"I've got to bring this from China" syndrome

[True Blue]

Mine wants to bring over an assortment of cookware and electric appliances because "China makes these very well" and "America don't have this".

 

Given that 90% of everything sold in America comes from China (the other 10% comes from Korea, Mexico, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India and Japan), I wonder WHY these items cant possibly be located in the USA.

 

My girl wants special pots and pans and seems to want an electric rice cooker from China, then I will need to convert the electric to run on 110.

She can have whatever she wants. Just seems like a lot of extra trouble lugging the stuff from China if it can be obtained locally.

 

(1) So who else has experienced this?

 

(2) Isn't there a place I can order these things in USA?

[usaRichard]

Mine wants to bring over an assortment of cookware and electric appliances because "China makes these very well" and "America don't have this".

 

Given that 90% of everything sold in America comes from China (the other 10% comes from Korea, Mexico, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India and Japan), I wonder WHY these items cant possibly be located in the USA.

 

My girl wants special pots and pans and seems to want an electric rice cooker from China, then I will need to convert the electric to run on 110.

She can have whatever she wants. Just seems like a lot of extra trouble lugging the stuff from China if it can be obtained locally.

 

(1) So who else has experienced this?

 

(2) Isn't there a place I can order these things in USA?

My wife has this heating plate that she uses to make hot pot, I haven't seen something similar here, but then I haven't looked too hard. Not sure about running 220 on 110.

[Randy W]

You don't say where you are, but if you can make even a one-time trip to a Chinatown (e.g., LA, Houston, Chicago, or New York), you can pretty much pick up all those things, imported from China in the Chinese box.

[C4Racer]

 

You don't say where you are, but if you can make even a one-time trip to a Chinatown (e.g., LA, Houston, Chicago, or New York), you can pretty much pick up all those things, imported from China in the Chinese box.

 

and usually in the 110 volt version so you don't need a converter.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

You don't say where you are, but if you can make even a one-time trip to a Chinatown (e.g., LA, Houston, Chicago, or New York), you can pretty much pick up all those things, imported from China in the Chinese box.

 

I agree with Randy. Shipping anything from China will lose any savings that you might gain from buying in China. These days, you can get just about anything made in China; either from stores, or ordering online.

[Sebastian]

You don't say where you are, but if you can make even a one-time trip to a Chinatown (e.g., LA, Houston, Chicago, or New York), you can pretty much pick up all those things, imported from China in the Chinese box.

 

I'll double/triple this concept - you need to get out, bring a digital camera, have a look, take pictures, email them to her. Photographic evidence seems to be the only way to get 'her' to stand down on this one issue.

 

The only point is to help her be easy in her surroundings, imo, so it'll reduce the culture shock factor. She'll also feel comfortable when she's cooking on gear that she knows... which is all available to purchase for USA usage, in the USA, at the bigger chinatown areas.

 

If yer stuck in the boondocks, I suggest to make a day trip to one of the bigger towns with a China Town. But hei - you can get to the markets to have a look - use the list compiled over at http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=481103 -- not only do they sell the foodstuffs she'll want, but they sell the appliances that she wants, too !

 

FWIW, she should really concentrate on 3 areas:

1. shoes

2. undergarments

3. facial care products

 

clothes, imo, are optional, many things can be found in the Juniors department at most department stores in size 0,1,2,3.

Edited March 15, 2009 by Sebastian (see edit history)

[Sebastian]

I can't believe I'm saying this - but - really - the answer to your 'source of electrics' - you've already discovered the right shops.

 

NOW, whatcha gotta do - is go back to those shops (from your list) and meander over to the appliance / electrics section - you really will find all she's asking about.

 

I wish, truly, that if you were a wandering soul, you'd get yerself over to Singapore for two days, get lost inside of Mustafa Store, take another look at all of the electrics, then meander in the shops in the Tampa area. It's all the same stuff. Getting to Mustafa in Singapore becomes useful as all the signs are in English and Chinese. Getting to the shops in Tampa is useful for picture-taking - you can show her all is availabe for 110 volt consumption.

