apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Wow, the sink looks like a bathtub. I want one! ... although the entire lengh of it is actually the amount of counter space I have...!

Off topic: the kitchen is in the other room and the sink is in that room ?

i bought a cheap Cuisinart blender when i got married. after a month or so of daily smoothies the motor completely burnt out.. smoke and all. i held out and did my research and decided to buy a nice Kitchenaid blender.. it does its job well!

I dislike plastic gadgets and poorly designed things sitting on my kitchen counters especially coffee makers

I have had the same Chemex coffee maker for 10 yrs, my second one because I had the hand blown glass version and broke it. Its simple, well designed and it makes the best coffee.
I do have a very very old standard Cuisinart, the plastic is a dingy yellow color now no need to replace it stays in the cabinet until needed.
I find I use my 10.00 mandolin slicer that I picked up from Japan Town more than the Cuisinart.

I have been lusting and thinking about getting a KitchenAid stand mixer just not sure if I would use it enough to justify, I am not a baker. That I would have on the counter.

This topic seem somewhat congruent with Jasper Morrison's super normal discussion:
Super Normal"
He writes: "Design, which is supposed to be responsible for the man-made environment we all inhabit, seems to be polluting it instead. Its historic and idealistic goal to serve industry and the happy consuming masses at the same time, of conceiving things easier to make and better to live with, has been side-tracked."

Ohhh, I love that skinny little door! And the sink looks like it's a counter/sink combo, but it's so white it's hard to tell...

Aaah, that kitchen is wonderful. Hope it signals a move away from stainless steel and granite countertops,

Years ago when my former roommate moved out, so did most of the kitchen equipment...
...so that Xmas, I informed my family that I needed a Cuisinart and a Kitchenaid Mixer. Sure, I don't use them all the time, but when I do I remember that they came from my family and I know they'll last forever (and white is a timeless color). (I made gluten-free cupcakes this past weekend - Yum!)

I also bought myself a basic set of Wustoff knives that were on sale from Crate and Barrel - They're simply the best knives I've ever owned, bar none (and they never go in the dishwasher) I use these with a maple cutting board which can be sanded rather than a plastic thing that has to be replaced, and I use glass bowls and glass containers with lids rather than plastic which can discolor and get musty or alot of plastic wrap/aluminum foil.

I'm also big on getting my dress shoes re-soled until the insole falls apart and putting cedar shoe-trees in them when they're in the closet, buying vintage lamp bases and rewiring/re-shading them myself, getting my Tumi luggage repaired, taking clothing to the dry-cleaners for repairs and alterations, using plain white dishtowels and cloth napkins until they're threadbare or fall apart (no paper napkins/towels or disposable sponges), having vintage furniture professionally reupholstered and prized artwork professionally matted and framed.

This ties into that bit about Manufactum a few posts down. I have many Manufactum items I bought, gosh, probably 15 years ago and are still going strong with lots of daily use. Even items made of cardstock. I forget what I paid for them. Very likely more that I "could" afford. I should probably send Manufactum some more money for some of these things we've used so much.

What disappoints me about electrical kitchen items, is that they are seldom designed for repair. I purchased an expensive German *cough*Krupps*cough* item that stopped working. There was no way to open the item without damaging the cover (no screws). After damaging the cover beyond repair, we saw that it was just a tiny wire we would have needed to replace. Alas. Same thing with a couple of fancy-schmancy espresso machines. Now, I tend to purchase only really inexpensive counter top appliances (the $15 Hello Kitty toaster won't quit and leaves a Kitty face on my toast!).

3 years is technically durable? wow, that's kind of depressing. I guess it just reinforces the cliche that they don't make things like they used to...

Marie-Eve, it looks like that other room is a pantry/service porch that the residents are using for almost all of their kitchen storage. Not very practical, but it would keep the kitchen tidy.

I love that sink, too. One thing I can tell you from personal experience is that those huge, deep and low sinks kill the back when you are washing up. But I'd love to have one in a service porch, for washing large items or a small dog.

I have all those specialized appliances -- Cuisinart, KitchenAid stand mixer, espresso machine -- and most of the time it's just too much trouble to get them out and use them. It's so quick to mix up a pie crust or biscuits with your hands, or use a hand mixer. And the stand mixer overheats for thick-dough pastries that use a lot of butter (like brioche). I've come to believe that all a good cook needs is good-quality knives, well-made pots and pans, and the basic implements of any kitchen. But I won't give up my electric tea kettle!

If only those rules for durability applied to consumer electronics as well. My coworkers marvel at my bought-in-2004 iPod - both that it's still functioning on its original battery and that I haven't replaced it with a new model yet.

Too bad we're not as interested in demanding our personal electronics last as long as our kitchen appliances. Last I checked, my blender doesn't have arsenic and lead in it like discarded cell phones do.

I love that sink in that kitchen! I've been wanting one of those.

I'm intrigued by that skinny door. I went through his slideshow hoping to find a picture with it open. What is it?

I just went through the slideshow -- what an amazing place that is! It still doesn't answer the split kitchen question, and I'm curious about that...

My guess on the skinny door is a fold-down ironing board cabinet. I've had them in old houses and apartments of that vintage. People often turn them into spice racks.

