(Part 2) Best steamers, stock & pasta pots according to redditors

If I were to start over and buy new equipment, one of those all-in-one systems would be very attractive. My only concern with them is I don't have a high voltage outlet and I wouldn't want to deal with an under powered system.

For a traditional system I'd do something like this:

• $ 55 Hot Liquor Tank
  
• $105 Mash Tun
  
• $240 Kettle
  
• $100 Burner
  
• $200 Fermenter
  
• $250 Ferm Chamber
  
• $ 35 Temp Controller
  
  Total $985
  
  Bonus Upgrades:
  
  
• $ 25 Dolly
  
• $120 Water Filter
  
• $110 Grain Mill
  
• $ 15 Flask
  
• $ 30 Stir Plate
  
• $ 20 Yeast Ranch
  
• $490 Kegerator
  
• $ 95 Keg
  
  Total $905
  
  And you'll want various fittings and hoses and more kegs and a stir paddle.

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.

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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.
   
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   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.

Here's my diet. It takes a little planning, but very little effort when I come back from work and the gym exhausted every day.

Do you have access to a costco and a free weekend? Buy the following

• 12 costco vacuum sealed skinless boneless chicken breasts
  
• 1 bag normandy mix frozen vegetables
  
• 1 bag frozen fruit mix of your choice
  
• 1 sack or barrel of protein powder of your choice
  
• 1 bag red quinoa (or lots of the single-serving brown rice bowls)
  
• Kale and spinach (costco-sized)
  
• almonds, cashews, or other nuts you like
  
  Also buy a foodsaver (you might also want to get extra bags) and a microwave veggie steamer
  
  If you don't have a nice blender, get one. I and consumer reports recommend this one which has a powerful motor and the option for individual cups.
  
  Take a day on the weekend and prep yourself. Open all the chicken breasts. I like to slice them in half so that they're between 4 and 7 ounces uncooked, but if you're trying to gain a bunch of muscle you might want to leave them whole. Vacuum seal them all into bags with your food saver and throw them into freezer. Assuming you eat out a few times and split the chicken, that's dinner for a month.
  
  Next, shred the spinach and kale either by hand or by pulsing it in the blender. Put a handfull of each in the vacuum bags (or regular quart freezer ziplocs) and freeze them.
  
  Now, the low-prep (or rather one day's concentrated prep a month) bachelor diet
  Breakfast: Protein shake
  
• spinach and kale baggie
  
• scoop of protein powder
  
• frozen fruit
  
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
  
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  
• green superfood powder to give it a vitamin and caffeine boost
  
  Morning Snack:
  
• Mixed Nuts
  
  Lunch:
  
• I live in texas and get MyFit Foods every day. It's expensive but convenient.
  
  Afternoon snack: Pre-workout shake
  
• 1 cup almond milk or whole milk (I bring it to work in a shaker cup and leave it in my fridge)
  
• 1 scoop protein powder (I put a scoop of protein and superfood powder in 10 small containers at the beginning of the week so I can just throw them in my morning smoothie and afternoon bag every morning.
  
• Green superfood powder
  
  Dinner:
  
• baked chicken breast. Throw one of your breasts in the fridge the night before and it will be thawed in time for dinner. take it out of the oven while your oven is preheating to let it warm a bit first. I also pound it out with a meat tenderizer to make it a little thinner. 20-30 minutes at 350 F should do it. Use an internal thermometer to check doneness
  
• Season with your favorite spice mix or grilling sauce. Target has a bunch of yummy sauces under the Archer Farms brand.
  
• Steamed veggies, no butter or oil. Just throw a handful of the Normandy mix in your microwave veggie steamer for 5-6 minutes on high, no need to thaw them. They come out perfectly al-dente
  
• If you're craving some carbs, have Quinoa or brown rice. You can make it in the stove-top or a rice cooker.
  
  There you have it! I got really good results from this diet. Let me know if you have any questions!

>Is it as simple as placing the chicken in and cover with some kind of flavored liquid?

So here's how a pressure cooker works:

1. It requires one cup of liquid to operate; the liquid is required to pressurize the pot. Sometimes you'll have juicy food, so you may not require as much liquid. The water is heated & then used to create pressure inside of the pot.
   
2. If you've ever blown up a balloon, a pressure cooking works in the same way: you lock the lid, then it builds up pressure, just like a balloon.
   
3. Water normally boils at 212F; inside of a pressurized environment, the boiling point of water raises to 250F. This roughly quadruples the cooking speed, without affecting the quality of the food.
   
4. It cooks in a special way, using "saturated steam", which is different than simply steaming the food.
   
5. There are 3 parts to the cooking process; the preheat or "pressurization" time, the cooking time, and the cool-down time.
   
6. You have two options for cool-down: NPR or QPR. NPR means "natural pressure release", which means that when the pot finishes cooking, you let it come down to room-pressure by itself over the course of ten or twenty minutes. QPR means "quick pressure release", which means you twist the vent knob (don't put your hand over the top of it!) to quickly release the pressure, which typically happens in under a minute (steam shoots out like a volcano & it makes a loud, scary noise, which you'll get used to). Different recipes require different release methods for different reasons (affects the texture, mainly - sometimes you want an NPR and sometimes you want a QPR; the recipe will tell you).
   
7. It's important to realize that all advertise cooking times are essentially straight-up lies. Rice may take 3 minutes to pressure-cook, but it takes 6 minutes to pressurize and another 10 minutes to do a natural pressure release, so it's really about 20 minutes to cook the rice from the time you dump it in & start the machine to the time it's ready to eat.
   
   The TL;DR is that you drop food & water in, let it cook, and eat! The majority of recipes involve either dumping ingredients in, or doing a few extra steps, such as using "saute" mode to brown the meat before you pressure-cook it, so you get some texture on the outside, as well as super-tender meat.
   
   An easy method is to pour in some salsa & add a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts; frozen is fine! Cook for 25 minutes on manual mode using high pressure. Take the chicken breasts out, chop them up or shred them with forks, and then stir them back into the salsa. See if they're cooked how you want or if they are over-cooked; I'd suggest keeping a little notebook to take notes in so that you have a reference of what works & what doesn't!
   
