Reddit mentions: The best condiment squeeze bottles

The recipe per request,

I'll start with the hardware. I'm by no means an expert cake decorator, and beyond the class I took in HS years ago haven't decorated a cake before. Aside from the standard baking tools I consider the following essential:

 

• Cake tins - I used 8" rounds, make sure they have sides perpendicular to the bottom of the pan
  
• piping bags & tips - to make all the fancy stuff and to pipe icing for dams & around the cake
  
• old dish towel & clothes pins - wet them and wrap them around the tins while they bake, promotes level rising
  
• spackle or drywall knife or bench scrape - to get everything nice and smooth. Make sure the blade is longer than your cake is tall.
  
• Offset spatula - helps glob frosting on and smooth things around
  
• Cake rounds - round cardboard to set the cake on. 2" bigger than your cake pan worked for me.
  
• Decorating turntable - spin cake, goes roundy round
  
• Squirt bottle - these are pretty handy for everything from salad dressing to lemon juice. I picked up these puppies from amazon
  
• Stand Mixer - I guess a hand mixer would work too, but a KitchenAid is well worth the investment for this and so much more.
  
• Fondant Smoother - It's like a cement trowel for a cake.
  
• Viva Paper Towels - mechanic paper towels would work too, basically you need a paper towel without any texture, or maybe you want texture. It's your cake, texture it if you want!
  
• Treadmill - gotta work these cake calories off somehow!
  
   
  
  As for the software you will need,
  
   
  
  
• 2 boxes of your favorite cake mix - i'm sure you can make it from scratch, it might taste better but this is enough work as it is. Duncan Heinz is the bomb anyway. I used their angel food cake for this particular cake. Whatever ingredients the box o' cake calls for.
  
• 3 value size bags of confectioner's sugar - Walmart has a massive bag for about $1.
  
• Semi-sweet chocolate - ghiradelli chips or bar
  
• Whole milk - don't skimp here, fat is our friend. It's a cake, not a kale protein smoothie.
  
• Heavy Whipping cream - about a quart
  
• Unflavored gelatin
  
• Unsalted butter - I buy the value pack from costco, freeze it if you don't use it. At least 2 lbs standing by.
  
• Hi-Ratio Shortening - This is optional I think, more on this later.
  
• Vanilla - the real stuff, not the imitation. Don't worry about clear vanilla, my buttercream turned out plenty white with pure vanilla extract that was brown.
  
• AP Flour
  
• Regular Granulated Sugar
  
• Strawberry's - the big box, not the little box. What's it like 2lbs? I used about half inside the cake and another 1/4 on top.
  
   
  
  Alright, so the entire process took me two days. You could probably do it in a shorter period of time, but I was in no rush and this was my first cake attempt so I took my time. Here are roughly the steps I took,
  
  

1. Bake the cakes. Set your oven to whatever it needs to be set to and prep the cake tins. I rubbed butter all over the interior of the tins, then sifted some flour in the tin to give it a light coat getting rid of excess. This helps it rise evenly. Some people use non-sweetened cocoa powder for chocolate cakes, which I guess you could do but I covered mine in icing so who cares. You also want to wrap wet dishtowels around the circumferance of the pan to promote even baking. I used two full boxes for two cakes, with 4 cups of batter in each tin. I definitely could have gotten away with 3. With 4 the cake rose up over the edge of the 8" tin and I got some rounding on the edges. When a piece of wood (toothpick, skewer, chopstick) inserted into the center comes out clean, they are done. Took an extra 20 mins from the box directions for me. YMMV. After the cakes are done let them cool on a wire rack a bit. You can use a dish towel draped over the top of the cake to gently push it down to try and even it out if it's not level. Flip them out of the tins onto a wire rack and let them cool till you can wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them. I chilled mine overnight, made decorating them much easier. The key is getting cakes (i think it's officially called torting) that are nice and even. You can cut them or use a cake leveler. They are pretty cheap on amazon. It's like a house, if the foundation is crooked the house is going to be too. Make sure you cake rounds are nice and even and level.
   
   
   
2. Prep the strawberries and the whipped cream filling. For the strawberries mine weren't super ripe, so I sliced them up, tossed them in sugar (2 T or so), put into a strainer that I set in a bowl, covered in plastic and refrigerated overnight. This helps the berries release some of the excess juices so when you put them on your pretty white buttercream it doesn't turn your cake into a murder scene from Dexter. Next comes the whipped cream. You have to make stabilized whipped cream or else the little bubbles of air you whip into the cream are going to collapse. Here's the tutorial I used. You'll need the cream, gelatin, some vanilla, and powdered sugar for the whipped cream.
   
   
3. Next you need to make some buttercream. I used a recipe from a tutorial here. This also covers how to damn, fill, crumbcoat, and outercoat the cake. You can watch the tutorial for the deets but here's my insight. Note that for my filling I did a layer of strawberry, whipped cream, then another layer of strawberry instead of buttercream to change it up. For the buttercream the shortening does give you some pretty stiff buttercream, but it also reminds me of the icing you'd find on an Entemann's cake. It wasn't terrible tasting per se, but it definitely wasn't buttery butter cream. I'll try this again without using the shortening, and I've seen other tutorials that just use butter and their cakes look just as smooth with straight, crisp edges. I did find it was easier to use a big piping tip to pipe the icing on for the crumb coat rather than just slather it on the sides. If you are set on trying the shortening make sure you get Hi Ratio Shortening, which is basically shortening that has transfat in it. Transfat is pretty terrible for you, so don't eat this cake like all the time. Walmart supposedly carries a variety, but I picked mine up from Amazon. Was like $18 for a 3lb tub. Totally not worth it if you can just use butter and achieve the same results.
   
   
   
4. Once you've got your cake all iced, chilled and ready you can add the exterior decorations. To get the drips on the side I followed this tutorial and just used semi-sweet instead of white chocolate. Make sure you test your ganache out of the squirt bottle to see how far it runs down a tupperware lid or something. Once you've got the desired consistency (usually related to the temperature of the ganache) you just spin the cake around while you squirt chocolate on the edge. Anywhere you want a bigger drip, put more ganache. Have fun with it. There are no mistakes, only happy accidents. For the base I just did a simple swirly with a star tip around the edge. There's a million icing tips and tutorials and guides on what they produce. Practice on some papertowel and have fun! I used whipped cream for my decorations since it's stiff enough to keep a shape and tastes WAY better then buttercream. Downside is you have to refrigerate the cake or else all that food born illness stuff. Use common sense. After the ganache sets, put the strawberries on the inside of the ganache (helps keep any excess juice from running down the cake) and add whatever other decorations you'd like.
   
