Cooking Stack Exchange
Cooking Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [equipment]

Questions on selecting, maintaining, and using cooking tools and equipment.

Any piece of equipment typically found in a kitchen and/or used in the preparation of food should be given this tag. Both utensils and appliances are considered equipment.

Not all equipment questions are on topic for this site. Please refer to the categories and examples below:

On Topic

  • Operation

    • How important is it to preheat my oven?
    • How can I safely use a blender with hot liquids?
    • Is it safe to make tomato- or wine-based sauce in a cast iron pan?

  • Evaluation and Selection

    • What should I look for when purchasing a blender?
    • What are the practical differences between a gas vs. induction range?
    • Is there a tool/appliance available that can help me grate onions faster?

  • Care and Maintenance

    • How do I clean a wooden cutting board?
    • How do I season a cast-iron pan?
    • Why shouldn't I put knives in the dishwasher?

Off Topic

  • Installation and Repair

    • Where can I find a replacement gasket for my blender?
    • How do I fix my broken ice maker?
    • Can I install a 40 amp oven/range in a 50 amp receptacle?

  • General Recommendations/Reviews

    • Any experiences with the Acme X-Slice 4000?
    • Which microwave should I buy?
      Note that exceptions may occasionally be made for product searches fitting a very narrow criteria. Ask these only if you have already attempted to locate a specific type of product via normal channels (Google, Amazon, etc.)

Additional Guidelines

  • Questions about equipment should not be considered off-topic based solely on the specific type of equipment being discussed. If it is typically found in the kitchen and used to prepare food, it is eligible.

  • Questions about specific models may be too localized, if very few people own that model or it's sold only in a very small geographic area. But questions about specific manufacturers or models which are widely sold and known are fine. For example, asking about a detail of KitchenAid mixers, which are extremely common in the US, is not much more localized than asking about stand mixers. But asking about your custom-commissioned RoboJetWhizzer 9X47J food processor/spray applicator is too localized.

See here for a more detailed explanation of these points.

1266 questions
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Sharpening a knife

Lets say I sharpend my knife starting with Grit 400, then 1000 up to 3000 and 6000 but its still is too dull. If i want to sharpen the blade again do I restart with grit 400 or 1000 ? And is there a way to tell where to start again?
Herrsocke
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What are some good tips or techniques for using a carbon steel wok on electric coil range?

I was just given a carbon steel wok for christmas. I used it to cook my first stir-fry vegetable dish and I noticed on that the directions indicated to cook on a high flame. I was not sure if this translates to an electric range as turning on the…
gangleclums
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does a tool like air bag opener exist for paper bag application?

There are these air bag openers that exists which are used in the food industry and assist with packing food: https://www.pack-secure.com/Bag-Opener-_c_513.html Is there a tool, hand held or otherwise, that can be used for paper bags of this nature?…
user80058
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Batter not sticking to aluminum rosette

The batter doesn’t stick to the rosette when I dip it, it falls off. What am I doing wrong? I made the batter, heated the rosette for 15 minutes, and dipped it into batter, which didn't stick.
Veronica guerra
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What vessel should I choose for Lactofermentation?

Do I have to use a mason jar to ferment veggies? Or would any jar do? In case of the latter, does it have to be air sealed?
Tal
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How can I achieve an even heat across a large paella pan?

I just used a 20" paella pan to make a large paella for 10 people. The pan covers 4 burners. The problem that I had was that the center of the pan never reached the temperature of the parts of the pan under the burners. If I raise the gas levels…
KenK
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How do professional chefs keep food thermometers clean between uses?

Assuming there will always be some occasion where the food tested will not be cooked properly, what method is used to prevent cross contamination?
Greybeard
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Glass still safe after boil-off?

I accidentally let all the water boil off in my standard glass kettle (if it matters, it's a Medelco WK112 OneAll Stovetop Whistling Kettle). It didn't crack, and cleaned up fine. But might there be a lingering chemical change that's left the glass…
Brendan
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Plastic on grill: is my family safe?

I received an unwanted letter and, my county not allowing open-burning, I used my closed-top propane grill to burn it. After sticking it into the slots, I realized that this is imprudent, because of the plastic in the envelope (and possibly in the…
user76448
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How to tell if a vegetable steamer contains titanium

How do I find out why steamers sometimes have titanium, and which ones, if so? Also, why is it there in the first place?
Katie McKee
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Is this a sneeze guard?

I'm about to start selling my baked goods at a farmers market, and I want to purchase a clear, portable, acrylic sneeze guard - like that: The problem is, I can't find anywhere in the US/Canada that sells them. They are very common in the UK and…
James29
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Bisquick waffle surface is inconsistent. Likely equipment or recipe problem?

I've been using the same waffle recipe and waffle maker for about 10 years. Lately, my waffles have changed a bit. Waffle iron takes quite a bit longer to indicate done. Previously I'd expect it to be ready a few seconds after a 5 minute timer…
BowlOfRed
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How to achieve freeze dried strawberry flakes?

I was following this really cool recipe to make a kind of snack made mostly of granola, coconut flour and freeze dried strawberries. When done right, it seems to be really photogenic, here is a picture from the blogger: However, when I got to the…
Arash Howaida
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How to compensate for high altitude when baking bread in a bread machine?

I have heard that high altitude can create bad results when making bread in a bread machine. I live at 7,000 ft above sea level. If I bought a bread machine, is there some way to compensate for the altitude, so that the results are still good?
Village
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Should a cook be concerned about the type of symmetrical edge-grind from the manufacturer on a chef's knife?

Asymmetrical edges are out of scope of my question because I feel like they're too different from symmetrical edges as it relates to the question. If the stock edge-grind on a chef's knife is any rounded variation, is that something that should be…
Ryan Mortensen
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