Kitchen Reviews

If you enjoy stews, I can think of no better pot. Calphalon heats up quickly and browns better than anything I have seen. This pot has a large surface area, so it rarely requires a second round in the browning stage. That great browning translates into a wonderful deglaze. It is shallow enough that you can easily work the base with tongs, but tall enough to handle everything without causing a mess. It's more than happy to go into the oven/broiler.
It's rare to see a pot this size at such a low price. Even rarer is to see it come with a lid, a lifetime guarantee and a reputation as solid as that of Calphalon.

For most of my adult life, I wondered why anyone would spend hundreds of dollars on Calphalon cookware. My Farberware--which I've had for twenty years--was perfectly serviceable. But a co-worker who has actually been to cooking school raved about her hard-anodized pots, so when Amazon began offering such bargains, they were worth a try.
Amazing!! No hot spots, no sticking (without scary plastic coatings), and the ability to move from stovetop to oven without a second thought.
What I find this best for is the cooking of vegetables (spinach, broccoli rabe) which take up a lot of space to start. They can easily be moved around for the saute without pieces ending up on the stove, counter, and floor.
The weight, which makes this pot versatile and a good conductor of heat, is its one downside--you should never, ever put these pots in the dishwasher, and washing, although they clean easily, can be a chore.

For years I have been making soups and stews in my Farberware pots and pans (given as a gift to me in 1968). I cannot say that I was disappointed until I cooked the same foods in my new Calphalon. I have an electric stove and always got frustrated because it takes so long to heat things. I blamed the stove when in reality it was the pots. Recently, I made a huge pot of lentil soup.My garlic and onions sauteed quickly; the broth came to a boil fast, and the whole thing actually took less time than usual. My husband commented on the fact that it was the best I had ever made. Is this a coincidence? I don't think so. The even heating of this heavy pot is the difference. I didn't have to stir constantly, as I usually do with soups, stews and sauces. Just remember to keep the burner at a slighly lower setting than usual. Reheating was also amazingly fast. Usually, I use the microwave because I get bored waiting for things to reheat on the stove. No more! My husband commented on the clean appearance of the pot also. I am thrilled with my new purchase and can't wait to try the rest of the line, many of which are now in my cabinet waiting their turn!

I like this pan a lot, because it heats up faster than the non-stick type, and lets me cook stuff that doesn't do well in the microwave. Especially good for making hot cereals, boiling eggs, and fixing packaged, mashed potatoes. This pan does all the little stovetop jobs fast. The lid is, unfortunately flat, and has a cast steel, grip handle on it. The main pan has a cast steel handle, which does not stay as cool, as the higher grade, stainless steel, found on the Commercial Non-Stick variety. Still since I don't use it for extended boiling or even need the lid much these are small complaints.

I use a cooking spray to coat the bottom of the pan. This works to prevent sticking, when preparing foods without a lot of water. It only sticks if you forget to stir the food, and leave it too long over the heat. Before the days of the microwave, the most frequent pans in our kitchen were the small saucepan, and the medium fry pan. Your canned soups, beans, vegetables, hash, and most of your basic serving items were all designed for a pan of this size. If you want something you'll get a lot of use out of, get this pan you'll never regret it!

I recently ordered this based on my appreciation for Calphalon products and the great price. This is a fantastic saucepan that can practically double as a saute pan. It is surprisingly large and roomy, and the extra diameter gives it plenty of room for fitting in two or three chicken breasts, a modest steak, or a handful of veggies. I love it for making coq au vin since it isn't too large and goes right in the oven.

Nothing sticks to this pan if you add just a dab of butter or oil, and it heats up and cools quickly. One great feature of pure aluminum cookware is the fact that aluminum dissipates heat quickly, so pulling the pan off the heat is a great way to regulate the temperature when making a sauce. This is a great product and a wonderful addition to my Calphalon cookware collection.

I bought this pot when I replaced my stove recently. Most of my old cookware wasn't flat enough on the bottom to conduct heat well on the ceramic surface. I bought it because it was cheap and I liked the small Caphalon omelette pan I bought a few years ago. Suffice it to say, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Caphalon pan...larger for soups and stews, etc.

