Appliance Reviews

I am 83 years old, widowed, and live alone, cooking most of my meals from ingredients, not prepared items. I have had three microwaves over 25 years and have developed quite a few recipes for the microwave. I was attracted to the Panasonic by its Inverter technology that actually modulates the power during cooking, not timed bursts of full power. It also allows programming up to four cooking steps at differing power levels and cooking times. Starting with the oatmeal I cook for breakfast, everything is cooked uniformly throughout. It is a superior device.

I recently purchased this microwave after my old one bit the dust. I'm really happy with it. It's large enough to hold just about anything, and the high wattage makes cooking and re-heating quick and easy. My favorite feature is the invertor defrost....no more frozen in the middle/cooked on the edges defrosted meat. I also like the fact that the "beep" on this oven is not too loud or obnoxious. This oven is very large, if this is your first larger microwave purchase and you don't have alot of counter space you will need a microwave cart or somewhere else to put this.

I was happy with my old microwave with 900 watts. I didn't realize the big difference in getting more wattage. With this microwave, I have to adjust my thinking because items cooks even faster.

I love the "reheat" button. It is so simple. All you do is tell it how many servings you are reheating. The book tells you that 4 oz is a serving and you go from there. I used to over heat things, but I don't now.

I also like the Inverter Turbo Defrost. Food seems to defrost more evenly. You have to convert ounces to hundredths of a pound. In the book there is a chart. I just made a copy of that page and put it next to the microwave to be handy when I need the conversion to defrost something. It seems to be a much better way to defrost items.

I like the choice of three sizes of popcorn. With the "more" or "less" button you can really get most of the kernels to pop.

The extra large size seems to be convenient for even smaller size dishes because you have more room to move around in the oven.

One thing I would like that I had on my other microwave is a "reminder beep" every minute to remind you you have something in the oven. This oven just beeps at the end and doesn't remind you. And upon occasion I have forgotten I have had something in the microwave.

I would recommend this oven. I am very satisfied with my order.

This is one of the best purchases I have ever made. I have avoided many spills in my car and the simplicity of carry ins at work is wonderful. It is a must!

Although my experience with Rival crock pots hasn't been all that great, I really like this accessory. It is very well constructed and is durable. I use it with my other slow cookers and it is perfect for the NESCO 6 quart roaster oven as well. But because it is well insulated, you can use it as a tote for your potato salad or potatoes au gratin. It also serves as a tote for whatever items you need to transport. The snap-together handles are a particular asset.

For the price, you can't go wrong. You will like this item.

Now that friends and family know I have a Rival Crock-Pot Traveler, I can't say "No" anymore.

The Traveler for Large Crock-Pots zips open to reveal an insulated storage space for any 4 to 6 quart round Crock-Pot or other stoneware slow cooker. A pair of elastic straps hold the lid down and the snap-together handle straps make the Traveler self-balancing when you pick it up.

Set it on the floor of the family car and if you drive judiciously enough, it'll get a pot of soup, chili or stew to your destination without losing a single drop. If you have to slam on the brakes or happen to take a turn a tad too tightly, the Traveler will contain the spill, which will be minimal.

The Crock-Pot Traveler can be turned inside-out for easier cleaning, should you need to mop up a spill. It's also insulated well enough to keep the contents hot for at least 2 hours, so now you CAN take hot German potato salad to a picnic and enjoy it HOT. When it's not in use, the Traveler can either serve as a dust-resistant cover for your slow cooker, or you can fold it up and tuck it into a linen drawer or a kitchen cabinet.

And since a few of you are wondering about that Sausage and Lentil Soup, here's the recipe:

SAUSAGE AND LENTIL SOUP

1 large onion, chopped
1 bulb garlic, minced
1 lb. dry lentils
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
2 broth cans water
1 lb. sweet or hot turkey Italian sausage, whole links
2 bay leaves

Combine onion, garlic, lentils, Italian seasoning, broth, and water in slow cooker. Add sausage links and float bay leaves on top. Cover and cook 10 hours on Low. Discard bay leaves. Remove sausage links and allow to cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir soup for 2 minutes to puree' some of the lentils, which will thicken the soup. Slice cooled sausage and return to soup. Serve with biscuits or cornbread for a "meal in a bowl."

This is probably the most used tool in my kitchen. The cost of the machine and bag material are more than repaid in food savings. I like the rolls as opposed to the bags because I can make the size I need without waste. Watch for sales on meat or fish; buy large quantities at reduced cost, and cut your bags to a portion size, vacuum and seal, and freeze. I have taken hamburger, steaks, fish, pork, and chicken out of the freezer after being stored for two years or longer, and they are as fresh as the day I put them in.

These rolls are great! You cut off just what you need and make your bag.

I have used both the bags and the rolls with my food saver and much prefer the rolls. It may take you an additional 5 seconds to make it into a bag but the rolls are really more cost effective and convenient. With the rolls you truly only use what you will need. If you've sealed something that will only be opened once you make it exactly that size, if you're going to be opening it multiple times just remember to allow for that in your original sizing. If you go through the trouble of washing and reusing the bags for incrementally smaller things such as from cold cuts down to cheese you will find that these rolls while initially a larger expense than you may like will more than pay for themselves in the end. The 11" rolls are also very useful.

