Breadmakers, Freezers, etc.

[Winchester]

So many people are now cooking at home that items like breadmakers and freezers are in short supply. I read that freezers are especially difficult to find right now.

Perhaps in a few months, the big yard sale item will be breadmakers, crock pots, etc. Perhaps freezers. Once people can get back out into restaurants, they will no longer be cooking for themselves. If you're looking for an item such as this, it might pay to be looking around.

 

[Kat0121]

I bought a chest freezer for DD's dorm room in 2014. her room had a full size fridge but since I went up to take her grocery shopping once a month, the freezer was a better option for her room than the mini fridge was. I still have that too. It lives in my room now.

I love that freezer. I told her that when she was done with school that it was MINE.

I had a bread maker years ago. I never really liked it that much. It went to the thrift store with its partner the Ronco Showtime rotisserie which worked well but was a GIGANTIC pain to clean.

 

[Winchester]

You know, I always wanted a Ronco Showtime. I would watch those infomercials and be so darn tempted to order one. Never did and now I'm glad I didn't.

 

[posiepurrs]

I loved my Ronco Showtime. I was very sad when it died. I would love to have a new freezer, but since that isn't in the budget (even if I could find one) I plan to can instead. My kids got me a pressure canner for Mothers Day. Now I need to get a dehydrator as well as a freezer for the things I grow in the garden (IF I can stop the rabbits from enjoying it first!).

 

[catapault]

I don't like small appliances out on the countertop so it is fortunate that I have lots of cupboard space. What gets used nearly daily are the elderly toaster oven and a two slot toaster. I'd love to replace them but new ones has so many options that A) they won't fit in the cupboard and B) I don't want those add-ons, just the basic model. Which seem to be unavailable.

The waffle iron is used only once or twice a year but makes a birthday meal special so it has its space in the cupboard. Panini grill ditto - somehow a hot ham and cheese sandwich is more luxurious than an ordinary one. When blender died I got a Magic Bullet. Used it to make slurpy meals for my rainbow bridge Mist when she was elderly. Makes a great smoothy. Have a juicer that's great for citrus - in fact I'm planning to make both lemonade and limeade concentrate soon, something I probably would not do if I had to juice by hand. It also does things like carrots etc but cannot remember the last time I did that.

I have an old Cuisinart, very useful. Have a mini Cusinart but I have a sinking feeling that it has "issues" and don't want to replace it.

My KitchenAid stand mixer is quite old. Got it back when white was the only color. Enamel is nicked in places, one of the little rubber feet is missing. Works great. Microwave is rather vintage too.

Newest appliance is the Instapot. That is not in a cupboard because there's no room. In these covid-19 times I'm using it for yogurt, which it does so easily and well.

Upright freezer in the basement. Dorm size fridge as well as full size in the kitchen. Everything more full than I reasonably should keep buying food. My peasant mentality I suppose.

 

[LTS3]

You know, I always wanted a Ronco Showtime. I would watch those infomercials and be so darn tempted to order one. Never did and now I'm glad I didn't.

The rotisserie grill one? Mom has one but it hasn't been used in years. I only recall her making chicken wings in it. I know she tried hamuburgers once but the ground meat kept falling out of the basket as it turned. The problem seemed to be the patties. Mom makes a very wet patty with chunks of bread as a binder (yeah, not fun biting into a wet chunk of bread inside an overdone burger).

Perhaps in a few months, the big yard sale item will be breadmakers, crock pots, etc.

I wonder what people are going to do with all the flour, yeast, etc they hoarded up with plans to make bread or whatever with all their free time but never got around to doing Unopened items can probably be donated to a food pantry.

 

[Kat0121]

The rotisserie grill one? Mom has one but it hasn't been used in years. I only recall her making chicken wings in it. I know she tried hamuburgers once but the ground meat kept falling out of the basket as it turned. The problem seemed to be the patties. Mom makes a very wet patty with chunks of bread as a binder (yeah, not fun biting into a wet chunk of bread inside an overdone burger).



