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Brown Sugar Bear

We recently came across this terra-cotta Brown Sugar Bear, a cuter and cuddlier alternative to our standby method of softening hardened brown sugar with a slice of fresh bread left in the bag of sugar overnight.

But does cuter mean better? To find out, we left two bags of brown sugar open overnight to turn the sugar hard and lumpy. Then we put a bread slice into one and the sugar bear (which first gets a brief soak in water) into the other and sealed them up in zipper-lock bags. The next day, both bags of sugar were moist and pliable. But the sugar bear has one added bonus: Because it is nonperishable, it can be stored indefinitely in the sugar for ongoing insurance against drying.

Good:
★★★
Fair:
★★
Poor:
★
N/A:
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*Prices subject to change
Product Tested Performance Comfort Price*
Highly Recommended
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: Flexible
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: Flexible

The nonslip grip and narrow, straight blade let testers remove the smallest bones with precision and complete comfort. Perfectly balanced with enough flexibility to maneuver around tight joints. The low price was a bonus.

 ★★★ ★★★ $19.95
Recommended
Wüsthof Classic Boning Knife
Wüsthof Classic Boning Knife

Hefty in weight, this knife was a solid performer when removing poultry bones, and the handle was easy to grip, even when covered in chicken fat. Piercing silver skin was a challenge since the tip wasn’t sharp enough and the long narrow blade produced slightly jagged cuts.

 ★★ ★★★ $99.95
Recommended with Reservations
Mundial Boning Knife: Flexible
Mundial Boning Knife: Flexible

The sharp tip performed well when removing silver skin, but it was too flexible when maneuvering around poultry joints, leaving testers feeling a lack of control. The heavy handle was slightly unbalanced and became slippery once covered in poultry fat.

 ★★ ★★ $19.95
Not Recommended
Shun Gokujo Filet Knife
Shun Gokujo Filet Knife

Designed to replicate a samurai blade, this expensive knife was a disappointment. It struggled to pierce the silver skin, although long cuts were smooth and even. Minimal flexibility and extreme curve got in the way when maneuvering around joints. The smooth handle was hard to grip and slippery.

 ★★ ★ $179.95
MAC Boning Knife—Chef Series
MAC Boning Knife—Chef Series

The large, cumbersome handle reminded testers of an outdoors knife for fishing and hunting. The blade was too wide to maneuver around joints and it struggled to pierce silver skin. Unlike other knives, this boning knife could only slice in one direction, making intricate cuts around joints difficult.

 ★ ★★ $34.95
Messermeister San Moritz Elite Flexible Boning Knife
Messermeister San Moritz Elite Flexible Boning Knife

The blade was so flexible it led to erratic cuttings; testers said the knife was hard to control. The blade was not sturdy enough to maneuver around joints and the lightweight handle felt flimsy and unbalanced.

 ★ ★ $53.60

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