What Equipment Do You Use?

[houseofwool]

I have been using the HDPE buckets, but they are somewhat awkward. I was hoping to find something that is a little bit shorter. The 16 quart stockpot was a perfect size. *sigh* I really have no intention of spending $30 on one at this point, but maybe someday.

 

[lionprincess00]

Wow. I use stainless steel Wal-Mart bowls...the large for my oils and the small for my lye water.
I even warm my oils directly on the burner of my electric stove, direct contact, on a low heat. It's been wonderful actually. Glad mine is working, but sorry to hear yours was ruined!

 

[dixiedragon]

I also use an SS pot. I actually got a group of those cheapo SS pots for cooking, but found out the bottoms are so thin that all they are good for, cooking wise, is boiling water, b/c with anything else, the bottom burns. So I use them for soaping. Never had a problem.

I highly recommend silicone spatulas. Not the plastic ones at the Dollar Store - those will become hard and brittle.

Also, stainless steel measuring spoons, or a tiny glass measuring cup. I have found some at Big Lots that are about the size of a shot glass, and measure teaspoons, tablespoons, milliliters, etc. Some fragrances will melt plastic, so I always use stainless steel measuring spoons, or my tiny glass measuring cup, for fragrance oils and essential oils.

 

[gaerwen]

I have a stainless pot for oils, and a stainless bowl for lye water, a stainless stick blender, silicone spatulas, and went to a restaurant supply store for plastic bowls with measurements on the sides for blending color etc. The pot was most expensive and the fact that I have gone through 4 plastic stick blenders, lol. I have a regular kitchen scale that measure grams, ounces, lb, and kg.. Oh I also have stainless steel whisks, and measuring spoons, small glass bowls for additives and eo, so they don't stink up the plastic.

goggles, gloves, candy thermometer!

 

[KatieShephard]

Originally bought a cheap Taylor thermometer from Amazon, and it is so off that it itsn't funny. So I broke down and purchased a laser thermometer last week and was able to finally use it this weekend. It's awesome! Highly recommend. And the kids love pointing it at the wall and windows and just about anything else

The model/brand is Etekcity ETC8380, and it cost me less than $20 on Amazon.

 

[goji_fries]

The model/brand is Etekcity ETC8380, and it cost me less than $20 on Amazon.

This is a great find.

 

[AKjulz]

Got tired of washing fragrance containers so now I use 5oz Dixie cups (not the tiny paper ones, but the next size up that are waxed) for my FO's and EO's. I get them at costco so they are super cheap. I usually use them for mixing colors too. And instead of paper towels for clean-up I use microfiber cloths. Got them from amazon, something like 36 of them for $10 (they also sell them at lowes/Home Depot but a bit more expensive). Since I have a bunch I just throw the dirties in a bucket and wash them together as needed...after the soap remnants have saponified.

 

[Susie]

I did not use a magnet beforehand (I did later, it didn't stick). It was labeled as stainless, and not all stainless will attract magnets.

This is true, but the stainless that I know will be lye safe is magnetic. The other might be also, but I have had problems with that kind. This is why I use a magnet to determine which one to buy or not. YMMV

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Ah, I'll bear that in mind when searching for pots. There is a massive flea market every year near here (and I do mean MASSIVE!) so I was thinking of getting some pots. I'll take a wee magnet with me.

 

[gaerwen]

I knew nothing of magnetic stainless steel... :-o Will check now.

 

[houseofwool]

This is true, but the stainless that I know will be lye safe is magnetic. The other might be also, but I have had problems with that kind. This is why I use a magnet to determine which one to buy or not. YMMV

Yeah - in the future, I will definitely be trying the magnet to verify the quality of the pot.

In good news, my KD8000 should arrive tomorrow. I am so flipping excited. I hope that the platform on it is big enough to allow my buckets to fit and still see the screen. I think I've worn out the little scale I got from BB a couple of years ago. The last few days it seems really touchy, even after changing the batteries.

 

[houseofwool]

My new scale arrived today. I cannt wait to use it!!!