Tag: review
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Soga Citrus Lever Hand Press Review
As usual around this time of year I am drowning in lemons, limes and oranges. A great problem to have!
Apart from eating them fresh you can do so much with them. Making jars of preserved citrus, drying slices of them and making home-made salad dressings are just a few examples. I have many more here.
Best of all is making fresh juice and lemonades. I’ve had a variety of presses and juices over the years but they are either hard work and or messy. So this year I bought a Soga hand operated lever press that makes short work of any citrus glut. I am not endorsed to say this but I love it because it doesn’t use electricity, is not made from plastic and actually cleans up as easily as advertised.
The unit is well made and has a nice heavy stable base. The lever action is powerful, you don’t even need to cut the larger fruit into pieces.
Just look at how much juice was extracted from this lemon:
It breaks down easily for cleaning. The metal sieves wash up easily in soapy water and I wipe the rest of the press down with a wet cloth.
So, any negatives?
I am keeping an eye on the bolts that hold the lever in place. I noticed a bit of surface rust after a few months. So I am protecting them with a bit of olive oil after each use.
At the end of the day though I feel that I have tried everything else including electrical cold press juicers but I prefer my hand press for a steady supply of cold juice.
I hope my review helps you,
PK
Here are some more of my reviews:
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Gravy And Fat Separator Review
I was given this OXO fat separator recently by a friend.
I accepted it in part because I love new kitchen kit. The main reason though is that while I try not to buy unnecessary plastic, I hate plastic being thrown out or wasted even more.
The two questions I think we should ask of our kitchen kit is:
- Does it work as intended?
- Is it easy to clean?
What does it do?
The jug is designed to take the meat juices from the bottom of your roasting pan so you can make homemade gravy.
You don’t want all that fat though!
That is where the jug comes in. As you pour the meat juices out the fat is left in the jug because the opening to the spout is at the bottom.
You are left with fat free juices that you can thicken into a hearty gravy by whisking in some cornflour.
Happy sigh.
The cleanup
Cleanup is a breeze. Simply wash in warm soapy water or in the dishwasher.
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more of my reviews and kitchen kit:
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BBQ Grill Mesh Mat Review
I love my Weber Q 2000 but it doesn’t have a hot plate. That means I can’t cook cubed/diced meat easily.
I was making little tin foil trays as a work around but that is wasteful. Also they don’t let the fat drain away very well.
Solution:
There are a range of reusable, washable BBQ grill mats that solve the problem. They are non stick, washable and can even be cut to size. They are particularly great for meat like lamb where you really need the fat to render away.
Now with my Weber Trivet that lets me do roasts, my barbie is complete.
Here I am barbecuing some marinated chicken pieces.
Oh that mat is dirty!
No problem. Simply pop it in the dishwasher or wash it with the rest of your dishes.
Marked but clean and hygienic.
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more of my reviews and bbq ideas:
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Revel Wet And Dry Blender
I have been using my Revel Wet and Dry blender now for 6 months! I am just as pleased with it as the day it arrived from the UK. I had to ‘ebay’ it because I couldn’t find a local distributor.
It is a must have for anyone who loves their dry spices and making their own pastes.
As you know I have to sneak kitchen kit in and pretend we always had it. That or hide it in my shed. 🙂 This product is worth it!
Note:
- This is not a paid post.
Product Review
Revel CCM104CH Wet N Dry Grinder
Unboxing is always fun:
The blades and housing feel well made.
The unit’s wet blending capabilities is why I bought it in the first place. I very happy with it’s capabilities. The volumes I work with are normally small so the bowl size is spot on.
I got all this in there making a marinade.
It is also great at grinding dry ingredients such as coffee beans, nuts, peppercorns, dried garlic etc etc.
My Likes:
- Good looking unit in my opinion (who doesn’t like chrome?).
- Bowl and lid are dishwasher safe.
- Wet and dry capabilities mean you only need one machine.
- It is quick, a burst or two usually does it.
My Dislikes:
- Bowl cover can be difficult to separate from the bowl.
