• 14 Nov 2025, 1:10 p.m.

    ...or...get a halogen oven, an electric pressure cooker, and an induction hob. For a hundred sheets you don't need a cooker, and you can put the lot away in a cupboard.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 2:04 p.m.

    Unsure whether this is a good thing, or a bad thing, but it's not a solution. It's just a different way of approaching it.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 2:23 p.m.

    I wouldn't personally choose to feel like I'm living in a caravan every time I go to cook dinner, but YMMV.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 3:31 p.m.

    "Hi, can you join this steerco call please?"

    "When is it?"

    "Now"

    "No, sorry, I'm busy"

    "OK, but the LT want to discuss your recommendations in this document"

    "I understand but I'm busy"

    "Yes but the LT call have this on the agenda to address today"

    "Rather sounds like you should have put it in my calendar then, doesn't it?"

    "Yes but I didn’t think to, so can you join please?"

    "......... I didn't suddenly become not busy because of your fuck up"

  • 14 Nov 2025, 5:19 p.m.

    Trickys response was entirely anticipated. Im actually going to have to cook a Christmas dinner.
    And so was Russ's. My cooker isn't a penis extension. And I'm not anticipating being in this house for more than a couple of years.
    I prefer to cook with gas, better control. So, Ill be buying something affordable and reliable that isnt necessary a sexy brand.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 5:32 p.m.

    Sounds like a 'your feelings' problem. Not every one needs, or wants, a big cooker. If you do, that's fine. There may be different solutions, to different needs. Personally I hardly ever use my cooker. I am uncomfortable with the modern trend to describe an ordinary cooker as a range cooker (even if it's big and swanky), when it isn't an always on multi-purpose heat storage device with different ovens and hobs driven by the cumulative heat capacity (eg traditional AGA type). Not a good fit for a caravan, agreed.

    This is a form of conversation I have quite often.

    "Will you do the thing"
    "No"
    "But I asked"
    "Yes you did"
    "So, you'll do...."
    "No"

    I can't get my head around what the expectation is. Apart from a supposition that british people are so supine that they will just do what you ask them to. From my perspective, perhaps put some credit in the bank, or at least demonstrate some reason to invest in you, before you ask me to bail you out of problems of your own making.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 5:42 p.m.

    Cant help but explore this. Better control for what?

    If it's a hob, as in for heating pans, yes...totally. Agree. Although induction is equally on/off demand. Arguably more controllable, and cleaner, and cheaper (though induction cookware is necessary, and induction hobs don't wrap around things like woks as effectively as a gas flame).

    In an oven (sometimes called a 'cooker' sometimes called a 'range'. Apparently,) you generally have a large thermal mass and it does not respond quickly to required temperature change irrespective of the fuel. Although small oven appliances, like Halogen, might be better at this due to the low thermal mass.

    For me it's gas or induction hobs for responsiveness. Electric oven for safety, cleanliness. Induction and some form of electric cooker mitigates the need for gas and fuelling the russian/petrostate war machine.

    YMMV.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 6:10 p.m.

    I've been amusing myself looking at the concave induction hobs for woks and they do look a lot of fun. Still not as effective as gas, but it looks good enough for me.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 7:41 p.m.

    Every comment like this makes me think fuck off. 99% of people just want the pan to get hot. They aren't worried about where or how it's effecting their cooking. Despite claiming they are.

  • 14 Nov 2025, 8:26 p.m.

    Hmmm
    Fuck off

  • Squad
    14 Nov 2025, 9:15 p.m.

    I like that Jim was well into an all dayer and thought to himself “fuck it, I’ll read about induction hobs on TB”

  • 14 Nov 2025, 10:14 p.m.

    Prime Talkback, right there. Not even a Leo Sayer could drag him away from an online discussion between some middle-aged men about how to dress your kitchen.

    Never change...

  • 14 Nov 2025, 10:25 p.m.

    I bought a fancy-pants new oven with induction hob when I got this house. The oven I inherited was in a bit of a state, and we’re not on mains gas so it was also a chance to get ride of the massive fuck-off gas bottles outside the back door. Anyhoo… not a sniff of a regret. I knowingly sacrificed wok cooking.. but I didn’t do that often enough for it to weigh into it. It’s much better than any gas top I’ve had.. I think there’s much finer control at lower heats, and I have that across every ‘ring’… I can get a nice slow simmer on any size pan, with any content, anywhere on the hob.

    The one I got seems to be a bit of a fussy bitch with pots and pans though.. couldn’t get a single milk-pan to work until I spent $250. I also could have done without also having to upgrade my switchboard to be able to power it all.. but it’s awesome, and it’s noticeably impacting the process and results of cooking.

  • 16 Nov 2025, 8:50 a.m.

    I'll give you a shout a bit nearer the time on this.

  • 16 Nov 2025, 5:08 p.m.

    Decided to do a bunch of cooking and food prep today. Got lots done but now I can't be bothered to do any more, and there's a poolish sitting on the counter waiting to be turned into foccaccia.

  • 16 Nov 2025, 5:24 p.m.

    I've done roast cabbage and hummus (no tahini or nut butter component, but with thia spicing), and honey and cinnamon atta bread....except I can't be arsed to wait for a proper second rise with the atta bread...so I'm chancing my arm that I can get me teeth through it as a second half beer snack. Well, chancing my teeth. Should be cooked by half time.

  • 16 Nov 2025, 6:04 p.m.

    Crust burned, but apart from that actually not bad at all.