I wonder what people are going to do with all the flour, yeast, etc they hoarded up with plans to make bread or whatever with all their free time but never got around to doing Unopened items can probably be donated to a food pantry.

Yes. The rotisserie. I don't think I ever used the basket. I only used it for chickens and roasts but it took so long to clean that it wasn't worth it IMO.

Most people will probably let that stuff sit in the pantry until it expires then toss it.

 

[Winchester]

I'd take the flour! IMHO, you can never have too much flour. I always store my extras in the freezer in freezer bags.

I have a feeling there's going to be an incredible amount of wasted food that will eventually be tossed. And what a shame that is.

 

[Kat0121]

I'd take the flour! IMHO, you can never have too much flour. I always store my extras in the freezer in freezer bags.

I have a feeling there's going to be an incredible amount of wasted food that will eventually be tossed. And what a shame that is.

Yes there will be and it is very sad. Especially since there are people who would use it if they were able to buy it.

 

[susanm9006]

Because bread isn’t diabetic friendly at all I have never bought a bread maker and do my best to limit how much of it I eat. Warm yeasty bread would be a huge temptation. But I do have a six pack of Rhodes bread dough in the freezer for emergency use. I have a medium sized upright freezer in the basement . Right now it is more packed with meat than usual but it always has home made tv type dinners, soups and sauces in it . I prefer home made to store bought quick meals.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I'm definitely going to have to keep my eye out. I have been wanting a freezer for YEARS. I think DH is finally coming to my side. His argument has always been how hot our garage gets (It's west facing). We have a mini-fridge out there and it doesn't keep things as cool as we'd like. It's fine for drinks and bread but the freezer doesn't freeze. I put bread in there and it's partially frozen only. I wouldn't keep dairy or meat out there; especially not in the summer. We are in a ranch with no basement; so the garage is really the only place to put something. But with all the craziness of this year I think DH is seeing how helpful it would be because I'd have already had it stocked. Fortunately my mother made room in her freezer for us to keep some things. I've planted a lot of beans this year and I plan to freeze them.

DH was saying maybe we should just get another refrigerator. But it still would have to go into the garage. Growing up my Grandparents always had an extra refrigerator and a tall freezer in the basement. They were gardeners too and Grandpa was big into fishing. He'd also make sausage with my uncle. And they'd freeze placek made once a year. My Dad has a similar setup in his basement now he says too. He buys his meat from a local market in his area. He said the fridge came from his old job that closed. He and a few other guys had split the cost to buy one for work; so he bought it off them. It's been a blessing right now. My in-laws got used ones from a closing business years ago too.

DH and I have started talking about looking for a bigger place; but I don't want to rush into that.

I have a bread machine but I haven't used it in years. I found I really like kneading bread by hand and I struggled with getting the yeast just right in the machine. I did better on my own. I don't really have time for that too often though. I keep thinking it's time to get rid of the small appliances I never use. Like a quesadilla maker someone gave us. You can't put much in it or it leaks so what's the point? We somehow ended up with 4 George Foremans when we got married (17 years ago) and then were given another with removeable plates. We use none now. I think we gave one or two away years ago but DH said there is a big one in the attic.

I have a feeling there's going to be an incredible amount of wasted food that will eventually be tossed. And what a shame that is.

I've been thinking about that too. Even frozen stuff doesn't keep forever. I put some meats in the freezer because some days the only stuff available is a bulk pack (I got 6 pounds of chicken thighs in my grocery order yesterday!). I don't normally freeze meat because it's easy to forget what you have in there. I've started a list so I can remember. I'm sure stuff can be donated; but at the same time, I don't like giving stuff that is on the brink of expiration.

