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Wednesday, October 12, 2022

The Best Dentist Approved, Inexpensive, 5-Mode Electric Toothbrush

I have been using Oral-B or Philips Sonicare ultrasonic toothbrushes for many years, at my dentist’s recommendation. In August, I replaced my old, expensive ultrasonic toothbrush with an excellent and surprisingly inexpensive model (from a lesser-known brand), which has smaller brush heads that fit into hard-to-reach areas, soft, rounded bristles that are gentle on my aging gums, and a choice of five brushing modes.

Even though my new sonic electric toothbrush had great customer reviews and was highly recommended by a well-known and respected YouTube influencer whose product recommendations I have come to trust, I was still a bit skeptical about the quality of such an inexpensive product. However, my oral health team was impressed with the state of my teeth and gums during my routine dental cleaning and checkup 10 days ago. I'm delighted that my new brush has been dental hygienist- and dentist-approved.

I'm excited to share my product review of this terrific electric toothbrush set, which comes with seven regular brush heads, an interdental brush head, and a fitted case for storage and travel and costs just $19.99 on Amazon as of October 12, 2023.

Note: The brand I purchased, Dnsly, is no longer available, but the TEETHEORY and Fairywill brands make nearly identical models with the same features.

Sonic Electric Toothbrush With Custom Travel Case, Protective Cover and 8 Brush Heads

Why This Sonic Electric Toothbrush Is a "Best Buy" For Savvy Consumers

Here are some of the key features that make this Sonic Electric Toothbrush Set With 8 Brush Heads and Travel Case a smart purchase.

40,000 VPM for Effective Cleaning and Plaque Removal

Although the American Dental Association says that both manual and electric toothbrushes can clean teeth effectively when using the correct brushing technique, clinical studies have shown that “electric toothbrushes, which combine ultrasonic and sonic (or acoustic and mechanic) actions, may have the most promising effect on good oral health” compared to manual toothbrushes.¹

It vibrates at up to 40,000 VPM (vibrations per minute), which is in the same ballpark as many ultrasonic toothbrush models from Philips Sonicare and Oral-B.

¹Digel, I., Kern, I., Geenen, E. M., & Akimbekov, N. (2020). Dental plaque removal by ultrasonic toothbrushes. Dentistry Journal, 8(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj8010028

Choice of Five Brushing Modes

There are five tiny LED lights down the front of the handle labeled W, C, S, P, and M, respectively, that allow you to choose among the following brushing modes to customize your oral health care routine:

White mode (W): strong vibration helps whiten and brighten teeth by removing surface stains.
Clean mode (C): medium vibration for routine cleaning / twice-daily brushing.
Sensitive mode (S): gentle vibration for first-time electric toothbrush users or those with sensitive teeth and gums.
Polish mode (P): strong vibration/invert frequency helps polish and brighten teeth.
Massage mode (M): gentle vibration/invert frequency for gum massage and increased circulation to improve the health of your gums.

Note: I could not find any information on what "invert frequency" means (or does) in the context of electric toothbrushes.

Just press the large Power on/off button (inside the gold circle) repeatedly to cycle through the different modes. The nice thing is that it will remember the mode you used last and return to that setting automatically the next time you press the Power button.

I have used the Clean, White, and Massage modes so far. I think the White mode is gentle enough for daily use, thanks to the soft, rounded bristles on the brush heads.

2-Minute Smart Timer With 30-Second Quadrant Reminders and Auto Shutoff

Most dentists recommend brushing your teeth for 2–3 minutes, or 30–45 seconds per quadrant. This sonic electric toothbrush pauses after each 30-second interval to let you know it's time to move on to the next quadrant, then shuts off automatically after two minutes.

7 Brush Heads and 1 Interdental Brush

The American Dental Association recommends that you replace toothbrushes, or brush heads for an electric toothbrush, every three to four months (or sooner, if the bristles are visibly frayed).

The brush heads have blue bristles at the top and bottom that, with use, gradually fade from blue to white as a helpful reminder to discard and replace the brush head.

I really like the smaller brush heads and the thin, pointed, interdental brush head with white bristles, since both make it easier to get into tight, hard-to-reach areas. The interdental brush is also great for cleaning around and in between dental braces.

The DuPont bristles with rounded tips are gentle on gums and enamel, which is another reason I decided to try this set.

30-Day Rechargeable Battery Life

A full charge, which takes 4 hours, lasts for about 30 days, based on brushing for two minutes twice a day.

