My favorite thing about Dan's videos is his choice of language when describing his ideas and suggestions. "Perhaps this could...", "I wonder if..."Maybe this...". Truly a scientist and designer at heart. All ideas are just suggestions until proven effective, and there's no ego in it. I love this aspect of his videos!
@@matdryz probably both and entire career of tinkering on ideas from bad to better can do that to a person, or takes a certain kind of person, can attest as one
For oil dispenser a major issue is that oil quality degrades drastically when exposed to light - that's why oil bottles are almost always made of green/brown glass and the same should apply here
I would really like to see Dan present some of his fave gadgets, some designs that he has done, show us good gadget design in action. Pure love for Dan, out simpatico man.
The twist up measuring cup works best for foods like peanut butter, sour cream, and other things that stick to the sides of the cup. You're supposed to push the bottom part up to squeegee the contents of the cup out, so you actually get everything out of the cup. I love mine!
I figured that would be the purpose, was a little confused about the point of the product when he didnt use it to push out the syrup stuck to the sides
@@unknown_yama i have seen many episodes of the show Good Eats and when it comes to things using cream cheese, sour cream, syrups and the like he used that type of device and he always pushes it up
Nooooo Dan, you can’t add a pour spout to the twist-up measuring cup - that gets rid of the purpose of the cup, which is a squeegee for thick or sticky ingredients, like sour cream. Epicurious, what’s going on? Are you withholding basic packaging or instructions from Dan? Lately he’s been really off on how to use the objects tested, which makes his opinion rather useless.
Mine are. I've had to sharpie new lines based on weight. The bigger the measuring cup, the further off the measurements were. My 8 cup one is awful. The 1c one isn't too bad.
I try to convert all my recipes to weight for this exact reason. Most kitchen measuring devices have no calibration. The exceptions are decent scales and thermometers. I also suggest getting an oven thermometer because you'd be surprised how often temperature settings on ranges/ovens will be off.
@@GenericRespondent one piece of advice I always give when people are struggling is that they need to learn how to use their new oven. I know that mine runs hot and has one hot spot so I always rotate pans
@@frankwu4747 nah, the scientific equipment is accurate. I've checked the cylinders a couple times. Even the 2 L ones are accurate. (also, beakers aren't measuring devices, they're just temporary containers; so those markings are only meant to be indicators and they don't have to be precise)
Those twist up measuring cups are AMAZING for super sticky stuff like honey, peanut butter, and lard. You can pack the ingredient in, get an accurate measurement, and then just push it out. Way easier than trying to fight with a spatula to get all of the ingredient out of a traditional measuring cup.
The measuring cups needed a molasses/honey test. I don't own one but I imagine the gadget would be great for pushing all the viscous or sticky liquids out. Should have had that comparison vs the pyrex and a silicon spatula.
Yes, I use the Oxo version of this gadget for honey, molasses, ketchup, sour cream, etc., that are sticky and annoying to get out of measuring cups/spoons. I also think he didn't catch on that the design of the gadget wasn't just to turn it over to pour it out, but also to push up on the bottom to push out the contents, which is very helpful for sticky ingredients like honey. The spigot he added to the design would make it more difficult to swipe off the honey from the end of the gasket after you've pushed it out.
Yeah, outside of TikTok, the manufacturer markets it specifically for viscous and sticky ingredients. I've mostly used it for things like honey and Nutella. It's not really meant to be a replacement for traditional measuring cups for liquids.
@@alexbrown9351 I think the manufacturer could've made that more clear somehow, like maybe adding that little detail onto the packaging. I think this is also a good example of how most people would try to use this device if they didn't know better.
@@seannelson29 Exactly! Not sure if Alton Brown is the actual inventor, but he’s the first one I saw selling this kind of product. It’s designed for exactly that kind of ingredient. I’m really disappointed in Dan not demonstrating that.
I remember back in the late 80s or early 90s seeing my mother use one of these for measuring out things like peanut butter or vegetable shortening. Definitely the best use for it!
The dispenser requires clean up too. Otherwise you’re putting the dirty brush back into the clean oil, contaminating it, or contaminating the next food product that you use it on.
@@reditaliangirl The issue is that Dan specifically says "you can use it, really, without any clean-up at all" and later implies using the brush + bottle version means he needed to clean up while the product doesn't need the brush cleaned. The comment is not about the product, but how Dan was misleading viewers into thinking you do not need to wash the brush.
@@Strawation I don’t think there’s that much harm in what Dan said. The viewer just needs to think for themselves to realize they might want to clean the brush even if Dan said otherwise. He’s testing these products pretty quickly, he’s going to miss some details.
The problem with the spout on the twist-up measuring cup is not being able to slide an edge over the top to level the dry ingredients. I have something similar (pampered chef?). It’s two pieces with a rigid sleeve over a cup. The liquid is poured into the cup using red measurements. For dry, you turn it over and the liquid cup twists up or down in the sleeve to measure (measurements in blue) the dry. The best thing is you can use it for dry and liquid measurements without needing to wash it between the dry and liquid.
Agreed. I would say that mostly I use my Pamper Chef measuring cup for shortening and butter/ margarine. It is great the way you can pack it and then just push it out.
imagine if the olive oil dispenser thing had a line for 1 tbsp and 2 tbsp. That would be so perfect for portioning olive oil onto pans when you're cooking
@@milkjugs4771 damn, that level of tracking sounds stressful, the end user could probably sharpie their measurements on by filling a tbsp container, and marking the difference, repeat, until you can see what whole measures is holds on the bulb. nly downside every several washes itd need to be refreshed
@@VVilde36 it is stressful but 2 tbsp of olive oil is almost 250 calories, so it's really easy to overdo it. Especially if you use olive oil to cook 3 different meals, there's almost 1000 calories a day in just olive oil
@@milkjugs4771 Exactly. 2 tbsp of oil is not that much. If you need to calorie control, just use less. Most tasks that require 2 tbsp of oil can be done with 1 tbsp. That's why most chefs just eyeball it.
