Appliance Reviews

I have had several deep fryers over the years by different brands (Rival, Delonghi, Presto, etc.) and this fryer by far has some of the best features compared to the others. I love the fast frying time (1700 watt heater), the basket (some fryers omit this lovely item), the size (I can cook for the family in one basket), and the overall design makes me feel like I am getting resturant quality frying. The things that I do not like are the absences of a cool touch exterior (it gets really hot), that the cord has to be connected to the unit by magnets, the seemingly filmsy exterior (although it holds the frying unit wonderfully), the constant cleaning (stainless steel after all), and the large amount of oil I go though every month to refill it (it takes about a good 100 fluid ounces to fill and that is good for about 8-9 fry times). If you do not plan to use this fryer a lot, than I say buy it, but if you are, then I say move on and spend your money on a Delonghi.

Finally, fearless frying! This deep-fryer is exactly what I had been searching for. I used to be discouraged from trying recipes for fried foods, because of the hot spattering oil, the difficult temperature control (me holding a thermometer in one hand over hot oil while adjusting the burner with the other hand), and the daunting washing-up of the cooking implements and the entire spattered cooking area. This deep-fryer has changed my outlook on frying entirely.

First, it has superb temperature control. This deep-fryer reaches 385 degrees F, the highest temperature of all the electric deep-fryers made for home-use that I found in my research. Because in most cases 375 degrees is the key to non-greasy fried foods, I wanted a fryer than could attain 385 degrees, to allow for the slight dip in temperature that occurs when the cooler food first enters the oil. When the green light went on, I tested the oil temperature with a thermometer and was pleased to confirm that, yes, it was indeed at 385 degrees. I fried corn dogs (hot dogs dipped in cornbread batter and dropped into the oil), and the temperature recovery was excellent. The results were crispy, non-greasy corn dogs that my family loved.

The second feature I wanted was easy clean-up, and this fryer passed the test. Except for the heating element, which easily detaches, every part that touches the oil is washable in the dishwasher: (1) the lid with filter, (2) the frying basket with handle, and (3) the oil container. The heating element I had no problem washing by hand, taking care not to wet the electronic panel. And the metal body (which does not contact the oil, and from which the oil container lifts out) needs no more than a wipe with a damp cloth to remove fingerprints, if one is being ultra-fastidious.

If you love deep-fried foods and want to make them easily at home, you can't do better than this deep-fryer. I most highly recommend it.

I had never owned or used a deep fryer before but as a person who is interested in healthy cooking and eating for myself and my family of six, I decided I wanted one after being told it reduces significantly, the amount of oil in the food after it is fried.

After spending quite some time researching for a deep fryer, I came across the Euro-Pro F1066 5-Liter Electronic S/S Deep Fryer during one of my internet searches. I immediately liked the "look" of the product but had never heard of Euro-Pro before so I was reluctant to make the purchase as I am not one to buy a brand if I don't know it.

Upon further investigations, I learned from my friends and the internet, that the company has been around for quite sometime and had made a wide range of Vacuum Cleaners amongst other household items. I then called Euro-Pro to get additional specifications on the deep fryer. After speaking with one of their agents on the telephone, I felt comfortable enough to make my purchase. I have been totally pleased with my fryer ever since.

When I used the fryer for the first time, I placed the food in the basket, then lowered it into the hot oil.... that first set of food stuck to the basket. Since then, I put the basket in the hot oil first, then I gently put the food in, and VOILA! No more sticking! The claim that the fried food is not oily is also very TRUE!

I would recommend this fryer to anyone.... it's digital features are simple to use, the basket holds alot of food at one time, the food is great and the entire unit can be disassembled with ease for cleaning. It is indeed a great product! Thank you Euro-Pro.

I wish I had my old B&D cordless Can Opener. It was 100 times better than this "newer" model. I hate the way it works--or rather fails to work.
The unit is difficult to place securely in the charger. Sometimes one cannot tell if it's properly placed for recharging.
The cutter blade falls out easily, not to mention how difficult it is to get it on a can. Also it is so slow in cutting that I think that it may be possible to go on an extended vacation before it's finished cutting.

I purchased a Black and Decker cordless can opener
1 1/2 months ago at a discount store (Sorry not Amazon.com). The magnet on the removable cutting head broke off. I called Black and Decker. They said that since it wasn't defective, they wouldn't warranty it, and I had to return it to the store that I bought it from. I feel that it should have held up better under the normal use it had.

