Latest news with #MakiYazawa
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
These Glass Containers Made Me Hate the Microwave a Little Less
Maki Yazawa is a writer focused on making cooking fun. She once cooked for Natalie Portman, and her friends won't let her forget it. In an average week, the most action my microwave gets is reheating leftover spaghetti or reviving a cup of coffee. So preparing a full meal in one seemed more like science fiction than reality, until I tested Anyday, a line of cookware specifically designed to be used in the microwave. Frankly, I didn't see the need to cook meals in a microwave when I could rely on my stove or a multicooker to do the job—until some of my colleagues praised Anyday cookware's convenience.
New York Times
05-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Wire Grill Brushes Might Leave Behind Errant Bristles. Here's What You Can Use Instead.
A few Wirecutter-tested wire grill brush alternatives. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter This wooden grill paddle is the best wire-free grate cleaner we've tested. The beveled edge takes on the pattern of your grill, becoming a custom scraper that hugs the grates. The Great Scrape Woody Shovel is the best wire-free grate cleaner we've tested. The hardwood paddle's straight, tapered edge takes on the pattern of your grill's grates as you scrape along them while they're still hot. During testing, it effectively cleared sticky, cooked-on sauce as well as charred bits. And the handle provides a firm grip. Breaking in the wooden shovel takes some patience, however. For the most effective cleaning, you'll need to exert sufficient pressure to create deeper grooves that really hug your grates. Cleaning staff writer Caroline Mullen uses Great Scrape's Woody Shovel to tackle tough, stuck-on bits. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Also, you can't use this tool on multiple grills, unless they have the same exact grill-grate pattern. So it's less versatile than a wire grill brush and the other options we've included in this list. If you prefer stainless steel to a foam kitchen sponge, the Scotch-Brite Stainless Steel Scrubber performs similarly to a wire grill brush, albeit without the handle. In our guide on how to clean a grill, Lesley recommends pairing the scrubber with 12-inch tongs to keep hands away from the heat. It's abrasive enough to rival a wire grill brush, but it's not as likely to leave traces of metal bristles behind. Still, if you use this scrubber, you should inspect your grill's grates to check for any stray pieces before cooking. A wadded-up ball of aluminum foil can work in a pinch. However, we strongly advise against lining your grill with a sheet of aluminum foil to catch grease or using it as a tarp over the grill grates to help burn off stuck-on food bits. These actions could void your grill's warranty — and they're just dangerous. According to Weber, placing aluminum foil inside a grill can restrict proper grease flow into the catch pan, potentially resulting in a grease fire or flare-up. Most grill warranties, including Weber's, won't cover what they call 'burn-through' damage, which is damage caused by excessive heat exposure (such as from a grease fire). Two other wire-free, low-cost, effective scrubbing options include a scouring pad, like the Heavy Duty Scotch-Brite Scour Pad, and a Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge. (The Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge is Wirecutter's favorite sponge and one of our 18 must-have cleaning essentials.) These cleaning tools are flexible, textured, and terrific for deep cleaning and getting into a grill's hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. 'It's tough enough to remove stuck-on grease, but it won't damage the more delicate parts of your grill,' said Lesley, who often relies on scouring pads when she' s cleaning grills. Caroline's testing also confirmed that the Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge is a reliable grill-cleaning tool. She said she used it to deep-clean and scrub away built-up burger grease after a week's worth of consistent grilling. The Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge is a reliable wire grill-brush alternative that can get into all of the nooks and crannies of a grill's grates. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter However, since scrubbing with a sponge or a scouring pad alone requires a good amount of elbow grease, Caroline recommends using it alongside Great Scrape's Woody Shovel. Before going in with the sponge and hot, soapy water, use the wooden tool to dislodge any stuck-on pieces. Then, once a grill has cooled down, use the sponge and soapy water to scrub any remaining gunk off of the grates, body, and heat plates. This pad brush is the best one for steam cleaning. Made with the same fabric found in firefighters' gear, it can be plunged into water and wiped over a hot grill, creating steam as you clean. Not a one-and-done tool, the Grill Rescue Grill Brush should be used only after you scrape away stuck-on food with a wire brush or a wooden scraper. Otherwise, this brush's heat-resistant fabric pad will tear, and you'll have to order a replacement. But as a secondary cleaner — and to wipe away any lingering wire bristles from a wire-brush scrubbing — this sponge-like brush efficiently clears away soot and loose debris. It is also sturdy, and it has an ergonomic, plastic handle. Marilyn Ong, Wirecutter's senior kitchen editor, has been using hers for two summers. To use the Grill Rescue brush, dunk it in water, and then use it on still-hot grill grates. The wet sponge creates billows of steam that help soften any leftover food, soot, and grease, making it easier to wipe away. Use the Grill Rescue Grill Brush after you scrub your grates with a heavy-duty tool. For a steamy clean, dunk the brush in water. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter This abrasive block of pumice can remove rust and corrosion from a griddle that's been left out in the elements. To restore a grill that's been rusted or corroded, consider using a grill stone — a block of coarse pumice stone (yep, the same material that's used for exfoliation). In testing, we found that grill stones work best when they're run under water before they're used on a hot grill, but they can also be used dry and on cool grills. Grill stones are safe for use with cast-iron and stainless steel grill grates and griddles, but they're not safe to use with grills with enameled cast-iron grates, whose surfaces could end up getting damaged. Blackstone, the cast-iron griddle manufacturer that makes our top griddle pick, does not recommend using a grill stone for daily cleaning, since it will strip your griddle of its seasoning. A grill stone is a great option for restoring grills and griddles that have been exposed to the elements for some time and show signs of rusting and corrosion. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Although a grill stone's wide, flat surface works well on griddles, we found that this wasn't the most effective way to clean cast-iron or stainless steel grill grates. A grill stone is meant to mold to the shape of your grill grates, but it requires outsize effort over several cleaning sessions to get it there, even with heat and water. During testing, we also found that the grill stone left dust and debris on the grates. So we recommend that you wipe your grill with a wet rag or one of the other wire grill-brush alternatives on this list after using it. This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Katie Okamoto. After testing more than 90 tools from grill brushes to chimney starters, we have recommendations for everything you need to barbecue with ease. To keep your grill in working order, take time to do some simple cleaning tasks, as well as the occasional deep scrub-down, every time you cook. To keep your grill ready for summer cookouts, cleaning is essential but tremendously annoying. This durable grill brush makes steam cleaning surprisingly easy. You can't keep sponges forever! Here's how to know when to toss them.
New York Times
21-03-2025
- New York Times
I'm Ditching My Gigantic Air Fryer for This Cute, Tiny One
Most air fryers I'm familiar with have a built-in container or a removable nonstick basket that pulls out like a drawer. The Ninja Crispi, on the other hand, is essentially a lid that attaches to either of two standalone glass containers: one 4-quart and one 6-cup. The containers are refrigerator-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe, and each comes with a corresponding lid that snaps on tight for storing leftovers. For size reference, four standard-size Russet potatoes fit comfortably inside the 4-quart glass container (left), while two standard-size Russet potatoes fit inside the 6-cup glass container (right). Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Ninja claims that the 4-quart container can fit a 4-pound chicken. The 6-cup container is best for one or two people and can easily fit two standard-size Russet potatoes. Ninja also sells additional compatible glassware sizes online, including a 2.5-quart option, which can hold 2 pounds of chicken wings at a time. For context, my gigantic 5-quart air fryer can prepare about three salmon fillets at once. The Crispi has eight pieces that fit compactly inside one another for easy storage. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter The Crispi comes with eight individual pieces—a 1,500-watt air fryer hub with an attached 3-foot power cord, the 4-quart and 6-cup glass cooking containers and matching lids, large and small crisper plates, and an adapter (for the larger container)—all of which can be stored separately. You can use it in two configurations: the 4-quart setup, which weighs about 9 pounds, and the smaller, 6-cup setup, which weighs about 6.5 pounds. Overall, the components feel durable and sturdy, and the Ninja Crispi is covered by a one-year limited warranty if you purchase the appliance through an authorized SharkNinja retailer. The Crispi offers only four automatic presets for regulating the temperature: Recrisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Max Crisp. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter The heating console features a simple control panel with four buttons: start (to power the machine on and off), mode (to select from its four cooking presets), and two additional buttons, a plus sign and a minus sign (to increase or reduce the cooking time). The four cooking presets activate four automatic temperature and fan-speed settings: Recrisp (380 °F to 400 °F), Bake (375 °F to 400 °F), Air Fry (400 °F to 425 °F), and the high-heat Max Crisp (425 °F to 450 °F). When you select a preset, the air fryer provides a suggested cooking time, which you can adjust depending on what you're making. The machine also can detect which container is underneath it and adjust the cooking preset to account for the difference in volume. Setting up the Crispi is simple. First, insert the appropriate crisper plate into the bottom of the glass container. Then, add the food. Next, attach the heating pod (if you're using the 4-quart option, place it on top of the adapter until it clicks) atop the glass container. Finally, select the cooking preset and toss the food occasionally for best results. I tested the Air Fry and Max Crisp modes by preparing