Hooley Dooley Extendable Roasting Forks for Grilling

Now that summer is coming to a close as a season, everyone is looking to try to squeeze the most out of the season’s waning days and create lasting memories. Bonfires on the beach and barbeques in the backyard are the orders of the day. And a staple of all those things are hot dogs, sausages, roasted marshmallows, peppers, onions, squash, and corn on the cob. And one thing all those delicious goodies has in common with each other are the roasting sticks you’d use to cook, grill and toast them. And Hooley Dooley sent me a set of skewers to end all skewers, all full of chrome and hardwood handles and a nifty little carry pouch to go from the BBQ to the beach and make you the belle of the ball.

Skewers and kabobs are regular fare in this house, regardless of the season. In California, the weather is usually fair enough that we can have a BBQ all year round, so these Hooley Dooley Roasting Sticks will see a lot of action. From kielbasa, sausages, hot dogs, or just hunks of seasoned meats, these forks are by far the most useful BBQ skewer we own. See, our old stainless steel skewers were durable, and usable, but being as they were skewers and not forks (an important distinction), food tended to turn, slide and sometimes even fall off. They got very hot, and were awkward to hold being steel from top to bottom. But Hooley Dooley put a nice, big hardwood handle that’s easy to grab and easy to hold. But that’s not even the best part. Our old skewers were about 16″ which put your hand in very close the fire. Hooley Dooley solved that issue with an extendable fork that starts at 20″ and extends to a whopping 28″. So whether it’s a bonfire or a Weber kettle, your food gets cooked and your hand doesn’t. And the build quality will ensure these will last for many, many years.

But there’s one issue I had, and it makes me feel like a broken record, because at $37.50 for four BBQ forks, it’s very, very expensive. I think they’re well made, and useful, and would make a great gift, but at almost $40 for the set it’s, for me, a deal breaker. I don’t see the value there, especially when similar sets run half that price. Hooley Dooley says that a portion of the proceeds goes to “Relay for Life Fundraising”, but they don’t say how much of any other documentation to support it. There’s also a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but again doesn’t say for how long or if return shipping is your responsibility. There’s a lot to like about Hooley Dooley’s Roasting Forks, but not enough to overlook the super high price. I like them, but I don’t know if I “$40” like them.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Hooley Dooley.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Inspired Basics Nomex Heat-Resistant Oven Gloves

It’s should be no secret that I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Cooking, baking, trying new things. Hot handles, pans and oven racks are par for the course. Sometimes, our potholders don’t cover right, or are awkward, or just flat out don’t give you enough grip. Oh, but if only there was an oven safe glove that was EN 407 and ISO Certified up to 662 degrees, with a soft cotton interior, and silicone grip bumps on them. Oh, wait…Inspired Basics has just such a glove!!

I’ve tried silicone BBQ gloves/mitts in the past. I even reviewed a pair here. They’re pretty good. They can be awkward to clean, wear, and use, and fit me poorly, and while dishwasher safe can start to build up a film and hold a smoke smell pretty quickly. And silicone gets pretty slippery when wet. My fondness for them faded pretty quickly. But these gloves (machine washable…yay!) seem more for me. with a form fit and protection halfway up my forearm, there’s no worries about grabbing a deep roasting dish and getting that burn on your wrist. I can get my fingers into the handles just fine, and lose almost no dexterity. And while they did fit me, they were very large. That would be my one drawback, and I wish they came in more sizes. They fit hubby nearly perfectly, though. And that’s good, because he isn’t as well rehearsed in the kitchen as I am. Thankfully, these are the made of the same flame-resistant material used in racing and firefighter’s survival suits, Nomex. So, these are good for the BBQ as well. and again, being machine-washable there’s no worry about stains or grease or soot, because one quick trip through the old washer and they’re good as new! I would, though, for the sake of durability, probably recommend hand-washing and air drying. Things just get cleaner and last longer that way for me. Now, don’t go pouring boiling water over them. That’s the one single benefit of silicone gloves is water resistance, but these are fiber and 100% cotton, so don’t go grabbing pasta out of the boiling water or anything.

Lest you think these gloves are good for the kitchen only, you can use them to safely grip just about any dry, hot surface you can think of. Hot light bulbs? Check. Hot engine parts? Check. Hot logs on a chimenea fire need arranging? Check, check and check! I like these Nomex Heat-Resistant Gloves from Inspired basics, and I think you will too. They’re also backed by a lifetime, no-questions-asked, 100% refund policy, so you can buy with confidence.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Inspired Basics.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.