A good cake pan is a determining factor that can help you make a delicious cake. Therefore,  a good cake pan can help you create a much more yummy cake though your cooking skill is not excellent.

For us, the best cake pans America’s Test Kitchen shouldn’t be expensive ones but suitable ones.

How to buy the best cake pans America’s Test Kitchen?

Materials

Metal is considered the best material to make good cake pans, specifically aluminum or aluminum steel, to distribute heat quickly and evenly. 

Moreover, when paired with steel, the cake pan will be more resistant and durable. Thus, these materials are convenient and economical as you can use your device for a long time.  

Glass and ceramic dishes can also be used to bake cakes; however, they do not conduct heat effectively, and most recipes may longer assume your baking times. 

In recent years, silicone bakeware has been popular in the cooking gadget market. However, silicone tends not to create an eye-catching brown color on the outside of the cake. 

It is no doubt that metal is your best option. Light or dark-colored cake pan, which one is better? It depends on everyone’s favorites. We love a lighter one, but you may prefer to go darker. 

Straight side

A cake pan with straight sides is a good choice if you’re an experienced baker. Straight sides can produce a more precisely-shaped cake compared with other kinds of cake pans.

If you are a beginner, buying a round and square cake pan with straight sides that join at right angles at the base can produce cakes with a more uniform shape, especially multi-layer cakes. However, rounded corners are not a bad choice if it is not a priority.

While researching the best cake pans, we examined hundreds of buyers’ and experts’ reviews and ratings. The cake pans featured in those pictures below can produce superbly-browned foods, making it easier to create perfectly-shaped cakes.

Duration

Today, cake pans are available in a wide range of materials. As a general rule of thumb, a more expensive one will come with more durable and long-lasting quality. 

Moreover, this kind of cake pan can help you save a lot of money as it is surprisingly durable. So, we highly recommend you should buy the best quality that you can afford.

Dark & Non-stick Finish

It is up to your preference to buy heavy cake pans made with a thicker gauge metal and coated with a dark and non-stick finish. These devices can absorb heat to create a perfect golden cover with a slightly thicker crust than a lighter cake pan with an uncoated finish. 

If you want to bake a cake with a perfect golden cover outside, cake pans with a dark and non-stick finish are absolutely for you.

Best Springform Pan America’s Test Kitchen – Buying Guide in Great Detail

Shapes and Sizes

Cake pans come in numerous shapes and sizes depending on brands and their designs. Remember that the information about shapes and sizes on the packaging is not always correct. 

Honestly, I have come across a range of cake pans with the actual size smaller than 2cm than the measurements given. So be careful when buying and don’t hesitate to measure the cake pans yourself. Particularly, if you want a specific size, we highly recommend you to measure it across the base before buying.

What Are The Best Cake Pans America’s Test Kitchen That You Must Have?

• USA Pan Bakeware Round Cake Pan, 9 inch, Nonstick & Quick Release Coating, 9-Inch,Aluminized Steel

• USA Pan Bakeware Rectangular Cake Pan, 9 x 13 inch, Nonstick & Quick Release Coating, Made in the USA from Aluminized Steel

• OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Cake Pan 9 x 13 Inch

• Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Anniversary Bundt Pan

• Pyrex Basics Clear Oblong Glass Baking Dishes, 2 Piece Value Plus Pack Set

In short

Today, it is not difficult to buy a cake pan as it is available on the market in various shapes and sizes from many brands. However, to buy the best cake pans American’s Test Kitchen that suits your purpose, you should consider all the factors we mentioned above. We hope this guide can help you get a perfect cake pan for yourselves.

Thanks for your attention, and have a good day.

A springform pan is a type of bakeware with sides and a base easily removable by a latch. It is mostly used by chefs and bakers to prevent messy situations when taking out dishes that have delicate sides or bottom layers such as cheesecakes, tortes, sponge cakes, or even pasta dishes and deep-fried pizzas.

Without a springform pan, removing the cakes with soft texture will be a huge challenge, especially for beginners. Imagine the efforts that take you to make a beautiful cake; then everything is ruined while taking it out of the pan! 

We know a lot of people have experienced the same situation, so we made a detailed buying guide on how to choose the best springform pan America’s Test Kitchen for you guys.  

