Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances - Inspired Living SA

Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances, Product Reviews, Reviews and Features, Slider

Aeropress – Coffee on the Go

As you know I love coffee! It has become such an obsession of mine. To such an extent, that I cannot go away without some sort of espresso maker in-tow! Lugging a coffee maker around, especially if space and electrical supply is limited, is not always practical. Enter the Aeropress!

Aeropress

I have heard so much about the Aeropress, that when I was offered to review it, I jumped at the chance! The AeroPress has fast become the cult brew method, of coffee lovers in South Africa and abroad. Due to the fact that its is easy to use, portable and 2-3times faster that pour over dripper, French press or syphon. There is also less sediment than with Italian mocha pots & French press.

This versatile coffee brewing option is unlike alternative manual brew methods, which demand very specific coarseness of grind to work. The AeroPress is less sensitive to grind size making it workable with any size coffee grind.

One of the main features, which I think is great is that it is Non-electric. It is also easy to clean!

What makes the AeroPress coffee maker so uniquely special?

Its patented dual brewing method is so advanced, its shared only with the most expensive commercial espresso machines. It’s this staged dual brewing method (immersion then pressure) that allows you to consistently extract more flavour quicker than any other manual brewing method such as pour over drippers, plunger coffee or french press, syphon, Italian mocha pot.

Stirring freshly ground coffee into hot water allows the coffee time to swell, and agitate and absorp into the water. Then plunging pressurizes the brew, evenly extracting more flavour in under a minute.

The micro-fiber filter papers removes all sediment and fines to ensure a perfectly clean cup, unlike Italian mocha pots and plungers/french press. It is light weight, compact and made from BPA free food safe plastic. All these features make it the perfect travel partner!

How to Use

The method is fairly simple, once you get the hang of it. After watching a few how-to videos, the above method seems the most practical and user friendly.

Place the paper filter, in the filter holder and prime with hot water. Then add your desired amount of coffee – the recommended amount is 15-20grams but I think I may require a bit more as I like strong coffee.

Add hot water to cover the coffee grind, then stir. Top up with hot water and then secure the filter.

Once the filter is in place, turn the Areopress around and place over a cup or jug, then press the plunger.

Hey presto you have a cup of freshly brewed coffee!

Verdict

I think the Aeropress is easy to use and being portable it ticks all the boxes for me. The only thing I need to work on is the ratio of coffee I am using, as the coffee was too weak for me. I did grind my own beans and I think perhaps I need to use a darker roast.

If you have used the Aeropress I would love to hear your thoughts – please leave a comment below. For more details or to purchase an Aeropress please visit the More Flavour Website. RRP 695.

Disclosure Ranking:2

Competitions, Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances, Lifestyle, Slider

Big Breville Celebration – Christmas Comes Early!

Entries to this Giveaway are Closed!

Christmas is one of my favourite times of year! I love the beautifully adorned shop windows and carols that welcome you as you enter – all helping you get into the festive spirit! A big frustration at this time of year, however, are the maddening crowds. If you, like me, prefer to get an early start on Christmas, I have great news! @home is running a Big Breville Celebration, from 19 October to 25 December 2015.

Big Breville Celebration

The Big Breville Celebration offers customers amazing discounts! One item which immediatley caught my eye {you know how much I love coffee} is the Breville Bean to Cup espresso machine. During the sale you can get R1 200 off the espresso machine -awesome don’t you agree!

The Big Breville Celebration offers great price cuts on premium Breville kitchen appliances, from juicers, to blenders, to toasters with discounts ranging from R200 to R1 200. Customers can shop the sale online as well as in store. TFG Rewards & More cardholders are in for an extra treat and will receive an additional 10% off the discounted price. Non-members can simply register in store for Rewards & More to take advantage of the extra discount.

For all Breville promotions pop into any @home store between 19 October and 25 December 2015, or shop the discounts online @Home.

Win a R2500 @Home In-Store Voucher

To help you get into the festive spirit and get an early start on Christmas, I have a R2500 @Home in-store voucher to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter:

Share the Big Breville Celebration giveaway on Twitter or Facebook – remember to use the hashtag #BigBrevilleCelebration.
Leave a comment telling me what is at the top of your Christmas wish-list this year.
Use the Rafflecopter form below to complete your entry.
Please ensure you read the *Terms & Conditions below carefully, to ensure you comply with all the entry criteria.
Social channels {please follow us if you do not already}:@Home – Facebook, Twitter
Inspired Living – Facebook, Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Terms & Conditions:

By entering this competition you automatically accept all the Terms and Conditions laid out below.
Entries are open from 23rd November 2015 until the 4th December 2015.
You must complete all the steps as stipulated above on the Rafflecopter Fome: Leave a Comment, Like and/or Share on Facebook or Instagram and/0r Tweet about the competition.
To ensure that your entry is processed correctly (please use a valid email address). Your details will only be used to validate your entry and inform you, if you are selected as a winner.
This competition is only open to South African residents and to readers who have not won a competition on Inspired Living SA in the past 6 months.
*Please note: The voucher is only for use in-store and not online.
Entries will be considered incomplete and thus disqualified if the entrant does not provide all requested information. Entry information will not be shared with any third party without the entrant’s prior knowledge and consent. The prize will go to the first name selected at random after the closing date.
The prize is not transferable and may not be exchanged for cash.
By “Liking” you enter and agree that this promotion is in no way associated with, administered by, or endorsed by Facebook; and acknowledge a complete release of Facebook by your participation.

