Quality counts

[gilana]

I like a bargain as well as the next person, but I've learned over the years that there are some things that it's worth paying more for.

* A good iron - one that will really take out wrinkles, and not accidentally make more. I hated ironing until I got a fold-down ironing board and a good Braun iron.

* A real razor - I used to use the plastic disposables and I cut myself all the time. My sister gave me a Gillette Sensor years ago and I've rarely cut myself since. I like the Gillette Venus now, but YMMV.

* Really comfortable shoes - it's hard to be happy when your feet hurt. I have 3 pairs of Dansko clogs, and they're worth every penny I spend on them.

What's on your list?

Comments

[firstfrost.livejournal.com]

Good kitchen knives! Of course, you have to accidentally cut yourself with them a couple of times before you get the hang of it. :-\

[gilana]

Oh, yes! Years ago I bought a reconditioned Wusthof chef's knife cheap at KitchenArts on Newbury St, and it's amazing. Sad that they're gone now, I don't know of any other place that does that.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Absolutely agreed on the necessity of a good knife, but I also think one is more likely to cut oneself with a bad one.

(Recently I was preparing food at someone else's house and said to the person who'd stepped in to help, "be very careful with that knife -- it's not very sharp." We laughed because it sounded funny, but it's totally true.)

Also, while I'm not saying everybody needs to have one, I am amazingly happy with my VitaMix. Yes, it costs a lot more than a regular blender, but it's really way beyond a blender and I can do things I couldn't even *think* about doing before.

[firstfrost.livejournal.com]

I also think one is more likely to cut oneself with a bad one.

This is a thing that I have heard many times, but I never cut myself with my old bad knives, but I *did* cut myself several times soon after getting my good knives. Generally doing stupid things like washing them, because I wasn't sufficiently careful of the blade.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Ah, I was thinking about handling a knife when it's not actually in use. Yes, if you're used a duller blade, that is definitely something to adjust to. :)

I meant while actually chopping, because a bad knife (or even a good one with a dull blade) has to be used carefully because it will often slip over/off the food instead of going through it. My knife technique is okay -- I'm definitely no expert, but when I'm using someone's bad knife I make much more of an effort to do the proper fingertips-tucked-under thing just in case, which has saved my hands on multiple occasions. Bad knives also make prep take much longer.

[srakkt.livejournal.com]

There's also the trouble with bad knives that a dull edge will require the user to use substantially more strength to accomplish the same goal, resulting in a less-controlled motion. This is more of a concern with other-than-kitchen knives, really.