USB Charging (Charging Cable Included)

The included USB cable can be plugged into any socket with a USB interface, such as a car, laptop, or phone charger adapter or power bank socket. You can keep both the cable and an inexpensive USB wall charger/plug adapter in the bathroom for when the battery needs charging (roughly once a month).

This sonic toothbrush has a low battery indicator that lets you know when it's time to recharge it. It also automatically shuts off after the battery has been fully charged to prevent overcharging.

Fitted Travel Case and Protective Brush Head Cover

The hard plastic, fitted toothbrush travel case has molded sections to hold the handle, one brush head, and the interdental brush head. There is also a space-saving clear, hard plastic brush head cover if you want to travel with just the handle and one brush head, rather than the larger, fitted storage case that also holds the interdental brush head.

IPX8 Waterproof

The IPX8 Waterproof rating (an improvement from the IPX7 Waterproof rating on my Dnsly brush) means your electric toothbrush can survive immersion in fresh water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes without damage.

You can thoroughly clean the entire brush with soap under hot running water and even brush your teeth while you are taking a shower if you wish!

Lightweight

The brush itself weighs just 55g, "less than half of ordinary sonic toothbrushes" according to the manufacturer's product information.

Two Color Choices

I purchased this set in black, but it also comes in pink.

Pink sonic toothbrush set with 8 brush heads and travel case

Purchase the pink toothbrush set on Amazon

Less Than $20 for the Entire Set

At just $19.99 for the black or pink set, with free shipping for Amazon Prime members as of 10/12/23, this set delivers a huge bang for the buck.

2 electric toothbrush sets (one black and one pink) with replacement brushes and travel cases

Available on Amazon

You can also get a set of two sonic toothbrushes, one black and one pink, with 12 color-coordinated brush heads (five of each color), 2 color-coordinated interdental brushes, and 2 color-coordinated fitted travel cases) on Amazon for just $39.98. Having two sets in different colors makes it easy for spouses, partners, siblings, roommates, etc. who use them to tell which toothbrush is theirs.

Features Not Included in This Sonic Electric Toothbrush Set

Even though this set is excellent and a tremendous value, there are a few features that some of my previous Oral-B and Philips Sonicare ultrasonic toothbrushes had that this one does not.

No Charging Base

The only way to charge this sonic brush is with a USB cable (included). While many people prefer this method, some may prefer having a dedicated charging base plugged in near the bathroom sink.

Since hearing several respected medical and dental experts advise "Don't brush where you flush," I have started storing my toothbrush in my bedroom instead of my bathroom anyway, so the USB charging requirement isn't an issue for me.

No Battery Charge Level Indicator

My last Oral-B ultrasonic toothbrush had four stacked LED lights on the handle to indicate how much charge was left. I used to store the toothbrush on its charging base, however, so I never looked at it unless I was traveling for an extended period.

The low battery indicator works fine for my purposes.

No 3-Minute Timer Option

I liked the choice of 2-minute (30-second intervals) or 3-minute (45-second intervals) brushing times on my pricy Oral-B model. However, if I want to spend a bit more time on certain areas, it's easy enough to press the mode button of my choice to resume brushing after the 2-minute automatic shutoff.

Note: None of my Oral-B or Philips Sonicare toothbrushes had Bluetooth connectivity or wireless fast charging, and neither does my new brush. However, one or both of these features are built into many of the newer models from these leading brands.

The Perfect Travel Toothbrush

Even if you don't want to replace your current ultrasonic toothbrush, this very inexpensive sonic set would be great to keep in your carry-on luggage for traveling, thanks to its long battery life, convenient USB charging, toothbrush travel case, and protective brush head cover.

A Great, Affordable Gift Under $20

This electric toothbrush set would make a great gift for anyone who is currently using a manual toothbrush, wears braces, is a college student, or has difficulty getting their current toothbrush into hard-to-reach places.

It also makes a great stocking stuffer. No one would guess that this set, complete with a travel case, brush head cover, seven brush heads with fading bristle replacement indicators, an interdental brush head, and a USB charging cable, costs less than $20!

The Best Dentist Approved, Inexpensive, 5-Mode Electric Toothbrush by Margaret Schindel

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kits

Pumpkin Carving Kits Reviewed

The fall season is certainly upon us, the leaves are turning beautiful colors and beginning to fall from the trees.

Halloween is right around the corner. I always considered Halloween the kickoff to the Holiday season. Driving around you can see all of the fun and scary outdoor decorations in many of the yards.

