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 VIDEO: Edgestar
Compact Dishwasher Demo
Dishwashers are usually thought of as built-in appliances found in
between the refrigerator and the oven. They are nestled under a
countertop, and they are front-loaded, typically taking up a lot of
space when they are opened. However, in recent years, dishwashers
have started to shrink, leading to a trend in “portable”
dishwashers.
In this first video on kitchen appliances, Nicki Naeve presents an
example of such a machine in a video, demonstrating how to use a
countertop dishwasher. This dishwasher is hooked up to the kitchen
sink, drawing on the same water source one would use to wash dishes
without a dishwasher.
First, you need to be sure the kitchen sink is relatively empty.
“It’s okay if there are a few dishes, as there will be some water
spewing into the sink during the process of washing,” says Naeve.
Naeve also points out that a portable dishwasher is small, so there
are some dishes that still need to be hand-washed. She suggests
keeping a pad on top of the dishwasher to place larger dishes when
they are clean.
Naeve demonstrates that a small container opens up in the lid of the
dishwasher. This small container is where she places the dishwashing
detergent, which is the same kind of soap used in a larger
dishwasher. “I believe this is for twenty-five plates,” says Naeve
(although she is unsure if she has ever needed to clean that many
dishes at once).
“It’s kind of like having half of a normal dishwasher,” says Naeve.
A small hookup connects to the faucet in the sink, where the hot
water is turned on. The dishwasher features multiple settings, just
like a normal dishwasher. Naeve says she has done well with the
delicate setting for most dishes. When the dishes are done, the
machines beeps. Naeve also says to be sure and turn the water off,
and press a button on the hookup that releases excess water before
disconnecting the machine.
Portable dishwashers have become popular with people living in
smaller homes or in apartments. But dishwashers are not the only
large machine that is shrinking with time.
VIDEO: Air
fryer? What is an air fryer? Phillips Air Fryer?
There was a point in time when a fryer was something only owned by
restaurants and other food-oriented businesses. A fryer was a giant,
oil-filled machine used for serving something relatively greasy, and
usually faster than other methods of preparation. This left the
average consumer with the option of pan-frying at home, which isn’t
really the same thing.
Today, people can buy an air fryer for their home. An air fryer is
typically much smaller than the relatively giant fryers found in
restaurants. An air fryer can usually sit on a countertop, right
next to the toaster oven and the coffee pot.
An air fryer is different from a regular fryer, in that it does not
require oil to heat food. According to this demonstration video, a
heating element usually placed above the food radiates heat, which
fills the cooking chamber. A small fan pulls the hot air back up and
then pushes it out away from the chamber. The heat is then pulled
back in via an air guide, creating a repeating heating cycle.
Only the bottom of the basket is open to the air. This means that
the placement of the food helps to heat itself as the hot air passes
through it and around it over and over. The heat is able to reach
every part of the serving, even if the food sits in a pile. Food in
an air fryer does not need to be turned, as it is being heated from
every angle at the same time.
Air fryers also have an exhaust system to control the pressure that
builds up over time in such a machine. The exhaust system removes a
small bit of air from the fryer, which creates a small undercurrent.
Steam and smoke are then filtered and released, much like a vent in
microwave dinners.
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Air-fried food is not much different from deep-fried
food. Air-fried food is less greasy than deep-fried food, due to a
lack of oil used in cooking. Some air fryers still call for a small
bit of oil, depending on the recipe. Even then, these machines use
far less oil than a conventional deep fryer.
VIDEO: TRU
3 Crock Buffet
The crock pot is typically a staple in most kitchens, offering a
method to simmer foods at low temperatures over long periods of
time. A crock pot is sometimes referred to as a slow cooker, and is
usually thought of as a large device that takes up a lot of counter
space. Most crock pots are taken up by one meal or side dish at a
time.
In recent years, a new type of crock pot has become popular; one
that features multiple heating elements and separate pans for
different foods.
As an example, the three crock buffet featured in this video comes
with three, two-and-a-half quart cookers. Three sets of heating
controls work independently of each other. This allows for different
food to heat at different rates, but at the same time.
The model shown here features lid rests and spaces for serving
foods. This way, even a larger machine like this one takes up less
space than one would expect, eliminating the need to place lids and
serving utensils all over the counter.
Overall, a machine like this one is useful for anyone who wants to
entertain guests with a variety of food to choose from.
Alternatively, this could also be helpful for those of us looking to
cook both the main dish and the sides at the same time, without the
hassle of taking up all the burners on the stove, or using up all of
the counter space.
VIDEO:
The 3D Pancake
Printer
One last device to consider for the kitchen that is outside of the
norm is a pancake printer. A pancake printer is a machine that
prints a pancake on a griddle, and operates in a manner similar to
an assembly line.
According to this video’s description, a pancake printer “operates
like a 3-D printer to create fun breakfast food designs.” Using a
mixture of air pressure and suction, it creates visual designs on a
seventeen-and-a-half inch long griddle that heats the batter as it
“prints.”
Images provided to the machine via an SD card are either downloaded
online from company websites, or are created by the owner using art
programs. Depending on the model, there may be additional controls
present that allow one to adjust the batter dispensing for finer
detailing of complex pictures.
A pancake printer is one of the more extreme appliances that go
beyond the basics for a kitchen. But when it comes to making your
kitchen really stand out, that’s sort of the point. Going beyond in
the kitchen calls for some creative thinking, or at the very least,
a willingness to pick out something that will make someone stop and
wonder.
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