It's a pot the great architects could respect: beautiful, versatile, and functional.

Finally, after 5 years of appearing on my gift list, I told my husband to buy me this refurbished model for Mother's Day. Well worth my wait!

Many of the other reviewers have remarked on the length of time to freeze the bowl and the "inability" to stay adequately cold long enough. I'm happy to say I've had neither of these problems. Sure, the ice-cream is soft-serve density, but an hour or two in the freezer and it is the stiffness one is accustomed to buying from the store. Any stiffer during the mixing process would render it impossible to continue mixing. It takes merely overnight in my freezer to get cold enough - and it's still so cold when I'm done that its painful to pick up to empty it and the HOT wash water freezes to the sides when I'm trying to dry it. So there you go - cold!

I transfer the results to a plastic freezer container (as instructed), clean the bowl (it takes maybe a minute to clean all the parts) and put it back in the freezer so it's ready everyday, should I need it. It's about 5.5" tall x 7" inches wide, so it really doesn't take up too much space. I also stockpile meats, waffles, veggies and juice in a standard freezer and still have plenty of room.

It makes 1.5 quarts, just a bit less than the size you buy at the store. It feeds my husband and I GENEROUSLY for 2-3 nights. If you were having a crowd, you'd have to start a few days in advance and store each batch in another container.

I've used it pretty much every day since it arrived and it's held up great. Desperate to get going the day it arrived, but dismally out of dairy supplies, I threw in some juice and 15 minutes later had something between a slushie and a sorbet that the kids loved. The next day I got inventive, using whole milk and some non-dairy French Vanilla coffee creamer that was left in the fridge. Paired with some instant coffee and chocolate chips, it was heaven! Today, I've finally done it according to the recipe, using fresh strawberries, heavy cream and whole milk - divine!

It's much cheaper to make (have you priced ice-cream, especially premium, all-natural varieties lately?) and a whole lot of fun to throw stuff in and see how it comes out.

Oh - and the noise factor. Really not bad, about like an average dishwasher. Some reviewers make it sound like a freight train. One can hold a conversation easily with it in the room.

So there you have it - a great product that makes a great product! Gotta go - that fresh-strawberry ice-cream's calling!

I've been wanting to make my own green tea ice cream & found this on amazon.com. I thought it was a great price & thought I'd give it a try. I used the premium vanilla ice cream recipe in the book, but left out the vanilla beans & instead steeped green tea in the hot milk. I also let the machine run longer (for about 45 minutes) because the ice cream still got harder & the freezer container was still pretty frozen. After ripening it in the freezer, the ice cream was a perfect consistency-- smooth and scoopable. And it tasted great too! I'm very happy with this purchase! Easy clean-up.

One word of warning for those who don't know: when making the custard for the ice cream, be careful not to curdle/cook your eggs. Heat until 140-160 F to make sure it is safe to eat though. I'd also be careful not to add more than 3 cups of liquid, etc. because the mixture "grows" as it freezes.

I was a bit hesitant about purchasing a reconditioned unit, but after speaking with my friend I decided to take the plunge. She has the same unit which she had gotten brand new and uses it all the time.

This is wonderful for people who follow a low carb way of eating as you can adjust the ingredients for your liking. We use the traditional vanilla recipe in the front of the book, substituting light cream for the milk and splenda for the sugar. We chopped up low carb chocolate bars and sliced up some fresh strawberries, and made some WONDERFUL homemade, vanilla, chocolate chip w/strawberries. Yum...I am getting hungry just thinking about it.

HINT: be sure to chop things up small if you are adding extras and remember they get added, 5 minutes before the ice cream is finished.

We loved the salad spinner when we got it. This is about 4 years later. It started to fall apart after the 1st year. 1st was the little plastic brake. Next the inner assembly. We've been limping along with it now for a couple years. Everyone we've spoken with who has the spinner salad say they don't fall apart. We're going to try that next.

I've avoided making salads for a long time because of the preparation time. I had an older salad spinner, but it was the kind you had to turn, and cleaning it afterwards always seemed to take a long time. This spinner is a huge improvement over any I've used before.

