Tag Archives: vitamix

Top 7 Green Cooking Tools

The kitchen is an important part of the home to take the environment into consideration. What you do there impacts your family as well as the environment. Your cooking tools are one part of that.

Now, I’ll tell you right up front that I’m no fan of nonstick cookware as a general rule. There are varieties out there now that say they’re more environmentally friendly, but I have yet to see nonstick cookware that really keeps the nonstick surface long enough to satisfy me, especially when it comes to skillets. The stuff wears off, whether over a few months or a few years, and then you have to buy new. Not terribly efficient in the long run, if you ask me.

These are all personal preferences I’m listing here. You may not agree, and you don’t have to. I will tell you that some of my preferences won’t work well if you have a glass cooktop rather than gas burners on your stove. Take that into consideration as you shop.

Top 7 Green Cooking Tools1. Cast Iron Skillets

I love my cast iron skillets. They’re heavy, they take a little extra care if I want to keep them properly seasoned, but they last and last. Seriously, my big one belonged to my grandmother and it’s still wonderful. When it comes to being green in the kitchen, pieces that last just about forever rank really high with me.

2. Pressure Cooker

I like my pressure cooker, don’t use it enough, but it’s a good item to have around. Nice, solid, and it speeds up your cooking. That’s the whole point of a pressure cooker. My favorite things to make in them are artichokes. So much faster than cooking them in a regular pot.

The Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers are excellent, although my handmedown Presto is generally good too. Make sure you check reviews for durability, as when I looked at some brands, parts tended to wear out shortly after the warranty expired. Once again, I favor products that don’t tend to need regular replacement as much as possible. Also, if you want to do canning, make sure you select a model designed for it. It’s just easier that way.

3. Bamboo Cutting Boards

The best part about bamboo, environmentally speaking, is that it grows quickly, and so cutting it down to make things has less impact than other woods do. Bamboo cutting boards can work really well, although they can be a little thin. It’s also attractive and durable.

4. Pyrex Storage Sets

Pyrex storage containers are great for getting away from your typical plastic containers for leftover foods. They’re a very durable glass, and the lids can be made from BPA-free plastics. From reviews, I can say that the lids don’t last as well as the containers (hardly a surprise), but I understand you can get them replaced.

5. Pyrex Bakeware

I like their bakeware too. Some of it comes with lids, so it can be used as storage too, but others don’t.

6. Stainless Steel Food Containers

If you want something more durable than glass, stainless steel is a great way to go. Can’t use them in the microwave, obviously, but wonderful for carrying a lunch. Make sure you get leakproof containers if you’re dealing with liquids.

7. Vitamix

While not a specifically eco friendly item, a Vitamix (or Blendtec blender if you prefer), is far superior to a basic blender. If you buy one, you must make smoothies with it. That’s an order. It really make it easy to enjoy a nice, healthy smoothie, and of course you can use it as you would any other blender. Best of all, they last very, very well.

My New Vitamix!

It finally happened. My dear, wonderful mother bought us a new Vitamix for Christmas. I’m rather pleased with it.

It was kind of fun getting it. Mom didn’t know that I didn’t discuss it with my husband when she asked if we wanted one. I knew the answer, said yes, and that was it. Then laughed when we came over on Christmas Eve and it was sitting near the door, unwrapped. That led me to telling her that he didn’t know about it. Fortunately, he also didn’t notice it by the door, so at least one of us got to be surprised by the gift.

I really missed our old Vitamix. The plain blender we bought as a budget-friendly replacement made adequate smoothies I suppose, but when you’re used to having really smooth smoothies, uncrushed seeds from berries are really annoying. Our poor little cheap blender really couldn’t compete.

The old Vitamix had lasted really well, although it didn’t quite make it to 20 years before the container cracked. The motor was showing signs of weakening as well, but overall it still worked. Pretty good, even if it didn’t make it to the salesman’s stated 25 year average lifespan. That’s averages for you, I suppose.

This is one Christmas gift that is going to get a lot of use. Thanks, mom.

Time to Decide… Vitamix or Blendtec

It finally happened. I’ve thought before that my blender was dying, but now it’s gone and done it. My Vitamix container has cracked, and leaks onto the base of the machine, plus it is consistently making a burning smell as it runs, meaning I don’t think simply replacing the container will be good enough.

My husband and I have been eyeing new blenders for a while now. After having a Vitamix for so long, over 15 years on a guess, my husband had it back in college, he is completely unwilling to go to a lesser machine. These days the Vitamix isn’t the only game in town, so we’re considering whether a Blendtec or a Vitamix will be the new blender, once the budget permits.

They’re a bit expensive, after all, and we’re on a really tight budget. On the plus side, Christmas is near. Hello wish list! It’s nice to have something so extremely useful on the list. Although the request for a digital camera to replace our old, nearly dead one is pretty good too.

Both machines are great, I know that. We make a lot of smoothies around here. That was when I noticed the crack, in fact. That’s the main function, although if we get a new machine I’m going to have to start looking at more things I can do with it.

I like the Blendtec’s shorter height. The Vitamix we have now has been seriously annoying me with how I can’t get it under the cabinets with the lid on.

While the Blendtec technically has the higher power motor, its maximum RPMs are less.

Both offer BPA free containers, which is great!

The Blendtec offers preprogrammed settings. I don’t particularly need that, as I’ve never found operating my Vitamix’s controls to be an onerous chore. Matter of fact, it’s sometimes nice having that kind of control.

I guess all this means I won’t be upset with either. For that matter, if someone gets us a different brand, hey, it’s a blender. Avoid the BPA and make sure it’s strong enough to make lots of smoothies, please. So long as I have that I’ll be happy.