After the decorations are up and it gets closer to Halloween night it's time to carve the pumpkins. We always pick a night right before Halloween and have a pumpkin carving party. I call it a party because our daughter and grandsons come over to carve our pumpkins. And if we are lucky our son and daughter-in-law will make the two-hour trip to be here with our granddaughters to join in the fun.

Our Pumpkin Carving Kit

For making pumpkin carving fun and easy I bought this kit a few years ago and the whole family loves the tools in this kit.

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kit Features:

High-quality stainless steel tools
Double-sided stainless steel detail tools
Sharp pumpkin shovel tools with scraper
Sturdy saws for accurate cutting

To be honest with you, I don't even know what all of these tools can do but my daughter and grandchildren sure do. This set certainly makes carving fun and easy. Well, I'm not sure that any of it is easy but it sure is fun.

We always have a fun night carving our pumpkins and admiring everyone's hard work in the end. The pumpkins in the intro photo are last year's creations, and that is only half of them, they carved six pumpkins in total. Then, on Halloween night I line our walkway to the porch with their pumpkin creations.

For more Halloween fun my friend Olivia Morris reviews: Decorations for the Home

For Crafting decorations my friend Cynthia Sylvestermouse reviews: This easy Craft Kit

Don't forget about those delicious pumpkin seeds read my: Air Fryer Pumpkin Seed Recipes

15-Piece Pumpkin Carving Kits for Halloween, 5 Professional Stainless Steel Pumpkin Sculpting Tools, 10 Detail Sculpting Tools for Halloween Jack Pumpkin Lanterns NESSTU Pumpkin Carving Kit, 28PCS Halloween Pumpkin Carving Tools Professional Pumpkin Carving Set Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Jack-O-Lanterns Pumpkin Carving Knife Pumpkin Carving Kit Tools Halloween, CHRYZTAL 13PCS Professional Heavy Duty Carving Set, Stainless Steel Double-side Sculpting Tool Carving Knife for Halloween Decoration Jack-O-Lanterns

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Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Halloween Decorations for the Home ~ A Holiday Product Review

Just in case you were wondering, Halloween is coming up quickly! In three short weeks it will be upon us full blast. Are you ready?

If you enjoy Halloween as much as I do, you can go to great lengths to decorate your home for this frightful holiday. Your decor can be as easy as a whole bunch of pumpkins and gourds artistically displayed, to a full out haunted house. It is all up to you.

Decorating should be fun to do and easy to remove once the holiday is over, in my humble opinion. To that end, I went looking for decorations that would fit nicely into my "easy" lifestyle.

Wouldn't you know it, good old Amazon.com has a great selection of really easy and not too expensive outdoor decorations that fit that bill perfectly.

Inflatable decorations are easy to put up and even easier to take down again. In most cases all that is required is a long outdoor extension cord to plug these in.

These inflatables can be cute or really scary. Pumpkins and ghosts are good fun choices, but those witches and goblins, werewolves and skeletons are pretty popular too.

Just around the corner from us, one home has several of these blow up decorations that are lit up for the evenings. They are lovely, easy to place and easy to remove too! That's important because we all know that right after Halloween we will shift to Thanksgiving and Christmas decor instead! So that easy removal is a bonus for sure.

Everyone has been waiting for a great reason to celebrate and I can't think of a holiday that is more fun than Halloween. I love watching the little ones who are just so cute in their costumes and really don't understand the whole concept of knocking on doors and getting candy. Their eyes tell the story and the awe which they are in is contagious. Of all the holidays in the year, I think this one is the one that makes me feel young again. After all I can get myself dressed up too and I will! No one will know who is hiding under that disguise!

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Friday, September 30, 2022

Waffle Plates for Cuisinart Griddler Reviewed

Almost 7 years ago, I purchased a Cuisinart Griddler Countertop Grill & Griddle. We bought it primarily so my husband could grill steaks, hamburgers, and pork chops indoors during the winter months. However, we quickly found additional uses for the Griddler.

The Griddler plates are two sided. The grill is on one side of the plates and the flat griddle is on the other side of the plates. You simply insert them on the side you wish on cook on. I frequently use the griddle side for pancakes and eggs. The Griddler is so much easier to use than a skillet because it sits higher and has no sides to work around.

I've never been particularly fond of waffles, but my husband loves them. I also purchased the standard Griddler waffle plates imagining that I would make waffles for him. However, in the 7 years we have had our Griddler, I have never used the standard square waffle plates. Then, a few weeks ago, I noticed Griddler now has heart shaped waffle plates. I immediately bought them! Because I was excited to make heart shaped waffles, I used them as soon as they were delivered. They were so much fun to make, plus they are delicious, that I have made them several times in the last few weeks.