My Manufacturer Feedback:
- Release them in Australia 🙂
Final Thoughts:
Whilst not cheap, this compact little unit excels at making dry masalas and small amounts of curry pastes. The later tends to get lost in larger mixers and you end up losing most of it.
I would definitely buy another one if I have to but lots of people comment (for example on Amazon UK) that they are getting years of life out of their units. I think you really have to follow the short burst only mantra (laid out rather often in the manual) to avoid damaging the motor.
I hope this review helps. Feel free to send me any comments if you want to add to the review.
Enjoy,
PK
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Ozito Power X Change 18V 13mm Brushless Drill Driver PXBDS-220
This 18v cordless drill driver is targeted at the home handy person that wants a compact yet powerful drill/screw driver combo. It is in this home use context that I am reviewing the product.
Note:
- I am reviewing the features of the brushless model and also comparing it against my old Ozito 18v Drill Driver PXDDS-200.
- This is not a paid post.
Product Review
Ozito Power X Change 18V Brushless Drill Driver PXBDS-220
I love this compact yet powerful cordless drill. It is nice to not have to get my corded power drill out for 99% of the jobs around the house and garden. It weighs a mere 1.1kg (~2.42lb) and that means less fatigue if you are drilling a lot or at a funny angle or in tight spaces.
I have had my old PXDDS-200 for over 4 years and it performs as advertised every time. It never failed me, still hasn’t, and feels good in the hand. I still use it when I need two different drills bits and or a phillips head for a job and don’t want to stop to swap bits out.
This brushless drill driver impressed me as soon as I put the battery in and pressed the trigger. It felt familiar but more powerful, faster revving and stronger built.
I ran a battery length comparison against my old Ozito 18v Drill Driver PXDDS-200 by emptying a full battery in both skins. It was without any drill bits in the chuck and trigger fully depressed.
The brushless model lasted only a few minutes longer (~40 minutes) but considering it has much higher RPMs and torque than the old model I consider that quite a deal maker. By my logic you can now do more work with the same battery.
Here is the unboxing and several pictures comparing it against my old PXDDS-200 (which is always on the right).
The unit feels really good in the hand.
Here is me using the brushless drill driver to install a door seal. Note that I had the direction of rotation wrong initially but changed it easily without needing to use my other hand.
My Likes:
- Good looking unit that feels good in the hands thanks to rubberised grip.
- 2 speed gearbox with variable trigger
- The rotation direction switch can be operated with one hand.
- Internal gearing sounds and feels strong and the trigger gives you precise speed control.
- Sturdy metal non-keyed chuck that takes a 13mm drill bit.
- Much higher torque and RPM than previous model.
- 21 settings for driving and final setting for drilling.
- Uses a fast charging battery common to the rest of the range.
- 5 year warranty.
My Dislikes:
- None
My Manufacturer Feedback:
- A lock on button/switch would be nice.
Final Thoughts:
This is a great product at a reasonable price. Suitable for the home handy person or hobbyist that wants a quality product that doesn’t cost an arm or a leg.
I think the unit is brilliant and that is saying something as I still think highly of my old Ozito drill driver with the brushed electric motor. I don’t expect to have to use it but the 5 year warranty gives me peace of mind.
I hope this review helps. Feel free to send me any comments if you want to add to the review.
Enjoy,
PK
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Philips Pasta Maker Attachments
I love my Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker. Not least because it comes with lots of options for making different pasta shapes. See my full review here.
Philips supplies you with discs for making Spaghetti, Penne, Fettuccine and Lasagne/Ravioli. You can also by the premium version that comes with Chinese and Japanese Noodle, Angel Hair and Dumpling discs.
Where can I get additional shaping discs for my Philips Pasta Maker?
What will blow your mind is that there are lots of third-party discs available. I love the ones from this quality aftermarket company in Italy – pastidea.com.
Some of their shaping discs (there are many more):
- Riccioli
- Bigoli
- Bucatini (I have this one)
- Gnocchi
- Tagliatelle
- Conchigliette
- Cannellone
- Curvetti (I have this one)
- Funny shapes such as love hearts and wagon wheels.
You buy an adapter for your unit that then takes the bronze shaping discs they make. I recently bought the Fusilli disc and my family could not be happier with it.
