this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2024
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What are your unconventional kitchen tools/utensils you were skeptical of at first but feel you can’t live without?

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Small set of whetstones so I can keep my kitchen knives absurdly sharp. Sharp vs "meh" vs dull knives make a huge difference in speed, comfort and safety. I've scuffed my knives a bit getting into things, but at least they're sharp as hell and touching them up only takes a few minutes.

Also it's hardly unconventional, but a quick read thermometer (fold-out type) is almost a must.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago (3 children)

I have a shameful ikea sharpener (you know, one with a sort of a wheel you roll the blade against) but it is amazing.

Roll roll slice & dice!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

Nothing shameful about it. It gets the job done to a satisfactory level. What more can you ask for?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Whatever works, of course. I'm not trying to go all hipster, I just think it's sort of pleasant work with the whetstone, and having crazy sharp knives is weirdly satisfying.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Its okay and does the job, but learning to sharpen on a stone can be done in a spare afternoon with a youtube video and a 5 dollar diamond stone from ali. Your knives will thank you.

The 2 big problems with pull sharpeners is that they sharpen parallel to the blade, making the knife edge more brittle and they deepen defects in the blade, so if there are even tiny dents in the edge, the pull sharpeners will make them larger over time.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago

I haven't figured out how to get a good edge with stones. "it's all in the angle" but without some kind of guide I can't find the right angle. I tried marking the edge with sharpie, it helped a little bit still not as good of an edge as I get with other means.

On the flip side, I am a professional metallographer so I am extremely experienced in progressive polishing to insanely fine grits. I just don't have a good feel or control of the angle. Metallography has to be perfectly flat.

[–] Bytemeister 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Quick read thermometer is essential. Do you not cook pork chops because they come out as dry, flavorless pucks? Thermometer fixes that. No more guessing how many minutes per inch of thickness at whatever temp, just look up what "doness" you want, and check them every few minutes.

Also, digital kitchen scale, and onion goggles.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

For the onion googles:
Get a USB fan and a powerbank and aim it over your cutting surface.