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Do you guys go on offering alternatives to other pieces of kit people are excited and happy about, which work like a charm and are also way cheaper than the offered alternatives? Is it the wrong brand? Or something else?

Since SIlpat was brought in as an alternative, they cost like an arm and a leg. A comparable size baking mat from them is like ~36€ at amazon.com. And no, unfortunately, I do not have one from that brand at hand to do a 1-to-1 comparison.

Anyway, I am beyond elated with that mat (using it currently as a sharpening workstation base) and will keep on recommending them to people instead of baking mats. Time to go back to sharpening stuff ->
 
Endlessly offering more and more expensives alternatives is basically what this forum is all about. ;) Most of us actually find this enabling desirable. :D

And yeah I wouldn't bother forking out the money for a Silpat for a sharpening / non-slip mat, especially when the cheaper stuff works. But as a baking mat they are well worth it. Way better than the cheap junk.
 
dhruan said:
Do you guys go on offering alternatives to other pieces of kit people are excited and happy about, which work like a charm and are also way cheaper than the offered alternatives? Is it the wrong brand? Or something else?

Since SIlpat was brought in as an alternative, they cost like an arm and a leg. A comparable size baking mat from them is like ~36€ at amazon.com. And no, unfortunately, I do not have one from that brand at hand to do a 1-to-1 comparison.

Anyway, I am beyond elated with that mat (using it currently as a sharpening workstation base) and will keep on recommending them to people instead of baking mats. Time to go back to sharpening stuff ->
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Silpats are horrendously over-priced. You can find the exact same thing (sans the Silpat logo) on eBay or Rakuten for about a third of the price.

Life-changing experiences? Hardly. Mildly pleasing ones? Plenty. For example, a simple plank of wood over a sink makes for a fine sink bridge, for pennies. Or try a small soft Arkansaw stone to touch up your knives without having to pull out the big stones, for about $10 on eBay. (Many thanks to @stringer for that one!) Or get a "Sparschäler" and then wonder how you ever managed to peel potatoes without going around the bend.

I don't know what you paid for your mat. But, by all means, if it works for you, go for it! And do try baking. With or without the mat. It can be a life-changing experience! :)
 
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I have often wondered about silpats and clones. It seems to me that it would take some time for the mat to come to temp, and meanwhile whatever you're baking is baking only from the top??
 
RonB said:
I have often wondered about silpats and clones. It seems to me that it would take some time for the mat to come to temp, and meanwhile whatever you're baking is baking only from the top??
Click to expand...
I don't know for sure. But, when you put a silicon mat on a hot surface, the heat gets through to the other side of the mat almost immediately. Silicone is a better heat conductor than one would expect, so I don't think the mat coming up to temp is a real problem. If it were, people wouldn't use those mats for baking.
 
dhruan said:
Do you guys go on offering alternatives to other pieces of kit people are excited and happy about, which work like a charm and are also way cheaper than the offered alternatives? Is it the wrong brand? Or something else?

Since SIlpat was brought in as an alternative, they cost like an arm and a leg. A comparable size baking mat from them is like ~36€ at amazon.com. And no, unfortunately, I do not have one from that brand at hand to do a 1-to-1 comparison.

Anyway, I am beyond elated with that mat (using it currently as a sharpening workstation base) and will keep on recommending them to people instead of baking mats. Time to go back to sharpening stuff ->
Click to expand...

Share here as well:
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/show-your-newest-sharpening-gear.54825/
Folks are always eager to see new sharpening stuff and get new ideas. :)
 
RonB said:
I have often wondered about silpats and clones. It seems to me that it would take some time for the mat to come to temp, and meanwhile whatever you're baking is baking only from the top??
Click to expand...
I prefer parchment for most actual baking applications, but those silicone mats are good for keeping stuff from burning/sticking to the sheet pan
 
And fruit leather (basically dried out puree)..and you can do chocolatey things with them. They definitly have a lot of uses. The fancier the kitchen the more you see them.
 
