All About Mixing Bowls

 

You probably have a dozen mixing bowls in your kitchen. They may be in different cupboards, some may be in the pantry and a few may be missing. One statement that is possibly true for every cook or baker is that you can never have too many mixing bowls. Mixing bowls have changed over the years. Some bowls now have measurements printed on the sides, making it easier to keep track of portions of your ingredients. Many mixing bowls have lids, meaning that you can use the bowl for storage as well as mixing. Mixing bowls with pour spouts are great tools to have, you can mix pancakes in the bowl, then use it to pour the batter right onto the griddle.

Mixing Bowls Made From Different Materials

If you are shopping for new mixing bowls you may be surprised by the wide variety of materials used to make bowls. Most people are familiar with the top three materials-glass, stone and aluminum. All three have benefits and drawbacks but all three materials make good mixing bowls. Here are some pros and cons of different materials used to make mixing bowls: Glass: Glass bowls have been around for a long time. Glass is great for mixing almost everything, especially acidic foods. It won't react to acid heavy foods and it won't absorb flavors or colors. The downside to glass is that it is heavy and can crack or break. Stone: Your grandmother probably used stone mixing bowls and they have become popular again. They are sturdy, easy to clean and, like glass, won't react to acids. The negatives for stone are that they are costly, they are heavy and can crack. Aluminum: Aluminum bowls will be the least expensive bowls that you can buy. They are very lightweight and easy to clean. The downside to aluminum is that they can react to acidic foods, causing taste issues. They also can scratch, leaving a rough surface on the inside of the bowl. Plastic: Plastic has quite a few advantages, the main one being that it is almost indestructible. Plastic is lightweight, can go into the dishwasher and can be made in assorted colors. Plastics downsides are few, but it can warp under high heat, scratch and react to acids. Ceramic: Ceramic is different than stone, even though it shares a lot of the same properties. Ceramic bowls will be sturdy, lightweight and very colorful. Ceramic bowls can crack and tend to be a bit costly.

Think Multi-Purpose

Unless you are one of those lucky souls who has unlimited storage space in your kitchen, it makes sense to think of mixing bowls as multi-purpose kitchen tools. By purchasing mixing bowls with lids, you are also buying storage bowls. If you buy bowls with measurements printed on the sides and a pour spout, you are also buying measuring cups. Think of the space you save if you think multi-purpose when buying mixing bowls.