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01-03-2008, 07:45 AM
Re: (...)
I'm fighting off some flu or something and I can't sleep. Just for fun, I decided to price out all the equipment on the Favorite things section of the February edition (pages 26-27). I googled all the items and took the best price among the first 5 or so items listed. Here are my results.
KitchenAid Professional 500 stand mixer between 400 and 500 - I averaged it out at 450.00; Benriner mandoline 35.00; Unicorn Magnum Plus peppermill 45.00; John Boos cutting board 160.00 (on sale); Kershaw Shun 7" knife 124.00 (on sale); Le Creuset's 7-1/4 quart Dutch oven 235.00; KitchenAid 8" immersion blender 50.00; Lodge 10" cast iron skillet 20.00.
That's 1,119.00. I added no tax or shipping charges. Almost half of that is the mixer. I don't bake anything more complicated than brownies, so I don't have or need the mixer (which doesn't keep me from coveting one, though). I have a mandoline which I rarely use because by the time I set it up and clean it, I can usually just slice by hand whatever I need. I have a decent pepper mill, cutting board and knives. I have a smaller Dutch oven (lodge) and a braun immersion blender and a cast iron skillet. They also mentioned a cookbook, but I didn't add in that cost since we all have them anyway.
An expensive little package.
Sally
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I'm with you, Sally, when I can't sleep I love to google food/equipment/recpe sites around the world.
Hope you're feeling better this a.m.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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I was wondering about the pricing for some of those things. Thanks for doing all the work for me!
I just found (on Amazon) a Lodge 6 qt. dutch oven (enamel on cast iron) for $46.99, I am very tempted to buy it!!
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interesting info--although the LeCreuset dutch ovens are gorgeous, I haven't been able to justify the expense. I have two cast iron dutch ovens (Lodge, I guess) that are well seasoned that work fine for me.
Madeline
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Some one - either
c@H or CI did a comparison of cast iron dutch ovens. Le Cruset was top or one of the top but they also listed two enamel $40 brands, one available at Target, that were highly recomended. If I ever remember where I saw it - I'll post what the brand names were.
Erin
Mom to three wonderful 7th graders!
The time is flying by.
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I got that Lodge 6 qt for Christmas and it was $59.00 reduced from 69. $49 is a great price, but shipping will be high - that sucker is heavy!
It was cooks Illustrated that did the comparison. They preferred the French one but said the lodge was a good substitute. I'm going to use mine today to make the CI's French Chicken in the pot.
Sally
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Isn't it funny what we do when we can't sleep? Some of my best shopping deals were found in the wee hours. Trouble is, then you're so excited you really can't sleep!
I have a Lodge cast iron dutch oven and a large skillet that I've owned for 30 years and they are still my favorite pieces. Also have a smaller one, enamaled, by Innova, kind of a take-off of Le Creuset. Then, I have two pans by Le Creuset, and they don't seem to be any different than the Innova, which is much less expensive. It's only my opinion, but I think Lodge is the best for my money. I bought it for both of my daughters last year and they like it better than their Calphalon.
Maryann
"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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Did everyone see that CI is back? They went out of business for a few months and I got a few magazines from another company, but now they are publishing again.
Cory
I am not the model.
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I did see they were back - I didn't really know they had left. I don't subscribe to their magazines, but I have a few of the their best recipe books. I got a flyer in a pan I bought for a trial issue - and it said something like "CI is back" - but I thought it was an old flyer, because I didn't know they were gone!
I wonder if they put too much time into all the books they have been publishing lately. I have noticed that a lot of the recipes in their newer magazines are dupliated in soem of their books - sort of like the way
C@H reworks their recipes in their special publication books. But I really like having the recipes in the book format and I LOVE getting the magazine in the mail!
Erin
Mom to three wonderful 7th graders!
The time is flying by.
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Sally, my hubby has some kind of membership thing at Amazon that he doesn't pay shipping for anything!