    
   
   That's about the long of it, sorry for the stream of consciousness, typing this from memory, but hope this helps. Good luck - now hit the treadmill :)
   
   
   
   

So a quick review:

• The Force of Nature (FON) unit is surprisingly small
  
• No cap - just a pour spout
  
• Fill to the line with water, break & squeeze the capsule in, press the button, let sit for 10 minutes, done!
  
• Makes the water look fizzy while it's charging it (or whatever it's called)
  
• Pour spout makes filling the sprayer easy
  
• Turn the sprayer knob a little for mist, and more for a stream
  
  As far as the cleaner goes:
  
  
• Smells like a pool (chlorinated...like a well-maintained pool, not a horribly over-chlorinated pool
  
• Takes about 10 minutes after wiping dry for the smell to go away
  
• Does a good on multiple surfaces (including glass)
  
  As far as cleaning goes:
  
  
• To clean, spray & wipe
  
• To disinfect, you have to spray it, leave it for 10 minutes, THEN wipe it - think of it like toilet bowl cleaner, it's gotta sit for awhile
  
• There's no alcohol in the spray, so it takes forever to evaporate, so you have to wipe it dry
  
• They recommend scrubbing down gross surfaces with baking soda & water as needed (to clear the surface), THEN clean with the FON spray, then wipe dry
  
  Glass cleaning is pretty good, although you have to work a bit harder than my homemade glass cleaner...it does clean the glass & leave it streak-free, although at an angle I could see some "foggy" spots. This is the recipe for my homemade glass cleaner, which is wicked amazing:
  
  
• 1/4-cup Rubbing Alcohol
  
• 1/4-cup White Vinegar
  
• 2-teaspoons Cornstarch (this is what makes it streak-free)
  
• 2-cups Water
  
  Directions: (works great, WAY better than Windex!)
  
  

1. Combine using a blender (make sure to clean the blender out with soap or in the dishwasher after!)
   
2. Pour into a spray bottle (I get those blue glass misting bottles off Amazon)
   
3. I just use paper towels to wipe it off
   
   Anyway...I'm a bit sensitive to smells, and the FON spray definitely smelled like a pool to me. It's not a "nice, light, fresh, clean" scent like Febreze or something...it smells like a chlorinated pool. Not like a "whack you in the face" smell like Lysol with Bleach, but strong enough to be noticeable. The smell does dissipate pretty well after ten minutes or so, but if you're working extensively in a small, poorly-ventilated space like a half-bathroom, make sure to leave the door open!
   
   So far so good...it's cleaned everything I've thrown at it! One thing I was really happy with is my plastic squeeze bottles for cooking oil...I have various plastic squeeze bottles like this:
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Condiment-16-ounce-Dressing-Pinnacle-Mercantile/dp/B00OZOW6E0/
   
   I use them for various oils like olive oil, canola oil, etc. for easy squirting while cooking. The plastic tends to get VERY greasy from the oil & I've never quite been able to de-grease them, even with liquid dish soap or in the dishwasher. The FON spray did a GREAT job with them! Granted, they sucked up a little bit of the chlorine smell into the outside, but at least they're not all greasy when I touch them anymore!
   
   I have a large supply of capsules from the one-year starter kit, so I'll continue to use them & see how they fare. So far, it seems to be a pretty universal cleaner, and despite the chlorine scent (which isn't horrible, and also airs out after awhile, for the most part), isn't killing my nose, making me dizzy, or giving me headaches from the noxious smell like other cleaning chemicals do. I'll have to give it a try on carpet next, to see how it fares...

I haven't tried Dewberry Cream or Strawberry Milk, but there are MYRIAD versions of fruit+cream DIY recipes out there, and most don't suck! (LOL!!)

Here's my recommendations for starting-The fact that you've got Amazon Prime helps in the shipping costs! First, head over to the DIY site of your choice. There's a TON of info over in the sidebar at /r/DIY_e_Juice! Here's the beginner's guide to get you started. If you'd like the TL;DR version, here it is:

• Go to Amazon, buy these. SCALE, VG (I prefer to buy it by the gallon, but since you're first starting it's your choice), PG
  
  
• While you're at Amazon, you might want to pick up some bottles. I really like LDPE bottles because they are easy for me to squeeze. If those are the kind you are used to, I recommend 510 Central Their bottles are sturdy, yet squeezable, hold up to multiple washes, available in sizes ranging from 10 ml to 120 ml and are Prime eligible. I really like their 60 ml-enough juice to get you through a few days, yet pocket or bag friendly. Smaller bottles are great for trying new recipes-I like 30 ml bottles for that. It gives you enough juice to decide whether you like it or not without leaving completely jonesing for more! If glass or PET bottles are more your speed, there should be some listed under the "Frequently Bought Together" slides of any of the above linked items.
  
  
• While not absolutely necessary, I recommend getting two condiment style bottles for dispensing the VG and PG into whatever bottle style you choose. I actually bought mine at Michael's in their cake/candy decorating isle. They were cheaper there, and they're even less expensive at WalMart.
  
  Once you've gotten these items ordered, go have a look at some recipes either at /r/DIY_e_Juice, alltheflavors.com or e-liquid-recipes.com Here's a Unicorn Milk clone that seems right up your alley. find two or three more recipes that sound good and don't take a whole helluva lot of flavor concentrates, then order up the concentrates for those recipes only. It's tempting to buy a slew of concentrates that sound good. Some might be winners, some less so. The thing you don't want is a bunch of concentrates that you never do anything with!(This was the mistake I made-I now have a bunch of concentrates I don't use and are going bad) When you order concentrates, stick with the small bottles to start. This will allow you to make plenty of juice while you're getting your feet wet.
  
  
• For getting concentrates, I really like Bull City Flavors, Nicotine River, and Ecig Express. I've used Gremlin DIY as well and they've got some great prices but their bottles tend to leak after a while. Don't get concentrates from Amazon, though! Some of the ones that are listed on the site aren't meant for vaping and it can be extremely difficult to discern what's what.
  
  Sorry it took so long to answer you-I think I've covered everything. If I haven't, shoot me a PM and I'll apologize profusely while covering whatever base I missed!

Sourcing everything in your first order from the same vendor will save on shipping costs.

I don't know your budget, but I recommend getting the AWS-LB501 Digital Scale from Amazon, currently $35 USD. This way, you never have to touch pipettes, syringes, beakers, cylinders, etc. and just pour everything into the bottle you'll end up carrying the juice in. You can easily exceed $35 buying all that other mixing crap so just start off mixing by weight using the scale. Super easy.

Bottles: Get whatever size you like to buy in store. I like 30mL bottles but that's because I'm constantly switching flavors (which you might start doing too once you see how fun DIY is!). Having said that, I'd also recommend getting a set of 10mL "tester" bottles. This lets you try out recipes and experiment without wasting too much flavoring / nic / VG / PG.

