After reading the last post about Ceramic Knives one of our readers asked why Bamboo Chopping Boards are a good idea in the kitchen. Well Sally, this post is for you!

Although it could be argued depending on the use and culture of a chopping board, we believe there are three key elements that make a good chopping board:

1. Hardness
2. Hygiene
3. Eco-Friendly

Hardness – A chopping board fairly obviously needs to be tough enough that you can cut upon it without damaging the board and most of the common materials (glass, marble, plastic, steel, and wood) will suit this purpose. However, if the surface is too hard it can cause damage to knives and this is why a lot of people avoid using glass, marble and steel chopping boards. It’s definitely not fun chipping your new set of ceramic knives on an old marble chopping board.

Hygiene – A good chopping board should be hygienic enough that chopping meat upon the chopping board does not impact human health. While it clearly rules out toxic materials a few studies have suggested that wooden and grass-based chopping boards (including bamboo) are better at repelling bacteria and germs than materials such as plastic.

Eco-Friendly – While perhaps not so much a benefit in the kitchen we believe in a sustainable planet and want to ensure that future generations are able to look back at our civilisation as the ones who kept the planet alive. Bamboo is a naturally occurring grass which grows very rapidly, which prevents over-harvesting and greatly minimises the impact on our Earth.

So based on the key attributes of being a good chopping board, it’s clear that Bamboo comes out ahead.

Hope this answers your question Sally. Feel free to let us know if you have any others!

As the cooking craze sweeps the nation with My Kitchen Rules, Masterchef, and even The Iron Chef we’re all being bombarded with new methods of kitchen wizardry from the finest culinary masters throughout the land.

One sign of a great chef is their ability to handle a knife, and while watching a cooking video passed on by a friend I was amazed at the chef’s ability to slice and dice so quickly and efficiently. After watching the video I just knew that I needed a new set of ceramic knives for the kitchen as my tarnished stainless steel knives seemed fairly inadequate compared to the knives in the kitchen of a true chef.

While I’m pretty convinced that the ceramic knives make me a better cook, I thought I’d list some fun facts for anyone out there comparing them to a stainless steel set. It’s still handy to have a set of stainless steel knives but since getting my ceramic knives I’ve actually been finding reasons to slice things – fresh lightly salted tomato slices for all!

A few facts about ceramic knives…

Ceramic knives are typically made using zirconia and sharpened using a diamond-dust coated grinding wheel – so these should be a lady’s best friend by association.

Ceramic knives are much harder than stainless steel knives so they will keep their sharpness for much longer but will require special tools to resharpen the knife if it ever does become blunted.

Interestingly, an apple or lettuce sliced using a ceramic knife will brown slower than if cut by a stainless steel knife. When cutting with a metallic knife the ions transfer from the steel knife to the food which speeds up the oxidation process.

Similarly, zirconia is not a metal which is why ceramic knives do not rust.

Using a ceramic knife is healthier as the denser surface of the knife will not catch and breed as much bacteria, or odours as a stainless steel knife.

But importantly, ceramic knives should NOT be used for cutting into hard surfaces such as boned meat or as it can cause unwanted chipping.

Hopefully this has helped a few people decide whether they should stick with stainless steel or grab a set of ceramic knives.

If you’ve got any questions about kitchenware, feel free to send ‘em through to us at sales@avancer.com.au

The Visit Victoria website deems Melbourne the coffee capital of Australia due to the cobblestoned laneways filled with the aroma of espresso coming from a myriad of cafes.

However, after intensive research (we searched using major search engines) we were unable to determine where the coffee cup capital of Australia was. It seems as though Australia is lacking a coffee cup capital!

As proud coffee cup enthusiasts we felt that Avancer should publicly put its hand up for the position of Coffee Cup Capital of Australia. We’ve currently got six different types of coffee cups for coffee-style diversity and we believe we’d make a great ambassador because our double walled glasses are already bridging the rift between coffee and hands.

Our only problem is that to unofficially become the coffee cup capital of Australia we need to have your support. Do you think we are a worthy coffee cup capital?

If you’ve purchased a coffee cup from us – please leave a comment and let us know whether you think we’re worthy of being the coffee cup capital of Australia.

Who knows, there may just be some discount celebrations if we are…

We’ve had a few customers recently emailing us the question, “How do double wall glasses work?”

And while we’re definitely not physicists, scientists, or teachers, we hope that this explanation will help you understand what you’re buying and why it’ll help you.

When using traditional one-piece glassware (see the Ikea Glassware pictured above) any heat from the beverage is transferred through the glass into your hand. It’s not quite instant, but the heat will quickly be felt by your hand gripping the outside of the single-layer glass.

