Appliance Reviews

I have had 3 Black & Decker Spacemaker coffee makers and have had mixed results. The first one lasted 6-7 years and never gave me any trouble until, one day, it just died. In fact, I had liked it so much I purchased another one at a Black & Decker outlet store because B&D was getting out of the home appliances business so I wanted to have a replacement handy.

I don't know what the model number of the original coffee maker was but the replacement I purchased looks just like the picture on Amazon -- it had a door covering the controls and the water container. Its model number was ODC325R and it was a disaster. It leaked everywhere -- completely unusable. Of course, it had been several years since I had purchased it so I couldn't return it.

I went to Wal-Mart and purchased a GE countertop model which worked fine but only lasted about a year and a half. I decided to give B&D another chance and ordered one from walmart.com. It looked like the 1st one I had (no door covering things) but its model number is the same as this one on Amazon -- ODC325N. It works great! No leaks, no problems -- couldn't be happier.

The upshot is, the original B&D was great (whatever its model number was), the ODC325R was a disaster and the ODC325N has been terrific so far (3-4 months). *BUT* -- the picture shown here for the ODC325N looks just like the horrible ODC325R I had so I'm not sure what Amazon is actually selling.

Good luck :-)

I have this at home, it was a housewarming gift. I don't use it on a daily basis, but when I do use it, weekly, I don't have any problems. I have noticed when I pour 12 cups of water in the reservoir, I get about 10 cups brewed. But all of my coffee makers have been that way. I haven't had any problems with it leaking or anything else, and it's very convenient having it under the cabinet.

Don't know what problem some folks have with leaks, our unit is working great, with no leaks. Water reservoir tank must be put in tightly, (till lock snaps).

We have never had an actual modern coffee pot of sorts in my family... so I decided to get this one. At the price, I decided that it seemed reasonable, given the functions. I have some major complaints, while there are some good things about it...

Pros:
•Really good coffee... appropriate strength.
•Really good cappucino/espresso.
•Easy coffee brewing functions.
•More than adequate capacity in carafe.

Cons:
•Counterintuitive design which allows for incredibly easy spills of water, coffee, coffeegrounds, and especially milk
•Cheap design (feels like i could break the entire machine in half with my hand)
•Milk frother feels incredibly flimsy and has a totally counterintuitive shape & rotation (it should be able to rotate more, and it should be longer and more dynamic)
•Coordination of steam system & cappucino brewing is totally arbitrary and impossible to understand (even for someone who considers himself tech-savvy)
•Coffee isn't at all hot (i like coffee from which steam rises, not coffee from which steam could have been rising ten minutes prior to being poured into a cup)... maybe a 1500 watt appliance could heat more than just the water.

To make matters worse, the manual absolutely sucks. Also printed on cheap paper, the step-by-step instructions are vague at best-- they refer to the steps by numbers when the steps are designated by bullets.

Steaming the milk must be done somehow coordinated with making the espresso/cappucino, but I can't understand how-- last time I attempted this, it ended up only steaming the milk and not making the actual coffee. It can only make two cups of cappucino, and I think that the assumption is that it actually makes less than you put in since some of the water is used to make steam. (There is also a compartment above the milk frother which serves no discernable purpose....)

A conclusion to the consumer : Read into this very carefully before buying. I have been satisfied with DeLonghi products before, but I feel screwed on this one. Supposedly, this device can steam milk, brew coffee and cappucino. One shouldn't have to be a rocket scientist to understand a commercially avialable machine...

What a superb machine this is. It delivers on its promises! We admit to being well traveled coffee aficionados, who grind our own coffee, and appreciate a fine machine that creates the coffee one will find in France, Italy, Greece as well as the best food cities here in the states (NYC, New Orleans, Seattle, San Francisco, Miami). And what a versatile and easy to use machine this is and for the price a real gem.

We like the black colour as well as the ease of use. The water container lifts out so easily for filling with easy to read measuring levels in large print. The buttons are elegantly designed and labeled for easy reading even in poor light or when not quit awake in the wee hours of the morning. Which is handy when one has odd hours. The carafe is beautiful and looks classy enough for ones dining table.

The only suggestion I have is buy a second carafe so that one pot can be brewing as the other is being used. This is a machine we will also be giving as a gift. And talk about a machine that makes an awesome Espresso or Cappuccino. WOW !

