Electric Cookware Reviews

This grill (I actually own the larger size of the same), is a poor cooker. Heat off the bottom half is too cool to char (think black lines, not tan lines), and heat off the top and bottom halves helps cook your food through.

Imagine cooking a slice of bell pepper, or for that matter, a hamburger patty, on the grill. When you're done, you have light or no searing on the bottom, but your bell pepper's soft, and the hamburger patty is cooked through. You might have light searing on the top, if whatever you're cooking was thick enough to touch the top. But whether or not your food is thick enough, radiant heat from the top will cook it.

Overall, this grill is a poor choice. If you want to drain fat from your food, consider pouring the fat out of the frypan when you're done on the stove. Don't waste your money on this grill or any other. On the other hand, if you want to cook a pancake, you could probably use this grill to good effect.

What I really love about this grill is that it sears and cooks burgers, chicken cutlets, steaks, etc. evenly and within a short period of time. The lid automatically allows for thicker cuts of meat (I think up to 1" thickness) and is variable in its height adjustment, which is an excellent and useful feature.
The lid prevents any spattering of liquids or fats which are directed to empty into the plastic fat rendering container provided. Since there is a small output of smoke during grilling, I just place the grill on a thick wooden cutting board, on the stovetop (obviously with the burners in the off position) and with the stovetop hood on to remove smoke and odors; it's pretty effective.
Cleanup is relatively simple due to the grill's nonstick surface and takes just a few minutes. This model is quite small, compact and lightweight, making it easy to store. The surface area is large enough to grill two burgers at a time. I use it often and highly recommend it.

I love my George Foreman grill!! I received it for a Christmas present two years ago and recommended to everyone I know to get one. It's fast, easy to clean, and the food's delicious!
I am currently stationed in S Korea and it was a must to bring!
I would recommend everyone get one! Well worth the price.

I sent this item as a wedding gift. I was horribly embarrassed when I found out the bamboo spoon and chopsticks were covered in mold. I wasn't pleased with the way it was handled.

The teflon/non-stick surface is generously thick and didn't burn when the wok heated up to 400 degrees. The removable base makes cleanup extremely easy. The bamboo spoon and chopsticks were not moldy (see somebody else's review), but they are not really needed anyway. Use silicone tongs; metal will scratch the teflon and plastic/rubber will melt at higher temperatures.

I received this wok as a wedding present and we've used it more than any of our other appliances. It's easy to assemble, it cooks evenly and quick, and it's easy to clean up. Not only do we cook stirfry in it, but we use it with the bamboo steamers for vegetables and it's great for fried chicken and homemade french fries. It's so easy to use that my husband is actually motivated to cook in it, and then he can immediately clean it up when he's finished! The recipes that come with it are great, too.

I purchased my Electric Pressure cooker a year and a half ago. I was elated at the features and its working. And told everyone about it. It has broken and no longer releases the steam, and the overlow leaks everywhere. I have to use a fork to release the pressure and the food no longer cooks, and when the pressure is released it spurts out all over the pressure cooker. We treated it like a baby, cleaning it every time after using. And we are heartbrokem as we paid over ... and after the warrenty expired it broke. I had a old fashioned cooker for 20 years and other than changing the gaskets it always worked, but I am afraid of them, and was very happy to get a electric one. But now in a delima as we just lost [money] and want a good one, but will have to look elsewhere. I called the repair people and the cost is more than we can pay and could use to buy another.Very sad....Eunice Mellinkoff

This is a great machine - my husband bought it for me for Christmas and I was intimidated by it's enormous stature, but I decided to try it out. It cooked the most tender, tastey roast in no time at all! My major beef with it is that the small leaflet cookbook/directions that come with it has a cherry cheesecake recipe that calls for an 8 inch pan - well I prepared the cheesecake and found that my 8 inch pan did not fit in the cooker. I went and bought 3 more pans all 8 inch and none of them fit! Needless to say - don't make any of there recipes without checking to see if your pans fit inside! Other than that - great item!

After I suffered serious burns from a range-top pressure cooker opened too early, my husband urged me to stop using a pressure cooker. Unwilling to do that, I looked for a new model. This one is great. It is easy to program, use, and clean, with a heavy, nonstick (really nonstick) pot. It doubles as a rice cooker with a timer. (Note, however, that the timer function works with the rice cooker, but not with the pressure cooker! Wish it worked for both!) I have a 9 month old baby and this appliance is very handy for steaming foods (like baby carrots) soft enough for a little one with few teeth to eat. The main drawback of this item is that it is really quite enormous. Takes up a ton of space on the counter top, though the pot's capacity isn't all that big.

I found this retro-fit part at Target on clearance. Thought it'd be ideal for those times when I would be gone longer than the recipe cooking time. Retrofitting an older style crock pot sounded like a great idea. I was disappointed! I used it 3-4 times and each time the food was done earlier than it should have been, even scorched. Reading the reviews on the newer crock pots that come with this programming as part of the pot this seems to be a common problem. Wouldn't buy this again or recommend to anyone.

