Appliance Reviews

The way this machine is supposed to work is a heavy freezer canister sits on top of a motor base, a cheap plastic paddle attaches to a plastic cover, and the freezer canister spins while the paddle remains stationary. If the cover actually fit securely to the base, this might have some chance of working. What actually happens is that the canister, cover, and paddle all spin around together while the mixture freezes to the sides. All it made was a mess - not ice cream.

I figured the unit was defective and exchanged it for another one. I followed the manufactures directions exactly. It had the same problem. It is just a very poor design. From the other reviews of this model, some people have actually gotten it to work. But even it you are lucky enough to get one that works, it doesn't look like the paddle would stand up to repeated use.

I wish that I had spent an extra ten and gotten a Cuisinart ICE-20 instead.

I have only used this ice cream maker a few times, but it is great! It makes soft-serve or harder ice cream, and it's always turned out yummy! It doesn't make a LOT of ice cream, enough for only a few people (less if you're an ice cream-aholic like me!). Well worth the cost though, it is durable, easy to use and fun! Highly recommend!

We got this product about a year ago as a Christmas gift. It has been well-used over the last year, and works as well as the day we got it (stands up to hard use)! You can make your ice cream either soft - serve, or hard. We have "tweaked" the recipes which came in the book, and have found that it makes very good tasting ice cream.
Keep in mind when shopping for one of these how much ice cream 1 1/2 quarts really is. We have found that it feeds 3 people fine, but any more than that, and you have to make 2 batches. I would look for an additional canister if you have a large family or are using it at a party. We keep the canister in the deep freeze at all times (wrapped in a plastic bag), and have always hand washed all the parts.

First off, let me say that the first time I used this rice cooker, I was immediately impressed with the texture of the rice and the ease of use. It couldn't be easier -- add rice and water, insert the metal bowl, close the lid and hit the "cook" button.

After several months of use, I've realized several flaws in the design. First, there is no "off" button. To me, this seems to be a bit of a fire hazard, as it is far too easy to forget to unplug the machine after the rice has cooked (it reverts to "warm", which WILL burn eventually). Secondly, there is no timer or bell to alert you to the fact that the rice is done. I've never quite managed to "catch" it reverting from cook to warm, so after 8 months, I still don't know exactly how long it takes to cook rice in this cooker.

I've also noticed that the metal "bowl" included for cooking loses its anti-stick qualities over time. After several months, rice began sticking to the bottom of the bowl during cooking, resulting in a lightly burned bottom layer of rice. I've also noticed that during the first few months of use, lots of moisture was captured in the drainage caps, resulting in very sticky rice. Now, no moisture is ever captured, and the rice almost seems wet (and often undercooked).

Finally, unless you're positive you want to cook at least two cups of rice every time you use the rice cooker, this is NOT the cooker for you. I honestly thought I'd want to prepare two cups at a time each time I used it, and now I understand that a cooker with a one cup minimum would have been a better purchase.

In all honesty, I don't feel the quality of this cooker was significantly higher than those a fraction of the cost. While I'm certain I'd love the "smart logic" high-end Zojirushi cookers, I would have been better off buying a cheaper model than this one -- the cost was astronomical compared to the quality, and now I feel I'm a bit turned off from Zojirushi. They just have not delivered the quality I would expect from their reputation.

I've had this rice cooker for about three months now. I wouldn't say that it is a great rice cooker, only slightly better than average. Does a better job with long grain than short grain.

This has been the rice cooker I have ever owned. I threw away my "el cheapo" Aroma after I got this one. The rice on the bottom does tend to get a little more done, but it's no match for the non stick surface. I have made anywhere from 2-10 cups (uncooked) of rice in this cooker and it does equally well with both large & small amounts. I guess if an ON/OFF switch is really that important to you, then I wouldn't recommend this rice cooker. Otherwise, buy and enjoy.

Okay, so a steamer isn't that complicated right? Well apparently, I got the shaft. I can't get steam to come out of this thing. My parents received one from my grandmother as well, and guess what? It doesn't work either. So i returned mine, and guess what? it didn't work either. I wish i could have the results that the other 2 reviewers had, my business suits were really looking forward to the touch up. Very strange and very inconsistent.

