Appliance Reviews

This waffle maker makes excellent waffles. The green/red light system really works well. The waffles come out golden brown and perfect. It is a slick design, with chrome and black colors easily fitting into most kitchen set ups. It also has an easy to use cooking time dial on top. I've never had to spray pam or grease it up, and have never had the waffles stick.

The one drawback to this waffle maker, which is why it got 4 stars vs 5 stars, is that it doesn't have a batter overflow catcher. So, if you pour in too much batter into the waffle maker, the extra batter comes bubbling out, and gets over the maker or your counter. However, after a couple of tries, you can pretty much eyeball how much to put in.

I recently purchased this waffle maker (my first)and am happy to report that it works just as advertised. Following the directions that came with it, I used a pastry brush to "paint" a very light coat of oil on the waffle iron cooking surface before preheating. When the time came to cook the waffles, I had to experiment a bit with how much batter to put in as I didn't want a huge messy overflow. By the second set I discovered the perfect amount. There are 6 settings to choose from, depending on how brown you like your waffles. I set mine at "4", which produced perfect waffles that were very easy to remove from the iron. I would buy this again in a heartbeat and would recommend it to anyone!

I have used many waffle makers from the cheapest B&D to the fancy new Villaware. I keep returning to a pair of these that I have. Strong heating elements, thorough and fast cooking, non-stick is holding up great and very even cooking. Nice crispy waffles. The lock down is the key as it forces the batter to rise up into the upper pockets where they are cooked evenly. This IS THE ONE, trust me.

One of the reasons I bought this expensive juicer was because of the "Large-size Commercial" part - I was looking to squeeze 2 - 3 gallons at a time. The Amazon review also talks about grapefruits and efficiency with large quantities of fruit. I love sweet Texas grapefruit - they just barely fit, with pulp and seeds easily passing into the juice. The extractor insert doesn't lock in place and comes out after several squeezes with the rind. And only short glasses fit underneath to catch the juice. Large quantities (more than one small glass) are a continuous stop and pour and put the extractor screen back in, and then strain the end product process. If you are only doing a few oranges, than it is just ok - so call it a really expensive not very efficient orange juicer. I'm disappointed.

Ps. All the reviews about the long wait were true.

My wife is a fresh juice devotee. She has fresh squeezed juice every from our Champion juicer, which is an outstanding machine for veggies and certain fruits(we mostly juice apples). Because it grinds the food to produce the juice, it is not well-suited to citrus. No matter how carefully we peeled the oranges prior to grinding, there was still a bitter taste due to the rind. We went searching for the best juicer for citrus, and we found it in the Orange-X.

The machine is hefty and solid. As mentioned in previous, you will want to find counter space for this and leave it out. This will allow you to juice easily whenever you want, as cleanup is a matter of rinsing two small pop-out pieces. It is extermely easy to use, and even fun. My 14 year old enjoys it so much, he drinks more fresh juice than ever. A great purchase, you'll love it.

I highly recommend this juicer. I live in Florida and have a huge pink grapefriut tree as well as an orange, lemon and lime tree in my back yard. As you would expect my juicer has to be heavy duty and easy to use and clean. I have purchased and discarded most other juicers due to 1.t ook up too much counter space, 2. too flimsy, 3. too hard to clean, 4. too noisy, or 5. totally ineffective, etc. This juicer is elegant, the rack and pinion compressor will take all the juice out of medium to large fruit (small fruit you need to stack 2 high, but that's more efficient anyway). It's heavy, but not more than most juicers, and it gives you the leverage you need. I never move mine off the counter so I don't mind the weight. the easily removable cup rinses out in the sink so it's ready to reuse in a flash. It doesn't need a plug and it's quiet unlike electric models. You can fit a pint (lager) glass or a 2 cup cup measure under the spout. I must use it 3 to 4 times a day and i've had mine now for over 2 years. Big thumbs up from me!

I was drawn to this coffeemaker by the cute-as-a-button carafe and the removable reservoir. Yes, that removable reservoir is great. But I find that it's nearly impossible to pour coffee out of the carafe without dribbling all over the counter. Sure, if you pour it v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y you can manage, but otherwise it's a real challenge to keep your mug full and the counter clean. And speaking of clean, the carafe has a very small opening at the top making it quite difficult to wash by hand. If I had a dishwasher, I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue, but be warned -- if you hand wash your dishes, this one will cause frustration. All that being said, I appreciate the compact design which definitely saves counter space.

I like this little coffeemaker so much I bought two, one for home, the other one for my camper.

The removeable water resevoir is a handy little gimmick, but where I have my coffeemaker, I don't have the room to lift it out and put it back without dumping part of the water, so I fill it with a cup, but if your maker is out in the open, it is a convenient way to fill it.

The only reason I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 is because sometimes when you take the pot out before it is done brewing, the automatic pause doesn't always pause and coffee keeps dribbling onto the heating element. The solution I found to that is that you have to put the basket with the grounds in first, make sure it is tightly seated, THEN put the carafe on the heating element. When it is done that way, the auto pause works pretty well.

I also like the shape of the carafe, and the feel of the handle. For the money, I think it is a pretty good little coffee brewer for one person, it is perfect for my morning coffee jones. And it's just so CUTE!!! hey, cute counts...

I friend of mine owns an older Mr. Coffee 4-cup and we both swear by it. So when it came time for me to buy a machine, I went straight for this. It always makes a great cup o' joe, and this is coming from an ex-coffee-house employee. As with most coffee makers, 2-cups of their's equals one cup of ours, meaning a full pot is the perfect amount for 2 nice-sized cups.

The machine is easy to clean (I recommend using only distilled water in any coffee maker). It doesn't have a fancy thermostat on the warming plate, but I never let my coffee "cook". I pour it when it's done brewing and if I want another, I make another.

For what it is (a simple and effective brewing machine) and at that price, it's really a great buy.

We were so looking forward to fresh lemondade. The moment the Salton arrived we opened the box, pulled out the lemons we had bought in anticipation and began juicing. On the 5'th lemon the gears stripped and the juicer no longer turned when applying even the slightest amount of pressure to the lemon. We were all very disappoined, my 5 kids and I : ( I had hoped for better after reading the great reviews written by some of the others.

I hate stupid kitchen gadgets but I love my Lemonader! Everyone who's sick and tired of lemonade from a can or a powder raise their hand and then get one of these machines. You may have to play around with the recipes a bit before getting it just right for your personal taste, but that's part of the fun. It assembles easily and cleans up easily too. I prefer to transfer the finished lemonade into a different pitcher for storage in the fridge. For the money, it's a great little kitchen machine and the salton consumer relations department has been stellar in helping me replace a part that I lost. They're friendly and easy to deal with...kind of like the machine itself. Feel like having a bit of summer year 'round? Nothing like a fresh glass of lemonade to do that!

I've read other reviews and thought that I'd give it a shot. I was quite impressed, overall. I didn't get burned with hot steam like others claimed, but I was extra careful. My unit fit together nicely and worked perfectly out of the box. I followed the recipes, and it seemed to work well. The one thing I will say (and it's a biggie) is that the pitcher is designed VERY poorly. The pouring spout wasn't made large enough, so A LOT of the finished lemonade will spill out when pouring.

I've tried pouring the contents from the included pitcher into a larger pitcher (with a better spout) and it's worked nicely. I still will get some spillage, but it's better than using the included pitcher and a tall glass.

Overall, the unit does what it claims to and the taste is pretty good!

We used this blender probably a total of 5 times before the metal base FUSED to the motor!!!! It literally became FUSED!! Now, we thought all we had to do was order the base part from the Waring company. No, they don't sell that part. I was told by the Waring customer service people that I would have to take the blender to be serviced. Ha! Like I'm going to spend $45 to repair a BLENDER! We are buying a new one....needless to say it won't be a Waring blender.

The Waring Professional Bar Blender is all the blender I will ever need. Smoothies are now easy to whip up and a snap to clean up. To top it off, the stainless steel model I purchased looks great on the countertop. The motor (390 watts) has plenty of power for crushing ice and making frothy drinks. Waring blenders exude high quality.

Certainly there are more powerful blenders. Vita-Mix and Waring's Mega Pro are two such examples. Nevertheless, one would be hard pressed to justify the added expense of either machines for the average home. Kitchen Aid puts out a slightly more powerful blender (500 watts). But I have used both and for my money, Waring produces more consistent results for a wide variety of blending applications.

The cloverleaf glass jar is sturdy and easy to clean. I had some reservations about buying glass with a stainless steel version available but to my surprise, I actually prefer it. It is often necessary to have the contents visable(not possible with the steel jar) while blending to ensure a consistently smooth texture or to prevent overblending.

I recommend this product highly.

Quick 5 day delivery, good customer service, quality product, would buy again...Tks

I had high expectations from this unit being called "professional series"

I had a JR Juicer for a few years which did well. I use my juicer about 5 times a week. I bought this one a few months ago and it is now broken. The top three parts are removable by twisting two of the components -- the top clear plastic part has a small lid which secures it - this is what broke. The lower white plastic lip unscrews for removal and cleaning all the while juice drips on the motor part and penetrates around the screw making it very difficult to cleam -- try taking the whole engine part under the tap.

I read all the reviews that I could before purchasing.....so I wanted to at least give my feedback. I have held back buying a juicer for several years for 2 reasons...1) not sure I would use it and 2) not sure I could drink it! (esp carrot juice). Well, I've only had it for a week and used it 3 times, and have decided that although I don't just LOVE carrot juice, I CAN drink it.

Using the juicer is fairly easy, food prep is the longest! I'm trying out the "dip in boiling water for 5 secs" way of cleaning. I made carrot/apple juice, plus apple juice, the other morning and timed the whole process from start through cleanup at 15 minutes. So I'm hoping I can continue to make a 15 minute investment in my health each morning. Cleanup is a simple rinse-off with warm water and a brush for the filter. There WILL be a constant re-stocking of fruits/veggies though with frequent use!

OTHER: It is not as loud as I thought it might be......you do have to keep the food plunger over the opening to prevent airborne food. Also the spout cover flew off once and I found it later in the glass of juice.

No mechanical issues so far, course I've just had it a week. Only gave 4 stars because I haven't had it for very long, so don't know how it will hold up long term.

I am absolutely pleased with the Juiceman on several counts:

1. powerful
2. machine is light and stores easily
3. non-pulpy juice
4. simple to use, minimal cutting prep
5. easy to clean

It's always interesting to read negative reviews of juicers because quite frequently the issue is that the reviewer didn't do enough market research before buying the juicer. Masticating vs. centrifugal, juices vs smoothies, wheatgrass/no wheatgrass, baby food/sorbet/nut butters/milling grain or not, these are all options we have when we look at the selection of juicers available on the market today.

Example: I had a much more expensive Champion juicer several years back and nearly never used it. I found it bulky, heavy, messy for simple juicing (plus the pulp in the juice was a real turnoff for me) and really a nightmare to clean. When I tried to make almond butter with it I found I had to add a huge amount of sunflower oil to "help" the machine grind the almonds. For someone interested in the other applications the Champion can be used for, perhaps this would have been a great machine. I have met people who adore them. But it was definitely not the right machine for me.

My suspicion with several of the negative reviews here is that the reviewers didn't read over the owner's manual before they started using the machine and unwittingly damaged their juicers. And yes, you can get replacement blades--in fact, it's recommended that you replace the blade every 2-3 years or when the pulp begins to seem a bit wet. They cost about $40 online, I believe.

The Bottom Line: If you are interested in non-pulpy, quick juice drinks with minimal fuss and easy clean up, the Juiceman is a terrific machine at a very good price and holds up well (have had mine for about seven years).

One Caveat: You would do well to have a bottle brush or toothbrush on hand to quickly clean a couple of corners where pulp likes to lodge--it takes maybe 5-10 seconds to clean them, but thought I'd mention it in case you hate surprises.

This product saves a lot of time in ingredient chopping for daily cooking, and even some entertaining duties like dips and spreads where you don't need perfect dicing. You will have to cut your vegetables into 1 inch chunks before chopping, but it still saves time and it's very easy to clean. Chopping onion, green pepper & celery for jambalaya took 3 pulses for each vegetable. Garlic, onion & cilantro for salsa were done together in seconds. A garlic clove and other small amounts of anything will fly up to the top of the bowl away from the blade, so chop it with another part of the recipe or do several cloves at once, ditto for fresh herbs. It is not going to replace hand chopping for vegetables that need to be uniform (as in asian cooking) and perfect-looking (as for a condiment tray for company) and tomatoes become puree in 3 pulses unless you really make them small pieces before processing, so I still chop tomatoes by hand. Overall, I love mine and wouldn't be without one now.

This is a great, little machine. It takes up very little counter space and is cute so it is easy to leave out and use. It is great for chopping or mixing small amounts. Cleans easily. The reversible blade design is a neat feature. It came very well packaged, in mint condition, and at a great price. It would be difficult to find a better deal on a mini food processor than this one. I saw it at my favorite department store for just under [money] new. I think I like it better, like new, delivered to my door for just [money] including shipping. Good deal.

I had never really gotten on the food processor bandwagon. I had bad experiences with older, larger food processors that either liquified things I was chopping, yet still left large chunks behind. Add in the time to get the appliance out, find place on the counter, and then clean it afterwards, and I could do a faster, better job with a sharp knife.

Then I came upon this little beauty. It's small enough that I can leave it on the counter all the time. It has fewer pieces, and can be cleaned almost as fast as a cutting board and knife.

The capacity is small, but if I'm just cooking for a couple people, it's plenty big for most chores.

It works so well that I've ventured back into my appliance closet, and pulled-out the full-sized food processor for some things I wouldn't have bothered with before. In otherwords, this little device has changed the way I cook by expanding my choices of techniques to use.

I really think this little thing is an indispensible aid in the kitchen.

I'm not a big fan of spending time in the kitchen, so I love the way I can just plug my George Foreman grill in, throw some food on it, and be done in a few minutes. It's also a lot healthier than microwave cooking; just watch the fat drop into the plastic drip pan. Finally, since it cooks top and bottom, there's no need to turn over your food. Great for burgers, chicken, steaks, ham, quesadillas, etc.

I only wish it was dishwasher safe!

I love this grill so much, it makes my last relationship look like, well...charcoal briquets. The meat cooks in record time,
no flipping of the burgers (a word of warning to cheeseburger lovers...nuke the burger a few seconds to melt the cheese AFTER you cook it on the grill, or you will have something that looks like a victim from the movie 'Backdraft'...oh, dear...I suppose some of you aren't hungry now). Only two other suggestions: 1)When placing meat on the grill, hold it there for a split second, or it will go sliiiiiiiiiiiiding down the non-stick surface. Also, the bun warmer cover comes off VERY easily, but I suspect it was designed this way for bigger hamburg buns
and such. Still five stars, though. Cleanup is a breeze (Oh God of All Barbecue Meat.....I sound like one of those TV ads)

I love this grill. I cooked a 1 inch thick steak in 7 minutes and it tasted great I've also cooked Salmon with the same great results. I would recommend this grill to anyone.

Unlike reviewer "aswynes", I DID buy this lame-o product -- so I get 1 star. If I could rate the product, I'd give it 1 star too!!! This thing is too hard to use! Let me get this straight: You're supposed to freeze the bowl for hours *before* you use it?! Then you're supposed to freeze the LIQUID for hours *after* you mix it! C'mon folks! I just want some ice cream, not a rocket science project!! Give me a break!! If you *paid attention* in marketing class, ice cream is an impulse item. Not something to plan your whole day around! (Plus it took me twelve hours to read the manual!). Next time make it "doable"!!!

The best thing about this unit is the the price. Since I purchased some other stuff shipping was free. It only makes on quart but for me that is fine. I like the fact I don't have to mess around with Ice and Rock salt. I would use caution if your freezer doesn't get cold enough. My is 5 below so the bowl freezes more than adequately. However if the coldest your freezers gets is 20 degrees I wouldn't expect great results. I have had success each time I've made Ice Cream but I haven't deviated from the canned recipies.

It was with great skepticism that I made my first batch of ice cream last night in my new VillaWare. What a snap! In 45 minutes, I had wonderful homemade strawberry ice cream! The unit is easy to clean. The bowl doesn't take up a lot of room in my small freezer. And, in my opinion, this ice cream maker works as well as the Martha Stewart one that my mom purchased for around $100.

I've bought two. One, as a gift, several months ago, and (so far) it's still working. I needed a new blender, and ordered this. Plugged it in, turned it on, nothing. Not even smoke. Fortunately, Amazon is great on returns like this. I'd be curious about how many they've had shipped back. Gotta cost 'em.

In the 5 months I have been using the Black and Decker BL600B Pro-Blend, I have not had any problems at all with it. I use it quite often, mainly for smoothies and shakes,(and occassionaly for cooking) and following the manufacturer's instructions(e.g. how much ice to use at one time), it has worked perfectly.

This is a 12 speed blender, and of the speeds I have used, it seems to work just as described. Stir, Blend, Chop, Liquefy,and Whip are a few of the tasks it performs, and also included are an Ice Crush feature(works great), and a "Fast Clean" option which is a real time saver. Hi/Lo speeds are used in conjunction with task speeds, and the instructions will give some good tips and techniques on blending.(One good example would be how to change speeds while using) The jar is glass, and a litttle heavy but very sturdy.The cap fits snugly and also doubles as a 2oz liquid measuring cup. It is a nice looking unit as well.

Assembly was fairly simple. The instructions are easy to follow(also in Spanish and French),include a few recipes, an 800 number to call for questions or repairs and has a one year warranty. They also clearly spell out certain uses that may damage the blender.(This may be very helpful to those who may be new to using one).

With so many 'mixed'(excuse the pun) reviews here, I waited until I really gave it a good work out before writing this review. Based on it's features and capabilities,ease of use and instructions,cleaning,price, and quality I have no reservations about recommending this product for yourself or as a gift.

Even if you are just getting started, you will feel like a pro with this "ProBlend" by Black and Decker.If you are looking for some nice smoothie recipes I would also recommend "The Best 50 Smoothies" by Joanna White. It's a small and inexpensive book full of delicious and nutritious ideas.

Thanks and enjoy...Laurie

A few months ago, I started looking for a blender. It seemed like there were hundreds of them. Price wasn't the main concern, as I would gladly pay a premium price for a premium product. My main issues were that it would perform all the standard blending tasks with ease, make a great milkshake, blend eggs to make a light "Waffle House" style omlette, and most importantly (for my friends who crave Margaritas), kill ice cubes with a vengeance. When I happened upon this Black and Decker model, I was taken by the positive reviews, yet skeptical of it's ... price. Never the less, I figured that if the reviewers were making an honest effort, I couldn't justify spending three or more times as much on a machine that would do no better. I bought one. When it arrived, I saw that B&D was so proud of it that they offered a 30 day no questions asked refund if you don't think it's the best blender/ice crusher ever. It's a big blender. It has a large capacity thick glass jar, a unique knife arrangement, lots of power, a soft shatterproof top that seals tightly (with a measuring cap built in), plenty of speeds to select, and it does the job as advertised. If you need a killer blender, buy this one. Pack it with ice, and be amazed.