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.

• The best electric kettle is the Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfectTemp Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Kettle. The Cuisinart kettle includes a durable and heavy stainless steel carafe and base, non-slip handle, and concealed heating element. It features six preset variable temperatures, a removable scale filter, and easy-to-use back-lit control buttons, as well as a host of other features, including boil-dry protection, internal memory, and sleep mode.
• Another top contender is the Breville BKE820XL Variable Temperature Kettle. This also features a cordless stainless steel carafe and variable temperature controls, but didn’t quite match up to the Cuisinart in terms of value.

The Details

Already staples of European homes, electric kettles are slowly gaining popularity in the U.S. Although mostly sought after by tea and coffee aficionados concerned with the achieving the optimal water temperature when brewing their beverage of choice, electric kettles are also prized by office workers and college students for efficiently boiling water for oatmeal and other packaged food.

The Cuisinart electric kettle is one of the most well-reviewed and popular kettles on the market due to its high-quality and durable construction, myriad of features, and reasonable price. The entire unit is four pounds, including the base and 1.7-liter carafe. The stylish carafe is mostly made of durable brushed stainless steel; only a few pieces, such as the spout, water-level window, and parts of the handle, are made of BPA-free plastic. The corded base is equipped with 1,500 watts of power for quick and efficient heating, and is designed to allow the carafe to swivel 360˚. The carafe itself features a drip-less pour spout with splash guard, removable scale filter, a comfortable, easy-grip handle, and a water-level window, and LED back-lit control buttons located on the handle.

The unit has six preset temperature control buttons ranging in temperature from 160˚F for delicate green and herbal teas to 200˚F for French-press coffee. Special features include an internal “memory” that allows the user to remove the carafe from the base for up to two minutes without shutting off or stopping the brew process, a 30-minute “keep warm” option, and a sleep mode. In addition, the unit maintains boil-dry protection, with the heater automatically shutting off to prevent damage if water is not detected in the carafe. Cuisinart offers a three-year limited warranty on this unit, and will either repair or replace it if defects not consistent with normal wear and tear are discovered.

The Cuisinart CPK-17 Electric Kettle is available from Amazon for around $90.

A Close Contender

While the Cuisinart is our pick for overall durability, features, and price, the Breville BKE280XL is also a very good buy. While more expensive, the Breville is similar in design and construction to the Cuisinart with one significant exception – all control buttons are located on the base, rather than the carafe. Although the Breville holds slightly more water than the Cuisinart, it doesn’t have back-lit buttons, only offers five preset temperatures ranging from 175˚F to 212˚F, and only keeps the water warm for 20 minutes. Furthermore, Breville only offers a one-year limited warranty. However, the Breville offers two water-level windows, a heavier base, and a metal spout.

The post The Best Electric Kettle appeared first on Reactual.

Delesey is a French luggage manufacture that makes stylish and lightweight bags protected by shatter-proof Bayer Virgin Makrolon Polycarbonate. The Helium’s outer shell is nearly invulnerable to impact. It costs about  $129.

The Details

The Helium‘s design is light, durable, innovative, and stylish. It has a Makrolon Polycarbonate finish, which protects the luggage from impacts and extreme temperatures. Travel website Skyscanner tested Delsey luggage for durability and found that it survived kicking, stomping, hammer blows, and even the weight of a car. They concluded that Delsey Helium is “harder than a French legionnaire.” In addition to being durable it is also scratch resistant, so the luggage will maintain its good looks for years.

It is a lightweight and spacious piece of luggage. It weighs 9lbs 8oz and it is 25″ inches high and 11.5″ inches wide. The interior has two lined components, which is plenty to fit a week’s worth of clothes and travel accessories. It includes a buttoned mesh divider and adjustable web straps that help keep your material organized during travel. I found the interior to be relatively  free of gimmicky straps and unnecessary compartments.

It comes with a 10 year warranty.

Another Option

The Rockland 20 inch Polycarbonate Carry On is another durable piece of luggage. It is small and lightweight, ideal for shorter trips. Multi-directional spinner wheels help the Rockland glide across airport terminals with ease. It has a chrome telescoping push button handle.

Rockland products come with a three-year warranty.

The post The Most Durable Luggage appeared first on Reactual.

Tellason jeans are made in San Francisco, were they were first product during the Goldrush. Tellason jeans are constructed selvedge denim form Cone’ White Oak mill in Greensboro, North Carolina. Selvedge denim is made on traditional shuttle looms. Selvedge denim is tightly woven, making the denim stronger and more durable. Selvedge also has a stronger outseam that will resist fraying more than a stitched out seam. Originally, Cone Mills supplied denim for Levi’s beginning in 1910, becoming the exclusive supplier for 501 jeans in 1922.

Tellason has a nice video introducing the company’s vision:

Raleigh Denim

Raleigh Denim jeans are made in Raleigh, North Carolina. In fact, 98% of materials used to construct the jeans comes from North Carolina suppliers, including the denim which comes from Cone Mills‘s White Oak factory. You can see the details of their construction here.

