Save or spend? Popular home products
Jean Chatzky on the items you should cash in on or just wait for
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Splurge vs. steal at home Aug. 23: From the kitchen to the bedroom, TODAY’s Financial editor Jean Chatzky on products you should cash in on or save for. Today Show Money |
We've all heard the saying “You get what you pay for,” but it's not always so black and white. So how do you know when a cheaper version of a product is a good buy or when it would be better in the long run to pay top dollar? Luckily for us, that's a question “Money” magazine's September issue and and TODAY's Financial editor Jean Chatzky tackled. 
The kitchen:
Microwave: Emerson MW8992RD, 0.9-Cubic-Foot 900W, $60
Save or spend: Save
Most microwaves on the market are made by a Chinese outfit called Galanz, so the guts and functionality are remarkably similar. As for looks, Emerson's red stainless model has lots of style.
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money.cnn.com |
Save or spend: Spend
Just as with coffee, pepper tastes better if you grind it yourself. That's why, according to chef Charlie Palmer, a good pepper mill is a must. It'll produce a consistent texture, and you'll be able to adjust the size of the grind. Peugeot (yes, it's the automaker) has been making this mill since 1847, and the design hasn't changed much in that time. Each grinder groove is individually cut and case hardened.
Knives: Global GS-14 Utility Scalloped Knife, $55
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Yuppiechef.com |
Save or spend: Spend
Cheaper knives are usually stamped out of sheets of low-quality stainless steel; they don't keep an edge and can't be sharpened. What you want instead is a hand-shaped knife that's made from high-carbon stain-resistant steel, such as those from Global, MAC and Wüsthof. The carbon makes the metal harder, and as a result the knife stays sharp longer. No need to buy a huge set, however. “Most chefs use the same three or four knives,” says Eric Ripert, chef at New York City's Le Bernardin restaurant. His must-haves: a 10-inch chef's knife, a three-inch paring knife, a boning knife and a serrated knife. “If you take good care of them, you'll have them for 20 years,” says Ripert.
Food processor: Hamilton Beach ChefPrep 70610, $50
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Hamiltonbeach.com |
Save or spend: Save
You could pay several hundred dollars for a top-of-the-line model, but frequent TODAY guest Mark Bittman, author of the best-selling cookbook “How to Cook Everything,” says a cheaper machine will do the job just fine. The pricier processors do have mightier motors, but you don't need that power, he says. A “value brand” (like Black & Decker, Hamilton Beach or Oster) with a 10-cup capacity will do well by home cooks. This Hamilton Beach model can slice, shred or chop, and the bowl and the blade are dishwasher-safe to boot.
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