We received this can opener as a gift and liked its size and portability. After 18 months of use, the NiCad battery died and the can opener would not hold a charge any more. I tried to replace the battery but could not by it locally. When I called Black and Decker they told me the replacement battery would be $24.95! That's more than was paid for the new can opener.

Seems like an electric cordless can opener should last more than one and a half year and that the battery replacement should be a little more reasonably priced. BTW, we also left the unit on the charging base when not in use, so the battery does not have a long life with even infrequent use. Looks like I'll go back to the old plug-in variety!

I should have read the reviews here before I bought this. I've owned Krups coffee makers for 15 years and always felt they were very high quality. Sadly, that's obviously not the case anymore. I experienced most of the problems other reviewers have had with this coffee maker. A piece of the carafe broke off in my hand when I was drying it. It cost almost $30 with shipping to replace. The water filter ripped apart when trying to replace it and charcoal spilled everywhere. The last straw is the leaked coffee all over the counter when you pour a cup during brewing. I won't buy Krups again until they get their act together.

I bought this product because Krups seemed like a quality name and the design was very eye-catching. I'm not impressed though. The actual coffee pot design could have been constructed better because it seems to spill if the coffee is not poured slowly.

The filter light flashes after a while to change the filter. I use bottled water and when you pull the filter out it is still so clean. I'm not sure if the filter (useage) is just timed and it just starts flashing automatically.

I feel you can find a better coffeemaker / brand for that amount of money. Look around and read the reviews so you can get an idea of other's experiences... Good Luck!

This machine #467 makes excellent coffee. I have purchased 2 of these machines - just because the coffee they make is so good. BUT, the quality of the machine is certainly lacking. The teflon disappears from the burner plate in a very short time. I thought I had scrubbed it away the first time - BUT the second machine had the same problem and I was very careful not to scrub it. The pause control - also quit working on both machines - the plastic and metal spring/latch do not last long. Once the pause control quits the machine starts leaking. The 'change filter' light comes on way too often - but can be re-set very easily. The filters are hard to get out - and sometimes get charcoal over all the counter. Both of these machines lasted about 1 year - but we do drink a lot of coffee - 3-4 Pots a day - so it might last longer with less use. BUT - I'm going to purchase a different brand this time.

My husband and I have had this toaster for 3 years. We purchased it as a wedding gift to ourselves; it was the one thing we didn't get that we really needed. I liked the look and the 4-slice and bagel options. Also, it has the added bonus of the lever's ability to rise just a little higher for those smaller slices of bread. Unfortunately, I wish I would have followed my first instinct and returned this toaster the first week we had it. It toasts unevenly! I was disappointed from the first use. I have to admit, I don't dwell on the fact that this toaster is not perfect, I just toast again if it's too light, start over if it's too dark. Basically, I just wish this thing would toast evenly! The rear slot burns things and the front undertoasts. I have to compliment the machine for lasting three years, though; just because I don't LOVE it we will have it for another ten, I'm sure. Bottom line, when it breaks down, we will not buy another one of this type.

I did a lot of shopping around before deciding on this sleekly-designed just-what-I-wanted toaster. I wanted the long opening to fit the long slices of bread, which traditional toasters don't accommodate, and I wanted it to easily toast bagels without having to crush them into the slot. I wanted it simple but elegant in design, white and unobtrusive on my kitchen counter, and I wanted it to be electronic, with a button that slides down smoothly and pops up easily. I wanted to be able to control the toasting darkness with a visual, uncomplicated control. I got everything I wanted with a lower price than other toasters of a similar quality and design, plus some bonus extras, like a defroster, a one-slice control, and a few other useful buttons. Its sleek design sits against the back of the countertop, not taking up valuable space more forward on the counter where I do my other kitchen counter work. I have no problem with it tipping over as one other reviewer stated. I waited a long time to find this toaster, and I am very happy with my choice!

I highly recomend this item. It preforms beyond expectations and the style is extremly attractive, it fits nicely in the theam of our kitchen. The function buttons are easy to understand and control.

This blender lasted less than a week for me. The motor burned up and all I did was make some juice mixes for my morning breakfast. Didnt even get a chance to use the food processor. I do not recommend this thing to anyone.

