I just read what someone I've never met wrote about the experience of buying a ladle, then read what a few other people thought about it, and finally wrote something myself on the subject.
The intrinsic beauty of the post aside - this sort of in-depth, but cheaply available product insight simply wasn't available before and it is pretty damn useful.
What if it's a cheap Chinese ladle that is made of led?
What if the handle is too thin and it heats up when left in a hot soup?
What if the shape of the bowl is odd?
What if the rubber grip falls off after the second use?
Any utilitarian gadget could certainly use an usability review. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. How often do you buy ladles? Exactly. Why not pick a good one then?
So, in total seriousness: I'm an amateur baker, I own six spatulas, and only one of them is very good. My second favorite was doing great until I was making a double batch of muffins and the wooden handle came out of the silicone head, and then some muffin batter got into the slot where the handle used to be, and it was obvious that I was never going to get it clean again so I had to throw it away.
(Funny thing about this is I vaguely remember Alton Brown predicting this in his own review of spatulas. And then it happened just like he said.)
The good one is from Zyliss and is a silicone spatula firmly fused to its plastic handle. I have stirred some pretty viscous tubs of stuff with this spatula and it holds up, plus it's flexible enough to scrape well. My only problem with it is that it's wearing out after a few years; silicone isn't permanent and it develops nicks on the edge. I should go order three more while I'm thinking about it.
So I don't think reading ladle reviews is that farfetched at all. (Though for ladles, as for many things, I'd start at the local restaurant supply store. Those stores are big on utility and not as big on hype and markup. And, truthfully, ladles are not a hard thing to get right. Now dishers, on the other hand...)
(For some reason I am now having fond memories of Weird Al Yankovic's movie UHF. Fans will know why. ;)
A really well made utilitarian thing -- a ladle, a drill, a car -- gives me the joy of discovering its excellence and the design behind it. If I have a really good ladle, that works noticeably better than any other ladle I have ever had, then each time I pour soup, I get to contemplate the many flashes of brilliance and care that went into designing and making this ladle. As I pour soup and contemplate the design of the ladle, I become a better engineer myself even, pondering how the makers thought to curve the side just so, etc.
And that is EASILY worth $20.00 and 15 minutes looking at reviews.
Yes, in the abstract, this is fairly ridiculous. However, having tried to use kitchen utensils purchased from a dollar store, it's my experience that there are some that are completely useless.
So, I too would read reviews before purchasing a ladle online, because the handful of images wouldn't give me a good idea of the quality of the item I was purchasing.
Although, I personally would probably buy a ladle at a local store (thrift store if you're looking for a deal), instead of getting it shipped to me.
This is for some reason one of my favorite articles I've read on HN in awhile. Probably because it is so (personally) profoundly true, and reads almost like poetry.
I sort of read it as something you'd clinically describe to your psychiatrist as the point at which you think you went off the deep-end. I do the very same thing, and their reaction to doing it cracks me up to no end, and I love how it's written!
I felt the same. The personal note, has touched me in a way I cannot remember. We are so used to search stuff, read about stuff and buy stuff, that we forgot how the buying process was not so direct little years ago.
I was curious what "Exoglass" is, apparently... "It is a special hi-tech plastic developed by Matfer of France. It is used in the handles of their pastry utensils. It is extremely durable, hygienic, and heat resistant. (Both hot and cold extremes)" but there is no reference of the material outside of cooking, is that strange or interesting I'm not sure.
How is a spatula that's 1.2m long a "simple utensil for your kitchen"?
Sure, I guess the design is probably simple, but what type of kitchen do they imagine you're running where you need a spatula that's over a meter long?
I did a very similar thing while buying an ironing board for my mother for Christmas. I thought I was crazy, reading reviews for ironing boards.
Two days later, one of them arrived on my doorstep (thank you Amazon Prime…), and the moral of the story is that my mother loves the new ironing board, mainly about how quiet it is compared to the old one, which rivals my age.
Technically speaking that's the conclusion of your story, not its moral. The moral might be that spending time looking at what seems like basic utilities results in happier users or something.