   Some tips:
   
   
8. I don't know what kind of pressure cooker you have, but you'll want to buy some spare sealing rings. The ones for the Instant Pot absorbs smells like crazy, so I have separate ones for really potent, savory stuff & stuff for sweeter items like desserts. I made chicken curry one time & then made yogurt later that week & my yogurt smelled like Indian food!
   
9. I use a mesh basket for many of my meals, especially stuff like pulled pork, where I don't always want the meat to be sitting in the water. It makes it easy to remove the food using an oven mitt (hot handle!).
   
10. Once you figure out a recipe that you like, write it down! Again, a paper notebook is fine. The key thing to remember here is that the pressure cooker will cook it exactly the same way every single time if you follow the same instructions & use the same quantities of ingredients as you did originally, which means that once you nail a recipe down, it will always come out perfect!
    
11. Check out egg bites made in the pressure cooker; they are like velvety mini omelets and are REALLY good! I use this silicone mold to make them (fits in my 6-quart Instant Pot).
    
    Chicken, beef, pork, eggs, rice, oatmeal - you can make all kinds of stuff in the pressure cooker! I've had mine for years & literally discover new recipes every week still, so welcome to the club!

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.
  

CHICKEN STOCK

Well for one thing, make stock. I don't know how you get your chicken but if they have bones on them, save them (freeze them). Cooked or not. Or you can cut to the chase and go buy two whole chickens. You may need a stock pot. There's a good Cuisinart one for about $40, which is about $30 cheaper than when I bought mine about a year ago. So snatch it in case the price goes way back up.

Fill with the chicken (remove the gizzards and such if you bought them whole and raw) and about a gallon of water. Simmer for 3 hours. take a few carrots, a few stalks of celery, and an onion or two. Rough chop them. Into the pot. Continue to cook for another 3 hours. This isn't rocket science. It's dissolving food in water.

If you have some whole peppercorns, parsley, and garlic cloves, either toss them in and strain them later or make into a bouquet garni (essentially tie them up in a bit of cheesecloth so they don't get loose) and toss them in. After another 30 or 60 minutes (stock doesn't require precision) you're finished. And if you don't have any of these items, don't sweat it. It's still gonna taste good.

Ideally, strain through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. I bough a pack of the kinds of plastic containers you get when you order soup from Chinese Takeout from Amazon and you can partition out the stock for easier use.

Put them in the fridge and let them cool down. The fat will rise and form a protective barrier. As long as the fat is there, the stock will keep longer in the fridge. Just skim the fat before you use the stock. Fat in your stock when you use it is generally a bad idea. Don't feel bad about freezing whatever you can't use in the first two weeks.

Now you have liquid gold. You're 15 minutes away from chicken soup. (Just chop up everything, dump in the stock and cook until you wanna eat it.) You now can have flavorful rice. Or better yet, step up your starch game and make risotto. You can add it to other dishes like ground turkey with taco seasoning to make turkey taste about 1000x better. Hell, you can straight up drink it.

CHICKEN FAJITAS

As a side note, olive oil does wonders for chicken. Grab the chicken tenderloins, scrape out the ligament and cook in a little olive oil. Toss in some bell pepper and onion (and fajita seasoning if you have it, else salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste) and you've got yourself fajitas. You can decide whether you want a taco shell or not.

CHICKEN & BROCCOLI (or Beef & Broccoli)

Here's a recipe for beef & broccoli (but works for chicken & broccoli too). Considering it's essentially protein, broccoli, and rice with the barest of flavorings, I consider this clean eating.

The only thing you need to know is that the Chinese have a technique to make protein have a more velvet mouthfeel. It's called "velveting". That's what the marinade is about.

Marinade: (For the protein)

• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon mirin
  
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (I leave this out but if you like sesame oil, add it)
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  
• dash of pepper
  
  Mix together and rub into the protein with your hands. It's easiest that way. Wait at least 15 minutes. After you do this a few times you'll realize the proportions here don't really matter all that much. I just eyeball it now and make it a little wetter than you'll find this to be. Either way there's not much difference in the final product. In other words, as long as you're reasonably close to this part of the recipe, it'll turn out fine.
  
  Sauce:
  
  
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (I also leave this out)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  
• 4 tablespoons water
  
  How to Cook Everything:
  
  

1. Do you have a rice cooker? If yes, make rice. If no, make rice. It's just more finicky without it. But seriously, consider a rice cooker. I like jasmine rice. They make a brown jasmine rice too. If you have a smart rice cooker, try that. Otherwise, stick with the white stuff. (Unless you like/prefer brown rice, then go crazy.)
   
2. After the meat has been in the marinade for at least 15 minutes, cook in a little vegetable oil, preferably in a wok. You may want to work in 2 batches so you can get better browning on the meat. After the meat is cooked, remove to a plate.
   
3. Chop up some broccoli and microwave it for 4-5 minutes until tender. Too much and it'll get limp and dumb. Too little and it'll be too crunchy. I usually microwave my broccoli with a little water in the container and with a lid. That way it steams up nice. If you don't have a microwave, steam on the stove top.
   
4. If you haven't burned anything to the bottom of the wok/pan when cooking your protein, go ahead and add a little more oil, a few minced cloves of garlic, some grated or finely chopped ginger (I recommend using one of these), and red pepper flakes (or break open some dried bird eye chilis if you have them). Adjust to your heat preference. I like mine with a fair amount of heat in it. (If you did burn something, wash the wok/pan out first and start clean.) Add all three to the oil and cook for 30ish seconds until fragrant. Add the protein back to the pan. Add the cooked broccoli. Add the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil. Serve over rice. Note: There won't be a lot of sauce. It'll coat everything but there won't be a lot of extra. That's because the dish isn't meant to be saucy.
   
   Anyway, try that. It's phenomenal. Personally, I buy sirloin and slice it to make beef and broccoli. But chicken works really well too.
   
   I can keep going but that's at least 3 things you can do with chicken.
   
   Edit: Thanks for the GOLD!

