Bistro Bounty

Restaurant-grade cooking, at home

In-depth guides to the gear serious home cooks use to eat like they're at their favorite bistro: espresso, pizza, knives, cookware, baking and wine.

Baking Wine & Home Bar

A close-up view of stacked wine and drinking glasses on a dimly lit bar counter.

Featured guide

Best Wine Fridge: 3 Picks for Every Space, Compared

The Ca'Lefort 24-inch is the best wine fridge for a growing collection; the Icyglee 15-inch is the slim dual zone pick and the Euhomy the value pick.

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BakingStand mixers, bread gear and pastry tools for bakery-quality results.6 guides →

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Latest guides

Close-up of a cold drink garnished with fresh mint leaves and ice

Wine & Home Bar

Cocktails and Drinks That Are Best Over Nugget Ice

Cocktails and drinks that are best over nugget ice: juleps, mojitos, swizzles, tiki drinks, iced coffee and sodas, plus the drinks to keep on big cubes.

Overhead view of a hand adding sugar from a measuring cup to butter in a glass bowl on a kitchen scale, with a cup of milk above.

Baking

How to Convert a Bread Recipe for a Bread Machine (1 to 2 lb)

How to convert a bread recipe for a bread machine: match the flour to your pan, adjust liquid and yeast, and load in the right order. Includes a size chart.

Rows of wine bottles with corks facing out and hanging 2011 vintage tags, stored on their sides in a dim cellar, the cool steady setting a wine fridge copies.

Wine & Home Bar

How Long Do Wine Fridges Last? Know Before Buying

How long do wine fridges last? Typically 10-15 years for compressor models and 4-8 for thermoelectric, plus the warning signs and what extends life.

Top-down view of a clear glass filled with ice cubes and water on a white background.

Wine & Home Bar

Why Is My Nugget Ice Maker Not Making Ice? Common Fixes

Why is my nugget ice maker not making ice? Check water level, sensors, room heat, scale and a full bin first, then reset the unit. Fixes by symptom.

Overhead shot of mojito cocktails with ice and mint leaves, the kind of drinks a nugget ice maker is bought for.

Wine & Home Bar

Best Nugget Ice Maker: 3 Countertop Picks Compared

The GoveeLife H8120 is the best nugget ice maker overall; the Euhomy 34 lb is the value pick. Three countertop makers compared on output, noise and reliability.

Baking

Whole Wheat Bread Machine Recipe: Honey Sandwich Loaf

A whole wheat bread machine recipe for a soft 100% whole wheat honey sandwich loaf, with amounts for 1, 1.5 and 2 lb pans and tips for a taller, lighter crumb.

Wine bottles on shop shelves beside a wine fridge, showing the difference between room storage and a dedicated wine fridge.

Wine & Home Bar

Wine Fridge vs Mini Fridge: Which Beverage Cooler Wins?

Wine fridge vs mini fridge: a wine fridge holds a steady 40-65°F with gentler humidity; a mini fridge runs near 40°F. Which to buy for your bottles.

Clear ice cubes in a glass against a plain background, the quality of ice a clean countertop ice maker should deliver

Wine & Home Bar

How to Clean and Descale a Nugget Ice Maker: Vinegar Method

How to clean and descale a nugget ice maker: run a vinegar or citric acid solution, sanitize, rinse well, and repeat every 1 to 6 months by water hardness.

Slices of soft white sandwich bread from a basic white bread recipe on a wooden board.

Baking

Basic White Bread Recipe for a Bread Machine, 1 to 2 lb

A basic white bread recipe for a bread machine with exact amounts for 1, 1.5 and 2 lb loaves, the right order to load the pan and tips for a soft crumb.