I look at the 1-star reviews first to see just what so bothers people. Often it's something random ("I could not open the plastic wrap") that really has no bearing on the product itself.
If no one has a legit killer complaint I look at the middle-star reviews.
Sometimes, though, the 1-star reviews point out some flaw or omission that you'd never know about until you owned the thing for a bit, and you end up feeling duped if you bought it (hence the 1-star venom).
There's a point, though, where you have to ask yourself what's the worst that happens if you end up with a piece of crap. How much time/money are you out?
The problem (as the ladle purchase shows) is that it can become a sort of personal challenge; "I will get the best item for my money!" Even when it make no sense.
I started reading reviews online when I wanted my first toaster oven. See, the thing is, I had no idea what I wanted from a toaster oven, or how to judge them. So I read reviews until I found out all the ways they could go wrong, and then I looked for ones that didn't do that. At least, so far as I thought I cared. "Not tall enough" isn't a problem for me because it's for toast and bagel bites. Not really going to be a problem.
Ever since then, I read the negative reviews to judge products by their deficiencies. It has worked wonders. I've never had such good appliances and footwear, and I'm not spending an arm and a leg on them, either!
This is just one of the ways that the internet is changing our daily lives and we don't even notice. It's quite amazing.
Funny. But really, you are looking at Amazon reviews because you probably care about the design of every day things. I wish more people did. The people that do tend to be very successful.
I think about all the ladles I have ever had. I don't think I have a single one I'd recommend. Here's a few things that pop into my mind as things I wish ladle makers cared about.
First, they all have the problem of not being able to catch anything when a bowl gets to the end. There's still stuff there, but a ladle becomes useless at getting the shallow stuff. Why are ladles are shaped like cups with handles? Why couldn't a ladle have a design to help sweep the bottom of round bowls?
Second, ladles are awkward to put anywhere after using. Their handles make them oddly balanced to lean on most things. They also tend to get very hot handles when spooning hot mixtures and you leave the thing in the bowl.
Third, I'm not sure I've ever successfully used a label to get a full ladle of anything in the target container (my cup) 2 times in a row. Inevitably I spill something somehow.
The illuminating thing about the internet for me is not that people comparison shop for simple objects like ladles. It's that there are enough unemployed or lonely(?) people out there who actually have the motivation to write a 250-word review about something as mundane as a plastic ladle.
You can't go wrong with OXO. They put a noticeable amount of thought into the ergonomics of their kitchen tools that is sorely lacking in most other brands.
[+] [-] Ogre|14 years ago|reply
What the hell is wrong with ME?
[+] [-] jtchang|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ctdonath|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] randomslices|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dmvaldman|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] huhtenberg|14 years ago|reply
What if it's a cheap Chinese ladle that is made of led?
What if the handle is too thin and it heats up when left in a hot soup?
What if the shape of the bowl is odd?
What if the rubber grip falls off after the second use?
Any utilitarian gadget could certainly use an usability review. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. How often do you buy ladles? Exactly. Why not pick a good one then?
[+] [-] mechanical_fish|14 years ago|reply
(Funny thing about this is I vaguely remember Alton Brown predicting this in his own review of spatulas. And then it happened just like he said.)
The good one is from Zyliss and is a silicone spatula firmly fused to its plastic handle. I have stirred some pretty viscous tubs of stuff with this spatula and it holds up, plus it's flexible enough to scrape well. My only problem with it is that it's wearing out after a few years; silicone isn't permanent and it develops nicks on the edge. I should go order three more while I'm thinking about it.
So I don't think reading ladle reviews is that farfetched at all. (Though for ladles, as for many things, I'd start at the local restaurant supply store. Those stores are big on utility and not as big on hype and markup. And, truthfully, ladles are not a hard thing to get right. Now dishers, on the other hand...)
(For some reason I am now having fond memories of Weird Al Yankovic's movie UHF. Fans will know why. ;)
[+] [-] forkandwait|14 years ago|reply
And that is EASILY worth $20.00 and 15 minutes looking at reviews.
