We Talk Shop

Our dishwasher was starting to have a build-up of that scummy stuff at the bottom that you just can’t get rid of. I hated having people over and having to open up the dishwasher - it was just nasty and no matter what I did, all of the scrubbing in the world just did not get it to come out. So I saw a commercial for a new Jet-Dry dishwasher cleaner and I thought, why not.

I followed the instructions and then noticed the fine print that states that it might take two applications to really thoroughly clean the dishwasher. I wish that I had read that in the store. I was eager for the dishwasher cycle to finish so that I could open it and have one of those Doris Day moments - ok so I’m old and yes I know who she was, where you open the dishwasher and sunlight comes out it’s so clean. Well this was not one of those moments! I was disappointed to see that the scum was still there and that I had to wipe it out myself. Now this was an improvement, instead of scrubbing, I just wiped, but I was not that thrilled.

Truth be told, the build-up has not started again, so maybe the product did help. Overall, I would probably give it another shot; if I had a coupon and it was buy one get one. And my expectations will not be as high, but that is ok as long as I don’t have to scrub - wiping is fine.

A few months ago I reviewed a Philips electric water kettle that I loved, but then I discovered mineral deposits forming in the bottom. After a little research, I realized a stainless steel bottom would resolve this issue and set about looking for a replacement kettle. And here it is, T-fal’s Vitesse 7-Cup Electric Kettle has almost every feature you could want in a kettle, and a few you might not expect.

In a head-to-head battle between the T-fal and Philips kettles, the Philips still wins a few rounds — the ding when the water was ready and the measurement window showing both cups and liters.

The T-fal, however, wins in a knock out with a slightly sleeker design (we shopgirls all about the aesthetics), a stainless steel kettle bottom, and a temperate control ranging from hot to boiling. And oh, it heats faster too.

Like the Philips, the cord can be hidden, and the kettle can be removed from the base. A couple things to note though — the temperature control can be finicky. It takes a few uses before you figure out what temperature you prefer. Also, even with a stainless steel bottom, you’ll still get mineral deposits, but it’s easy to wipe away.

Get it: T-fal makes some great products, and this one is no exception. While it could be improved by adding a few simple features like a ding to signal water is heated or an option to keep the water at a certain temperature, it’s still more than worth the buy. You can find it at Amazon and Target.

I love bamboo - cutting boards, blinds, flooring, you name it. I find the texture, color and durability appealing. So when I was browsing on Amazon, I stumbled upon this bamboo cutting board set for a steal: $19.98, including shipping.

The best thing about this cutting board is that it has a storage drawer with two 5- and 7-inch, very sharp, stainless steel Santoku knives. They’re ergonomic, so comfortable to use, and they slice and dice with ease.

As with most items, there’s usually that one little thing that keeps it from being the perfect five-star product, and in this case, it’s the ease in which the drawer opens. There needs to be a mechanism to prevent the drawer from sliding as I don’t relish the thought of the one of those knives falling out.

Get it: At this price, this product is a steal, unfortunately Amazon is curently sold out, but you can sign-up to receive an e-mail when it’s available.

Next to my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, this is easily my favorite kitchen appliance. I’m sure you’re thinking “doesn’t this just boil water, you know you can do that on a stove or in a microwave?” But why, when my handy Philips kettle boils water quicker, and then dings to let me know it’s finished. It’s quick, it’s convenient, and as someone who loves hot tea and hot chocolate, I know I’ll be drinking it in minutes. The water even stays warm long enough that I can have a second cup when I’m finished.

The kettle has a few other handy features as well. The base of the kettle itself is cold to the touch, only the base is hot, so you can remove the kettle from the base and sit in safely on the table. And as an added bonus, the cord can be wrapped under the base.

Get one! This An electric kettle will be your best friend at breakfast time - boil a whole pot of water and have hot tea or coffee singles, grits, oatmeal, and anything else that requires hot water to make it. I was not able to find my exact kettle, but you can find one similar on Amazon.com.

Update 5/2/07: I am updating/amending my earlier rating for this product, which I originally gave a five. Recently, the bottom of the kettle has had mineral deposits, which can end up in my drink. I’ve ordered a new kettle with a stainless steel bottom and all the other features that I loved about this product. I’ll let you know how I like it!

It’s a spoon. It’s a spatula. It’s a spoon-spatula. Leave it to the Swiss to make hip gadgets. Not only is the silicone kitchen gadget aesthetically pleasing, but it’s multi-functional, too.

The spatula is both flexible and stiff, and with the handy-dandy spoon you can save the time of getting a second utencil (not to mention the cleanup). I find myself grabbing this before a using a regular, flat spatula because I can not only stir with it, but also use it to place food in a bowl or pour batter into the baking pan.

The only drawback I’ve come across so far is that the handle could be a little stiffer. When stirring a thick batter, I had to hold the spatula toward the spoon like gripping chopsticks, otherwise I couldn’t get a good stir going. The handle itself though provides a solid, comfortable grip.

Get it! You can buy it at a Bed Bath & Beyond or Linens ‘N Things near you or online for $7.99.

On Friday the shopgirls hassled me and gave me a deadline of Monday morning (thus, I had ALL weekend) to finally post about the Cascade 2IN1 Action Pacs with the Power of DAWN that we received from a PR agent. A rep for Cascade wrote to the We Talk Shop feedback mail saying she would send us free samples (for each shopgirl) to try out. Right on we said! Right on!

I tried them first and have pictures to prove my efforts. I had let a cake dish crust over (before photo), put it in with a bunch of other nasty dishes, popped in one of the Cascade tablets into my Bosch dishwasher and waited for the results. Viola! The dish came our sparkling clean (after photo). Now, I have to admit, I am impressed with the Cascade tablet, but I love, love, love my dishwasher (that’s another post). I’ll have to let you decide if you think it was my dishwasher or the Cascade that did the trick.

What I do like about the tablets is that you don’t have to unwap the tablet before you pop it in the dishwasher. It’s individually sealed, but the entire thing goes in the washer and somehow evaporates with the washing. The package does instructions to not unwrap or punture the pouch, and to reseal the large bag after each use. Wonder if they dry up or something. I’m pretty lazy with stuff like ziplocking a bag. I’d rather just keep the bag open in the cabinet so I can just reach in and grab it.

OK, shopgirls, your turn.

Get it! I think they are about $3 something per bag of 20 pacs and you can find them anywhere.

I was in my Super Target the other day and noticed that they have also started selling their own brand of flavored waters, Archer Farms. Now this might not be new to some of you - but I don’t get out much - so I was intrigued and had to buy a four-pack. I was impressed with the variety of flavors; peach, lemon, spearmint & grape.

The spearmint sounded really refreshing, so that was the one that I decided to try. It was great. It was a really hot day and I made sure that the water had been in the frig for a while before I tried it and wow was it refreshing. Definitely something that I will buy again. The flavor was not overpowering, very subtle and light.