• Zwiesel Glas Tritan Old Fashioned Cocktail Glass is made with Tritan crystal, a patented material known for its clarity and strength
• Authentis Crystal Wine Glasses are made from crystal and are known for their clarity and elegance
• Duralex Picardie Drinking Glasses are made from tempered glass
• Fortessa Fortaluxe SuperWhite Vitrified China Dinnerware is made with vitrified china (similar to porcelain)
• Ceramic Bowl Sets for Soup or Pho are made with porcelain
• Vancasso Bubble Stoneware Pasta Bowls are made with stoneware and features a bubble-like texture
• Saiool Large Glass Food Storage Jar is a 1-gallon capacity container made of high-quality, heat-resistant borosilicate glass with a wooden acacia airtight lid

About Vitrified Glassware

Vitrified glassware refers to glass products that have undergone a process called vitrification, which transforms the material into a non-crystalline, amorphous solid.

This process involves heating the glass to high temperatures and then rapidly cooling it, resulting in a denser, stronger, and more durable material. Vitrified glassware is characterized by its low porosity, making it highly resistant to water absorption and chemical reactions. The vitrification process also enhances the glassware’s ability to withstand thermal shock and mechanical stress, making it less prone to cracking or shattering under normal use conditions.

About Stoneware

Stoneware is a type of high-fired ceramic pottery known for its durability, strength, and non-porous nature. It is typically fired at temperatures between 1,100°C and 1,300°C, resulting in a vitreous or semi-vitreous material. Stoneware is made primarily from stoneware clay or non-refractory fire clay. It is denser and more impermeable than earthenware but less translucent than porcelain.

About Porcelain

Porcelain is a highly valued ceramic material known for its strength, durability, and translucence. Originating in China, it’s made by firing a mixture of kaolin (white clay) and other materials like feldspar at temperatures between 1,200 and 1,400 °C. Porcelain’s unique properties arise from vitrification and the formation of mullite during firing, resulting in a non-porous, glass-like finish. Historically prized for its delicacy and whiteness, porcelain has been an important part of art, industry, and daily life for centuries.

The post A List of Vitrified Glassware and Stoneware For The Kitchen appeared first on Reactual.

Cookers and Fryers

• Air Fryer: Philips Kitchen Appliances Premium Digital Airfryer – crisps food faster and more evenly than other air fryers
• Rice Cooker: Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer – this machine can cook many types of rice consistently – it makes adjustments based on moisture and temperature sensors
• Toaster: Breville Bit More Toaster – produces consistent high-quality toast and has an elegant design
• Bread Machine: Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus – a consistent and durable bread machine that has nice features like two mixing paddles and a heater in the lid to ensure a nice crust

Water Filters and Dispensers

• Reverse Osmosis Water Dispenser: Bluevua Reverse Osmosis System Countertop Water Filter
• Basic Water Dispenser: Sansone Stainless Steel Water Dispenser – elegant water dispenser for the kitchen
• Ice Maker: Luma Comfort – produces clear ice in large batches – clear ice keeps carbonated drinks fizzy for longer

Coffee Brewing

• Kettle: Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle – accurate and fast – more comfortable to use than other gooseneck kettles
• Coffee Grinder: Baratza Virtuoso+ Coffee Grinder – a great grinder with a burr set that’s a little faster and more consistent than similar grinders
• French Press: Fellow Clara French Press Coffee Maker – durable construction and good filtration

The post A List of Reliable & Durable Kitchen Appliances appeared first on Reactual.

• Caraway Glass Food Storage Set – made with a ceramic-coated borosilicate glass & LFGB silicone – 14-piece set for $245
• Glasslock Rectangle Oven Safe Container Set – made with borosilicate Glass & LFGB silicone – 6-piece set for $28
• Pyrex Freshlock Ultimate – made with soda glass and FDA silicone – 10-piece set for $45
• JoyJolt Borosilicate Glass Storage Containers – made with borosilicate glass and silicone – 24-piece set for $38
• Urban Green Glass Food Container Set with Glass Lids – made with glass, silicone, and borosilicate glass – 4-piece set for $40

More Details On Plastic-Free Food Storage

For health reasons, it makes sense to seek out non-plastic containers. Some good substitutes for plastic are:

• Borosilicate glass (Tempered Glass)
• Regular glass
• Stainless steel
• Ceramics

For the material used for the container seals, food-grade silicone is typically the best choice. There are two standards:

• LFGB food-grade silicone (European standard) – LFGB stands for “Lebensmittel-, Bedarfsgegenstände-und Futtermittelgesetzbuch,” which translates to “Foods, Consumer Goods and Feedstuffs Code” in English.
• FDA food-grade silicone (U.S. standard) – FDA stands for “Food and Drug Administration” or the U.S. federal agency responsible for protecting and promoting public health

Silicone products that pass either one of these tests are safe for human use. LFGB silicone is slightly more expensive and is generally considered to be of higher quality than FDA silicone.