I also read the manual (about 10 times) to make sure that i wasn't on crack thinking that i didn't hook it up right or whatever. not the case. i did everything right. I got ballsy with my last one since the store my grandma purchased from stopped carrying them and i took it apart. I dont think there are usable parts inside and it probably voided the warranty, but i received no contact from the manufacturer after writing them. Tisk tisk.

All i wanted was my suits to be wrikle free.

Sniffle.

I received my Homedics steamer today, and it's going right back, I'm afraid! I sell clothing on line, and I had high hopes for this device, as many folks on the message board I frequent said they couldn't live without theirs! It's not really any easier than ironing, in my opinion, and it won't press seams or collars the way an iron will. I spent way more time trying to get the wrinkles out with the thing than I would have just ironing the shirt I was working on, and it still came out looking kind of "limp." The pole is too short, so I had to squat down to steam longer skirts-- forget about dresses! It will also be way too easy to scald myself, and the reset light came on about 5 times in the first 20 minutes of use, for whatever reason-- there was plenty of water in there, and it was not plugged into a gfi outlet-- I finally gave up. I think I will just invest in better steam iron! It was worth a try, I guess.

For years and years I've steamed everything with a hand steamer, not knowing there was any such thing as a descent and affordable commercial-grade item. I was skeptical by the low-low price of this, but I've found it not only exceeds the performance of every bygone steamer I've used, it has many exceedingly handy features I've always wanted. This steamer is a godsend to me!

Assembly was easy -- a prior reviewer covered that. The 1500 watts of power delivers incredible steam, and I think it may be part of the problem one of the prior reviewers had about this unit "not working." I noticed that the automatic shut-off feature, intended low or no water, also applies if your wall outlet is overloaded. When I first used this, after about 10 minutes, it shut off -- remember to check the orange light on the side. I just reset the button, back in business. We have older wiring in this building, and any appliance 1250 watts or higher is a big load. It's not this steamer's fault. I seldom have this problem, but this is the only time the unit shuts off by itself, and "reset" does the trick every time.

This unit works so FAST! I haven't had to wait a full 40 seconds to warm up, I start with the light stuff, and at about 15 seconds I can get to work.

I use this for the things I would never iron (not that I want or need to iron anymore), like: sweaters, silks, light fabrics, knit tops, and suits. It's also brilliant on corduroy (no shine!) heavy wools and cottons, including denim. It does a better job than I'd have thought on linen, the only fabric you might want to iron, like tablecloths or napkins. But I now use this for freshening all my linen garments, and it's good enough that I don't bother ironing them anymore -- linen creases up the minute you put it on anyway, so who's the wiser?

The brush attachment really helps on nappy or heavily wrinkled fabric, and it's a great thing to have. I remove it for thin/smooth fabric or shaped areas, such as the shoulders of suit jackets. It is hot enough to do razor creases on trousers, and also hot enough where I suggest you do what I do -- wear an insulated rubber dishwashing glove on your positioning hand, or it's easy to get a scald while doing your creases or shoulder-shaping. It's that much hotter and the steam jets out more strongly than anything else I've used -- and I can't get away with just being quick-handed with this one. This is high praise, NOT a complaint!

I love having the garment stand, which frees me up to move around the garment. The hose is a perfect length, long enough to work but not so long it gets in the way. The unit is light and rolls easily, making long sessions far easier, but not so light that ever becomes tippy if you have several garments hanging at a time, before you put that batch away. Perfectly sturdy and stable.

Best of all, the huge water reservior means I can get all my stuff steamed without stopping/refilling/rewarming every 5 minutes! So I can really fly with this unit, like maybe 25-40 pieces in one 40 minute session, depending on garment complexity. When it's out of water, I am DONE!

The only thing I wonder about is that the water reservior says "distilled water only," and the manual shows someone filling it up under the tap. I fill mine under the tap, like I have with every other steamer around here, and no problems so far.