How to Choose the Best Springform Pan America’s Test Kitchen

Material

One of the most important decisions to make is the kind of springform pan you are looking for. They can be made of glass, silicone, or stainless steel. There are also glass-based and metal-based pans. 

Silicone pans are not suitable for making tarts or cheesecakes or any dessert that has a crumb crust at the bottom, but they are the best choice for runny batters since they are leakage proof, and your cake will slide out smoother. 

Metal ones are the most commonly used because they are affordable and look a lot more decent; however, they are easy to get damaged. Glass pans take more time to bake as they are usually thicker yet firmer and more durable. It depends on the purpose of your use.

Anti-Leakage 

The second most important factor when choosing a pan is leakage proof. Otherwise, your batter will drown your oven in sugary, floury love!

Also, while baking something requires steam baths or water baths, you need to ensure that the water doesn’t get into your batter to create a perfectly beautiful moist cake. What could be better than seeing your precious cakes come out smoothly without a crack!

Nonstick

Of course, the product has to be nonstick, or else the batter is going to stick all over the pan and make a messy mess. It would cause you more time to clean everything and make you feel even more tired.

Size

Springform pans are usually between 8-11 inches, and 9 inches are commonly used. You can have them in different sizes and shapes such as heart-shapes, rectangles, or round-shapes for making some cute little cupcakes. 

Safety

It is a must to select a pan that doesn’t contain any kinds of toxic substances as some non-stick pans are made of materials that can release fumes or leach when exposed to high heat which is very unhealthy to use for an extended amount of time.

Easy To Clean

After all the baking, you might feel very tired from standing for hours and bending continuously to check the cakes, so you just want to rest. This is why it is necessary for you to choose a pan that is easy to clean.

How To Pick The Best Slow Cooker America’s Test Kitchen?

Dark Or Light

If you usually make slow baking pastries and desserts, we would recommend you to use a dark-colored pan because it will absorb more heat, thus shortening the cooking time, while using a light-colored pan can take a longer time for your cake to be fully ready.

Top 5 Recommendations To You

These are the top ones on our list; they are all high-quality products; these will definitely satisfy your baking life.

1. Hiware 6 Inch Non-stick Springform Pan

2. Hatrigo Cake Push Pan

3. Teeo Silicone Springform Non-stick Baking Pan

4. Farberware Nonstick Bakeware Springform Pan

5. Wilton Excelle Elite Springform

Conclusion 

To sum up, the best springform pan America’s test kitchen has a critical role in our daily lives, especially those who love to bake. There are many benefits that a little upgrade to a springform pan can give you.

This one might be intimidating to use at first, but don’t worry, it is very easy to get used to.

Having a springform pan will open a new gate for you, you won’t have to get mad or feel sad about crumby tarts and cakes anymore. It is noticeable that your cakes do deserve better.

As an avid cook, you have always dreamt about having the best slow cooker America’s Test Kitchen in your home. But you are struggling to know how to choose this kind of kitchen gadget wisely?

Let’s check out our article.

How to Choose The Best Slow Cooker America’s test kitchen?

Size and Shape

Typically, this type of kitchen device has a round or oval shape. This feature must do with the user’s individual favorite, leading it hard to pick the best appliance. 

Nevertheless, bear in mind that brisket, chickens, or even ribs will fit better in a round-shaped slow cooker or oval- figured one. And if beans or some vegetables are your main ingredients, you don’t need to care about the cooker’s shape a lot. 

Besides, the size of your cupboard or cabinet is also a crucial factor to consider when choosing the shape of slow cookers. 

There are three main shapes available of basic slow cookers – rectangular, oval, and round slow cookers. In addition, we also focus on the size of these slow cookers. Actually, these kinds of best slow cookers have various size choices from ½ – 8 quart.

Cover Material 

Due to the safety and the quality of your dishes, it isn’t convenient to open the cooker’s cover when these devices are working. Thus, it truly is wise to select a glass lid, permitting you to see anything that will happen inside your cooker; even you don’t need to touch or put the cover off.

Crock Construction 

We are going to give you two main popular choices of crock construction for slow cookers, namely ceramic and porcelain. We also can consider other selections containing meta crocks. Another great factor is its detachable form for struggle-free washing. Other versions with heating temperature sections and crocks are hard to clean.

