Appliances – FoodWatcher

10 Fancy-ish Kitchen Upgrades That Are Actually Worth It

We’ve teamed up with LG to help you level up your kitchen game. Whether you’re in the market for a new, energy-efficient range or you’re looking to splurge on a state-of-the-art wine fridge, LG has you covered when it comes to reliable home appliances….

As a recipe developer and cookbook author, I spend the majority of my time in the kitchen. Not only is it the place where I work, but it’s also the central hub of my house. It’s where friends congregate when they come over, it’s where we cook as a family, and, let’s be real, wherever the food is, that’s where I want to be. Needless to say I have a lot of opinions on all things kitchen-related. While I pride myself on being able to cook anywhere, there’s nothing quite like a well-equipped kitchen to make cooking—and gathering—a breeze.

An Ode to a Toaster Oven That Can Do It All

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

I didn’t grow up in a toaster-oven home. Honestly, when it came to kit…

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

I didn’t grow up in a toaster-oven home. Honestly, when it came to kitchen appliances, my parents kept it fairly simple. Along with the standard staples (a refrigerator, freezer, oven, and stove) we had a 2-slice toaster, blender, coffee maker, and microwave. If my mom was feeling really wild, she’d bust out the Crock-Pot. Rice was made on the stove, cake batter was usually mixed by hand, and cans were opened via manual, crank technology—the first time I was introduced to an electric version my hands sighed in relief.

8 Things That You Should Never Ever Put in the Microwave

The microwave—or as some professional cooks like to call it, “Chef Mike”—is one of the most useful tools in any kitchen. There are few (if any) appliances capable of reheating leftovers, poaching salmon, steaming sweet potatoes, and occasionally burning popcorn. While the list of foods you might want to cook in a microwave continues to grow (thank you, David Chang), because of what a microwave is—and how it works—there are certain things that never belong inside of it.

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How Does A Microwave Work?

Microwave ovens create electromagnetic microwaves that are absorbed by food. Those microwaves cause water molecules in food to vibrate, creating the heat that cooks your food. For this process to work, microwaves must be able to pass through the container holding your food. Microwaves will pass through glass, paper, and ceramic objects, making them the preferred materials for microwave-safe cooking. However, microwaves do not pass through metal, making it problematic for the appliance.

Oven-Safe Glass Ramekins (Set of 6) $32–$50

Mepal Prep Bowls (Set of 4) $55

Mepal Ultimate 7-Piece Nested Storage Bowl Set $125–$140

How Does A Microwave Work?