I needed an oven thermometer and I was already in Zabar’s buying Parmesan Chicken for dinner. So, I clambered upstairs to the housework department, chock-a-block with cooking implements, from pastry cutters to espresso makers. Dangling from a display rack was a dizzying assortment of newfangled digital and plain, old-fashioned thermometers, at every price point. I picked two, one for $6, the other,$11.

“What’s the difference ?” I asked the sales lady behind the counter, expecting at least a couple of minutes of erudition on the finer points of oven temp-takers. “I have no idea,” she replied. “Want them?” Next time, I’ll just amble on down to Bed, Bath, and Beyond where the salespeople actually chirp sweetly: “Can I help you?”

If you’re shopping for kitchen equipment, here’s some other places you can try.

• Williams-Sonoma. You know the deal, beautifully displayed kitchen equipment and table-top for the bridal register set.
• Bridge Kitchenware, a huge selection of knives, pots and pans, etc.
• Broadway Panhandler, which has a great selection, but the web site features only a small sample of the stock.

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