Mode of Heating 

The best slow cookers America’s test kitchen is prone to own a bottom snugly surrounded by the detachable insert. In several samples, the heating components are put on the unit’s base, when others are only on the side of the bottom. Moreover, the formal configuration is estimated to give out less heating temperature compared with the latter.

Besides, we have some versions accompanied by crock sitting put on the warming temperature section’s top. With this kind of design, you ought not to anticipate even delivery of heat, which indicates you may need to mix foods to keep away from scorching. This meets the aim of the purpose of boasting on these types of slow cookers.

Best Immersion Blender America’s Test Kitchen – Buying Guide For Beginners

Note For You 

When you use slow cookers, you need to care about how to keep food safe by cooking these products after you own one. 

You should choose the high or low heat setting to cook food.

There is a truth that with slow cookers, you should use the low or the high heat setting to cook. It is ideal for both your food and slow cooker if the low temperature is used during the whole time, and doesn’t utilize the warm temperature for cooking food with slow cookers. 

It means in the first step, you can set the device at the highest setting, then you gradually drop the temperature following your receipt

Remember that you need to defrost or thaw your food (like meat, fish, etc.) before placing it into your slow cooker. 

Because frozen food will not get cooked easily, cooking these raw foods does not thaw completely, resulting in them becoming certain foodborne with some internal poisonous substance.

The proper slot of vegetables is near the sides or on the bottom of these slow cookers. 

You need to place these kinds of food near the heat because they take a lot of time to be cooked.

The lid should be put in place. 

Every time you raise the lid of your slow cooker, which means that you are prolonging your cooking more around 30 minutes because this action makes the inside temperature of your slow cookers fall 10-15 degrees.

Conclusion

We wrote these tips to help you make a good decision to choose the best slow cooker America’s Test Kitchen in the best way possible. Therefore, depending on each different individual’s purposes, hobbies, or character, you could take a look at our blog to have your knowledge about how to own the best slow cooker. 

We hope that from now on, you will be more confident to purchase appliances for your kitchen.

Immersion blenders have been popular nowadays. This powerful tool can make your kitchen tasks, such as blending, pureeing, or chopping,  much easier, and more enjoyable.

And if you want to replace your old traditional blender, this article will explain why you should consider buying an immersion blender. Besides, we’ll show you how to use this helpful device, along with recommendations of the best immersion blender America’s Test Kitchen.

Here we go!

Why Should You Own An Immersion Blender In Your Kitchen?

The first question that appears in your mind is that “Can an immersion blender replace the traditional blender?”. An immersion blender is no doubt much lighter and more flexible when compared to the old blender.

Immersion blenders are handy when you want to blend hot dishes such as soup or sauces. 

While you have to pour the ingredients in and out of a  conventional blender, you can puree all the things right in the bowl with an immersion blender. How convenient it is!

This convenience also means immersion blenders are much easier to clean and take up less room than a countertop one.

However, the detrimental side of immersion blenders is their relatively weak power. Many of them are designed to crush ice, but traditional blenders do this job much better. 

Some models of immersion blenders only work best in blending soft ingredients. So, at best, understanding the capability of your device will lengthen its longevity.

Buying Tips for Best Jar Opener America’s Test Kitchen

How To Find The Best Immersion Blender America’s Test Kitchen?

Cord or Cordless

There are two types of the blender – corded and cordless. So what are the differences between the two types?

In general, the corded versions are more powerful to crush hard items. In contrast, the cordless models are more flexible and convenient to move around the kitchen.

Speed and Power

The second factor to consider is the wattage and speed settings of the immersion blenders. In the current market, a blender with a normal price is equipped with one or two-speed settings. If you want a blender with more control for various purposes, you should expect to pay extra.

Additionally, the wattage of the immersion blender will decide its power. If you are about to crush raw carrots or frozen items, a 200-250 watts blender will work for this task.

Ease of Cleanup

Most immersion blenders are easy to wash. However, some require you to clean certain parts by hand. If you don’t have time for this job, choose the one with few attachments. So you only need to let the dishwasher do the scrubbing.