I have a push up measurement cup from Pampered Chef that I've had for over 20 years. It's real strength is measuring viscous or sticky things: peanut butter, syrups, crisco, honey, etc. Once measured, you invert it and plunge it to push all the ingredients out. You don't end up with a mess on the measuring device, the spoon you used to pull it out, etc. Time isn't wasted trying to scrape that into what you're making wondering if you got it all in there. Pampered Chef's device also had a spout and the graphics were a different color than the plunger. :)
I was about to mention that exact one! My mom has one and it's uniquely suited for sticky stuff. It works so, so well for peanut butter and stuff like that.
Literally came down to the comments to say the same thing. Listening to the improvements I was saying "So just go get a Pampered Chef one." It's been done. I've had mine for at least 15 years and I love it. Got the mini and the petite as well.
But it seems like wat you say is right--if you put a spout as he suggests it makes it much harder to measure like flour and that sort of thing (because you compromise the flat top...so you need to use it for certain items well suited for this...
I have used the twist plunger for years and it's been wonderful! I do not use it for standard dry goods or liquids, but keep it for those hard to measure ingredients like molasses and honey.
The oil dispenser bottle and brush are fine until you brush over a raw steak or chicken, then you really have to be careful about not contaminating the whole beaker of oil.
Thank you!! The second I saw that one in the intro I thought, this becomes a major botulism risk the second someone forgets to clean the brushes before putting it back in the cup.
Same thought here...and you can't just rinse off the silicone bristles covered in oil like you could if it was just some other liquid. I have yet to find a good oil dispenser for spraying or distributing oil evenly.
@@Aydee9r It is common sense but sometimes if you're busy cooking and you put something back on autopilot... Well, mistakes happen. I wasn't very clear in my first comment, but I'd be concerned about using that gadget in general because botulism risk can come from any food. So if you brush it on some vegetables and put it back, that introduces the food particles to the perfect environment for bacteria (like the ones that cause botulism) to form.
Funny how he brings up the possibility of food getting stuck in the batter scoop, but not the brush. This was my concern too: It's just not something I would ever use because cleaning it is part of the process, and this would be difficult to clean. I'll stick to bottled oil and a washable brush - or just a drizzle with no contact.
I have to say I have that twist up measuring cup and I LOVE it! But only for thick or sticky ingredients like peanut butter, honey, and molasses. It's perfect for something like that, they aren't liquidy enough to need a spout and the plunger scrapes the inside to get it all and then just scrape the bottom with a knife or spatula to get the rest. I don't bother using it for wet or dry ingredients but for the thick and sticky ingredients it is a game changer.
Hey Dan, love your videos. We have the twist up measuring cup, and its real use case is for viscous ingredients, like honey, yogurt, or nut butters. For those, you can fill it and then just push the inner piece up to get it all out, instead of scraping the ingredient out of a normal measuring cup, and leaving some behind. Would be curious to see you test it out again with that purpose in mind. Also, agreed the pour spout on pyrex is the worst!
For the oil brush/bottle/squeezer, I feel it's limited in cleaning the brush. I only use a brush for oil on baking meat really. So I really want to get that brush clean after using it, and until it's clean, that oil bottle is without it's top. The measuring thingy has a similar issue with cleaning I would imagine. In fact, being able to get things clean is what kills a lot of gadget things for me.
I have a version of the twist up measuring cup and the purpose of it is to push out all of the ingredient and works well with sticky items like peanut butter. I love it.
When you add the spout to the measuring cup, you can go ahead and remove the markings for dry measurements since you eliminated the ability to easily level off the contents.
@@Soggyoldsock and the spout is removable? When you level off the dry measure, you run a straight edge of a knife or spatula across the top of the cup and take off any excess. The spout with stop that, unless it’s removable somehow and removing it leaves the straight top at the measurement.
I have (at the very least something similar to) the twist up measuring cup and use it almost exclusively for peanut butter when baking. For the most part I find regular cups work best for almost everything, but I really hate having to get another tool dirty and get a rubber spatula just to empty out a measuring cup of peanut butter and with something so thick the twist up really shines
The twist measuring cup has one more trick that was missed. When you measure something sticky like syrup, peanut butter, honey, or corn syrup, you're supposed to tip it into your bowl, then press the plunger down. This scrapes the sides. After that, you swipe across the bottom (that's now at the top) and get the last of it into the bowl. This is my 5/5 gadget for measuring sticky/odd items. And a spout wouldn't hurt, but I don't think it's necessary
My family has had one of those sliding measuring cups for decades. They're really nice for thick things like peanut butter or molasses, cause you can push the plunger up and get basically everything out without needing to use a spatula/knife to try and scrape it all.
No disrespect to anyone else on this channel, but i want dan to just have his own show or channel if he doesnt already. Hes really entertaining and funny.
Where the twist up cups really shine is when using ingredients like peanut butter, since you can just push it out and produce less waste. Alton Brown uses them quite a bit.
That twist up measuring cup is best used for thick sticky things like peanut butter. No need to pour, so no spout. Just push it out and rubber spatula gets the straight end clean. No digging around in a measuring cup trying to get all the PB.
I have the twist up measuring cup, and I give it a 1 for recommendation. The dry ingredients are filled to the top making spills likely, and I didn't notice there were different lines for liquids. The outer shell flexes side to side, skewing the measurement. Finally, the center column isn't sealed, and water gets inside while you wash it. The only solution is to drill holes and hope it all comes out. It's a cute idea, maybe a revision would make it worthwhile, but I do not recommend it.
I have the cherry pitter. It works great for cherries and softer olives. I can see why it wouldn't work on those tough green olives. Cherries. Kalamatas. Works perfectly. 5/5 all around. Love mine in cherry season.
I've seen way too many videos with him, and while I think he's very skilled at his craft and extremely clever, I have 2 questions: 1. how does he say the most generic stuff with 0 facial expression whatsoever and somehow it's the most entertaining thing I've seen all day? 2. Does he have facial expressions?
I had one of those adjustable measuring cups (from a different brand) and I think they picked the wrong test material. The sweet spot for it is anything thick - peanut putter, sour cream, yogurt, molasses, shortening, etc. Anything that gets stuck to the measuring cup that you then have to scrape out and is annoying to clean. With the adjustable measuring cup you add the ingredients and then untwist it. The gasket forces all the stuff off the sides leaving less stuff left in the measuring cup and easier cleanup. To me, it's a 5/5 (at least for the brand I bought with red text instead of black).
For yoghurt if I'm about to eat it and its not already in the normal single serving pots, but those larger ones, then I just pop the bowl I'll be eating it from on the scales and weigh how much I want. Most thick liquids its just easier to weigh them than try to use a jug as you can pick an easier to clean bowl that way.
Like, tbh I don’t think I would ever buy any of these gadgets, but I just love watching this guy rate them. He’s got like idk, fun grandpa vibes or something; I find his videos very comforting and entertaining.
The measuring device is popular because of butter, mayo or honey. You don't have to scrape them out of the cup or mug. Could you do a re-test on those? ❤️ The only question I have about the oil dispenser is if it still sucks oil up when it's nearly empty.
It does a pretty good job pushing out the residue, but I don't recommend it. The center column traps water while you're cleaning it. There's no hole for it to escape, so I had to drill holes in the bottom to drain it. I'd prefer a regular measuring cup and spatula.
Yeah my mom has one that’s older than I am. I specifically remember her using it to measure peanut butter when we would bake. I’m not sure it twists up but it does push up. This is like how everyone went nuts over the instant pot… it’s just an electric version of a stovetop pressure cooker. Same device, slightly different spin on it.
@@shryx86 huh? I've used that exact version for years without anything like you're describing. Unless we're talking about a different gadget, you just take the center out and wash as two pieces and you're done. No drill holes required. I definitely don't miss measuring one wet ingredient and then having to try and get it all out with my spatula after another. Also makes cleaning easier since it squeegees itself for your convenience.
Yes the clear sleeve comes off of the center column for cleaning and that's awesome. My problem was with the center column itself. Mine has a solid top and bottom, and there's enough of a gap that water got inside of the center column. Water came out when I shook it, but I had to drill holes to effectively get the water out. A center column with an open bottom would be better. Nothing would get trapped inside, and it would use less materials. The center column might need to be metal or plastic instead of cardboard to retain rigidity.
Dan, For the Twist-Up doohicky, that style of measuring device can be used with things like soft butter, because you can twist it to push stuff out like a Push-Pop, and then scrape it off with a flat spatula. Also, the reason it doesn't have a spout is so that you can use a knife (or whatever) to level off the top with when measuring dry stuff. I'm guessing that a small, flat-ish style of spout could be added and taken into account for the measure.
The twist measuring cup is great for sticky ingredients like molasses or honey and your supposed to push the plunger when pouring out the ingredient to scrap the sides clean
growing up my parents had something similar to the twist cup, the graphics were blue and red, super easy to read. It was basically a plastic cup that was slightly squeezable over a hard plastic sheath with the measurements. We mostly used it when making cookies and it called for crisco butter. Otherwise we didn't use it much as we had measuring cups. I don't know if they still have it but this was also about 20 years ago.
Two Dan videos in a week? Thank you so much epicurious, loved this one. Always love to see Dan give a 5/5 to at least one gadget, gives me confidence that there are places out there still focused on doing it right. Regarding the test that Dan did with the Pyrex, I tested my own on the mL side and had similar results. However, I tested it on the Oz side and got much more accurate results. Bottom line: Americans (Pyrex is made in the USA) can only be trusted with imperial units, lol.
My twist measuring cup has red type instead of black. Also gotta give credit to being able to twist it back out to get every bit of the liquid ingredient. Great for thicker stuff like yogurt or honey. It not having a pour spout is my least favorite part.
That measuring tube looked similar, but slightly inferior to, the type of measuring device that Alton Brown uses for honey and molasses. Moving the plunger seemed like it took some effort, but the ones that Alton Brown uses are sort of like a syringe with no lid, with the idea being that the plunger pushes out any thick liquids that may be stuck to the wall of the measuring cup.
I think the hinge design on the olive pitter is a hindrance due to the angle of the blades being different for each olive placement. Turning it into two parts that mesh straight would work alot better.
the problem with that still is now you're spreading all the pressure onto every olive at once, which will also require more force to pit the best option really is to do less olives at a time, or have it be motorized. edit: one other option is to have every pitter be at a slightly different length, so you're only really pushing down on one olive seed at a time, so that all the weight of your body, or just force you're pushing down with is focused in one area mainly, for better mechanical advantage
My mom used to have a measuring cup like that twist up one but it was slightly different. The base was translucent and hollow, and the wet and dry measurements were upside down to one another. So you'd measure drys in the way done in this video, but measure wets by turning the thing upside down and measuring like a more regular measuring cup.
@@AlexG2490 They are. And I have been using mine for over 15 years. The dry measurements are in red. The wet are in Blue. It has a white gasket, and a pour spout... so literally ALL the improvements he made.
@@AlexG2490 Alton Brown sold a set also - that's where I first saw them, then I got the Pampered Chef set and have been using them for years. FINALLY the writing is wearing off on them and I'm going to have to replace them soon.
i had something like the twist up measuring cup as a kid, and that thing was great-- for that one you put the dry ingredients in like this one, but the liquid ingredients were in the internal cup, which had a spout of its own
The problem with the twist-up cup is if that’s your only measuring device…you’re going to have a LOT of washing to do to make a single batch of cookies. Easier to ditch the measuring cup entirely and just weigh ingredients into prep bowls on a kitchen scale. But fun video!
Dan, If you add a spout to something that is supposed to measure ingredients like flour or shortening you can't level off with a knife to keep it precise. The spout will be in the way. Your redesign makes it better for liquid but worse for others like flour or shortening. You would have to make the spout flat with the top of the cup and adjust the markings to work with the spout.
Finally, a perfect score! Maybe not a perfect product, since he did have some redesign ideas, but it is the first thing I have seen with 3 5-out-of-5's.
On the twist up-you are supposed to turn it upside down then push and it squeeses all the stuff off of the walls. The cherry pitter is wonderful for pitting cherries.
For the multi-pitter, it looks like they just increased the size of a standard single pitter. I wonder if something with a pressed plunger action would work better since you'd be pressing straight down instead of at an angle. Maybe with some springs to help tension.
The batter scoop also can't be used for ice cream, cookies, or any other kind of dough. And it looks like batter might just drip off the end while you were using it. A regular scoop with a sweeper arm is a lot more versatile and probably a lot less messy!
I thought the twist up cup was design for difficult things like mayonnaise, and the benefit is being able to push it out without having to scrape out from the cup
Cannot believe Pyrex has been LYING to the customers like that.... So much baking gone horribly wrong because of you Pyrex !! . . On the other hand, more than 1 like just for the perfect delivery [9:10] of "Banish that cup to HELL" with a raised eyebrow. Would love to see you in Game of Thrones Dan :P
That twisty measuring cup looks like a worse version of a measuring cup my mom bought back in the eighties or nineties. It was similar, but both parts were clear and the bottom was open. Dry ingredients were measured identically to this one, but for wet ingredients, you turn it upside down and fill the bottom chamber with liquid. That way, you don't get the dry ingredient chamber wet. I love that thing. So convenient! Bonus: it has color coded wet/dry measurements and a pouring spout.
The twist and measure is supposed to have the same colour text as the gasket. When the text disappears, say 100ml, you know you are at 100ml. It is really designed for things like brown sugar, semi-liquids like butter etc. the idea is you measure the substance then push the bottom up to expel it. It is not the most intuitive device, but once you know how to use it, it’s great.
For the twist up and liquids - measure out 1/2 cup, twist it to 1 cup vol. and then pour out, twisting it closed to get full vol of liquid. easier to pour and quick once you get used to it.
My mom had a push measuring cup like that, but it was bright yellow, it was amazing for molasses and other thick things because it scrapes it all out and leaves you with a flat surface for none left behind
proably not, you'll always find small things to improve just by being a different designer and having to watch it from the outside/use point of view. But hey a 5 out of 5 buy rating is as good as it gets.
when I was baking a lot more, I bought one of those gasketed measuring cups. It's main purpose isn't to measure liquids and solids, cause for that you can use normal measuring cups/bowls just as well or better, but if you want to measure a cup of cream cheese, honey, or other viscous things like that? the thing is worth its weight in gold.
I am SO shocked to see that 'Twist Up' measuring thing, 'cause Alton Brown's been using something like that for decades, all the way back on Good Eats. They're called plunger-style measuring cups, and designed so you push the inner piece forward to scrape the sides so you get /everything/ out for liquid measure. The one I had leaked a bunch, but they're otherwise fantastic for measuring things like mayo, mustard, honey, or any other viscous liquid that's hard to scrape out of other measuring cups.
My favorite thing about Dan's videos is his choice of language when describing his ideas and suggestions. "Perhaps this could...", "I wonder if..."Maybe this...". Truly a scientist and designer at heart. All ideas are just suggestions until proven effective, and there's no ego in it. I love this aspect of his videos!
Either that or he's just really insecure XD
@@matdryz probably both
and entire career of tinkering on ideas from bad to better can do that to a person, or takes a certain kind of person, can attest as one
Him and that guy from the history channel who keeps suggesting "ditches".
Its not engineering language tho.
Thats teaching language. He's teaching us how to be better designers.
@@zalibecquerel3463 Roel Konijnendijk? I remember that guy from reviewing historical battles scenes in movies.
For oil dispenser a major issue is that oil quality degrades drastically when exposed to light - that's why oil bottles are almost always made of green/brown glass and the same should apply here
I was thinking of this!
Yes! I think it's small and meant to be used with high turnover but yeah good point
Can't you just also store it somewhere dark?
I was wondering how easy it was to clean that thing out too. You have to do it every once and while right?
@@millenniumfox4814 yes you can. People just love to find something to hate about.
I would really like to see Dan present some of his fave gadgets, some designs that he has done, show us good gadget design in action.
Pure love for Dan, out simpatico man.
Dan invented the speed pourer
The twist up measuring cup works best for foods like peanut butter, sour cream, and other things that stick to the sides of the cup. You're supposed to push the bottom part up to squeegee the contents of the cup out, so you actually get everything out of the cup. I love mine!
I figured that would be the purpose, was a little confused about the point of the product when he didnt use it to push out the syrup stuck to the sides
@@unknown_yama i have seen many episodes of the show Good Eats and when it comes to things using cream cheese, sour cream, syrups and the like
he used that type of device and he always pushes it up
Came here to comment this because it bugs me so much that he isn’t using it right.
@@PChamileon97 Exactly. I dont know how Dan missed this. 🤦🏼♀️
Nooooo Dan, you can’t add a pour spout to the twist-up measuring cup - that gets rid of the purpose of the cup, which is a squeegee for thick or sticky ingredients, like sour cream. Epicurious, what’s going on? Are you withholding basic packaging or instructions from Dan? Lately he’s been really off on how to use the objects tested, which makes his opinion rather useless.
I can't believe that Pyrex is a lie. This is scandalous
Mine are. I've had to sharpie new lines based on weight. The bigger the measuring cup, the further off the measurements were. My 8 cup one is awful. The 1c one isn't too bad.
I try to convert all my recipes to weight for this exact reason. Most kitchen measuring devices have no calibration. The exceptions are decent scales and thermometers. I also suggest getting an oven thermometer because you'd be surprised how often temperature settings on ranges/ovens will be off.