...I decided to purchase it. I am truly disappointed in the blender attachment. I attempted to make 1/2 batch of pina coldas and the ice does not get chopped. For some reason it gets stuck in the bottom of the blender and the spinning blades do not reach it. I have to turn it off and on several times and switch power levels many times to get the ice cubes chopped. A 1/2 batch of pina coladas typically takes 5 minutes blending time, by which time most of the ice cubes have turned to water. I often make milkshakes as well and I have the same problem. It is very frustrating and embarrasing to have company over and try to be blending drinks and then apologizing that they are all lumpy with big ice cubes.

I used the food processor attachment and wasn't impressed either. The blades do not reach to the outermost portions of the processing bowl, so it is necessary to scrape the food back where it can be chopped. I've used it for making graham cracker crumbs and for chopping onions.

I will be shopping for a new blender that actually does chop ice...It was such a disappointment for me.

The motor is strong enough to make a good smoothie or salsa, and the space saving aspect of two tops for one bottom is great. It's not the best in the world, but for [the price], I can't think of a better buy in the kitchen.

I live alone and wanted to trade in my full size thermal carafe maker for something smaller. This has worked great-- it's easy to use, easy to clean, you can make one mug or two and the coffee stays hot and tasty. It's just so nice to make a fresh cup whenever I want, rather than drink the cooling dregs from the carafe. There is one significant problem-- the so-called *travel mugs* are fine for use around home. But they're useless in the car. The base is too wide to fit some cup holders. And the lid pops on and off frighteneningly easily; one sharp turn and the lid was on the floor and coffee was flying all over my car. Hopefully they'll fix this in the next version. At such a decent price, I'd still recommend it for the office, dorm or studio. But pour the coffee into a *real* travel mug if you plan to take your java on the road.

I bought the Melitta Dual Mug Coffeemaker to replace my Black & Decker Single Cup "Brew N Go" and am very pleased with the purchase. In contrast to the B&D model, you can brew two cups or just one with the Melitta unit. Although it doesn't contain a permanent metal filter, the plastic filter holder in the Melitta is easy to clean. The entire unit in fact is mostly plastic, so it remains to be seen how long it will last, but it is well built. One subtle advantage the Melitta provides is that the H20 tank has clear markers inside indicating acceptable water levels for either 1 or 2 cups. This is an often overlooked feature by many manufacturers and is appreciated here.

As noted by other reviewers, the included mugs are only steel on the outside; the inside insulation is again plastic. The mug width (circumference) is slightly larger than normal so it may not slide easily into your car's cup holders but that's a minor inconvenience. Coffee does stay hot in the mugs, or at least warm enough to drink, for approx. 2 hours. The unit brews quickly so that it's easy to make a mug and head off to work.

If you often stop for coffee in the a.m., I'd recommend you pick up this unit. It enables you to quickly brew a fresh mug made to your tastes while also saving you money.

I received my coffee maker very quickly after placing my order. I love a great cup of coffee and my husband and I have to cut back on coffee consumption. This is just perfect. Makes great coffee (I recommend grinding your own)almost instantly. I have had no problems and the cups are very convenient for our long commute to work. I've used expensive and inexpensive coffeemakers and this is a great little coffee maker. I have never been disappointed with Melitta.

Within three months of buying it my dishwasher had broken down. It was still under warranty, so I called customer service, with the following responses: no answer; told they would get back to me; told that the supervisor would get back to me; told that the repairman would get back to me; told that the supervisor would contact the repairman and the repairman would get back to me; told "Oh. That's not your phone number? That must be why no one has gotten back to you."; told that now the repairman would definitely get back to me and they would call back and make sure he had done so in two days. Etc. Finally gave up after two months of this. Am buying a different dishwasher from another company.

I just recieved my new dishwasher. It fills up with water, washes the dishes but wont drain. I guess the drain pump is broken. My multiple calls to the "Haier Customer Satisfaction Center" are unanswered. Looks like it would be an interesting invention if it worked.

My Haier HDT18PA dishwasher was delivered this afternoon. After following all instructions in the user manual and carefully installing it, I decided to try it out. What a mess! Less than 5 minutes into the washing cycle, the dishwasher started leaking like crazy. Some of the foamy water even leaked into the circuits, so I had to turn it off. I contacted Haier repair services, but they seemed quite unprepared.

I will have to pay an extra $15 for shipping in order to return the product. In addition to that, I now left with my dirty dishes, a flooded kitchen, and a soapy-wet dishwasher that I have to somehow ship back via UPS. I am not pleased, to say the least. I wish I had read all Amazon reviews before buying this product. Please avid the same mistake and avoid this product like the plague!