Accessories

Nowadays, many models are equipped with extra accessories to perform other functions, such as slicing like a food processor or beating eggs.

These additional functions are convenient as you don’t need to buy separate appliances for the same functions. But more accessories mean more money, so consider whether you need these attachments or not.

Tips for using an immersion blender in the right ways

The first thing to know when owning an immersion blender is to understand its limitations. Avoid blending hard items such as coffee beans or frozen fruits because these things can damage your blenders’ motors and blades. Besides, you should only crush ice when the device’s manual allows you to do so.

Safety

Secondly, be careful when using the device. There are cases that users accidentally hurt themselves when using their hands to pull something out of the blades. 

You can avoid these injuries by making a habit of unplugging the device every time you finish using it.

Cleaning

Electronic devices are never a friend of water, and immersion blenders are no exception. Because the motor and electrical wire are installed in the appliance handle, you should not put the blender into the dishwashing machine.

Instead, try to hand-wash the device. However, be careful with the sharp blade as it could hurt you. A few drops of dishwashing liquid will do just fine during the cleaning process.

Top 5 Recommendations For An Immersion Blender

Top 1 – Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender

Top 2 – KitchenAid KHB2561OB 5-Speed Hand Blender

Top 3 – KOIOS oxasmart 800-Watt/ 12-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

Top 4 – KitchenAid KHB2351CU 3-Speed Hand Blender

Top 5 – KOIOS Powerful 800W Stainless Steel Stick, 4-in-1 Hand Immersion Blender

In Conclusion

After reading through today’s post about the best immersion blender America’s test kitchen, are you more confident in bringing home this useful device to assist your cooking?  

We hope the guidance and tips above have shed some light on your confusion and helped you find a suitable item. Have fun shopping!

In daily life, jars are popular to store manufactured foods and drinks. Due to this reason, jar lids are designed to be sturdy and consistent with the jars.

You can’t open the lids with your bare hand without breaking the jars. Thus, jar openers are your best solution.

This article will find buying tips to choose the best jar opener America’s test kitchen.

How To Choose The Best Jar Opener America’s Test Kitchen

To choose the best jar opener America’s test kitchen, we would divide the buying guides into the following categories.

Material

There are two types of materials used to make jar openers – stainless steel and plastic. So, which material should you choose? 

Stainless steel jar opener is very resistant to strong force and high pressure. Furthermore, it is easy to clean using the washing powder.

On the other hand, a plastic jar opener looks “weaker” and cheaper than the metal jar openers. Besides, the plastic material is easily destructured and loses its function caused by high temperature, water, and chemicals. 

Thus, if you look for a resistant jar opener, choose the metal one! 

Brand 

Our recommendation is to buy a jar opener from a well-known brand. As you know, there are thousands of jar opener brands out there. Choosing a random brand puts you at high risk; for example, the jar opener can break after a short time of use. 

In contrast, well-known brands are qualified by quality, warranty, and good customer service. Famous brands often have positive feedback from customers, so please do pay attention to the reviews. 

Diameter Range

The diameter of the lid opener must fit the lid size. Thus, remember to check the opener’s diameter range before buying.

Generally, we can tell you that while the manual jar openers have a diameter range from 1 inch to 4 inches, automatic ones have wider ranges.

Instead of having several jar openers with different diameter sizes, choose the one with a wide diameter range. 

The Review 

One of the most important tips when buying any product is checking the reviews on the manufacturer’s website. Reading the comments from previous users, you can have an overall look at the products – both the pros and cons – and avoid buying fake products. 

If the brand received mostly negative feedback, move on to another brand with a better reputation! 

Contacting the manufacturer directly is also not a bad idea. It will help you have your questions about the products answered detailedly and straightforwardly. To do so, you should go to their official website to get their contact information. 

And last but not least, cross-check different websites at the same time instead of focusing on only one brand. You should choose the one with the majority review that is positive!

Everything You Need To Know: Best Non-Stick Pan America’s Test Kitchen

Automatic and Manual 

There are many brands of jar openers for customers to choose from. Although they vary in size, style, and color, jar openers are typically divided into automatic and manual. 

The automatic one is more modern and expensive than the manual one. You don’t have to exert a strong force to open the lid with an automatic jar opener.