You put the rinsed greens in the strainer, or rinse them after they're in, and then put the strainer in the bowl. One easy push and it spins on its own and it does not move around at all on the counter. I have found that it takes a couple spins to dry them the way I like, but while the greens are spinning, you can be chopping up other salad ingredients.

Even better, you can lock the handle in the "down" position and use this spinner to store the unused greens in the fridge; no separate "lettuce saver" is needed. I've had leaf lettuce in mine for several days, and it is still crisp and fresh. Since buying this remarkable spinner, I've had salad every night. And enjoyed every minute of it, preparation included!

If you love salads but hate the prep, get this. You will wonder how you ever got along without it.

There are spinners out there that boast of washing and drying. This kitchen gadget nut is also a clean freak. I'll wash my veggies and berries by hand, thank you very much. Then I use my trusty Oxo spinner to finish the job. It is the best DRYER on the market, and I have used a lot of them. Instead of having to pull a cord and hope the thing doesn't fly off the counter or out of the sink, you just pump this puppy a couple of times and watch the centrifugal force dry your greens. The spinner continues on its axis long after the last pump. There is a brake button to stop the action if you wish. The large clear bowl seconds as a salad bowl, and when you are through you lock the pump down out of sight for better storage. What more could you ask for?

We were recently in England and saw friends using an electric tea kettle that was different than any we had ever seen in the U.S. I had to have one. When we got home I found this lovely Braun electric kettle and purchased it immediately. It does all we expected. It has a large capacity so you don't have to refill it constantly. It boils very, very quickly and shuts off so I don't have to watch it. I love being able to take it to the sink to fill it without dragging the cord. It's very easy to clean because it detaches from the base. I like the large handle grip and the water window on both sides. We use it for everything instant including soup. How did we get along without it?

Not only does this improve upon the standard stove-based kettle, but it improves upon the previous generation of fixed-cord electric kettles.

The separation of kettle and corded base allows the former to be taken to the sink (or refrigerator if you're boiling pitcher-filtered water) without bother. It makes pouring at the table or in another room easy, as well. The cord can be wound inside the base so that only the needed length is exposed - neatening your countertop. The base has a "360-degree rotational connection," which means that you don't have to align the kettle in any particular way when replacing it. No buttons to press, no connector to snap.

The handle and kettle shell stay cool, obviating the need for a hot pad when picking it up, and the single control is as simple as can be: press it to start and it turns itself off when the water boils. If you forget about it, you needn't worry about boiling away all the water and leaving yourself with a burnt pot. (It will also turn off automatically if the pot is empty, the lid is opened, or the pot is removed from the base!)

The anti-calcification filter reduces scaling and thus the need to run a vinegar solution to clean out the buildup (something most people never do with their stove-based kettles). The design allows you to easily see the entire inside of the kettle, so you can keep an eye on things.

For those who regular drink tea or other beverages made with stove-boiled water, an electric kettle is a real convenience. This Braun kettle is about as convenient as they come.

I was about to spring for one of the Zojirushi megabuck dispensers, when I spotted this unit. I have always liked Braun (more consistently good than Krups or Cuisinart) for their design and ergonomics. This pot doesn't fail to impress. This baby is FAST; It boils water at 1 minute per 8-oz cup (or faster, if you start with hot tap water). For a single cup of tea, this is about as fast as you can select a teabag and prepare the cup! BTW, this actually holds 7 cups, not 6 as described.

The design is very nice and clean-looking. The base is especially well-designed, since you can put the pot on rotated in whatever way is convenient. This is apparently a big win over the Krups kettle. The "mineral filter seems like overkill, but it does prevent splashing of the boiling water, and causes pouring to be very smooth. Cleanup is brain-dead simple (pour out the excess water after use, and flip the top open to allow evaporation). Pot itself does not get too hot to touch, and the handle stays completely cool. Automatic-off features work under all sensible scenarios: when it reaches full boil, when the top is opened for any reason, when lifted off the base, or when the pot is empty.

As for the Zojirushi dispensers? They may be useful if you want a lot of water (up to 5 liters for the big ones) held at a controlled temperature. But for most home uses, this need is rare, and otherwise deosn't justify the price tag.