This machine is so great I wonder why it took me so long to buy one. I've tried many of the recipes that came with it and they all turned out great. I make the bread recipe every few days so we always have fresh, delicious bread. Making soup is such a snap. It takes longer to wash the veggies than to cut them in the processor. That is so fast I almost feel cheated out of playtime. I tried the mayonnaise this week, and also the pie dough. I use the processor daily and find it easy to use and easy to clean. The lucite cleans like a breeze in warm water or else I put it in the dishwasher. I couldn't recommend this item more highly...

I have used my food processor everyday since I got it. I don't know what I did without it. Paired with "The Food Processor Bible" by Norene Gilletz, you will make some amazing meals. The time I save on food preparation saves me a lot of energy and time and the unit is so easy to use and clean. The unit is a workhorse, very powerful. I have used it to make whole meals, and making bread is a snap because the kneading is done by the Cuisinart. I highly recommend this machine!

We purchased a Cuisinart DLC-7 in 1981 and still use it today. Unfortunately, after 20 years of serious use, the bowl is cracked and the slicer needs replacing. The cost to purchase these parts almost equals the price of the DFP-11. The only difference in the two units is a 14 cup capacity verses 11! With our kids gone, the 11 cup is perfect--especially at the price offered. Another 20 years and our kids can fight over it!

I bought this 6.5 qt roaster at Shopko on sale for only $23.88. I think I might as well retire my crock pot! Like the last reviewer, I don't know why more people don't use these small roasters for their everyday cooking. They work just like the large 18-20 qt roasters that are "en vogue" right now for Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey roasting. Like a regular oven, the temperature range is from 200 to 450 degrees - use for both slow-cooking and regular cooking. The metal insert pan is much lighter and therefore easier to handle and clean than the heavy ceramic crock-pot inserts. Also, the oval design allows you to spread out foods a little more for cooking than the standard round slow-cooker design. Anything I've roasted is done as fast as it would be in my regular oven, even though you don't preheat. (Example: meat loaf in 45 minutes.) I guess since you don't preheat, it's acutally done faster. I'm sure it's definitely using less electricity than heating the entire oven also. And, you could theoretically bring it on an extended road trip to cook in your hotel or RV instead of eating out! Much easier than toting around a heavy crock-pot or 20 qt roaster oven. The biggest plus for me is that since this is only counter-top accessible, my toddler can't be accidentally burned like with the regular oven that she can reach. It's also a lot easier to baste foods and check for "doneness" without burning myself, too!

I have had this roaster oven for over a year. I never leave home for any extended time that I don't take it with me if I will be preparing meals. The heat comes from the sides so never any burned on the bottom foods. Predictable low temperatures to very hot temperatures which can brown the foods. Different from a fry pan and much more versatile than a slow cooker. I am puzzled that more people don't use these. Probably just not very well known. I think its a gem.

I am very impressed with the Hamilton Beach 32600S 6 1/2-Quart Roaster Oven. It's so very versitile and easy to use. It makes the best roast chicken you've ever tasted! Just wash your chicken, put it into the roaster oven, sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder and Mrs. Dash... then set the timer. It's so good and good for you since the rack keeps the grease away from the chicken. I hope I have been of some help.

This handmixer has various convenient attachments, including a wire whisk!! It is powerful and works fast. It is not very noisy for a powerful mixer. This mixer is not heavy in the hand, alike some other models. The case to store the handmixer in includes a compartment for the attachments! The bowl rest makes using this mixer even more pleasant and convenient. The case to keep the handmixer in for storage is quite compact and fits on my crowded shelf rather nicely! I use a hand mixer in my cooking most every day. This is by far the best one I ever had!!!

I bought this Hamilton Beach mixer for my mom for Christmas. She is still raving about it. I bought this for her after she told me her old Proctor Silex mixer suddenly started smoking and died on her while she was making one of her famous fruit cakes.

This product is excellent. It's like having several mixers in one. Its various attachments come in handy when mixing various foods, from heavy bread dough to something light such as beating eggs. The Hamilton Beach mixer has flat beaters designed for general mixing purposes, a whisk beater for beating something such as whipped cream, twist wire beaters for beating heavy batters such as cookie dough and dough hooks for kneading bread.

The mixer has 6 powerful speeds but it also has a power burst button that gives you a blast of power. For instance, say you were on the highest speed which is 6 and you needed more power, you just press the burst button and suddenly you are given an extra speed. So your 6 speed mixer turns into a 7 speed.

Another bonus is that the mixer comes with a handy plastic container. This is a helpful solution. Now you will not have the problem of knowing where to find your mixer but the attachments are all over the place. The container has two compartments. The botton compartment is for the mixer and the top is for the beaters. So everthing is store neatly and compactly.