@@GenericRespondent one piece of advice I always give when people are struggling is that they need to learn how to use their new oven. I know that mine runs hot and has one hot spot so I always rotate pans
@@GenericRespondent Pyrex also makes beakers and graduated cylinders. This makes me suspicious of their accuracy.
@@frankwu4747 nah, the scientific equipment is accurate. I've checked the cylinders a couple times. Even the 2 L ones are accurate.
(also, beakers aren't measuring devices, they're just temporary containers; so those markings are only meant to be indicators and they don't have to be precise)
Those twist up measuring cups are AMAZING for super sticky stuff like honey, peanut butter, and lard. You can pack the ingredient in, get an accurate measurement, and then just push it out. Way easier than trying to fight with a spatula to get all of the ingredient out of a traditional measuring cup.
Yes! Cleaning/cleanup is almost as important as the gadget's workability. I think it needs its own score really.
The measuring cups needed a molasses/honey test. I don't own one but I imagine the gadget would be great for pushing all the viscous or sticky liquids out. Should have had that comparison vs the pyrex and a silicon spatula.
Yes, I use the Oxo version of this gadget for honey, molasses, ketchup, sour cream, etc., that are sticky and annoying to get out of measuring cups/spoons. I also think he didn't catch on that the design of the gadget wasn't just to turn it over to pour it out, but also to push up on the bottom to push out the contents, which is very helpful for sticky ingredients like honey. The spigot he added to the design would make it more difficult to swipe off the honey from the end of the gasket after you've pushed it out.
Yeah, outside of TikTok, the manufacturer markets it specifically for viscous and sticky ingredients. I've mostly used it for things like honey and Nutella. It's not really meant to be a replacement for traditional measuring cups for liquids.
@@alexbrown9351 I think the manufacturer could've made that more clear somehow, like maybe adding that little detail onto the packaging. I think this is also a good example of how most people would try to use this device if they didn't know better.
@@seannelson29 Exactly! Not sure if Alton Brown is the actual inventor, but he’s the first one I saw selling this kind of product. It’s designed for exactly that kind of ingredient. I’m really disappointed in Dan not demonstrating that.
I remember back in the late 80s or early 90s seeing my mother use one of these for measuring out things like peanut butter or vegetable shortening. Definitely the best use for it!
I teared up when he liked the design completely and was content.
The dispenser requires clean up too. Otherwise you’re putting the dirty brush back into the clean oil, contaminating it, or contaminating the next food product that you use it on.
Totally. The only thing I kept thinking was, someone (many someones, even) will brush raw meat wth it, then pop it back into the bottle.
Just wash it.
@@reditaliangirl The issue is that Dan specifically says "you can use it, really, without any clean-up at all" and later implies using the brush + bottle version means he needed to clean up while the product doesn't need the brush cleaned. The comment is not about the product, but how Dan was misleading viewers into thinking you do not need to wash the brush.
@@Strawation Exactly!☺️
@@Strawation I don’t think there’s that much harm in what Dan said. The viewer just needs to think for themselves to realize they might want to clean the brush even if Dan said otherwise. He’s testing these products pretty quickly, he’s going to miss some details.
As a technical Product Manager, I find it so interesting and enjoyable to hear Dan talk about the users of these gadgets! Thanks for the video team 😊
The problem with the spout on the twist-up measuring cup is not being able to slide an edge over the top to level the dry ingredients. I have something similar (pampered chef?). It’s two pieces with a rigid sleeve over a cup. The liquid is poured into the cup using red measurements. For dry, you turn it over and the liquid cup twists up or down in the sleeve to measure (measurements in blue) the dry. The best thing is you can use it for dry and liquid measurements without needing to wash it between the dry and liquid.
I have the exact same one. It's pampered chef, and it gets SO much use.
Agreed. I would say that mostly I use my Pamper Chef measuring cup for shortening and butter/ margarine. It is great the way you can pack it and then just push it out.
Dan is my favorite person from Epicurious! His combo of funny and interesting is perfect!
Wait until you find out about June Xie. Her boyfriend has the tastbuds of a toddler... buy, she's cool.
imagine if the olive oil dispenser thing had a line for 1 tbsp and 2 tbsp. That would be so perfect for portioning olive oil onto pans when you're cooking
You rarely need to measure oil while cooking.
@@thedarkemissary when you're portioning and trying to accurately track calories, you do.
@@milkjugs4771 damn, that level of tracking sounds stressful, the end user could probably sharpie their measurements on by filling a tbsp container, and marking the difference, repeat, until you can see what whole measures is holds on the bulb. nly downside every several washes itd need to be refreshed
@@VVilde36 it is stressful but 2 tbsp of olive oil is almost 250 calories, so it's really easy to overdo it. Especially if you use olive oil to cook 3 different meals, there's almost 1000 calories a day in just olive oil
@@milkjugs4771 Exactly. 2 tbsp of oil is not that much. If you need to calorie control, just use less. Most tasks that require 2 tbsp of oil can be done with 1 tbsp. That's why most chefs just eyeball it.
I have a push up measurement cup from Pampered Chef that I've had for over 20 years. It's real strength is measuring viscous or sticky things: peanut butter, syrups, crisco, honey, etc. Once measured, you invert it and plunge it to push all the ingredients out. You don't end up with a mess on the measuring device, the spoon you used to pull it out, etc. Time isn't wasted trying to scrape that into what you're making wondering if you got it all in there.
Pampered Chef's device also had a spout and the graphics were a different color than the plunger. :)
I was about to mention that exact one! My mom has one and it's uniquely suited for sticky stuff. It works so, so well for peanut butter and stuff like that.
Literally came down to the comments to say the same thing. Listening to the improvements I was saying "So just go get a Pampered Chef one." It's been done. I've had mine for at least 15 years and I love it. Got the mini and the petite as well.