One of the best ways to be durable in the kis to own as little as possible -- figure out what you need and get it, and nothing more. I've had to do that continuously for 20 years now because of small urban kitchens. The less you buy, the easier it is to afford decent quality stuff. Conversely, if you think the decent quality stuff costs too much, that's often a good signal that you don't really need it. Every time I see the price for a good panini maker, I remind myself that I am content, on those rare occasions I want a smushed toasted sandwhich, to stand at the stove and press down on the top of the sandwhich with a sturdy spatula.

Honestly, you don't need that much stuff to be able to cook and bake all kinds of wonderful food. People all over the world make do quite well with just a few utensils and have been doing so for thousands of years.

I think we've all been tricked into the idea of convenience by consumerism. As for me, my motto is the less mechanical the better. I do own a blender and a rice maker because I use those daily. But I don't own a mixer, and I'm an avid baker. I just beat, and mix and fold by hand and it works just fine. As for toast (which I rarely make), I just take tongs and hold the bread over the gas flame on the stove. Works great. The less stuff you have around that breaks, the better off you are.

BTW, my mother still uses the same eclectic waffle maker she inherited from an aunt who in turn received it as a wedding gift in the 1930s. It makes terrific waffles.

The "split kitchen" is called a butler's pantry and they are found in older apartment buildings in Chicago...minus the household help!

My two most durable kitchen items are also my most used and favorite kitchen items. My Hello Kitty waffle maker (3 years and counting - and I use it every other weekend at the very least) and my Wolfgang Puck rice steamer (bought on gasp! QVC of all places for $30)

My mind always boggles at how the stuff my mom got at her bridal showers (over 29 years ago!) still lasts. It may not always be pretty, but it's still going strong! I, on the other hand, have a one year old microwave that's making funny noises and a hand blender that only lasted six months!

And FiatLex, I'm in the same boat as you with my iPod. I have a 30gb video iPod from 2004 that only acts up on occasion and I've never had to replace it (or any parts of it). I think we're just the lucky ones, because I've heard some Apple horror stories with their gadgets.

The problem is that it's difficult to know what will be durable.

Price is not often a reliable indicator of durability. My relatively pricey Cuisinart blender and food processors are still going strong after many years of use, yet so is my inexpensive Black & Decker mini-chopper, which was handed down to me by my mother-in-law at least 10 years ago.

Construction can be a more reliable indicator, but it's not often that we can see (or even understand) the inner workings of an appliance before purchase.

And, though I have an expensive Wusthof knife and a very inexpensive Forschner knife, the Forschner gets more use, though the Wusthof is a fine knife.

Who can tell what will be durable and (very important) enjoyable to use for many years?

It's a sad day when just three years of use is what is considered "durable."

My votes for worth-the-money durable goods: Knives, mixing bowls and pots, sturdy wood furniture, wooden hangers, and either a ceramic melita coffee filter or a heavy duty french press. The thing is also, much of this stuff you can still find at a deal or second-hand with many durable years to go.

On another note, I find it funny what everyone is considering essential kitchen equipment. I used to think that a microwave was essential until I started living in a house with an unusable one (so dirty you don't want to open it) and then living with my boyfriend who's apartment doesn't have one. The things I used the microwave for regularly now seem silly. If I need to heat up coffee I put it in a little pot on the stove for a minute. Frozen chicken gets defrosted in a bowl of warm water. Popcorn gets popped the 'old-fashioned' (and more romantic) way, in a pot with a bit of oil. The 'convenience' of a microwave and the cost of convenience isn't all that convenient anyway.

My KitchenAid food processor is another story. Saves a cookin' girl with premature carpal tunnel from losing her right hand.

My husband is the chef, but I am so glad he talked me into our Kitchen Aid stand mixer. It's in the awesome, discontinued 'caviar' color (dark metallic grey) and it has a place of honor on our kitchen counter. I wasn't much of a baker before, but I sure am now. The attachments add to the utility as well. It's not 'essential', but we use it enough to justify having it.

Now, if only we had a better oven... oh, to not be a renter someday...

I forgot to add good cutlery is your best friend I have had the same 10-12 Wusthof knives for over a decade, they do need sharpening quit a bit. I hand wash and dry them and keep them in a cork lined draw laying flat. Treat them with respect.
Now, I have bought a couple of cheap Japanese knives in Japan Town that cost under 10.00 and they seem to never need sharpening which I am puzzled by. So if you cannot afford the 60.00 plus knife go to a Japanese mercantile store( sorta a five and dime) and pick up a couple of cheap ones they are surprisingly good. Only have had my these knives for two years and so far so good.

Jesse: Agreed on all counts, but you shouldn't defrost meat in warm water. Use cold water instead, it is much safer, and just about as fast.

I learned this the hard way. My s/o pushed HARD for me to buy a cheap dishwasher at Best Buy, rather than the Bosch I'd picked out (same brand I'd had in my previous house). In the decade I had the Bosch, it never needed repair. The el cheapo dishwasher has been repaired three times in less than two years.

When I finally get up the $$ to remodel the cheaply constructed 70s kitchen, I'm buying a Bosch dishwasher.

I have to agree with bepsf on the luggage front! I travel a lot for my job, and messed around with a few cute, and cheap suitcases only to find that they were too heavy, broke after a few uses, gave me back pain, or just didn't do the job. I finally gave up and forked out the cash for a few lightweight and durable Rimowa cases and don't regret it at all! It pays to invest in a good set of durable, easy-to-move around-with suitcases.

LoriSF- Which store do you go to in Japantown. I'm gonna be in real need of some good knives in a few days.