We looked at milk, pasta, olive oil, steak, and more.
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Mackenzie Filson
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We Compared Prices for a Dozen Items at Aldi Versus Trader Joe’s — And One Is Clearly Cheaper
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I Made This “Exploding Cocoa” Once and Now I'll Never Go Back to the Box
So rich! So chocolatey! So fun!
READ MORE…Meghan Splawn
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We Tested 5 Methods for Getting Grease Stains Out of Clothing, and 2 Blew Us Away
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.It doesn’t matter if you’re a dainty diner, or an enthusiastic eater: Grease will eventually find its way onto a piece of your clothing. Be it by bacon or a delicious vinaigrette, it will find a way, and attempt to claim your clothing for the dark side of the closet. Because it can be so hard to lift a grease stain — and everyone seems to have a recipe for what works best — I decided to put five popular methods to the test. The good news is that one method really stood out, and a very, very close combo platter took second place. Let’s take a look.
How We Tested the Different Methods
I tested five similarly sizable splatters of bacon grease on a 100% cotton white dress shirt. I waited 15 minutes for each stain to set (I used that time to eat the bacon!), and then got to cleaning.
The ratings: Each method received a rating of one to five, with five being the best method overall and one being the least favorite method. Along with the rating, you’ll find notes on how easy or difficult the method was, how much elbow grease it took (pun intended), and how much time it took to remove.
Grease Cleaning Method: Hairspray
The method: Lay the soiled clothing on a paper towel and saturate the stain with hairspray. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then launder in hot water. If you can still see the grease stain, spray again and let sit for another 30 minutes. Do not dry the item until the stain has been lifted.
How it went: I saturated the stain with TRESemme non-aerosol hairspray and let it sit for about 30 minutes. According to my research, I should have started to see the stain lift at that point. Because the area was saturated, though, it was difficult to tell if what I was seeing was grease or hairspray — so I went ahead and laundered it in hot water. After removing it from the washing machine, it looked as if the stain was completely gone, but the fabric was wet (clearly), so it was actually hard to tell. I went ahead and tossed it in the dryer. Mistake! I was bummed to learn that the stain hadn’t lifted much at all and I had set it into the fabric deeper. Out of all the methods tested, this was the least effective.
I could see how you might use this method if you’re out and about and need something to intercept the stain until you can launder your clothing, but I wouldn’t recommend hairspray being your only line of defense. Definitely use dish soap, or a stain-fighting agent to spot treat your garment before laundering at home. (More on this below.)
Grease Cleaning Method: Chalk
The method: Rub chalk over a grease spot and let it absorb the oil, then brush the chalk off and launder. If stain persists, continue rubbing chalk on the fabric until the stain lifts. The idea is that the chalk will absorb the oils that hold dirt in.
How it went: I definitely saw the chalk absorb the grease (it turned brownish and got gross pretty quickly), but I also noticed that rubbing the chalk seemed to move the stain around and make it bigger. Once the shirt came out of the washing machine, it looked like the stain had disappeared, but once it was dry, the stain was clearly visible.
I might use this method as a Band-Aid of sorts, to absorb the grease stain until I could take the clothing item home and properly treat it with a stain-fighting agent, but would not recommend chalk on its own to fight grease stains.
Grease Cleaning Method: Dish Soap
The method: Squeeze a dab of dish soap onto the stain and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. Place the stained garment in the washing machine and once the cycle is finished, check to be sure the stain has disappeared. If you don’t see it, you can transfer the item to the dryer; if the stain persists, repeat with more dish soap.
How it went: I dabbed the dish soap right over the stain and let it sit for about 30 minutes before popping it into the washing machine on hot. (More time is better than less time, right?). Once the cycle was finished, I held up the wet cloth and couldn’t see the stain anymore, so into the dryer it went! I pulled it out of the dryer with high hopes (dishwashing detergent is a degreaser, after all!) and was disappointed to find that the stain hadn’t completely disappeared. It did work at removing quite a bit of it, but I think it’s necessary to first soak up the grease with baking soda (see below), then treat it with dish soap. (I used Dawn dish soap, by the way!).
Grease Cleaning Method: Baking Soda
The method: Sprinkle baking soda on a fresh stain and let it absorb the grease for 5 to 10 minutes. Next, use a brush (a toothbrush or a clean kitchen brush would be great) and scrub the baking soda into the stain. Once the powder changes to a brown color, scrape it off and repeat until the soda no longer changes color and the stain is lifted.