Our teenage son worked in a cafe' for the summer running a major multi-thousand dollar machine, and became a self-styled expert. This machine is as much as we were willing to spring for as a gift, and it's been non-stop espresso, latte & whatever for 48 hours. He's extremely pleased, which says something to us about the machine. He's found no fault with it after testing all the features...

I had a KRUPS 2-waffle belgium waffle maker and loved it. Flat wore it out. By the time I was ready to get another, I was ready for a four-waffle maker. AFter reading the reviews, chose this one. The thing is a pain to clean up, and the waffles are soggy. Only way to get a crisp waffle out of this is to burn them. Used it twice and threw it away.

First waffle iron failed in the same way as mentioned by others - thermostat wouldn't turn off and the iron got VERY hot and had that electrical smoke smell. Our second one, same iron but different model with the thermostat controls in front instead of on top was defective out of the box. Dark crunchy in the middle, golden brown on the edges.

Don't get one of these. It's my last Cuisinart appliance.

I am impressed with the Cuisinart 4 slice Belgian. I have been
using it for about a month now without flaw. Taking the advice
of one of my elders, I coated the plates with cooking oil prior
to its first use, carefully brushing with an even coat. It was
easily cleaned with a damp paper towel in a matter of minutes,
and has remained that way since. The waffles are evenly browned
on each side, and the next batch comes out as well as the first.
I do reccommend using an oven mit to open the latch, as I have
made it standard procedure in my kitchen. Storage is by far the
easiest part of using this waffler, the cord wraps nicely
around the base and it stands on its front bracket within a 6 in
wide space next to the microwave. To quote my 11 yr old son after
his first bite... "I am in waffle heaven"

All company claims are a lie. After 2 years it takes long time to boil 10 cups of water; Heating element DOES NOT resists mineral buildup; Filter DOES NOT keep mineral flakes out of cup; filter falls out of the kettle; Safety system DOES NOT prevent splashing. Good to use for a year or two.

After trying many tea makers, I decided that the "old fashioned" way of making tea was best for me. Not long after, my mother found the Krups and bought it for me. I fell in love instantly! The water was just perfect - not underheated nor overboiled - just the way I like it. I've had the tea kettle for more than a year now and it continues to work flawlessly. If you decide on this tea kettle, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

I love this product, it has improved the quality of my life!!!! Being a new Mom, I found I was forever putting a pot on to boil, having a diaper emergency, stopping to nurse, play with the baby, put her down for a nap and run to start a load of laundry and then I'd smell the pot slowly melting on the burner. Now I start the kettle and when I next think of the lovely cup of tea I'd like, the kettle is waiting for me to start it again. It even holds the heat quite well so I rarely have to re-boil. And I haven't started one fire since I got it.

I had researched this product for juicing ability and power. I ended up buying this one and after using it *twice* the motor just shut off. I returned this product and waited 3 months for the replacement. I decided to try juicing carrots and celery, and after no more than 5 minutes the motor just shut itself off again. I might be able to forgive this if it was the only problem with it. If you are juicing small things, like berries, with larger vegetables/fruit the unit will get off balanced shake the top loose and damage the blade. I know I read these bad reviews and said, "oh that won't happen to me"... but it did. I hope you choose a different juicer.

First off, the Waring PJE401 (aka ACME 6001 - they are one and the same!!) is a very powerful machine, and is noticeably stronger than the other juicers sold on this website. By stronger, I mean it will give you about ~25% more juice extraction, as compared to the centrifugal EJECTION juicers. After you flip the on-switch, you will feel a rush of adrenalin, as the 550 Watt motor resembles the engine of a jet airplane!

That said, this machine takes a lot of getting used to. It loves to grind "hard vegetables", such as carrots and celery. But you have to be very careful about how the vegetables/fruits are inserted. If you push the hard vegetables in too fast, the strainer will become unbalanced, and the machine will start to vibrate!! Usually when this happens, I just toss in another carrot, and it balances itself. But when you use "soft vegetables/fruits" such as a cucumber, you have to push them in VERY SLOWLY. Because if you don't, the machine will vibrate (violently), and the blade will hit the feedtube. And then you have to pay ... for a new blade!! For this reason I cannot recommend this machine, and I also think it should NOT be sold, or even manufactured. The juicer technology is outdated, and for this price range, you would be better off purchasing an Omega MASTICATING juicer (utilizes a more efficient juicing method, and also has a 15 year warranty).