The Novo Espresso Machine from Krups is a poor product from what is otherwise a reputable brand.
1. The unit requires a thorough cleaning after every brew. The o-ring seal is exposed to the espresso grinds which prevents an adequate seal. The unit leaks unless the seal is free of any grinds.
2. The unit is designed with two spouts to allow brewing of two cups at a time. The unit does not distribute into the two cups evenly which results typically with one well brewed cup and the other a watery waste.
3. I gave this product two stars only because the pod system does work as well as can be expected. There is no substitute for a properly prepared brew, ie, freshly and properly grounded espresso, properly tamped, and brewed.

I usually don't do reviews, but I've owned a Krups Novo 2300 for about a year and I like it so much I feel it necessary to correct some of the impressions that potential buyers might get from the previous reviews.

First, many of the negatives have to do with leaks around the seal. When I first got this machine I had similar leaks for the first few times I used it. This can be easily avoided. Any espresso machine will leak a)if the coffee holder isn't sealed properly and b)if you try to make many cups of espresso rapidly or immediately after using the frothing mechanism. This is due to the natural buildup of steam. Too much steam and it's going to overflow the coffee holder.

Like I say, I had coffee holder overflow because I kept doing these things too rapidly. Now, I don't even think about it. I make my espresso, froth my milk and either drink it myself or serve it to a friend. Either way, just a short time and it's ready to use again.

Another objection I saw was that the water was never hot enough. This little machine builds up 19 bars of pressure which is the same as the commercial machines. It gets plenty hot.If you don't believe me, touch the metal tubing that leads to the frothing mechanism!

Third, someone else objected to the frothing mechanism being unwieldy. In response to that I don't know if other machines in this price range offer the same convenience of this one's frothing mechanism. I believe it's unique to Krups.

I've tried other machines where milk frothing for latte and cappucino is a manual guesstimate and this works better than any of those. As to not being able to use taller cups, I've never found that to be an impediment. I've used wider cups and have only received favorable comments (okay, raves) about my espresso-based drinks. In summary, if you're looking for for a sound espresso machine and don't want to pay upwards of $300.00, try the Krups Novo 2300. You really won't regret it.

I haven't and I use the thing several times a week.

I'm replacing a previous Amazon review of the Krups Bravo with this review covering both the Bravo and the Krups Novo 2300 Plus (model 968) in a side-by-side comparison. I think this approach will be more helpful to shoppers.

The Bravo is a lower-priced machine which produces espresso by boiling water in a pressure vessel, which uses steam pressure for both brewing and to froth milk. The Novo is a pump unit. It heats water for espresso, and then uses a pump to develop enough pressure to force the water through a brewing head containing grounds. You use a different temperature setting to produce steam, rather than hot water, to steam and froth milk for lattes or cappuccinos.

I used the Bravo for about 2-1/2 years. The unit is inexpensively priced, but the buyer need not have any concerns about quality. It is well-built, durable, and consistent. Basic operation of the machine is very simple, but you have to spend some time getting familiar with it in order to really get the best possible results. In fact, the cheaper Bravo unit may be slightly more difficult to use than the Novo because it seemed to me that developing a feel for the precise amounts of water and coffee was critical in order to get a good result.

The Novo is significantly more expensive, as all pump machines are. However, when compared to other pump-type espresso machines on the market it is an excellent value. It will give you a deliciously rich cup of espresso on the first try. The milk frothing attachment is a slightly odd siphon device. Instead of simply sticking a container of milk under a steam nozzle, the milk is sucked up through a flexible hose, steamed internally, and squirted into your cup (there is a "more foamy" setting for cappuccino and "less foamy" for latte). It's a bizarre looking contraption, but it really works well.

To sum up, I'd say that if you are sure you want to take the time to make espresso drinks frequently, and to perform the cleaning and maintenance that either of these units require, bypass the Bravo and go straight to a higher-end machine like the Novo. If you just want to test the waters, so to speak, of
home espresso-making, spend a little money on the Bravo and decide later if you want to upgrade.

