Last Updated on July 1, 2026
Samantha Hickel is a kitchenware reviewer and cookware specialist at The Kitchenware Journal. She has contributed many product reviews, buying guides, and hands-on testing articles since joining the publication in 2023.
Her 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. Samantha makes stock weekly and processes a full canning batch every late summer, which means her reviews reflect repeated real use over months and years rather than one-time evaluations.
What Samantha Tests For
Every product Samantha reviews goes through a consistent evaluation process in her home kitchen. For cookware, that means the same recipe in each pot — same burner, same heat setting, same timing — so the differences between products are measurable rather than impressionistic. She evaluates heat distribution, lid seal efficiency, handle safety under full load, and cleanup time after realistic cooking tasks.
Where her personal testing has time limits, she says so clearly and explains what external data — from America’s Test Kitchen, Food Network’s test kitchen, and verified long-term owner reviews — fills that gap. Her own experience always leads. Outside data validates it.
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
Samantha’s recommendations are independent. The Kitchenware Journal earns commission through Amazon affiliate links, but those relationships never influence which products she recommends or how she evaluates them. Products that underperform in her testing do not earn recommendations regardless of commercial considerations.
Selected Reviews by Samantha Hickel
- Best Stock Pots in 2026: Tested & Ranked for Every Kitchen
- Best Stock Pots for Bone Broth
- Best Knife Sharpeners
- Best Cutting Boards