Category Archives for "Kitchen Tools"

Sous Vide: Passing Fad or Here to Stay?

In less than 5 years, sous vide cooking has moved from the food geekery fringes into the mainstream spotlight. Immersion circulators have become a popular gift item for cooks and food lovers. Food blogs–and not just “modernist” ones–have exploded with sous vide recipes and techniques. It’s a craze that’s taken the culinary world by storm.But […]

20 Ways to Use a Whipping Siphon

If you’re looking for a new kitchen tool that you can have a ton of fun with, experiment with inexpensively, and make fancy foods you never thought would be so easy, consider the humble whipping siphon. You may think it’s what Alton Brown would call a “unitasker,” used only for whipped cream, and pulled out only […]

The Best Frying Pan in Every Category, For Every Use

Looking for the best frying pan out there? What makes a frying pan “the best”? Frying pans, also called skillets, are the true workhorses in your cookware collection. They’re the best tool for searing and browning, which means they get the hardest use–hot cooking oil, rapid temperature changes, and constant scraping with utensils. They’re used primarily […]

The Rational Kitchen’s 2018 Ultimate Gift List for Cooks and Food Lovers

Kitchen items don’t always make the greatest gifts. They can be seen as too practical and unromantic to be gift material. So before you buy a loved one a kitchen-themed gift, make sure it will be appreciated.  Having said that, there are a ton of really wonderful kitchen items that can make fabulous gifts. If you’re going […]

Thinking of Getting Someone a Coffee Pod? Go Old School Instead (And Love Your Coffee Again!)

If you’re thinking about buying a pod coffee maker for yourself or as a gift for someone, please read this first. There are better ways to go–no matter what your priorities are! Coffee pods have taken over the market. According to this article, coffee pods accounted for 35% of coffee sales in 2017. This translates to […]

5 Non-Kitchen Tools That Are Lifesavers in the Kitchen

There are a lot of tools not designed for the kitchen that are useful in the kitchen. Or, there may be a kitchen version, available in a kitchen store, which will cost you a great deal more than the version you can find in a hardware store or on Amazon.  Here are five of our favorite […]

Knife Safety, Knife Care, and Knife Skills: The Basics for Beginners

If you Google for “knife safety,” “knife basics,” or “knife skills,” you’ll find a ton of articles on the Internet. The only thing new about this article is that we pull it all together into one piece: here, you’ll find basic knife safety, basic knife care, and basic knife skills all in one spot. Enjoy! Table […]

The Best Electric Pressure Cookers on Amazon (By Popularity)

The electric pressure cooker market–Instant Pots–has exploded in the last couple of years. How do you know which one to buy? Popularity can be a good way to decide, but just because a product is popular doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you.  Table of Contents The Best Sellers at a GlancePros and Cons […]

Kitchen Safety (21 Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Safer)

The kitchen is the most dangerous room in the house, so kitchen safety is important. For clarity’s sake, I’m dividing kitchen safety into 3 main categories: setup, basic practices, and food safety. Setup involves foundational principles that everyone should follow for a safe kitchen. Basic practices is about how to be careful in a kitchen: things to […]

Kitchen Tools: 5 to Splurge On and 6 to Save On (Plus Some Basic Shopping Advice)

My significant other loves the good stuff. He’s taught me the importance of quality, and I, too, have come to love and appreciate quality tools and how much better they can make a job go. In fact, that’s pretty much the philosophy of this web site: get the best stuff you can afford because it […]

Is Sous Vide Cooking Safe?

Sous vide has taken the culinary world by storm in the past couple of years. It’s easy, convenient, and perfect for so many cooking tasks. And, it makes your life easier at the same time.  But is it safe? Table of Contents First of All, What Is Sous Vide?Concern #1: Low Temperature CookingWhat Is The […]

My Favorite French Press…And One I Hated

A French press makes the best coffee in the world. With the right equipment, you can have coffee-house coffee at home! Here’s everything you need to make great pressed coffee…and a little about what you don’t need, too… Have you ever used a tool or appliance that was so terrible, you couldn’t even believe it was […]

A Guide to the Best Induction Cookware – Reviews

Looking for the best induction cookware? Quality levels vary considerably among makers, as do prices. You can end up paying too much for an inferior brand if you’re not careful. This is why it’s SO important to educate yourself about the clad cookware market before you buy. There’s a lot to know, but we demystify your […]

Is Induction Cooking Safe?

Is induction cooking safe? Because induction stoves are electrical, they have all the hazards of every other electrical appliance in your home. That is, they emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs). But how hazardous are these EMFs, and how hazardous is an induction stove? Depending on who you ask, they might be very hazardous to human health, […]