I’ve gotten three emails this week asking how my bread baking is going. It’s been several months now since I started grinding wheat and making bread and I’ll admit that when bread baking day rolls around I sometimes think, “Oh, for a loaf of presliced bread in a long, plastic bag.” But each time I bake the bread anyway and I’m always glad I did. This past weekend when the older three kids and I went on our traditional Saturday garage sale adventures. I found this old, vintage scale for $8.00. I know it’s not fancy and digital, but it gets the job done and makes baking bread easier because all the loaves are the same size! I’ve always wanted a kitchen scale, but didn’t want to spend the money on a nice digital one. (I’m cheap.)
Using the scale yesterday made me think about kitchen appliances and which ones make your life easier. I regularly use my big Bosch mixer, and if I forget to check the bread dough, well, sometimes things like this happen. But that’s not my mixer’s fault – it’s mine! 
I think I was on the computer or something!
I’ve had other appliances throughout the years that were colossal failures. I’ve learned I’m not a food processor person – I just chop it myself, and I rarely use the blender attachment that came with my mixer. I also tend to use just the same knives over and over rather than some of the more expensive speciality ones I have collected.
One appliance I would like to have is an even bigger mixer, as it takes me three batches of dough to make enough bread, rolls and muffins for a week or so. But the bigger mixers are expensive, and I don’t see this Bosch one dying anytime soon!
Is there an appliance you can’t do without? Any appliance you wish you had? Diane
I have a KitchenAid stand mixer that I adore. I don’t use it often, but there is no real substitute when I need it. I have a food processor that I rarely use, unless I’m putting up a year’s supply of pesto, then it’s invaluable.
I do need to invest in a better set of knives – or a better quality chef’s knife. I have a Pampered Chef knife that has served me well, but after a few years, I think it may be done for.
I have never seen anything like your bread mixer/blob maker! Oh, and congrats on your vintage scale. It is very, very cool.
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I just bought a digital scale and while I like it, if I saw that one in at a yard sale or in a shop, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. It’s got spunk!
I can’t live without my slow cooker. Oh, I suppose I could, but I’d be stuck at home a lot.
I don’t use my food processor for chopping – but use it for ‘grinding’ things like chick peas into hummas or chick pea burgers. And that is about the only appliance I use on a regular basis. But, the girls do go through smoothy spells where they are using the blender a lot.
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I cannot live without my digital scale. That purchase along with the book, “Fast Food Nation” are what opened my eyes to the fact that I was probably eating double the calories I thought I was. And ultimately led to my successfully losing 65 pounds in 2006-2007.
I’m also very fond of my rice cooker. Had ruined way too many batches of brown rice by cooking on stove. This way, when the light goes off, it’s done!! And it’s not one of those expensive ones either (I’m cheap too!!). Bought it at Walgreen’s for $7.99!
If a coffee maker counts as an appliance, let’s just say I have two in my house, one in each car and a couple of spares in the garage! Guess you could call that an addiction! LOL!
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I have couple – high quality knives, a sharpening tool, bamboo cutting boards and my Kitchen Aid mixer ! I have a Little Oscar food processor that is the bomb for making hummus and my own nut butters. I have 2 digital scales that get used to death but I would trade them in a heart beat for an old fashioned one . I have heard nothing but great reports from those who use the Bosch bread maker, but I have also had great success with any ole bread machine. I only use it to mix and proof the dough and cook it in the oven. I am currently without one and I get reminded of how much I love my Kitchen Aid for mixing dough and just about everything else.
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I love that vintage scale, Diane!!!
I cannot live without my food processor! I use it for so many things – chopping, shredding cheese, making dough and homemade almond butter!
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I love my hand held “plunger” blender, it works so great for pureeing soups right in the pot. I wish I had a really good food processor so I could make my own version of Lara Bars. But that is a big investment I am a bit reluctant to make – I need to give my husband and kids some very obvious hints I guess!
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I love my Kitchen Aid mixer. I wish I had the bigger one, and when I eventually need a new one, I’m going to go for a bigger Kitchen Aid or maybe a Bosch …but it’s been 13 years and this baby is still a work horse and never a problem. I also cannot live without my crockpot.
One thing I’d really like is a good food processor..that I can figure out how to use!
