Appliance Reviews

I had bought this blender for my wife's birthday on 07/03.

Pros: It looks nice on the counter. It has a crush feature, that can crush frozen fruit and ice cubes (our last blender turned the ice cubes into hard, smooth ovals).

Cons: When the blender runs, it can consume just about anything. However, it creates an air pocket around the blade and one has to open the lid and poke the contents to reset them around the blade. This must be done numerous times. I found the best way is to pick the blender container up and shake it each time. While this was annoying we quickly got over it as the blender was much better than our last. But a few days ago on 11/03, she was crushing frozen fruit and a piece near the base of the plastic container punched through. So now we have a crude 1"x1" hole in the lower section of the plastic container. I don't know if I'll be able to find a replacement container for the blender.

Moral of the story: a good base isn't good unless you have an equally good container.

Forget the higher priced blenders and don't be alarmed that this one is almost all plastic ... this bar blender is FAR superior to other, more expensive blenders. This one chops up whole, full-sized ice cubes without having to crush them up first. This blender makes a great frozen margarita. (And the choice of only three speeds makes it easier to use after that FIRST and SECOND margarita :-)

I've used several blenders over the years, all in the (dollar amount) range, and was always frustrated with their power and durability. This one is different. I've been using it regularly for about six months, and it still chops ice like nobody's business. A great product for a great price.

I already had an electric waffle iron made by Salton that was turning out great looking and delicious tasting *round* waffles. But because of the rave review I read here (plus it was nearing Valentine's day), I gave in and bought this Villaware heart-shaped waffle iron.

And sure it worked - but not as good as I expected for this price. As it has five different temperature settings (supposedly gives you control over how soft/crisp you want it), I tried out three: At "2" the batter was not yet set in the middle when the "waffle tone" sounded. At "4" it was too browned even for my husband's taste. I can only imagine how runny "1" would be and how burnt "5" would be - seriously, why do they give you five settings when only one of them work? At "3" the waffle tasted close to the way I like it, but even then, like all the other settings I tried on this, the color was uneven throughout the surface of the waffle. There were patches that were very pale and spots that were a medium brown.

The other bummer is this: It is impossible to make perfect heart shapes. I tried different consistencies in the batter and really attempted to fill in the scalloped edge, but as it cooks, the batter rises unevenly and when you divide the finished waffle into five little hearts, they're always a little crooked.

So - while this one certainly works and may thrill people who have no prior waffle making experience or are simply less demanding, its relatively high price only brings extra features (heart shape, temp control, "waffle tone" alarm...) that are unnecessary and don't work well. I find my cheaper Salton model... still works much better.

My humble advice: Go for a simpler model without all these bells and whistles, all you need to look for is a good quality non-stick surface. The doness can be easily controlled by how long you cook the waffle (the amount od steam is a good indication). I will stay loyal to my old waffle iron from now on.

great machine, alarm is not to loud, waffels are wonderful. Kids and wife enjoy the heart shaped waffels, well worth the money. I almost rated it 5 stars.......

I was hesitant when I bought this as a gift for my fiancee, since I had never made waffles before. It sounded like too much work to me, to get out the waffle maker and then have to clean it afterwards. But since my fiancee loves waffles so much, I decided to give it a try. I looked for heart shaped waffle makers in many stores and other websites, and this one is the best deal, no question. We use this waffle maker every weekend and it is so simple! We make a big batch of waffles and then freeze the leftovers to eat during the week. There is almost no cleaning neccessary, we just wipe out the griddle with a paper towel when we're done. I also ordered the waffle recipes from Villa Ware... the recipes are great! We especially like the Yogurt Peach Waffles. YUM! If you are hesitating to purchase this waffler, DON'T! We promise you won't regret it!

Sunday is pancake day at our house, so right after my wife Cathy and I finish our music ministerial duties, it's time to head home, change into something more casual and fire up the Rival electric skillet. Whether it's pancakes for two or flapjacks for a crowd, it's all the "griddle" I need to get the job done.

The Rival S16 Electric Skillet is a true modern classic. It sits high off the counter on a pair of integrated handle/feet, protecting the surface below from heat marring. A detachable probe-type thermostat can be dialed from a keep-warm setting of about 200 degrees F to a scorching 425 degrees (everyone already knows 375 degrees is the ideal setting for pancakes). When the indicator lamp winks off, it's time to get cooking.

The skillet is coated inside and out with the latest formulation of DuPont Teflon, still the sine qua non of nonstick cooking. After an initial seasoning, it performed like a family-heirloom cast-iron griddle, releasing even banana pancakes without any additional greasing. The 12"x16" surface handles 4 pancakes made from a 1/4 cup of batter each, a nice easy-to-manage quantity.