I'm pretty sure it's the centre handle from a collapsible steamer basket

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


Knives

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

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

If you cannot afford/can't justifythe expense of All Clad then get Tramontina- it's the Brazilian equivalent and every bit as nice and durable. Available on Amazon or in most Walmarts.
Example

No need for an appliance just for steaming. You can get a cheap steamer basket like this and it'll fit in any pot.

The one appliance I would recommend is an Instant Pot. It's amazing for the pressure cooking ability. Plus you can use it as a slow cooker, steamer, and other things.

Pot 44qt and Burner Same price, free shipping and better in every way imo. If you plan on doing all grain I would recommend dropping an aditional $30 and getting this concord 60qt pot instead.

Norther Brewer has the Homebrew Starter Kit on sale for $99 that trades the 2 glass carboys for a 5 gallon kettle and a second bucket. I personally think clear glass carboys only makes you look more like a pro brewer, rather than providing anything better. They make things more risky IMHO, so unless they excite you, do the buckets.

(edit) Also for the kettle, FYI I purchased the 10 gallon Bayou Classic Bayou Stainless Brew Kettle, Stainless Steel instead for half that price (see the other buying options for the 2 day free prime shipping, if you have prime.) It was definitely acceptable quality, for my purposes. Although for most kits, the 5 gallon kettle has been sufficient for me as well.

I'll re-post what I just posted on another pot question thread:

You can spend 4-500 bucks on a Blichmann boilermaker, and I'm sure you'll be super happy - but its not necessary.

All you need is the pot itself, extra bells and whistles (ball valve, thermometer, sightglass) are 100% optional, it depends on what you want from your pot.

As far as guage of the steel, triple clad bottoms, aluminum vs stainless - there are pros and cons to it all. I would recommend avoiding the triclad bottom pots, however, as they tend to be significantly more expensive for little added benefit.

My personal recommendation would be the Bayou Classic 60 quart stainless steel. There's also an aluminum version.

If you really want the extra features, you can buy hardware and add it yourself for cheaper than buying it pre-made, but I would think about why you want those features before you spend the extra money.

A ball valve is good if you ever intend to build a system with pumps.

A sightglass is a nice to have regardless of your system, and helps you nail your volumes a little closer.

A thermometer is largely unnecessary since you can see when it is boiling. If you intend to do BIAB, you will probably want a quicker reading digital thermometer rather than the analog ones you'll see in most kettle therms.

I also have that model of Instant Pot, before they added the yogurt making (?) feature. I'm completely with sharplikeginsu on all points, but I'll just add another significant plus with the Instant Pot:

• You can swap out the inner metal pot, assuming you get an extra (which I did)
  
  The advantage there is that you can cook your longer-cooking meat, then have another inner pot with rice/vegetables/what have you, ready to be swapped in the second the first dish is done and the pressure released. With a stovetop model, you'd have to clean out the pot before reloading it with the next batch of food.
  
  The only downside I'd say is that it might not be as durable as a stovetop model, though mine's lasted for a year and a half so far with no issues aside from cosmetic dings on the thinner outer metal wall. I love my Instant Pot!

Just buy a microwave steamer. It is reusable and you only have to buy it once. Plus you can do a lot more food at once.

It might be okay, but if you don't want to chance it Amazon sells replacement pots.

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Instant-Pot-Stainless-Cooking/dp/B008BKHGX0

Cast iron is quite a poor material for large pots. The weight issue becomes overwhelming when you're talking about something like a big stock pot. A 12 quart cast iron pot for sale on Amazon weighs 33 lbs versus a same volume stainless steel pot which weighs 5.8 lbs.

Think about how heavy a big pot full of water is. If you the steel pot to the brim with 12 quarts of water, and try to lift it, it's really hard. The water inside weighs 24 lbs, meaning the steel pot weighs more full (29.8 lbs) than the cast iron pot weighs empty (33 lbs).

For a lot of people, a big cast iron pot full of water is well past their lifting capacity.

A 15" cast iron skillet on a normal size burner will have a hot spot in the middle and relatively cool sides. It just doesn't spread heat out fast enough.

This is $5 over but I really like it. Pretty close to my all clad.

http://www.amazon.com/Tramontina-Gourmet-Stainless-Tri-Ply-12-Inch/dp/B009HBKXPU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451418315&sr=8-1&keywords=tramontina+skillet

or this:

http://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-NC-00239-12-Inch-Stainless/dp/B0055Q2CX2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1451418399&sr=8-4&keywords=cooks+standard+saute+pan

I have this one and it's great. I was sick of having to boil water every time I wanted to steam vegetables (ie. like every freaking day) and got this thinking I'd give it a shot. I've had it about 6 months and probably use it 5 days a week.

this is where I started:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/starter-kits/basic-starter-kit.html

I have made this in the past and it turned out quite well:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/recipe-kits/caribou-slobber-extract-kit.html

Also, a great reference:
http://www.howtobrew.com/

you can also buy it in paperback, which I would recommend

beyond that kit, he'll need a big (5 gal a good place to start) kettle. I have a 5 gallon SS version, you can get fancier, but better off starting simple. something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Prime-Pacific-Stainless-Steel-Quart/dp/B0017WPY1A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323059145&sr=8-2

also need to get a sanitizer, I use starsan:
http://www.amazon.com/Star-San--32-oz/dp/B0064O7YFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323059205&sr=8-1

I use leftover bottle from other beer - most batches come out to about 50 bottles.

I'm sure there's plenty I've forgotten, hopefully others will fill in.

I was thinking this too. I know that OP listed a crock pot as a no-no but I think it could be safe as long as you follow proper electric safety guidelines. They're designed to be left on for a long time so if you fall asleep while it's on, your house isn't going to burn down or anything. I could be wrong, but I don't think a crock pot could be any more dangerous in this situation than a microwave. If you leave chicken or pork in a crock pot for about 8 hours on low, when you take it out, it's so tender you can shred it with two forks so no knife needed to cut it. Add in veggies and then put some insta rice in the microwave and you have a meal.

I think you could also look for "College Dorm recipes" because most of the time in dorms, they don't allow anything other than a microwave. I remember people got pretty creative with recipes back when I lived in dorms. Here is my first link from Google.

