Product review: Utility Knife 6" by Zelite Infinity.

Zelite utility knife is midway in size between a Chef's knife and a Paring knife. in the past, I have not used utility knife as often as my chef knife or my pairing knife. But this knife is so sharp and maneuverable that I am using it quite a lot. My most common use for it is for cutting cheese and meats for making sandwiches. It also works well on cutting tomatoes for those sandwiches. I use it when a paring knife feels too short, and chef's an overkill.



Zelite utility knife is very sharp, and its handle fits my hand very well. The knife feels sturdy but it is not heavy. The knife weighs 5.2 oz.



It has a beautiful pattern on the blade. This is because the knife's blade is made out of laminated stainless steel. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



A note on packaging. I don't often comment on packaging unless there is something special about it. This knive comes in a very attractive packaging, the box packing is sculpted to the knives shape and is made out of red velvety material. The presentation of the knife is suited for a gift.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. It is a nice quality knife and good to work with. Using automobile analogy if the chef's knife is the car's engine, the utility knife is the sun roof. It is not strictly necessary, but often nice to have.



You can locate this Utility Knife on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Boning Knife 6 inch by Zelite Infinity

This boning knife is longer and thinner knife than the chef's knife and a pairing knife. I do not think of it as essential to have in the kitchen, but if is very handy for fine work. If you do a lot of boning it will be easier to use than a chef's knife because it is easier to follow curves. I also like it for work that requires finesse such as coring an apple because this knife is so maneuverable.



It is very sharp, and its handle fits my hand very well. The knife feels sturdy but it is not heavy. Its weight is 5.1 oz.



This knife has a beautiful pattern on the blade. This is because the knife's blade is made out of laminated stainless steel. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



A note on packaging. I don't often comment on packaging unless there is something special about it. This knife comes in a very attractive packaging, the box packing is sculpted to the knives shape and is made out of red velvety material. The presentation of the knife is suited for a gift.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. If you are skeptical of my review because of this, please take a moment to look at my other reviews and see that I leave many critical review (1 star, 2 star, 3 star) when the product deserves it. Getting a free product does not guarantee a glowing review and I always state this before accepting a product for review. It is a nice quality knife and good to work with. If the chef's knife is the car's engine, the boning knife is the car's stereo system. You can get to your destination without it, but it makes it more fun getting there.



You can find this "Boning Knife" on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: DALSTRONG Santoku Knife 7"

This is an excellent knife. It is a general purpose knife for dicing, slicing and mincing. Santoku translates from Japanese to mean "well-balanced" and is designed with the weights of the blade and the handle to be equally balanced. This balance in combination with an ergonomic shape of the handle makes cutting and dicing with it quick and easy. It is very sharp, everything I cut feels as easy as cutting soft butter.



The knife comes with a protective sheath. Protective sheath is unlocked by pulling out a small black pin as I show in the video.



This knife has a limited "rocking" travel in comparison to a Western-style chef's knife. When the blade rests on the cutting plane there is very little clearance above the cutting plane from heel to the tip. The Santoku design is shorter, lighter, thinner, and more hardened (to compensate for thinness) than a traditional Western chef's knife.



The "scalloped" sides that give this knife its unique look create small air pockets between the blade and the material being sliced and reduce cutting friction. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has a beautiful pattern. This knife has this laminated finish. Not only does it make the blade look beautiful but it also improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade.



It can be washed in a dishwasher, but I prefer to wash it by hand so it will last longer and there's no risk of them cutting the plastic coating on the appliance racks.



The packaging of the knife is very nice. The box looks attractive and also includes a very nice manual, a cleaning cloth, and a key chain with Dalstrong logo. The manual covers information from maintenance to how to hold the knife.



YOu can find "DALSTRONG Santoku Knife" on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Paring Knife 4-inch by Zelite Infinity.

This knife has become one of my two "workhorse" knives (the other being the chef's knife). This is a terrific knife, great for any kind of slicing and cutting that requires a lot of control: cutting, peeling, cutting out shapes, scoring, and so forth. It is very sharp and its handle is comfortable to hold. One small thing that I really like about this knife is the transition from the heel of the knife to the bolster is curved and it is one piece of steel, it does not have a grove where dirt can hide.



