Galley

A good set of nesting cookware means galley chefs can have all the tools they need for gourmet cooking, without sacrificing storage space. For this comparison of nesting cookware with removable handles, Practical Sailor took a look at cookware sets designed for galley use Cuisinart, Galleyware, and Magma Products, and one nesting set designed for trail cooking by camping-gear maker GSI Outdoors. Evaluation ratings were based on what the set includes, construction materials, handle construction, function, ergonomics, storage space required, whether the pans rattle underway, performance, ease of cleaning, price, and warranty.

Modern galley refrigeration moved far beyond simple holding-plate refrigeration systems, and now competes with the more easily installed evaporative refrigeration systems. One key to efficiency in any refrigeration system is an accurate thermostat. Practical Sailor compares a more expensive digital thermostat to a traditional, less expensive mechanical capillary thermostat. Refrigerator and freezer tests pitted the Grunert Marine Air Systems mechanical capillary refrigeration thermostats against the Scad Technologies SensiStat digital thermostat. Mechanical thermostats are valued for their simplicity and reliability, but a digital thermostat may outperform mechanical thermostats when it comes to maximizing marine refrigeration performance.

Cookmates two new small alcohol stoves are a good fit for daysailers and boats with limited galley space. Unlike propane stoves, these non-pressurized alcohol systems require no valves, hoses, fuel tanks, or fuel lockers. The alcohol is easily poured into a stainless steel drum. Opening the burner allows for easy lighting of the stove. Methane, ethanol, and denatured alcohol can be used as a fuel source. The Cookmate 2100 drop-in model is made of stainless steel and puts out 7000 BTUs. It is well made and easy to use, but because it cannot be gimbaled, its use may be limited in rough seas. The CookMate 1600, designed as a portable countertop model, is also small and well made, and it can be gimbaled. It is made of stainless steel and puts out 7000 BTUs. Both Cookmate alcohol stoves beat the Origo alcohol stoves Practical Sailor tested in July 2006, and they gave the Force 10 Seacook seaswing style propane stove and Kenyon Appliances Kenyon Express II butane stove a run for their money.

Ice chests come in all shapes and sizes. And often times, sailors and fishermen will prefer keeping a large cooler aboard to installing a marine refrigeration system. So for this test, we narrowed the field to portable 65-quart coolers and a 70-quart cooler from Yeti, Engel, and Coleman. The three test products were the Engel ENG65, Yeti Tundra, and the Coleman Ultimate Extreme Marine. Testers compared the effectiveness of each cooler at keeping ice during a meltdown test: A six-pack of soda was covered with 16 pounds of ice and checked at 12-hour intervals. The top performer was the Engel, but testers deemed the Coleman a bargain as it was less than half the cost of the others.

No bigger than a pack of gum, Freezer Safe is a digital recording thermometer that collects temperature data and displays it graphically. The battery-operated (two AAA cells) unit can optimize boat refrigeration systems by storing high and low temps for 100 minutes, 100 hours, or 100 days (though the batteries might not last that long). The data lets you adjust thermostat settings in order to reduce power use. The thermometer can also track warm and cold spots and help you find the best trade-off between food longevity and temperature. Freezer Safe can warn you if food may have thawed and refrozen, helps reduce the risk of accidentally freezing refrigerated foods. For holding-plate refrigeration systems to operate efficiently, the temperature cutoff on the compressor must be carefully set. Freezer Safe can help identify the ideal eutectic point for this system.

In June of 2006 Practical Sailor looked at six propane marine barbecue grills from four manufacturers. Two high-end Australian barbecue grills have come to our attention since that test: The Sovereign Bravo BBQ and the Galleymate 1100. We took a close look at these grills and then pitted them in a cook-off against the winner of the June 2006, the Magma Catalina. Both Aussie grills have an optional grill face that is part grill and part flat plate, or griddle. The grill plates are machined from large sheets of corrosion-resistant steel. Both Aussie grills offer excellent wind protection and both come with an impressively large range of both rail and deck mountings. Both grills are made from 316 stainless steel, nearly twice as thick as the Catalinas 304 grade stainless steel.

Following our reviews last year of single-burner stoves (July 2006) and two-burner stoves (September 2006), Seaward Products sent us three products for a small stoves update. The late comers were a propane-fired, two-burner drop-in and two single-burner, butane cookers (one portable and the other a drop-in). Testers compared their performances to the top picks of our 2006 tests.

We received four galley ranges for our test-three propane stoves and one alcohol stove. The propane models were: Force 10 Gourmet Galley (Model 63351), Seaward Princess Model 3175, and Tasco Model 755LP. The alcohol-fueled Origo 6000 by Dometic was the only non-propane stove we tested. Our hunt for the best marine stove looked at the stoves construction, durability, performance, safety, size, and price.

One of the advantages of a compressor-driven portable refrigerator is that it can also serve as a freezer. And compared to thermo-electric coolers, they require fewer amps to do the job. Cruising boats need to be energy efficient, so amp consumption with a 12-volt power supply was one of the key factors Practical Sailor looked at in this test. As in any marine refrigeration test, insulation is a key factor in efficiency, so our comparison also tried to single out the best insulated units. Ultimately, the linear compressor system used in the Engel and Norcold refrigerator/freezers proved to be more efficient.

The main drawback of thermoelectric coolers is power usage. This will likely be an issue during extended use or for boats with small battery banks and anemic charging systems. The 106-130 amp load, over a 24-hour period, is about twice as much demand as a built-in evaporative sytem and about three times the demand of the most efficient-and most expensive-installed systems. Also, thermoelectric units are limited in their ability to cool internal temperatures, usually to a maximum of about 40 degrees below the ambient temperature.