I also have seen steamers that were designed to be used in a microwave. Like this. Also in the related product suggestions there is stuff like a microwave pressure cooker and rice cooker. Could those be helpful?

We made homemade purées starting at 5 months. It’s pretty easy really. We had a magic bullet lying around for some reason, and that worked pretty well. A blender would work too. You don’t need some fancy baby food maker device.

Beyond that:

• a steam basket and a sauce pan for steaming vegetables
  
• this silicone freezer tray or a regular ice cube tray
  
• gallon freezer bags
  
  And that’s about it. We made a couple batches of various fruits or vegetables every week or two. The cubes last a while in the freezer, and we took a couple cubes out of the freezer every night to use the next day.

You two are amazing, truly!! So inspiring and such a huge part of why I'm in love with this sub, thank you. And you look gorgeous!!

Gift One: This because beer

Gift Two: This because coffee

C'mon...gimme.

I would get a KAB4 burner. It straddles the line between performance and price IMO. $80.00

For the kettle I would go a little bigger than 8 gallons, because the price difference isn't all that great. Plus if you plan to do BIAB you really need a bigger kettle. If your handy you could buy this one and add your own valve. If your not confident about drilling the hole and doing the work yourself, heres one with a valve included obviously that a little more expensive. $114.00

I like the vintage shop fermonster carboys. They are plastic and easy to clean. These are actually cheaper at my LHBS. $34.00

And Last you need either need a Bag for your kettle for BIAB or you could go the cooler route and get a bag for your cooler for MIAB.

The MIAB option is a little pricer but I prefer having a separate vessel for Mashing because theres less lifting to do and doing a sparge is a bit easier that way. So Another $43.50

And you can pick up a cooler at most Big box stores for like $20.00

That clocks in at $291.50 so just under budget.

You can use those for brewing as long as the enamel stays chip free. Once it chips, you're going to want a new pot. Here's a stainless pot at 40 quarts for ~$50.

Looks like this one: https://smile.amazon.com/Original-Salbree-Accessories-Stainless-Strainer/dp/B074CPVFN8/

You can use a trivet of sorts to keep it off of the bottom and get closer to the direct heat at the top. I recently picked up one and it worked flawlessly as you can control the height at which you want it. I used it at the lowest raised height to bake some biscuits using real coals, turned out perfect with no bottom scorching + they were so tasty.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WACYZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NIPPDbK3C5TNT

Probably fine. If you don't trust it, you can buy a new one.

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Instant-Pot-Stainless-Cooking/dp/B008BKHGX0

Guy says he doesn't want cast iron so you all suggest cast iron anyway?

I'd go with a stainless steel tramontina plus a cheap t-fal nonstick for eggs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JAP44MQ/

Oh sorry. You can go on Amazon and order another stainless steel pot insert for the IP.

I inherited one of these things from a friend a few years ago and it's super convenient for steaming vegetables. Fill the bottom with water, pour veggies in (on top of the steamer basket piece - the red plate with holes), and microwave. My wife and I use it all the time and it's really easy.

What does everyone think about this for a good way to get into BIAB?

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1040-Stainless-10-Gallon/dp/B00C8HQ01Q

I don't want anything bigger than a 10 gallon

I just upgraded from my 10 gallon pot to the $99 15.5 gallon pot from Amazon. I'll be brewing with it for the 1st time this weekend. Just a warning though: it's very thin metal, not tri-clad, and putting it through a test run with just water left some stains on the inside. That said, I'll never have to worry about setting off some sparge water for my 5 gallon batches as I had to do in my 10 gallon pot.

(http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1060-62-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000VXD94A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406205830&sr=8-1&keywords=Bayou+Classic+1060+62-Quart+Stainless-Steel+Stockpot)

You'll definitely still want a starter kit either way. It has a lot of nice tools that you'll need either way. Then build from there. Here's what I would do:

• $90 - starter kit with plastic carboy
  
• $100- 12 gallon kettle
  
• $50- kettle conversion kit- ball valve and thermometer (can't see actual price at work...
  
• $50- Propane Burner
  
• $30 refractometer
  
• $40 wort chiller
  
• $60 stir plate
  
• $15 erlenmeyer flask
  
• $60 oxygen kit (50 there, plus a $10 tank at HD)
  
  So that puts you at about $500. That gives you a badass kettle and everything you need to do a full-boil extract batch, or enough for brew-in-a-bag if you want to dive into all-grain right away.
  
  Honestly, I wouldn't go much over that for a first batch. Try it a few times and see what suits you. You may want to get into the science end more and get a pH meter and hemocytometer. You may want to do 3-vessel all-grain and build a nice mash tun and get another kettle. You may want to get another coil and do a recirculating system. You may just want a pump to transfer faster. You may want to build a big stand for it all. You might decide you want electric controls to it... you won't know until you get into it a bit and determine what your priorities are.
  
  OR... watch craiglist for a month or so, and see if anybody is selling a big system. There's some badass ones out there that i've seen for very reasonable prices.

BIAB in a 8-10 gallon kettle. You can get a 8-gallon kettle with lid for under $50 shipped or (better) a 10-gallon kettle without lid for $40 shipped. Cheap and easy way to do all-grain.

EDIT: I use the 8-gaalon kettle (used to be cheaper) and it works well, but in retrospect, I would go with the 10 gallon for more versatility. Make sure you insulate the kettle with a coat, blanket, or sleeping bag while mashing, as it tends to lose heat quickly.

http://www.amazon.com/Microwave-Pasta-Boat-Perfect-Every/dp/B003XS32OW

PASTA BOAT

Just fill it up with water and pasta throw it in the microwave and forget about it

Collapsible steamer basket

what about a griddle? or electric skillet? with the griddle you can make bacon, eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese, etc... and the electric skillet you can saute and braise. that being said. I will post several recipes you can pick through.