Though it's fully immersible, I have yet to wash it. The only cleaning needed after a batch of pancakes is a thorough wipe with a paper towel once the skillet has been allowed to cool.

I bought the Rival Electric Skillet (16x12) at my local Target a while back and my family LOVES it!! We cook everything from pancakes and french toast (while making a side of eggs on it, too!) to fried chicken and even beignets (french doughnuts). I almost bought the 12x12, but I am SO glad I went for the larger one because we can make french toast for all of us at once instead of everyone waiting. Definate buy!!!!

Received my skillet about a week ago, it is HUGE! The non-stick enables me to cook anything with a "no hassle" cleanup! Don't know how I lived so long without one. The temperature control, yes it's tough to see, but is designed that way to keep spills from ruining it, the old ones used to break after awhile, due to exposure to splatters and spills. I will be using this skillet almost every day!

We got this with our 4.5 quart stand mixer. The mixer is great, but this has some small worksmanship problems.

The mixing abilities of this mixer are unequaled for a hand mixer of its size. It quickly beats eggs, syrups, or liquid batters excellently. The trouble with ours is it won't shut off.

When we try to put the control lever in OFF, it simply keeps going on slow. This is dangerous and on more than one occasion has led to a potentially dangerous situation. Overall the mixer works well, but I would expect that KichenAid would not allow a brand new mixer to act in this way.

It still would not effect my decision to buy or reccomend this product.

I am on my second Classic 3 mixer. The mixer is great for handling all of my (many) baking chores. However, in both cases, the beaters broke before the motor died. If anyone has a set of beaters which has outlasted the mixer, I'd like to talk to you!

KitchenAid is one of those manufacturers who just can't make a bad product, regardless of price. Even this, their least [costly] hand mixer, says 'quality' from the moment you pick it up and affirms it when you switch it on.

A professional chef will tell you that if you can't get the job done with 3 speeds on your hand mixer, you probably shouldn't be in the kitchen. That's why you find this particular mixer in the homes of so many chefs. It's a no-nonsense tool for serious cooking. Probably the most important feature is the design of the 'Turbo-Beater Accessories'. Made of 100% stainless steel, the beaters have a rounded mixing surface similar to a chef's balloon whisk. Instead of hacking through whipping cream and egg whites like the typical knife-edged beaters found on most hand mixers, the KitchenAid's beaters gently but efficiently incorporate air into the ingredients. There's less risk of having your meringue collapse from overbeating. Having no center shafts, the beaters don't clog when you're mixing heavy cookie dough. At cleanup time, the beaters can go into the dishwasher or wash up easily by hand.

The slightly angled grip gives the user a greater feeling of comfort and control. At any speed, there's little vibration. The noise level is low enough to permit conversation without having to shout. The motor cooling fan vents warm air away from the user, and the beaters produce far less splashing than conventional beaters. All of this quality comes at a slight cost in the overall weight of the mixer, a bit heavier than most.

Ultimately, the choice is simple. You can keep paying twenty bucks for one cheaply-made hand mixer after another, or spend a little more for a mixer that will become a true friend for life in the kitchen.

The controls are overly complicated. As an oven it is excellent, with good temperature control. As a toaster it is awful. I have experimented with several different rack postions and there is no way to get evenly toasted bread. One side is toasted at a different rate than the other.

I bought this two years ago to replace my old Black and Decker, and was fairly pleased. I utilize a toaster oven nearly every day, rather than fire up the full-sized oven. It is roomier and has two positions for the inside rack. However, the broiler rack and tray are very susceptible to rust and not at all easy to clean. I have to use the old-fashioned oven cleaner. It also gets a bit discolored around the edges of the door. Otherwise it worked like a charm until the faceplate where the controls are began to crack. Probably from frequent use. I dug out the old warranty information and called the company expecting to get the runaround. Amazingly enough, they are shipping a new model, no questions asked. I provided them with a credit card to cover shipping ($15) and I have to return the old one upon receipt of the new one. Not bad!

i am so in love with this toaster oven. works very well as a toaster, and as an oven, it's wonderful. preheats in a matter of minutes and i can bake and broil without heating up the whole kitchen, which is a major plus in the deep south. i love it i love it i love it.

I received this griddle/grill for Christmas and was so excited....at first. My old grill was made of steel and aluminum and was a total pain to clean. So, I thought this TFAL, with non-stick surface would be the answer to my prayers. I was wrong. Not only did the chicken breasts I was grilling stick to the grill, but the marinade literally burnt onto the surface. After soaking the grill for hours, and with A LOT of elbow grease, I was able to get the darn thing clean. I called TFAL's consumer help line, and they told me that grilling with marinades was not recommmended, and that I should soak the grill in vinegar for a couple of hours to remove the burnt on mess. What is the point of having a non-stick grill if things stick to it? And whoever heard of grilling chicken without some kind of marinade? Save your money and pass up this loser. Mine is going back to Amazon and I will stick (pun intended) to my old grill!

I use this product almost everyday. I have made steak, grilled chicken, fish, cheeseburgers, and porkchops. You never need to use your oven/broiler or stovetop again to make these foods. Grilling on this BBQ is soooo much better! I love the presentation which makes the grill lines on meat just like an outdoor BBQ does. Also, the meat is very tender and juicy. You must remember to put water in the tray,this prevents from smoking and also helps with moisture for your meat. Do the same with your griddle. I also have used the breakfast griddle a bunch of times. The griddle fit about 6 french toasts plus srambled eggs. I also had made pancakes and was a little worried about the sides of the griddle not holding up b/c I had read a review by a customer that said the pancakes had to be poured in the middle of griddle b/c it went passed the sides. This was not true! I use this everyday and recommend this product to anyone who wants delicious food and to BBQ in the privacy of their own home.

This T-Fal Indoor Grill has been one of the most usable appliances I've ever bought.In fact,I rarely use my oven anymore.Before I got this grill,my steaks would turn out tough and/or overcooked,but now they come out perfectly every time.I've never had a problem with the grill not being hot enough when the "GRILL OK" indicator comes on.Sure,it might be a sticker,but it gets the job done and that's what's important.If you're on a low-carb diet or thinking about starting one,then this grill is a "must have".The only negative aspect of this particular grill is that the grill plate can be difficult to clean.I let it soak in hot soapy water for a few minutes before putting it into the dishwasher and that seems to help.The griddle plate works fine as well and helps save counter space so you don't have to buy a grill and a griddle.

I just bought this breadmaker 2 days ago and now Amazon states that it is discontinued? Well, at least many of the retail stores continue to stock it. I've used the Breadmaker once. The 24hr timer is quite useful, but I don't like the shape of the bread that the machine produces. The loaves are too short and too high. Also, the paddle creates a "pit" in the bread that tears when the bread is sliced. The french bread feature is a joke - - who wants a loaf of french bread shaped like a regular loaf? I'll continue to play with the machine, but will probably only use it to mix and proof the dough. I'll shape it and bake it myself!

This bread machine is the best...have had a bread machine before and wore it out, but it never was as good as this is.
I received the machine 48 hours ago and my husband and I have made 2 batches of pizza dough, 1 white 2 lb loaf (good), 1 cinnamon raisin 2lb loaf(MMMMMmmm), 1 two cheese 2 lb loaf (great)and now we are discussing the next one to try.
The recipes included with the Breadman so far have worked perfectly, and we really expect that our other recipes will work just as well. I would DEFINITELY recommend this machine.
Happy Baking!!

I love my Breadman Ultimate! I got mine about three months ago, and have made at least two loaves a week since. The instructions are easy to follow, the resulting loaves of bread are beautiful and delicious, and clean-up is a real snap. Although the manual and other sources have mentioned that the paddle can get stuck in the loaf, that has happened only once to me, and that was one of the three times that I set up the machine to delay bake overnight. (My mother's older Breadman, on the other hand, always bakes the paddle into the bread--I took a look at hers, and they've changed the shape & the fit of the paddle somewhat since.) I've made tasty white, whole wheat, yoghurt, oatmeal, flaxseed, multigrain, cinnamon-raisin, and soy milk breads. I haven't tried doing coffee cake or quick breads in it, yet, nor have I tried making jam in it. I was sceptical of the "French bread" setting, but aside from the shape, the machine produced a tasty, crusty and quite adequate French bread (I used the Breadman French bread recipe that does not call for oil). In addition to the delay timer, I have tried out the programmable settings, and while they are easy to use, the preprogrammed cycles are perfectly sufficient for just about everything I'd do with the machine. One of the other reviewers stated that his breadpan & its replacements leak after just months of use, and I wonder if that is because he soaks it (a no-no) or puts it in the dishwasher (another no-no), since I haven't experienced that problem. My mother's machine, the predecessor of the Ultimate, hasn't had a leak in 4 yrs of 2 or 3x weekly use, and mine hasn't a sign of a leak, either. I haven't bought a loaf of bread since getting the Ultimate, and in addition to the freshness, taste, and nutrition of homemade bread (and knowing the ingredients!), I'm sure it's saving me money. I used to make bread by hand several years ago--for about 3 or 4 years--but I've become too busy to do it on a regular basis any more; I love my Breadman Ultimate! (The "silver" stainless steel looks good on my counter, too, and I prefer the look-and-feel of the metal to the plastic.) I'd definitely recommend the Breadman Ultimate--in silver or not--to anyone looking for a good, reliable bread machine.