[+] [-] nostromo|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] e28eta|14 years ago|reply
So, I too would read reviews before purchasing a ladle online, because the handful of images wouldn't give me a good idea of the quality of the item I was purchasing.
Although, I personally would probably buy a ladle at a local store (thrift store if you're looking for a deal), instead of getting it shipped to me.
[+] [-] abtinf|14 years ago|reply
And the physical store has no reviews!
[+] [-] templaedhel|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Groxx|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] abtinf|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dudurocha|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] citricsquid|14 years ago|reply
Special mention goes to a £172 / ~$230 Exoglass Spatula: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matfer-Exoglass-Spatula-utensils-kit...
I was curious what "Exoglass" is, apparently... "It is a special hi-tech plastic developed by Matfer of France. It is used in the handles of their pastry utensils. It is extremely durable, hygienic, and heat resistant. (Both hot and cold extremes)" but there is no reference of the material outside of cooking, is that strange or interesting I'm not sure.
[+] [-] unknown|14 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] samlev|14 years ago|reply
Sure, I guess the design is probably simple, but what type of kitchen do they imagine you're running where you need a spatula that's over a meter long?
[+] [-] terinjokes|14 years ago|reply
Two days later, one of them arrived on my doorstep (thank you Amazon Prime…), and the moral of the story is that my mother loves the new ironing board, mainly about how quiet it is compared to the old one, which rivals my age.
[+] [-] jarek|14 years ago|reply
edit at 0 points 5 minutes later: :D
[+] [-] Hilyin|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jamesbritt|14 years ago|reply
If no one has a legit killer complaint I look at the middle-star reviews.
Sometimes, though, the 1-star reviews point out some flaw or omission that you'd never know about until you owned the thing for a bit, and you end up feeling duped if you bought it (hence the 1-star venom).
There's a point, though, where you have to ask yourself what's the worst that happens if you end up with a piece of crap. How much time/money are you out?
The problem (as the ladle purchase shows) is that it can become a sort of personal challenge; "I will get the best item for my money!" Even when it make no sense.
[+] [-] wccrawford|14 years ago|reply
Ever since then, I read the negative reviews to judge products by their deficiencies. It has worked wonders. I've never had such good appliances and footwear, and I'm not spending an arm and a leg on them, either!
This is just one of the ways that the internet is changing our daily lives and we don't even notice. It's quite amazing.
[+] [-] ctdonath|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] troymc|14 years ago|reply
Spatula City sold spatulas,
and that's all.
[+] [-] hammock|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] stcredzero|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nate|14 years ago|reply
I think about all the ladles I have ever had. I don't think I have a single one I'd recommend. Here's a few things that pop into my mind as things I wish ladle makers cared about.
First, they all have the problem of not being able to catch anything when a bowl gets to the end. There's still stuff there, but a ladle becomes useless at getting the shallow stuff. Why are ladles are shaped like cups with handles? Why couldn't a ladle have a design to help sweep the bottom of round bowls?
Second, ladles are awkward to put anywhere after using. Their handles make them oddly balanced to lean on most things. They also tend to get very hot handles when spooning hot mixtures and you leave the thing in the bowl.
Third, I'm not sure I've ever successfully used a label to get a full ladle of anything in the target container (my cup) 2 times in a row. Inevitably I spill something somehow.
[+] [-] hammock|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mturmon|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] abtinf|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] abtinf|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|14 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] jtchang|14 years ago|reply
This is by far my favorite:
http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Squirting-Brush/dp/B000...
Yes we shall have a discussion on the merits of kitchen utensils on hackernews.
[+] [-] tdicola|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] goatforce5|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dhughes|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dddddannyyyyy|14 years ago|reply
Your estimated delivery date is: Wednesday, December 21, 2011
OXO Good Grips Brushed Stainless Steel Ladle Sold by Amazon.com LLC (Amazon.com) $9.99
[+] [-] veidr|14 years ago|reply
http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Brushed-Stainless-Steel/dp/B...
[+] [-] cfinke|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gcb|14 years ago|reply
you want something in between. cost benefit.
[+] [-] pbreit|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Vivtek|14 years ago|reply