This knife has a beautiful pattern on the blade. This is because the knife's blade is made out of laminated stainless steel. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



A note on packaging. I don't often comment on packaging unless there is something special about it. This knife comes in a very attractive packaging, the box packing is sculpted to the knives shape and is made out of red velvety material. The presentation of the knife is suited for a gift.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. I am impressed!



You can locate this Paring Knife on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Jsaron Vintage Flower Tea Coffee Cup with Spoon and Saucer Set

This is a very pretty cup. The edge of the cup feels very nice on my
lips, it is sculpted to be thinner at the edge. I often drink tea from
my coffee mug, so switching to this cup made me feel like it was a
special occasion - very delicate and festive.

The package
includes a teacup, a saucer, and tiny spoon. The spoon is also made out
of bone china, and it is much smaller than a regular tea spoon. I like
the spoon for scooping loose tea into a small tea bag, it is just right
size to deposit the content into a small baggy.

Attached photos
show the cup and the cup markings. The markings do not indicate where
the cup is made, but the seller is based in China.

I received this cup for evaluation and review. I like it - very pretty and delicate teacup.

AshopZones review

Product review: Crustina 14" x 16" Pizza Stone Baking Stone (rectangular)

The pizza I cooked on the stone had a nice crispy crust. It tasted better than the pizzas I made on the metal sheet. The pizza you see in the video is 16", this the maximum size of the pizza that fits on the stone. We did not finish this pizza on the first day, and I reheated the pizza the next day using the stone, and again it was nice and crisp, as good as the first day.



Pizza stones are not made out of stone. They are made out of ceramic. These unglazed ceramic tiles absorb moisture and make the dough that rests of them crispier. Ceramic tiles are not good heat conductors and this is why the food is less likely to burn when using a baking stone compared to using metal or glass bakeware.



The down side of the ceramic tiles is that they are fragile. As I found first hand because my baking stone did not survive shipping in one piece. It was broken in two pieces as I opened the box. Replacement stone was in one piece. The benefit of having a broken stone is that I am able to include a photo of the cross section of the stone so everything can see exactly how it is made.



To prevent fracturing of the stone by thermal shock I place the stone in a cold oven and heat it over at least 30 min, 45 minutes is even better. The stone gets very hot, I use a cookie sheet without a lip to slide the pizza onto the stone. To prevent items from sticking to the stone and to make cleaning easier I sprinkle corn starch on the stone. Corn starch works better than flour because it does not turn into paste when wet. When the pizza is done, I slide off the stone onto the cookie sheet, and let the stone to cool down slowly inside the oven.



When I can I clean the stone I use a dry brush and plain water. I do not use detergent because it gets absorbed by the stone.



I received this pizza stone for testing and review as part of a new product introduction.



You can locate Crustina Pizza Stone on Amazon by following this link.



AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Bread Knife 8 Inch by Zelite Infinity

This is a very comfortable bread knife to work with. It has a slim handle that is ergonomically shaped. It feels great in my hand and makes the knife very easy to maneuver. The knife weighs 9.2 oz. The blade is very sharp! It works well on both soft bread and crusty breads.



It is ok for the dishwasher, but I always hand wash nice knives. They will last longer and there's no risk of them cutting the plastic coating on the appliance racks.



This knife has a beautiful finish, which looks like a marbled design. The higher quality of Japanese knives uses laminated steel which has this beautiful pattern. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



In attached video I use to cut two different breads, I've tried to show the clean cuts.



I was provided this knife for testing and review as part of new product introduction. Getting a free product does not effect what I say. I leave critical reviews when the product deserves it. However, I am very pleased with knife and it has become my go-to bread knife.



You can find this bread Knife on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Santoku Knife 7" by Zelite Infinity

This is a terrific knife. This a general purpose knife for dicing, slicing and mincing. The name translates from Japanese to mean "well-balanced" and is designed with the weights of the blade and the handle to be equally balanced. This balance in combination with the rounded design of the handle makes cutting and dicing with quick and easy. It is very sharp, everything I cut feels as easy as cutting soft butter.



The Santoku has a limited "rocking" travel in comparison to a Western-style chef's knife. When the blade rests on the cutting plane there is very little clearance above the cutting plane from heel to the tip. The Santoku design is shorter, lighter, thinner, and more hardened (to compensate for thinness) than a traditional Western chef's knife.



