutes towards the end. You can always saute it with vegetables and make a stir-fry. You can throw it in the slow cooker and make some amazing dumplings while you sleep or at work. You can throw it in a bowl with some rice and a vegetable and cook plenty of meals in advanced. Example.
  
  
• Lentils/Rice
  
  Lentils and rice are a very good and cheap option as well. A one pound bag is like a dollar and easily covers four meals for a single person. You can make lentils into soup, make and mix with some other protein, or eat with a little bit of salt. Rice can be used in many things. I like making this recipe (with half of the cilantro) and eat it with baked chicken.
  
  
• Pork/Venison Roast
  
  You can often find pork butt roast on sale for as low as $1.19 per pound. I buy a 5/10 pound roast and split it into 2.5 pound portions to later slow cook. I normally throw some vegetables (carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions, etc) at the bottom of the slow cooker, then throw the slab of meat on top, throw a can of root beer or Dr. Pepper in, and then leave it on to cook when I go to bed/work. Here is what it would look like before I throw it on, but I don't have any after pictures. You can either slice it up, make into stew, or pull it apart and make BBQ sandwiches. This will feed me for several days.
  
  
• Homemade Protein bars
  
  I work night shift, so I don't have a normal breakfast. Even days I wake up in the morning, I still don't. What I do eat is protein bars which I found a recipe for off of Reddit. I think they were about $0.40 a piece after factoring in all of the ingredients. I eat one for breakfast each night on the way to work and have one spare just in case I end up working through lunch.
  
  
• Simple Freezer Meals
  
  I came across this Reddit post awhile back. It is really simple to do and cheap. You can mix it up and switch out the vegetable or replace the chicken with beef, and add rice to make each meal more filling. Here is the aftermath of my last round of making these.
  
  I would write more, but I have been called into work to deal with an emergency. I hope these helped you or at least gave you an idea of items you can do.

Alright, so for rice cookers I was looking at this. Cheap and has some pretty good reviews. Do you think I should get the 10 cup version or spend a little few bucks extra on the 20 cup? I was also going to get this "Japanese Rice Washing Bowl"

For a bamboo mat how does this look?

For knives, I have a few thin ceramic blades. Do you think will those work well enough?

EDIT: I saw this knife on one of those weekly threads. I think I may spend some money and buy it.

You don't need a fancy rice cooker to make nice rice. For years I used a random wolfgang puck 2 cup cooker that is now discontinued, then moved to something like this.

However, you can cook it on the stove, too. I think the most important steps are to account for rinsing, setting, and water amounts. I use the knuckle method seen here, because that's how my mom taught me to do it.

I assume you're referring to this one : https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1524503700&sr=1-4&keywords=aroma+rice+cooker

I only used aroma rice cookers for a long time for just the two of us. Cause it was cheap. I was able to get a zojrushi for cheap 5 bucks. and I would never go back. But people are right. They are super expensive.

But this rice cooker made amazing rice for Curry’s. I washed it twice and let it dry then add water and cook it. Bam. Flaky rice for Curry’s. I really can’t recommend it enough.

I've had the older one of this for 5 years now, the Aroma Rice Cooker.

https://www.amazon.com/Aroma-Housewares-ARC-914SBD-Cool-Touch-Stainless/dp/B007WQ9YNO/ref=sr_1_3?crid=EG8WTG7Q8X3Y&keywords=aroma+rice+cooker&qid=1558412329&s=gateway&sprefix=aroma+rice%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-3

​

Think its pretty gold standard for simple rice cooker. I'm happily giving mine to a friend.

​

The instant pot is also a good should, but I tend to want something both from the pot and rice...

​

I'm only now upgrading to a Zor because I got a great deal

I bought this Aroma 8-cup Rice Cooker back in July as an impulse buy and I use it probably 3-4 times a week. I've never steamed vegetables in it (even thought it has the option) or use the "Brown Rice" button haha but the little thing has worked like a champ and it wasn't even $30 off amazon. :)

I don't really have a recipe, but this is how I'd break it down in a very explicit manner:

1. Buy a 3-lb bag of frozen chicken thighs (boneless+skinless is easy mode, and frankly, I'm not convinced that it's worth the effort to get the bone+skin version after switching to boneless+skinless). Also buy some BBQ sauce. I usually use Sweet Baby Ray sauce.
   