We've owned the Fast Brew for about a month of heavy usage (3-4 pots per day) and so far everything has been great. It brews quickly and extracts maximum flavor from the coffee. It does, however, have its' irritations: the LCD clock is next to impossible to see in most all levels of lighting which makes it a bit frustrating to program the auto brew; the water level window is also hard to read in all but bright light; and the opening in which you pour water is small and takes careful aim. It's a great machine if all you want is good coffee hot and fast and don't mind some design flaws that might test your patience. Based on brewing and temperature I'd give it 5 stars, but have to scale the rating back to account for its shortcomings.

I bought the Melitta 12 cup coffeemaker on impulse (I found it on sale at Target). Then I came home and read the reviews and became worried. I thought about returning it (because of all the bad reviews), but have decided to keep it, here's why. It makes great coffee, better than my old Braun. The faster brew and the higher temperature make for really good coffee. Several reviews have said the water level is tuff to see on the side of the maker -- true, but the measurement is also on the carafe and you can't ask for better visibility than that. Morning accidents was another concern (where the coffee goes on the countertop and floor instead of in the carafe. What is happening is they aren't getting the carafe seated on the burner properly and the coffee stop isn't getting pushed up by the carafe and so the basket overflows without putting any coffee in the carafe. I've found that if you set the pot squarely into place and with the handle straight out, just as you have to do to put it into the machine, it will always push the stop up as it should. If you don't put the carafe in place, you will have a mess to clean up. I don't see this as being a problem for me and there are many reviews that didn't mention this as a problem. Other reviewers said the water was easy to pour into the grounds. It's true the water pours in behind the basket, but the carafe is straight pouring (my Braun certainly wasn't) and so I don't see this as a problem for myself. One review said the carafe is too fragile, but I suspect the buyer cooked her pot dry sometime earlier and it fell apart on her when she snapped the lid on. This carafe seems as sturdy as any and I like it's design. The reviews that mentioned smoke: that would happen when the coffee maker shorts out after having gotten water (or coffee) in the electric part of the maker after a morning accident mentioned above (which can be avoided). The part I cannot address is the coffee maker being short lived (unless it got accidentally cooked like I just mentioned without the show of smoke). I have a Melitta espresso machine that I am very impressed with (and by the reviews so is everyone else) and so being familiar with this name brand is in part why I bought this coffee maker. I'm going to keep this one and take my chances. I'm more than pleased with the coffee it makes. It is quality made and I bet there are many customers who are very pleased with their machine, but haven't gone to the trouble of putting together a review. People who aren't happy with their machine will take the time to write a review. And if I have trouble with mine, I'll write again. But, so far it's been great.

I purchased this coffee maker 3 years ago this month. This morning, I woke up, and alas, it has gone to the place all well loved coffee makers eventually go. I am headed out to buy a new one. I love that I can set it to perk before I wake up and if I, as I often do, forget to set the timer, it brews so quickly that I barely have time to wipe the sleep out of my eyes before it is time to pour that first cup of joe. It is not without its quirks - the caraffe needs to be placed "just so" to avoid overflow - but overall, it is great!

I bought one of these pots when I decided I needed a larger crock pot. As a lover of push buttons this seemed right up my alley. As I was in a hurry, I really didn't read the instructions like I should have.

Upon getting the pot home I discovered that it's basically like a regular crock pot, only there are pushbuttons for the high and low heat. However, these pushbuttons are tied to specific times for the crock pot to run, e.g. 'low' for 2 hours and more, and 'high' for 2 hours and more. You can't program it to come on at a certain time, or do anything but follow their notion of how long your food should cook.

Additionally, as some other reviewers have noted, the glass lid is a very poor fit. If you have the temp cranked up, steam comes pouring out one side or another, and water collects on the rim until it runs down the side of the heating cover.

My third complaint was that the crock pot was not hot enough. I've had seeral, and the low setting the temp should be just below a simmer. The high setting should be hot enough to eventually boil. I never stuck a thermometer inside while it was cooking, but certainly it never did boil beans at all, even after hours unattended!

So, this is why I'd recommend you look elsewhere for a medium/large crock pot: poor construction, terrible lid, won't heat t

The lid is NOT supposed to fit snuggly, some steam has to
be allowed to escape. This is not to say that their are not some
mutant lids out there, but these people are barking up the wrong
tree. And, don't think your lid is about to explode either, unless you put a crack in it. Handle it carefully and it will last forever.
This is a slow-cooker, but not for slow-learners.

I received this crock pot as a gift and used it once on the low/10 hour setting. I'm lucky that I was home for damage control because it started scorching my stew after 3 hours. Terrible product.