two frozen foods: french fries and battered cod fillets. But right off the bat, I encountered one of the Crispi's most significant pain points: its nonadjustable temperature settings. Since you're limited to the four presets and their respective predetermined temperature ranges, you have no way to adjust the temperature according to a recipe. For example, if a recipe calls for air frying at 375 °F, you can't do that with the Crispi's Air Fryer preset, which automatically heats to a temperature range between 400 °F and 425 °F. However, since the fan circulates air on all four settings, not just when air frying, I'd recommend choosing a preset based on the closest temperature range, as opposed to the cooking technique. When in doubt, I found the reference charts at the end of the quick-start guide (PDF) included with the Ninja Crispi helpful for determining which preset to use, depending on what I was making. However, it could get cumbersome to have to dig out the manual or find it online each time you set out to cook something, rather than simply relying on the recipe's instructions. The four cooking presets are each preprogrammed with a temperature range. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter For example, the instructions for the store-bought frozen french fries I cooked called for air-frying the 2-pound bag at 400 °F for 12 minutes. However, Ninja's air fryer reference chart recommended that I cook the fries for 30 to 35 minutes in the 4-quart container using the Max Crisp setting, which is 425 °F to 450 °F). I opted for the latter approach and found that 30 minutes on the Max Crisp setting was the sweet spot for producing ultra-crispy, crunchy french fries. I was surprised, considering that it was 25 degrees higher and more than double the time that the packaging recommended. I was extremely pleased with the results and found that the fries were for the most part uniformly crisped, aside from one corner that I neglected to toss adequately halfway through the cooking time. Considering the Crispi's compact setup, I was impressed by its mostly even air circulation and heat distribution. Also, the more acquainted I got with each temperature setting, the easier it was for me to adjust a recipe without relying on Ninja's reference charts. A 2-pound bag of frozen french fries easily fit into the 4-quart container. However, the bottom-right corner turned out more browned, as I neglected to toss that area adequately halfway through cooking. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter I put the air fryer setting to the test by air-frying frozen battered cod fillets. This process went smoothly and required minimal futzing since the packaging instructions required no conversion to translate to the Crispi's automatic temperature presets. After cooking seven pieces of battered cod in the 4-quart container, flipping them halfway through the cooking time, I found that they were evenly crisp on all sides, golden, and thoroughly warmed. Each piece had a nice crunch as I bit into it, and it tasted as if it had been freshly fried. Seven pieces of battered cod comfortably fit inside the 4-quart container, and after 12 minutes of air frying, they were perfectly crispy and uniformly golden on all sides. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter I was surprised to find that the Crispi required no preheating whatsoever. However, the glassware gets very hot fairly quickly; the Crispi has several caution stickers that advise you to wear oven mitts when handling them. I'd recommend exercising caution when using this device anywhere near small children or pets. The plastic handles attached to the glass containers were safe to touch, and the feet on them prevented the countertop from heating up underneath. I detected only a small amount of residual heat after removing the glass container from where it had sat for about 15 minutes. (Ninja recommends using the Crispi only on granite, laminate, quartz, butcher block, and marble surfaces.) As the caution label states, you should wear oven mitts for safety when handling the hot glassware. However, the counter-safe feet are effective in preventing heat from transferring to nearby surfaces. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter When you lift the heating console from the glassware, it automatically pauses, which is a nice safety feature. (If you place it back on top and press the start button, it'll pick up where it left off.) The console is very warm right after cooking—so be sure to handle it carefully—but you can safely place it on a heatproof surface thanks to its footed design. Note that Ninja advises against using any non-Crispi glassware and to immediately stop using any damaged or cracked glassware. After preparing chicken meatballs both with and without the crisper-plate insert, I found that the crisper plate made all the difference in uniformly crisping and browning foods. First, I used the bake setting to cook the meatballs directly inside the glass container, no crisper plate, for 15 minutes while keeping a close eye on them to monitor browning. I also avoided tossing the contents halfway through the cooking time just to see what the results would be. As I anticipated, the tops of the meatballs were adequately browned, while the bottoms were completely colorless. I repeated the process with the crisper plate inside to keep the meatballs elevated from the glass surface. In this case, the meatballs came out perfectly cooked, with nicely browned bottoms. Even without my tossing the meatballs, the crisper plate was enough to promote even browning on all sides. The meatballs were colorless before they were baked (left). When baked directly in the glass container, they cooked unevenly (middle). When baked on top of the crisper plate, they cooked evenly (right). Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter One of Ninja's biggest claims about the Crispi is that it's portable, which makes it ideal for potlucks, camping, road trips, or a stay in a vacation rental. So I put it to the test by taking the 6-cup container setup along with the heating console on my hour-long commute home from the office (the Crispi had been delivered to Wirecutter's headquarters). I packed leftover meatballs and battered cod from the day's testing in the 6-cup container (atop the crisper plate) with its snap-on lid. After I chucked the container into a medium-size tote bag along with the heating console, I still had ample room to stash a quart-size deli cup, another small storage container, and my water bottle. Altogether, the bag wasn't too heavy, and it felt manageable to carry slung on my shoulder. Storing leftovers directly in the cooking container saves time when you want to reheat them. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter I was impressed by how well the Crispi traveled as I took it with me on the subway and a city bus. I'm sure my fellow commuters would've gotten a kick out of knowing what I had stealthily tucked in my bag. One thing's for sure: I could never do the same with the hulking air fryer I currently own. Once I got home, I used the reheat function to warm up the leftovers. They turned out just as good as, if not better than, the first time around. The food was evenly warmed, with no hot spots or singes. I took the Crispi on a joyride from our testing facility in Long Island City, New York, to my home in New Jersey. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter One of my favorite features of the Crispi is its ability to break down into smaller, more manageable pieces, which makes storing, cleaning, and commuting with it noticeably easier. For comparison's sake, I placed the Crispi and the Instant Mini Vortex 4-in-1 (the Wirecutter-recommended pick for single servings and small spaces) side by side. The Crispi was noticeably more compact and arguably cuter than the Mini Vortex. It also helps that you can stash all the individual pieces of the Crispi separately (or compactly together) and that the glassware doubles as storage containers. And since everything disassembles easily, cleaning the Crispi is much more seamless than the often tedious task of getting into the hard-to-reach areas of basket-style air fryers in my experience. The Vortex Mini features a 2-quart basket, which is half the size of the Crispi's large, 4-quart container. However, the Crispi, at a typical price of $180, is considerably more expensive than the $60 Mini Vortex. A side-by-side comparison of the Instant Mini Vortex and the Ninja Crispi. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter You can easily store the pieces of the Crispi separately, which is a nice perk. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter The Crispi (left) has a 4-quart max capacity, while the Mini Vortex's (right) is 2-quart. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter A side-by-side comparison of the Instant Mini Vortex and the Ninja Crispi. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter All of the Crispi's parts are dishwasher-safe, with the exception of the heating console, which you should clean by hand (while it's unplugged and cool enough to handle) using a damp cloth. You can wash the rest of the pieces by hand or in the dishwasher. Although washing the Crispi is extremely easy, drying it is a bit more tedious. My main frustration is that drying the gap between the heatproof handles and the glass container is nearly impossible. To remedy the situation, I had to prop the glass container at an angle to help the residual water droplets escape the narrow area more easily. The Crispi is dishwasher-safe, except for the heating console, which you should clean by hand using a damp cloth once it's cool enough to handle. However, one downside is that water droplets tend to accumulate in the difficult-to-dry space between the permanent handles and the glass container. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter I think the Crispi is a game changer for avid meal preppers or people with small kitchens. It's more spacious than other, comparable basket-style models, and during my testing it took on crisping large batches of french fries and reheating leftovers without any issue. It also lived up to its portability claims, commuting home from work with me without any hiccups. It's far less conspicuous than many air fryer pods, and it comes in several attractive colors. Although it's not as versatile as an air fryer toaster oven, it's more compact. I'm going to continue testing this Ninja Crispi, which Ninja sent to us for testing purposes, alongside my colleagues who cover air fryers, to see how it holds up over time and how it stacks up against our current air fryer picks. But as soon as it leaves my kitchen for one of my colleagues', I plan on buying a Crispi for myself. This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Marguerite Preston. We've tested dozens of pod-shaped air fryers, and the best is the Philips 3000 Series Airfryer L, which crisps and browns more evenly than the competition. If you want an appliance that's more versatile than a pod-shaped air fryer, we recommend the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro . We spent a few days with the viral Ninja Creami . We see the appeal, but we don't think this niche appliance is built to last or earns its price tag. The Slushi is not perfect, but it's worth the splurge if a nostalgia-inducing slushy is what you crave.