2. 2 days before you want to cook it, put it in the fridge in a big bowl or something (avoid leaks in your fridge).
   
3. After ~2 days (you could do 1 probably, they'll just be kinda frozen still), put all of the chicken into your slow cooker (I have a 5-qt one, 4-qt is probably fine too).
   
4. Squirt some BBQ sauce on it until the top layer of chicken seems adequately covered. I don't really measure, but I can use a medium-sized bottle like this at least a few times.
   
5. Put it on "low", and come back 6 hours later.
   
6. Turn slow cooker off and remove chicken. Put it on a cutting board or something. I have a flexible plastic cutting sheet. Rip it up with forks a little bit so it's not in super big chunks. If parts seem dry/unflavored, you can spoon a bit of the cooking liquid onto it. As you're ripping it up, maybe filter out the yucky looking fatty bits and throw 'em out. (When I use the boneless+skinless chicken, I end up with way less "yucky" stuff at the end.)
   
7. That's it.
   
   I have also let it cook for ~30 minutes longer, or let it sit on the "Keep Warm" setting for ~2 hours, without a noticeable change in the results. The "keep warm" is nice if you have a programmable slow cooker and you start it in the morning before going to work.
   
   Alternatively, this is a very good pulled pork recipe that I've done. What I'm doing now is skipping the soda and applying BBQ right away, and subbing in chicken thighs for the pork for health reasons. Also, I don't think I've never used the full 18oz of BBQ the recipe calls for. Seems like a lot.
   
   Also, ~30 minutes before the slow cooking is done, you can start up a batch of rice and nuke some veggies. I haven't explored adding the veggies to the slow cooker yet, but that's probably an option too. If you don't have a rice cooker, I have this one and I love it (4 cups of rice is enough for 6-8 meals depending on how much you like rice). Looks like it's cheaper than when I bought it too.
   
   Lastly, /r/slowcooking is probably worth checking out.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007WQ9YNO

Good rating too.

Edit: looks like the price is because of my Prime account.

Edit 2: price has changed. More expensive but less than $5 more expensive.

Yes, I certainly do.

On the low end you have some handheld sharpeners. The Smith's model is iconic and cheap. It gives you an acceptable edge, but it's not going to be good, and once it's loaded with metal it's hard to clean. These are mostly for tackle boxes and backpacks, quick solutions. It really wouldn't do a Benchmade justice.

In the middle, you can buy a guided rod system. The Spyderco Sharpmaker is the best I've seen. Lansky makes a few like this one. These systems do a really good job on pocket knives. The Sharpmaker is a great investment if you plan on dealing with knives for any extended period of time. They can keep a knife very sharp for years. Lansky's systems are relatively inexpensive, but aren't as precise as and lack some of the features of a Sharpmaker. I think the Sharpmaker is an ideal solution.

On the high end, you're looking at sharpening stones. There are two classes, oil and water stones. Oil stones are slower, but water stones are used slightly in the course of sharpening (one might last a decade for me) and are more prone to damage. These let you do repair, produce a more customized edge, and work on a knife's geometry behind the edge, something all knives require eventually. The majority of the time you wouldn't need this level of equipment, but when they come in handy they really come in handy. I use water stones on all of my knives. For most pocket knife users it's much easier and less costly to let a professional do this sort of work and maintain the knife with a rod system. No links here; there are dozens if not hundreds of stones on the market and there's no perfect one. Starting costs are around $150.

At the super duper expensive level, you have advanced assisted sharpening systems like the Edge Pro. These things are slick, easy to use, and ridiculously effective. They should be for the cost. Stones are still more versatile and a lot of the people who use these branch out in many ways.

It's definitely enough for a nice knife, though you might want to go a bit higher for a great knife. The KaBar BK2 is actually designed with things like batoning (hammering the knife through wood as a kind of faux hatchet using another piece of wood against the blade of the knife as the hammer itself) or chopping. It's a bit over $60, currently available for $69 to be precise, but as long as you don't flat out abuse it (prying heavy things, for example) it'll serve you well and quite possibly for the rest of your natural life.

