Get deep enough into bread baking and you'll eventually run into one of the biggest home baking X-factors: temperature control. Pro bakers have special proofing cupboards to keep the environmental temperature steady while doughs and starters do their thing. We home bakers make do with warm ovens, radiators, and all other manner of improvised set-ups. This new small-sized, folding proofer from Brød & Taylor helps bridge the gap. More

I am newbie to the immersion blender fan club, and I'm still consistently surprised by what a versatile and all-around awesome tool it is. Just the other day, I was innocently drooling over Tracy from Shutterbean's recipe for Cardamom Pear Butter, when her unexpected use of an immersion blender to puree the fruit just about made me fall off my chair. More

Q: I've been using my little Cuisinart ice cream maker for a few months now, and have gotten such positive feedback on the results from friends and co-workers that I think I'd really like to scale this hobby of mine up a bit. Unfortunately, none of the larger ice cream makers (gallon-plus) listed on Amazon come from brand names I recognize or trust.

Is there a make/model you'd recommend for an ice cream maker that yields a gallon or more of ice cream per batch? My inquiring mind wants to know!

Sent by John More

When money and storage space are tight, buying a new kitchen gadget like a food mill or a pressure cooker is never an easy decision. Will it take up too much space? Will you use it enough to justify the price? What if you want to try it out first? A neighborhood in Portland is working on a smart solution to this problem: a community kitchen tool library. More

Q: My awesome friends just bought me a Cuisinart for a housewarming gift.

Any ideas for thank you gifts I can make with it?

Sent by Meg More

If you're trying to adapt a regular soup recipe to your slow cooker or improve one you've already made, here are a few slow-cooking tips to help you make the best soup ever. More

No matter what equipment you have in your kitchen or how perfectly creamy you prefer your soups, here are some tips to help you puree your next soup. More

KitchenAid Stand Mixer Pasta Extruder

• $152
• Amazon

We have an extensive review of this pasta press attachment for KitchenAid stand mixers in the archives. But I wanted to bring it up and feature it again during Pasta Week; it's just so fun to make fusilli, rigatoni, and all the other fancy shapes. This thing works like a dream, and it's fast, too. Great for making big batches and freezing them for later. More

Q: Please help me pick a automatic drip coffee maker! The fall is here and my early morning work schedule (out the door before 7!) is back in full swing. My lovely French press is no longer going to cut it. I desperately want a coffee maker that I can set up the night before so I can wake up to a pot brewing.

The numerous options are leaving me a bit overwhelmed with coming to a decision and I was hoping for some good advice as to brands or particular models I should consider. I was told that cone shaped vs flat bottom filter areas are better?

I'm on a budget (under $100) and obviously taste is of the upmost importance.

Sent by Anna More

In the world of stand mixers, one name stands above the rest: KitchenAid. When I was putting together my wedding registry, one of the first items I added was a pear-green KitchenAid stand mixer, crossing my fingers that someone might be nice enough to buy it. But then I was given a Breville 5-quart stand mixer to try out and test for review here, and a week later I took the KitchenAid off my registry. Why did I change my mind? More