How it went: I sprinkled the baking soda on the stain in a nice little mound and let it sit undisturbed for about 10 minutes. I shook the excess soda into the sink, grabbed my cleaning toothbrush, and started scrubbing. I definitely saw the baking soda turn a dingy brown color, so I scraped it all off, poured more soda on the stain and let it sit for 15 more minutes. After the second pass there was so much baking soda pressed into the fabric that I really couldn’t see much of the stain at all, so I went ahead and popped it into the washing machine on hot.
When the shirt came out of the wash I couldn’t see any of the stain at all, so I happily chucked it into the dryer, feeling victorious. Once out of the dryer it looked like the stain was completely gone — until I took a photo of it with my phone, then I could see the faintest ghost of the stain. I was still really happy with this method, but think it could be perfected if used in combination with Dawn dish soap, after the baking soda step. It’s definitely the best/least harsh method!
Grease Cleaning Method: Salt + Stain Remover
The method: Immediately sprinkle salt on the grease stain (it works like baking soda to absorb the grease). After the salt absorbs the grease for a few minutes (or once you make it back home), use Shout Advanced Grease-Busting Foam as a spot treatment before laundering the garment in hot water. As always, make sure the stain is gone before drying the garment.
How it went: In almost every sort of light, the stain looked like it’s completely gone. Even when photographed there’s just the slightest, faintest ghost shape of the stain. This method worked just a bit better than the baking soda method, although I’m not sure how effective the salt really was.
I liked this method so much, I also tried it on a yellow dinner napkin. I noticed that, once again, the grease came out, but it emerged from the dryer looking a bit worn, which tells me that this treatment is pretty harsh. I’m giving this the highest rating because it did the job and I would 100% use it again. But only on an all-white garment. I would not recommend using it on black, or anything colorful.
Also, if you hesitate to use extra chemicals or products in your household, go with the Dawn and baking soda combo.
Do you have a method you swear by for lifting grease stains out of clothing? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Ashley Poskin
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The Most Essential Costco Item I Always Grab For a Charcuterie Board
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.While you may head to Costco for the fixings of a giant holiday feast, it may not be your first stop when shopping for a charcuterie board. There’s no need to buy a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano or 10 pounds of prosciutto, to assemble a bountiful — and affordable — charcuterie board from items you can buy at Costco.
There is no season that makes having a Costco membership more valuable than the holidays. With over a decade of bulk shopping and holiday hosting experience I’ve figured out how to fill my cart strategically so that I’m not hit with sticker shock at the register or too many leftovers once the party is over. I’m convinced that there is no better place to shop than Costco for your holiday charcuterie board. Here’s how to do it.
Essential Elements of a Holiday Charcuterie Board
How to Make the Ultimate Charcuterie Board with Items from Costco
The selection of gourmet cheeses and charcuterie at Costco remains awe-inspiring, even to longtime members. The warehouse wonder has found the sweet spot of cost and quality, but it usually entails purchasing oversized cheese wedges or poster-size packages of salami. When variety, not quantity, is the main objective, look for multipacks. Although you won’t have as much control over every meat and cheese you serve, your platter will be full and you may discover a new favorite.
Use the same strategy when it comes to nuts and dried fruit. You’ll save some money by buying a mixture rather than individual nuts, dried fruits, and seeds. That said, you’re sure to have some leftovers from a Costco charcuterie board, so make sure to choose foods you won’t mind snacking on in the coming days.
Here’s what I picked to serve a party of 12 and why.
Total: $68.83; $5.74 per person
A Costco Charcuterie Board to Snack on All Month Long
Unless you’re hosting the party of the decade with a guest list to match (and in that case, I expect an invitation), you’ll probably be snacking on the leftovers in the days to come. Thankfully, all of the elements of this charcuterie board can be enjoyed throughout the holiday season, so there’ll be no holiday Miss Havisham vibes here. Plus, you’ll always have something to offer unexpected guests that happen to drop in.
What are your favorite Costco charcuterie board additions? Tell us in the comments below.