The "scalloped" sides that give this knife its unique look create small air pockets between the blade and the material being sliced and reduce cutting friction. The higher quality of Japanese knives use laminated steel which has a beautiful pattern. This knife has this laminated finish. The use of laminated steel improves the strength and rust resistance of the blade (and it looks beautiful).



It can be washed in a dishwasher, but I prefer to wash it by hand so it will last longer and there's no risk of them cutting the plastic coating on the appliance racks.



This knife was provided to me for testing and review by Zelite as part of the new product introduction. I am impressed!



You can find this "Santoku Knife" on Amazon by following this link





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: GROSCHE London Drop In Ultra Fine Laser Cut Stainless Steel Tea Infuser (Brew-in-cup infuser)

I am a tea drinker so I have used many different tea infusers through the years.  The stroing point of this tea infuser is the fine stainless steel mesh, it works even with small cut tea.  I also like the shape which makes it easy to clean - a large opening that I can get easily clean with a brush.



This infuser works with cups 4" wide or less.  4" is the width of the infuser's lip that rests on the rim of the cup.



If I had to find a negative, it is the fact that I can't see the tea while it is brewing so I can't tell the strength without lifting an infuser.  This is not a big deal just different from my other infusers.



This infuser is simple and practical. It makes it easy to try to try interesting teas by shopping in asian markets and speacialty tea shops.



I received this infuser for testing and review. I like it!



You can find GROSCHE London Drop infuser on Amazon by following this link





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: DUXTOP UltraThin Full Glass Top Touch Induction Cooktop

The best thing about this cooktop for me is that it keeps a steady temperature, this makes it much easier to cook some thing without worrying about burning. When searing steaks or making fried chicken the results come out better than using a conventional stove.



A ran a couple of experiments to help me see if the cooktop temperature is accurate and if it in fact holds the temperature at the point I set.



The temperature can be set in increments of 10, so to keep it just below boiling I set it to 200. I let it heat water for 12 minutes while measuring the water with a temperature probe (calibrated to be accurate within 2 degrees). The cooktop kept the temperature between 192 degrees and 183 degrees. This result was consistent on several tries. So even though there was a difference between the temperature the cooktop held and the specified goal temperature the there is difference between the two was consistent I can adjust for the difference (I use 10 degrees). I guess it is like learning a new oven they are all slightly different.



The second thing I measured is how it compares to my gas stove. I used the high powered gas burner and cooktop at its maximum setting (level of 10 and goal of 460 degrees). I used 1 cup of cold water and the same cast iron pan. The cooktop took 1 minute 50 seconds to bring it to boil. The gas stove took 2 minute 25 seconds before the water began boiling.



Another interesting difference was the distribution of heat. The cooktop began boiling in the center and then spread outwards (but still showed a hot spot in the center). On the gas stove the boiling began on the edges of the pan and then moved to the center of the pan.



The cooking surface is heated only when the pot is present. The control system shuts down the element if a pot is not present or not large enough. The cooktop itself does not get hot at all, so nothing gets burned and baked on it and it is very easy to clean by just wiping with a wet cloth.



Not every cookware works with the induction tops. This is because induction works by electromagnetic induction. This means to work on the induction top the pots must be made out of magnetic metal such as cast iron, stainless steel, and enamelled iron. In addition the bottom of the pan has to flat and make contact with the surface of the cook top and not too small (larger than 4.75" in diameter).



What cookware does not work? Heat-resistant glass, ceramic, copper, aluminium because none of them are magnetic.



I was able to cook pancakes at a constant and lower temperature and I thought they came out better this way. For steak I set the cooktop to the maximum temperature and the highest wattage. I was able to get the cast iron pan very hot which, of course, is the key to searing meat. For fried chicken, I set the temperature to 370 degrees (which translate to 380 degrees on the cooktop display) and cook it on both sides for 5 minutes, then finish it in the baking oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. The chicken comes out very crispy.