Retrofit your low-tech slow-cooker (any/most brands) with the Rival SP100-PDQ. You'll have a poor man's version of a "fuzzy-logic" cooker/warmer, and the fringe benefit is that you can use the one investment on each of your appliances that are compatible with the 'Smart Part' from Rival. You'll notice that this reviewer deemed the device worthy of four stars rather than five: I still prefer the (more expensive, yet cost-effective) product line from the following oriental company: Zojirushi. To view their equipment, follow this no-brainer sequence: Home & Garden > Kitchen & Housewares > Brands > Zojirushi > Steamers & Rice Cookers. As to WHY this writer steers you-all to THAT brand, they specialize in smart rice cookers which can sense when food (not only rice) is ready. Home in on the Fuzzy Logic models. Although Zojirushi includes slow-cookers that have aluminum as the food-contact-surface, I'd say STAY CLEAR of said metal; it's probably not as hardened as the Calphalon aluminum. Whether you select a Rival brand Crock-Pot or that of an imitator, try to make sure that the interior glaze is FDA-approved, specifically that it is LEAD-FREE. I would not trust China to see to it that the glazing has zero lead. As a parting comment, consider a switch to whole-grain casseroles, rather than contemporary ones that settle for grains that either have been stripped of the bran/germ or have been partially boiled ("parboiled") in the factory/plant. A grain that can sprout when raw will impart more life-force to you when cooked (at low temperature) than a denuded or denatured grain. The whole grains will take twice as long to soak, cook, chew, and digest. The husband and the little darlings might be less likely to get cranky with the long-term effects of natural whole grains. Slow-cookers, especially those programmed by the Rival SP100-PDQ Smart-Part, are eminently suited to properly heat-process natural foods for healthy digestion/assimilation.

I can't believe everyone doesn't have one of these! Before I got it, my crockpot meals would overcook and even burn while I was at work all day. I have two sizes of crockpots that are almost new and really didn't want the programmable crockpot as most of the time I use a relatively small crockpot for just my husband and myself and the Smart Pot is rather large.

The Smart Part is easy to operate and has settings for four cook cycles and 3 different sizes of pots (sizes A-B-C on the control). It can be used with any slow cooker. The food is cooked as you program the control and then held at a "warm" temperature for up to an additional 4 hours. We are thrilled with the improved meals I am slow cooking--not mushy and not burnt. A wonderful product at a good price!

A nice item, the back wall is a great feature for a variety of reasons....big & bulky to store...could have been more durable for as heavy as it is....Not fully functional after being dropped once...

We like this griddle, have no complaints, it certainly gets the job done.

I bought this griddle after my first one lost its non-stick surface within a year under normal use. I also noticed that the cord on that first griddle would get abnormally hot during use...I began to worry about the safety. That company would do nothing to replace what I felt was a faulty part...that's when I chose to switch brands and bought my Toastmaster 869 Griddle. I have had this griddle for almost three years now and love it! The non-stick surface has lasted...I still need no oil or cooking spray to turn a perfect pancake. The large spatula is wonderful and the backsplash really comes in handy when cooking fatty foods that splatter. When making pancakes, I can make a large batch, turn off the griddle, and the extras stay warm in the warming drawer (I can warm at least half-a-dozen at a time, maybe more). Clean-up is a breeze with the non-stick surface and fully immersibe parts (except, of course for the temperature probe!) The drip tray and backsplash keep countertops grease-free as well! This is a high-quality, durable griddle that will last and last.

I believe my rating is too low based on the fact that I bought the wrong product for my needs. I was hoping to get a griddle and warming pan, and I got that.

I also got stainless steel which will take months to season before our food doesn't stick. That's how I discovered that a non-stick surface, which this product doesn't have, is the most important feature to me since I need an all-around griddle. I would recommend this product be used less as a griddle (for sticky foods) and more for brunch and as a warming pan/buffet server.

This is a beautiful, well-made product. I was amazed how quickly the griddle heated to the desired temperature and how evenly it cooked the pancakes I prepared. If you know what you are buying and are buying what you need, you should be very satisfied with this product.

The precise temperature control offered by this product makes it a delight to use. Don't be alarmed by the suggested stickiness in the previous post. In fact, stainless does not need to be seasoned to perform like non-stick cookware. Proper technique, which consists of
1) heating the surface to the desired temperature (1 min),
2) adding oil,
3) waiting briefly for the oil to come to temperature (20 sec),
and, finally,
4) adding ingredients,
will ensure outstanding results. For professional-quality food preparation, stainless steel cannot be surpassed, and this dishwasher-safe product makes the experience painless even for a novice.

I like this item alot and this is the second one I've owned. Don't put the lid in the dishwasher because it takes the finish off. It happened on both of mine, thanks to my roomate. The screws that hold the handles come loose frequently and the aluminum threads on the base strip VERY easily.

Only problem with this skillet is that the lid does not properly fit. I also wish it had a steam vent on the lid.

Bought this from Amazon.com and am so glad I did. Unit is very light. Heating element heats very very fast. Cleaning is very quick and easy. The oblong shape is really great for smaller spaces. I use this practically every day. With smaller amounts of larger amounts of food, it is great. Pancakes, stirfrys, steaks, bacon, chicken, omlets - this great little unit does it all. Very happy with this product.

I would have preferred a waffle/toaster that could also grill meat. It takes too long to heat up and cool down to facilitate cleaning.
The cost is a little high for what you get and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
I recall having a toaster similar to that in my youth and it recieved a lot of use, this item won't.

I have two of the Hamilton Beach 26290 Waffle Baker/Sandwich Griddles and use one of them very frequently. It is perfect for one or two people but when the kids are here (they love grilled cheese sandwiches) it is not really big enough. I have no trouble making two sandwiches at a time on each unit and the cleanup is a breeze. The concept of two appliances in one is great for it saves storage space.

The way it cooks, ease of use, and quick cleanup is the reason I give this Hamilton Beach Waffle Maker a five star rating. I've been having waffles for breakfast every morning since the first time I decided to give it a try. I use it for waffles and grilled cheese sandwiches, and I am very pleased with the results. Cleanup is a breeze because the plates pop out for washing. It is especially ideal for a single person on the go.

I have had lots of griddles and have worn them out using them but this one was the worst. I actually returned one because it had a bad connection between the cord and the griddle and would not stay on, it would lose connection as I was cooking on it and i would have half done pancakes on it.

So I returned it thinking it was a defective one well the second one was worse, the connection between the cord and the griddle started to smoke and caught on fire, good thing I was right there when it happened.

Since I threw the box away I can not return it, so to me I might as well had taken 40.00 and just threw it out the window cause that is basically what I did. The thing is still new, doesnt even have a scratch on it, that is how little I was able to use it. Then when it caught on fire I quit using it.

So if you own one of these please dont leave it unattended.

Xmas 2003, used 5 times, warped, legs do not touch evenly,
grease does not drain into channel,
buyer beware, going to swap out one at Target, as to not pay shipping back to WestBend, You get what you pay for, thank you China!

I use it every weekend for either pancakes or "freedom" toast and have nothing but good things to say. It heats evenly and is easy to use and clean. I would definitely recommend this griddle!

I really thought I would like this product when I got it out of the box. It's looks well made and looked easy to use. I followed instructions and cleaned it throughly and put my recipe misture and miniture sausages in it to slowly heat and to use as an appetizer. I put the the heat setting on warm as I was not in a hurry and I left the room for about 5 minutes. When I came back there was mixture all over my cabinets, counters, etc. and what was left was boiling and sputtering like mad. I later found out that no matter what heat setting I used it would over heat. I cannot recommend this product to anyone I'm sorry to say.

This is a great Fondue Pot. I wanted this one because I am not one that should be using open flames for anything, candles in my house are bad enough! The Pot sits on 2 heat resistant legs so you need not worry about overheating the table or counter top the Pot is sitting on. It is also easily moved from one spot to another since its handles are heat resistant, great for going from eating at dining table to lounging in front of the television. The Pot is also easliy cleaned, just stick it int he dishwasher. If you do not have a dishwasher, I highly, HIGHLY recomend using Dawn Powerscrubber. Spray the magic gel-like stuff on the pot, let it set while you clean up the rest of the stuff, then just wipe it off. I love this stuff!!

The only problem I had with the forks that come with the pot is the coloured tips on 2 came off and were lost. The color tips are for knowing who has which fork. I improvised with some paint.

My other problem has been what one other reviewer complained about, the detachable cord can become detached from the heating element and you do not know this until whatever you are Fondueing has hardened, UGH.

Overal I am quite pleased with this Pot, I use it as often as I can. You don't need guest to make a regualar dinner special.

If you are looking for a first or only fondue pot, this would be a very good choice. The advantage of an electric pot is the ability to control the temperature more precisely and easily, which is a big advantage. The design of this set, with the wider open mouth, does classic cheese or chocolate fondue as well as can be expected, and 8 people can easily use this set (fondue with a group requires teamwork, part of the fun). Usually the pots designed specifically for hot oil fondue have a fluted or more narrow opening, to reduce splattering. This set will work for hot oil also, but for only 3 or 4 people (with hot oil each person is leaving two forks in at a time, as opposed to dip & pull with cheese or chocolate), and with a little more clean up maybe.
The pot is easy to clean, and you can put it on the stove to get the contents started and up to temperature, then using the warmer to keep them at temp, a easier way to go. The big disadvantage on electric pots, somehow the cord must go from the center of the table down to the electirc outlet, which never really seems to be an issue. You can have a lot of fun with this reliable and good all around pot.
Fondue pots that work off candle or sterno heat can be more romantic, but much harder to control. This is really a good pot to have or to start with. My wife lived in Switzerland for 3 years, home of fondue. We have several pots, we use this one the most often. Order some extra forks while you are at it. Fondue is great fun.