Patty Catalano
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42 Steak Dinner Recipes for Any Night of the Week
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.If you’re not already slotting steak into your meal plan once in a while, I’m here to encourage you to do just that, be it date night at home or a random Wednesday night. There’s no need to go out for steak when you can make a delicious steak dinner from the comfort of your own home. You can keep it light with a steak fajita salad, or switch things up and make a sirloin steak sandwich.
Whether you fire up the grill, cook it on a sheet pan under the broiler, or sear it in a skillet along with potatoes or a quick pan sauce, getting steak on the table during the week is a totally doable affair. In fact, it can seem intimidating, but a really good steak dinner is a lot faster and easier to cook up than you might think. Here are 42 steak recipes to make for dinner any night of the week — no special occasion required.
Steak Recipes in a Pan
For cuts like hanger steak, flank steak, and steak tips, a quick sear in a screaming-hot pan on the stovetop is all you need to get dinner on the table.
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Grilled Steak Recipes
Whether you’re cooking up skewers, foil packs, or a marinated flank, it’s truly hard to beat a steak dinner from the grill.
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Steak Recipes for the Oven
When you want a more hands-off cooking method, turn on the broiler and grab a baking sheet or your cast iron skillet to cook your steak in the oven.
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Kelli Foster
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I Tried the Nonstick Pan That’s Supposed to Last Up to 37 Times Longer than Ceramic (It’s on Sale!)
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.The quest for a nonstick pan that can actually stay nonstick for the long haul can feel, well, kind of futile. Get a new pan, then fall in love as your eggs go slipping and sliding onto your plate — but give it just a few months and you’re back to chiseling bits off the bottom again. Of course, failing to care for the pans properly is a big reason why they just don’t last that long (back away from the metal utensils!), but it’s just a matter of fact that, eventually, the coatings will get stickier over time. In addition, concerns about chemicals in PTFE (aka Teflon) coatings getting vaporized into the air at high temperatures has lured many shoppers away from traditional nonstick. Although these coatings are deemed safe and have been free of harmful PFOAs since around 2015, consumers are still wary.
Ceramic cookware has emerged as one of the most popular alternatives, but it’s known to lose its nonstick properties after just a few months of use. So when Material Kitchen, one of the many Kitchn favorite direct-to-consumer cookware brands, launched a nonstick a Teflon-free pan purported to last 37 times longer than ceramic last year, well I just had to try it out. And guess what? It’s just as good as new, after a year plus of daily use. But the good news doesn’t stop there! You can get ahold of this MVP pan for 20 percent off on Material’s site right now from now until November 29. All you need to do is add the essential to your cart (along with maybe the brand’s fan-favorite reBoard and our editor-loved knives, they shouldn’t be missed) and score the discount, easy!
When I unboxed it all those months ago, I also couldn’t help noticing how pretty it is, with its shiny stainless-steel bottom and emerald green surface. In a sea of black and gray, this 10.5-inch sauté pan is quite fetching.
What Is the Coated Pan by Material Kitchen?
The first time I held the essential, I noticed it’s decently heavy for a nonstick pan. At 2.78 pounds, it’s just a little lighter than an All-Clad skillet of the same size (by comparison the 10-inch nonstick skillets I already had in my cabinets were closer to 2 pounds 4 ounces). It makes sense considering the pan is built similarly — 5-ply construction with a copper core for even heating. (For what it’s worth, Material’s Coated Pan is decently more expensive than cheap-o nonstick pans but at least half the price of an All-Clad.) If you like a super lightweight nonstick pan this might not be the one for you, but I loved how substantial it felt and figured its heft meant there’s less chance this pan is going to warp.
The company calls the coating “mineral nonstick,” fume-free, as well as PFOA-free (again, all nonstick pans are now), Teflon-free, lead-free, and cadmium-free. It’s reinforced with stainless steel, which is why it lasts so much longer than ceramic. And don’t forget, it has that copper core. I’ve used it every day for a year and a half and it’s still as slippery as the day I took it out of the box.
My Review of Material Kitchen’s Coated Pan
The pan heats up fast. In a test of how quickly it heated a cup of water compared to other nonstick and ceramic pans, using the same burner and same flame level for all, the Coated Pan clocked in at less than a minute, while the others took about 30 seconds longer to get the water simmering. It was also noticeably more even in its heat. The water began simmering evenly all around the edges almost at the same time. The other pans started in one area and it took longer for the heat to spread.