At a lower price, you can get the Condor Bushlore, which at $35 is a perfectly valid choice that will serve you well indeed.

For an even lower price yet, the Mora Heavy Companion is from one of those few cheaper knife companies that does incredible work. I wouldn't baton with it, honestly, but even if you did it'd probably hold up just fine.

At a more expensive range, the Ontario Rat-5 is an amazing bushcraft knife. The Fallkniven Pilot Survival Knife is also an amazing knife. The Benchmade Bone Collector is spectacular knife made in D2 tool steel, one of the better steels available at that price. Another amazing knife is the Spyderco Bushcraft made in O1 tool steel. Finally, the Benchmade 162 is a pretty amazing knife.

One thing you'll notice about all of these knives with the exception of the Pilot Survival knife and the BM 162 is that they're all carbon steel knives. Carbon steel is a lot tougher than stainless (with a few very, very rare exceptions I'd never trust a long knife to be stainless steel) with the trade off of being a lot more of a hassle to take care of, since it needs to be regularly cleaned and oiled.

If you want a fire starter, carry a magnesium fire starter. With the carbon steel knives, you can probably strike it against the back of the blade to create the sparks you'll want and if not (like with some of the coated ones) you'll be carrying the striker anyway.

For sharpening, you'll want to get a decent sharpening setup and start stropping. A couple of easy sharpening systems would be the superior Spyderco Sharpermaker (usually available on Amazon around the $50 mark) or the Lansky Sharpening system which while cheaper isn't as good. You could take the time to learn how to free hand it, but most casual users don't care that much because it takes a long time to get proficient at freehand sharpening. Stropping is running the blade against something like smooth leather (usually smooth leather, actually) to remove burrs along the blade of a knife made by use and sharpening and the restore a blade to a better edge without removing metal. Stropping allows for a level of sharpness unachievable by sharpening alone and extends a knife's lifetime by allowing sharpness to be achieved for longer without removing metal from the blade. To learn how to strop, watch videos on YouTube or check out guides from the sidebar of /r/knives.

Finally, if you want a whistle, just carry a whistle. If you want a mirror for signaling, carry a small signaling mirror or mirror polish the knife you buy (a process where you sand the blade with increasing grit level sandpaper until it shines like the sun and you can see yourself in the blade).

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

I got and use the Spyderco Sharpmaker ($54). It's very easy to use, and sharpens my Tenacious to easily shave arm hair. Comes with an instructional DVD.

If you want a good and cheap sharpening system, the smith tri hone Or the venerable lansky guided system if you just need to touch up go for a spyderco sharpmaker

Spyderco sharpmaker! For $100 or less you can get the sharpmaker and the ultra fine rods. After ten minutes, you'll be an expert with a shaving sharp blade.

Sharomaker

Edit to add link

Edit to fix link

A couple whetstones is just about the simplest that you can do, one coarse and one fine. I like using traditional whetstones, and I get great results, but when I am lazy, I use a guided sharpening system of some kind. Pull through sharpeners destroy your blade, making nicks into bigger nicks. Don't use those. I use a spyderco sharpmaker or a lansky system when I am lazy, and for people who don't want to spend hours and hours getting good at freehanding with whetstones, these are probably the best options. Links are below.

If you have more questions, or are truly interested or into knives, come check out /r/knifeclub

http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-Deluxe-5-Stone-Sharpening-System/dp/B000B8IEA4

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker-Sharpener-204MF/dp/B000Q9C4AE

My mini food processor has been surprisingly useful, for dips, spreads, and sauces. I don’t really bake, so between that and my immersion blender, I have most of my blending/whirring/processing needs met.

Life improved after I got 2-3 more cutting boards in big and small sizes. And then maybe 1 more.

A GREAT bread knife is a revelation. Cutting baguettes for a party is no longer a chore I dread.

I got this spinning utensil holder — it’s comically large but I love having my 6 pairs of tongs and all my spatulas and wooden spoons and whisks within easy reach.