Also as /u/chewymidget saidbuy flavorings for specific, well reviewed recipes instead of random flavorings. I didn't do this when I started out and regret it. This helps make the initial mixing experience more enjoyable since you'll be making good juice right off the bat.

Here's a quick list: ###

• Digital scale
  
• Assorted size bottles (10mL and something else like 30mL or 60mL, depending on preference)
  
• I use condiment bottles for my VG/PG because honestly it's pretty damn difficult to pour from a half gallon bottle into a tiny 30mL bottle ;-)
  
• 120mL of nicotine at 100mg/mL concentration suspended in PG (you can go smaller, 120mL will last you a while but I think it's a good starting size). I see no point to VG or mixed VG/PG nicotine. PG is what all your flavorings are suspended in.
  
• 1 qt PG
  
• Half gallon of VG (this is your biggest consumable so don't be afraid to get an entire gallon)
  
• Enough flavorings to mix three recipes you find that appeal to you and are highly reviewed / rated by the community
  
• Paper towel. Lots and lots of paper towel. Maybe even stock in whatever company sells Bounty
  
• Masking tape or cheap mailing labels for your bottles
  
  I hope this helps out. Good luck and above all else, have fun with it!

1. An immersion blender is nice in that its detachable head is marginally easier to clean, but if your food processor is still oily, you could try using more soap when you clean it, or passing it through the dishwasher (minus the blade of course)
   
   
2. Squeeze Bottles! The nice things about the clear ones is that you can even mark out the volumes for dressings that you like to make most often. Easy to shake up, easy to dispense (and usually better control than a jar), and mostly pain-free to clean. May want to invest in a funnel to help fill it up.
   
   
3. Most homemade dressings should last up to two weeks in the fridge. If it clumps up, try giving it a good hard shake until it re-emulsifies and then a quick taste check?
   
   
4. Check out this article by serious eats!

I'm not sure how much you know between you and your gf so I'm gonna give you a lot of info here just in case.

I highly recommend this detangling brush. My sister has 4C hair similar to this and with the right conditioner, it detangles her curls in a flash without too much pulling. Also, start from the ends, work your way up, and work in sections.

What products are you using to detangle? I would suggest getting a good regular conditioner as well as a leave-in so the curls and knots come apart with less effort. Aussie Moist is my fave in-shower conditioner and Shea Moisture Black Castor and Shea Butter is my fav leave in cause it detangles my hair in a instant and leave it soft and moisturized all week. It's not for everyone though so definitely do some shopping around.

Also, try wetting and detangling the hair a bit before washing because (in my experience) the movement and shrinkage of the hair during the makes the tangles a bit worse.

Technique is also important with curly hair. When you wash, try using slightly diluted shampoo in a squeezy bottle so you can apply it directly to the scalp and to the hair. Of course you want to shampoo the hair as well but it's better to work the shampoo from the root to the tip to avoid tangles.

You'll want to massage the scalp with your fingertips through the hair. Do not do this or yall will have a bad time lol. This creates so many tangles and damages the hair. I would recommend checking out a few poc curly hair wash day youtube videos for good technique.

Also, pat her hair dry. Please for the love of all that is good do not rub her hair on the towel.

I would recommend styling her hair while its damp with a leave in conditioner if thats easier for yall. There's nothing wrong with styling the hair while wet, in fact, a lot of curly girls prefer this because managing the hair when its dry has the potential to cause frizz or breakage. Also, I noticed you mentioned you oil her scalp. Try using the oil after the leave in so it seals in the moisture.

I'm not sure if you guys are already doing this but definitely give night scarves and bonnets a try. They'll be a huge help in the long run because they help combat frizz, tangles, lint, and breakage that occurs from sleeping on cotton.

if you grab a scale the lb-501 is probably the most popular, but people pick up the little dealer scales too. you just want to make sure it has .01 g accuracy and the ability to stay on without an auto-shutoff. people like to throw their VG and PG in condiment bottles you can get at the dollar store. transfer the nic into a brown glass bottle with an eyedropper, just use an old ejuice bottle you probably have laying around and leave it in the fridge, makes things a little easier. elr has tons of recipes and a good calculator plus lets you keep notes. defintely check out the other sub, people can even help you refine a recipe or help figure out clone recipes. here's a clip demoing by volume vs by weight, good luck man

It's really simple if you (at first) just ignore flavoring reviews, creating, and all that and look at top rated recipes on alltheflavors. Pick something that looks reasonably close to your usual preferences and it'll probably be a good fit.

From there, in terms of the mechanics, you're just clicking the "Mix" button and dripping stuff into a bottle until a scale reads around the number on ur screen.

You need:

Bottles (I use dropperbottles.com and buy 100 at a time)

Whatever flavorings go in the recipes you chose (bullcity and ecigexpress are good sources. Diyvaporsupply too)

Nic (I use Vapers Tek, which is good quality EU nic and not expensive)

VG/PG (Can use Essential Depot on Amazon if u aren't ordering from somewhere that sells base)

A scale that measures to the hundredth of the gram (a lot of people use the American Weigh Scales LB-501)

And you're done :)

Probably be good to include 30ml bottles so you can split up the nic. A small funnel would help with that. Put the nic you're not using in the freezer. Disposable gloves can be a good idea.

Nothing else I can think of that really makes it easier. I guess [condiment bottles like these](7-pack Plastic Squeeze Condiment Bottles - 16 Ounce with Red Tip Cap - Made in USA - Perfect for Ketchup, BBQ, Sauces, Syrup, Condiments, Dressings, Arts and Crafts - BPA-Free https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HAWNA5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gWVEDb927PWQC) for dispensing the VG/PG if you start out with bulk. Have to cut the tip around the second line for VG to flow.

You could try to make some simple dishes but with some cool plating techniques!

One of my favorite examples is a mozzarella, tomato and basil salad (Caprese)
You can arrange the slices in a pretty pattern and then drizzle olive oil and balsamic over the top, adding ground pepper in the end.
You could also use grape tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls on skewers as a nice appetizer.

Also, consider purchasing some plastic squeeze bottles for plating sauces: https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Kitchen-Restaurant-Condiment-Containers/dp/B077ST4HYN/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540261468&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=squeeze+bottles+sauce&psc=1

Last, try using garnishes such as chopped parsley, mint, basil, etc. since the pop of color helps make things look exciting.

Maybe this will also help:
https://www.bonappetit.com/gallery/impressive-but-easy-recipes

You can use salt and pepper packets from KFC or similar (they burn) and I also save a few sauce sachets (they don't burn). You might like mini containers like these and these ones (use 1 or 2 for sauces) and these things are in superstores. Are they smaller than what you have already?