[Make ahead Slow Cooker Beef Stew] (http://www.copymethat.com/r/pvbgTFq/make-ahead-slow-cooker-beef-stew-busyspo/)

]Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew] (http://www.copymethat.com/r/4QAPG4S/slow-cooker-tuscan-chicken-stew-from-swe/)

[Biggest Looser Crock Pot Turkey Chili] (http://www.copymethat.com/r/87rrsMl/biggest-looser-crock-pot-turkey-chili/)

[cheesey Ravioli Casserole] I haven't tried this one yet. but looks so comforting
(http://www.copymethat.com/r/oVO0y3q/cheesy-ravioli-casserole-pillsbury/)

Really easy and doesn't make a ton
[Creamy Beef Potato Stew] (http://www.copymethat.com/r/wxM21qf/creamy-beef-potato-stew-better-homes-gar/)

If you have a leftover piece of Steak... preferably under cooked. you can use it in this dish. and using your electric skillet you can cook the onions etc... this is really good. you can omit the wine if need be too. you can buy a product to cook your pasta and rices in the microwave.

this rice cooker is AMAZING! you can probably find a smaller one if need be too

[microwave rice cooker]
(https://www.amazon.com/Sistema-Microwave-Cookware-Steamer-Random/dp/B00BTIVNT4/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1467860589&sr=1-1&keywords=microwave+rice+cooker)

[Penne with Beef and Sun Dried Tomatoes] (http://www.copymethat.com/r/nklm8Ut/penne-with-beef-and-sun-dried-tomatoes/)


[you might be able to use this for your pasta]

(https://www.amazon.com/Microwave-Pasta-Boat--Perfect-Every/dp/B003XS32OW/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1467860674&sr=1-4&keywords=microwave+pasta+cooker)

12 quarts. Nothing too expensive. Think $50, not $100. You want riveted handles, no exceptions.

Cuisinart is a brand name that has some fairly generic, totally fine options in the $40–70 range.

Cheap

Less cheap

Amazon also sells Winco, which is a brand you're likely to see at a kitchen supply store. Something like this is great.

On the extreme cheap end, Family Dollar actually carries a solidly-made 12qt stockpot for $10, but I gotta say it's made of such thin aluminum that it takes fucking forever to bring to a boil because the heat just seems to dissipate right off of it. I recommend Cuisinart or Winco, and don't suggest you look at anything by All-Clad. There is absolutely no reason to spend All-Clad money on a stock pot.

You can use something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Handy-Gourmet-Tier-Microwave-Steamer/dp/B000U6BPL2

or even just put them in a microwave bowl with a little water in the bottom (only about a tablespoon or two if they're frozen, because they will already have water in the form of ice crystals) and cover it loosely.

Got a genuine pot from Amazon

Genuine Instant Pot Stainless... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BKHGX0?

A pot of boiling water and one of these is all you need to steam all the things.

$30 US for another pot on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-Stainless-Steel-Cooking/dp/B008BKHGX0

Almost worth it for a second machine.

I've seen people use steamers for this exact reason. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/TOPOKO-Vegetable-Pressure-Stainless-Expandable/dp/B016AZJGI0/

What you've described here doesn't sound like it will help much with the burning/off-flavors issue.

Does it need to be 12qts? I've had good luck with this brand. You might also consider this Cuisinart.

Check these out: https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-STR1050-Steamer-Chrome-Plated/dp/B007WACYZU/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=steamer+rack&qid=1555042347&s=gateway&sr=8-4


Sometimes you can find it at your local asian store, or restaurant supply store. But it's really inexpensive. I suggest investing in one if you are really worried about the toys touching the bottom of pots.

I think most stainless steel stock pots in the size you are looking for would do the trick just fine. You're going to have to look for the disc bottom types if you want to avoid absurd prices. This is the 'Best Buy' stock pot recommended by the fine folks at Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen. Cuisinart also made/makes a 16 qt. version, but it seems difficult to find.

Also check any restaurant supply stores you might have in your area. They will have large, thick aluminum pots that would work well, though may be pricey.

I put off getting an Instant Pot for the last year (or two) for the same reasons as you - I have a slow cooker, and good cast iron for the stovetop, why do I need an Instant Pot? OMG, I needed an Instant Pot! I finally caved during the Veteran's Day sales, and while I've done a couple of things I would normally do stove-top, what I love the Instant Pot for is things that I would not and have never made on the stove because they're "too much trouble." (I'm a pretty lazy cook.) Things like yogurt, which sure it took 8+ hours, but I only had to actually touch it for under an hour. Or hard boiled eggs, which I could never get right on the stove and gave up on. This weekend I'm planning on making some applesauce in the Instant Pot, to use in a gluten-free chocolate cake, also in the Instant Pot. A) I don't make applesauce, too much trouble, and B) I don't bake, again, too much trouble. But with the Instant Pot, I know as long as I prep and get the water/time right (yay tested recipes) everything will come out perfectly.

And the mashed potatoes, OMG. I will be experimenting with different methods, because the full-water one took too long and made a giant mess, but those mashed potatoes were the best I've ever made. As I was adding butter and dressing to them at the end I kept thinking "shoot, I've added too much, they'll be too runny!" and yet somehow they just absorbed and became even fluffier without turning into mashed potato sludge as sometimes happens with my stove-top batches. (I've ordered this steamer basket for my next try at potatoes, I think it should work using a low-water steam method from what I've read. Plus it will be useful for stacking eggs more easily, and the top handle makes it easy to remove from the IP.)

First indoor grow! All advice welcome. Please, rip me up. Total noob at pruning, learning a lot for round two. They're too tall, and crazy.

I dumb lucked my way into these cuttings. So stoked. A grower buddy of mine just finished the same cut. Fruit punch and gasoline. I'm gonna make it into the craziest live rosin that I can.



Info:
2 x 600 watt HPS
Emerald Harvest Cali Pro line, following the recommended schedule. Using Bionova Silution for my silica through veg/strech.
I use tap water thats been oxygenated for 24 hours.
I also used the Emerald Harvest CalMag during veg/strech, but I think I'm gonna switch to one without nitrogen next time.
They're in 5 gallon dirt pots of Fox Farm Salamander Soil, recommended to me by the guy I got the cuttings from.
I found these racks on amazon that work perfectly for lifting the pot off the tray, allowing air under. They never sit in the run off.
Hand watered every other day. The Salamander soil retains a lot of water. It doesn't dry out every day, or even every other day. When they were small and vegging, they held water for 4 to 5 days.
I water 1.5 gallons each making about 40%-50% run off.
PH'd to 5.8.
AC in room set to 60F.
Dehumidifier in room set to 40% RH.