But it seems like wat you say is right--if you put a spout as he suggests it makes it much harder to measure like flour and that sort of thing (because you compromise the flat top...so you need to use it for certain items well suited for this...
I have used the twist plunger for years and it's been wonderful! I do not use it for standard dry goods or liquids, but keep it for those hard to measure ingredients like molasses and honey.
The oil dispenser bottle and brush are fine until you brush over a raw steak or chicken, then you really have to be careful about not contaminating the whole beaker of oil.
Thank you!! The second I saw that one in the intro I thought, this becomes a major botulism risk the second someone forgets to clean the brushes before putting it back in the cup.
Same thought here...and you can't just rinse off the silicone bristles covered in oil like you could if it was just some other liquid. I have yet to find a good oil dispenser for spraying or distributing oil evenly.
idk about where you live but its pretty much common sense that handling raw meat comes with a risk of contamination
@@Aydee9r It is common sense but sometimes if you're busy cooking and you put something back on autopilot... Well, mistakes happen.
I wasn't very clear in my first comment, but I'd be concerned about using that gadget in general because botulism risk can come from any food. So if you brush it on some vegetables and put it back, that introduces the food particles to the perfect environment for bacteria (like the ones that cause botulism) to form.
Funny how he brings up the possibility of food getting stuck in the batter scoop, but not the brush. This was my concern too: It's just not something I would ever use because cleaning it is part of the process, and this would be difficult to clean. I'll stick to bottled oil and a washable brush - or just a drizzle with no contact.
I have to say I have that twist up measuring cup and I LOVE it! But only for thick or sticky ingredients like peanut butter, honey, and molasses. It's perfect for something like that, they aren't liquidy enough to need a spout and the plunger scrapes the inside to get it all and then just scrape the bottom with a knife or spatula to get the rest. I don't bother using it for wet or dry ingredients but for the thick and sticky ingredients it is a game changer.
The twist-up measuring cup is fantastic for foods like peanut butter or Cristo shortening! It scrapes every bit out when you twist all the way up!
Hey Dan, love your videos. We have the twist up measuring cup, and its real use case is for viscous ingredients, like honey, yogurt, or nut butters. For those, you can fill it and then just push the inner piece up to get it all out, instead of scraping the ingredient out of a normal measuring cup, and leaving some behind. Would be curious to see you test it out again with that purpose in mind. Also, agreed the pour spout on pyrex is the worst!
For the oil brush/bottle/squeezer, I feel it's limited in cleaning the brush. I only use a brush for oil on baking meat really. So I really want to get that brush clean after using it, and until it's clean, that oil bottle is without it's top. The measuring thingy has a similar issue with cleaning I would imagine. In fact, being able to get things clean is what kills a lot of gadget things for me.
I have a version of the twist up measuring cup and the purpose of it is to push out all of the ingredient and works well with sticky items like peanut butter. I love it.
When you add the spout to the measuring cup, you can go ahead and remove the markings for dry measurements since you eliminated the ability to easily level off the contents.
It would be possible if the 'fill to' line was moved to just below the bottom of the spout
@@Soggyoldsock and the spout is removable? When you level off the dry measure, you run a straight edge of a knife or spatula across the top of the cup and take off any excess. The spout with stop that, unless it’s removable somehow and removing it leaves the straight top at the measurement.
I have (at the very least something similar to) the twist up measuring cup and use it almost exclusively for peanut butter when baking. For the most part I find regular cups work best for almost everything, but I really hate having to get another tool dirty and get a rubber spatula just to empty out a measuring cup of peanut butter and with something so thick the twist up really shines
The twist measuring cup has one more trick that was missed. When you measure something sticky like syrup, peanut butter, honey, or corn syrup, you're supposed to tip it into your bowl, then press the plunger down. This scrapes the sides. After that, you swipe across the bottom (that's now at the top) and get the last of it into the bowl. This is my 5/5 gadget for measuring sticky/odd items.
And a spout wouldn't hurt, but I don't think it's necessary
My family has had one of those sliding measuring cups for decades. They're really nice for thick things like peanut butter or molasses, cause you can push the plunger up and get basically everything out without needing to use a spatula/knife to try and scrape it all.
No disrespect to anyone else on this channel, but i want dan to just have his own show or channel if he doesnt already.
Hes really entertaining and funny.
The twist-up measuring cup is awesome for measuring semi-solid things like peanut butter, shortening, etc.
Where the twist up cups really shine is when using ingredients like peanut butter, since you can just push it out and produce less waste. Alton Brown uses them quite a bit.
That twist up measuring cup is best used for thick sticky things like peanut butter. No need to pour, so no spout. Just push it out and rubber spatula gets the straight end clean. No digging around in a measuring cup trying to get all the PB.
WHY THIS SERIE HAS STOPPED? Was my favourite thing to watch in a chill evening..
Industrial design is amazing, Dann always brings something thoughtful to say. Nice content again!
Speed pourer.
- Want to come out to play.
Speed pourer.
- Greet the brand new day...
The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful, and so are you...
The twist up cup is good for goopy things. It works amazingly for things like peanut butter and mayonnaise.
I always look forward to these "Well Equipped" series. It's the only segment I watch in this channel!
I have the twist up measuring cup, and I give it a 1 for recommendation. The dry ingredients are filled to the top making spills likely, and I didn't notice there were different lines for liquids. The outer shell flexes side to side, skewing the measurement. Finally, the center column isn't sealed, and water gets inside while you wash it. The only solution is to drill holes and hope it all comes out. It's a cute idea, maybe a revision would make it worthwhile, but I do not recommend it.
I have the cherry pitter. It works great for cherries and softer olives. I can see why it wouldn't work on those tough green olives. Cherries. Kalamatas. Works perfectly. 5/5 all around. Love mine in cherry season.
I've seen way too many videos with him, and while I think he's very skilled at his craft and extremely clever, I have 2 questions:
1. how does he say the most generic stuff with 0 facial expression whatsoever and somehow it's the most entertaining thing I've seen all day?