3Sixteen

3Sixteen jeans are made in New York City using raw selvedge denim from the Kuroki Mills in Japan. The mill is renowned for their raw denim (which is not washed during production). Raw denim is generally dark and uniform, so that you can fade the jeans yourself. It is also a “slubby” denim, meaning it is intentionally spun to create an irregular texture.

3Sixteen also has premium denim line called “3sixteen+” that uses uncalandered unsigned (i.e. even more raw) Okinawa denim.

Rogue Territory

Rogue Territory jeans are handmade in Los Angeles, California, using denim from Kaihara Mills in Japan. The mill is renowned for their sanforised (pre-shrunk) selvedge denim it has produced since 1951. The mill uses ring yarn spinning and vintage production by narrow width shuttle machines. Like most upscale denim manufacturers, Kaihara uses the “rope dyeing” method to color their jeans. The technique involves twisting the threads of yard into a rope-like shape, then dipping the rope into a bath of indigo.

Mister Freedom Jeans

The brainchild of a Frenchman living in Los Angeles by the name of Christophe Loiron, Mister Freedom jeans are handmade with great attention to detail, using un-sanforized (not pre-shrunk) indigo blue 12 oz. denim.

Other jeans made in the U.S.: Agave Denim, Rising Sun, Roy Denim, Certified Jeans (work jeans), Diamond Gusset (work jeans), Round House (dungarees), Texas Jeans, Pointer Brand, 7 For All Mankind, RRL (Ralph Lauren), Ernest Sewn, William Rast, Rag & Bone, Taylor Stitch, True Religion, J. Brand and Todd Shelton.

You can read more about the history of denim in the books Global Denim and Fugitive Denim.

Thanks to D. Groundsel for his denim intell.

The post Selvedge Denim Jeans Made In The USA appeared first on Reactual.

KitchenAid Artisan Mixers

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (from 2037+ reviewers)

Since 1919, KitchenAid classic mixer have been assembled by hand in Greenville, Ohio. The KitchenAid mixer is one of a few consumer appliances trademarked specifically for its unique shape!

Buy on Amazon for about $267.

Lodge Logic Skillet

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (from 901+ reviewers)

Lodge Cast Iron remains a family owned, family operated business in Tennessee. Lodge’s cast iron pans are known for their extreme durability. There are 100-year-old Lodge pans still in use in kitchens today!

Buy on Amazon for about $21.

Groom Mate Noise Hair Trimmer

Average Rating: 3.9 out of 5 (from 578+ reviewers)

The Groom Mate Nose Hair Trimmer is made with brushed stainless steel. The trimmer doesn’t require any batteries — instead you twist the bottom with a gentle motion, and the rotary blades cut ear or nose hair without the risk of injury. It comes with a lifetime “no questioned asked” guarantee.

Priced at $18.88 from Amazon.

Wahl Clipper

Average Rating: 4.1 out of 5 (from 335+ reviewers)

Wahl has been making hair clippers since 1919, and they are still making their clippers in Sterling, Illinois.

Buy on Amazon for about $30.

Weber Kettle Grill

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (from 178+ reviewers)

Weber, founded in 1893, still manufactures their classic grills in Palatine, Illinois.

Buy on Amazon for about $100.

Kahtoola Microspike Ice Cleats

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (from 126+ reviewers)

Made by Kahtoola, a small company in Arizona, these Microspikes are ice cleats that attach firmly to your shoes, and require no special buckles or straps. The spikes constructed of hardened stainless steel. The Kahtoola company founders say:

Nearly every one of our products is designed and developed in-house, but we take it one step further – a large portion of our production is also kept in-house as well.

The Kahtoola MICROspikes are available from Amazon for $55.

1888 Mills 100% Organic Cotton Towel Set

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (from 80+ reviewers)

Made by the last operating terry producing mill in the United States, these bath towels are made with 100% organic cotton.

Buy on Amazon for about $60.

Correlle Dinnerware

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (from 75+ reviewers)

Corelle dinnerware is made with Vitrelle, a laminated tempered glass product, which is very durable and stain-resistant. A Corelle plate is created like a sandwich — a glass core is thermally bonded to two layers of glass glaze. The bonded layers give Corelle its strength, allowing it to be much thinner than other dinnerware. Introduced by Corning Glass Works in 1970, it is now manufactured and sold by World Kitchen.

Correlle Dinnerware is available from Amazon for about $46 per set.

Fischer Space Pen

Average Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (from 77+ reviewers)

A classic American product, the Space Pen can write at any angle, in outer space, and in temperatures ranging from -30F to 250F.  Each Fisher Space Pen is precision assembled, hand tested, and carries an lifetime guarantee.

Buy on Amazon for about $16.

Pyrex Bowls

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (from 50+ reviewers)

Pyrex is another brand of tempered glass products that are renowned for their durability. Their glass bakeware products are to be found in an estimated 80% of American homes. 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 has been lot of rumors circulating about Pyrex products. The rumors suggest the following: Pyrex products made with inferior materials and are prone to breakage, and the Pyrex products now manufactured in China. However, this long article on the myth-busting website Snopes.Com, concludes that the rumors are false.

