Where could I buy a... [household item]? - Page 2

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I see you've bought most of what you're looking for kitchen-wise but I'd recommend checking out cooksillustrated.com for product reviews on some of the stuff you haven't bought yet. I usually cross-verify CI's reviews with Amazon just to be sure but 90% of the time they're spot on. You can sign-up for a free 14-day trial to access their full site. Also, All-Clad is definitely a good choice in cookware IMHO.

Rowenta or Board C60.


Buy a Miele.


This one is by use. Buy either a European or Japanese chef's knife, a paring knife and a carving knife. People will talk all day about high quality, but realistically you could buy 10-15 cheap knives for the price of a nice one, and probably stay ahead of the curve if you end up paying someone to sharpen your expensive knives; however, I think MAC knives are nice and right at the drop-off of price/value. Don't worry about stamped versus forged, for the most part that distinction won't matter unless you are a knife geek and there are certainly stamped knives that are better than forged ones out there. I like Shun for highly available knives.


Assuming you mean cutlery - It's all the same nowadays. Just buy whatever looks good - the additional finishing that companies like WMF used to do doesn't happen anymore. If you mean actual silver - well, I have no idea - maybe Christofle if you have big money.

I've posted this before, but this is the definitive article:
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?...etop-cookware/

Here is a suggestion. Don't come to a forum like this one for these sort of things. Go find the super-obsessive site, comb through it for about an hour and just pick the one that people who have invested a ton of time into whatever it is say is the best value. Examples: e-gullet for cookware, seventypercent.com for chocolate, avsforum for TVs, coffeegeek for coffee, some washer/dryer site I can't remember offhand.

How do you know you are on the obsessed site? When you see multiple posts where a person has owned six or seven of the top models in their quest for perfection. When someone has bought 6 different $1500 laundry washers and the accompanying dryers, then you know you are in the right place.

If you have the money, get one, it is a better vacuum cleaner than a standard Eureka and full of small thoughtful features. Depends on how much cleaning you do and if you have pets too.

If not, get whatever Consumer Reports recommends. It is a vacuum cleaner, they are all pretty decent after a certain price point. Personally, I'd skip bagless ones since they usually make a mess when you try and open them.

Some things aren't worth agonizing over on decision making. Decide whether you want a canister or upright (I like canisters), and then go get one.

If you eventually remember the name of that forum, I would be interested in it. I hate buying big ticket items like that without getting some informed opinions on them.

You must be simply awesome cook since you can cook on all-clad steel pans.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/laundry/

^^ Thanks.

Target. For a 1BR apartment, a domestic canister is what you should have, with a powered brush for carpets and some interchangeable attachments for blinds and smooth floors and crevices. Sears will usually carry some very well rated Kenmore models. I am partial to Miele and have had one of their canisters for 18 years without a problem. They are a little pricey, but powerful and reliable. Costco carries both Dyson and Electrolux. Dyson's are popular for bagless models, and Electrolux get good ratings, but are less convenient on tool storage. Miele's are sold through local vacuum shops, but Abt Electronics also sells them online. Buy a 6-inch utility knife, a 3-4 in parer and an 8-inch cook's knife for starters. Add an 8-inch granton blade slicer later. I recommend Henckels four-star. Wusthof trident is my second favorite. Get 1-piece poly handles. One very good low-cost brand is Victorinox Forschner; another is F. Dick. Avoid wood-handled knives. Ditto for ceramic blades. Cutco is absolute junk. Other knives like cleavers, boning knives and the various Asian-pattern cooking knives should wait until you discover a need for them. Cooking shops are the best for one-stop shopping, department stores would be a second choice. There are tons of online knife sales sites. Marshalls, if you want a deal. Target. Department stores and mall home goods shops like BB&B for more selection but at higher prices. An 8-inch uncoated Calphalon fry pan will do yeoman work for you. A Lodge cast-iron 12 inch skillet is a basic item also. A Windsor saucepan and a 2 or three quart saucepan and finally a stock pot if you do soups. Roasters, specialty griddles and the like can wait until the need arises. Le Creuset enameled iron is great, but there are cheaper alternatives that are fine.