Turns out, if they are heart shaped, I love waffles!

Heart Shaped Waffle Plates for the Cuisinart Griddler

Using the Griddler is very easy. All of the cook plates are coated with a non-stick Teflon, but I still use a cooking spray when making waffles.

Waffle Plates for Cuisinart Griddler GR-4NP1 5-in-1, Cuisinart Griddler Waffle Plates, Nonstick coating baking waffle plates,2 pcsCheck PriceThe cook plates are dishwasher safe. I normally wash the waffle plates by hand, but I do put the grill plates in the dishwasher to make sure all meat residue is washed away and the plates are clean.

To make waffles, I used Pearl Milling Company (previously Aunt Jemima) Original Pancake & Waffle Mix.

Waffle Recipe for Cuisinart Griddler

1 Cup of Pearl Milling Company Original Pancake Mix
¾ Cup Milk
1 Egg
2 Tablespoon Oil

Whisk all together well and let it set for 5 minutes. Spray each Griddler plate lightly with a cooking spray. Cook on Griddle Setting on 375 for 3 – 3 ½ minutes

One recipe makes 2 full 5-hearts shaped waffles & 1/2 of another. Serve them with maple syrup or other flavored syrup. I personally love Smuckers blueberry syrup, but my husband prefers the maple syrup.

You can cut the waffles into individual hearts after they are fully cooked or leave them whole. We have laughed over whether the waffles are hearts, flowers, or ice cream cones. Yes, they are meant to be hearts, but we have enjoyed "seeing" other shapes in the waffles.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

The Best Affordable, Super Sharp Kitchen and Steak Knives Set

Sharp knives are the most important tools in any kitchen. A good chef’s knife, slicer (AKA carving knife), santoku, utility or prep, paring, and serrated bread knife (along with a boning knife, if you frequently debone bone-in meat or poultry) can help you accomplish any food cutting, slicing or chopping task faster and more efficiently.

Using only very sharp kitchen knives is extremely important, not just because they enable you to make faster, easier, more precise cuts but also because they’re safer. A dull blade that doesn’t slide easily into the food you are slicing, paring, etc., requires more force and is much more likely to slide off the food and slice into your finger or hand instead.

Fortunately, with a little effort, it is possible to find good quality kitchen knives that retain their sharpness well with just simple, routine maintenance. In this product review, I’ll share the well-made, affordable, super sharp kitchen and steak knives set I bought last month that also includes a wood storage block.

Photo of Astercook 15-piece knives and knife block set

True confession: I held onto our 30+-year-old Chicago Cutlery stainless steel kitchen knives for way too long. I received the set as a gift when I was too young to know that kitchen knives shouldn't go through the dishwasher (regardless of "dishwasher safe" marketing claims that benefit manufacturers and retailers by increasing both short-term and long-term sales, since blades with ruined edges needs to be replaced more often). The riveted wood handles had become loose and wobbly thanks to swelling and shrinking during dishwasher cycles, and the blades had become so nicked and dull that they couldn't hold an edge even with routine honing and sharpening. This made slicing, dicing, chopping and cutting slow and laborious and caused more frequent cut fingers. I don't know why I waited so long to replace them.

Not All High-Carbon Stainless Steel Knives Are Alike

Several years ago, I took advantage of an Amazon Prime Day deal for a kitchen and steak knife set with sharp blades and molded plastic handles. It also included kitchen shears and a wood storage block with a built-in blade sharpener instead of a honing rod (before I knew that frequent sharpening was a bad idea!).

I explained to my husband that, unlike our previous, beat-up set that had been through the dishwasher countless times (and had the beat-up, dull edges to prove it), our new one had high-carbon stainless steel blades that would need to be hand washed and towel dried thoroughly immediately after use to avoid rust. John is a wonderful cook who makes dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights (I am so blessed!). However, whereas I try to clean as I go when I'm cooking, he prefers to focus on the food and leave the clean-up until after dessert. Old habits are hard to break, and despite his best efforts, he often forgot to wash and dry the new kitchen knives right away. Predictably, the blades routinely developed light rust spots. Eventually, we gave the set to a young relative who was moving into his first apartment.

I bought a Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef's Knife (model 45520), the winner of Cook's Illustrated favorite chef's knives under $75, which my husband and I really enjoy using. It has a molded, ergonomic, thermoplastic handle for a comfortable grip and sharpens very nicely. Best of all, it can be hand washed and left to drip dry in our awesome over-the-sink dish drying rack without developing rust stains, which makes both of us happy, and cost less than $40 on Amazon (as of this post's publication date). We love it so much that I gifted one to my brother when he started teaching himself to cook. It's still my husband's go-to kitchen knife.

