The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

America's Test Kitchen reviews

Janet Yang's picture
Janet Yang

America's Test Kitchen reviews

Their reviews/ratings are available for free today. Normally you have to buy a membership to access them.

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/browse/bakeware

 

deblacksmith's picture
deblacksmith

Thanks for posting -- but at least for the two reviews I looked at they just don't know what they are talking about.  Pizza screens and pizza peels.  We use pizza screens to great  success to make pre-bakes and a metal pizza peels will not do the job the way a wood one will.  Makes me question their advice big time.

Janet Yang's picture
Janet Yang

Reviews are only the starting point, although they are helpful when I've absolutely no knowledge of the tools. And yes, I've bought stuff based on reviews and decided they weren't worth it. A strawberry huller, for example. That was before I learned that a paring knife does the job quicker and is easier to clean.

Have you ever noticed how many gadgets there are for garlic? They can't all be useful, and I suspect that most are a nuisance to clean. I'm back to smashing them with a chef's knife.

Melesine's picture
Melesine

They also don't know what they are talking about with the KitchenAid, Ankarsrum and Big Green Egg. They have a lot of preconceived notions about what's "right" and "good" and won't take the time to learn about how to use new concepts to them correctly, which makes many of their reviews suspect. 

Janet Yang's picture
Janet Yang

I already have a KitchenAid and didn't bother reading the mixer reviews. What can you tell me about Ankarsrum? It has a "dough roller"—does that mean a sheeter?

Melesine's picture
Melesine

Yes, I have an Ankarsrum. I've had it for a few years now. I use it for everything I'd use a mixer for. I've never used a sheeter so I can't really compare one to the pasta roller accessory ( which I also don't have).