A lot of hotels have mini-toiletries like shower gels, shampoos, moisturisers and tiny soaps. Ask friends and family to grab some if you don't stay in hotels and see if they suit you. Toothpaste in a straw sounds intriguing and very possible. UK dentists hand out samplers about 2" long so I collect them. You know you don't have to take full tubes out with you?! Why not buy a cheap toothpaste and squeeze out what you don't need or start putting half-finished ones to the side for camping? Roll 'em up tight for packing.

I take two mini-hand sanitizers for hygiene and (rarely) helping a fire.

Sample tube of toothpaste (2") and cheap brush.

1/2 packet of moist wipes or anti-bac kitchen wipes are as good.

1/2 roll of TP squashed flat.

KFC/McDonald's salt & pepper sachets. Maybe sauce sachets too.

Few tablespoons of cooking oil (olive or veggie) in a water bottle with most of the air crushed out (cheap ones are extremely thin).

Pre-made spice mix in a sandwich bag e.g. garlic granules (is that possible in bear country?), chilli flakes, chopped chilli, celery salt or something like 5-spice.

Strong squares of baking foil folded flat so they don't use up space.

These are the things I bought this summer when I purchased my frist Blackstone.

For squeeze bottles: criteria: they dont leak as I take them camping https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076PT3BD9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For spatulas & Scraper: Wanted ones that dont bend and hold up well without breaking the bank
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Metal-Spatula-Set/dp/B072QT1LYY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=anmarko&qid=1575082739&sr=8-1

Cafeteria trays: surprised how much I love/use these, such easy cleanup camping, no excessive waste of paper plates etc. Mine were red, pack of six, and a bit cheaper than what the price is showing now. I use them for everything, chopping veggies, preparing steaks, just toss the dirty one aside, grab a clean one, put the cooked stuff on them, let the steaks rest on them etc. Much sturdier than paper plates. But I also find myself using them at home a lot now when going outside and back inside. Easy carrying food.
https://www.amazon.com/Carlisle-CT1014-8103-Standard-Cafeteria-Black/dp/B01C5HC1S4/ref=sr_1_37?crid=KRE80XQPYXZZ&keywords=carlisle+food+tray&qid=1575082836&sprefix=carlisle+%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-37

Meat temp pen: its cheap and it works, not the best you can buy
https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Digital-Instant-Thermometer-Kitchen/dp/B01IHHLB3W/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=thermopro&qid=1575083104&sr=8-7

Digital Read Temperature for the griddle. Cant find the one I bought

I already owned excellent quality dome lids. Get one! They work great for steaming vegetables, melting cheese, etc.

If you bought the new pro series with a lid, you can make things like pizza really well :) I made it all summer on my smaller 22" with lid and figured out the best base to set the pizza on was a wire cooking rack. I found the pizza stone worked as well but it got very hot directly on the griddle, and I figured it was just as easy to place it on a rack. Either the pizza directly or the stone on rack. So a cheap cooking rack is handy.

Lots and lots of paper towels :)

don't go talking too loud you'll cause a landslide, Mr. Jones

$25 item - 12 inch

$10 item - Pack of 6

$5 item - $5.85 at the moment :/ Sorry if that breaks your rules. But it does have free shipping. Set of 3, 12oz.

I vote for 2 people at the $10 gift. Two winners are better than one! But four is maybe stretching thin? I figure this way two people can still win and get significant prizes off their wishlist.

https://www.talasonline.com/Methyl-Cellulose

https://www.hollanders.com/index.php/methyl-cell-3-ounces.html

https://www.hollanders.com/index.php/methyl-cell-8-ounces.html

When you buy it it comes in a powder, so you'll need to make the glue yourself. There are multiple ways to do it, but here's what I do.

Take 4 tsp. of the MC Powder and pour it into your bottle. I use a 16 oz. condiment bottle. Then you fill up the bottle halfway with hot water, shake the stuff a little bit, and let it stand for ten minutes or so. After that you can fill the rest of the bottle with cold water, shake it again, and let it stand for 24 hours. I've found that, ideally the MC should be kept in an area between 70 and 75 degrees F, but as long as it isn't in extreme temperatures it should be fine. The warmer the room the less viscous the mixture is. After the 24 hours have elapsed you should be good to go. The consistency should be kind of like hair gel, but again the temperature affects the viscosity.

I use Methyl Cellulose for two things mainly.

1): I use this by itself for helping me remove old spine reinforcement (mull, extra reinforcing paper, etc.) so I can replace it. I basically take a tiny amount of MC and spread it over the materials I need to remove, wait about a minute so it isn't too wet to work with, and then gently scrape off the materials with a painter's knife (these aren't sharp and so I don't have much risk of cutting the sigs or thread). I do this a bunch of times until enough material is off.

2): I also use this in a 2-1 PVA to MC mix (so 2 parts PVA, 1 part MC) when I'm gluing over large surfaces and I need a bit more time to make sure everything's lined up properly. Usually I add some PVA separately just because the mix doesn't have enough tack for me.

Yeah I've had to learn a few tips that noone told me when I first made the switch. I use a squeeze bottle like this. Fill it up 3:1 with water/powder. Mix it up and throw it in the fridge. I change my food daily in all 14 tanks with geckos in them. The best thing I've found for drying out is to change the food right after the before bed spray. The humidity has spiked because it's just been sprayed down, the lights are out so the humidity will stick around. That way the food stays good throughout the night. If it dries out in the middle of the day it's ok, chances are they're asleep and could care less about the food.

As for seeing them eat, it is kinda nerve-racking, but just look for poops. Or if you wanna get super involved get a night-mode enabled web cam and record it. Then play it at like 5x and be able to watch them be adorable as hell.

I try and keep it simple. I have a shed in my backyard which is finished and serves as my home office/man cave.

I keep everything there except my Nic which is stored in my freezer.

I take the Nic out and dilute it down to 60mg from 100 and keep that in a plastic 30ml bottle. I secure that because I have kids.

For my VG and PG I bought some cheap condiment bottles off of Amazon (link below) which makes it easier to work with.

Then I have my flavors and my scale.

I'm kind of a one flavor guy. I have one recipe that I really love so I really just stick to that. I've done it so many times I practically have it memorized. That's just me though.

So when it's time to mix up a new batch I bust out my 30ml Nic bottle, PG/VG, flavors and scale and mix it into a 100ml drip free reagent glass bottle I got from Nicotine River. Takes me like 5 minutes to whip up a batch, shake it up and let it rest.

I have two reagents that I cycle between so I have something to vape while the other steeps.

I transfer juice to a 30ml unicorn bottle for carrying it around and refilling my mod.

Easy peazy.