IMHO, the Braun is one of those rare kitchen appliances that took a while to see the need for, but now I couldn't live without. A real time and hassle saver!

I'm on my second one of these, having lost one in a move many years ago.

I've had a number of popcorn poppers 'cause I'm a true fan, whether unadorned popcorn or 'fancied up'. When the hot air poppers came out about 20 years ago I bought a couple of them, but they always seem to make chewy popcorn that'll stick in the back of your throat. I've got a mint-condition Mirro aluminum electric popper from the sixties and it'll burn corn in the bottom before you can turn around.

West Bend used to make this same type popper but without the stirrer. I had that one also, and it still left a fair number of kernels at the bottom.

The stirring rod is what makes the difference with this popper. Not only will it pop more kernels in ANY brand of popcorn, but it will pop far more with the less expensive brands like Jolly Time. It's typical to get no more than a tablespoon or less of unpopped kernels. The popcorn turns out perfectly done, from the earliest to the last popped. If you look at the photo, the disc on the top is a removable cover; under there is an indention with multiple holes. You can take butter or margarine and spread it around when you set the machine up. Then, as the machine starts popping, the steam melts the butter and it goes on the corn! Or, if you prefer buttering later, just leave the lid on. When the corn is popped, you simply flip the appliance over and the large dome becomes the serving bowl.

The dome and the disc on top have been through my dishwasher dozens of times without any problem. If I hand-wash it, it always feels a little greasy. The bottom, heating part of the appliance is nonstick; you simply wipe it out with a soapy dishrag or paper towel. Couldn't be easier.

This appliance is light in weight and fits fine in one of my overhead cabinets. For only a small amount of oil, it'll make six quarts of the best popcorn you can find! Plus, its tolerance to less-expensive non-gourmet corns means you'll spend less money. Highly recommended!

I recently bought the 8 quart Stir Crazy (same design-bigger bowl/lid) and I am very happy with it. I had bought the manual stovetop "Whirly Pop" popcorn popper late last year and rediscovered the taste of non-microwaved popcorn. Unfortunately, the Whirly Pop's stiring mechanism broke after just a few months of usage.

The Stir Crazy is actually easier to use because you don't have to do the stirring. The only downside to this popper is if you use the lid as the bowl (per its design) you will notice the popped corn gets a little soggy from the condensed steam on the sides of the bowl. The popper has vents to let the steam out as the corn pops, but the sides of the bowl/lid still get kinda wet. I just dump the popped corn into a bowl or bowls and enjoy!

Cleaning the popper can be a little bit of a pain for those inclined to throw everything into a dishwasher (like me). I still put the lid on the top rack of the dishwasher, but you have to wipe the electric popper out with a sponge or something.

My popcorn secret is....FLAVACOL. This is the yellow butter flavored salt that many commercial poppers use. You actually put the salt/oil/popcorn in the popper all at once and let it fly. The Flavacol "melds" with the corn making it taste just like the popcorn you buy in bags at a commercial establishment. Oh, and I use peanut oil. Not as authentic as coconut oil, but still tasty and not quite as deadly.

Tried air poppers; blech, styrofoam pellets would taste about as good. Microwave corn; too much salt and "butter" in the packets, plus they cost a lot. Popping in a saucepan on the stove; horrible to clean afterwards and it burns. Microwave poppers; don't get me started.

THIS is the one. The first one I had was in the dorm in college (one with the yellow bowl.) I think we bought it together for the whole floor. And this is still the best popper on the market, decades later.

The only feature I don't like is the "melt the butter in the well" feature. It's probably less messy to melt the butter in the microwave (although I admit using the heat of the popper makes ecological sense.) The constant stirring makes sure all kernels get popped.

It does make a difference if you use GOOD popcorn (you know the one I mean, Mr. R's best) and at least FRESH popcorn. And the touch of oil used in the popping makes the popcorn taste wonderful. We sometimes use olive oil for a special taste treat. Anyway you pop it, this is a great device.