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That’s the kind of scale I would keep on my counter. Most are so ugly but that has such character. I love it!
I don’t use many appliances because I’m short on both counter and cabinet space. I think the one I use most is my iced tea maker.
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I’m not much of a chef so don’t use many fun appliance too often. But I do appreciate my Kitchen-aid mixer I got as a wedding gift 23 years ago when I need it and my Cuisinart food processor, another great wedding gift.
But the one I now use that I never expected is an electric kettle. Started drinking tea this year and this is a great way to heat the water fast!
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I love my digital scale and could not get along without it. But your vintage scale is a treasure–and it works too! I also love my rice cooker and crock pot, but never got used to a food processor. (I also use my rice cooker for oatmeal.) But I had to stop using my bread baker, because the bread was too good! We are such creatures of habit.
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That vintage scale is lovely. What a great find! My favorite appliance is probably my digital scale. I use it every day, anyway. I have plenty of other nice appliances, mostly ones I got as wedding presents eight years ago, but must admit that they get used very rarely. Mostly it is me, the scale, a knife, and a cutting board.
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I love your vintage scale! It has so much character!
I don’t have a lot of appliances as I have a tiny kitchen. One appliance I use a lot is my immersion blender. I use it several times per week to make “creamy soups” without cream. Plus, it’s really easy to clean and store.
I don’t have much as I am not the most inventive & best cook/baker but I hear those Vitamixers are the bomb! Now, if I would use it, I don’t know. Right now, I have the MINIMAL!
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I really wish we had a Kitchenaid mixer. It would make things so much easier!
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Lovely scale! Brings back memories to my Granny who had one of those.
The appliance I use the most is my kitchen machine, it can do everything: make smoothies, cut vegetables, mix things to bake.
I have other appliances too and there isn’t really one that I would have.
I love kitchen gadgets and appliances. I use my blendtec blender, food processor, slow cookers and mini chopper all the time. I wish I had a Kitchen Aid mixer. It is on my wish list.
My favorite appliance is my kitchenaid stand mixer, but I am waiting for it to die so I can get a bosch or more powerful, larger mixer from kitchenaid, to be honest. The capacity of it is too small for the volume of cooking I do these days.
My nutrimill is my other favorite.
The only other kitchen items I need at this point are a pressure cooker (my old one warped, I was so sad!) and a mandolin slicer. I like to keep it simple. I use my blender but rarely my food processor, and I only just got a toaster last year (I broiled in the oven before that). I don’t have enough space for a gazillion appliances
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My kitchenaid mixer and my food processor. I love my small bread maker, but don’t use it much any more.
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No and no. I’m not a big appliance person and I don’t really have anything on my wish list. I use the simple stuff…Maybe if I get more into cooking, I’ll have a desire for something fancier.
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Hey Diane,
I love to make fresh bread. I’ve never ground my own wheat flour though!
I’ve not made bread lately because it is one of those foods that if I start eating – I cannot easily stop.
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I could not do without my immersion blender & my digital kitchen scale (although your vintage scale is much prettier). I might like to have a blender or food processor
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I bought a digital scale a few months ago and that is one tool I use everyday. It keeps my portions accurate and really helps me when tracking calories. My measuring cups and spoons are also used daily.
I’d like to try a toaster oven just to roast side dishes of veggies without using the oven. It’s not a huge priority, but maybe someday.
I can’t go without my bread baker. I break a brown bread flour with sunflower & pumpkin seeds bread and add Digestive bran as well.
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I recently got a breadmaker and I am loving it! I can’t imagine life without it anymore.
I also love my blender/food processor 2 in one.
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No many foods as special as fresh homemade bread!
I brought a KitchenAid mixer this weekend. Love it! Before I was using my food processor for mixing and it just was not getting the job done. Of course, at the time I thought it would be able to do both jobs because the food processor came with a bread attachment and I can save some money. Needless to say, I now wish I had just brought my mixer because I prefer to do a lot of the chopping by hand as well.
I have two- my Blendtec electric grain mill, bought to gring wheat, but have since made my own rice and bean flours, and my Kitchenaid stand mixer- that is only because my mom bought it for me for the Christmas, in which she passed away on the 15th.
I REALLY want a Bosch mixer for making bread! Sveral church friends have one and I have watched them use it for everything.
Love your scale