I have used many juicers in the past, and this one is by far the highest of quality. First of all, since this juicer does not have a pulp ejection system, the pulp actually spins in the juicer yielding about 30% more juice for your drinking pleasure. The filters make cleanup really simple. My favorite point about the juicer is the quality construction. They use stainless steel for most of the upper housing. Filters are available locally. It's a great way to start your day, and hopefully for years to come. Happy juicing!

I have owned two Hamilton Beach Combination Skillet/Griddles. I returned the first one because the on/off switch malfunctioned and the griddle continued to heat in the 'off' position. I received a replacement Skillet/Griddle and it worked fine for several months but now it does the same thing - the on/off switch does not work. It not only heats in the off position - it gets very hot!
PLEASE NOTE: THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THE SKILLET 'OFF' IS TO UNPLUG IT! In my opinion - these skillets are unsafe and should be recalled.

I have had my Skillet/Griddle for approximately 6 months and I use it almost everyday. I would recommend this skillet for several reasons. You can stir-fry with almost no oil. It cooks a large roast while you are gone. The top is large enough for soup or chili. The grill makes excellent pancakes. This grill is large enough for a crowd or small enough for when there are just two people at home. I am very pleased with my Hamilton Beach Skillet and I think it is well worth the money.

I have owned mine for years, and have purchased three more as gifts for people who wanted one after seeing mine in use. I use it for pot roasts, fried chicken, chili. And it's the perfect size to cook bacon for a lot of guests. I'm fastidious when it comes to having my kitchen equipment clean, and love that this skillet is immersible. The only negative is that you have to be very careful when lifting the lid, since it is easy for your hand to come in contact with the hot lid. Using a pot holder solves that problem. I have never experienced a plastic taste as some reviewers have mentioned. And I have no trouble boiling anything as another reviewer stated. The skillet is durable, flexible in handling many different types of meals, is easy to clean, and far surpasses any of the multitude of electric skillets I have owned in the past.

Aside from the other reviewers' complaints about the lack of recipes or instructions, having used this with a standard sterno can or tea-candle, I can attest that the little incredient cups are a bit too small, and trying to clean the pot (especially after using cheese) is extremely difficult. We quite literally cut our wrists tryint to scrub the interior out. The top opening is sharp with little notches, so you really have to watch out with your sponge and bare wrists. We're not sure if we'll ever use this again- and most certainly would not recommend it unless it's on sale.

I agree with the other reviewers that it does not take a rocket scientist. I, myself, had not used a fondue pot in years when I purchased this one. I had no problem making it work. I located a fuel holder at target (just down the isle from the pot) and purchased it as an add- on. I also bought a fondue cookbook and found sterno at a local sporting goods store. I added oil and let it heat up slowly in the pot itself, chopped up some meats, filled the dishes with great dips and was ready to go.... It is brilliant! I love the revolving sauce dishes. As those of you that entertain know, it is all about simplicity. This allows every guest to choose the sauce they desire without having to get up or move the dishes around. I do recommend that if you are using this for cheese, that you grease the inside for easy clean up.

I believe the correct fuel is the Swissmar Fire Gel Fuel. It's catalog item #4672736 (or search for Swissmar). It works great!

I did quite a bit of research before I purchased this food processor. I even read all of the negative/mediocre reviews and decided to try it for myself anyway (hey it was only $25.) My original intent was to make Pesto (my garden is full of basil). For pesto this machine works fine except that the S-blade is difficult to clean. Somehow food works up into the inside of the blade. The second time I used this food processor the feed tube broke! I was doing parmesean cheese (per the instruction guide) and the bottom of the tube snapped off inside the food processor.
It did slice vegetables nicely and the pesto came out great...so I guess if you are going to use this processor for light work it is great but eventually I will move up to a nicer more durable model.

I found this little gem on a store shelf and was VERY happy with its' performence. No mess, easy use, easy clean. Can't beat that now, can you? Although single at the time, I liked to treat stay-over friends to good foods and do lots of experimenting on them. From the kitchen, of course. Most friends liked to be at my house for Sunday break-fast, lunches, and of course, dinner. They also liked to see what kind of new "gadget" I'vecome across. Most of these wanted one just like it, but could not find it anywhere. So, one day a REALLY good friend asked for mine! I gave it up thinking that I could do what others could not, I was WRONG !! I've bought many "wannabees". Always looking for my little helper. No luck! Today I was going through a file I keep of all the items I've purchased for my kitchen so I could return a bad buy, and there it was, my pamphlet from my H B Processor !! Being a well traveled construction worker, I never thought of using these computers. Well, now I'm not single, still work constuction, and I've even got a computer I'm still learning to use,[ boy does my finger hurt], and now I've found this little gem to put back in my house.Yes, I've got a large processor too, but this one is easier to use, even for large recipes. You should have one of these. Emerrill doesn't buy or wash the toys you see him use. Get one of these 70560 Prep Star Food Processors. you'll love it. This one here? Not on your life pal!! This one's MINE!! Go get your own!