I looked forward to using my brand new Maxim Wok however, I found that the food sticks to the bottom, even though I used cooking spray, water and sometimes a little oil. I have used it 3 times and each time more of the coating comes off. It is not usuable at this time. I use the proper utensils and use only a sponge to wipe the surface. I have owned only one other wok (non electric) and never had this problem but I wanted a new electric one so I bought this one. I am very disappointed and will have to contact the manufacturer. I think the unit is defective.

This wok is terrific for those who, like me, have a smooth-top stove and cannot use the standard wok. I found that the performance of this wok is almost as good as my heavy steal wok which I previously used. While nothing performs as well as a heavy steal wok over gas, this wok performs adequately for the seasoned Chinese cook. It's so much better than any electric wok I have seen! The heat distribution is the best I've seen on any electric cooking appliance.

I recently moved to a home without gas. While coping, the one thing I miss is a wok over gas. This is as close as one can get -- it is a fantastic electric wok with none of the shortcoming of other electrical appliances. Works great with my bamboo steamer as well. The folks at cooks illustrated were right when they recommended this wok.

Spend a bit more and get something that actually works. I had a terrible time getting the top to stay put, especially when the turning got difficult. The 'notch' that is supposed to hold the lid in place just doesn't. It's difficult to clean and I never got a good batch of ice cream. It's a waste of money. Mine is going bye-bye.

i have had my ice cream maker for so long i cant even remember when or where i got it. but i have got to tell ya, I love this thing.. the only problem is i lost the instruction manual and cant find the ice cream recipe that was in it.. its easy to use and i have given it to my daughter's daughter. shes 5 and now i need the recipe for the mix... HELP someone.. please send it to me at my email address .. i would be so appriciative...
THANK YOU NORDIC WARE. I LOVE IT... Linda K. suekea3@hotmail.com

With our freezer, the chamber gets so cold that a half pint of ice cream takes less than a minute to freeze. Larger portions take longer.

The unit is fairly sturdy. The lid isn't as tight as I'd like but it is fine.

Don't let the high price on this ice cream freezer fool you into thinking you're getting something that's high quality. We ordered one in late November, anticipating lots of fun "cranking" together at family get-togethers over the holidays. The "trial run" in early December went fine. But the second time we got the freezer out of the box -- on Christmas evening -- we saw that metal filings had shifted out of the crank mechanism. Then, as we attempted to make just our second batch of ice cream, the crank handle broke. (The crank mechanism seems to be poorly made, which overly stresses the crank handle.) Not what we expected from a $159 ice cream freezer.

The freezer works OK but the overall quality of the product appears to have slipped. The finish on the wood was poor and the lid for the stainless steel container does not fit tight enough. I do not expect this new White Mountain freezer to last as long as the one my Grandparent's purchased and used for 50+ years. For the money, I expected more.

I purchased this model for my husband's birthday recently and I have to say it was perfect! We have used it several times since then and everytime I have been amazed with the workmanship that has gone into creating this mixer. It is rare that you find things well built these days. Most companies cut corners by using cheap materials, but not White Mountain. The wood base is solidly constructed and the parts appear as if they will last for many years to come. I will say that if you are looking for a "quick fix" you will probably prefer to go with one of the electric models. If, on the other hand, you do prefer the nostalgia that goes along with this product and are willing to work for your treats then this will be perfect. If you ask me, I think our children today have lost sight of working for what you want and maybe this will be a small yet fun way of helping them learn that lesson! Okay, maybe I went a little far with that last comment, but it does make a little sense.

This is a very great way to grind and chop food. It is also very useful in making cosmetics and grinding herbs, coffee, cheese, meats and was as advertised. No matter what your needs are it is the prefect attachment to the Hamilton Beach Blender. Thanks

For small jobs when you don't want to get out the heavy stuff this works just fine. Small enough to leave out and handy enough to do most jobs. I use mine at least once a week and don't worry about if it can do the job I ask of it.

Great little attachment for my Hamilton Beach Blender. Just the right size for food processing jobs for my small family. Easy to clean. Does an excellent job in chopping, shredding, grating, etc. I should have gotten this a long time ago.