Plastic Squeeze Condiment Bottles with Red Tip Cap 16-ounce Set of 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gy1Vzb36437WP


https://www.nicotineriver.com/collections/diy-tools/products/reagent-bottle

https://www.nicotineriver.com/collections/diy-tools/products/chubby-gorilla-unicorn

Step 1: Find a recipe you love

Step 2: Make 500mL of it in a 16oz squeeze bottle like this

Step 3: Shake it for like 5 minutes

Step 4: Forget about it for at least 2 weeks, ideally a month.

Step 5: Enjoy the fuck out of it.

Step 6: Make another one when it's half empty.


Once you adopt this procedure you'll never go back. Having fully steeped juice ready to go at all times is the best. I just fill up 60mLs to carry around. I usually have 2-5 of my go-to flavors ready at any time. Fresh juice sucks.

A griddle is absolutely my favorite cooking... appliance? Method? Thingy? Regardless, I've worked as a cook in a couple diner/short order places and quickly learned to LOVE griddles, especially the big, professional ones. I swear a good cook could make soup on a griddle, without a pan, they're that versatile.

My advice is to get a good spatula like this (if you have a cast-iron/steel griddle). I'd also suggest getting a set of stainless steel bowls & set of squeeze bottles and filling one with water & the other with oil. That makes it easy to grease the griddle before putting something down, as well as using the water and an upside down bowl to steam buns.

If you have a large griddle you can experiment with making one side hotter than the other, which comes in handy for keeping things warm and cooking different things at the same time.

When you're done cooking, while the pan is still hot, use the spatula to scrape off everything you can. Once the heat is off, pour a little bit of HOT water into the pan or onto the griddle but watch out for steam. Then use a brillo pad or one of those green scrubbers to barely clean the pan (use tongs if it's really hot). You're not trying to scour it, you just want to loosen up anything remaining stuck to the pan so you can rinse it out. Once the pan is scraped/wiped clean, rinse it off in hot water, then put it back on the burner on high/medium-high until it's dry.

You might already know it but most cast iron cook surfaces are made up of little micro-pits, and what you're actually doing when you "season" the pan is getting something (like cooked food, oil, etc.) to fill in the pits, so it's smoother. That's why people say not to scrub cast iron or to use soap, but a quick wipe or light scrub with a brillo isn't going to hurt it, and the soap thing is from when soaps had lye in it (most no longer do), which did a better job of removing the seasoning.

So, here are some really practical things I like to do as gifts, because they're things people don't really think about, but when you don't have them... so annoying!

• Flexible Jar Openers No need for a man with one of these. Seriously, it can't get you off, but it can open any f'ing jar you will ever need to open.
  
• Fly Swatter
  
• Cast Iron Skillet Great for stove top or in the oven
  
• A few plastic condiment bottles. I like to buy the large jugs of oil (olive and sunflower) and pour them into these bottles to use. Way easier and it's cheap. Also good for storing dish soap if you buy the large, bulk size, or hand soap.
  
• Various cleaning supplies and soaps (sponges, scrubbers, gallon size bucket (to store cleaners and to use when cleaning), dust pan, broom, toothbrush)
  
• some other things you always forget about when moving (can opener, zip lock bags, aluminum foil, sharpie marker, surge protector, scissors, rubber bands)
  
  Add a bottle of wine, cuz the rest of this shit is boring af.

Get some of these for pg and vg. Makes it much easier on bigger batches. Other than that I think you should be good to go!

Wilton Set of 2 6-Ounce Mini Melting Decorating Squeeze Bottles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000VMBF6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_PEFQub048W01T

This scale is widely recommended on this site. It works great and is cheap.

American Weigh Scales LB-501 Digital Kitchen Scale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UGBG20/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_XGFQub1Z148CF

Edit: Also something bigger to mix in on big batches like beakers or mason jar. Something like that.

1. Turn off the news. When looked at objectively things *aren't* bad. They aren't as good as you wish in whatever area, but I bet money, marbles or chalk that at least 1/3rd of the people strongly disagree with you and wish it was that far in the OTHER direction, so while it could be better, it would be worse for someone else.
   
2. Spend more time outside in green places. Go for a hike in a national forest/national park. It's good for your mental state. This is science.
   
3. Get a PROFESSIONAL massage. Both of you.
   
4. Start exercising regularly. Weights and "cardio". These are proven stress reducers. If the kids are a problem, find a gym that has child watch. Most of the 24 hour fitness (not to advocate them, but they aren't *horrible*) gyms around here have some sort of play area for kids. Put the kids somewhere (relatively) safe for an hour or 90 minutes and burn off your sweat. Some places have a hot tub.
   
5. Get a jar of coconut oil (supposedly unrefined is best, IDK why). Get a bottle of this https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Organic-Aloe-Health-Moisturizing/dp/B00XW8CSE8 and one of these https://www.amazon.com/7-pack-Plastic-Squeeze-Condiment-Bottles/dp/B01HAWNA5M from your local grocery store. Fill it about half way with the coconut oil. Then the other half with the aloe. Put it in a HOT cup of water to keep it liquid. Cover your bed with an old blanket (or a cheap one from target/walmart). Now use about 1/4 that bottle rubbing down your wife. Then tomorrow night she uses another 1/4 rubbing you down. That bottle of Aloe will get you two bottles of massage oil. Good for your skin AND your state of mind.

Hey, I’m glad to share what works for me! I use a pointy-nozzled squeeze bottle filled with half-diluted shampoo. You know the kind of bottles that some restaurants serve ketchup and mustard in? (LINK to what I use) ?

Fill one half full of water, then add shampoo. (Water first, so they blend better.)

After you’ve wet your hair, just grab the bottle, work the nozzle through your hair until it touches your scalp, then squeeze. Repeat at a few/several points around your scalp. Then lather your lovely heart out!

>Right now I have one of those giant bottles of Caramel Skinny Syrup at my desk and I feel ridiculous every time I make a coffee, like it’s a mixed drink or something. 🤣


You can buy small squeeze bottles and transfer some of it into a more portable bottle to have at your desk. :) I usually use them for craft stuff but these various size bottles would be good for the desk. Believe it or not those amber glass bottles with built in measure droppers in the cap are excellent for portion control too.

Store-bought mayo is definitely unhealthy; companies like Hellman's use refined soybean oil, low quality eggs and everything is pasteurized. Make your own mayo with healthy, cold-pressed oils and fresh eggs, and don't be afraid of fat from good sources. Here's the mayo I always make:

• Combine 2 raw egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 1 Tbsp mustard, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper.
  
  
• Combine 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup coconut oil. If you have a bottle like this, use it. Anything that allows you to control the stream of the oil will do.
  