The post The Best Plastic-Free Food Storage Containers appeared first on Reactual.

Sweejar Ceramic Food Storage Jars

Sweejar Ceramic Food Storage Jars are made of smooth porcelain. They have wooden lids and a rubber seal to ensure a true airtight seal.

Le Cruset Stoneware Jars

Le Cruset Stoneware Jars are made with stoneware that blocks moisture absorption and resists cracking and crazing.

Doerdo Ceramic Oil Dispenser Bottle Set

The Doerdo Ceramic Oil Dispenser Set includes a ceramic soy sauce dispenser bottle, two condiment storage jars, two ceramic spoons, and a bamboo tray.

The 250 ml ceramic soy sauce dispenser bottle has a cork stopper to isolate air and keep condiments fresh. The set is designed to be used for storing and dispensing cooking oils, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and other condiments.

Vancasso Sabine Canister Sets for Kitchen

The Vancasso Sabine Canister Set is suitable for storing most ingredients such as coffee, flour, sugar, and pasta. It can also be a jar for bathroom storage.

Tabletops Gallery Ceramic Canister Set

Tabletops Gallery Ceramic Canister Set is made from stoneware and finished in a natural glaze for a water-tight seal. This glaze creates a non-porous layer making these sets virtually impermeable to liquid, stains, and odors.

American Recreations Canister Ceramic Set 

American Recreations Embossed Canister Ceramic Set is made of food-grade, non-toxic glass. Each Jar contains a silicone gasket and a bamboo lid.

Barnyard Designs Canister Sets

Barnyard Designs Canister Sets for Kitchen Counter

COCOYA Large Ceramics Jar with Lid

The Cocoya Large Ceramics Jar stores cookies, coffee beans, and dry food.

The post Plastic-Free Storage Jars and Containers appeared first on Reactual.

• Ratio Six Stainless Steel Coffee Maker – features a thermal carafe with an all-metal interior – you can replace the stock plastic dripper with a metal one to avoid plastic where the hot water flows
• Technivorm Moccamaster KBT Coffee Brewer – known for its durability and stainless steel construction
• Presto 12-Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator – almost entirely made of stainless steel, including the filter basket, and keeps coffee warm as long as it’s plugged in
• BUNN VP17-1SS Pourover Coffee Brewer – this model is noted for its stainless steel construction and speed
• OXO Brew 8 Cup Coffee Maker – The main housing of the coffee maker and its thermal carafe are made from stainless steel, but the maker does contain some plastic parts

More Details On Non-Plastic Coffee Makers

There are many potential health risks associated with the use of plastic in coffee makers. Chemicals like BPA and phthalates, commonly found in plastics, can leach into your coffee when heated, potentially disrupting hormones and posing health risks. For a comprehensive examination of all the potential health risks associated with ingesting plastic, I’d refer you to these books:

• A Poison Like No Other: How Microplastics Corrupted Our Planet and Our Bodies by Matt Simon
• Say Goodbye To Plastic by Sandra Ann Harris
• Life Without Plastic: The Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Avoiding Plastic by Jay Sinha

The post The Best Plastic-Free Automatic Coffee Makers appeared first on Reactual.

Most of the the containers listed here are categorized as “high borosilicate glass” (also known as hard glass). It a higher temperature resistance and strength than standard borosilicate glass.

Here are some borosilicate glass jars that can you can find on Amazon:

Large Borosilicate Glass Jar

Large High Borosilicate Glass Jar by Saiool — 1 Gallon — $26

Large Borosilicate Jars by

Large Borosilicate Jars — Set of 2 — $43

High Borosilicate Glass Cylinder Containers

High Borosilicate Glass Cylinder Airtight Food Storage Container — Set Of 4 — $24

Borosilicate Glass Jars With Clamping Lids

Borosilicate Glass Jars with Clamp Lid — Set of 2 — $38

Borosilicate Glass Jars

Borosilicate Clear Glass Jars — Set of 6 — $40

Le’raze High Borosilicate Glass Containers

Le’raze High Borosilicate Glass Containers — Set of 5 — $34

Balchy Borosilicate Glass Canisters

Balchy Boroscilicate Canisters — set of 4 – $40

The post A List Of Borosilicate Glass Jars Available On Amazon appeared first on Reactual.

Schott Zwiesel Glassware

Schott Zwiesel is a German company known for glassware innovation since 1872. They create break-resistant, chip-resistant, and scratch-resistant stemware. The crystal glass has added titanium for strength and zirconium for crystal clarity, making it dishwasher safe.

I have their glassware at home — the pieces are versatile and can be used daily, yet they are elegant enough to use on special occasions. They are slightly expensive, but the investment is worth it.