 

[Willowy]

Chest freezers are usually relatively inexpensive (compared to fridges and other appliances). I got my 7cf freezer for under $150 from Sam's Club. Just ordered it online and it was dropped on the porch a few days later, the trucker offered to bring it inside but I refused because I have a crazy dog. Super easy. Of course the bigger ones would be a little harder to move by yourself!
This is the one I got, on sale. Yep, it's out of stock right now:
Thomson Chest Freezer (7.0 cu. ft.) - Sam's Club

And, yeah, there should be some used ones coming up on the market in a few months. Unless everybody decides they love their freezer after trying it .

It's not recommended to keep a freezer in the garage, but I did it at my last house and it worked fine. It usually voids the warranty though.

 

[catapault]

What if when you get a smaller chest style freezer you put it in the back bedroom with a pretty tablecloth / sheet / throw over it. No biggie to remove when you want to get something and easy enough to cover again when you find what you wanted. Put a cat bed on it, a potted plant, some books - make it look like part of the decor. You usually don't go into the freezer every day.

 

[susanm9006]

If you are thinking about investing in a freezer then consider also buying a vacuum sealer, like a Food Saver. They are a little hard to come by right now and they aren’t cheap but vacuum sealing means meats can be frozen without ever getting freezer burn. Once sealed the bags are waterproof so all you need to do is set a package of frozen meat in water and it thaws very quickly.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

If you are thinking about investing in a freezer then consider also buying a vacuum sealer, like a Food Saver. They are a little hard to come by right now and they aren’t cheap but vacuum sealing means meats can be frozen without ever getting freezer burn. Once sealed the bags are waterproof so all you need to do is set a package of frozen meat in water and it thaws very quickly.

Oh that’s a great idea! I wonder if there is still one at my grandparents house. Gram is 101 and not cooking these days. I know she had one! Sometimes my mother will share stuff like that with me too.

I really don’t have any place in the house I could put one. My house is 1600sq ft with 3 bedrooms. My dining/office area is so full of school stuff. I’d post a picture but I’m embarrassed at it. One more week of school and I can start sorting! Even my elliptical is in the breakfast nook side of the kitchen. This house seemed so big when we bought it and it would be fine for just DH and I; but with kids and homeschooling we’ve really filled it up!

 

[denice]

I live in an apartment so I am limited on space. About 18 months ago I got a 3.6 cubic foot chest freezer. It actually holds quite a bit at least for just me, it wouldn't do much good for a family. It holds a lot more then I thought it would. I keep it 3/4 to full all the time so it doesn't build up much frost. In fact I have yet to need to defrost it. It is nice for the good buy one get one free sales. I definitely take advantage of those more then I used to now that I have more freezer space.

 

[Willowy]

Hehe, stole this from a friend on Facebook.


I heard that because of being stuck at home, everybody has been buying pasta makers and breadmakers. So I bought one of each:

 

[Winchester]

Well, I no longer have a breadmaker. Mom had given me one years and years ago (why, I don't know). Rick used it twice and I never used it. And it's been in the basement ever since.

My brother and SIL brought my flour up yesterday. She mentioned that they've been looking for a breadmaker. So Rick brought ours up and we gave it to them. I told her that it's ancient, it needs to be cleaned (in the basement forever), and we're not sure if it works, although it should be OK. She was grateful to get it. We were glad to get rid of it.

 

[nurseangel]

I asked my husband for a bread machine for Christmas a few years ago. I just wanted a cheap one. He bought me something that is like it came off a spaceship! We have been planning to buy a freezer for years and are just getting around to it. I had a really nice outdoor smoker that I bought at an after-Christmas sale. I used it once and the chicken was rubbery. Like Winchester , I cleaned it and stored it. When I heard a co-worker say he wanted a smoker, I jumped at the chance to give it away. He said it was like new and told me if I ever wanted to get rid of anything else, to let him know. Oh, and then I was insulted for giving my refrigerator away to the plumber. Apparently, plumbers are rich folk.

 

[aliceneko]

My mum has a breadmaker from her student days in the early '80s but she hasn't made bread since I was a toddler. My grandad's cousin is an avid breadmaker, though, and her house always smells of freshly baked bed whenever you step inside so that smell always reminds me of her.