We already owned an excellent handcrafted, serrated bread knife with a beautiful handle that I had purchased long ago at an upscale art and craft fair from the man who made it. Between it and our Victorinox Fibrox Pro, we made do just fine for a year or two. However, while a chef's knife is the single most useful size, shape and style, it isn't optimal for tasks like paring, carving, or making precision cuts or paper-thin slices. So, a few months ago I started looking for a new kitchen knife set that we could use without having to worry about rust spots developing if they weren't washed and dried as soon as we finished using them.

My first step was to check out Cook's Illustrated's knife block set reviews. None of the preconfigured sets they tested met their criteria for top picks. Instead, they put together two highly recommended sets that buyers could assemble but purchasing specific, individual kitchen knives and the testers' favorite knife block. The total cost of these two assemble-your-own "knife block sets" came to $440 and $224, respectively, well above my target price range.

Next, since I really wanted the sharpness and more refined edges of high-carbon stainless steel blades, I decided to look at moderately-priced high-carbon stainless steel kitchen knife sets with "dishwasher safe" marketing claims. Even though I would never put mine in the dishwasher, I reasoned that a set that claimed to be dishwasher safe might be less prone to rust or corrosion than our previous set.

After copious research and reading products reviews to see what customers experienced in terms of both performance and ease of maintenance, I found an affordable set with good reviews on Amazon and decided to buy it.

Astercook 15-piece kitchen knife block set

My Astercook 15-piece knife set with storage block includes kitchen shears, an excellent honing rod and six serrated seak knives (one of which is shown below the honing steel).

Astercook 15-Piece German High-Carbon Stainless Steel Knife Set with Storage Block

Our new Astercook 15-piece German high-carbon stainless steel kitchen knife block set has performed admirably since I bought it nearly two months ago. It is serviceable rather than fancy, which is exactly what we need, and it has not only the essentials but also several nice-to-have and bonus tools.

The Essentials

8" chef's knife

A Western-style chef's knife, with its curved tip, is the most versatile and efficient tool for many tasks, especially those requiring a rocking motion. It's the one we use most often.

8" serrated bread knife

This versatile blade has many uses beyond just slicing bread. We like using it to cut through fruits that have a thick skin or rind (e.g., pineapple, watermelon) and delicate foods (e.g., slicing cake horizontally into layers).

3.5” paring knife

The blade is a great length for tasks like peeling, quartering and coring apples, while the sharp, pointed tip makes hulling strawberries a breeze.

The Nice-to-Haves

7" santoku

This smaller, lighter, sharper Japanese-style chef's knife was designed for the more precise cuts used to prepare Japanese food and is nearly as versatile as its Western counterpart. I love it for cutting very thin slices of cucumber and other vegetables and prefer it to a serrated bread blade (which also works) for slicing tomatoes cleanly with minimal loss of the interior jelly and seeds. (Did you know that most of a tomato's flavor is in the "guts," i.e., the jelly and seeds?)

8" slicer

The long, straight blade makes this our tool of choice for carving large, even slices of meat, poultry or fish.

5” utility knife

Shorter than the chef's but longer than the paring, we love using this versatile midsize, mid-weight blade for slicing hard cheese or salami, mincing parsley, breaking down or deboning poultry and many other tasks.

Bonus Items

Six serrated steak knives

The 4.5" serrated blades slice effortlessly through cooked meats and stay sharp longer than blades with straight edges.They definitely add to our enjoyment of a good steak!

Honing rod (AKA honing steel)

Like all blades, the ones in this high-carbon stainless steel kitchen knife set require frequent honing to keep them sharp and prolong the need for sharpening. The honing rod that comes with this set does a fabulous job and is far superior to the one from my 30+-year-old set. Just a quick pass or two lets me restore the edges from somewhat sharp to razor-sharp.

Note: This stainless steel blade honing tool is often referred to as a "sharpening steel" or "sharpening rod." See "What's the Difference Between Honing and Sharpening?" (below) to understand why that's a misnomer.

Kitchen shears

These have so many uses! I find it quicker and easier to use kitchen shears for things like making a chiffonade of fresh basil leaves (i.e., stacking, rolling and cutting them into thin strips), snipping fresh chives or scallions into small pieces, cutting up sticky dried fruits (oil the blades first to minimize sticking), and trimming excess pie dough, green beans, fat, etc. As a bonus, this thoughtfully designed pair also has a handy built-in bottle opener!