Pyrex Bowls are available from Amazon. $15 for a set of 3.

Granite Ware Oven Roaster

Average Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (from 44+ reviewers)

Granite Ware roasters are rated a “Best Buy” by Cooks Illustrated. Granite Ware has been made in Illinois since the 1870s. The company was created by Frederick G. and William Niedringhaus — they discovered an enamelware process whereby metal utensils could be coated with enamel to make them lighter and more resistant to oxidation.

Buy on Amazon for about $18.

Microplane Professional Grater

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (from 36+ reviewers)

The Microplane rasp was invented in 1990 by brothers Richard and Jeff Grace in Russellville, Arkansas. They originally produced the rasp as a woodworking tool, and it took four years before people started using it in the kitchen as a grater (you can read the whole story in this New York Times article).

The Microplane Grate is made with surgical grade stainless steel. The microplane teeth are particularly sharp because the edges are created with ferric chloride instead of stamping.

The Microplane Professional Grater is available at Amazon for about $14.

American Kitchen Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (from 35+ reviewers)

This cookware set from American Kitchen is made in Regal Ware’s West Bend, Wisconsin facility. The dinnerware features a biodegradable “eco-satin” nonstick surface (PFOA-free). The dinnerware is guarantee for life.

Buy on Amazon for about $170.

Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 (from 29+ reviewers)

The Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop was invented by Sherman Kelly in Florida in 1935, and the design has remained virtually unchanged since then. Kelly’s innovation was simple but effective — the scoop contains liquid freon inside, which is warmed by the user’s hand, allowing the scoop to slice through ice cream like butter. The one-piece, die-cast aluminum scoop is still made in Fort Pierce, Florida, and it is known for lasting decades. Just don’t wash it in a dishwasher — the high heat causes the freon to leak out.

The Zeroll Ice Cream Dipper is available from Amazon for about $17.

The Complete First Aid Kit

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 (from 29+ reviewers)

It’s a complete first aid kit made in the U.S. in a FDA approved facility.

Buy on Amazon for about $25.

Rada Cutlery Set

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (from 25+ reviewers)

Rada Cutlery is a small company in Iowa that has been making knives since 1948. Their knives are constructed with a high carbon surgical stainless steel, and they feature dual serrations and hollow-ground blades. This construction is aimed to ensure a sharp cutting edge for years. Rada offers a lifetime warranty on all their cutlery.

Buy on Amazon for about $37.

Le Creuset Spatula Set

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (from 22+ reviewers)

Despite the French name, these spatulas are made in the U.S. They are made with silicone, and are pthalate-free.

Buy on Amazon for about $25.

Estwing Hammer

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (from 16+ reviewers)

Estwing is a company in Rockford, Illinois that has been forging tools since 1923. It was the first company to make an all-steel hammer that is forged in one piece, according to the manufacturing manager Dan Eisman. Before this time, hammer heads were forged separately, and attached to a handle. The hammer’s leather grip was added in 1930, and has remain popular due to its classical good looks and durability.

The Estwing Hammer is available from Amazon for around $28.

New Balance Classic Heritage Running Shoes

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (from 25+ reviewers)

New Balance is one of the few companies still manufacturing running shoes in the U.S.

The company says:

One out of every four pair of shoes sold in the U.S. is made or assembled in the U.S. by our U.S. workforce using U.S. and imported materials. When possible, we obtain materials from domestic suppliers. At times, due to availability, economic or quality reasons, there is a need to import components from foreign sources.

Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we have labeled the shoe “Made in the USA.” Where it falls below 70%, we have qualified the label referencing domestic and imported materials

You can see their full “American-Made” line here.

Buy the New Balance Classic Heritage Running Shoes on Amazon for $25 – $84.

Other good sources of American-Made products: Need Supply, REI (Made In USA products), Filson, Carhartt, Orvis.

The post 20 Highly Rated Home Goods Made In The U.S.A. appeared first on Reactual.

With its double walls,  Stainless Steel French Press also acts like a insulated thermos. The coffee enthusiasts at Sweet Marias say this French Press is their recommend choice. However, they do not recommend leaving the brewed coffee in the press for longer than 5 minutes, because:

The double-walled polished chrome “thermo press” keeps the water hot during brewing, which is a definite advantage, though we really don’t recommend that you store your coffee in it after you have pressed the pot.

Why? Because to some degree the coffee continues to brew, and after about 15 minutes it will start to have a “over-extracted” flavor. So buy this press because you are as clumsy as I am, and are tired of breaking the glass on other presses. (Now that Bodum makes an unbreakable beaker, you have that option too.)

You can buy the Bodum Columbia Stainless Steel French from Amazon for about $50.

(In our “Buy It For Life” posts we feature products that are built to last a lifetime. We also give preference to products that are very durable, are warrantied for life, and are made in the U.S.)

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