Therefore, if you have weak hands that can’t produce enough force, an automatic lid opener is a perfect option. And don’t forget to renew its battery once in a while.   

A manual lid opener is more traditional, which requires manual pressure to open the lids. Many people still choose manual lid openers for their kitchen due to its low price and easy-to-use function. 

Price 

How to buy a good jar opener at a good price? An expensive jar opener is not always as good as it looks. Thus, to get the best jar opener, you should pay a visit to different brands and compare their prices and the products’ functions. 

Let’s choose the jar opener that fits your budget and purpose. 

Top 5 Most Recommended Jar Opener 

Among many types of jar openers, have a look at the top 5 most recommended names below. They won’t disappoint you for sure!

1. EZ Off Jar Opener 
2. Kuhn Rikon Jar Opener 
3. Swing-A-Way Jar Opener 
4. OXO 1173600 Jar Opener
5. Kichwit Jar Opener

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, when buying a jar opener, some of you may focus on its look, others may focus on its function to bring to their kitchen life.

But, if you follow all the tips above, choosing the best jar opener America’s test kitchen will become simpler than you ever thought.

Good luck!

It is important to have a good non-stick pan that makes kitchen tasks easier. The best non-stick pan America’s Test kitchen will deliver fuss-free cooking results. Believe us, you will, without a doubt, enjoy its company and convenience. 

In our opinion, the best thing about using a non-stick pan is that you do not have to commit to time-consuming and complicated cleaning at the end of the cooking process. 

Given its significance, selecting the right non-stick pan is crucial. Although it is easier said than done, due to the vast range of options available in the market, our guide below will outline everything you need to consider to get your hands on the best non-stick pan America’s Test Kitchen!

Best Non-Stick Pan America’s Test Kitchen – A Buying Guide 

Coatings

When it comes to non-stick pans, there are different types of coatings. The most common is PTFE, which is the abbreviation for a waxy substance that gives the pan its distinct non-stick feature. 

Even though this feature is handy when it comes to washing off grease and food particles, PTFE can release toxic fumes under heating conditions of 464°F or 264°C. 

If you are considering a PTFE-coated pan, remember to keep this heating threshold in mind. Make sure you are not using these pans for high-heat cooking techniques! 

Ceramic coatings, a mixture of non-toxic components, are often preferred. However, these pans are less durable than PTFE and can chip over time. To enhance their durability, opt for gentle hand washing. It would help if you also used wooden utensils. 

Thickness

For non-stick pans, the minimum thickness should be 1.5mm. Pans should be thick enough to withstand high cooking temperatures and other impacts.

However, if they are too thick, they may become heavy and uncomfortable for users to handle. Avoid purchasing pans that are too thin because these can be prone to dents. 

Weight

This factor can actually “make or break” your non-stick pan’s ease of use. It is better to choose a light-weight pan, but it is frequently offered with smaller cooking surfaces.

The best option is a mid-weight pan. It would be best to avoid heavy, bulky pans as they will be difficult to grip during the cooking and cleaning processes. 

Heat Indicator

Not all non-stick pans will have a heat indicator. However, if you can find a pan with this feature, it will be very useful. You can easily control your cooking temperature with ease.

Additionally, you will not have to prepare a separate thermometer. 

Handle

Always choose a pan with handles that are solidly attached and comfortable to grip. Handles can set apart low-quality pans, so do not overlook this feature! 

If you choose metal handles, you will have the option of placing the pan in an oven but note that they are likely to heat up. It may be better to opt for pans with handles that include an outer rubber “armor” as an extra layer of protection.

Cool-grip handles are typically made of Bakelite or silicone.

However, the latter is more preferable as they will not burn under high temperatures or emit toxic fumes when melted. Bakelite is not 100% oven safe, so you should opt for pans with silicone handles. 

Brand 

In the cookware realm, non-stick pans are sold by many brands. Some of the most reliable and economical brands are T-Fal, OXO, Ozeri, Cuisinart, and Carote.

It is better to purchase from well-known brands because they have already been verified by other users. Most of the pans sold by these brands also go with warranties for your peace of mind. 

Price 

A good non-stick pan may not be very cheap.

