Samantha Hickel — Kitchenware Reviewer & Cookware Expert

Last Updated on July 12, 2026

Reviewer, Kitchenware Testing Team

I’m part of the testing team at The Kitchenware Journal, and my day-to-day work covers a lot of ground: coffee and espresso equipment, dishwashers, food storage, and everyday tools like whisks and knife sharpeners. I’ve been contributing hands-on reviews and buying guides since 2023, and I still make coffee at home the same way most of my readers do, which keeps my testing grounded in real routines rather than lab conditions.

My focus is cookware — stock pots, skillets, saute pans, Dutch ovens, and bakeware — with particular depth in long-simmer cooking techniques, bone broth preparation, and home canning. I make stock weekly and processes a full canning batch every late summer, which means my reviews reflect repeated real use over months and years rather than one-time evaluations.

What I Tests For

For coffee equipment, that means brewing the same way a normal morning would go: same grind, same routine, checked across models so the differences are real rather than imagined. For everything else, from dishwasher detergents to food storage containers, I look at how a product performs across repeated, ordinary use, not just its first impression out of the box.

Where my own testing has limits, I say so clearly and lean on manufacturer specs and verified owner feedback to fill the gap. My own use always comes first.

Areas of Expertise

Stock pots and long-simmer cookware
Tri-ply vs. disc-bottom construction performance
Home canning equipment and technique
Bone broth preparation
Bakeware and baking equipment
Knife sharpeners and cutting boards
Kitchen tools and gadgets for everyday home cooks

Editorial Standards

My recommendations are independent. The Kitchenware Journal earns commission through Amazon affiliate links, but that never influences which products I recommend or how I evaluate them. Products that underperform in my testing don’t earn a recommendation regardless of commercial considerations.

Selected Reviews by Samantha Hickel

→ See all reviews by Samantha Hickel

→ How We Test Kitchenware at The Kitchenware Journal