Be Inspired, Competitions, Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances, Lifestyle

Tuffy Fill n Freeze Pouches

Winter is fast approaching, whether we like it or not! This means it is comfort food time, called this because of its simplicity, heartiness and the nostalgia that these foods evoke. Soups and stews will be making it onto most home menus in the coming months.

Comfort foods are made with love and care, which usually means they take longer to prepare but you can have a helping hand in the kitchen with Tuffy’s Fill n Freeze pouches. Ideal for freezing soups or making larger quantities of meals ready to de-frost for those days when you don’t have time to start from scratch.

The Fill n Freeze resealable pouches are a must have cooking companion this winter. They are suitable for freezing and then defrosting all types of liquids from soups and stocks to left over meals and pasta sauces.

They come in packs of 8 and hold up to 1 litre what’s more they are made from durable plastic with a strong zip seal, which means they wont spill or tear.

So what is so fantastic about these Fill n Freeze pouches? Not only do they have measurements on the side but they are self-standing and won’t fall over and enable you to pour liquid from the built-in spout with ease. That makes these nifty pouches the most innovative storage, freezer and cooking bag an all in one solution.

Fill n Freeze pouches are available from most retail and supermarket stores at a recommended cost of R16.99 per pack. For more information on Tuffy Products you can visit their website by clicking here.

Because I love you so much and would like you to share in the Tuffy magic, we are giving away an amazing Tuffy Hamper worth R1,500!!! Awesome -right! The hamper is filled with all things Tuffy – from storage bags, bin liners, Fill n Freeze Pouches to Pegs – this will cover all your storage and household needs for at least the next six months!

All you need to do to enter is complete these steps on the Rafflecopter form below:

Like the Tuffy Brand Facebook Page
Like the Super Mom Lifestyle Facebook Page
Tweet: Win with @supermomsablog and @tuffybrands #lovewinter
Leave a comment below telling us why you love winter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Competition Details:

This Giveaway will run from 5th March 2013, until the 14th March 2013. The winner/s will then be selected via the Rafflecopter form and announced on my blog and on Facebook. The winners will also be notified via email.
Please complete all the necessary steps on the Rafflecopter form, to ensure that your entry in processed correctly (please use a valid email address). Your details will only be used to validate your entry and inform you, if you are selected as a winner.
Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please be advised that the various companies sponsoring prizes on Super Mom Blog, are based in South Africa and therefore prizes will only be shipped within South Africa. The prizes may not be exchanged for cash.

Competitions, Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances, Lifestyle, Living Green, Proudly South African

Win a Consol Grip & Go Bottle

Last week I introduced you to the new Consol Grip & Go bottle, it is a multi-purpose glass bottle and Consol’s solution to keeping water, freshly squeezed juices or milk drinks tasting exactly as they were intended – fresh and delicious.

Today I am happy to announce that I have three of these amazing bottles to giveaway, to three lucky Super Mom Blog readers! All you need to do to win a new Consol Grip & Go Bottle is show some Facebook love and Tweet about the giveaway! Enter via the simple Rafflecopter form below and you could be a winner! Please also tell us what you will be using your Grip & Go Bottle for!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Consol Grip & Go Giveaway will run from 1st November 2012, until the 12th November 2012. The winner/s will then be selected via the Rafflecopter form and announced on my blog and on Facebook. The winners will also be notified via email.
Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have completed the above, along with your details in the comment section below this post (please use a valid email address). Your details will be used to validate your entry if you are selected as a winner.
Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please be advised that the various companies sponsoring prizes on Super Mom Blog, are based in South Africa and therefore prizes will only be shipped within South Africa. The prizes may not be exchanged for cash.

The bottles are available from the Consol outlets in Woodmead and Stellenbosch. For further stockists information please email [email protected]. For more information on other great Consol products click here to visit their website and you can also find Consol Glass on Facebook.

Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances, Lifestyle

Tips for Picking the Right Dishwasher

Dishwashers can make life so much more convenient. But with so many different models to choose from, making sure you pick the right one for your kitchen can be a difficult job. Follow these tips to ensure that you choose one that perfectly suits your needs.

Size matters

When picking a dishwasher, the most important thing is to make sure that it’s the right size. Take careful measurements of the space you have available to make sure that you don’t end up with one that’s too big or small. If you’re getting a new kitchen fitted and you want to create a streamlined look, opt for a model that’s built into your units. If you’ve only got a small space, a slimline or countertop dishwasher could be an option, bearing in mind that you’ll have less space to prepare food.

Ease of use

If you’ve got a large family, you’ll probably wash at least one load in your dishwasher every day. As a result, it’s important to ensure that the model you choose is convenient to use and has all the necessary components – think a place for cutlery and adequate storage for crockery. You can choose a dishwasher with removable drawers too, so it’s easy to wash larger items.

Economy pays

All new dishwashers, such as the Littlewoods Indesit dishwasher, come with an energy rating. If you want yours to be as cheap to run as possible, choose a model with a low energy rating. The cost of running a dishwasher every day can quickly add up, so choosing one that’s more economical can save you a lot of money in the long run. Once your dishwasher is installed, always use the economy setting. It’s just as effective as a more powerful setting, but will cost you considerably less.

Suit your style

Once you purchase a dishwasher, you expect to keep it for a good few years, so make sure that you like the way it looks. If you don’t want your white goods to look out-of-place in your kitchen, the solution is simple – don’t choose white. These days, there are lots of different dishwashers available in a variety of colours. Pick one that matches your kitchen units or the rest of your décor to avoid that stark white look.

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post