2. Does he have facial expressions?
Thank you Dan. You are just a wonder of a human, you make me learn and smile at the very same time.
I had one of those adjustable measuring cups (from a different brand) and I think they picked the wrong test material. The sweet spot for it is anything thick - peanut putter, sour cream, yogurt, molasses, shortening, etc. Anything that gets stuck to the measuring cup that you then have to scrape out and is annoying to clean. With the adjustable measuring cup you add the ingredients and then untwist it. The gasket forces all the stuff off the sides leaving less stuff left in the measuring cup and easier cleanup. To me, it's a 5/5 (at least for the brand I bought with red text instead of black).
For yoghurt if I'm about to eat it and its not already in the normal single serving pots, but those larger ones, then I just pop the bowl I'll be eating it from on the scales and weigh how much I want. Most thick liquids its just easier to weigh them than try to use a jug as you can pick an easier to clean bowl that way.
Like, tbh I don’t think I would ever buy any of these gadgets, but I just love watching this guy rate them. He’s got like idk, fun grandpa vibes or something; I find his videos very comforting and entertaining.
I'm a huge fan of Dan! Delighted to see a new episode. Big thanks for the team for making it happen.
The measuring device is popular because of butter, mayo or honey. You don't have to scrape them out of the cup or mug. Could you do a re-test on those? ❤️
The only question I have about the oil dispenser is if it still sucks oil up when it's nearly empty.
It does a pretty good job pushing out the residue, but I don't recommend it. The center column traps water while you're cleaning it. There's no hole for it to escape, so I had to drill holes in the bottom to drain it. I'd prefer a regular measuring cup and spatula.
Yeah my mom has one that’s older than I am. I specifically remember her using it to measure peanut butter when we would bake. I’m not sure it twists up but it does push up. This is like how everyone went nuts over the instant pot… it’s just an electric version of a stovetop pressure cooker. Same device, slightly different spin on it.
@@shryx86 huh? I've used that exact version for years without anything like you're describing. Unless we're talking about a different gadget, you just take the center out and wash as two pieces and you're done. No drill holes required. I definitely don't miss measuring one wet ingredient and then having to try and get it all out with my spatula after another. Also makes cleaning easier since it squeegees itself for your convenience.
@@shryx86 what? The two pieces come apart for cleaning. What are you drilling holes for?
Yes the clear sleeve comes off of the center column for cleaning and that's awesome. My problem was with the center column itself. Mine has a solid top and bottom, and there's enough of a gap that water got inside of the center column. Water came out when I shook it, but I had to drill holes to effectively get the water out. A center column with an open bottom would be better. Nothing would get trapped inside, and it would use less materials. The center column might need to be metal or plastic instead of cardboard to retain rigidity.
Dan,
For the Twist-Up doohicky, that style of measuring device can be used with things like soft butter, because you can twist it to push stuff out like a Push-Pop, and then scrape it off with a flat spatula. Also, the reason it doesn't have a spout is so that you can use a knife (or whatever) to level off the top with when measuring dry stuff. I'm guessing that a small, flat-ish style of spout could be added and taken into account for the measure.
We need a compilation of all gadgets with a Buy Rating of 4 or more!
The twist measuring cup is great for sticky ingredients like molasses or honey and your supposed to push the plunger when pouring out the ingredient to scrap the sides clean
growing up my parents had something similar to the twist cup, the graphics were blue and red, super easy to read. It was basically a plastic cup that was slightly squeezable over a hard plastic sheath with the measurements. We mostly used it when making cookies and it called for crisco butter. Otherwise we didn't use it much as we had measuring cups. I don't know if they still have it but this was also about 20 years ago.
Dan is the best! Love watching those videos!
Two Dan videos in a week? Thank you so much epicurious, loved this one. Always love to see Dan give a 5/5 to at least one gadget, gives me confidence that there are places out there still focused on doing it right.
Regarding the test that Dan did with the Pyrex, I tested my own on the mL side and had similar results. However, I tested it on the Oz side and got much more accurate results. Bottom line: Americans (Pyrex is made in the USA) can only be trusted with imperial units, lol.
My twist measuring cup has red type instead of black. Also gotta give credit to being able to twist it back out to get every bit of the liquid ingredient. Great for thicker stuff like yogurt or honey. It not having a pour spout is my least favorite part.
That measuring tube looked similar, but slightly inferior to, the type of measuring device that Alton Brown uses for honey and molasses. Moving the plunger seemed like it took some effort, but the ones that Alton Brown uses are sort of like a syringe with no lid, with the idea being that the plunger pushes out any thick liquids that may be stuck to the wall of the measuring cup.
The left handed oil test on the oil brush was perfect *chefs kiss*
I think the hinge design on the olive pitter is a hindrance due to the angle of the blades being different for each olive placement.
Turning it into two parts that mesh straight would work alot better.
the problem with that still is now you're spreading all the pressure onto every olive at once, which will also require more force to pit
the best option really is to do less olives at a time, or have it be motorized.
edit: one other option is to have every pitter be at a slightly different length, so you're only really pushing down on one olive seed at a time, so that all the weight of your body, or just force you're pushing down with is focused in one area mainly, for better mechanical advantage
My mom used to have a measuring cup like that twist up one but it was slightly different. The base was translucent and hollow, and the wet and dry measurements were upside down to one another. So you'd measure drys in the way done in this video, but measure wets by turning the thing upside down and measuring like a more regular measuring cup.
I thought I was going crazy. I knew I had one before but it did liquid measuring upside-down.
I believe those were by pampered chef.
@@AlexG2490 They are. And I have been using mine for over 15 years.
The dry measurements are in red. The wet are in Blue. It has a white gasket, and a pour spout... so literally ALL the improvements he made.
i had one too !
@@AlexG2490 Alton Brown sold a set also - that's where I first saw them, then I got the Pampered Chef set and have been using them for years. FINALLY the writing is wearing off on them and I'm going to have to replace them soon.