The cooktop is not as precise or as accurate as I hoped, but it is consistent so this is not a deal breaker just requires adjustment by the cook to know how their cooktop behaves. Everyone learns what to expect from their oven so this is similar.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Duxtop Whole-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Induction Ready Premium Cookware

We recently got an induction cookware top and most of our cookware had copper bottoms and did not work. I have done some investigation on what makes good induction cookware and found two major points: multi layer construction and riveted (rather hand welded) handles. Multi layer construction is important for spreading the heat and avoiding hot spots. Three layers is a minimum level that works well, some higher end cookware offers 5 and more layers at a higher price.



Duxtop has 3 layer construction and riveted handles.



The cookware has a nice heavy feel and the shape of the handles is very comfortable because of the rounded grip. My old pots have Bakelite handles so they don't get hot. Duxtop cookware has metal handles and they can get hot if I am cooking for a long time. I have to remember to check and see if I need to use a pot holder.



The set includes



1. 2 frying pans (8" and 10"), the larger one has a lid

2. 1 sauté pan (3 quart) with a lid

3. 2 sauce pans (1.6 qt and 3 quart) both with lids

4. 1 stockpot (8 quart) with a lid

5. Steamer insert that fits both the 1 quart sauce pan and 8 quart stockpot

6. Two pot Bakelite holder stands



As I side note I want to mention that the 8 quart pot works well with my Polder Strainer (9.5 inch diameter by 8 inch height), which I use to cook pasta.



This cookware works on induction cooktops, gas stoves, electric stoves as well as halogen stoves so it would fit into any kitchen.



Overall, I am very pleased it looks good and works well.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product reveiw: DUXTOP UltraThin Full Glass Induction Cooktop

The best thing about this cooktop for me is that it keeps a steady temperature, this makes it much easier to cook some thing without worrying about burning. When searing steaks or making fried chicken the results come out better than using a conventional stove.



A ran a couple of experiments to help me see if the cooktop temperature is accurate and if it in fact holds the temperature at the point I set.



The temperature can be set in increments of 10, so to keep it just below boiling I set it to 200. I let it heat water for 12 minutes while measuring the water with a temperature probe (calibrated to be accurate within 2 degrees). The cooktop kept the temperature between 192 degrees and 183 degrees. This result was consistent on several tries. So even though there was a difference between the temperature the cooktop held and the specified goal temperature the there is difference between the two was consistent I can adjust for the difference (I use 10 degrees). I guess it is like learning a new oven they are all slightly different.



The second thing I measured is how it compares to my gas stove. I used the high powered gas burner and cooktop at its maximum setting (level of 10 and goal of 460 degrees). I used 1 cup of cold water and the same cast iron pan. The cooktop took 1 minute 50 seconds to bring it to boil. The gas stove took 2 minute 25 seconds before the water began boiling.



Another interesting difference was the distribution of heat. The cooktop began boiling in the center and then spread outwards (but still showed a hot spot in the center). On the gas stove the boiling began on the edges of the pan and then moved to the center of the pan.



The cooking surface is heated only when the pot is present. The control system shuts down the element if a pot is not present or not large enough. The cooktop itself does not get hot at all, so nothing gets burned and baked on it and it is very easy to clean by just wiping with a wet cloth.



Not every cookware works with the induction tops. This is because induction works by electromagnetic induction. This means to work on the induction top the pots must be made out of magnetic metal such as cast iron, stainless steel, and enamelled iron. In addition the bottom of the pan has to flat and make contact with the surface of the cook top and not too small (larger than 4.75" in diameter).



What cookware does not work? Heat-resistant glass, ceramic, copper, aluminium because none of them are magnetic.



I was able to cook pancakes at a constant and lower temperature and I thought they came out better this way. For steak I set the cooktop to the maximum temperature and the highest wattage. I was able to get the cast iron pan very hot which, of course, is the key to searing meat. For fried chicken, I set the temperature to 370 degrees (which translate to 380 degrees on the cooktop display) and cook it on both sides for 5 minutes, then finish it in the baking oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. The chicken comes out very crispy.



The cooktop is not as precise or as accurate as I hoped, but it is consistent so this is not a deal breaker just requires adjustment by the cook to know how their cooktop behaves. Everyone learns what to expect from their oven so this is similar.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: ECALOO Kitchen Tool Stainless Steel Shovel-shaped Food Grater

This attractive looking shredder did not work as well as I hoped. First issue I had with it that a short handle made it inconvenient to hold. Its short stature also made it a bit hard to find a dish that would well supporting it to provide stability during shredding. Finally, this shredder has a solid back and metal teeth on the front. This made it harder to work then a traditional thread where shreds can fall through.



