Photo courtesy of CDN

For those of you unfamiliar with the company, CDN is a family owned business that specializes in kitchen measurement tools, with a wide assortment of thermometers, timers, and scales. With products in over 14,000 foodservice locations, CDN is the global leader in its category and has been named “Best Overall Company” in its category from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business. CDN prides itself on its personal service and commitment to its customers as they are the only company that is solely focused on time and temperature to ensure it meets customers’ needs.

But enough with the history, right? What exactly did Shawn enlighten us with during her visit?

Shawn showed and informed us about different products that her company has to offer. The kitchen measurement tools business is actually more complex than one would think. There are different thermometers and timers for different conditions – from dry and cold storage, to cooking, to thick and thin cuts of meat – and almost every application you can think of.

Here are a few of the products that Shawn showed to us:

ProAccurate® Insta-Read® Beverage and Frothing Thermometer

This is one of CDN’s most popular thermometers. It is actually supplied in every Starbucks worldwide! It’s your standard beverage thermometer. It has a stainless steel body that is both waterproof and shatterproof and measures up to 200°F. This is the ideal tool for any coffee shop.

ProAccurate® Infrared Gun/Thermocouple Thermometer

This thermometer is good for measuring the temperature for almost anything. It measures up to 662°F and is an ideal tool for a health inspector or even your average Joe. All you have to do is it point the thermometer in the direction of the object you are trying to measure and it will give you the temperature. It also has a stainless steel probe if you wish to measure the temperature in that fashion too.

Digital Nutrition Scale

This is a very versatile scale. The measurement range is 11 pounds/5 kilograms/176 ounces/5 liters by ounces, fluid ounces, grams and milliliters . It has 999 different food codes from the USDA National Nutrient Database and measures calories, sodium, protein, fat, carbohydrates, cholesterol, and fiber. This is the ideal scale for those who are conscious of what you are putting into your body.

ProAccurate® Meat/Poultry Ovenproof Thermometer

As specified in the name, this thermometer is for meat, specifically thick cuts of meat. It has a stainless steel body and glass lens making the thermometer ovenproof and perfect for cooking foods like Thanksgiving turkeys, roasts, and much more.

ProAccurate® Pocket Thermometer

This compact thermometer is perfect for thin cuts of meat. Although it is not ovenproof, it is both waterproof and shatterproof. Due to its small size, this thermometer is very functional for everyday use as you can carry it with you in the kitchen without it being a hassle.

In the end, CDN’s products are top-notch and value driven. They offer the broadest assortment of thermometers and timers, with superior customer service, product innovation, quality and value. CDN makes an effort to put their customers first as its product development, “begins with understanding the needs of professional chefs.” CDN is big enough to offer a comprehensive line, but small enough to get things done!

Feel free to contact Houston’s for more details or any questions!

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Escali scales are accurate and easy to use. Photo courtesy of Escali.

The scales themselves will enable you to make a healthy meal, the perfect baked goods, or determine food costs in no time, due to their accuracy and ease of use.  Not to mention, Escali scales are backed by a quality warranty, in addition to already being priced around 20% lower than competitors, giving them an extra leg up on the competition.

Each scale is tested by rigid military standards, so only the highest quality materials will do.  Designed with both functionality and value in mind, scales come equipped with an auto-shut off function to help preserve battery life and lower costs—first set of batteries included!  No matter your needs, there is an Escali scale fit for almost any application.

Professional Scales

Primo NSF: Escali’s top selling scale, the Primo is affordable and compact. Its two-button operation is very easy to use making it an economical and all around great choice for day to day use.  It measures up to 11 lbs in .1 ounce or 1 gram increments and has a full 2 year warranty.

Alimento NSF: This scale is a compact workhorse. Its durable design and highly accurate sensors make it perfect for a busy professional kitchen.  Not to mention, its big display, easy touch buttons, and removable stainless steel platform allow you to read and keep it clean in a hurry.  Measures up to 13 lbs in .1 ounce or 1 gram increments.

M-Series NSF: The M-Series scale has an extra large platform making it adaptable to a variety of uses. From portion control to accurate quality control, it’s a master in intense work environments.  Measuring up to 66 lbs in .2 ounce increments, this is the all-around scale for the bigger stuff.

Granda scale in action. Photo courtesy of Escali.

Granda: Granda is a practical and portable industrial scale. Its 11.5” x 11” platform and wired remote display make it a great choice for warehousing, mailing, or similar purposes.  Plus, it can measure up to 220 lbs in 2 ounce increments.

Mercado: The Mercado is a non-digital dial scale, with a clear read out and durable metal frame. The stainless steel bowl makes it a breeze to transfer ingredients from scale to prep station and it’s more accurate than ever.  Measures up to 11 lbs in 1 ounce or 20 gram increments.

Nova: Like the Primo, this scale is compact and portable.  Measuring up to 2 lbs in .05 ounce or .5 gram increments, it’s great for those small, but precise measurements.

Consumer Scales

Arti: The Arti has a sleek and modern design that features a large, crisp and clear display on a smooth glass surface.  This, combined with its user friendly touch sensitive controls, makes it the new standard for consumer kitchen scales.  Even celebrity chef Alton Brown uses and recommends this one!  Measures up to 15 lbs in .1 ounce or 1 gram increments.

Pico: This pocket scale is small, yet mighty. It is hand-held, yet ultra-sensitive and its size makes for easy storage and saves valuable space. It measures up to 500 grams in .1 gram or .0005 ounce increments, a graduation that’s hard to come by in a consumer scale.  Plus its counting feature is helpful for counting large quantities of small items with great accuracy.

Part of the ease of use of Escali scales is the easy to read notifications that display when something isn’t quite right.  If you see “LO” on a scale’s display, it simply has a low battery.  “E” or “EEEE” means there has been an error, try again. “OV” on a scale’s display, means too much force has been placed on the scale and it has been overloaded.  No scale is meant to weigh everything, so it is recommended to use the appropriate model for your needs to avoid damage.

Luckily though, Escali has a flexible and efficient return/replacement policy, so there is no need to worry if your scale isn’t working quite right.  Things happen and Escali understands that.  They tip the scale in the customer’s favor to ensure that you receive a quality, accurate, and all-around great product that is a perfect fit for all your measuring needs.  What will you measure next?

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