Tip: To help keep the blades sharp, reserve these kitchen shears for food use only and keep a pair of utility scissors in your kitchen drawer for non-food tasks, such as cutting open bags and boxes or cutting baking parchment paper to size.

Acacia wood storage block

The wood knife block is not as well made or nicely finished as the tools it holds, which was a bit disappointing but definitely not a deal-breaker. The one we received is darker and has a less attractive wood grain pattern than those in the Amazon listing photos (but is very similar to the one in the product video) and the edges around the slots are a bit rough.

That said, it does its job of protecting the knives, kitchen shears and honing rod when not in use and, as you can see, it looks fine on our kitchen counter.

Excellent Value, Affordable Price

Here are some of the attributes that make this Astercook 15-piece knife set with storage block my pick for the best affordable, super sharp kitchen and steak knives set.

15-piece set includes everything a home cook needs to choose the best cutting tool for any task
Comfortable in the hand, with enough clearance under the handles to wrap your fingers around them
Forged (vs. stamped), seamless construction
Extremely sharp, German high-carbon stainless steel blades that hold their edge well with frequent honing
Rust-resistant (not rustproof)

Even though the Amazon product listing claims this set is "dishwasher safe", that claim (for any knife set, not just this one) is a marketing gimmick. Believe the Astercook user manual that comes with the set, which clearly states that blades should never go into the dishwasher. That said, if you really don't want to wash and dry them by hand, you can run them through the dishwasher as long as you are willing to have them sharpened frequently and accept that they will need to be replaced much sooner than if you care for them properly.

Lifetime warranty (note that a few Amazon reviewers had difficulty reaching the manufacturer)
Impressive value—a full set of six good quality kitchen knives, six serrated steak knives, a honing steel, a pair of kitchen shears and an acacia wood knife block, all for less than $40 with free Amazon Prime shipping (at the time of this post’s publication)

How to Keep Your New Kitchen Knives Sharp

Frequent honing will maintain a blade's sharp edge(s) and prolong the its useful life, since most can only be re-sharpened a limited number of times.

What's the Difference Between Honing and Sharpening?

Honing realigns and smooths the metal along a blade's existing cutting edge to restore its sharpness. Since no metal is removed, you can hone a blade as often as you wish (some people do it either before or after each use) without damaging the edge, as long as you maintain the correct angle as you are sliding it across the honing rod. However, honing won't sharpen a dull blade, which is why it's important to hone frequently to maintain the sharp edge as long as possible.

Sharpening removes metal (with abrasives such as a whetstone, diamond sharpening block or manual or electric knife sharpener) to create a new cutting edge. Even with routine maintenance, a blade that gets a lot of use will dull eventually and will need sharpening. Creating the original cutting edge and sharpening the blade correctly when it becomes dull requires precision. For example, different types of blades have cutting edges at different angles, and some are beveled on both sides while others are beveled on only one side. A professional knife sharpening service will deliver the best results at a very reasonable price. However, it's also possible to do a creditable job yourself if you are willing to invest in a high quality knife sharpener, such as Cook's Illustrated's top picks, the three-stage Chef's Choice Trizor 15XV Knife Sharpener and the more affordable, two-stage Chef's Choice 315XV Knife Sharpener.

Side view of Astercook 15-piece knife block set

This attractive, well-appointed set would make a wonderful gift!

A Thoughtful Gift

This 15-piece set of high-carbon stainless steel kitchen and steak knives, kitchen shears, honing rod and knife block makes a great gift under $40! Here are just a few ideas for potential gift recipients:

Engaged couples or newlyweds
Cooking enthusiasts
High school graduates headed to college away from home
Anyone who is moving into their first apartment or house and needs to outfit their first kitchen
A would-be home cook who wants to improve their knife skills
Grandparents who haven't replaced their kitchen knives in many years
Anyone with old, dull, or low-quality kitchen knives
Someone who frequently cuts their fingers while prepping food

I'll bet there's someone on your gift list who would be thrilled to receive this set as a wedding, engagement, graduation, housewarming or "just because" present.

Also, if your current tools aren't as comfortable, well-balanced and sharp as you would like and prepping ingredients takes more time and effort than it should, consider this affordable, super sharp kitchen and steak knives set as a gift to yourself. Remember, dull blades are more likely to skip, slip and accidentally cut you instead of your food. A set that can maintain a very sharp edge with just routine honing makes food prep not just faster, easier and more enjoyable but also safer!