I tried zesting an orange, shredding an apple and a cinnamon stick. All were hard to do. I had very little results to show for quite a bit of work. It doesn't work nearly as well as a zesting tool. It produces very fine particles which mostly stick to the tool and it's hard to get them off into the batter. I don't see using this shredder on a regular basis.



I received this shredder with a request for a brutally honest review. And here it is.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★☆☆☆

DB-Tech DB-WAW400 Wireless Water Overflow And Leak Detector

DB-Techi wireless water alarm consists of two units. The smaller unit is the water alarm transmitter (its size is 2.25" x 3.5" x 1") and the larger unit is remotely controlled receiver (its size is 5" x 4" x 1.25"). The transmitter unit has a water sensor probe which is attached by 82" cord to the unit. It also has a retractable antenna to communicate with the receiver unit. Both units have keyhole hangers and come with mounting hardware and two hole templates to make mounting easier. If you have an unfinished basement and can't easily mount the unit on the wall, the cord is long enough to place the unit on top of the water heater while the sensor is at the floor level.



The transmitter unit operates on one 9V battery (not included), and the receiver operates on three C batteries (not included).



I am attaching a video which shows the water alarm operation. The water alarm worked smoothly, however it took some experimenting to figure out when the alarm generates sounds (the manual is not clear).



✔ The transmitter and the receiver both generate sounds. Each one generates a different type of alarm and on a different schedule.



✔ The receiver generates a beep-beep-beep sound for a few seconds every 10 minutes. The receiver can be re-programmed to generate another beep sound, but I was satisfied with the default sound.



✔ The transmitter generates a twirling sound for longer periods of time with shorter breaks.



✔ Each unit has a switch that allows one to turn off the sound manually, which is a good thing because the sound is loud and annoying. Loud and annoying is a good thing for an alarm, but it is also good to be able to turn it off once you know there is a problem.



✔ The video shows that the alarm is very sensitive, it needs very little water to start making noise.



To summarize:

1. Very sensitive, alarm is set off with a small amount of water

2. Reliable, alarm went off in every test I tried

3. The alarm itself is fairly loud and the receiver unit can be mounted in a different location in the house, where it can be heard even better.

4. Mounting might require some creativity if you have an unfinished basement or if the water heater is not near a wall.



I received a sample unit from manufacture to share my experience with the alarm (be they positive or negative) the with the potential future buyers. I addressed pluses and minuses of the unit, and overall recommend it. This inexpensive device can save you a lot of money by alerting you about an unexpected flood before significant water damage occurs.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

35 Neodymium Magnets inch by NeoMag

These tiny magnets really work! I have a bunch of pretty bear magnets collected all over the world covering my refrigerator holding up notes, appointments, coupons... Quite often when I try to jam one more thing under them they just fall off (and sadly sometimes break). I just replaced all of them with these tiny neodymium magnets and lined up the pretty magnets at the top just for decoration.



What I like about these magnets

✔ Each magnet is so powerful that it can hold many pieces of paper. In the attached photo collage I am showing a one magnet holding 7 layers of papers. It was still holding very strong at that point.

✔ The magnets are so small that they are not covering much of information. I can see all information on appointment cards and other small papers attached to the fridge. Photo #1 shows one magnet in my hand for size reference.

✔ The package contains 35 magnets, after I replaced all my existing magnets I had 20 magnets (in Photo #3) left for future use.



Some things to be aware of

✔ These magnets will not magnetize against the stainless steel refrigerators as they are magnetized themselves

✔ The magnets are very small and might be attractive to small kids, thus the magnets are a choking or swallowing hazard for them

✔ These magnets are made from neodymium which is the strongest magnet on the planet. This material is fairly fragile and is held together with nickel coating. This means you need to handle the magnets with care. I have not encountered any breakage even though I have dropped a couple on the floor: they jumped as I tried separating them from each other.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Mondial Slow Juicer

This juicer works very well. It quickly processed all the fruits and vegetables I have tried so far. I tried tasting the pulp produced by the juicer and it was pretty tasteless, no juice left in it at all. I had no problems with the juicer jamming or having any other issues.