My Spyderco knife sharpener is easy to use even for someone with zero experience, and I’m so darn happy every time after I use it because my knives cut so much better. [Edit: one too many words]

I've been using this SpyderCo Sharpmaker for a couple years and I've been really happy with it. Makes it dead simple to get the proper angle consistently while sharpening.

I would recommend a Spyderco Sharpmaker over that kit. I have a similar kit to what he posted, and it sucks. The Spyderco Sharpmaker is much better, and cheaper.

Totally agree! Even a cheap-ish grocery store coffee like Eight O'Clock tastes 100x better than Starbucks drip coffee to me. Especially when you buy the whole bean and grind it yourself before brewing.

I use a simple one-cup pour over cone. I got mine for about $3 at Christmas Tree Shops. I like that it's easier to clean up than a french press. Just grind the beans, put in a paper filter, and pour small amounts of hot water over the beans until the cup is full. Doesn't even compare to Starbucks.

My story is a simple story of liking coffee then slowly going down the wormhole into a full fledged problem.


I always liked coffee, since high school. Would always drink it black, sometimes would add some cream or milk, but usually just enjoyed a good cup. A good cup from a drip is rare, I didn't know this before, it was good to me.


What started me and my completely normal addiction, was a girl. I had taken a new job out of town, a 3hr drive away, and needed to move. I had just started seeing this girl so nothing was serious and we promised to keep in touch and visit once in a while. Well the relationship never slowed down and we ended up seeing each other every weekend. The problem was, when I went to see her and stay at her place, she didn't drink coffee so she didn't have a coffee machine. I would end up having some tea to hold me over. One day while we were grocery shopping, I ended up finding one of these. I thought $5 well that's not bad I'll be able to at least get a cup of coffee now. No reason to by another mr. coffee just to use twice a week, So I bought it with a bag a ground beans.

The next morning I tried out my purchase, had to boil water in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Made my cup and tasted it AND..... I don't remember now but it was passable, same as my next few cups. I slowly was getting my coffee:water ratio down and was getting better and better cups. And every so often I would get an amazing cup that would rival anything I had ever tasted, but then the next was ok, weak, or extremely bitter. Couldn't figure out why.

At this time I had just found reddit and found /r/coffee. I started to read some of the How to Coffee links and doing some Google searches. Oh water temp, get a quick read thermometer. Coffee was much better consistently. This was good for a while, finally the GF found a job near me I bought a house and she moved in. Then I had a Kitchen with lots of empty cabinets to fuel my new found addiction. Burr grinder was the next purchase along with a chemex, Coffee is excellent and consistently good.

Now over the next two years I'm always looking for the next best cup, Slowly it consumes the rest of the kitchen. A scale, a electric kettle, Aeropress, french press, vacuum pot, cold brew, Turkish, a goose neck kettle, pop corn popper... My kitchen is now full, once section dedicated to coffee, and every morning I slave over measuring the perfect amount of beans, getting the grind just right, perfect water temp. Timing the bloom with the correct amount of water. Perfecting the pour from the goose neck kettle. All so when I finally get to enjoy a cup I always wonder if I could get it better.

Grinder: Hario Slim ~$25 or mini mill ~$29 (looks too expensive to go for the mini mill)

Option 1: Aeropress and filters, may be just under or around $50 with the grinder, might overshoot by a few bucks. ~$29 for Aeropress and paper filters, steel filter available but not within budget (~$15-18).

Option 2: melitta pourover cone and filters, need a pyrex to heat/pour your water, but every kitchen should have one of those anyway. ~$13 for cone and filters.

Looks like going the pourover route (before shipping and whatnot) will cost you a total of ~$38, while the Aeropress will be ~$54. The pourover route will mean you don't have as great a control over the brew (many people like an expensive gooseneck kettle, but whatever), but will be significantly under-budget. The Aeropress will be slightly over budget, but you won't have to worry about pour control.

Cheaply-built auto drip machines work against you in a few ways:

1. Poor temperature control. Some may not ever get close to the sweet spot for your beans. Others are just really inconsistent.
   