If you are under a budget, you should take the time to compare and cross-check prices offered by different stores and online shopping websites. Typically, you will have to pay at least $30 for an adept non-stick pan.

Best Steak Knives America’s Test Kitchen – Buying Guide And Tips

Conclusion

Choosing the best non-stick pan America’s Test Kitchen does not have to be rocket science. You just need to know what to look for and consider the relevant factors to make an informed decision.

Hopefully, our buying guide was able to help you narrow down your choices. If you have other tips or useful information on purchasing non-stick pans, do comment below.

We are always delighted to hear from you!

If you are a cook or a Kitchener, owning a quality and sharp knife is essential. Are you in need of searching for the best steak knives America’s test kitchen? Do you want to find out the factors required in choosing a quality knife?

Let us help you with a detailed purchasing guide in the article below. We will also list the top 10 best steak knife sets on the market for your reference.

Check it out now!

Best Steak Knives America’s Test Kitchen – Buying Guide

Brand

The knife brand is one of the key factors in choosing a quality knife. You should select knives from prestigious brands to not waste your money buying cheap and low-quality ones. 

Some non-reputable brands often choose low-quality materials, such as tempered iron instead of steel, to make knives. Since this material is cheap, tempered iron knives can deform, break, or rust very easily. 

When it comes to reputable brands of knives globally, it is impossible not to mention German brands. Their products are quality controlled very strictly, which goes beyond the American standard. 

The blade

Usually, steak knives use two types of blades: straight or serrated edge.

Depending on the purpose of use, choose the right knife to match. Serrated blades are often used to cut meat, sandwiches, cakes, pizza, etc. Meanwhile, straight edges are favorable for peeling fruits, onions, herbs, etc.  

Compared to the straight blades, serrated ones are harder to sharpen, and their cuts are less precise and smooth. However, serrated blades tend to remain sharper for a longer time, and their cuts are also faster than straight edges. 

Design 

Ergonomic design, which has to adapt to your hand’s natural curves, is one of the most essentials in buying an appropriate steak knife. A suitable design makes it easier to control the knife and reduce fatigue to your hands.

Besides, the knife’s handle must be sturdy and fit tightly with the blade for the user’s safety.  

External Coating 

The outer coating is a special coating added by the manufacturer to prevent rust and external agents’ effects. This coating is usually coated with carbon steel blades because the blades of stainless steel are inherently resistant to rust.

However, if you sharpen the blade continuously, this external coating may wear out. That is why many users seem to worry about rust on carbon steel knives.

Anti-rust metals are sandblasted on carbon steel blades to solve this rust problem. After sandblasting, the blades will be covered with an eye-catching metallic layer and won’t rust when sharpened repeatedly.  

Material

The material is also an important factor when you choose a knife. A knife is known as a high-quality item when the blade is stiff and able to withstand the force well.

Many manufacturers use stainless steel for this purpose because of its rust resistance feature. However, this material is also malleable, prone to deformation under high pressure and temperature conditions.

To overcome the above drawback, the manufacturer has increased the thickness of the blade. This means the knife’s weight also increases, and the knives made from stainless steel tend to be heavier than knives made of other materials. 

There is better material for the blade – carbon steel. This material does not deform easily under high temperatures and impacts, meaning the manufacturer can produce lighter and thinner blades but can still withstand high heat and force.

How to Buy the Best Spice Grinder America’s Test Kitchen

Size 

The last but not least factor when you decide whether to buy a certain type of knife is its size.

The steak knives come in various sizes, and you should determine the knife’s dimensions through its specifications instead of only viewing the images.

Because these images are usually illustrative and do not reflect the size, you may choose the wrong knife that does not suit your preferences or personal needs. 

Top 10 Best Steak Knives America’s Test Kitchen In 2020

No.1: HomeHero Stainless Steel Knife

No.2: Bellemain Premium Steak Knife

No.3: Chicago Cutlery Fusion High-Carbon Stainless Steel Knife

No.4: Henckels International Everedge Solution 14-pc Knife Block Set

No.5: Dalstrong Ultimate Slicing And Carving Knife

No.6: Miracle Blade World Class Series 18 Piece Set

No.7: Messermeister Avanta Fine Edge Steak Knife Set

No.8: Victorinox 4-3/4-inch Wavy-Edge Spear-Tip Steak Knife

No.9: Wusthof Wusthof Classic Knives Cutlery Set

No.10: Foxel Steak Knives Knife Set

CONCLUSION

It is challenging to find the best steak knives America’s test kitchen that is worthy of your hard-earned cash. It may be easier when you have a reliable source for our decision.

Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you will choose the right knife that suits your preferences and needs.

Besides, a quality knife makes your kitchen task much easier and more enjoyable!

A spice grinder is not one of the most important kitchenware but still indispensable in both home kitchen and professional one. 

We can find many choices of spice grinders in the market. The more options we have, the harder it is to make the best purchase. So what makes a spice grinder to become “the one” for your kitchen?

Find the answer and also the best spice grinder America’s Test Kitchen in this article.

How to Decide Types of Spice Grinder?

Usually, there are two main types of spice grinders for use daily at home or restaurants, including Manual Grinder and Automatic Grinder. To choose which type is appropriate for you, you should concern your budget and demand.

Budget

As the before-mentioned, there is a variety of spice grinders in a wide range of prices. Thus, you need to make sure how much money you are willing to spend on a grinder. This helps you easily narrow down the options you can afford.

Manual spice grinders are sold at many different prices, starting from $5. Meanwhile, to purchase a good electric one, you should expect to pay at least $30. If your budget is large, you can have more options in hand.

Demand

After scaling down the list of suitable spice grinders, you should focus on your demand to pick up the finalist.

The amount of spice to grind is normally small; then, a manual grinder works well. There are 2 popular types of manual spice grinders: Press grinder and Screw-on grinder. They are easy to use and very affordable. 

In case you need extremely fine grain, it can be a little exhausting. So if your budget allows, don’t cross electric grinders out of your list.

In restaurants, both manual and automatic spice grinders are essential. The manuals are for customers to use or chefs to decorate food, and the automatics are for cooking in the kitchen. 

Therefore, to choose manual spice grinders in restaurants, you should base mostly on the restaurant’s interior design. This article will specify how to select an automatic spice grinder right below.

How to Choose the Best Spice Grinder America’s Test Kitchen

Blade Height

Normally, we only concern with the size and material of the blades.

The height of the blades is crucial too. The vertical distance between each blade directly affects the evenness of ground spice. If this distance is much larger than spice size, it allows the whole spice grain to pass under the blade and maintain unbroken or partly broken only.

The ideal height between blades should be approximately two-thirds or half of the spice grinder’s average length. It is suggested that you purchase a spice grinder supported with different blade sizes to replace suitable blades for each grinding time.

Capacity

Depending on the number of dishes or the meals you cook, the amount of space needed is variable; a perfect grinder must be able to fit your needs each time, no matter how many servings you prepare. 

It is suggested to choose a spice grinder that has a flexible capacity. You should estimate the largest amount of space you may need to grind in one time to see if the “candidate” meets the requirement.

You should check whether small containers are provided in the component package, too.

Design

Good wood better than the paint. Though, a good design is such a selling point of any spice grinder.

It is explainable how minimal design is trending these days.

Firstly, it easily fits in any kitchen interior design. All unimportant details are either eliminated or combined to keep the machine looking as simplest as possible. As a result, the simple design helps it become clean-easy.

In terms of design, we also talk about convenience. After considering the overall look, you should test the experience using the grinder. Are small components of this machine such as buttons, interface control, handle, etc. easy to use? Are containers interchangeable and easy to clean? Or how about baby locks?

Function

A grinder can have more functions than just real grinding spice. You can find many grinder models with multiple functions to grind cumin, coffee beans, garlic, etc. 

This multifunctional grinder can cost more money than the mono-functional one, though it saves you money to buy a specific grinder for each type of material and also space in your kitchen. This option should be considered.

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Top 5 Best  Spice Grinder America’s Test Kitchen

#1 Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind 4.5oz Electric Coffee Grinders

#2 Pepper Grinder or Salt Shaker for Professional Chef 

#3 Cuisinart SG-10 Electric Spice-and-Nut Grinder

#4 Hamilton Beach 10oz Electric Coffee Grinder 

#5 Tera 18/8 Stainless Steel Mortar and Pestle 

Conclusion

Above all the criteria, your real experience is far more important to help you choose the best spice grinder America’s Test Kitchen. Therefore, always remember to test the machine before you buy it. 