I tried this 'toaster' out right away. It's mechanism for lowering and raising the toast was defective - it lowered but wouldn't release, so I couldn't RAISE the toast out of the toaster. So I called Kitchenaid as instructed in the literature that arrived with the toaster. They said they would send a replacement right away, plus a shipping lable to return the defective one. They sent another toaster, but NO shipping label. Then I tried out the replacement, which was apparently reconditioned rather than new. Guess what? The same mechanism was faulty, but now the toast wouldn't stay DOWN in the toaster, therefore no toast. Called Kitchenaid again. Received NO apology for the fact that I now have TWO defective toasters, and NO return shipping labels. They offered to send a THRID toaster, which I declined. They promised to send me two shipping labels, and a refund when they get the toasters, but so far the labels have not arrived. They probably don't want these toasters back. Beware, they could be foisted off on you next!

Bottom line, I don't care how fancy the electronics are, the basic mechanical functions on this toaster are fatally flawed. It's a real piece of junk, no wonder it's on clearance.

I just threw out my Cuisinart toaster; it was supposed to be 'state of the art' and it was [junk].... Just unplugged it one day and threw it out. So after remodeling my kitchen with Kitchenaid appliances, I figured I'd give their toaster a go. And like everything else I've bought from them (stove, refrigerator, mixers, blender), the toaster is a keeper. I make my own bread and the slices are somewhat larger than store-bought bread, and this machine handles that easily. I definetely recommend this toaster!

This is the best toaster I have ever owned. I think there is a big difference between toaster over toast and traditional toaster toast. I just love this one! It is very well made and it has very easy to use digital controls and a smooth sleek design. The crumb tray is very easy to remove and clean. Another KitchenAid gem! Highly recommended! A+!

I purchased this blender to replace an older Oster model that we had for many years. I had expected the quality to be the same...It isn't. My children wanted it to make smoothies and shakes. It performs very poorly. It blends only at the bottom of the container . We constanty have to stick a spoon down into the glass bowl to assist with the blending. Using it is a frustrating experience. It's a worthless piece of trash...and that's exactly where it's going. I will never purchase another Oster product again. Funny...I seem to remember them being a good brand.

Before this one, I owned another Oster blender that had a plastic jar. It accidentally fell off the countertop and it cracked. The plastic jars also scratch easily and just aren't very durable!

So be sure you get the glass jar. Also, having the extra-powerful motor is good too. I only use a couple of different speeds, so I don't think more speeds are important, however.

This blender works well, however you do sometimes have to stick something in there to get the top of your concoction well-mixed in with the rest of it. But that's probably the case with most blenders.

I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because though the jar is dishwasher safe, you're still supposed to handwash the other parts. Blenders are great, but they're a pain to clean!

Alright, so this isn't the *best* blender in the world. Not even close. But it's cheap, it's rugged, and it works perfectly well at most tasks. It chops, blends, and mixes just fine (and says it can also "grate", "puree", "shred", "cream", "chop", "grind", "whip", and "liquefy"). I've never had any problems crushing ice or making frozen drinks with mine -- although I'll admit that it will get jammed on big chunks of ice (more of a problem with the pitcher than the blender, I think... it just can't chop them effectively if they're too big to fit between the blades and the edge of the pitcher, or if they get stuck there). It's also (as the first reviewer noticed) not great at making milkshakes, since it just thrashes the bottom of it like crazy instead of mixing it -- but I'll bet it works a lot better if you replace the blade with the "Milkshake Blade" accessory that it talks about in the owner's manual. Mine has easily survived several years of use and abuse, including having a metal utensil left in it when it was turned on (punched a hole in the pitcher, but the motor was fine). If you're looking for a cheap, reliable entry-level blender, this is it.

I tried twice to get one of these ovens to work correctly. Each oven was unable to pre heat to the correct temperature or cook at the correct temperature. They were both off by 50-100 degrees F. Luckily Amazon.com didn't charge to return them.

I was very disappointed using this oven the first time. I noticed that my chicken wasn't cooking as fast as it did in my previous convection oven, a GE. I put an oven thermometer inside and found that whatever temperature I set it for, it only heated up to 50 degrees less. I hope the replacement is better and that I don't have to wait another month for it.

The 1.5 Panasonic Convection oven supplements a wall oven for baking...a joy when cooking for many or simply large roll or cookie receipes. As a microwave it is excellent.