Holiday gatherings often bring your kitchen its largest, most crowded workloads of the year. But no matter how much food you make or how you cook it, Judd & Black Appliance’s line of cooking appliances surely has something to fit both your kitchen and your budget.
Dave Evans, sales associate at Judd & Black Appliance, says sales representatives always ask customers about their household size, home and kitchen layout, and what cooking methods they use most. This information helps provide them with the best options to choose from.
And if someone hasn’t been in the market for new cooking appliances in 10 or 15 years, Evans and other Judd & Black associates are happy to show them newer cooking technologies they may be unfamiliar with. “We go to regular trainings on how these appliances work, and how to use them properly,” he says. “We just want to enlighten people on what’s going on in the appliance industry.”
Cooktops
Generally, people buy the cooktop style they’re most familiar with or have a personal taste for, but Evans says there are advantages to selecting a gas stovetop over a traditional electric one. “The speed of gas is nice, because electric elements generally take a little longer to heat up,” he explains.
Gas burners also tend to have a faster response to temperature adjustments. In the last 5 to 10 years, though, a newer electric-based option called “induction” has surpassed gas ranges in both speed and adjustability. Evans says induction cooktops work by sending a magnetic charge to the pan or other cooking container, moving the molecules of the container and creating friction that heats it up. The range surface, meanwhile, stays cool to the touch.
Ovens
Many people utilize a traditional oven with bake and broil settings, and Evans says about 2/3 of available models now sell with the option of convection. Where traditional ovens distribute rising heat in a manner that can leave food heated somewhat unevenly (especially if multiple racks of food are being heated simultaneously), convection ovens distribute the heat.
“It stirs the heat up,” Evans says of convection. “It creates a little vortex in there and moves the heat around very evenly, so you can really stuff the oven with food and everything will come out evenly, no matter what rack you use.”
Convection also pulls the cooler, insulating air that forms around a roast or turkey, resulting in about 30 percent faster baking times, Evans adds. While it’s not necessary for something like a pizza, meals that require multiple items or particularly even cooking benefit from convection.
Many ovens also have an option that will turn the temperature down to 180 degrees: the optimal cooking temperature for food safety without continuing to cook it, Evan says.
Another newer option is a steam oven. These are especially great for leftovers, re-hydrating foods that may have dried out in your fridge. Evans says it’s also great for baking or heating artisan breads, as well as retaining vitamins in vegetables that can be lost through methods like boiling. Many of these ovens are pre-programmed with specific cook settings, allowing you to bake cakes or cook chicken without fear of overcooking.
Air Fryers
Another newer method that is quickly gaining in popularity is air frying. Unlike traditional frying that submerges food in various oils, an air fryer circulates hot air in a manner similar to a convection oven. The food, which is usually coated or sprayed with just a thin layer of oil, comes out nice and crispy. Although it’s generally been more of a counter-top appliance, Evans says some manufacturers are now making full-size oven models. The air fryer caters to those interested in saving time and calories.
Microwaves
Judd & Black Appliance also carries plenty of microwaves. Regardless of whether you want one installed over your cooking range, on a counter top, emerging from a drawer, or elsewhere, technicians can install your microwave several different ways, helping meet whatever preferences you have.
Warming Drawers and Grills
For people who cook a lot of food, installing warming drawers around your oven can maximize space and keep cooked foods perfectly warm. Some even have slow-cook options, perfect for ribs, Evans says. Another option for making room in your kitchen: outsource some cooking to your outdoor grill. Judd & Black Appliance has a wide selection of grills and smokers. Evans says he likes to utilize a pellet grill for meats, freeing up the oven for casseroles and other foods. This method also frees you up to try different seasonings or brines on a turkey or meat roast.
So, this holiday season, if you’re in the market for newer appliances and curious about your options, call or stop in at Judd & Black Appliance store today; they’ll have you cooking in no time.
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