The Best Affordable, Super Sharp Kitchen and Steak Knives Set by Margaret Schindel

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies are so easy to make, and make the perfect after-school or anytime snack for your family. My review will show you just how easy these are to make.

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies - Reviewed

The weather is starting to cool off, and that always puts me in the mood for apple pie. Instead of making a whole apple pie, I decided on making these easy hand pies in my air fryer.

I bought the 9-inch pie crust ready-made and a can of apple pie filling. If you would like to make your own pie crust and apple pie filling See my recipe here: Sam's Apple Pie.

Apple Hand Pie Ingredients:

2 pie crusts (9-inch)
1 can apple pie filling (I used a 21oz. can of Duncan Hines Comstock Apple Pie Filling)
1 egg beaten
Water to wet the edges
White sugar to sprinkle over top

I cut out 5-inch circles from the pie crust. I didn't have a 5-inch cookie cutter so I used a small bowl that measured 5-inches across.

I got three circles out of each pie crust, and after rolling out the remaining dough I got three more for a total of 9 hand pies.

Place one tablespoon of pie filling in the middle of each cutout, wet the edge with water, fold over and crimp with a fork.

I brushed each hand pie with the beaten egg mixture and poked a fork through in three places to help release the steam. Then I sprinkled the tops of each with white sugar.

I started my Ninja Air Fryer and set it to Air Crisp. Set the temperature to 350 degrees and the time to 8 minutes. I could only fit four at a time in the basket of my air fryer, you don't want them to touch. Times and Temperatures may vary with different air fryers.

I set them on a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream, or as you see in the intro photo I served some with caramel sauce.

My grandsons were visiting so needless to say that these didn't last very long. The best thing about these is that they are so easy to make with an air fryer.

Don't have an air fryer? No problem preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown.

The Ninja Foodi Grill is so much more than just an air fryer, read my review here:

The Ninja Foodi Grill.

Find more great recipes on Review This Here:ReviewThisRecipes.com

Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 4-qt. Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate Indoor Electric Grill (AG301), 10inch x 10inch, Black and Silver (Renewed)Buy Now

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Tuesday, September 20, 2022

A Review of Emergency Preparedness - Is it Really Necessary?

Preparing for an emergencies, what some people call "prepping" has been laughed at for decades. It brings to mind images of crazy people putting bunkers in their back yards and sitting on hundreds of boxes of army rations.

However.....

What about preparing for real life emergencies that could really happen? Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and even terrorist attacks or rioting. Any of them could really happen, but the most likely to happen is prolonged power outage. The grid could go down for many reasons, and stay down for days or even weeks. Would you be prepared if that happened?

What is Emergency Preparedness?

Emergency Preparedness is planning for an unexpected, serious occurrence that could pose a threat to the health and wellbeing of you and your family. It can be something as dangerous as a gas explosion, to something less dangerous, but still devastating, like a flood or a serious problem with your electrical supply.

How Can Planning Help?

Emergency planning helps to reduce the amount damage an emergency does to your life, the lives of your family and your property. If the incident is catastrophic, planning can actually save your life. In an emergency, people are scared, confused and in a panic about what to do and how to take care of themselves and their loved ones. If you are prepared, it will significantly reduce your fear because you know you have a plan and the items you need to make sure you are safe and cared for during a bad situation.

How Can I Know What Kind of Emergency to Prepare For?

The simple answer is: you can't. You have no way of knowing what will happen, so the best thing to do is to take care of the basics that you need in any emergency situation.

Food - Have some food that you can eat without having to cook it, even better if it does not have to be refrigerated. Peanut butter, crackers, beef jerky, protein or granola bars, honey, cookies and things like this are easy to store and will keep you going if you are in a situation where you have no electricity and can't cook. It is always safer to have your own food available when a bad incident occurs so you don't have to go out, which in an emergency can be dangerous. Keep your emergency food in totes in a cool dry place and don't forget to switch it out for fresh a few times a year so it does not go out of date.
Water - Water is something most people take for granted as always being available, and therefore it is not necessary to store it. This is not true. Your water supply may become contaminated or your local water treatment facility could break down and stop supplying water. The best way to be prepared for this situation is to store some water. You can buy cases of bottled water, or 5 gallon plastic jugs that are available in most big box stores. Having clean water to drink and wash yourself with is one of the most important things in an emegency. Never take water for granted, it can be the difference between life and death.
Shelter - The other part of having shelter is having a way to keep warm, should something happen in the winter. Your house is normally excellent shelter, but if you lose the ability to heat it, it can be nothing but a giant refrigerator. If this happens, find one room that is small and can be closed off and get a propane heater like Mr. Heater that is safe to use inside the house. Bring in blankets and warm clothes and stay in that room to keep warm. If you have a situation where you are forced to leave your house, such as a fire, flood or earthquake, you need to have a tent or tents to stay in outside, along with clothing, food and water to take with you.