I cooked pancakes without any oil or butter in the pan and they cooked perfectly golden and even, with no sticking. Even when I added sliced bananas and chocolate chips there was no sticking. I also fried up a bunch of eggs and made omelettes and crepes and they all slid out perfectly. When frying tofu not a single cube stuck and they cooked up crisp and evenly golden from the center to the very edge of the pan. And because the pan is oven safe to 500 degrees, I was able to cook up a frittata and let it get a finishing stint in the oven.
Supremely even heat, a truly nonstick surface, and a beauty to look at. All in all, I’m very impressed with the Coated Pan. In fact, it might just be my favorite piece of cookware I’ve owned to date.
Do you have a favorite nonstick pan? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Danielle Centoni
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31 Dump Dinner Recipes to Make Mealtime Impossibly Easy
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.If you’re unfamiliar with dump dinners, it’s about time to change that. They’re as simple to make as they sound: You just dump a handful of ingredients into a vessel and let it cook, mostly unattended, with a bare minimum of effort. Maybe there’s a tiny bit of chopping or sautéing, but it’s primarily a hands-off situation. Dump dinners are perfect for when you’re extra busy, feeling extra lazy, or both.
While dump dinners originated with the slow cooker, there are also Instant Pot and even oven or stovetop versions. Here’s every single one of our favorites.
Sheela Prakash
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We Tested the 8 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking and Found a Clear Winner
So, What Is the Best Egg Substitute?
After testing several different methods, we found that both carbonated water and a mix of water, oil, and baking powder were the best egg substitutes. These two methods both delivered decent results during testing and created baked goods that were airy and fluffy in texture.
Julissa Roberts
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I’ve Tested Nearly Every Piece of Induction Cookware on the Market. This Is a List of the Best of the Best.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Fact: Just because a package or product listing describes a cookware set as induction-safe, that doesn’t mean it will actually cook well on an induction stovetop. In a lot of cases, the pot will heat up, but won’t actually cook evenly or quickly. And that’s clearly not great.
In order for cookware to work AT ALL on an induction cooktop, pots and pans must be made of — or incorporate — magnetic steel. The easiest way to tell if something makes the cut is to test the bottom with a magnet. If the magnet sticks, the pot will heat up on an induction burner.
Having said that, there are two types of induction-safe cookware: the type that features the same materials (like cast iron, stainless steel, or aluminum that’s encased in stainless steel) throughout the entire pan, and induction-safe cookware that feature walls made out of one material and a special magnetic disc on the bottom.
Tip: You will get much better results if you choose a pan that’s the same size as the circle on your induction cooktop.
What’s the difference between an induction cooktop and a regular one?
Regular stovetops heat pots and pans through contact. Flames or electrical heating elements generate heat, and that heat is transferred through contact from the burner to the base of the pot in a process known as thermal conduction.
Induction cooktops do not generate heat. Instead, induction burners have a coiled wire just below the ceramic surface, which generates an oscillating magnetic field. The electrons move around, creating an electric current, which in turn generates heat in the pot. Science!
Got it? Now, keep reading to find out which sets are the best to buy.
Fissler Profi 9-Piece Cookware Set
The Best Induction Cookware Set
This gorgeous cookware set costs a pretty penny, but it should last you a lifetime. Each piece has a thick base that extends all the way to the edges (unlike other pots and pans that have more rounded walls), making perfect contact with an induction cooktop and giving you even browning all across the bottom.
You’ll also find rims that help prevent spills and inside measurement marks, so you know just how much milk to add to chocolate pudding without pulling out a measuring cup. The lids fit tightly, which is great for steaming rice. Profi can go in the oven up to 425°F for cooking a frittata and is safe for dishwasher cleaning, although, like all stainless steel, it may take a bit of hand work to keep it in pristine condition.
Second opinion: “Flawless, heavy-duty, high-quality!” says one reviewer. “The pots are well worth the money. They are made so well, they will probably last a few lifetimes before I can use their warranty. The lids are heavy, so you won’t have to worry about the boiling pot spitting all over your oven. The pots boil so evenly, there is no hotter spot … even heat all the way. And these pots do not cool down fast — they keep the food hot (not warm) for at least one to two hours. The handles also stay cool. Best thing is I won’t have to worry about replacing/buying pots again. Excellent product from trusty brand.”
