Hospitality
Here are some links to products on Amazon that I own and use and intend to do video reviews of. As an Amazon Affiliate, I will receive a commission if you follow the link and make a qualified purchase. This is at no additional cost to you.
Click on a photo below to check it out on Amazon.
The COSORI Coffee Mug products are among my favorite hospitality tools. Over the years I’ve experimented with multiple mug warmers and have always been severely disappointed. All of my attempts prior to COSORI suffered from the same 2 problems: Insufficient wattage & poor heat transfer to the mug. The COSORI has adequate wattage (24 watts) but that still won’t give good heat transfer when used with generic mugs. Their solution is simple, elegant & effective: Stainless steel mugs made to work specifically with their warmers. The silicone sleeve is necessary for insulation when not gripping by the handle. The lids significantly increase the ability to reach and maintain high temperatures. They are not necessary for most normal usage. The easy to operate digital thermostat goes from 77 to 230 degrees. That’s not the content temperature. I presume it’s the plate temperature as water boils at 218 degrees and these do not boil my liquids. Just for my personal use, I now have 3 warmers and 5 mugs. I’d like more! I use them for: Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Soup, Oatmeal, etc. I sometimes use multiples at one time for different treats. I also like having one (or more) by my recliner and one (or more) on my desk.
A crockpot full of chili is one of the most convenient and satisfying foods for any group event. Simple, nutritious, popular, economical but sometimes awkward to serve. Here’s the answer: OXO’s Good Grips Stainless Serving Ladle. It’s dishwasher safe & capable of serving from the left or right – a surprisingly significant benefit when a line of people are serving themselves while holding their plate/bowl. It’s also the perfect size.
What’s better than a cold pint of premium ice cream? Only a cold pint of ice cream that doesn’t freeze your fingers. You’ve probably used cozies for cold beverages but this use is even better. It also works with the slightly less than 16 ounce cartons one major supplier of premium ice cream has gone to. A sneaky way of raising the price but it’s still good ice cream.
If you don’t know what this is – good for you. You don’t need one. If, however, you’re a wine drinker/server and you’ve been using a simple corkscrew you may be amazed at how much more convenient this is. I don’t drink much wine but I do appreciate this tool. The stopper that’s included with it however, I don’t like as well as the simple and very inexpensive silicone stoppers.
If you’ve seen my video ice maker review you know how important I consider ice to be in social settings.
Don’t get a good cooler and a good ice maker and then cheap out on your serving tool. How many times have you seen busted red cups being unsuccessfully used to scoop ice? You, or your self-serve guests will appreciate this fine touch.
If you’ve read many of my hospitality reviews, you know I like my hot stuff hot and my cold stuff cold. Serving temperatures and the ability to maintain appropriate temperatures are one of the things that distinguishes the gracious host/hostess from those who strive to be adequate. Insulation is the way to go but opaque is ugly & plastic feels cheap but insulated glass — Now, that’s classy!
Coasters protect furniture and make people more comfortable knowing where they can place their beverage but they do more!
For a coaster to protect furniture it must be absorbent or concave. If concave, your beverage sits in its own condensation ready to drip when it’s moved. Ick! An absorbent coaster, like these, absorbs the condensation so the bottom of the glass isn’t drippy.