Is There Anything Else I Should Stock Up On?

There are so many things that are good to have but here are some of the most important:

Flashlights and batteries
First Aid Kit
Candles and the means to light them
Power Bank Charger to charge your cell phone
Knife
Aspirin
Garbage Bags
Sleeping Bags or Blankets
Heavy Socks and Hats for all family members
Firewood (if you are able to build a fire outside where you live)
Some type of weapon to defend yourself

Last Thoughts on Emergency Preparedness

These ideas are just the very basics you will need for a short term emergency, for longer term situations the list of what you would need would be much longer. The above mentioned items are minimum of what every household should have in case of an emergency. Having these items on hand will make you feel calmer, safer and better prepared should the worst happen. Pick up a few items a week until you have what you need and as they say about being prepared for anything:

It is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

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Monday, September 19, 2022

Reviewing The Snake Grabber Tool

Today, I am reviewing the 60" Snake Grabber. This is not a glamorous review. Nor is it a fun tool to write about (not for me anyway). But wow, am I glad I had made that purchase and it worked better than I had expected. Snakes are not a fun thing to discuss for many of us. And that is all the more reason I need to share how well this Snake Grabber worked for me. This is one tool that you should consider owning if there is any chance at all that you'll deal with snakes.

There are so many tools in our lives that we hope never to use. It seems a waste of money to purchase something we may never use. Frankly, to purchase something we hope to never have to use. For example, a lug wrench for changing car tires. Most folks call roadside assistance for flat tires. Easy peasy. But, if you get stranded with a flat tire, in an area with no cell service and no way to reach someone to come to the rescue, you are super glad that you have that lug wrench. Or, if your electricity goes out in some hurricane or ice storm for days. Investing in those expensive items such as generators may have felt frivolous at the time but they ended up being super important tools to have.

That's how I feel about the 60" Snake Grabber. It was not something I looked forward to using. In fact, I hadn't taken it out of it's box after it was delivered. But I used it last night and it probably saved lives (Quail lives). It made snake removal many times easier and quicker than my first experience.

Awhile back, I had a snake trying to get at my quail in their hutch on the deck. It was late in the evening and there I was trying to find things to poke at the snake to convince it to leave. Things that were strong enough (broom) were too large to fit where the snake was. Things that were thin enough (wall trim) were too flimsy to move that large snake. And most things were far too short. NO WAY was I going to get within inches of that thing. Luckily, I was able to harass that first snake for long enough that it chose to crawl out of the quail hutch pan, across my deck, and out of sight.

Within days I ordered the Snake Grabber.

And then I let it sit in the unopened box. Until last night.

Well after dark the quail were making a huge commotion. I instantly knew that a predator was out there. The first snake experience taught me that even if the snake doesn't enter the cage, it can cause serious/fatal injuries to quail by grabbing their toes from the underside of the hutch. I had to work quickly.

I wish I had practiced with the snake grabber. It took me a minute to unfold it and secure it. Then another few minutes to figure out how to open the "jaws" after I had squeezed them shut. But once I sorted through those two things, I was outside and grabbing the snake.

This snake grabber fit PERFECTLY in that 2" space. I placed the jaws around the snake and squeezed the handle. The grabber was secure around the snake. I had a difficult time pulling the snake from the opening but that was because the snake was so large and powerful. The Grabber was solid and I never once felt that it was going to collapse or let go of the snake. I moved the snake to a bucket and was able to relocate the snake.

This was NOT an easy task for me. But it was possible because I had the right tool.

More About the Extra Heavy Duty Snake Grabber

Just a few quick details about this Snake Grabber:

this 60" long snake grabber keeps you a more comfortable distance away from the snake
the tubes are heavy duty stainless steel
the grabber can be folded in the middle for storage or transportation purposes
the tongs or jaws close easily when the handle is squeezed
an automatic locking mechanism keeps the jaws shut until you release it

The only possible drawback that I read about in reviews and I experienced first hand is that the locking mechanism automatically falls into place after you squeeze the handle required both hands to release it. Which felt clumsy. But in hindsight, I was happy to know that it was not going to accidently release the snake before I was ready. So I'm not entirely convinced that is a drawback after all.