I want Dan to review some of his early gadgets to see if/how he would redesign them
Also appreciated the remarks about cleaning.
just a thought as I use a pyrex measurer all the time, does the meniscus make a difference as its so wide? would you need to compensate?
Wow, I love listening to industrial designers! They can spot what's wrong with an object.
i had something like the twist up measuring cup as a kid, and that thing was great-- for that one you put the dry ingredients in like this one, but the liquid ingredients were in the internal cup, which had a spout of its own
The problem with the twist-up cup is if that’s your only measuring device…you’re going to have a LOT of washing to do to make a single batch of cookies. Easier to ditch the measuring cup entirely and just weigh ingredients into prep bowls on a kitchen scale. But fun video!
best series on the channel. Dan is fantastic
Yes!!! More Dan! Love these series.
Dan, If you add a spout to something that is supposed to measure ingredients like flour or shortening you can't level off with a knife to keep it precise. The spout will be in the way. Your redesign makes it better for liquid but worse for others like flour or shortening. You would have to make the spout flat with the top of the cup and adjust the markings to work with the spout.
My favourite series on this channel. Thanks Dan from London!!
Finally, a perfect score! Maybe not a perfect product, since he did have some redesign ideas, but it is the first thing I have seen with 3 5-out-of-5's.
The advantage of the measuring cup is you can add stuff, move the measurement, readd, etc. Alton brown loved it on his show iirc
On the twist up-you are supposed to turn it upside down then push and it squeeses all the stuff off of the walls. The cherry pitter is wonderful for pitting cherries.
Bring Dan back please! It's been over 3 months since this last episode.
A new Dan video always makes me happy
i freaking love this man! more of him please!
This might actuwlly be the most successful list of gadgets of this series so far and i didnt expect that it would be Tiktok related in the slightest
For the multi-pitter, it looks like they just increased the size of a standard single pitter. I wonder if something with a pressed plunger action would work better since you'd be pressing straight down instead of at an angle. Maybe with some springs to help tension.
This guy is great. Information 5/5. Humor 5/5, would buy!
It was the Pyrex! What a twist!
(pun intended)
We had a similar measuring cup, but would use it like a syringe to extract what you were measuring. Worked well with shortening etc.
I loved the oil application for your left handed oil test, it was very classy 😂
The batter scoop also can't be used for ice cream, cookies, or any other kind of dough. And it looks like batter might just drip off the end while you were using it. A regular scoop with a sweeper arm is a lot more versatile and probably a lot less messy!
I thought the twist up cup was design for difficult things like mayonnaise, and the benefit is being able to push it out without having to scrape out from the cup
my family has owned one of those twist measuring devices for longer than 23 years, quite useful
he is so cool!! I love him. please make more videos with dan formosa
I have the cherry pitter and use it often. Never tried it on olives but it works for me.
Cannot believe Pyrex has been LYING to the customers like that.... So much baking gone horribly wrong because of you Pyrex !!
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On the other hand, more than 1 like just for the perfect delivery [9:10] of "Banish that cup to HELL" with a raised eyebrow. Would love to see you in Game of Thrones Dan :P
That twisty measuring cup looks like a worse version of a measuring cup my mom bought back in the eighties or nineties. It was similar, but both parts were clear and the bottom was open. Dry ingredients were measured identically to this one, but for wet ingredients, you turn it upside down and fill the bottom chamber with liquid. That way, you don't get the dry ingredient chamber wet. I love that thing. So convenient!
Bonus: it has color coded wet/dry measurements and a pouring spout.
Can't believe I am watching a video starring 'Dan the Man' this early.
we love you Dan!
“It’s corn, it has the juice” 😂
The twist and measure is supposed to have the same colour text as the gasket. When the text disappears, say 100ml, you know you are at 100ml. It is really designed for things like brown sugar, semi-liquids like butter etc. the idea is you measure the substance then push the bottom up to expel it. It is not the most intuitive device, but once you know how to use it, it’s great.
I love this series!! And this video is probably my favorite one!!!
I have seen alot of this mans reviews as of late, it's such an intriguing channel I must sub to see more. Thanks for sharing.
For the twist up and liquids - measure out 1/2 cup, twist it to 1 cup vol. and then pour out, twisting it closed to get full vol of liquid. easier to pour and quick once you get used to it.
My mom had a push measuring cup like that, but it was bright yellow, it was amazing for molasses and other thick things because it scrapes it all out and leaves you with a flat surface for none left behind
Happy new year, Dan and Epicurious!
Will we ever have one where Dan says 'that's it! no re-design cause it's PERFECT'?
we just came really damn close. Im happy with this one being the one.
proably not, you'll always find small things to improve just by being a different designer and having to watch it from the outside/use point of view. But hey a 5 out of 5 buy rating is as good as it gets.
@@PR_311 well, both the 5/5 rating, and the fact he wants to take it home for himself.
Yes another Dan Video, great way to start the weekend!
❤😊
Yesss the best Epicurious vids!!! I loved this tik tok ep so much I’d like to see a part two!!
another great video from Dan, love his approach
I’ve seen homemade corn cob strippers made from PVC and screws. You can adjust the screws to poke in further for different sized cobs.
when I was baking a lot more, I bought one of those gasketed measuring cups. It's main purpose isn't to measure liquids and solids, cause for that you can use normal measuring cups/bowls just as well or better, but if you want to measure a cup of cream cheese, honey, or other viscous things like that? the thing is worth its weight in gold.
these videos always make me happy
I am SO shocked to see that 'Twist Up' measuring thing, 'cause Alton Brown's been using something like that for decades, all the way back on Good Eats. They're called plunger-style measuring cups, and designed so you push the inner piece forward to scrape the sides so you get /everything/ out for liquid measure. The one I had leaked a bunch, but they're otherwise fantastic for measuring things like mayo, mustard, honey, or any other viscous liquid that's hard to scrape out of other measuring cups.
I love this guy. He is so engaging.