I had/have what I believe to be a bit too much nitrogen, so for the last couple rounds of water, I skipped the A&B, just did the bloom boost and sugars. I gave them a full nutrient load just before these pictures. I'm considering just running micro, bloom boost, and sugar for the next two weeks.

I have one of these and put a 3 piece ball valve on it. I do BIAB and it has worked out great. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085ZODVO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2/192-2574100-6087263?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=1QMD28GH6CWRA8Q2V4Y6&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_i=B0085ZNXZ6

These are them right here

$26 for a 8 gallon pot

I ordered a 32qt tamale steamer. the same one that everyone talks about that's from Target, but with free shipping!

also, do you suggest bags to boil my hops in so that I can skip straining?

I have the same kit and recommend getting an autosiphon in addition to a carboy brush. Also, be sure when cleaning to remove the racking end of the racking cane to clean any sludge/hops out of it (be careful not to loose the parts). The b-brite is the same thing as oxy-clean, once the b-brite runs out goo buy a big tub of oxy-clean.

I got a 20 gallon stainless steel pot from Amazon for boiling wort. Also helps to have a long-handled wooden spoon - mine has a flat edge, a candy thermometer (to hit the right temp for steeping), and a meat/kitchen thermometer to measure when your wort has cooled enough.

should look into irritable bowel syndrom symptoms, lots of stuff you can do, but a lot of irregular gut activity like this can lead to serious health problems down the road. Things that will help off the bat are drinking 2L+ of water each day, if you have diarrhea that often it's also very likely you're constantly dehydrated. Dehydration further inflames your digestive organs which could agravate the problem.

Once you have water figured out slowly work in more fibre. If you do it too quickly or increase your fibre without being well hydrated enough you're going to plug yourself up. Fibre is indigestible, its function is to add graininess to fuel/waste moving through your gut. That graininess keeps it together at the end and scrapes build-up off the sides of your intestines to improve your digestive health. Easiest way I've found is a microwave vegetable steamer. I dislike raw greens, aside from spinach and lettuce, so I keep a bag of pre-cut broccoli in the fridge, grab a handful, wash it, and throw it in the microwave steamer for 1min 30s, season with salt/pepper and have it as a side. Altogether it is an extra 2min to cooking and will make you feel a lot better overtime.

Do you experience acid reflux at all or frequently?

Pasta Boat.

measure, cook, strain, serve, store.

Wow that's gonna be hard. You can go waay 90s, and use microwave egg poachers/bacon racks/griddle/steamer. We had one of those egg poacher things when I was a kid and it worked fine for a long time. I wouldn't expect any of those things to last forever, but they're cheap and should last you at least a couple years.

With those, obviously you could make bacon & eggs. You could also steam cauliflower for cauli mash?

Or something that's built like Allclad, but at more affordable price. Many people have been recommending the Tramontina 12" ply pan .


Another one in the same price range but with a glass lid is available from BJ's Club. I believe non members can shop their website just the same. Living Home Kitchen 12" Stainless Steel Frying Pan

You can find metal ones at the dollar store like this : https://www.amazon.com/Vegetable-Steamer-Basket-Collapsible-Adjustable/dp/B01DVEW6XK

I love mine and use it often!

These are cheaper (the 40 quart version is $50 shipped) and better quality in my opinion.

For probably $60 or less, you can get an 8 gallon stainless steel pot that you don't have to do any modifications to.

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1440-Stainless-Kettle/dp/B00MIA5OQK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1538489917&sr=8-6&keywords=10+gallon+stainless+kettle

​

Depending on how much you want to spend, you can get one with a thermometer, valve, etc.

You can use any pot with an expandable steamer basket like this. I've used one for ages. Fits in pots you already own, thus saving money. Esp. good for home use with fewer people.

For veggies, as a cheapskate I save those plastic bags from the (US at least) grocery store people put veggies and fruit in. Put veg in a plate and cover with the bag, and microwave. The micro is awesome for steaming veggies on the cheap. (Assuming you've paid for a microwave in the first place.)

The law of diminishing returns. Let me give you an easy example.

With wine, there will be crap wines. You're talking your Franzia, your Fetzer, and the vast majority of stuff sold as "white zinfandel". It's fine for making sangria, but you're not going to notice much except sugar, and whatever additives they've thrown in the vat to mask the shitty quality.

Then you've got your low rent ones, like Fetzer, Turning Leaf, that Kangaroo one. They're like $7 - $10 a bottle. Nothing to write home about, but it'll do to cook with, or with people who aren't huge wine drinkers, but can't really afford much better.

Then you get your /good/ wines. These vary by region and by brand, but you're looking to spend between $12 and $15 a bottle here. When served in a decent wine glass, you'll notice all kind of cool little subtle flavour profiles, and it won't be harsh on the way down.

If you've got some cash to spend, then there's those boutique wines that run you about $15 - $25. Around here, you're hitting very complex flavours and aromas. You don't want to pair it with anything that will challenge the wine, and you take care to serve it at the proper temperatures.

Once you cross this threshold however, you're looking at diminishing returns. The difference between boxed wine and the $25 wine is VAST. We're talking leaps and bounds of difference in experience, quality, and taste. But then once you've crossed about $28 - $32 a bottle, the difference between a $100 bottle and the $35 bottle isn't really that huge. Yes if you're in the top 5% of sommeliers or wine makers in the world, you'll notice subtle differences, and it's a nice intellectual exercise to figure out what those differences are, but the vast majority of us aren't really going to get that much more enjoyment or taste difference between the two. Then you start hitting the $200 and $300 bottles with pedigrees and all kind of marketing buzz, and you're like "I'll stick with the $15 bottle if it's all the same to you."

