Customer Reviews

Old Dutch 10-Inch Beating Bowl, Copper

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A great bowl of nice size and weight that is very comfortable if you like to hold the bowl on your lap while you beat eggs or other ingredients. Copper is incomparable when it comes to beating eggs and the results are fabulous. The bowl is also very attractive sitting on a countertop or table, or even hanging on a pot rack or wall using the convenient loop.

There is a protective finish on the bowl as the description states. This is common to all new copper products to prevent them from tarnishing. If you are just going to use the bowl for display, you can leave the finish on. (Unless you want it to develop a nice patina.) Otherwise it is very easy to remove using a solvent which costs a few dollars at your local discount store or home improvement store if you do not have it already. If you are using it for beating or cooking you will need to remove the finish.

This bowl only has two purposes: Decoration or egg white whisking. If you plan on using it for anything else, don't buy it. It's hard to use for other food preparation as the bottom is rounded, which is great for whisking egg whites and bad for anything else because it rolls around too much. Like most copper bowls, it is coated with laqcuer which must be removed before using it for food preparation -- be prepared to spend fifteen dollars or so on laqcuer thinner, a pair of chemical resistant gloves, and a plastic stripping brush. It took me about half an hour to remove the laqcuer. Unless you need the bowl for the special chemical properties of copper that aid whisking whites, it's simply not worth the effort and cost. That said, it is a light, cheap copper bowl which does make whisking whites much easier. The whites tend to be fluffier and don't seem to collapse as quickly. I should mention that the hanging ring rattles very annoyingly when whisking eggs. (I taped mine to the side of the bowl to keep it from rattling.) Also, without laqcuer, the bowl tarnishes very quickly and scratches very easily. A couple of hints regarding this bowl: Laqcuer thinner seems to loosen the laqcuer, but as soon as the thinner evaporates the laqcuer remains. After loosening the laqcuer with the stripping brush, I recommend pouring thinner onto a paper towel and wiping the bowl so the laqcuer loosens and sticks to the paper towel before the thinner can evaporate. As the bowl is rounded, I recommend wrapping a wet towel around the bottom of the bowl -- this will hold it in place as you whisk eggs. As always, clean the bowl with salt and vinegar or lemon juice before whisking whites.

It's by no means a perfect bowl, but if you need a cheap way to whisk egg whites and are willing to work to prepare it for use, it's a good deal. Or if you're just looking for something pretty to hang in the kitchen it does look very nice (as long as you leave the laqcuer on.)

Cookwise by Shirley O. Corriher explains the chemistry involved in the use of a copper bowl for beating egg whites. Corriher is a better read than McGee. This copper bowl is probably as good as any you are likely to find for under fifty dollars. If you don't want to mess with removing the varnish, find a band instrument repair shop who can do it for you.

I have just ordered the 10" copper bowl, so don't have any feedback on the quality yet. I intend on using the bowl for egg whites, etc., so I contacted Old Dutch International on what to use to remove the varnish. Their recommendation was a product called "The Premium Stripper SR72" aerosol that they said was available at Home Depot. Leave it on for 20 minutes then wash off with warm water and dry well.

(Had to put in some stars to post this, so will put in 4 so that I don't mess up the average too much. Will try to update this when I actually receive my bowl...)

I have shopped for a copper bowl of this size for quite awhile. I bought it on backorder and the price was so good I got one for a friend. It is every bit as good as its expensive cousins. I got it mostly for mereguine. It produces!!!

For cooking purists, nothing beats egg whites whipped in copper bowl. The chemical reaction between copped and the egg proteins stabilizes the air bubbles, leading to best souffle's you can imagine. This is a beautifully made bowl, and at a very good price.

good price for a copper bowl - rounded bottom requires a towel to sit on if you want to walk away from it, but other than that its great.

I received a damaged bowl the first time around, with a HUGE dent - not like dropped on the ground, but bashed in with some amount of effort. I couldn't just exchange it - I had to send it back for a refund, and re-order. When the second one arrived, it was also dented. Twice, actually, and the "copper" was worn off the brim of the bowl. Not only is there no quality control, the bowl is copper plated, not made of copper.
I know the low price seems tempting, but don't do it. You get what you pay for, or far less in my case. This is not a copper bowl, and you are rolling the dice on the condition. A crappy sham of a product - be warned.

Very good bowl for beating egg whites, and reasonably priced. The one I got was not coated so perhaps that isn't a problem now. Get a big whisk to go with the bowl.

Sturdy, lovely well-made bowl that suits our needs perfectly in beating egg whites for tasty recipes. It looks so nice we hung it on a kitchen wall and serves as a reflective conversation piece.