I think the mat is a great idea, and thanks to dhruan for posting it. But as Michi says, it is a baking mat.
Proof of concept: I just checked it out with my Amazon sourced (this is NOT an endorsement!!) brand X silicone baking mat, which looks exactly like the one from Cleancut, except it doesn't say Cleancut. They're 2 for $10. I've abused the hell out of mine and they still work great. The mat does not slide on a Caesarstone counter. A SG stone does not slide on it. My stone holder (a brick wrapped in the sleeve of an old flannel shirt) does not slide on it. It does not slide in a sheet pan. The sheetpan will, however slide on the counter. (You could put the second mat under it, if you want the pan to contain your swaff.) While I know Cleancut has rent to pay, so do I. I don't mind giving them money for knives, and I've even piggybacked their branded band-aids with my knife purchases (very cute!), but I think 18 euro for a 5 euro item is a bit excessive. I wouldn't trouble Chris asking if they are just rebranded baking mats.
 
Michi said:
I don't know for sure. But, when you put a silicon mat on a hot surface, the heat gets through to the other side of the mat almost immediately. Silicone is a better heat conductor than one would expect, so I don't think the mat coming up to temp is a real problem. If it were, people wouldn't use those mats for baking.
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I agree - if they didn't work, people wouldn't use them, but still... ;)

I may have to give one a try.
 
cutmyself said:
I think the mat is a great idea, and thanks to dhruan for posting it. But as Michi says, it is a baking mat.
Proof of concept: I just checked it out with my Amazon sourced (this is NOT an endorsement!!) brand X silicone baking mat, which looks exactly like the one from Cleancut, except it doesn't say Cleancut. They're 2 for $10. I've abused the hell out of mine and they still work great. The mat does not slide on a Caesarstone counter. A SG stone does not slide on it. My stone holder (a brick wrapped in the sleeve of an old flannel shirt) does not slide on it. It does not slide in a sheet pan. The sheetpan will, however slide on the counter. (You could put the second mat under it, if you want the pan to contain your swaff.) While I know Cleancut has rent to pay, so do I. I don't mind giving them money for knives, and I've even piggybacked their branded band-aids with my knife purchases (very cute!), but I think 18 euro for a 5 euro item is a bit excessive. I wouldn't trouble Chris asking if they are just rebranded baking mats.
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Seems to work under cutting boards, too!
 
3A628997-4669-4FFF-B302-3CA88B62CE93.jpeg


Oven thermometer, 1Q 6Q and 12Q cambros



I’m in a parking garage, not Eastern Europe.
 
coxhaus said:
Are those containers plastic? They look nice. Can you run them through the dish washer?
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Cambro is polycarbonate. They're the absolute best-- light, crystal clear, non-reactive, and indestructible. Dishwasherable of course. Worth every penny. Their measuring cups are really really really good. Any restaurant supply will have them. Also Amazon, at the usual upcharge.
 
coxhaus said:
Good we don't want to see any missles landing your way.

Are those containers plastic? They look nice. Can you run them through the dish washer?
I like you can see what's in them. I use Pyrex because they are clear.
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They're made for restaurants. They're almost indestructible. Almost.
 
Two new-to-me arrivals (Thrift Books is a dangerous place):



The Bistro one came yesterday and the wife plucked it up and stuffed her nose in it for two hours. You can see all the bookmark tabs she dropped into it already. She declared she intends to cook at least one recipe from the book each month. She was so into it, she asked me to order a copy for her sister.

I feel like my friend @Lars would enjoy these.
 
HumbleHomeCook said:
Two new-to-me arrivals (Thrift Books is a dangerous place):



The Bistro one came yesterday and the wife plucked it up and stuffed her nose in it for two hours. You can see all the bookmark tabs she dropped into it already. She declared she intends to cook at least one recipe from the book each month. She was so into it, she asked me to order a copy for her sister.

I feel like my friend @Lars would enjoy these.
Click to expand...

I’ve had the bistro cooking book for years. Paid full price for it. One of my all time favorites
 
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