Think of your cookware the same way. The crappy TV Celebrity Chef set from the Walmart versus a standard brand is going to be massive. And the thin-bottomed dollar store pots compared to the standard brands will also be a huge huge difference. But once you hit about the $30 - $70 per pan range, you're not going to notice that much of a difference in your cooking experience to have warranted spending $300 on a freaking pan. I see you, Le Creuset.

Go into a store, and pick up as many pans as you can. If it's not comfortable in your hands, you won't use it as much. Look for something that has a good weight to it, but isn't too heavy for you to pick up. Look for something that has a nice balance to it. This has been my issue with a fair few of those restaurant cookwares: they're so bottom heavy that when I have to tip it over to get from cookware to serving dish, it's very awkward.

Get one piece at a time, not a set. Getting a set means that you'll have pots that you never use. Not good. Start with one piece (for example, an all-purpose pan).

https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Calphalon-Nonstick-Jumbo-Deep/dp/B001ASBBSG/ I reach for this thing every day. I'd consider it an all-purpose pan. I can cook pretty much anything in there. I've cooked pasta, curries, stir fries, rice dishes, delicate things that need the nonstick, potatoes, breakfast things, stews, soups, veggies, the list goes on. I've had it for a few years now, and it's been a champ. However, after having it a while, I realised I wanted a small pot for making ramen, or reheating leftovers, or small amounts of daal. That's when I sprung for a small saucepan. I got their 1-1/2 quart pot from the same line, because I liked how it felt in my hand.

Then, I saw that I wanted something in stainless, because when I make dosa, or other things, I wanted to use my Indian stainless steel utensils, and I couldn't do that on the nonstick. So I got myself a https://www.amazon.com/Tramontina-80116-007DS-Fry-Stainless/dp/B00JAP44MQ/ stainless steel pan from Tramontina. Then, I saw that I needed a stock pot, because if I'm using that 12" thingy on the stove, I don't want another large pot cluttering up the stove. I went to my restaurant supply store, and picked up the most squat 6 qt stock pot they had. I wanted metal handles, and a metal lid. Why? In case I start something on the stove, and want to finish in the oven, I want that to be seamless. I got something like this guy:
https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP44-24N-MultiClad-Stainless-Saucepot/dp/B009W28RPM/

Point is that you don't have to spend like a millionaire to have cookware that's a joy to use, and that will produce good results, and you don't have to worry about getting a full set. Build as you go.

Hey, glad my post was of help to you!

If you're looking for up to 5 gallon batches, I'd say a 10 gallon kettle is the minimum. I'd actually recommend a 15 gallon if you have the budget. That way, you'll never have to worry about fitting a huge grain bill and will have even more freeboard as protection against boil overs.

As for products, there's the Bayou Classic that people tend to like. I also really like the stuff that Arbor Fabrications makes. I have a mesh basket and a hops brew filter from them. Both are built sturdily and have performed well for many years.

I've got this one and I love it.

It's large, got a thick bottom, all stainless, and cheap.

stock pots of some sort are great sometimes a cast iron dutch oven works well too.

[small stock pot]
(https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Polished-NICKEL-Stainless-Coating/dp/B07CWPFFB2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1537047641&sr=8-8&keywords=medium+stainless+steel+stock+pot)

[Medium size]
(https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-12-Quart-Stainless-Stockpot/product-reviews/B01M7RNBZA/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_paging_btm_3?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageNumber=3)

[large size]
(https://www.amazon.com/LARGE-ECOLOGICAL-NICKEL-Stainless-Coating/dp/B07C9FPM1C/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1537047989&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=large+size+stainless+steel+stock+pot&psc=1)

If you're OK with aluminum, check out this: http://www.amazon.com/Winware-Professional-Aluminum-20-Quart-Stockpot/dp/B001CHJHOA

I use the 40qt version of this and it's been great. I've heard that you should boil water in it before brewing to coat with aluminum oxide but I've also heard that happens pretty much spontaneously in normal air.

It's a sturdy pot but it's also pretty lightweight. I'm very happy with it.

So I'm looking at adding a whirlpool setup to my kettle.

I currently have this kettle and love it. It is an affordable price and so far works great for me.

I do full volume (no sparge) BIAB and currently use an immersion chiller to cool the wort.

With that being said I want to add a whirlpool setup to this and I'm a little lost.

My "plan" is to get a pump (could use affordable recommendations) and hook it up to the valve on my kettle. I would then run a piece of copper that hooks over the rim of my kettle and into the wort. Silicone tubing would connect everything.

With the immersion chiller in I would begin whirlpooling to help aid in cooling the wort faster. After it's chilled I would take the chiller out and continue to whirlpool to get a nice little cone in the middle.

After that I would take the pump off the valve and use the valve (with dip tube connected inside the kettle) to transfer the wort to a carboy before fermenting.

Does that seem like a plausible idea?

I recently did the same thing. I ended up going really big because I I thought I might enjoy doing a double batch on occasion with friends and the cost difference between 10 gallons and 15 gallons was minimal. I got this 62 qt. stainless steel pot from Amazon for $115 and am quite happy with it. Eventually I'll buy the hardware to add fancy spigots and such to it but for now it does the job and I don't have to worry about upgrading again anytime soon. :)

I have a 10" Calphalon Cast Iron skillet that I got for like $20 at Target. I have another cast iron skillet 12" that I got from World Market. It's enameled on the outside and bare on the inside and unless I'm cooking eggs just about anything skillet/pan related happens in one of those pans.

I have some calphalon non stick skillets that I use for eggs/fish/etc. But they might get used once for every 20 uses of the cast iron. Aside from that I have some le Crueset enameled cast iron stuff. I have their Wok, and a Dutch Oven, and a big cast iron fish pan like 14" oval shaped thing. It's great for whole fish, but I don't use it for much else.

But if I were starting from scratch it'd probably be something like the following:

Dutch Oven

Stainless 12"

Cast Iron 12"

Cast Iron 10"

Saucier

Multi Pot

Pot 2 qt


I'd possibly get two of the Multi Pots. I know the additional steamer/pasta baskets are redundant but it's nice to have another pot for things like chili or pasta sauce (Although you could use the dutch oven) But with two stainless pots like that you can do sauce in one and pasta in the other. Also looking up another 6-8 qt stock pot it looks like the same Calphalon pot is $75 while the multipot set is $80, and you could always use the additional baskets as colanders.

