Space is always at a premium on a boat, and the galley tends to get very small, very quickly-even with a minimum of pots, pans, and cooking utensils onboard. Practical Sailorreviewed one galley space-saver, nesting cookware, in the April 2009 issue, and more recently tried out FoldTuk Kitchenware. Where nesting cookware is designed for stovetop use, the FoldTuk line can be used to bake, serve, and cold-store a meal, all in the same rattle-proof container, which saves on storage space, water for dishwashing, and power.
FoldTuk is durable, sturdy, and serves the same functions of a Pyrex or Corningware dish. Made of silicone and “Ceramber,” a silicone-and-ceramic compound, the collapsible bakeware can be used in conventional, microwave, convection, and infrared ovens in temperatures up to 500 degrees. After use, the pan collapses into a 1-inch-tall container that is stackable.
The shatterproof FoldTuk dishes with plastic lids are airtight, dishwasher safe, and naturally nonstick. Their Ceramber material feels like rubber, but it is petroleum-free, so, when heated, it will not leach BPAs or present any of the health risks often associated with petroleum-based plastics. The FoldTuk also uses no non-stick coating such as PTFE or PFOA, but the Ceramber provides a natural non-stick surface.
Company studies show the Ceramber compound heats up and cools down faster than all-silicone bakeware products. The FoldTuk can be transferred from deep freeze directly into a hot oven without risk of thermal impact. (The plastic lid that accompanies the baking dishes cannot be used in an oven.)
Testers used the FoldTuk bakeware to cook several products in a conventional oven, including some tasty brownies that came out just right. The only challenge we came across during cook tests was removing food from the dishes. The stepped sides, which allow the dishes to collapse, make it a little more difficult to get food out using a spatula, and testers were concerned that using a sharp knife might damage the Ceramber.
Made in China, FoldTuk comes in multiple shapes, colors, and sizes-4 cups/32 ounces ($16) and 6-cup/48 ounces ($22). The company also sells a meat roaster ($80), and offers a limited 60-day warranty on all.