   
2. Poor dispersion patterns. They tend not to wet the coffee very evenly. Some are better than others in this regard.
   
   
3. A glass pot sitting on a hot plate does not do good things for coffee flavor.
   
   So how much does this matter? The first is the most important, IMO, and it varies a lot from cheap machine to cheap machine. How much you care about it varies a lot from coffee to coffee. If you've got a machine that can basically hit a temperature where the coffee you're using tastes good and it's mostly consistent about doing so, you're in luck. Just keep it descaled, because limescale will severely degrade the ability to hit the temperature. I think the dispersion pattern matters less for most coffees, and as long as you get it off the burner right away, it doesn't do too much damage.
   
   The secret to getting a decent cup from one of these is to use good, fresh beans. Grind them with a good grinder just before you brew. Use water that tastes good before you pour it in.
   
   All that said, given the same prerequisites (good, fresh beans, a good grinder, good water) you'll be able to produce a better cup than these cheap makers by using the cheapest manual pour cone you can find. By manually heating the water, you control temperature yourself. By manually pouring the water, you can make sure that the grounds are soaked nice and evenly. And by not pouring it into a glass carafe sitting on a burner, you can avoid degrading the coffee by heating it once it's brewed.
   
   

not really a moka since it doesn't use steam to push water through the grounds. more like a shitty pour over when you dont have 5$ to spend on on this

ceramic might be easier to clean, but if you're a cheap bastard like me a plastic one works just as good

https://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1467135134&sr=8-3&keywords=plastic+pour+over

i'll probably never buy another electric coffee maker

Or don't get a Keurig brand machine. If you absolutely must have the convenience of single-serving k-cups, there are 3rd party brewers that use the same form factor but without the lockout. They're only screwing themselves here.

If you're not a fan of the thin coffee that comes from K-cups, but you want single serving coffee, my advice is to get either a manual drip cone filter or an aeropress.

The aeropress makes the best coffee, hands down. However it takes a little more work, uses a little more grinds, and is a bit convoluted with all of the different parts. This is what I use at home on the weekends. The manual drip is what I use at work. I've got the routine down:

• 20g of coffee in a #4 filter. (The cone says to use #2, but #4 sticks out past the edges which prevents grinds from getting in and allows you to pour in more water)
  
• 175F (80C) water. My kettle at home can be dialed in, but at work I just let it boil and then sit for a minute or two. In other words: you want very hot, but not boiling water.
  
• 12oz cup
  
• Pour in water over grinds until water is level with top of the plastic cone.
  
• Stir vigorously until water level has dropped to only 1/3rd full.
  
• Fill with water again but do not stir, and let it drain. Should be enough to fill the cup.

if you're super brand new and dont' even know what your coffee should taste like yet, i'd suggest just starting with something like a cheap Melitta cone and working your way up with kettle, grinder, scale, etc as you go.

Background: I was in a similar situation last year, albeit a bit lighter. 5'6" 175lbs, 27 years old, hadn't exercised at all since a weight training class in high school. I'm now a regular solo gym-goer ... still nowhere near being a fitness expert, but I do know some things and I did go through the "noob" phase very recently.

Diet

I can't emphasize enough the importance of good eating habits. In your current situation, losing fat is a major priority, and therefore it is absolutely essential that you adjust your eating habits accordingly. All the exercise your body can handle (at least, in its current state) can't make up for eating at a major calorie surplus every day. (Anecdote: I once lost thirty pounds in four months by maintaining a calorie deficit, and no exercise beyond walking 1mi twice a day.)

Use a TDEE calculator to find out how many calories your body is using, and multiply that number by 0.8 to find out how many you should be eating. Some say subtract 500 instead; you can experiment a bit and figure out what works for you, but the important part is to settle into a healthy and sustainable calorie deficit.

It can be a huge, gigantic, unbelievable pain in the ass to count calories, estimate calories, and deny yourself treats because they have too many calories, but ultimately none of us can escape physics: To lose weight, calories-in must be less than calories-out. It definitely gets easier with time, as what are now strange and inconvenient methods become almost instinctive processes.

Keep a special eye out for liquid calories - it's okay to have some, but make sure they're counted! Coffee with cream and sugar, juice, and alcohol are the three big issues I've seen with people who claim to be counting calories perfectly, setting a healthy deficit, and still not losing weight. It also doesn't help that getting drunk makes it really easy to eat a lot of junk food.