You'll probably want some decent glassware, casserole dishes, and a few cookie sheets, loaf, and/or lasagna pans to really round out the kitchen. But the pots/pans listed above would be a great place to start. I should get back to work. :)

It's weird when you realise you miss fresh food and veggies! Also, may I ask for this 5 vegetable bolognese recipe? That sounds fantastic!

Have you considered a microwave steamer for veggies? Or those frozen bags of veggies that can be steamed in the microwave? :) Something like this. I also make salmon in there which comes out perfect!

Edit: I think it's a tool that would not go to waste in a real kitchen either, if you liked steamed broccoli or fish or whatever and need a quick healthy dinner.

The accessory kit I was just gifted is for the 3qt. I do suggest if you want a good accessory, get a metal, not mesh, steamer basket insert. It makes cooking vegetables etc that have small pieces, so much easier!

I have done boneless skinless chicken thighs in mine with vegetables a few times. Pretty siimple - take the wire rack circle thing they include and wrap it with foil. Put it in the bottom of the instapot. Add your cooking water (however much for the larger instapot, mine says use 1 cup) Take your chicken and season all the pieces. Roll up the pieces so they fit neatly in the bottom of the pot, all in one layer. Next, take your raw veg and season those. If you rinse the veg quickly and shake off the excess water, the seasoning sticks better, and you get better flavored veg! Put the veg on top of the chicken. Close up the instapot and set for 8 minutes (yeah, really) Make sure the vent valve is closed, and let it cook.

I got a metal basket for mine, not a mesh basket. When you look at them, you can see why the mesh one would be awful to clean after - which is why I don't suggest getting that style.

this basket set is like what I was gifted today, but is sized for yours. I'm thrilled to get to try this idea, because the idea of doing something like lentil soup in the bottom, and then some veggies to put in it, in the top, and not have mush for veggies, is intriguing. Plus, these are good for doing desserts...I'm dying to find a low-carb dessert I can do in mine! Something like this would be neat to do things like broccoli beef and sauce in one and rice in the other - at the same time, for example. There's a ton of ideas to play with.

The pot looks similar to this one, probably a bit smaller/shorter. I will fill it up with oil only 2 inches from the bottom. I heat it up and after I add the potatoes it will begin to bubble and eventually get 2 inches from the top. I will remove it from the heat to avoid bubbling over.

Sidebar has some good stuff ->

I would say, don't bother starting with less than 5 gallon batches. You are going to work just as hard for so little beer. Get a cheap 15 gallon pot and you'll be set for life (stainless or aluminum). You can start will full boil extract and move to all-grain brew-in-a-bag for the cost of a mesh bag.

http://www.amazon.com/Imusa-Steamer-Pot-Aluminum-32-Quart/dp/B0018EAV4M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347708541&sr=8-1&keywords=32+quart+pot

8 gallon tamale steamer for 26$, can't beat that ^^

I just ordered my first burner and a new larger kettle (upgraded from 5 gallons). I can't wait to do my first biab.

I used this one, and it fit perfectly...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00194DVJI/

(tried an IMUSA steamer pot on my first build, and it was no bueno).

BIABer here, my take:

1. 5 gallon pot fine for 3 gallons
   
2. you'll need a smaller pot or broiler pan or something (whatever you have handy in kitchen) to help you squeeze the bag, you'll also want to get a false bottom for the pot so you don't scorch the bag if / when heating on stove top.
   
3. 5 gallon fermentation vessel is fine
   
4. tips:
   

• squeezing the bag won't lead to tannins (people who say so haven't done it)
  
• I put my pot in a heated oven to keep mash temperature
  
• Link below for a false bottom I use:
  EDIT to add another tip: add heated water to the grain vs. adding grain to heated water (takes much less time, results in very few dough balls).
  
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WACYZU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I picked up a Pasta Boat at a flea market (for about that price actually) and love the shit out of it. It's just a pasta-length bowl with a built in strainer, but if you don't already have those, $7 is about what you'd pay anyway. It takes about as long as it does on the stove (or faster) and has the added benefit of not needing attendance (i don't like to leave items on the stove unsupervised for very long). Takes about 12 minutes.

What people seem to go for are their Triple-ply skillets.

I'm really close to pulling the trigger on the Tallboy. Any comparison to this. It's the other option I was looking at.

This is the pot I bought: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018EAV4M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Its listed at $60 now, but there was a special where I got it for $25.64 with shipping. Keep an eye out in /r/homebrewing, there are lots of deals posted.

I wish you luck but I don't love you yet sorry. One more tip on the subject- I recommend you don't brew drunk. You are dealing with lots of boiling hot water, and if you go that route, big glass carboys, and such, and you tend not to be as sanitary or as careful when you brew while drinking

You definitely could, but I would recommend getting this one.

It's only $33 (including shipping) and while I haven't been to any restaurant suppply stores in DC, when I went to one in VT a few years ago the cheapest 5-gal they had was $45. It's also super thick and durable and works really well for brewing.

According to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017WPY1A/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00 it weighs 11 pounds. That's the pot I bought after a long time of searching.

Also I accidentally figured out what I'm getting for my birthday on sunday trying to look that up. Oh well :\

Here you go.

I just started doing 5 gallon batches, so others with more experience may have more well informed opinions. I bought a 10 gallon kettle (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MIA5OQK/). The Bayou Classic was the best deal I could find online. On my first try, I melted the bag, not bad enough to lose grains but bad enough to warrant buying a new bag. So I bought a false bottom from BrewHardware.com (https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/biabbottom15.htm). This setup worked well for me.

A lot of stainless steel cookware is not magnetic, and therefore not compatible with an induction range.

Edit: I'm not sure why I'm being downvoted here. Quality stainless steel (18/10, 18/8) is NOT magnetic. Some manufacturers have started modifying their stainless steel to be magnetic but it's not at all uncommon for it to not be. This Cuisinart Stockpot for example, which is the very first Amazon result when you search for "stainless stockpot" (go to the question and answer section above the reviews for info on induction compatibility).

direct link