Have you tried this yet? I was amused by this pop corn popper because it looked like something my great grandma might have used to make pop corn back in the cart and buggy day. I was amazed at how great this pop corn popper really works! I must say that I have pop corn at least 2 nights a week, and from here on, all my popcorn is going to be popped in this machine. And not only is it cute, but the pop corn tastes better. More corn taste. Just melt a little bit of butter, maybe add some shredded cheese or some peppers and spices or just eat it fresh from the stove. Its great!

My best friend fell in love with this and passed one along to me for my birthday. My husband and I think that it is the best thing to come along since movie night.

First of all it pops perfectly. There is not a SINGLE kernel left unpopped. It is quick (5 minutes MAX). There are plenty of great tasting, easy recipes in the instruction manual. The results are soft, tender pieces of popcorn. Plus it is so much fun! I hardly ever get to crank the handle of the popper because my gadget crazy husband won't let me.

It could easily be turned into it's own little gift basket. Just add a bag of kernels, a jar of some seasoning, a movie and some shrink wrap and a bow and you have a perfect gift! (at least I hope that's a perfect gift because it is what everyone in my family is getting for Christmas this year!)

I'm finally forced to replace the Whirley Popper I've loved for nearly eight years (the fasteners that hold the top on wore out), and I've made at least one batch of delicious popcorn every week during that time, so it's been extremely durable. The popper requires little oil, and it probably averages about two unpopped kernels per batch. You don't have to crank the handle the entire time; I've found that just a few cranks to coat the kernels in oil as the pan is heating followed by about 30 seconds of cranking after the popping starts yields excellent results. The only downsides are that it takes about 2 more minutes to prepare than microwave corn, clean-up isn't quite as quick, and you have to be careful not to burn yourself when removing the top after popping. But the excellent results more than make up for the extra few minutes it takes. Use your microwave to melt the butter, and let the Whirley Popper do the rest! It's delicious!

After doing some research on Amazon.com and wading through all of the customer reviews, buying this vacuum was a no-brainer. I am completely satisfied with my purchase of the vacuum. I have an apartment that is about 650 square feet and I have no problem getting the whole place vacuumed using the charged battery. The vacuum has great suction power and I use it on both my carpets and tiled floor. I love not having to fuss with vacuum bags - and it is actually pretty neat to look in the clear cup at all the dust and dirt that gets picked up. The vacuum is incredibly light and has a handle that slides down which makes it easy to store.

I would definitely recommend this vacuum if you live in an apartment or if you don't have much carpet to vacuum. I think this makes a great 'starter' vacuum and would be a great choice for college students. I really can't think of anything bad to say about this product, and just look at the price - you can't go wrong.

Can't say enough good about this vacuum - I've had it for a year and its served us well. Works well on carpet, tile, rugs, anything you can throw at it.

Of course, it is not a $300 electric vacuum, but it keeps the average small household clean. Battery lasts about 20 minutes (enough to get thru a 700 sqft area just fine), and pics up everything with ease. The canister could be a little larger, but it will hold the average weeks worth of cleaning just fine. Of course when emptying the canister, dust is thrown in the air, so if you have allergy problems I would suggest dumping it outside.

Only downside I can think of is the brush clogs with animal hair too quickly - but I believe any vacuum would have this problem (long hair maine coon cat = murder on a vacuum). I find myself having to pick hair off the brush after each bedroom, which is a bit inconvenient but to be expected.

Bottom line, twice weekly cleanings on a 700 sqft tile downstairs, weekly 700 sqft carpeted upstairs, with cat litter and fur sprinkled all around, it works great, no cords, light and easy to manuever, no complaints after a years of use. When it breaks, I'll just buy another, for $60 how can you go wrong?

Kids & chores don't usually go together, but the cordless Boss sure helped make the whining & moaning go away alot quicker. It's very lightweight, does a very good surface job on the carpet (I use my regular vac once a week to get deep down cleaning). We have 3 cats (medium length hair)and 2 short haired dogs, so I was impressed when I looked in the collection cup and saw all the fur. Our cat box is located in the hall near 2 bedrooms & a bathroom so we need to use the Boss daily, I was also impressed with the cleaning it did there too. I also tried it in the foyer (the only entrance we use) and it did a great job on the vinyl floor (lots of fine sand, dirt & elm seeds). The only place that it worked poorly was the carpeted steps.