 

Be Good - have a good excursion into Tampa - I'm sure you'll easily allay her concerns about her cooking gear - it's all available at the shops in your list.

 

Most of the bigger rice cookers resemble this one :

http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-ECJ-N100W-Elec...r/dp/B000F3Q1I2

If that's not a model you might want, scroll to the middle of the page, look at 'Customers who viewed this item also viewed', and then sideways scroll through the product pictures.

 

Having a good rice cooker is important, but - if I was doing this, I'd start, instead, with a Chinese Organization / Group in yer area, attend a few meetings and social gatherings, and ask what they're using and where they bought it. You'll also have to gear up for the big range hood over the wok cooking area .

 

Here's the local Chinese chamber o Commerce in Tampa Bay - http://www.ccctb.com/default.asp

You might want to touch base, ask about the vendors in their list that sell 'chinese electrics' and 'range hoods' and 'gas jet burners' - you're gonna refit your kitchen within the next 18 months.

 

If you'd like more pointed info - maybe it's time to visit the Tampa Chinese School, http://tampachineseschool.com/ and talk to the parents on Sundays, as they're dropping off their kiddies. FWIW, getting 'connected' prior to her arrival, is a good thing.

 

and finally.. (gasp) - the concept of 'Stuff they can't find in America' is a misnomer. You have to look, it's not gonna be at the local walmart or bed, bath n beyond. There are exceptions, of course, but NOT for the cooking gear - all of the electric cooking gear is available in the usa.

Edited March 15, 2009 by Sebastian (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

My wife prefers Japanese rice cookers to Chinese ones. We have one of these http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-LAC05-C...YSVP95DCRXEDNCM

I also bought a Sanyo 3 in 1 cooker that fries, steams and is a hot pot.

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=131644

They work on 115 volt so no converter is needed.

My wife likes to buy her clothes in China. She doesn't like the American styles as well. She will probably want to stockpile Chinese medicine before she comes too.

[Ggirt]

You don't say where you are, but if you can make even a one-time trip to a Chinatown (e.g., LA, Houston, Chicago, or New York), you can pretty much pick up all those things, imported from China in the Chinese box.

 

I agree with Randy. Shipping anything from China will lose any savings that you might gain from buying in China. These days, you can get just about anything made in China; either from stores, or ordering online.

Including the women.

[Sebastian]

Including the women.

 

How's that working out for you, anyway ?

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Including the women.

 

How's that working out for you, anyway ?

 

 

I guess he's getting his women from the market also.

[Guest Dylan W]

We bought a sushi roller to bring home. It was 10 yuan ($1.50) at the cheapest store. We forgot it in (left in the kitchen, never used) during our mass pandemonium Guangzhou evacuation procedure. We went to the Asian district here and found it in the expensive specialty store for 99¢.

 

The product 'Made in China' is cheaper shipped to America and sold here, rather than just purchased in China. However if you analyze the whole situation... we didn't get any good deal, when we just lost money forgetting our stuff.

 

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/26/l_37fdd39d73d94ef48289d7dcee7691d8.jpg

[Sebastian]

Including the women.

 

How's that working out for you, anyway ?

 

 

I guess he's getting his women from the market also.

Hopefully he gets the ones who can cook, and know where the electrics are sold. More than 3, though, he'll need a bigger bed.

[david_dawei]

let her bring what she wants... no need to start controlling her already... if there is a lesson to be learned in the long run, give her credit.. she'll learn it.

[MikeXiao]

Before my wife got here, I bought a $15 Wal-Mart special rice cooker. She is still using it. The plastic plate around the switch is cracked and so I went out and bought one of those nice Japanese models. Well, she put me in my place. "NO NEED" was the word she used. "THIS ONE STILL WORK". I threatened to toss it as soon as her plane left for China last summer. I won't tell you what she said to that. So until the old one stops working, the new one is in the cabinet in the kitchen. At least she took it out of the box.

 

But anyway, most of the appliances can be bought at the local asian market. They have the rice cookers, the thermal pots for water, steamers, etc.

Edited March 15, 2009 by MikeXiao (see edit history)