If you don't cook, start cooking. If you do cook, start cooking healthy things with known calorie quantities. A simple $20 kitchen scale is incredibly helpful in putting together meals to target calorie goals.

Exercise

Hiring a personal trainer was incredibly helpful for me. If you can afford it, do it. If you can't afford it, ask if your gym offers any complimentary or discounted "intro" sessions. When I got back into the gym, I had no idea what to do, and I was afraid that whatever I might do, I would get get wrong. Having a professional helping me out made all the difference in getting me started and establishing the right habits. I used to have the same issues you did - not knowing what to do, not being confident that I could do it right, etc. - and I now work out three times a week on my own with full confidence that I'm "doing it right."

You should definitely decide on a routine and stick with it. The getting started section of the wiki has links to some good programs. I highly recommend either Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. I'm doing SL5x5 now and I really enjoy both the simplicity and the results.

As for needing a spotter: Well, it's helpful, but it's not strictly necessary. Let's use SL as an example. It has five exercises: squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, row. If you can't make it through a rep of deadlift, row, or OHP, you can just put the weight back down. If you can't make it through a rep of squat, let the bar sit on the rack and crawl out from underneath. If you can't make it through a rep of bench press, considering the low weights you'll be starting with, just lower the bar to your chest, and roll it down and off your body. (I'm mostly parroting the SL5x5 site right now. It describes this all in much better detail.)

It's also worth noting that you'll be starting at very low weights and gradually increasing them. This will help you develop a sense of when to go for one more rep and how to recognize that your body can't handle another one.

As for your girlfriend's ability to spot you: You'd be surprised. Until you get up to really high weights, a spotter won't have to do a ton of work to help you through a rep you can't finish. Let's say you're trying to do a set of five bench presses at 100 lbs. You make it through four reps but are struggling with the fifth one. At that point, you're still probably capable of pressing something like 80-90 lbs, so she'll just have to help you with the last 10-20 lbs. And of course, if you need your spotter to help you finish a rep, that means the set is over.

Best of luck with your fitness journey, and please feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

You're probably better off not getting a set (there are usually a few nice pieces you want and a bunch you don't), but they can be a decent way to save some cash. Cooks Illustrated has great cookware reviews and tend to like All Clad a lot (money no object I agree, but shit it's a lot of money). They recommend a Calphalon set that is pretty reasonably priced and I know they make good stuff. But besides that, I'd definitely get some cast iron into the mix. Both a skillet and a glazed dutch oven. Two of my favorite pans right there.

You seem to be new here, so I'll help.

If you only have a blade grinder and want minimal investiment, go with a pourover like a hario

If you have a burr grinder pick up a french press(and a hario pourover if you so desire), the bodum presses are great, they have them at target, hell the one from ikea is decent.

If you don't have a grinder, get a grinder. I have the hario mini mill and love it. If you want a decent starter electric burr grinder the capresso infinity is a decent starting point.

I'd recommend adding a decent burr grinder to your collection and you'll have everything required for first-rate coffee at home. It's not intuitively obvious, but the grinder might be the single most influential bit of coffee gear you buy. You'll never get a solid, consistent brew if your grinder cannot produce a consistent grind.

I've purchased 2 of these Capresso burr grinders to give to family and they work great, super easy to use (helpful for my mother-in-law), and are generally quiet, reliable, and consistent.

Duuude. Do it. For $120 you get perfectly ground coffee (of easily adjustable coarseness) in about 20 seconds. Such a game changer.

I've heard good things about this Caspresso and Bodum as well if you want to save a few bucks.

Second the coffee grinder. We use this "burr" grinder from amazon

French press is good coffee, but for everyday use we're still using a cheap 5 cup automatic coffee machine we got for like $15 from Wal mart.


You'll find you can enjoy
A: making the coffee -- so you'll get into all the different ways to brew and grind coffee and have fun with that
B: adding to the coffee -- so you enjoy adding chocolate or spices or rum or making your own flavors up
C: not making coffee at all and you stop by Mcdonalds to grab a $1 caffine fix


or any combination.

Grinder and uniform grounds is crucial, burr grinders are known to be the best. I use a capresso $100 burr grinder and has been a powerhouse these past few years (I'll link it below). I recommend paying the premium as well, they offer a $45 burr grinder, however, you get what you pay for. The motor is much weaker and much less consistent grinds.
Also try making the grind closer to coarse rather than medium, French press typically allows more residuals through the filter than any other method, so I would bet it's a contributed to the bitterness.

Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lseozb168FA9E

Edit: also opt for medium roasts rather than dark more often than not. French press brings out lots of flavors and dark roasts are often over-roasted and losing many of the flavors. Bonus fun fact and reason to go lighter: the lighter the roast, the more caffeine. The longer the bean is roasted, the more caffeine is lost because in the process.u

I'd forgo the steel filter, at least for the time being - paper filters produce great coffee and are dirt cheap. I'd put the money you save either toward a scale or an electric grinder. I use a Capresso Infinity grinder, which is about $93 on Amazon at the moment and an American Weigh Scales digital pocket scale, which is about $20 on Amazon.

For the French Press, just don't be cheap. You want something made of borosilicate glass and easy to clean. Bodum is probably the most common, and is perfectly fine.

As for grinders... that gets deep really quickly—just look at the wiki and sidebar links. If you want to make great coffee of any kind, you'll want the nicest grinder you can afford.

If you just need something adequate for press, drip, and pourover coffees, you could do worse than the Capresso Infinity. Whatever you do, make sure it's a quality burr grinder, and not one of those with the whirling blade. Those blade ones are horrid.

Cool! I really wouldn't want to do this though. I have a shitty spice grinder that I use for coffee and that will do until I can afford a ~fancy~ burr grinder.


probs going to get something like this
http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421585714&sr=8-1&keywords=burr

what did you get, OP?

Ah, good, so you know what you're doing. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377711477&sr=8-1&keywords=capresso+infinity

The price tends to bounce around a bit too.

Not sure of your definition of 'cheap'. This is relatively cheap in the world of burr grinders. It's the one I've been using for the last couple years. Cleaning it can be a pain, but it does a decent job for under $50.

I have an electric burr grinder like this: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DBM-8-Supreme-Grind-Automatic/dp/B00018RRRK/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1407271022&sr=1-1

And a kettle like this: http://www.amazon.com/ChefsChoice-Cordless-4-Quart-Electric-Kettle/dp/B001KZH3ZY

My morning routine is literally pressing 2 buttons and waiting. Kettle for a bit, then prep the french press, then press the grinder right when the kettle starts looking ready to go. In go the grounds, in goes the boiling water, and then I mix and wait. I mix it with a bar spoon like this: http://www.amazon.com/Winco-11-inch-Mixing-Stainless-Removable/dp/B000HBOKIA

For the beans themselves, I used to let them make a mess of the cabinet above, but now I store them in a canister next to the grinder. Michael's has some nice glass canisters if you're into that.

Café de Altura is my go to. Probably not going to find it in every grocery store, but I have good luck at the pulperías near me. The grind is too fine for a French press, so I grind it myself. I use an automatic grinder, that I bought from Amazon.

Congratulations on becoming a free thinker and embracing everything that life has to offer! Never stop questioning everything! It's all about the beans, it's basically impossible to make good coffee without using freshly ground and good quality beans that have been recently roasted (i.e. not sat on a shelf for months).

You will need 3 things to start making good coffee.

1. A decent grinder, nothing fancy needed if you're just going to use a french press, but try and avoid ones that use blades, and go for a nice burr grinder, like this one.
   
2. a French press
   
3. Some nice beans, have a look online for a local roaster in your area and give them your support/love/money!.
   
   That's pretty much it, just coarsely grind the coffee, put it in the press with water just slightly off the boil, wait a few mins depending on how strong you like it, press down and serve delicious coffee!

This guy. It was a christmas present and I've never been able to justify buying something better when the one I have still works. I need to get back into french press; my sister and her husband only use that and it's always a nice change. I have a moka pot that I just can't figure out, but I keep trying!