  
• If you have a high speed blender, add everything but the oils to the carafe and blend on a moderate speed. Add a slow stream of oil to the blender, starting at a few drops and increasing the flow until the oil is completely combined. Be careful not to overheat it.
  
  
• If you do not have a suitable blender, you're going to be whisking with one hand and pouring oil with the other. The process is the same, albeit slower.

I love your bears! And, I love making gummies, too! Here are a couple of tips that you're free to use, or ignore:

Condiment bottles work great for transferring to the molds.

Pour your gummy into a cup and let it harden, remove from the cup and cut the top foamy bit off, then remelt the gummy slug before transferring to your molds. Your gummies will come out almost crystal clear! This tip is fairly time consuming, so I only do it when presentation matters. You can use a disposable plastic cup for easier removal of the gummie slug, but if you don't want to be wasteful a regular glass works just fine.

Oh shoot! Yeah of course! Went for the 2oz size myself but there seems to be a few different sizes available. (I refuse to give up Kens Caesar for salads & mix it with hot sauce for wraps.) Its amazing how little you need for flavor, especially without large gobs falling out of the bottle unavoidably. You can snip part of the tops off for a wider hole, as long as it isnt below the line where the cap secures.


https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Squeeze-Bottles-Crafts-Purpose/dp/B017UR07NU

This is not a recipe suggestion as much as a tip. Get squeezy bottles for:

• Oil, peanut or some high temp oil
  
• Broth
  
• Soy sauce
  
• Fish sauce [edit: just saw the seafood]
  
• Sesame Oil
  
• Sriracha
  
  Also the little Soy Sauce Dishes for:
  
  
• Ginger paste
  
• Garlic
  
• green onion tops
  
• green onion bottoms
  
• sugar
  
• msg (or broth powder or ignore if you hate msg)
  
• cornstarch
  
• touchi
  
• XO sauce [contains seafood]
  
  Finally, do not buy the products I mentioned through the links I supplied. Go to your local chinatown. It will have all these products and cost less.
  
  Other accessories: a gas burner, you can get a portable one at 10$. A wok ladle. and a spider.
  
  As for recipes... er... popcorn? ;)
  
  Stir fries are great, but once you start making your own fried rice you'll look forward to converting ALL leftovers into carby goodness.
  
  Enjoy and don't hesitate to ask us questions!

Get date labels.

https://www.amazon.com/DayMark-IT111183-Monday-Sunday-Octagonal-Removable/dp/B00KY1NZI4/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1469822215&sr=8-11&keywords=date+labels

Put one of those on the bulk container you make writing the date on the proper day. Make enough for a week at a time, and do FIFO. Clean out your smaller simple syrup bottles (something like this) you use for drinks everyday (don't pour it back in, for the love of god don't do that). Voila, you are now complying with even California health code which is extremely anal.

Use a squeeze bottle. It's airtight and you get a lot more wallop from each sniff because of the extra volume allowing atomizing. Some people recommend you use a cotton ball or paper towel as a wick. I tried this and found it wasn't useful, because you can't pour it back in the original bottle for storage. The tapered nozzle makes this a breeze. I've read that it is exposure to oxygen that is the accelerator of the degradation. I have had great success with purchasing the 30ml bottles and keeping them rather potent until they are used up. I just pour them in the squeeze bottle to use, then return to the original bottle to store. You can buy them at Walmart or Michaels for a couple of bucks. Here's the amazon link.https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Mini-Squeeze-Bottles-6-Oz/dp/B0000VMBF6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1492628236&sr=8-4&keywords=squeeze+bottle

Hell from the video it could be Hershey's chocolate syrup. but it could also be a fudge ice cream topping they might have warmed it just slightly to make it pour like that. if you want that effect. put the sauce in one of these condiment bottles and use that to drizzle it on your dish

sometime like these... they have stuff like this at Walmart they are not expensive

https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-28560-Squeeze/dp/B018WCMCEE/ref=sr_1_34?

Great post. A good way to avoid spin offs altogether is to use a condiment bottle to apply your fuel. You can apply the perfect amount and won't need to spin off. I recommend that you do this over an empty can or something to catch any drips.

Happy Birthday, mang!

I too bought the Sterile Siphon Starter racking cane & hood after reading u/brulosopher's write-up (Cheers, bro). It's much simpler than a clunky auto-siphon (which I've been using for almost 2 years now).

Because I don't have a utility sink, and our kitchen sink is small (and the stainless cane is quite tall) - to rinse and clean, I just use food service squeeze bottles like these and run hot water, and/or PBW/Oxy solution, and then with Star San. Not sure if this is of any value, but otherwise - Cheers!

Very cool! I’ve never built any myself but my first inclination is to use cheap kitchen sponges - the kind without the scrubbing side. How are you attaching them to the tongs? If you wanted to reduce drips even more, you could try applying the chemical with something like a plastic condiment bottle instead of dipping?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009D9Z7TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QTJ9AbN3QZ24Y

Seems like something the dollar store would have too.

I get condiment bottles at the dollar store. They're made of nice, sturdy and food safe plastic.

There's the typical yellow/red for mustard and ketchup but they usually have white ones that are semi-transparent and the tip is kinda like a little funnel.

Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Mini-Squeeze-Bottles-6-Oz/dp/B0000VMBF6

The opening is so wide you can just sit a 30ml glass dropper bottle upside down in it.

As you know with is his videos, it seems like some squeeze bottles and a bit of food coloring can go a long way for really cool 2d pancakes. I'm definitely going to try it one day.

GREAT QUESTION. So I've used those disposable fleet enemas in the past. We didn't have any, so he rummaged in the kitchen until he found one of these. Filled it with warm water and helped me, um, apply it as needed.

I like the idea, but I'm also cringing a bit at the sustainability. You can get reusable versions for pretty cheap. Looks yummy!

This should be higher up. Jim's creations are excellent and the plastic squeeze bottle makes this LPT much more convenient. You can get three of them for $6.

Re: the bedbugs, because I have battled this horror and won. Forget the retail shit. It's expensive and only works in seriously high volume. This is what we used in conjunction with diatomaceous earth. It looks expensive upfront but it's a concentrate that you mix with water and it works so much better than the retail versions - it also lasts FOREVER. It's quite dangerous when wet, you want to cover all your skin and a wear gloves & a mask when you spray, but after it dries for a couple hours it's safe to be around. One spraying is supposed to last three months, so we went hard on it and that was the end of the bugs. The biggest problem is that if you don't sleep in the same place every night, they will follow you, and they can fit into a space the width of a credit card, which is just about everywhere. So what we did was we sprayed every single nook and cranny, we even took apart my bed frame and really drowned them out. If you get DE without pesticides it's completely harmless, otherwise dust it anywhere it's not going to be a nuisance - especially under furniture. We got a plastic condiment bottle for this, no joke, and it puffs the DE out really evenly. Again, mask if it's got pesticides. It takes a week or two to weed them all out, but it was the only thing that worked for us, and by god did it work. You also need to wash and dry all of your bedding, linens, and clothing on the highest possible settings - we took ours to a laundromat for this, although obviously this risks spreading them. Anything that can't be sprayed or washed might need to be put into a ziplock and tucked away for the next 12 months, because that's how long they can live without food. :\ But it is possible to get rid of them, I promise!

Transfering back and forth is not a great idea, more chances for it to get contaminated. Put your VG and PG into working bottles, if your mixing by weight, condiment bottles work well, something like this. When you run out in your working bottles, wash them out let them dry then refil from your large bottles of VG/PG.

As for Nic, break it down into smaller bottles, 30ml Boston rounds with poly cap work well. Say if you have 120ml of nic, break it down into four bottles, put three in the freezer and use one for your working nic.

I would get a fresh new bottle. Don't want to end up with ketchup flavored vg. This is what I use. I buy vg by the gallon and easily fill these guys up to use when mixing. SET OF 2 -- 24 Oz. (Ounce) Large Clear Squeeze Bottle, Condiment Squeeze Bottle, Open-Tip, Screw-On Spout, Polyethylene Durable Plastic, Diner Style https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009D9Z7TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_84RJzb0QA0Y9Q

I came across these bottles on amazon (link). I think there are plenty of similar options.

This is my first time using them, so I can't speak much to durability. I can say that having condiment bottles with tops that snap closed are much more useful than the ones with pointed nozzles. I've had an issue with losing caps on the pointed ones.

Thank you so much! Simply a small nozzle bottle. Hopefully this link works.

2-Ounce Plastic Squeeze Bottles (6-Pack); HDPE Squeeze Bottles for Crafts, Food, A... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017UR07NU/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_mm-BDbNECKSV4

These are cheap and work perfectly. I always have one with simple syrup, one with honey syrup and one with ginger syrup.

http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Supply-Squeeze-Bottles-8-oz/dp/B0026K7FZK/

Or try a squeeze bottle, cut the tip off to about 1/4 inch down the spigot for best flow with something as thick as pancake batter.

Just get a bunch of clear squeezy condiment bottles like these ones

https://smile.amazon.com/Condiment-16-Ounce-Condiments-Dressing-Workshop/dp/B01HAWNA5M/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1523415418&sr=1-5&keywords=condiment+squeeze+bottles

I’ve found that these work great. I’d highly suggest them.

Squeeze Bottles
they work great for a lot of things.

These are relatively inexpensive, but cool to have items:

Long Handled grill basket

Collapsible solar light

personal water filter

Haul and hang kitchen organizer

Daypack There's nothing special about this particular one, but every car camper needs a daypack for hiking.

Battery pack for charging small electronics

Weatherproof matches

Hiker's Emergency whistle

Mosquito head net

Hydration bladder

Collapsible water jug

Condiment squeeze bottles (for more efficient cooler packing)

Microwavable squeeze bottles. Fill with coconut oil. Nuke for a few seconds and you have nice, warm slip and slide.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000VMBF6/

Squeeze bottles are my choice. My syrups are generally made 2:1 so it takes forever to use a regular bottle with a speed pourer, and squeeze bottles are great to cut the flow exactly when you want to.

I do 1:1 syrups, both simple (white cane sugar) and demarera. Measure out the sugar and the water by weight -- this is extra important for the demarera because of its larger grain size. I combine inside my storage container (https://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Mercantile-Squeeze-Plastic-Condiment/dp/B00OZLSYYY) then shake at room temperature to dissolve.

I find that not adding extra heat gives the resulting syrup extra viscosity, which might be due to fructose-glucose bonds not breaking. I like the squeeze bottles because they minimize air exchange, and building the syrup in the container minimizes chances for mold spores to get in. Even without adding any alcohol, my syrups keep for 4-6mo in the fridge no problem.

I write down cocktail recipes using 1:1 syrup, and if someone calls for a rich 1:2 syrup, I just multiply their volume by 1.5x in my version. People say they like rich simple to minimize dilution, but the syrup is such a small component of a final cocktail that it's just splitting hairs at that point.

I use food safe plastic squeeze bottles. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OZLSYYY/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w

Something like this?

We just use a squeeze condiment bottle (you can trim the tip if needed) and like others have mentioned we also use a faucet plug brush at closing

Squeezy bois


Plug brush

Ok, I don’t know where you live, but in the USA you can just buy condiments in squeeze bottles. Alternatively, you might try amazon for bottles you can use.

amazon squeeze bottles

I am probably getting ripped off from Amazon but I wanted something quick and these have been holding up fine for me.

16oz condiment squeeze bottles. Small bottle of Strawberry Ripe is a 4oz bottle for scale

Amazon Link

Maybe something like this?

Plastic Condiment Squeeze Bottles with Red Tip Cap 16-ounce Set 6 for Ketchup, Mustard, BBQ, Dressing, Sauces, Crafts and More Pinnacle Mercantile https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UIgBCbARRY6A7

I think they're referring to this type of bottle - the one you see ketchup served in at hot dog stands and the like.

For a more moist cake, soak it in simple syrup.
Put equal parts water and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to cool, and then soak your cake. After that, fill and decorate as usual.
Use one of these guys for getting the syrup on the cake.


(I should probably clarify that "soak" doesn't mean the cake should be sopping wet. You want the cake to be wet to the touch, but not ridiculous.)

I swear by these commercial kitchen squeeze bottles for any homemade condiment that I don't want to accidentally pour too much of onto something. You might need to shake a little harder to get the dressing well-mixed as opposed to something with a whisk/blender/shakerball involved, but I've never had a problem with making a vinaigrette-style salad dressing right in the bottle.

Some say that a squeezable plastic condiment bottle - as is commonly used for ketchup and mustard, and which is available for just a dollar or two in the grocery store - makes a viable and low-budet alternative to the rocket blower.

And it doesn't look like a bomb.

I use these or something functionally identical: https://smile.amazon.com/Condiment-16-ounce-Dressing-Pinnacle-Mercantile/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1Q1LZ6NOG3XSW&keywords=squirt+bottle&qid=1554754083&s=gateway&sprefix=unbranded%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-5. So yeah, that's about 500ml.

I think greater concentrations of sugar should actually help fight spoilage bacteria. Higher viscosity should make it harder for bacteria to reproduce. Maple syrup can mold, but honey can't. I'm pretty sure that's at least in part because honey has a greater sugar content.