The product does the job. It can chop, mince, puree, you name it. I found it very useful and I am extremely happy with the purchase. The product is powerful 350W, has large capacity. The product can even ground meat. I no longer buy ground meat in a package off a shelf from grocery stores. You can control fat and lean. You can buy a block of cheese and use this product to shred them. Carrot cake? This is what you need. The best of all, you can save money that way even more with this product. Pulse action allows you to make pie dough as well. I can not stress enough how easy the clean up is. All you need to do is to quickly rinse them and place them in your dishwasher. Anything else, you simply wipe them off with a damp cloth.

This chopper is just unbelievable. The blades aren't even sharp and it just mushes up the food no matter what you try. It dosen't even puree very good either. And it broke after very little use. Cuisinart makes excellent full-size food processors but sad-quality small ones. The whole point in having a chopper is so that it will chop! not mash everything up! And as far as i'm concerned I could care less about these supposed choppers because none of them really work. It's best to just chop up vegetables normally with a knife unless you want mashy, juicey clumps of food. One more thing, it made a hell of a mess.

My mini-mate died after being used a few times, and producing inconsistent results. I could not return it because I live in Santiago, Chile so I threw it away! I chose it because in 1981 I bought a DLC-8E which I love and have been using since then with no problems at all.

I tried two other small food processors, the KitchenAid Chef's Chopper and the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus for making two to four servings of pesto, cilantro sauce etc, but pureeing these small amounts of ingredients in the approximately 3 cup work bowls was dificult because the blade throws the ingredients on the sides. Scraping the ingredients down several times helps but the finished product was still not smooth enough.

The MM-2M works much better for making these small amounts of sauces. You still have to scrape the ingredients down once or twice but the puree is much smoother. The blades turn much faster than the other two processors and there are also two speeds. You can reverse the blade holder to choose a blunt or sharp leading edge. The blunt edge works well for pureeing.

The unfortunate drawback to this processor is that the motor housing forms the top of the work bowl. As a result, quite a bit of the finished product ends up coating the end of the motor housing. If you are not extremely careful when cleaning the motor housing you will get water and perhaps food into it. If you're just chopping relatively dry ingredients like coffee or dry spices, this would not be so much of a problem.

The Toastmaster 6431 does not have an Underwriters Lab label, which would make anyone hesitate before buying it. The Underwriters Lab endorsement (a "UL" logo) indicates that the electrical product is properly designed and constructed so that it is safe. We found the product online, where there was no info about the UL status of the product.
The first thing that broke was the temperature control. We fixed that by oiling the screw whose in-out motion controls the heat setting.
The more serious problems emerged when the fuse blew. We looked inside and discovered overheated wires with partially-melted insulation. This condition could cause both an electrical shock to the user and an electrical fire that could burn down a house.
Toastmaster makes another hot plate (model TTS1) which does have an Underwriters Lab endorsement. We bought one today, and we hope that it will work safely until after the end of our kitchen remodelling project.

I've loved my little hotplate for 3 months, but it died. Froze the temp control at the time of death. Up until then I was very happy except for trying to boil large pots... never got there, and on frozen stirfry it has a hard time coming back after you add the frozen veggies... but ALL of the reviews are accurate, the high ratings just haven't used it enough times for it to burn out.. looks like anywhere from 50 to 100 uses, depending on how often you turn it all the way up. Highly recommended for a temporary use while on vacation or broken stove... now to try to get some warranty help!

I purchesd Toastmaster 6431 Eclipse Single Burner last September. Out of the 400 days of ownership I used the Burner maybe 100 times. It worked well and I am most pleased with the appearence and the easy to use design, however it is now just lump of non working metal. It stoped working three days ago for no particular reason.

If there is any kind of adjustment that can be made I would purchase this unit again. If there is no finacial consideration I will shop around and seek another brand.

The benefits from owning this unit were, easy to clean, the hot
filiment is some sort of high tech plastic, and the warming area is large, simple heat control and easy to store.