Joe Wicks, the Bodycoach, pops up on cook book shelves across the country. He is fit, has a lovely smile and glossy hair that makes you ask questions about his conditioner. To support his recipe collections he’s released a kitchenware collection. Debenham’s asked me if I wanted to review some of the pieces and I said yes.
My tiny work surface may look a mess but this Joe Wicks chopping board helps me keep things tidy.
I received a Wendy-house sized box that caused much hilarity at work when I unpacked it. Inside was a pot with lid, a small non-stick frying pan, a chopping board, Joe Wicks’ Cooking for Family and Friends and various kitchen utensils: a set of small measures, a spoon, a spatula and a set of tongs.
I could think of no better way to test them out than to put them through their paces.
800 grams of tomatoes rinsed and ready to become minestrone soup. (That’s not a Joe Wicks colander.)
Cooking with Joe Wicks
I’m not going to go into any great depth about the recipes because this review is about the kitchenware. I will tell you that the book is cheerful and the recipes clearly laid out and easy to follow. Joe’s brand of lean is low-carb and he is writing for people new to that kind of cooking. We have different ideas about how to flavour food, but that’s OK: I’m experienced enough that I use recipes as guidelines and can – and do – adjust spices and seasoning to my taste.
Without further ado, then, this was my experience with the kitchenware.
Ha, that’s clever!
How do you make kitchenware stand out? You can make it look great and/or make it do something similar pieces don’t. Joe goes for a combination of both: his pieces are bright and cheerful, like his book, and have useful tweaks on the default design.
The large pot had a glass lid – useful – and a second handle that makes it easy to lift and manoeuvre the pot. The handles’ are easy grip and don’t conduct heat. All good. To make it the best pot ever I’d suggest adding a spout to the pan (or two. I’m lefthanded) and a draining lip to the lid but it works well as it is. It has the weight of a decent thick base – important for even and predictable cooking. I started a batch of minestrone soup in the pot and got about half-way before I realised it wouldn’t fit. The pan handled well, the food didn’t stick to it and thanks to that second handle, tipping the content into my pasta-pot was a piece of cake.
Handy pot with solid spoon sitting on the edge. Gripping stuff!
The non-stick material on the frying pan was light grey which I liked. All other non-stick pans I’ve used have been black and then you can’t see if you’re burning the fat or any liquid you use to cook. I fried onions and sausages. They didn’t stick and the pan cleaned easily.
The chopping board was smart too. It’s made from solid wood and comes with a plastic attachment into which you can scrape your cutoffs and debris for easy disposal. (Or into which you can put what you’ve chopped for easy transport to the pot. Each to their own.) This is my new favourite piece of kit. It’s really handy.
The slotted turner is flexible and great for frying onions; the spoon is nicely stiff and great for stirring soups and stews. The tongs are perfect for turning sausages. As well as easy-grip handles, they share a tweak that makes them a little smarter than the similar tools I had in the drawer: a stand. The stand can be used to rest the utensil on a worktop without making a mess or to hook on to the pot while cooking. How well the second works depends on the size of the pot: the utensil might tip up but it won’t fall off. Excellent! No more over-heated utensils or sticky worktops.
Clever-clogs non-stick saucepan frying veggie sausages for sausage and red wine casserole. Note the sensible tongs on the side.
The measures are made from see-through and brightly coloured plastic. They are slim and fitted into my spice jars and pots. They come on a nice big metal ring (not visible in the photo below) and each has a different colour. All this makes them easy to use. I like the fact that they’re transparent although I can’t honestly say that will be helpful when cooking. Maybe judging half-measures will be a little more accurate if I can look through the side instead of guessing form above. Anyway: they’re cute and stack inside each other for slim storage.
A teaspoon of cumin seeds being added to onions and garlic, soon to become chickpea baked pakora. (The pan isn’t Joe Wicks but the slotted turner is.)
Practical, useful utensils and pans
I’ve enjoyed using Joe Wicks kitchenware range and I’m sure that fans of his exercise and cookery books will too. You don’t have to be a fan to use this stuff: it adds colour to the kitchen, is sensibly priced and clever. If you’re looking to buy kitchenware, consider Joe Wicks’ range.
You can find Joe Wick’s kitchenware range online at Debenhams.
This blogpost is part of a Debenhams kitchenware campaign.