Double wall glasses have two layers of glass separated by a pocket of air.  By adding a pocket of air between the layers of glass, it slows the heat transfer from the inside of the glass to your hand because air has a lower thermal conductivity (ability to transfer heat) than glass.

What else? Using double walled glasses will not only keep your hands from burning but they also reduce the ability for heat to escape the glass. Our double wall glasses lose less heat into your hand which means your warm coffee will stay a pleasant heat for longer.

Voila. Now you know how that Avancer double wall glass you received as a present actually works. It’s not magic – It’s science!

We’ve been busy sourcing our latest product, a Burr Coffee Grinder. A Burr Coffee Grinder crushes the beans between a moving grinding wheel and a non-moving surface. These are quieter, less messy and most importantly allow for a more consistent grind than Blade Grinders.

As we speak we are testing a very promising sample and we want your thoughts! What are the must have features and how much would you be willing to pay?

Avancer’s new range of Bamboo Chopping Boards are a great alternative to the wooden or plastic boards you are more familiar with. Believe it or not Bamboo is a type of grass, not a tree! This makes it super-renewable and doesn’t result in the chopping down of forests.

If you don’t care about the environmental reasons behind choosing your new chopping board then you’ll be happy to hear that Bamboo Chopping Boards are not only lightweight but amazingly durable. They do not crack or absorb water like regular chopping boards which protects the boards from trapping harmfull bacteria or warping and splinting due to water damage.

When using your Ceramic Knives from Avancer, or any other cutting or chopping aparatus, they will not suffer from friction blunting that other wooden and plastic chopping boards cause.

These chopping boards are so sexy they can even be used as a serving platter for cheese or other nibbles. Another handy use is as as a surface protector from hot pots or dishes.

Take your choice out of the following 4 types of Bamboo Chopping Boards Avancer has on offer:

Bamboo Butcher Block – $44.99 (RRP $54.99)
At 5cm thick, this heavy duty block is perfect for cutting and preparing meat for your next Sunday BBQ or Roast.
Bamboo Chopping Board – $59.99 (RRP $69.99)
Ideal for any kind of chopping. From Vegies to Meat and Fish, this will do the job with minimal cleaning needed.

Set of 3 Bamboo Chopping Boards – $34.99 (RRP $44.99)
Great value for a set of 3 different sized chopping boards. Can’t go wrong!
Bamboo Cheese Board – $29.99 (RRP $39.99)
Complete with a cheese knife, this beauty is perfect for preparing and serving cheese platters.

While your at it, click here to pick up a pack of Avancer’s Ceramic Knives to complete your Chopping experience.
Click here to buy your new Bamboo Chopping Board today!

At Avancer Home Appliances we believe you should be able to experience life’s simple pleasures without the hassle or the cost.

Sitting down for a nice cup of coffee is a great way to wind down and relax, and with Avancer’s range of Espresso Makers and Double Wall Espresso Glasses you can do just that.

The latest addition to Avancer’s growing range is the 12 Cup Drip Coffee Maker.

This stylish and fully functional appliance will look great in your kitchen or office and will brew lightning fast espressos without sacrificing taste. It lasts for 12 cups so you won’t have the inconvenience of cleaning it all the time.

With our unique Double Wall Espresso Glasses, the heat is separated from the outside of the glass so you can hold your freshly brewed espresso without burning your hand.

Coming in a handy set of 4, the glasses are insulated so they will also keep your drink warmer for longer, or colder for longer if you prefer ice coffees.

Both the 12 Cup Drip Coffee Maker and Set of 4 Double Wall Espresso Glasses can be purchased together in a special combo for only $39.99 so click here to experience a delicious cup of coffee the Avancer way.

So you have your brand new Avancer 1.2L Blender and you’re wondering what to make with it?

Well here’s a quick and simple recipe from the team at Avancer Home Appliances for a smoothie that is both delicious and healthy.

5 Minute Banana Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 Banana
• 1 tbsp of Honey
• 2.5 cups of Low-fat Milk or Soy Milk
• 1 cup of berries

Method:

1. Chop up the banana into small pieces.
2. Put the banana pieces into your Avancer 1.2L Blender.
3. Add the honey and berries.
4. Fill up with milk so it is covering the other ingredients.
5. Blend until it is smooth and there are no more chunky bits.
6. Taste. If too thick add a bit more milk, or if it is not sweet enough add more honey.
7. Blend again if needed.
8. Serve in a Geminus Double Wall Glass to keep your smoothie at a nice temperature.

There you go, a great tasting and healthy beverage. So simple!!

If you haven’t already got the Blender or Double Wall Glasses from Avancer Home Appliances, click on the images below to buy: