Appliance Reviews

First off, it's a GRIDDLE and waffle baker, not a grill. And second, it's so poorly made that it's frightening to use. Mine fell apart while it was burning hot the first time I used it. I wish I hadn't wasted my money.

It looks like the waffle maker that my mom used for all those wonderful breakfasts growing up. I've had the waffle maker for almost a year now, and after another disappointing round of waffles this weekend, I had to submit a review.
I'd agree with other reviewers that the unit does not get hot enough. I've tried several different waffle recipes, including good ole mom's and each time the waffles are flat as pancakes and soft. I've given up trying to cook pancakes, even with the heat turned up full blast, they never brown.
I've always been a fan of this type of waffle maker, but based on my experiences, I'll be looking for a Belgium waffle maker and stick with my stovetop griddle for pancakes.

This is an okay wafflemaker. You have to make sure it heats up for a fairly long time in order to get it hot enough to use, and even then it doesn't always heat evenly. The edges seem to take longer to cook. The indicator light is useless. It seems to go on and off randomly. The outside of the wafflebaker gets very hot. Watch out for plastic items touching the outside-meltdown! The grill is not effective for making things like grilled cheese. It squashes everything flat. You can remove the grates for cleaning, but I still find it difficult to get all the accumulated oil off (although I use very little, only a quick spray from the can of Pam.) I think the fairly high temperature of the waffle maker really bakes on that oil.

We headed out not long ago to buy a food processor and I would have *sworn* that the Cuisinart would be my choice - it's practically synonymous with "food processor"! A quick look at the new KitchenAid model changed my mind, though.

We were told that Cuisinart isn't being made the way it used to be - lesser quality blades, for example. The old blade-maker now provides KitchenAid with their blade, incidentally. Comparing the two models side by side, it's quickly apparent that the Cuisinart isn't nearly as well-made and it's much harder to clean than the Kitchenaid which is basically a single, sealed, "wipe clean" surface.

I hated to turn my back on a legendary product, but we've never looked back. Compare before you buy, especially at the identical price.

I've used my Cuisinart fairly hard - I make mustard (from mustard seed) on a small scale for sale at a farmer's market. I've had it for six or seven years now, so mine may not be identical to this model. But the number and the specs are.

You can swamp the machine in too much liquid - I can process up to about four cups of fairly liquid stuff, but no more or I have an overflow to deal with.

A dishwasher does a good job of cleaning the bowl and knife, and the knife has held its edge well. The bowl has a certain number of scratches after heavy use.

I've hardly ever used the plastic blade - even for dough, I use the steel blade. I have a few shredding/slicing disks, which have seen a reasonable amount of use for large scale salads, turkey stuffing, and sauerkraut. (sp?)

It doesn't dice. There's no technique by which true dice can be made in a food processor. You could use the processor to slice or even julienne and finish by hand, but it's too fussy.

I just got my Cuisinart DLC-8SBK yesterday. So far I have mixed a cake, shredded coconut, sliced pototoes, made cole slaw, chopped onion; green pepper; tomato, and tonight I made the BEST Guacamole I have ever tasted! It is a heavy-duty, powerful, get-the-job-done machine.You should have seen the pretty,fluffy shredded coconut! I do not know how I have survived without it. The feed-tube assembly took me a little while (an hour!) to get used to. And I wouldn't suggest mixing a cake as your first project. Would be better to get used to it before doing anything liquid. So easy to clean. This machine is mine now. We are partners! Tomorrow I will try to make some bread.

I got this unit a few days ago. Overall, I'm quite happy with it. The design is top-notch and it's just the right size for one or two people. It grates and chops very well and I plan to use it regularly. It is also very easy to clean, which is a plus. I have to take one star off because it gets very loud. It's tolerable, but it makes a lot more noise than I would have expected from a small machine. Other than that it's a great unit. Recommended, if you can put up with the noise.

This product is great for those smallish jobs. Need minced garlic? You get it without the smell of garlic sticking to your hands. Chopped onion? No tears. This chopper is a must for those who need to save time on food prep.

This is about the fifth (or more) mini processor I've ever had, and it's the greatest! After I got this baby and tried it out, I took my old big Cuisinart (circa late '70's) off the counter and moved it to the back of a cabinet. Prior to this one I had been using the Cuisinart Mini Prep for about the last eight years and it was adequate. But when I tested the new Mini Prep Plus on fresh parsley, it chopped it as fine as the big one did. The same for onions which came out finely minced instead of pureed. The difference, I realized, is the chopping blade -- it's almost the same one as on the big models. It's no noisier than any other appliance and cleaning it is a snap.

There is an item IDENTICAL to this one, but made by Oriental Company called TASIN. If you are expecting commercial quality, and the most powerful electric meat grinder, go with TASIN. It has 1200 WATT MOTOR POWER. It will grind just about everything from deer, elk, whole chicken with bones and nuts. TS-108 SUPER GRINDER is what you want. For some reason people put different lable on it, and advertise/sell wrongly. KEY is MOTOR POWER, not ELECTRIC USAGE. Why pay the same or more when you can get much more powerful, long lasting commercial quality meat grinder that can take a lot more "punishment"????

You really need to read this if you are seriously interested in buying this meat grinder.

This 320- watt Villa Ware meat grinder may give you problems if you pass through it a few pounds of cheaper cuts of beef that are long pieces that are almost the diameter of the filling tube.

If the machine seems to be not grinding the meat fast, then stringy fibers probably have wrapped themselves around the blade. In order to resolve the problem you will need to turn off the unit, (unplug it for added safety) then remove the blade and shaft for cleaning.

In order to avoid this potential problem, you need to cut the beef into about 1-inch chunks.

It is definitely five stars for being able to ground several pounds of meat in a matter minutes using the medium (hole) size disk. The drawback is the added time it takes of cutting of the meat into chunks.

Moreover, if you are only going to be using a pound or less of a cheaper cut of meat you will not have a problem, and can just put it right through the machine.

Just got this a week ago. Used it twice, today for 20 minutes straight. Ground up about 15-20 lbs of vension. Seems to work better with cubed meat but it takes 4-8 inch strips with little effort. Just try to get as much of the fat/grizzle off the meat as you can. Does a great job of grinding. and they back it with a 1 year warranty. Good product for the price, but with all items will have to wait and see.

They are on the web (http://www.villaware.com/
VillaWare Manufacturing Co.

18901 Euclid Avenue No. 1
Cleveland, OH 44117
Phone: 216.531.0800
Fax: 216.486.3200
Toll-Free: 800.822.1335
E-Mail: villaware@villaware.com

This is a versatile appliance but since I purchased it to cook small amounts of rice, it's a bit of a disappointment. Everytime I steam rice, lots of water overflows onto the counter top. I am afraid that it will reach another appliance and electrocute someone or start a fire. According to the instructions, you're to add water to the bowl of rice itself, but it seems to be too much for the steamer to handle. The rice comes out perfect, but I think this will be my last time using it for that purpose. It sometimes overflows [from the base] when steaming other foods for a long time, so it's not always just the rice. Don't buy this steamer. Nice concept, not so smart design.

This is the only steamer I have experience with so I don't know if it's better or worse then others. It cooks decent white rice in less time than a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker which I also own. Rice cooker results are more predictable and you can make a lot of rice in a large rice cooker. The steamer is less sophisticated but if you only cook 2-3 cups of rice, this steamer is all you need. Vegetables come out very good but you need to watch them, because every vegetable requires different cooking time. Overall I like this steamer but these are some negatives: 1) If you steam a lot of vegetables the bottom water collection tray may overflow. 2) In summer time in hot and humid climate, more steam in the kitchen is the last thing you want. 3) When I use a tray for steaming fish, it collects water, and fish sometimes comes out boiled rather than steamed. However there was no odor left after steaming fish. Regardless of the above, this is a good way to prepare food and sometimes the only way.

This is the only steamer I have experience with so I don't know if it's better or worse then others. It cooks decent rice in less time than a Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker which I also own. Rice cooker results are more predictable and you can make a lot of rice in a large rice cooker. The steamer is less sophisticated but if you only cook 2-3 cups of rice, this steamer is all you need. Vegetables come out very good but you need to watch them, because every vegetable requires different cooking time. Overall I like this steamer but these are some negatives: 1) If you steam a lot of vegetables the bottom water collection tray may overflow. 2) In summer time in hot and humid climate, more steam in the kitchen is the last thing you want. 3) When I use a tray for steaming fish, it collects water, and fish sometimes comes out boiled rather than steamed. Regardless of the above, this is a good way to prepare food and sometimes the only way.

I got this blender as a Bridal shower gift, and it was wonderful for a while. The blender itself works fine most of the time, but I did find that it made odd noises. After a while the plastic on the base cracked, just a bit, but then it cracked more and more to the point that there's only a tiny space now that isn't cracked. this creates quite a problem since it causes the entire blender to tip, meaning that the pieces that need to connect in order for the blade to turn cannot connect. Hence, I have a broken blender all because of cheap plastic. My advice is to spend a little more money and get something that isn't so cheaply made.

This is great for anyone, because it works well, but I'll get to that in a minute.

This is the best value for anyone with a small apartment/condo without much kitchen space. The more appliances you have, the less space you have. This is the perfect solution. One blender base that can swap tops for a blender or a food processor.

The blender has a good, strong motor, and chops through about anything I've thrown at it, and the food processor seems to work great (though I don't use it too often.) It also has a little extra safety attched. There is a "safety button" under the lid that will not allow the processor to operate if the lid is not on tightly.

That said, I might use the food processor more often if it actually had multiple blade attachments. There is only one, so you can puree or make things like salsa or guacamole(my favorite) but you can't slice your apples or tomatoes, because there is no slicing attachment.

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Final thoughts:

This is a great buy for anyone looking for a blender AND a food processor, especially if you have a small kitchen. BUT if you need a robust food processor, buy a cheaper blender and get a separate food processor that has more attachments.

I have just purchased this model.. Its the newer model from Hamilton Beach, (as opposed to the 52204).. It has been improved.. and is wonderful.. I made a Frappachino today.(saved myself - mega bucks, at Starbucks.. LOL).. But seriously, the machine is great.. Chops ice, holds ALOT.. and I also tried the food processor attachment, I used it with some crackers, that I made into fresh bread crumbs. and they came out great.. I would highly recommend this product.

I only gave this one star because it looks nice on a counter but is totally WORTHLESS!! I will never buy Black and Decker again. After using this product for a week, the toast feature stopped working. I contacted Black and Decker and was told to return the plug (as proof of purchase) and to pay $5 for a replacement. I didn't think this was fair but didn't want to be out the money for the oven so I did. I promptly receieved a new oven and it worked for one day!! It stopped working after toasting one piece of bread. I contacted Black and Decker again and this time they blamed it on me and said that I was probably not using it correctly and they would not correct it again!! I couldn't believe how TERRIBLE I was treated. I will never purchase any of their products again and tell everyone I can about the poor customer service I receieved. BEWARE!!!!!!

I recently almost started a fire with my previous toaster oven when I inadvertently left something on top of it while I was toasting. The shell of the toaster got so hot it melted and burned the item that was resting on top of it. In my shopping for a new toaster oven, looking for a model that had a "cool wall," that is, an oven that doesn't get hot on the outside was a must. After extensive searching I chose the B&D Dining IN. At any price, this was the only one with the "cool wall" and the range of features. Some ovens had "cool handles" that remained cool so you could move the oven while it was hot but I don't think that makes it safe enough. We have children and absent minded adults living in our home. We need totally safe appliances. Even when I am broiling the outside of this oven is perfectly cold.

There have been many negative comments regarding the quality of the toasting. I haven't had any problems, but then again, I am not obsessed with perfect toast. We put bread in and it comes out toasted. In addition to toasting, it's so big that I use it to cook regularly instead of using the big oven. When it gets dirty it's so much easier to clean than a big oven or even other toaster ovens because of the removeable crumb tray. I also really like the cooking options. Turn the timer to the left and the oven reamins on - turn the knob to the right and you have a traditional timer which will turn the oven off automatically after the time you set it to has run out.

Shop around and check for features. I think that combination of features available in the B&D Dining In Toaster Oven will out distance any other toaster oven on the market at any price.

I have had this toaster oven now for about 5 or 6 years and have had great results cooking in it. I can cook 2 5LB. whole chickens in this oven. I do most of my cooking in this because it is faster and cheaper than firing up the old gas oven. I have used it so much that I have just worn it out and am ready to order a new one. I like this model because it has an oven temperature setting, browning setting, oven timer, and even has a toaster buttton on it.

Update: I have been trying to reach the company of this product but to no avail. The blades that came with the unit do not fit into the compartment of this product. I feel that the company Euro-Pro has advertized falsely and I will pursue this. I would in no way buy this product! Please be advised.

The only reason it gets just 4 stars is the fact that the several blades that come with the machine do NOT in fact store in the unit as it was described. Hey, is that such a big problem? Yeah, it would be convenient but it is no big deal.
This thing ROCKS! If the owners would read the instructions and have a little patience, they will find that it does everything as advertised.
I've never had a food processor before - didn't think the price of the other brands was a reasonable buy. I got a bargain on mine and I love it. I now use it in place of a mixer or blender.
I'm totally satisfied and would recommend it. I don't know what kind of customer service one receives if there is a problem as I haven't had any.

I ordered this food processor from Amazon.com so the shipping was completly free for me and it arrived via UPS within 4 days or so. I am VERY VERY satisfied with the chopping capabilities of this food processor. It chops onions like a dream and lets me take out the blades and the cup without every spilling anything! Last night I made some chicken vegetable soup, and usually the prep time took me atleast half an hour to chop all the vegetables, but with this machine it took me less than thirty seconds flat, I put the onions, the carrots, the peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes directly into the food procesor all at the same time and I got perfectly uniform pieces in seconds. I LOVE THIS MACHINE.
There is the problem of the power cord, I have to pull it out and push it back in, yes, but atleast like other machines I have owned, I dont have to wrap it around the appliance hoping the cord will stay in place. The storage space seems less than the infomercial, but thats ok as well. As for the recipe book, I really prefer using my own recipes so that doesnt bother me either.
Overall, the chopping quality puts all other food processors to shame and comparing the price of this one to a Cuisinart or a Kitchenaid etc, I feel this is a bargain!

I was really looking forward to using my new oven because of the pizza cooking feature, I make alot of frozen pizza's for the kids and I thought this oven would be perfect, well I had my oven for 1 day and on its 1st use I reheated a piece of pizza and the timer finished and I went to open the door, did not even touch it yet, and the glass door shattered into pieces-I was just blown away by this, shocked! I was very thankful that I did not have my small child with me at the time, very dangerous. I am returning my oven to Target today to get my money back and I am going to write the company and include pictures of the oven asking for an explination as to why this happened-there is no excuse for this in my opinion! I might by another one just to give it another try, but I am not so sure yet and if I do and I like it I will then send in a positive review.

Bought my oven to keep the kitchen cool. It does everything as described. Fast cooking, makes great cornbread, pizza, and chicken.
Its great for fast meal preparation

This is the best toaster-oven I have owned in over 40 years!
The pizza baking feature is great! I'm buying a a second unit for my vacation home to replace the old one although it still works.

Noisy first of all!
The first machine worked for a while and then went dead.
They sent us a new one and it had problems too.
The part that turns the turns the paddle slips on the motor shaft making a loud popping noise every few seconds.

Weare sending it back for a refund and getting something else.

I LOVE OUR MACHINE! We married in May and got one of our dear friends gave us $100 specifically for a breadmaker. We researched the purchase thoroughly and, about a month ago, lucked into the special deal Amazon.com had: $(...) for a machine listing for $200!! The other machines rated in Consumer's Report were mentioned as being noisy, producing a vertical rather than horizontal loaf, and making a poor wheat bread. NONE of these complaints were attributed by Consumers Report to this model, and we concur. So far it's been wonderful. Each loaf has been absolutely perfect (I set it on medium to brown). The bread always comes out easily and never sticks, and the paddle is very easy to remove from the bottom of the loaf. I've read the reviews speaking of the noise level but, honestly, I would not say that it's particularly noisy. I'm very pleased with the quality for the cost and feel that this machine is well worth $100 compared to the apparent quality of other lower priced brands available. However, I must say that, if one could spend more than $100, a 2-paddle model would probably be more advantageous. Synopsis: Don't hesitate to BUY IT if you can get it for $...!!

I've had one of these makers for 3 years and I love it. It's worked incredibly consistently for me at least once a week making bread, dough, jam. I do have a few warnings for potential owners:

1. If the dough ball is too dry, the motor can't turn properly and makes a popping sound. This is probably the noise that all the other reviews are talking about; otherwise the noise is no worse than any other breadmaker I've been around. If this happens, add water a bit at a time until the dough is of a better consistency.

2. This machine causes bread to rise like crazy. I've had to reduce the yeast in all the recipes I use by at least half, and a 1.5-lb loaf fills the pan. I didn't need to do this with my old machine--breadmaker cookbook recipes always worked great as-is.

3. Like any other breadmaker, none of the parts can go in the dishwasher, and you have to be really careful of the nonstick surface. The manual says these things, though.

4. Sometimes a small amount of flour gets stuck in the corners if the dough was pretty dry to start out with. If I'm around when it's mixing, I push the flour out of the corners with a spatula. If not, I brush the flour off the completed loaf.

5. When making jam, I reduce the pectin required by the recipe by about half and the jam is still sets up almost hard.