Here is the adapter and the Fusilli disc.
You simply put the bronze shaping disc into the adapter and tighten the screw. You then place it on your Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker like the standard discs.
Pasta perfection 🙂
Enjoy,
PK
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Philips Pasta And Noodle Maker
I love making pasta the old fashioned way as much as the next guy but the Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker is one of those must have kitchen appliances. Every time I use it I am surprised how amazing it is.
It really is engineering perfection. You just pour in a cup or two of flour and some water and the machine automatically kneads and extrudes perfect pasta. You just have to cut it to your desired length with the supplied cutting tool.
I am so impressed that I wanted to show you me unboxing the unit and using it for the first time. I had already borrowed a friend’s unit so I knew it was quality.
The unboxing rewarded me with a lot of ‘retail therapy’. It was cheap too at under $300 AUD from JB Hi-Fi. You know I am big on reducing my plastic consumption so this was worth the investment for me.
Note: this is not a paid post.
The controls are clear and simple. Note the extrusion only function, sometimes you have some dough left in the machine and you don’t need to mix it again.
The build quality of the unit and the shaping discs is high. Note the grey cover on some discs. This is for cleaning the smaller holes. I will discuss that more below.
When not in use, the discs and cutting tool store away in a hidden draw.
The mixing area has a smoked see through lid so you can see what is going on. It is fun to watch and my kids love it.
Now, you won’t believe how easy clean up is. I am so lazy that I would not lie to you about this. The hardest bit is cleaning the shaping discs and Philips has a really cool solution to this. Chill out, literally! 😉
Put them in the freezer overnight and then use the special grey coloured tools to punch out the hardened dough. Then a quick clean in soapy water and you are done.
The mixing paddle is strong, non-stick and cleans easily with soapy water and paper towel.
Breaking the unit down could not be easier.
The manual is well set out and clear in its instructions. There is also a handy little cookbook with more handy hints and some amazing recipes.
Product Reviewed:
- Philips Pasta and Noodle Maker HR2357/06
Pros:
- You can make a meal for four people using only flour and water in 10 minutes.
- The instructions were well laid out, clear and give lots of handy hints.
- There is a 2 year international warranty.
- All parts are easy to clean and they store away in a built in drawer.
- You can add egg and/or dyes like spinach juice or squid ink to jazz your pasta up.
- The unit comes with 4 shaping discs for Spaghetti, Penne, Fettuccine and Lasagne.
- You can buy more shaping discs from Philips or from this quality aftermarket company in Italy – pastidea.com – see my review of them here.
- Philips makes and supplies spare parts for your machine.
- You save money and get better pasta to boot.
- Your kitchen counter is not covered in flour (if you are like me the whole kitchen gets covered in it). 🙂
Cons:
- After many uses, there are literally none I can think of (I am in awe everytime I use it).
The Verdict:
Great product at a reasonable price. It makes better pasta than I can by hand in a fraction of the time. It is a lot of fun to use and I get my kids involved pouring in the flour and cutting the pasta. No two cuts with them are the same but that just adds to the meal if you ask me.
I have one final bit of advice, make multiple batches at a time and freeze them. Just sprinkle the pasta with a bit of flour and throw them in a zip lock bag.
I hope this helps and feel free to send me any comments or tips and tricks.
PK
P.S. Take fresh/frozen pasta to your friends and family when you visit them, they will love you for it.
Some of the different shapes I have made:
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Ezysafe 3 in 1 Jar, Bottle & Can Opener: A GICICI Review
Recently my family looked after a dog for someone while they holidayed in New Zealand. Their owner stocked us up with lots of dog food cans and an amazing can opener. I had to buy my own when the doggy went back to their home as it simply is the best can opener I have ever used.
Note: This is not a paid post.
Product Reviewed:
- Ezysafe 3 in 1 Jar, Bottle & Can Opener
Pros:
- Exceptional build quality
- Cleans easily (we just wipe ours and put it away)
- Opens cans, jars and bottles
- No sharp edges left on can as it leaves a beveled edge
Cons:
Some might find the cost too high for a can opener. If you think it is too high, wait for a special as you won’t regret this purchase.