But that doesn't help much. Most recipes call for either 1:1 or 2:1 sugar:water and deviating from that will require annoying recipe changes.

I think greater concentrations of sugar means more settling/crystalization. But you ought to be able to just shake the sugar back into suspension. There's only so much sugar you can dissolve in to water. Somewhere above 3:1 or 4:1 it will require heat to maintain the suspension.

Don't store it in the can.

Puncture the lid with a shitty old knife on either side or if you have a regular can opener, break the seal on either side then use a sturdy butter knife or a flat screwdriver (wash the screw driver) to widen one of the holes so you get a better pour. Don't use a good knife. You'll ruin in.

Or just buy a churchkey.

We buy big bottles of maple syrup and keep em in the back of the fridge. I refill one of[ these bottles] (https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Squeeze-Condiment-Bottles-16-ounce/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1468407739&sr=1-3&keywords=CONDIMENT+BOTTLE) as necessary (as my husband makes pancakes/waffles, I throw the bottle in a bowl of hot water to let the syrup get warm).

Good luck.

Condiment Squeeze Bottle for VG and PG

Easiest

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OZOW6E0/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-17042/Bottles/Boston-Round-Squeezable-Bottles-8-oz?pricode=WB1056&gadtype=pla&id=S-17042&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlK7cBRCnARIsAJiE3MgY4RPEzubW7UU1-LKBPoHCOsYG2ENzXnAYMk0oNJG22_j4hV2ooo4aAqb5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

These are 32 bottles for $54.

Buy it in a squeezy bottle

Or pour it into your own

I have heard of using one of these by sectioning the hair and applying it directly to the scalp, then massaging it in with your fingers. I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to once my current bottle of dry shampoo runs out.

squeezable condiment bottles, in the fridge

I use these for pg and VG. Nic I use disposable transfer pipets.

Here you go

I bought these: Plastic Squeeze Condiment Bottles with Red Tip Cap 16-ounce Set of 6 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00OZOW6E0

you're welcome

There ya go.

links just to the two items Im talking about: never using amazon lists again:

bottles w nozzle

VG that comes in compatible bottle

Make some simple syrup and put it in one of these. Use when necessary. Problem solved.

I've been doing this now for a couple weeks now after seeing another post on cast iron pan pizza.

The Nugget store near me sells pizza dough balls made in their bakery for $3. I cut that into 3 equal pieces (about 200g each) and make 3 pizzas in my #6 Griswold skillet. I stretch the dough instead of roll it and make it so that it has a thicker crust at the edge.

Before I put the dough in the pan I put in 1/2 tbsp olive oil and coat the bottom. Then I put in the dough and then put the topping on the dough. I used canned Contadina pizza sauce that I keep in a refillable condiment bottle, in the fridge.

After the pizza is built I put in on the stove top with the burner set on high to heat up the bottom of the pan. When the oil starts bubbling I put the pan in the oven at 425 degrees and cook for about 8 minutes.

Get a reliable pourer if you're spilling. Chances are your bottle sucks. For oil, you could use a squeeze bottle or an oil bottle to reduce spilling. If your container is unwieldy, you're more likely to spill.

One other thing to consider- when my doctor gave me some medication for my scalp it came in this awesome bottle with a conical nozzle- similar to those cheap condiment bottles you see at a BBQ place. If it hadn't had that cool pointed nozzle, I would have had no way to apply the medicine to my head, between my hairs.

If you bought some of these you could decant sunscreen (better to find smaller bottles than 6 oz but I was looking hurriedly) and use it to squueeze/apply within the beard.

Never go back haha.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076PT3BD9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This works. For VG, I used an 8-oz barbeque sauce bottle for a while then bought 16-oz HDPE bottles. I can turn it upside down and squeeze the hell out of it with no leaks around the cap (unlike the seeping from my cheapie bottle). The bottle opening is a little small but I have no trouble with refilling it from a gallon jug.

For PG, I use a 250ml laboratory-type wash bottle. Works great, and no funnel required to refill this one either. No leakage around the cap because you don't need to invert it.

For nic (PG base), I use a setup like this 2-oz LDPE bottle with Luer Lock cap and 14-gage dispensing needle. One squeeze gives about 1 gram delivery and gravity-only flow is about 0.1g /second. Easy to use.

Just a few tips I've found. Don't be afraid to experiment. Ive made some juice that sounded good in my head but was disgusting and I've made some that sounded bad on paper but was delicious.

Keep up with what you mix. I use a small notebook for this but the worst thing you can do is make an amazing mixed berry cheesecake with just the right amounts of yogurt to make it Tangy and you forget. Sounds a tad specific huh?

And if throat irritating is a problem I would suggest not adding pg outside of your flavors. Most of them are pg from my understanding. Just be careful with some tanks not wicking well with high vg blends.

Finally mix. Mix... MIX. You literally cannot shake it enough. It's important to get a good mixture going for it to steep properly.

Some tools I use that aren't usually advertised in kits and things of the like include

Empty commercial sauce bottle for your vg something like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/OrangeTag-Squeeze-Bottles-pack-Clear/dp/B000QJBNII)

LOTS OF PAPER TOWELS

And labels. I use Avery 1"x3" ones. They are 250 for I think 8 bucks at my office store.

The point is that the OP you responded to is but one example and your attempt to rebut it by pretending its the only one is basically dishonest. There are all kinds of purchases made overseas we only buy every decade or even one time. That doesn't matter. What matters is the entirety of our consumption, which you ignored.

For instance, I just bought these three items from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OZLSYYY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GW1OPXI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CYAIRG8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When am I going to buy such things again? Look at how cheap these are. I would have never afforded these before this last decade. They would have been too costly or too low in quality.

And you can pull your tactic with any example you want. "Well that's just one example." The question is whether it has characteristics of enough of all the other examples you can come up with. Let's be honest here.

I live in Southern California so it's definitely not as hot as AZ but I think it's doable. With no poo I think a lot of people don't really wash their hair that much (2 times a week maybe?) but for you that number just might be 3 or 4. For the hard water, what I do is boil the water, let it cool a bit, and then put the baking soda in. I have an old Thayer's witch hazel toner bottle that I pour the mixture in so I don't have to boil water ALL THE TIME and a full bottle of the mixture lasts me about a month.

EDIT: You could even try a squirt bottle like this: 12 oz squirt bottle I just checked and the Thayer's witch hazel bottles contain 12 oz! I just squirt the mixture at my roots.

>What kind of cooking oil should I use? I'm leaning towards extra virgin olive oil.

EVOO has a lower "smoke point", making it bad for certain types of cooking/temp ranges. Basically, it depends on how you're using it. I have a squirt bottle of Olive Oil and one of EVOO, and I generally only use the EVOO in salads, and use the OO to do most of my cooking.