DHDL: The silicone baking mat from KitchBo in the star test

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“The Lion’s Den”
(Not) a shot in the oven? The silicone baking mat from Kitchbo made from DHDL in the test

Do you really need a silicone baking mat with a click system? Or is this just one of many unnecessary ideas presented in “The Lion’s Den”? The star has subjected the product to practical testing.

Anyone who often prepares food in the oven will know this: After preparing greasy dishes, the baking paper drips and it is difficult to dispose of it without the fat dripping everywhere. And: It is also not particularly sustainable to constantly dispose of the paper – which must not go into the waste paper or the compost – and put it back on the baking sheet. More sustainable and practical is a permanent baking film, which is mostly made of silicone and can now be bought in almost every supermarket and drugstore. But if three founders have their way, it’s even better than a simple silicone baking mat.

KitchBo, the name of the start-up, has set itself the task of making preparing food in the oven as practical as possible. The trio is so enthusiastic about their idea that they appear on the Vox show “Die Höhle der Löwen” to push the business idea further.

KitchBo at DHDL: The idea

Specifically, KitchBo consists of Karolin Djukic, Darko Djukic and Nikola Natterer from Wangen im Allgäu. Their innovation: a modular silicone baking mat. “When you prepare fish, meat or vegetables in the oven, the food swims in its own juices and never gets really crispy. You also have to turn the food regularly so that it is cooked on all sides,” explains the founding couple. In addition, there is usually not enough space on a baking tray for different foods. When playing Lego with his son, Darko “clicked” in the truest sense of the word: he came up with the idea of ​​a baking mat with pyramid-shaped knobs so that the food does not lie directly on the mat. This allows heat to circulate freely and the indentations in the mat absorb grease and other liquids without flooding or running off the mat.

The big highlight: Thanks to a click system, additional levels can be created individually, for example for skewers on which shrimp and co. can be placed. But KitchBo is not only used in the oven: According to the founders, the mat can also be used as a shelf for defrosting food, for hot cooking utensils or as a surface for draining washed dishes. With the specially developed dishwashing sponge The permanent baking foil should be easy to clean after use. The star tested whether the mat is really as practical as it is advertised.

KitchBo in the test: The first impression

The first impression of the Starter sets is good: The silicone baking mat looks high quality and well thought out, and there are also two skewers that can be placed individually on the permanent baking film from KitchBo using four holders. They hold well and it’s fun to click them into the nubs – just like building Lego. The sponge included seems robust and feels very firm. So far so good. Then get to the bacon – or the fish or the vegetables – and start preparing.

The handling

We used different foods for the test: including shrimp, which found space on the upper level, and classic oven-roasted vegetables. It was immediately noticeable that the vegetables did not lie flat on the mat, but rather that only small areas were covered by the pyramid-shaped surface. Despite its heavy weight, the skewer held up well and the whole thing went into the oven without any problems. After the normal cooking time, it became apparent that the oven vegetables were actually browned on all sides and the shrimp were cooked evenly. The excess fat collected in the grooves of the mat and the food was less soaked in oil than I’m used to. This promise has definitely been kept. The food does not stick to the surface and the mat does not slip on the tray. It also covers the entire tray so that nothing runs down during the baking process.

When baking cookies, however, it makes sense to turn the mat over so that the cookies stay in shape and are not deformed by the nubs. KitchBo can be less shiny with sweet dishes than with savory ones, but it can still be used and the food doesn’t stick to the surface even without greasing the surface. As a rule, long-life baking foil should be able to be used up to 1000 times.

The cleaning

But what about cleaning? At first it seems difficult because of the nubs. But: since the permanent baking foil is very flexible, it can be easily rinsed under water and the leftovers from the baking almost come off by themselves if you bend it a little. Everything else can actually be easily removed with the sponge, the edges of which fit exactly into the recesses of the mat. The gadget also cleans well in the dishwasher. This promise too: kept.

The conclusion

Overall it fulfills KitchBo Silicone Baking Mat from DHDL definitely serves its purpose and is a practical gadget that enriches my kitchen accessories. The price-performance ratio is fair and appropriate compared to similar products. In addition to its function, fitting the mat with the click system is fun and it can be fitted individually – another advantage. The wide range of possible uses, especially draining freshly washed dishes, make the invention a valuable gadget in the kitchen and, in my opinion, a much better one than a simple, flat silicone baking foil.

The founders of KitchBo will be competing in “The Lions’ Den” in 2023 to expand their business. They offer ten percent of their company shares for an investment of 40,000 euros. You can see whether the trio gets a deal tonight from 8:15 p.m. on Vox.

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