Top Ten Gifts for someone that likes to cook

(Disclosure, I will receive a small referral fee when you make a purchase through links on this post.)

1. William-Sonoma Classic Striped Towels

Sherry bought me these last Christmas and they are my favorites. Great absorption, not overly bulky and look pretty on the counter. $28

2. Mauviel stock pot

This made in France pot has superior heat conductivity thanks to its 5 ply stainless steel construction $175 for 2.7 Quart

3. Staub Cast Iron Round Tea Kettle

Just as all the Staub cast iron cookware we love, this made-in-France tea kettle is safe in oven and it works on all stovetops. It helps to keep water hot for a long time. $145

4. Presto Waffle maker

Nothing beats fresh made waffle to accompany your latte in the morning! Reliable and budget-friendly waffle maker with ceremic cooktop. Perfect for those Sunday morning breakfast. $35

5. Shun Classic Asian Chef’s Knife

One of my favorites right now is Shun (I realize I’m not blazing any trails with this – they’re already popular) and this 7-in Chef’s knife is as versatile a knife as you’ll find. Agile, precise and sharp sharp sharp. $145

6. iGrill – Bluetooth meat thermometer

A household favorite and a must-have for the grill master. I can monitor my roast from anywhere in the house, so that I don’t accidentally turn it into charcoal during Sunday afternoon book time. $99.99

7. Digital food scale

Following a recipe by weight, as opposed to quantity (grams vs. cups, for example) is the best way to ensure you’ll end up with great results (measuring flour in a cup will always yield a slightly different result every time). Nowhere is this more true than in baking, and I love using this scale for my bread. $19.99

8. Salt Cellar

A good looking salt cellar for the serious cook that likes to season the food to their liking. The attached lid means it will never go missing $35

9. Copper measuring cups and spoons

These copper measuring cups and spoons are stylish and durable at the same time. Using them for cooking just makes everything taste better. $25

10. Kitchen Aid immersion hand blender

Can’t believe I didn’t buy this a long time ago. It is such a life saver for making soups, smoothies and baby food. $42

Amazon Announces new Echo Show

Amazon announced its new Alexa product – Echo Show. It is priced at $229.99 and is available in black or white. The echo show is basically an amazon echo equipped with a touch screen and a camera. You can pre-order now and will be available June 28.

It’s functionality is very interesting and makes sense. On the surface, it looks no different than previous attempts made by other manufacturers for video conference. However, echo show is based on Amazon’s Alexa operating system which has been immensely popular for Amazon users especially with Amazon Prime.

On it’s youtube intro video, it featured a family with twin infants. The parents were managing their day by using echo show integrated in their life. They used the echo show as baby monitors to see their baby, they used the video conference feature to connect to each other and to their parents. When playing Prime music, you can see the album jacket and the lyrics when available. It seems this is the logical step for Echo devices and most importantly, the timing is right.

The intro video also had a grandfather painting the walls to the bedroom of a child. They searched youtube to watch tutorials on how to sponge paint. Once completed with their artwork, they did a video conference to showcase what they did.

Features that we know:

-Integration to video chat
-Picture frame to photos from Amazon photos
-Alarm clock
-Watch short video clips from youtube and news
-Front facing camera is 5pm
-Stream music
-Setup Google Calendar
-Integrate with Alexa compatible smart home devices (thermostat, light, locks, etc)

Unknown:

-Stream longer videos such movies from Amazon Prime or Youtube (honestly, not sure you want to do that on a 7″ screen)
-Battery backup
-Callout to 911 emergency services

Promo:

For a limited time, you can buy two and save $100. use promo code SHOW2PACK

Sizzling Deal, Echo Dot for $29.99!

This is the best deal for an Amazon Echo dot or Echo. Amazon sent out an email for black friday where you can get $10 gift card when you order from Alexa’s Best Deals. Order anything on the list over $20 through Alexa and get $10 gift card. The 2nd Gen Echo dot is currently on sale for $39.99. With the $10 Amazon credit if you order through Alexa, the price comes down to $29.99! Compare that with original price of $49.99, it is 40% off!

To see the full list of qualifying Alexa’s Best Deals, click here or the below link.

alexa-10-off

alexa-echo-dot

You can also purchase the Amazon Echo for a low $139.99. With the gift card, it will bring down the price to $129.99 which is almost 30% off. But you will need an Alexa enabled device to purchase it. You should be able to make the purchase through your Alexa enabled Fire TV controller. Give it a shot!

alexa-echo-deal

2016 Amazon Black Friday Sale!

Amazon’s black friday sale will be ongoing starting this week. Check out the banner to visit their rolling black friday deals! They will have thousands of limited time Lightning Deals. Track the deal by the category and wait for it to come live.

amazon-black-friday-deals

Update:
Below are the Black Friday deals for Amazon’s family of devices. These offers will be valid from Nov. 24 – Nov. 27th.

echo dot -> $39.99 ($10 off)
echo -> $139.99 ($40 off)
fire tablet -> $33.33 ($16.66 off)
fire kids edition -> $74.99 ($25 0ff)
select kindle readers -> up to $30 off
fire tv -> (up to $15 off)

Best Prime Day Deals!

Amazon’s Prime day is here and here are the best deals so far.

This is my favorite:

Amazon Echo (the lowest this has ever been!)
Regular: $179.99 but Prime Day Deal $129.99 which is 50% off!
If you have the Amazon Rewards card, you can also bring it down to $99 by using  applying the discount code VISA30.


Amazon Fire TV
Regular Price: $99.99 but with Prime Day deal $69.99 which is 30% off

 

Fire TV Stick with voice remote
Regular: $49.99 but with Prime Day Deal $34.99

Fire TV Stick without voice remote -> Regular
REgular: $39.99 but with Prime Day deal $24.99

Bonus:

Samsung UN55KU6600 Curved 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2016 Model)
Regular: $1,247.99 but Prime Day Deal $649.99 which is 48% off

Buy the Amazon Fire TV $15 off

Amazon is running a promotion for it’s widely popular Fire TV at a $15 discount bringing the cost down to $84.99. Amazon boasted in a press release that it’s Fire device was #1 and Fire TV Stick was #3  best seller over the holiday. It made a statement in terms of how popular its device is and how it was a great gift. It is simple to use and has many features which maximizes your prime membership if you have one. If you don’t have the fire TV or Fire TV stick and was not able to obtain one as a gift, this discount will be a great time to purchase the Fire TV.

amazon fire tv 15 off