Schott Zwiesel is available on Amazon.

Duralex Picardie Tumblers

Duralex has been manufacturing tempered glassware in France since 1929. Their Picardie Tumblers are known for lasting decades — they will bounce several times when dropped on the floor and survive without a crack. The tumblers can also withstand a sudden thermal shock — the temperate glass can go from -4° F to 212° F without breaking. This means they can be used to drink hot beverages. Duralex glasses are also lighter and more elegant than similar tempered glass products.

Duralex went into court-ordered liquidation bankruptcy in 2006 but has since partnered with Emile Henry, an old French manufacturer of cooking ware, to return to production.

Duralex doesn’t offer any product warranty beyond a 21-day return policy. However, we found no tempered glass tumblers with an extended warranty.

Durlaex Tumblers are available from Amazon for about $18 for a set of six.

Fortessa Fortaluxe Vitrified Dinnerware

Fortessa is a dinnerware company line created by the German company Schott Zwiesel. Fortessa specializes in vitrified china dinnerware. The china is reinforced with alumina or magnesium oxide for durability and thermal shock resistance. The dinnerware is called Fortaluxe SuperWhite, and it is used in many restaurants around the world and is reasonably priced.

You can find Fortessa dinnerware on Amazon.

Pyrex Bowls

Pyrex is another brand of tempered glass products renowned for their durability. The Pyrex brand was introduced by Corning Incorporated in 1915. Today, Pyrex is owned by World Kitchen and Pyrex glass products are manufactured in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. Recently, there have been rumors circulating about Pyrex products. The rumors suggest that Pyrex products are made with inferior materials, prone to breakage, and manufactured in China. However, this lengthy article on the myth-busting website Snopes.Com, concludes that the rumors are false. Here is an excerpt from the article:

While it is literally true that the material used in manufacturing Pyrex brand glass bakeware has changed from borosilicate glass to soda lime glass, the brand’s current owner, World Kitchen, claims that changeover began back in the 1940s and long antedates Corning’s 1998 sale of the brand, stating that “The Charleroi [Pennsylvania] plant has produced PYREX glass products out of a heat-strengthened (tempered) soda lime glass for about 60 years, first by our predecessor Corning Incorporated, and since 1998 by World Kitchen. In fact, since the 1980’s, most, if not all consumer glass bakeware manufactured in the U.S. for consumers has been made of soda lime glass. Consumers should know that soda lime glass, such as that used to make PYREX glass bakeware, is significantly more resistant to breaking on impact than borosilicate glass and comparably resistant to breakage caused by severe temperature changes.”

World Kitchen itself states that it has received complaints from only “a very small number of consumers” about unexpected breakage. It notes that the Consumer Safety Product Commission has found no safety issue with Pyrex glass bakeware.

Pyrex Bowls are available from Amazon.

Le Creuset French Ovens

Le Creuset has been producing handcrafted French Ovens in their foundry in Northern France since 1925. Their cookware is made with enameled cast iron and is known for lasting decades. The Le Creuset foundry uses standard sand-casting methods to produce its cookware. After hand finishing, items are sprayed with two coats of enamel, and each is fired at 800 °C. The enamel becomes resistant to damage during regular use.

Le Creuset cookware has a lifetime warranty that the products are free from defects in material and workmanship.

If you want an equivalent American-made product, see Lodge Dutch Ovens. We choose to feature the Le Creuset French ovens because, based on our research, they have an edge in quality.

Le Creuset French Ovens are available from Amazon for about $235.

The post A List Of Break-Resistent Glassware and Dinnerware appeared first on Reactual.

• For well water or other problematic water, I recommend Big Berkey drip filters. These filters use a combination of ceramic and carbon block filtration. Overall, they are the least expensive type of filters to maintain.
• If you are only interest in a pitcher filter — this BWT filter will remove most contaminants
• If you are able to spend $1500 to $3000, “whole house” filters are the an inexpensive long terms option. These filters are installed at the pipe where the municipal water pipes enters your home. I recommend the whole house filter by Pure Effect.

The Contaminants You Want To Remove

Typically, you want to remove these contaminants from your water:

• Toxic metals (Lead, Mercury, Aluminium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, etc.)
• Additives (Chlorine, Chloramines, Fluoride)
• Chlorination By-Products (Trihalomethanes or THMs)
• VOCs and other Organic Compounds (Pesticides, Herbicides, Pharmaceuticals, Fuels)
• Bacteria and viruses (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.)
• Radioactive substances (Radon and Uranium, etc.)