Anolon Nouvelle Copper Stainless Steel Cookware Set
The Best Budget-Friendly Induction Cookware Set
With a layer of copper in addition to aluminum inside the base, this collection gives absolutely even heating on an induction burner. The pots have a pretty-yet-functional tulip shape and the fry pans are deep and flared, which makes them great for both simmering a chicken stew and rolling out an omelet.
And because they can go in the oven to 500°F, you can crisp up a topping on a skillet casserole or brown off a piece of fish. Here, too, you’ll have to work a bit to keep the surfaces stain-free. And if you want the thin rim of copper around the base to stay shiny, you’ll need to pull out the copper polish. That said, it’s not all that hard to keep these looking like new.
Second opinion: “I got this set for my mom and she’s had zero complaints. And trust me, I’d hear about it if she did,” joked former Lifestyle Director, Lisa Freedman. “Plus, I get to cook with this stuff every time I go to visit and I’m impressed time after time. I have a gas stove and am considering getting myself a set, too.”
Circulon Symmetry Hard Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Cookware Set
The Best Nonstick Induction Cookware Set
This cookware offers great performance on induction burners combined with easy use and care. With silicone handles, they’re super comfy to hold when you’re flipping mushrooms or serving up tomato soup. A nonstick coating on both the inside and the outside makes cleanup a breeze, whether you’re washing by hand or machine. You can choose between basic black, chocolate brown, or merlot for the exterior.
Second opinion: “Love this cookware!” says one reviewer, “Lives up to all my expectations — truly nonstick, no need for a spray, washes easily, cooks evenly. And I don’t have to yell at my husband anymore for using metal utensils and ruining the cookware — it does NOT scratch!”
Why You Should Trust Our Gear Pro
For more than 30 years, I was in charge of testing and reporting on everything from wooden spoons to connected refrigerators at the Good Housekeeping Institute. I’ve walked the floors of every trade show and read every new product release for longer than most digital publications have existed!
My street cred? I also worked as a chef in New York City restaurants for seven years.
I’ve tested, used, and played with nearly every piece of kitchen gear (including pots and pans) to come on the market for years. When it comes to gear, it takes a lot to impress me, and I know what actually works.
Picked by a Pro. Tested by Real Home Cooks.
I’ve tested what feels like every piece of induction cookware on the market (at all the price points, low to high!) and these are my all-time favorites. But you don’t have to take my word and my word alone, either. Kitchn editors — a unique hybrid of professionals and home cooks, who develop and test great recipes in real home kitchens — and real Amazon shoppers weighed in on some of these picks too, testing my favorites in the context of their actual home cooking.
After all, when it comes to kitchen gear, what matters is that it works for a home cook — not just that a chef endorses it, or that it passed some high-flying bar in a sterile test kitchen. You want gear that is above all, practical, long-lasting, and mindful of real cooks, real kitchens, and real budgets.
Do you have an induction cooktop? If so, what are the pots and pans that you use? Tell us in the comments below!
Sharon Franke
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Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Are Golden, Gooey, and Absolutely Foolproof
Want crispy bread and gooey cheese every time you make a grilled cheese? Your air fryer is the answer.
READ MORE…Meghan Splawn
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Memorize This Simple Formula for the Best Roasted Root Vegetables
I like to think of this as more of a formula. It’s designed to work with any and all root vegetables, and you can mix and match them to your liking. So grab whatever you’re in the mood for, whatever looks best at the farmers market, or whatever you currently have in your kitchen — be it carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, or rutabagas.
Sheela Prakash
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I Tested 10 Chef’s Knives That Are $25 or Less — This One Was Amazing
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
As a former professional chef and a long-time equipment tester, I have an arsenal of kitchen knives of all kinds, brands, and price points. And I have to admit: I’m partial to ones that cost upwards of $100. So, when I tested chef’s knives that sell for $25 or less, my main concern was that I wasn’t going to like any of them. Turns out, I liked three of them — and would even go as far as to say I loved one of them.
I rounded up a sampling of 10 inexpensive knives from popular and reputable manufacturers, and put them to the test: slicing ripe tomatoes, chopping onion, mincing garlic, fileting steak, and more! Here are the ones I liked best.
Do you have an inexpensive chef’s knife that you love? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Sharon Franke
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