The Best Products of 2024

Jan 4, 2025 by Chef David

By The Jewish Voice And Opinion Staff

Over the past year, we have explored many different items. We have looked at practical solutions to reduce the use of plastic bottles and be more sustainable and discovered glass containers, water filtration pitchers, and making seltzer. We have also looked at solar lights as a way to reduce energy dependence and provide a warm glow inside and out.

Chef David’s team found ways to improve the consistency and precision of cooking, using new thermometers from ThermoWorks, and scales in different sizes and shapes. Our article Bread Making for Beginners—Crusty and Delicious shared a recipe for making easy, delicious bread. We used the Challenger Breadware Pan and the Brod & Taylor proofing box. The team explored knife sharpeners and how using them can extend the life of knives.

To improve your health, we looked at ways to get a better night’s sleep, foot care solutions, and how vacuuming can remove microplastic fibers from the air [Shark Vacuum]. We introduced small gadgets for tiny kitchens and discussed the art of tablescaping to uplift Shabbos and Yom Tov tables with vibrant themes, and colors.

Our Favorit Finds

The team selected a few items as our favorite finds. Our criterion was simple, we selected products we couldn’t imagine not having.  Our selections are simple, functional, and well-made.

• We uncovered several wonderful kitchen products made by Kyocera cookware. While Kyocera is best known for making long-wearing and corrosion-free ceramic parts used in bone replacement procedures and satellites, they focused these materials on the kitchen and achieved amazing results. We discovered their virtually indestructible, razor-sharp mandolins and knives. But our favorite find this year was their pan, coated with their proprietary nonstick ceramic. This pan is easy to clean and is oven-safe up to 400°F.

Kyocera also makes an adjustable one-size-fits-all cover that works for any pot or pan with up to an 11-inch diameter. It is lightweight, and rust-resistant, made of aluminum. It is easy to clean, with a nonstick coating. The design was smart and functional without moving parts. The handle is key, covering a small lid vent that releases steam and avoids any boiling over. The handle is non-slip, remains cool to the touch, and is designed to stand on a countertop. The cover includes a glass window that allows visibility into the pan during cooking. It became the most reached-for-pareve cover in our kitchen.

• For making wonderful artesian-style bread with a crisp crust the team discovered the Challenger Breadware® Pan. Hand-poured and hand-seasoned made of cast iron which absorbs, retains, and radiates heat. The design is deceptively simple. It has a flat base and a curved cover shaped like a bread loaf allowing the radiant heat to trap steam giving the bread its crackling crust, rich color, and full volume. The Challenger cover forms a tight seal with the base preventing steam from escaping. The base has multiple handles that are large enough for oven mitts.

• To control the environment providing the dough with stable temperature and humidity we used the  Brod and Taylor proofing box  This small box is a powerhouse, which can perform many kitchen tasks unattended. It can be used for proofing or fermenting yeast bread dough, sourdough, or turning cabbage into sauerkraut – anything that requires a controlled temperature. The box is designed to fold down for easy storage, into flat walls, metal trays, and a stable base for easy storage. [Although we use it so often it has become a fixture in our prep-area].

• Our final ‘how could I have lived without this product’ item is LifeStraw Home Water Pitcher. This simple and efficient pitcher uses a double filtration system that removes bacteria, parasites, lead, microplastics, and 30+ contaminants while keeping minerals like magnesium and potassium. Fill, wait for it to filter through, and drink.

There are no moving parts, no electricity, no fuss. What impressed the team most was discovering the joy of pure filtered tap water.

Looking Ahead

Who knows what next year will bring? The team looks forward to continuing to discover and introduce well-made products that will improve the quality of home life. The team believes in simplicity, and minimizing clutter.  We are confident that we will locate new soon-to-be ‘must-have’ essentials that you can’t imagine how you ever lived without.