Get the Hamilton Beach 62698 PowerDeluxe 6 Speed Hand Mixer with Storage Case. With the fantastic price and all its incredible features, you can't go wrong.

This is the best mixer ever! 6 different speeds is much needed in my home for all the baking and cooking I do. Mixer is great for something easy like mashed potatoes and can do as much as batches of home made chocolate chip cookies at once! All the extra attachments come in handy too. The best part is the storage case, No more searching around for the beaters!

This item is absolutely wonderful and no kitchen should be without it. For delicate meringues, this appliance takes all the work out of an otherwise laborious task.

The wire whisk is a perfect example of how kitchen aid should make all their attachments. It is made of stainless steel and works perfectly for making the fluffiest meringue. It does not have that nasty white paint coating like other attahments, therefore it does not chip off into your food. This is a must have attachment to your kitchen aid!

Whether you want to make chocolate mousse, or whipped cream for cakes, cream puffs or to top a pie, the Wire Whip attachment for the KitchenAid Stand Mixer gets the highest marks. Egg whites are easily whipped into meringue or to be folded into waffles, souffles or cakes. Consistent results with ease. If you like to bake or make desserts, I highly recommend it.

You say in the rival 6 quart oval slow cooker that the insulated carrier is important. But the BIG round one does not appear to fit the oval and the oval carrier says it only holds up to 5 1/2 quart. Help before I buy one of these for my 6 quart oval

Never again will I lug my crock pot around... hoping it won't tip over in the car, or praying my arms won't give out before I carry my crockpot from my car to my office. This traveler is awesome! After I bought mine, all my co-workers went out looking for one, and couldn't find them in stores. One co-worker bought a new slow cooker that came with a "carrier"... but BEWARE of those... they don't have a handle like this one, so you still have to carry it with two hands.

First of all, an oval crock pot is a bit unusual, but a good idea (fits roasts and chickens nicely.)

If you're going to do slow cooking, you'll find many uses for the cooker outside the house; barbecues, parties, church suppers, meetings. The slow cooker is just the thing for hot dishes. This insulated carrier makes it a lot easier to transport.

If you order the cooker, don't forget to order this accessory.

Finally had a chance to use this after sitting around for
a few weeks, and it's just great!! It gets hot very quickly,
and it's fairly easy to cleanup (seems easier to clean if
you let the sauces dry -- they fall off the teflon surface
a lot easier than when they're still gooky).
Caveat, though -- it doesn't come with the turning fork,
even though it's advertised to come with one.
Otherwise, very happy with the item, and will be used a lot,
especially in the cold weather.

This grill is STUPENDOUS! It heats up quickly, it is non-stick and VERY easy to clean. Just stick both the grilling surface and the tray underneath it in the dishwasher. The food tastes like a real Gas/Charcoal grill which never ceases to surprise me. Veggies, meats -- all good. There is another bonus through buying it through Amazon.com. The grill originally cost 99.99 and was bought for that price. Then the price dropped to 49.99 (I think within 30 days). How is that for customer service! Overall, I am as satisfied as I could possibly be with this purchase and with Amazon.com.
This product is a definite winner!
TY from Boston

This is a great product - you forget that you cooked it indoors - the food has that outdoor grill tast - The best thing about this is the bottom pan comes out for easy cleaning! A tip for better cooking - put a cover on top of the food while grilling and it makes the food come out even more juicy!

This may be one of the better crepe makers at the price there are a couple of things that really bum me out ...

One .. it takes close to a good 3 to 4 minutes to make a crepe on this machine even though it has a 900 watt element (200 more than and older model...) so unless you are makeing crepes for one ... realx have a drink cause your gonna be sitting at this machine for some time ..

Two .. the teflon covering .. well it's French teflon ... don't expect it to last ... nuff said ...

Three .. the handle doesnt come off and the crepe batter is pretty liquid so get ready to use toothpicks to clean the cracks between the handle of the crepe maker and teflon plate

Four .. appart from that it's probably the best machine out there .. definitely for the money ... and .. since we love crepes and theres more than one person in my house I've bought 2 of these machines ... go figure ....

PS.... you have to try the corn meal crepes they are the most .....

I grew up in a Crepe lovin' household. We had sweet crepes for breakfast, savory crepes for lunch and meat filled crepes for dinner.
I always have used a stove top crepe pan and thought it slow and kind of a pain. That is how my dad always did it so I always thought it was the best way.
Not anymore. A friend recommended I try the Villaware electric crepe maker. Non stick coating, quick and easy. Boy were they right. Just dip the the cooker in the pan they include and you are making a crepe every 25 seconds or so. Easy to clean. I love this thing. Good recipes too, altough their basic recipe is not sweet enough.
If you love crepes. This is the piece to get.

I recieved this as a gift a month ago and have used it to make six batches of crepes. Its wonderful-- heats up in three minutes and crepes take about 30 seconds to bake. I used a regular crepe pan for several years: this is much easier. Crepes are great-- they always impress the guests and they are really easy to make ahead.