The juicer is very simple to use. It has only three settings: off, forward (on), and reverse.



The manual has several the following recommendation for usage:

✔ Do not use longer than 10 minutes at a time

✔ Remove hard seeds before juicing

✔ Do not operate with wet hands

✔ Do not use anything as a pusher other than the provided pusher

Note that I never to needed to use the pusher as the juicer "sucked in" all the fruits and vegetables out of the spout without needing any help. I did pre-cut fruits and vegetables into 1 inch to 2 inch chunks.

✔ If the juicer gets stuck turn off the juicer, then put it in reverse for a few seconds, and then restart normally again.



The juicer is fairly heavy and substantial, it has suction cups on the bottom, so it attaches itself very well to the counter top and does not move during the juicing process. I found it to be quick to assemble and disassemble.



The manual recommends not using the dishwasher to clean. At the end of my video you will see me washing the juicer. There is one tricky part to washing - getting the pulp out of the spout where the pulp comes out as this spout is a narrow closed tube. The juicer comes with a nice cleaning brush, which I found quite helpful in cleaning the juicer.



I received the juicer from the manufacturer with a request for an honest review whether positive and negative. I was also asked to provide a video review to document my experience with the juicer, so that the potential buyers of this juicer could see it in action and have a good idea of what to expect. I hope you will find my video useful. Overall, I thought the juicer worked very well and I would recommend it.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Food review: Gourmet salts from San Francisco Salt Company

I have to confess that I have not been aware of how many different flavors of gourmet salts existed prior to the offer from San Francisco Salt Company to review some of their gourmet salts. I was intrigued and agreed to review several samples. I received 5 samples and I was amazed by the variety of beautiful colors of these salts.



I decided that the best way to review them is to compare the five salt samples in appearance and flavor. I invited a friend to help me sample the salts, so we can both agree if we could tell the difference between different salts. They definitely looked different... but do they taste different? Here are the results of of our taste comparison. I am also attaching a video that I shot during our taste comparison, the numbers I am using below match the numbers in the video.



#1 Black Hawaiian Lava salt - smokey black in color,we thought it had the lightest (least salty) salt flavor of the 5 samples. This salt is harvested from pacific waters using traditional methods of solar evaporation, allowing the salt crystals to form with the much desired trace minerals intact. The salt obtains its coloring from activated coconut shell charcoal. San Francisco Salt Chef recommends it for use with desserts, and I can see why: it has a light salty flavor so it would work well for example with chocolates sprinkled with salt as I see in gourmet chocolate shops.



#2 Smoked Cherrywood Salt - rich brown in color. This salt has the strongest flavor, it was definitely very smokey. It is slightly saltier than Hawaiian, but not as salty as the other three salts that I tasted. Smoked Cherrywood Sea Salt is made with pure sea salt that has been slowly smoked above a Maine Cherrywood fire. The result is a smooth salty smokey flavor. San Francisco Salt Chef recommends recommends it for meat, poultry, and fish.



#3 Himalayan Salt - pretty pink in color and quite salty. The color does not add any flavor, just looks pretty. It could be use for any culinary use, but because it is so pretty I think using it as table salt in a shaker is how I plan to use it.



#4 Alaea Hawaiian Red Sea Salt - rich brick color, quite salty. This salt is harvested from pacific waters using traditional methods of solar evaporation, allowing the salt crystals to form with the much desired trace minerals intact. The salt is infused with Hawaiian volcanic clay called “alae", which gives it an extraordinary red color. The alae clay also adds nutritional value by providing a source of digestible dietary iron and other trace minerals. The color does not add any flavor, so it could work in any culinary use, but because the color is dramatic I think it would work best when you need to sprinkle it on something. It is widely used in Hawaii as a key seasoning for many of their native dishes including the kalua pig, poke, and Hawaiian jerky. This salt also goes well with pasta, stir-fry, poultry, eggs, seafood and grilled vegetables. It’s also used commonly for preserving.