New York Times
06-03-2025
- General
- New York Times
This Portable Range Hood Helps Cut Down on Cooking Smoke. But You Could Just Open a Window Instead.
To test how well the AirHood 2 works, I cooked salmon and bacon until it was smoky and crisp. I started with the skin-on salmon, which I prepared in a nonstick stainless steel pan on my apartment's electric cooktop. As I seared the salmon skin and the kitchen got progressively smokier, I upped the fan's speed accordingly. Toggling between the four speed settings is a bit finicky. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Toggling between different speed settings was tricky, and it took the buttons a few seconds to register between settings. The fan is also quite loud, even on its lowest setting. When it was on the medium setting, hearing the television in the background was nearly impossible. And when I tested the turbo-speed setting, I felt like I was sitting near an airplane jet. The AirHood 2 needs to be perfectly positioned to suction smoke and steam adequately. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter The fan exerts impressive power, but not nearly as much as a standard range hood. For context, the AirHood 2 claims to move air between 46 and 96 cubic feet per minute, depending on the speed setting, whereas most standard residential range hoods can move air at double, triple, or even quadruple that rate. When the salmon got smokier and the grease splattered uncontrollably, the fan's sweet spot was the high setting. Although the loud noise was perturbing (69 decibels, which is slightly quieter than a vacuum cleaner), this was the fan speed needed to pull a steady flow of steam and smoke into the machine. On the high setting, the AirHood 2 had no trouble suctioning the smoke and steam. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Getting the steam to move in the right direction was tricky, and it took a bit of futzing around to establish adequate airflow into the fan; the built-in handle was helpful in this case. The AirHood 2 ultimately ended up being alarmingly close to my heat source—just a few inches away. Standard range hoods are typically between 20 and 30 inches above a stove. Fortunately, the AirHood 2 didn't absorb as much heat as I'd anticipated it would. The polyamide-coated base—a heat-resistant material—didn't feel too hot to the touch, even after it sat in close proximity to the electric cooktop for at least 15 minutes straight. That said, heat exposure would be a bigger concern when you're cooking on a gas stove. Again, if you're cooking with gas, AirHood recommends using the wired version only—not the battery-operated, wireless setup. And it says to make sure 'there is a sufficiently large distance to the stove in order to protect the device from intense heat exposure and subsequent damage.' This might be tricky, given how close I had to keep mine to my stove. The backside of the machine emits powerful wind gusts. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter AirHood claims that the portable range hood can work with more than one pan. But I imagine that lining up the fan in the right spot to achieve even, adequate airflow would be even trickier when you're cooking with multiple pans at the same time. Also, the backside of the machine emits powerful wind gusts as it recirculates the air, so you may need to be mindful of any lightweight items sitting behind it that could potentially blow over. To see how the AirHood 2 performed in a more-spacious kitchen, I cooked bacon in a cast-iron skillet on an induction cooktop without a vented range hood above it, at our test-kitchen facility. In this case, the medium speed was more than enough. However, increased airflow in the open-layout kitchen made keeping the fumes going in the same direction more of a challenge. The medium setting was strong enough to suction the smoke coming from the bacon. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter The good news is that I didn't have to worry about the AirHood 2 overheating as much as I did when I was cooking on the electric stovetop, since the induction cooktop uses electromagnetic energy to produce heat.
