Let me be honest with you. I used to print all the recipes when I was cooking.I was covered with paper on my counter. The paper became wet half the time. On step three, the sauce would splatter. I would lose track and add the garlic twice.
Sound familiar?
Then I began to use a second screen in the kitchen and everything has changed. I do not mean in the least dramatic, in the most practical sense. It just made cooking easier. Less fumbling. Less mess. Less stress.
And the same to you, should you have ever thought of doing so. I will explain how exactly it works, what to pay attention to in a monitor, and what monitors I will personally recommend.
Why a Second Screen Makes Recipe-Following So Much Better
Your phone is great. But it’s small. After every 30 seconds the screen blackens. You pick it up with some piece of floury hands and before you know it you are calling your mom.
All this is fixed with a dedicated second screen.
Here’s how I use mine:
- I keep my laptop or tablet on which the recipe is visible on one side of the counter.
- My second screen is placed directly beside my prep area to ensure that I do not have to pick anything up to see what is in my screen.
- I have the recipe on the second screen and use my primary device to use timers or music.
That’s it. Simple setup, big difference.
The complete list of ingredients and the instructions are visible simultaneously. There is no longer scrolling back and forth. No longer to lose your ground between your chops.
What to Look for in a Kitchen Monitor
Whilst I am getting down to particular selections, you can have a preview of what is really important in deciding to use a second screen in the kitchen.
It is as much about size as it is about black and white. You desire something that is large enough to be read well without being too big that it occupies your counter. Approximately 15, 17 inches is normally the golden medium.
Portability is a bonus. When you are able to get it off the counter to the island to the dining table, then you have a victory. USB-C powered monitors can be used.
Refresh rate? Not a cooking issue at all unless you are also playing the computer. I’ll explain this more below.
Easy to clean. Kitchen surfaces get messy. A monitor that has a cover on the screen and can be wiped or just a simple stand that does not gather crumbs is an ideal detail to care about.
The Three Monitors I’d Actually Recommend
1. UPERFET Portable Monitor
This is my best choice among most house cooks.
The UPERFECT portable monitor is small, slim and inept at installation. All you need is to install it in your laptop through the USB-C and that is it. No complicated drivers. Most models do not have an additional power brick.
What I like most about it in the kitchen:
- The screen is clear enough, and you can read recipes at least two or three feet away.
- It can be folded and kept easily in a cabinet or a drawer.
- It is also covered with a stand which doubles up to a cover hence, making it easy to prop it to a convenient reading level.
Some of the Uperfect models also include an inbuilt battery and this implies that you can use it without the need of being tethered. It comes in handy when your outlets in the kitchen are distanced in the counter.
Is it the most fashionable monitor on the market? No. But to follow a recipe and have your hands covered with chicken? It does the job beautifully.
2. A Quality Portable Monitor (The General Case)
When it comes to selecting a portable monitor to use in the kitchen either because the Uperfect is out of stock or because you are shopping around, this is what to look in a portable monitor that you can use.
An excellent handheld cooker monitor ought to:
- Be capable of USB-C to be able to run it off the laptop without having to find adapters.
- Use a stand or case to keep it at a angle (laying flat on the counter is not very easy to read)
- No more than two pounds lest it be too heavy to carry around.
- Use a mat or semi-mat screen to reduce the amount of glare on the kitchen lights.
One fact to remember: the majority of the portable monitorsthat are in the 1080p area are sufficient enough to view a recipe. You do not require 4K to read the words, add one cup of flour.
The 80-150 budget is a reliable area since it can offer good deals at that price, covering all these requirements. The other items are normally added features (such as speakers or stylus support) that you are unlikely to use when cooking.
3. A 288Hz Monitor (For the Multi-Tasker)
Alright, this is where the things are a little different.
It is not a 288Hz monitor that comes to the mind of most people when one thinks of kitchen screen. These are gaming monitors with high refresh rates, quick, smooth and action oriented monitors.
Then what did you mean by having one close to the stove?
Honestly? It is unlikely that you would use it only as recipes. However, should you be the kind of person who also games, streams or edits video and you want a single screen that can do it all then a 288Hz monitor on an adjustable arm can swing around your desk to the kitchen counter when you need it.
The actual case application that I have observed is as follows:
A monitor arm is placed somewhere in an open kitchen-living area by a person. When cooking, the monitor is towards the kitchen and rotates towards the desk when it is time to play games. One purchase. Two purposes.
The downside? These monitors are larger, more massive and costly. They are not pocketable in the USB-C toss it in the bag meaning. And they should have a decent power supply.
However, in case you desire a second screen that actually doubles up and you have the room? An extremely large-refresh display on a flexible arm is a valid configuration.
My Actual Kitchen Setup (In Case You’re Curious)
I keep it simple.
My mobile screen is placed on the counter to the left of my cutting board. No distractions, the recipe is written in large font. I do the same thing on my browser with the zoom feature bringing the text to about 130 percent in order to read the text even when I leave the screen to stir something on the stove.
I do not carry my phone in my apron pocket except as a timer.
That’s the whole system. The initial set-up required a matter of ten minutes and it currently just resides on the counter.
A Few Tips If You’re Just Getting Started
Make use of a recipe site with a clear design. There are also other sites full of advertisements. Search for a jump to recipe button or find a recipe reader app that will reduce the page to nothing but ingredients and instructions.
Bump up your font size. Seriously. The majority of the screens are short to read at cooking range. Make it even larger than you think you want.
Do not store the screen on top of the stove. Steam and splatter are real. The distance of one or two feet is sufficient to make your monitor look presentable.
Add a screen protector in case you would like to be even more confident. There are also portable monitors that have a plastic cover. An additional five dollars will also save you a panicked clean up at a later date by having a screen protector.
Sum Up
It might have a second screen in a kitchen it sounds like a trifle. And it is, honestly. But small things add up.
In the moments when you are not struggling to see your phone, it is not thought of how to lose your place, or how much sauce you have to clean up on your print recipe cooking is better. More relaxed. More enjoyable.
You have already fallen in love with the kitchen. The second screen only gets out of your way and makes you concentrate on the food.
And that is more or less the point, is it?