The filter sucks. I mean it sucks. My first pot I brewed was with regular old Folger's drip. It worked fine and tasted good, considering it was Folger's. There was no bitterness like usual out of the drip machine. The next morning I figured I'd try some of my expensive Costa Rican coffee that I bought for the specific purpose of this new vacuum pot. I wanted to see how good I could make it. It was a finer grind than the Folgers. Well the plastic filter clogged and no amount of stirring or tapping would unclog it. So of course the coffee over brewed and was ruined.

So I tried it again with less water, half a pot. The results were even worse. Again it clogged and wouldn't drain back down. With half a pot there was less of a vacuum and the filter clogged immediately. Then I read someone's review where they used a spoon to move the filter back and forth slightly while it was draining. So I brewed a third pot of the expensive coffee. The only thing I succeeded in doing was nearly scalding myself trying to wiggle the filter back and forth. The filter is worthless. I will try to find a cloth or glass filter to replace it with. This little "experiment" in learning to use this device just cost me a lot of $$$$$$ in ruined expensive coffee. Had I known it was this finicky I would have bought whole beans and ground them myself.

But the instructions that come with the coffee pot are horrible. They could have told me to use a coarse grind and save me all that trouble. Beware if you buy this pot. I strongly suggest you buy a glass or cloth filter at the same time. Also the base is a bit small and with a full pot it's rather top heavy during the steeping. The cheap plastic handle has me worried that one day it will break and I'll end up scalded. Horrible directions, horrible filter, cheap materials. But for $40 what do I expect? Ummm, I don't know, maybe a decent product? It may not be hundreds of dollars, but for $40 I do expect the darned thing to work!!!!

From the successful Folger's brew I can definitely see where vacuum brewing must taste great, especially with good quality coffee. But until I can resolve the filter problem or throw away all my preground and buy a grinder with whole beans I really won't have an opinion.

The company seemed to really take a cheap route of manufacturing in a minimalist sense. I like the idea but this product needs refining. I read somewhere that the design hasn't changed in 35 years. Well maybe it's time for Bodum to release a newer, better designed model using higher quality materials and a better, more adaptable filter that can handle different grinds.

This is not a bad coffe maker. Maybe it's the fact the oils from coffee beans are not filtered out, but the taste is quite delicios. There are a couple of minor negative points, thus 4 stars and not 5. First, you cannot use finely ground coffee in this device, unless you enjoy the sludge in your cup. There is no paper filter, so anything smaller than the groves on the plastic filter/barrier gets down into the coffee pot. Second, they recommend using a heat diffuser for gas stoves, so far I haven't been able to find any at the local stores, but there are some on the internet. Using this coffee maker without a heat diffuser is a bad idea, as anyone who took chemistry lab can testify how easy it is to "bump" a liquid being boiled on an open flame in a thin glassware. Or if you miss the moment when the liquid leaves the bottom reservour--I imagine it will crack in a second. Using home-made contraptions is not a good idea either--the thing is very top-heavy and unstable in the middle of its cycle; using a porcelain tile as a heat diffuser nearly caused me to order a new "vacuum coffee maker" when the tile cracked from the heat. The last complaint that I have is that it appears to be very fragile. I am used to handling fragile glassware in the lab, but when I wash this thing in the sink, I am very careful. Other than that, it does make delicious coffee, and it's a great conversation centerpiece for those late-night oil-burning get-togethers. If you are not used to handling fragile glassware, though, I recommend ordering two of them, just in case.

I cannot rave enough about this treasure made in Copenhagen. I have used every conceivable type of coffee maker in the past, but this one is simply the best I have ever used. It is beautiful to look at, very easy to use and clean, and makes the best cup of coffee I have ever tasted. I ordered the electric version of this brand, but when it arrived, it had a defect, so I returned it immediately. I am so happy I didn't order the electric one because it was twice the amount of money that I paid for the non-electric one. I am going to tell all my friends about it--unfortunately you can't buy it in any stores, only through Amazon.com. Congratulations on carrying this absolute gem of a coffee maker!! Joanne Evens, Granite Bay, CA