If you use municipal water, you will usually find these contaminants:

• Chlorine
• Chloramines
• Fluoride
• THMs (Trihalomethanes)
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

If you use well water, these are the most common contaminants you’ll find:

• Particulate matter (dirt, bits of leaves, etc.)
• Bacteria and viruses
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
• Radioactive substances

The Effectiveness Of Different Types Of Water Filters

Pitcher Filters

Pitcher-style filters such as Brita filters are inexpensive units, making them very popular with consumers. However, in the long term, they are actually one of the most expensive option. The filters cartridges require frequent replacement — the cost for 40 gallons is $7-10 each, or $130-$190 for 750 gallons.

Almost all pitcher-style filters use GAC or “granulated activated carbon” as the filtration medium. Typically, GAC is coconut husks that have been heated to a high temperature in the absence of oxygen and then granulated. These filters do remove some chlorine and hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs odor) — but are not effective at removing VOCs, metals, pesticides or fluoride. Overall, they are not very effective water filters.

Faucet Filters

Filters that attach to your kitchen faucet are very similar to Pitcher Filters, but they do filter a little better than the pitcher-style filters. However, they have the same drawbacks — they are expensive to maintain and they do not remove many contaminants. You must replace filters every 100 gallons at $20-$40 each or $140-$180 for 700 gallons.

Colin Ingram, author of the The Drinking Water Book rates all faucet filters no higher than “Acceptable”.

Gravity-Fed Drip Filters

In my opinion, the best water filters are gravity-fed drip water filters. These filters are excellent at removing chlorine, chlorination by-products, fluoride, VOCs, pesticides, particulates and pharmaceuticals. These filters use “candle” type filters, which are widely available and can be customized to your specific filtration needs.

Gravity-fed filters require no electricity to operate — water is filtered as it drips from the upper chamber to the lower chamber. Because the water is filtered slowly, the filtration is much more effective than a faucet-mounted filter. Generally, slow filtration methods tend to be best.

Berkey is best-known drip filter manufacturer. They make good quality filters. You might also consider ProPur filters. Their latest filter, the ProOne G 2.0, will remove fluoride — including hydrofluorosilicic acid (few filters remove this contaminant).

These filters use carbon block filtration, which works by the process of adsorption (different than absorption). In this process, the carbon attracts certain contaminants at the molecular level, and the contaminants become attached to the surface of the carbon. Once the surface of the carbon is full, the filter must be thrown out and replaced. However, the ProPur filters can be periodically scrubbed, and thus reused for years.

These filter are certified to NSF/ANSI standards #42 (test for chlorine, taste, odor and particulates), NSF Standard #53 (tests for Cryptosporidium, Giardia, lead, VOCs and MTBE) and NSF Standard #61 (tests that toxins aren’t leached into water). They are manufactured in England.

Berkey filter are available from Amazon for about $300.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse Osmosis filters use a membrane which removes many contaminants from water. They are usually paired with a Granulated Activated Charcoal filter to remove chlorine. Most reverse osmosis filters are installed under the sink and have a holding tank. The semipermeable membrane separates many contaminates (which usually have a larger particle size that water) from the water and rejects a large amount of water in the process. The result is a waste of several gallons of water for every gallon filtered and many naturally occurring minerals (including calcium and magnesium) are also removed from the water.

However, they are quite effective filters, in terms of removing contaminants. However, they do not reduce VOCs or pesticides (unless a Carbon Block filter is included). They can take up to an hour to filter one gallon of water and the filters need to be replaced regularly.

If you want to go this route, I recommend the iSpring Reverse Osmosis System, which is quite reliable.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Countertop Distillers

Countertop distillers are effective water purifiers, but they take some time to distill water (for example 5 hours to distill 1 gallon). They also require electricity to run, and they give off some heat and the integrated fans make some noise. Also, most distillers do not remove VOCs (like benzene) because they have a lower boiling point that water. So they will vaporize together with the stream, resulting in a contaminated distillate.

Countertop distiller that get a rating of “Excellent” from Colin Ingram in the The Drinking Water Book are: Megahome Countertop Distiller, Waterwise 4000 and Waterwise 8800, Kenmore 34480 and Pure Water Mini-Classic.

Megahome Countertop Water Distiller

This distiller is sold under many brand names — it’s the most widely distributed distiller in the world. It has many quality components despite being inexpensive. It produces 1 gallon of water in 5 hours. The water is passed through a small granular carbon filter. There’s a sealed connections from the distiller to the water collection container, so there is minimal risk of contamination by air. The unit has a stainless steel boiling chamber that is easily accessible for cleaning.

The Megahome Countertop Distiller is available from Amazon for about $150.

Waterwise 4000 Countertop Distiller

This is a more powerful version of the distiller listed above. It has the same features but produces 1 gallon of distilled water in 4 hours. Also received an “Excellent” rating from Colin Ingram in the The Drinking Water Book.

The Waterwise 4000 is available from Amazon for about $320.

Overall Rating: Excellent

The post The Best Water Filters appeared first on Reactual.