Old Friends, New Designs, up to 20% off Oxo Good Grips. Kitchen tools that actually work ..... and last
Andrew Bluett-Duncan
Director
This week I have the return of some old friends, in the form of Oxo Good Grips. A few years ago we dropped the brand partly because of lack of space, lack of margin and falling sales. And, their then account manager, who I felt thought our orders rather meagre pickings, threatened to close the account. Shortly after that we just ceased ordering from them. Last year a new account manager popped in and asked why on earth a shop like ours wasn’t stocking their products. We told him the story and to cut a rather protracted tale short we have decided to restock much of the range and add in some new products from them as well.
Of the range of just over 20 pieces, I’ve chosen to talk about five or six that I am familiar with, and one of which is a new and rather clever design.
Firstly the Oxo Measuring Jug
The Oxo Measuring Jug is probably my favourite product from this brand . It's clever design is so simple and yet so much easier to use than anybody else’s. And, that’s because you don’t need to peer down at the sides of the jug, squinting to see how much liquid you’ve poured in there. With Oxo’s jug you can look quite naturally from above and see the clear markings in Millilitres and Fluid Ounces, at a glance.
How? Because the sides of the jug, fold in at 90 degrees on both sides, and then angle upwards at about 45 degrees, from the bottom of the jug, to the pouring lip, with a clear scale (ml & fl oz) to read from. Some brilliant designer's brilliant lateral thinking going on here! A brilliant product, made in three sizes. Mini (60ml), Medium (500ml) & Large (1000ml)
The two larger sizes have Santoprene handles for secure slip free operation, all are made from BPA free Triton (virtually unbreakable) and that remains clear even after years of use. Dishwasher safe and can also be left in the fridge (pretty obvious) or the freezer (less obvious, and less likely!) Also Microwave safe.
So, a very flexible, very easy to use measuring jug. Pretty well a perfect (for those that know me, not a word I use lightly) product. Almost certainly the best measuring jug on the market.
Oxo Good Grips Pop Containers
I asked Em (our General Manager), who had persuaded me to stock these again (I didn’t want to), why she was so keen on them. The first thing she said was that hers were 20 years old. The next was that they are still airtight.
So, I was beginning to warm to the idea of stocking them again. And then I realised that with the bigger containers (which had seemed too large to easily remove the lids from) I could actually use the pop up handle in the middle of the lid, to left the lid off. Otherwise, it would have required me to have a huge finger span to do so. The design has been up dated recently and they are simpler to open and close and easier to clean. We are stocking the ones that you are likely to use in the kitchen, so there's a couple of normal storage jars of 0.4l & 1.0l. Then there’s a spaghetti size, a large squat one for rice or sugar, and then a huge one for flour. Prices range from £8.50 to £20.00.
Oxo Good Grips Garlic Press
Next, is another old favourite (not of mine admittedly, mine is the Zyliss Susie 3 Garlic Press) that we've sold 100’s of over the years. It’s the Oxo Good Grips Garlic Press.
It has also been redesigned, and whereas it used to be made of a cast metal (probably mazac) it's now fashioned entirely from stainless steel, bar the handles.
It looks like it would be just as comfortable to use as the old design but significantly stronger. It's easy to clean as the hopper comes out for that purpose. Excellent product £20.00.
Oxo Good Grips Jar Opener
Now, I’ve not actually used it, BUT I’ll eat my hat (and give you your money back) if this isn’t just the most marvellous Jar Opener that you’ve ever used. It's very well thought through, so Oxo provide a rubber (silicon) mat for you to place your jar on, this helps to stop the jar turning.
You then simply turn the handle on top (turns a maximum of 180 degrees) to open up the jaws. Place the opener over the lid of your jar, turn the handle back and the leverage that you exert on the handle does two things. It clamps the jaws to the lid and turns it simultaneously. Simple and effective. Your bit of opening heaven, for £16.00.
Oxo Good Grips Y Shaped Swivel Peeler and Oxo Good Grips Swivel Peeler.
These two peelers, one with the blade parallel to the handle, and one with it at right angles, are our best sellers from this brand. We sell both models partly because everyone needs a potato peeler, so the everyday demand is high, and partly because it's used so frequently we tend to have strong views on which angle the blade should face relative to our hand.
These peelers are much like everyone else's, except where the handle is concerned, because, the size and the grippy material do make it very easy to hold. Both models have “eye” removers and both have blades that are bi-directional (i.e. work in both directions).
£9.00 worth of easy(ier) peeling.
Oxo Good Grips Grilling Precision Turner
Don’t let the crap name put you off. This is what I would call a fish slice, or just a turner! What makes me highlight this “just a turner”. Well, its substantially made, it has a bit of heft to it, a comfortable silicon coated handle and importantly for me, there's a bit of flexibility in the blade which I like.
Further more, the leading edge has been chamfered off to facilitate getting underneath the food in your pan. If using this on a non stick surface, you will be wise to keep the angle low so as to not risk damaging it. On an iron, cast iron or stainless steel surface you need have no concerns.
I like this Grilling Precision Turner very much, despite its name. For me a very good fifteen pounds worth.
This week's deal, will be a familiar one to you.
Buy any one piece from the Oxo range and get a 10% discount. Buy two or more and get 20% discount.
No voucher code needed this time.
That’s it for this week
Warm regards
Andrew
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