11 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From Claypot Multicookers to Miniskorts

For those feeling daunted by the amount of plastic that’s in every corner of their kitchen, take inspiration from chef Edward Lee, who figured out how to build a fully plastic-free restaurant kitchen. Along with cast-iron skillets from Yeti and a cutting board repurposed from Kentucky bourbon-barrel staves, he stocks these stainless-steel storage containers at his Washington, D.C.–based restaurant, Shia. “When you do your pantry at home, you can put your cereal, your pasta, your bulk items in there, and they store great because it’s a tight-fitting lid,” he says.

There are reasons to love plastic deli containers. “They are easy to store, light as air, and usually free,” says Strategist writer Dominique Pariso. But the fact of the matter is that when you microwave and put hot liquid in these containers — as Pariso does — they are shedding microplastics into your food. Determined to find a replacement, Pariso embarked on a hunt for plastic-free deli containers and landed on these airtight and leakproof stainless-steel ones that can be microwaved. “While they certainly aren’t cheap compared to my deli containers, they are a long-lasting investment I can feel good about having in my kitchen,” she reports.

As the self-proclaimed “Pete Wells of wellness,” Strategist contributor Katie Stone has taken it upon herself to try every single electrolyte powder on the market. She found most powders to be overpoweringly artificial, laden with stevia, or cloyingly Gatorade-sweet — until she tried this Yuzu-flavored powder from Pludo. “It’s citrusy, bright, and refreshing in a completely unique way from any of the other electrolyte flavors I’m accustomed to,” she writes. “I’d liken it to a highbrow pink lemonade, with a little more depth than the usual sugary sweetness.” Not to mention it has also improved her mental clarity.

This week’s installment of “Don’t Dillydally” included a buzzy launch from dental-care brand Cocolab and specialty fruit brand Oishii: berry jam toothpaste. “On top of being tasty, it whitens using nano-hydroxyapatite, a less abrasive ingredient than peroxide,” reports dental-care expert (and Strategist writer) Arielle Avila.

“My dermatologist has always said the best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually wear,” says Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen. While “putting on a glob of sunscreen before my meticulously layered concealer, foundation, blush, and powder” has never been appealing to her, the idea of finishing her makeup with some SPF setting spray felt just right. And so she set out to find one and landed on this hydrating option from Naked Sundays. “I can see myself incorporating it into my routine for the rest of the summer and using it as my primary form of sun protection,” she writes.

For Strategist contributor Payton Turkeltaub, a skort is the “ideal solution for those seeking to reap the benefits (accentuated legs) without the intrinsic consequences (accidental exposure).” The reality, though, is that not all skorts are created equal. So she went on a search for the perfect mid-rise miniskort that is both comfortable enough to spend the day in and stylish enough to wear for a night out. After testing skorts from every brand from Zara to Lululemon, she landed on this luxuriously plush one from Geel. “While most skorts lean a little too casual, this one falls perfectly in the middle of the spectrum, since it’s not overly tight, short, or structured,” she writes.

About the same time as Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo (and everyone else) started throwing out those black spatulas, she started wondering about her beloved Zojirushi rice cooker: “I definitely wouldn’t buy a Teflon-coated nonstick pan anymore, so shouldn’t I look for a similar alternative for making rice?” The answer came to her in the form of this pleasant-looking multicooker that’s so versatile, she says, “If I were renovating my kitchen or for some other reason found myself without an oven or stove, I could 100 percent do all of my cooking in it.” It happens to make a nice pot of rice, too.

While many water-filtration companies have started highlighting their systems’ ability to remove microplastics, many of the pitchers are made of plastic. So when Strategist senior writer Michael Zhao heard about the Aarke Purifier pitcher, which is made entirely of glass and comes with a stainless-steel lid, he knew he had to give it a try. As it turns out, “the pitcher and reusable filter fit the bill but the filtering media did not,” Zhao reports. You could avoid plastic altogether and fill the Aarke’s filter with coconut-derived granular activated charcoal, but that would actually miss many more substances that only plastic filters are capable of removing. “While I would happily recommend the Aarke to anyone looking to improve their morning coffee with softer water, there are far more effective and affordable options for removing potentially harmful contaminants,” Zhao writes.

One of the most common questions we received from readers during Plastic-Free Kitchen Week was how they could make coffee that didn’t involve scalding water touching plastic. Turns out there are plenty of options, Zhao writes. While you’ll need to spend at least $1,000 on a plastic-free espresso machine, a plastic-free pour-over set will run you a much more reasonable $100. After testing it on his own morning coffee, Zhao reports, “I recommend this set to anyone looking for an easy, tasty, and consistent way to make pour-over coffee for two.”

“In my guide to nonstick skillets, which I wrote several years ago, I declared that ceramic coatings simply don’t work that well,” writes senior writer Emma Wartzman. But as she became increasingly aware of all the microplastics making their way into our bodies, she decided to give ceramic nonstick another chance. After testing this Made In frying pan along with a few others, she says, “I’m pleased to report that my mind has mostly changed.” In the year that she’s been testing the Made In, she has used it to make scrambled eggs and omelets — “the only things that truly benefit from a nonstick surface” — and reports “it’s still working quite well — pretty much the ultimate good sign in my book.”

As a waffle fiend and someone who is also very concerned about exposure to microplastics, Strategist deputy editor Simone Kitchens threw out her Teflon-coated Cuisinart waffle maker years ago. She settled for frozen store-bought waffles until she found the GreenPan’s Teflon-free waffle maker. She uses the machine every single weekend to make perfectly cooked waffles for her entire family. “The vintage Teflon and frozen store-bought versions have faded from memory,” she says.