Availability:
Available online at www.bjenterprises.com.au/ for about $40 AUD.
The Verdict:
This is simply the best can opener I have ever used. There was always the odd can that my last openers couldn’t handle and I had to hack open with a knife.
No more!
🙂
Hope this review helps and feel free to send me any comments or corrections.
PK
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- See more kitchen kit posts here
- See our other product reviews here
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PK Reviews: Nylex Heavy Duty 5L Shoulder Sprayer
The Nylex 5L and 8L Shoulder Sprayer range is perfect for people with kitchen gardens, even large ones. I am reviewing several of the Nylex Sprayer range and I started with their Nylex 1.5L 360° Sprayer. Please see the other Nylex reviews here.
Today I am reviewing the heavy duty cousin of the Nylex 5l Sprayer (2017 review here).
This is a very good sprayer and you can see step up in build quality the extra money gets you. It will last you a long time and I don’t think you will regret buying it.
Spoiler Alert: I prefer the standard model’s feel in the hand and will continue to buy it. Perhaps Nylex is making the standard version to well and pricing it too cheap. 🙂 🙂
Why would you buy a pressure sprayer anyway?
With its superior seals and build quality, this pressure sprayer is perfect for spraying plants with dense hard to reach foliage (such as chili plants and tomato plants) with both targeted solutions such as pyrethrum or full plant coverage solutions such as bio-oil. You could even use it on trees such as large citrus plants.
A trigger spray (although Nylex makes good/affordable versions of these) is not going to suffice as they can’t spray upside down and don’t have the holding capacity. Turning the leaves is going to end up getting spray on you and end in foliage damage.
Note: This is not a paid post.
Product Reviewed:
- Nylex Heavy Duty 5L Shoulder Sprayer
Pros compared to standard model:
- Exceptional build quality for the seals, bottle, wand and pump
- An extra year for 3 years warranty on the UV resistant plastic bottle
- Stainless steel as opposed to a fiber glass wand with fan and jet nozzle
- Stronger D shaped handle also makes for easy pumping and even stores the wand when not in use
Similar feature to standard model:
- Safety pressure release valve that also makes for easy de-pressuring when you are finished
- Easy to read incremented 1.0L marks so you can accurately mix your concentrate solutions
- Plastic sleeve for holding labels to indicate what type of solution you are keeping the sprayer for e.g.. fungicides vs insecticides (this is one of my favourite features as I don’t like to use the same sprayer for different treatments)
- Filter mechanism avoids blockages
- Spare o-rings etc are available
Availability:
- Available at your local Bunnings https://www.bunnings.com.au/nylex-5l-shoulder-garden-sprayer_p2962002 for about $40 AUD
The Verdict:
This is a great product and I still think reasonably priced, even compared to the cheaper standard version, at the time of writing.
Build quality is very very high and you should get many years out of it. I have never had one of these block on me!
If you have never owned a pressure sprayer you will love it. You are going to use a lot less plastic packaging and save money by using concentrate sprays over premixes.
I have never had one of these block on me!
If you have any questions about the product range I recommend contacting the Nylex team at http://www.nylexwatering.com/contact-us/
Hope this review helps and feel free to send me any comments or corrections.
PK
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16cm Victorinox Swibo Curved Flexible Blade Boning Knife: PK Reviews
I have to say that as a home cook that buys meat in bulk, I love this knife. As soon as you hold the handle you can tell it is specialised for its intended task. The grip, the flexible curved blade and sharp point is designed for following the lines of bones and seams.
I am an awful “butcher” but this exceptionally sharp and well designed knife helps me get the job done with minimal wastage.
This is not a paid post. I bought mine online from http://www.kitchenwarehouse.com.au for $31.95 AUD.
Product Review
16cm Victorinox Swibo Curved Flexible Blade Boning Knife
Pros:
Cons:
Being a novice and not having anything to compare it too I can’t find any.
The Verdict:
Great product at a very reasonable price. Suitable for commercial environments and home butchery.
I hope this review helps you and feel free to send me any comments if you want to add to it.
PK
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