My Bodum presses have always made great coffee, but unfortunately, they don't ever last very long. I think Bodum must have something wrong with the process they are using to blow glass these days. The last three of these presses (yes, three) that I've had have all cracked from what must be expansion/contraction problems since the only thing that happened before I had coffee on my feet was adding hot water to the carafe. I've been very careful with all of them, so abuse is not the culprit. If it were not for this less than minor problem, I'd give it five stars - however, since the average cost of a cup of coffee increases with the number of presses that I have to buy, I'm giving it 2 stars.

I have used my Bodum Coffee Press for years. It also makes great tea when using loose Teas. I have never had a problem with the glass Canister. I however always fill it with hot tap water while boiling my water for the coffee. I wouldn't trade it for any other mechanical coffee maker.

I am very pleased with my coffee press. I bought it as a house warming gift for my boyfriend and we probably use it twice a day (whereas before we would often not bother with the regular coffee machine simply because of it's bulky size and poor tasting coffee). This press looks great on the counter and is very easy to clean. Form AND function for forty bucks! You can't go wrong.

I love this grill. It grills steak within 5 min, chicken in 2 min, and clean up only takes 2 min. It leaves my kitchen nice and clean, no mess at all. I dread the outside BBQ because of the insects flying around the food, the taking too long to cook, and the grill-mess to clean up. Now, I am eating the exact BBQ food within minutes in the comfort of my home without bug.
I like it so much that I bought 5 more grills in exact model to gift to my brothers and friends.

I am a complete grilling novice. I have never been able to use an actual grill to any sort of sucess, my food would either be charred or raw. I got this grill hoping to change that and it is AMAZING. Big enough to cook two medium size steaks, I slapped them on, let them cook for 9 minutes and they came out perfectly, no flipping and no worrying about temerature control.

Despite reviews I was anticipating a rough clean up, and looking at the thing when my steaks came off made me think it would be even worse... But I was proved wrong. The included spatula made it SO easy to clean. Bits that looked hard and caked on came off in a second. Grease trap was easy too, and when I was done I just stored everything in the bun warmer untill next time. Fits great in my small apartment, but is big enough to cook a meal for two. I can't wait to try more stuff on it. Highly recommended

There are too many great things to say about this little device: It's affordable to anybody, even if you are a student stuck living at school. It's compact, you can store it anywhere--a closet, your car, your office, the kitchen cabinet. It's powerful--I have plugged it in and in just minutes began working on an entire three course meal for six people with only this unit to work with. It's easy to clean--this is one of the few products out there that is every bit as easy to clean as the commercials show it to be on TV. It's is economical, using very little electricity to do a just that would waste electricity in a conventional oven or even an older model microwave oven. It's versatile--I have cooked everything from thin pieces of tempeh strips to thick steaks and it cooks both to perfection. You never would have been able to convince me to buy anything on TV before (and most certainly not from a former boxing champion...) but since a friend both this grill for me I have thanked them time and again (and in turn bought the same gift for many a friend of my own).

Just purchased my first food processor last month. LOVE IT, I've used it for bread, brownies, cookies, meatballs, chopping and slicing carrots, strawberries, potatos, cucumbers, bread for breadcrumbs, & onions. Even made my frosting in it. Been married 15 years this month and wish I would've gotten one 15 years ago. Easy to clean, safe, I even dirty less dishes which is a good thing since I don't have a dishwasher either. Buy one, you won't be sorry. Just be sure to leave it on your counter and use it, even for the simple things, cleanup is a snap.

I just received my DFP-14 and love it. I used to have a hand-me-down no-name food processor that died last year. I had been wanting a new processor, but didn't want to spend the money for the new model Cuisinart. When I saw the price on this, I ordered it immediately. I've already used it 4 times this week, from hummus to pizza to a huge batch of homemade bread. Unbelievable. And dishwasher safe. This huge workbowl can handle anything. Several family members have different brands of food processors, but I've noticed that the ones with Cuisinarts still use them years later, and they work as well as they did on day one. I'd never use another brand. An incredible bargain on one of the best products on the market.

I recieved this for Christmas. I love it, it was so easy to put together and change the parts. I am so glad to have it. Choping is a breeze!