A happy story

When a bridal shower was thrown for me at the church where I grew up, my dear hubby was blissfully unaware that men don't usually attend bridal showers. Admittedly, I didn't tell him, because I wanted him there! We both had a great time, and it was clear to everyone that we certainly belong together - we bring out the best in each other, as you can see below!

Here we are, modeling our new "hats" - err - nesting mixing bowls. This great set of three mixing bowls is by Architec, whose slogan is "live smart." Live smart, indeed. I love the design of these mixing bowls. Here's why:

• They come in great, bright colors! Mine are yellow (small), lime green (medium), and aqua-blue (large).
• The sizes are generous. The "small" one is actually big enough for a cake mix or 13"x9" brownie mix.
• They're taller than they are wide, making them great for stirring something splashy like a thin pancake batter. They are also round at the bottom, and oblong at the top - a really neat, unusual design.
• They have a grippy rubber bottom, so you can effectively stir one-handed if needed - thinking ahead to the one-day necessary child-on-my-hip-while-making-dinner thing.
• Genius addition? A pour spout. But what makes these unique is that the opposite side is slightly higher, making a great spot to grip as you pour!
• A bonus for me and my tiny hands and wrists: these are sturdy, thick plastic, but they're not too heavy to pour, even when they're full. Love.

It's not often that I'll commit to hand washing a kitchen product, either, but I've only ever hand washed these - partly because of their height, which is too tall for the top rack of the dishwasher.

So, you can imagine my disappointment when I was washing my yellow bowl and the rubber grippy on the bottom just fell out! Sad day.

Here's where Architec gets my vote: their customer service rocks. I called their 800 number, which is listed on their website. I reached a recording, as expected, and customer service was the second option. I expected to be waiting for minutes with nasty hold music, but instead, I heard a dial tone and someone picked up immediately. She was clearly a native English speaker, and introduced herself right away. She listened carefully to me as I told her how much I like these mixing bowls and how disappointed I was that the yellow one had fallen apart. I asked what she might be able to do for me, fully expecting that she'd offer me some sort of coupon or apology. Instead, I was briefly put on hold, for maybe a minute, total, and she was back, offering to send me a replacement... for free! Wow!

Oh! And there wasn't any hold music at all...such a treat for this music student. 

So, now I'm awaiting my replacement bowl, with a smile on my face and a mission to seek out more Architec products for my kitchen. You should, too!