#5 French Grey Salt - light grey color, the saltiest of the 5 salts I have sampled. French Grey Salt is formed as the sea water flows into the Guerande Marshes, in France, during high tides. The salt obtains its natural grey coloring from the salt crystallizing on clay. San Francisco Salt Company's French Grey Salt is 100% natural and carries the ‘Nature & Progrès’ certification label from France. It suits any culinary use. It is commonly used by French chefs... and who can argue with their results?



All San Francisco Salt Company salts are Kosher certified. Each of the salts is available in either coarse or fine grain. Each salt flavor came in a sealed sturdy plastic bags. The salts have a 10 year shelf live when they remained sealed in the original packaging. Once you open the package, each one has a zip lock closure so you can reseal the bag. These salts are top quality products.

Foind Hawaiian Black Lava Finishing Salt on Amazon





Find Sherpa Pink Gourmet salt on Amazon





Find Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salton Amazon





You can find Alaea Hawaiian Salt on Amazon by following this link

Find French Grey Sea Salt on Amazon







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Recycled Rubber Coasters

These coasters are 3.875" in diameter and 0.25" thick. Each coaster is pretty substantial, each weighs 1.7 oz. They are made of recycled rubber, one side has a printed design.  The coasters look rugged and sturdy (i.e. not pretty and dainty).  This is a masculine looking coaster if there is such a thing.  Since they are made out of rubber they are not slippery and make a really good coaster.



The coasters have a fairy strong rubber scent.  The scent might air out in a while, but in one week that I have had them the scent has not disappeared.



The coasters are made from 100% recycled rubber and they are made in the USA.  I received the coasters from the manufacturer who asked for an honest review be it positive or negative.



I am attaching a video of the coasters to give you a good idea what to expect.



You can find "Flox 'Moroccanometry in Orange' Rubber Coasters" on Amazon via this link





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

DBTech Electric Egg Cooker

Boiling eggs is not hard, but on a few occasions through the years I got distracted, the water boiled away and ruined a couple of my favorite pots. This is my first egg cooker. I love it! I have been using it for about a month and it is working very well.



I am attaching a video which shows how the cooker prepares two eggs.



The small up that comes with the egg cooker shows marking in three columns "hard boiled", "half-hard boiled" and "soft boiled". The amount of water you need to add depends on the number of eggs you cook and the desired hardness of the egg. The water is measured with a small cup that comes with the egg cooker. The lettering on the cup is just raised numbers and letters, they don't have any contrast with plastic and very small. I have to put my reading glasses on to see the markings.



Before starting to cook you need to piece each egg shell with a provided tool. The tool works very well, it makes a very small neat hole.



When the cooker is done it buzzes and turns itself off. I am very glad to have an automatic turn off and a buzzer reminder . The buzzer is pretty loud as you can hear in my video.



I received this egg cooker from the manufacture for an honest review.



The only negative for me is that the marking on the small cup are very hard to read. Other than that I have been quite pleased with the egg cooker. I hope the description and the video will help you see what to expect.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

DB-Tech Compact Foldable Bread Slicer

This bread slicer helped me slice the bread into thin even slices and it packs away very compactly. I like it. I am attaching a video which demonstrates how I assemble the bread slice, cut the bread, and disassemble the bread slicer for storage.

The bread slicer fits breads up to 6 inches wide, 5 inches tall. The length of the cutting area is 11.75" inches, but the bread can be slid off one side, so there is no limit in length. The cutting slots come in three width 3/8 inches on one end (what I used in the demo), 1/4 inch in the middle, and 5/8 inch on the other end. When the bread slicer is closed up it measures 12" x 8" x 2". I found it is easy to pack and assemble, so I stored flat on a shelf, and pull out when I need to cut bread.



It is made out wood (bamboo), so when I need to wash it I do so by hand (not in the dishwasher).



I received a sample product from the manufacture to share my honest experience with the product. In the past there was a problem with assembling the bread slicer sides correctly (because the slats on one end are meant for thicker slices, and both sides need to be oriented the same), this problem has been corrected.



Overall, I am pleased with this bread slicer, I particular like the thin slices as making them even without the aid of the bread slicer is hard. I like storing bread in the freezer and taking it slice by slice (this allows me to eat bread yet not to worry about eating too much of it). Now I can buy artisan breads which are not pre-sliced, slice them in the bread slicer, freeze, and consume slowly.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★