We hope that you can quickly decide on the ideal spice grinder for your kitchen with clear guidance in this article. 

The holiday season is right around the corner, and obviously, we all look forward to a scrumptious holiday table, right?

Making it tasty is important, but preparing the food, especially meat, is also crucial to the outcome.

Need a hand? Our best meat slicer reviews consumer reports will help you narrow down your options!

Meat Slicer Reviews Consumer Reports – Outstanding Features

Ability to cut

A good knife will surely get the job done, but sometimes cutting up foods by hand can be tiring and time-consuming. If you want to cut down on time for preparation, a food slicer is a way to go.

Also, despite its name, a meat slicer will help you with a lot more than just cutting meat. Depending on the dish you want to cook – cheeses, onions, potatoes – can all be cut up uniformly in no time at all!

Design

A machine is much heftier than just a regular knife. However, meat slicer brands on the market came up with a decent design for this kitchen gadget. 

A meat slicer usually comes with several essential parts, including a blade, a blade guard, a food tray, a ramp, and a thickness adjustment knob. 

If it’s a manual slicer, the slider will be separated from the blade by a shield to protect your hand from contacting the blade. Nowadays, most advanced machines even come with a blade sharpener built-in for extra convenience. 

Material

Since the machine is used exclusively for slicing food, the material is a make-or-break selling point. Consumers often look for a meat slicer durable material, but they also appreciate easy to clean materials. 

Knowing these concerns, most brands are producing stainless steel machines for optimal usage. This material enables a more effortless cleaning process, and it also supports specific conditions like slicing salty or wet foods. 

Buying Guide on the Best Meat Slicer

Cost

The cost of a food slicer can vary between hundreds to thousands of dollars. How much to invest depends on what you want to use the machine for.

If you are buying a meat slicer for home use only, there’s no point investing thousands of dollars in one. You can easily find models between $100 to $400 at a decent quality. 

On the other hand, if you’re investing for more frequent and heavy uses, go for costlier models. Expensive food slicers are often larger and more powerful to accommodate a larger amount of food at a higher volume. Therefore, paying more, in this case, might be more cost-effective in the long run. 

Power/Speed

The higher the wattage motors are, the faster the device will slice. But the power of the engine also influences the usage time of the machine.

Some food slicers can easily become overheated after hours of use and need to cool down before continuing. If you need it to slice lots of things at one time, this will be a huge inconvenience.

Size

This refers to the size of both the blade and the machine itself.

Depending on the space you have, aim for a suitable machine size. The blade’s size is also crucial – if you often work with larger cuts of meat or cheese, you need to choose a big enough blade to fit them on the carriage and cut them from one end to another. The most common lengths are 9-14 inches.

Sanitary

When it comes to food, sanitary should always come first. We recommend choosing a model in which you can remove its parts for thorough cleaning. If the parts are dishwasher-friendly, that’s even better! 

Safety

It’s best to look into models with non-slip feet on the bottom, protective blade guards, and a safety lock. Those will reduce the chance of you seriously hurting yourself while using the slicer. 

Popular Meat Slicer Brands

• Chef’s Choice

Not only do customers praise Chef’s Choice meat slicers for their appearance, but they also love that the device is easy to use, easy to clean, and performs nicely. So far, this brand is gold-standard in the market. 

• Continental

Continental also receives amazing reviews from customers who use their machines mostly for cutting meats. Some did say that the slicer tends to become overheated sometimes and the thickness is a bit tricky to adjust.

• Nesco

Generally, customers are happy with the power and performance of Nesco’s meat slicer. According to the majority of users, some models own more value for money than others. It is suggested that you do some research in advance to figure out the best model for your own needs.

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The Last Words

The holiday season is all about family gatherings, quality time with your loved ones, and most importantly, good foods. Let’s make it even more enjoyable by introducing a new meat slicer to your kitchen. We guarantee our meat slicer reviews consumer reports will not disappoint you.

Tis the season!