October
5
2011
This is a guest post:
As the saying goes, you can never have enough storage and this is never more true that in the kitchen. As well as keeping things neat and tidy, it is often more hygienic to keep food packed away and neatly stored. Fortunately, kitchen equipment suppliers are very much alive to these needs and there is a grand arrange of canisters available for use in the kitchen.
One initial point of note when you consider purchasing a canister for your kitchen – remember that a canister is not the same thing as a food storage container. Canisters are not necessarily airtight and are not designed to be used in the fridge – plastic food storage containers can hold foodstuffs which have a liquid consistency whereas this is not particularly the case with canisters. You also ought to be aware that kitchen canisters are often designed with an aesthetic function in mind – they are meant to be put on display and fit in well with the rest of your kitchen fittings, décor and style.
Although there are no formal `categories` of canister, on the whole it has been observed that they fall into two types.
First, there are canisters which are designed specifically to be kept on the counter. These storage items tend to prioritise their appearance and you can find `counter-top canisters` in all manner of styles. There are lookalike `old-fashioned` designed canisters for the country kitchen, retro designs for the funky kitchen, plain designs for the simple décor and sleek designs, such as stainless steel containers, for the more modern kitchen. It really is up to the consumer to choose the canister which suits their taste and design of kitchen.
Sometimes these counter-top canisters also have labels on them to explain the contents – `cookies`, `flour`, `tea`, `sugar` and so on. However, if you are looking for versatility of use, perhaps you might prefer a non-designated canister.
The second type of canister is the less obvious one – the sort of canister that is aimed for the store cupboard. It has been suggested that these canisters are less decorative and are likely to be kept (largely) out of view in a pantry or cupboard. These canisters usually hold staple food items. If you are interested in this type of food canister, you might also want to consider the `stackability` of the design – that`s to say, can you stack the design to be economical with the space inside your cupboard. Some designs slot next to each other or on top of each other.
Given the breadth of the kitchen canister market, many a catering equipment supplier will have a catalogue of kitchen canisters for you to choose from, possibly at a discount if bought in bulk.
March
9
2011
If you drink coffee, chances are you purchase several canisters a month to support your habit. Once those canisters are empty, the normal reaction is to toss them in the trash. However, with a little creativity, you could revamp that disposable coffee canister into a useful container for your kitchen or some other area of your home.
Most homemakers are always on the lookout for attractive kitchen canisters in which they can store both food and other kitchen items. Disposable coffee canisters may be just the containers you need for this purpose. If you are interested in finding out more ways in which these canisters can be used, just read on.
1. Use coffee canisters as storage for children’s toys. If you take that canister and cover it with colorful contact paper or other decorative material, it would make a great storage basin for your children’s toys such as Lego pieces, doll accessories, blocks, puzzle pieces, etc. This could be a fun project to complete together with your children, decorating several canisters for his and her toys.
In addition to covering the outside of the container, your children can create original designs with plastic eyes, pieces of fabric, yarn, shells, sequins, beads, etc. on the outside to further personalize their “toy can”.
2. Coffee canisters make good food storage containers as the plastic lid will keep the food fresh. You can cover them with contact paper to complement your kitchen décor, and use them to store macaroni noodles, peanuts and raisins, beans, sugar, flour, etc.
A decorative coffee canister.
If you cover three or four cans alike, they can be placed on a shelf in your kitchen as an addition to your decor along with being used as storage. There are countless ideas of how these canisters can be utilized in the kitchen; you just need to use your imagination and be open to innovative ideas for their use.
Reusing these containers can also save you money as there will be no need to purchase storage containers for your kitchen needs.
3. If you are looking for a home-made gift item for a special birthday or holiday occasion, there are numerous ideas of gifts you can make with an empty coffee canister. You can decorate the outside for a young girl, and fill it with beauty products such as cologne, little girl makeup, nail polish, hair clips, special shampoo, etc. For a young boy, the container can be decorated appropriately and filled with small cars, Lego or Play Mobile pieces, etc.
A coffee canister makes a useful, practical storage container for all kinds of purposes. It is just the right size and shape, and when decorated can be quite attractive. Most important of all, it is economical as you do not need to go out and pay extra for the containers you need.
March
9
2011
Ceramic canisters come in an array of beautiful styles and designs. They can be utilized as kitchen canisters or for decoration in other parts of your home. Ceramic kitchen canisters are available in all shapes and sizes and can be attractively displayed on a kitchen counter or shelf to enhance your kitchen decor. You can even purchase these as canister sets in the same size or sets of small, medium and large.
One drawback of using ceramic canisters is that they can be quite delicate and fragile to handle. Many ceramic items break or chip easily, detracting from the beauty of the product and resulting in their having to be discarded. However, with a little time and know-how, some ceramic items can be repaired to look like new. The following are some tips for repairing ceramic canisters in the event they are chipped or broken.
Supplies Needed for Repair:
Epoxy putty – found in local hardware stores in small tubes that will need to be mixed before application
Filler – found in local hardware stores
Sandpaper – found in local hardware stores; you will need medium and fine grade
Acrylic paints and paintbrushes – found in crafts stores or where artist supplies are sold. Buy only basic colors which can be mixed to provide different hues.
Disposable paper or styrofoam plates – to mix the paint and putty
Some ceramic canisters are used as just decoration.
Instructions for Repair:
1. Evaluate the damage to your canister so you can best calculate how to repair. For simple cracks, clean and dry the area well and apply a filler to seal the crack. Let the sealer dry for several hours and apply paint over the area to match the color of your canister.
2. For chipped or broken canisters, clean and dry the area to be repaired. Mix a small amount of epoxy putty on a disposable plate to meet your repair need. Begin by gluing the larger pieces first, and then work on the smaller chips. Apply your epoxy paste along the edges of both the canister and broken pieces with your fingers and re-attach. Let it dry for 24 hours or more.
3. Examine your canister for rough edges formed by excess glue. Using small pieces of sandpaper, sand these areas until they are smooth. You can begin with medium grade sandpaper and switch to fine grade to achieve optimum results.
4. Once your glued areas are completely smooth and even, you are ready to paint. You will probably have to mix colors to match the exact hue of your canister which may take a little while. Once you have matched the color you need, paint over the repaired area to blend with the rest of your item. Let it dry completely before beginning to re-use.
Not all broken ceramic canisters can be repaired in this fashion. Sometimes the item is too damaged to repair. For family heirlooms or expensive antiques, you may consider seeking professional repair services. However, for average repairs, the steps above may help to restore your item for future use.