Kitchen Reviews

This is the best air popper I've ever used. Forget microwave popcorn; it's loaded with bad stuff you don't need. Air popping is low calory and can even be used as part of your weight loss diet--and that's even with some butter on it.

I haven't had any problems with my popcorn maker and I have already used it multiple times since I got it a couple of weeks ago. The popcorn pops fast, and hardly any kernals are left behind without popping. The only downside I would say is that because it pops so fast it leaves little time to melt the butter. But that isn't a big deal...you can just put the butter in the microwave and have it melted in no time. You can also just leave the popper on for a little longer while you wait for the butter to melt.

Overall I am very satisfied with this purchase.

This makes the fluffiest popcorn, sans oil or butter. You can then spray it with butter flavor for a non-fat treat. It does help to use good quality popcorn, especially in an airpopper, so be warned that stale or cheap popcorn will not give a good, light result. If you have a lot of kids, this is a great snack-machine for an inexpensive and relatively low calorie treat.

This is one of Le Creuset's more affordable cooking pots, and it makes for a great introduction to an amazing product line. The pot responds excellently to a low or middle flame. Cranking up a high flame under it lessens its trademark conductivity, and will lead to unsuccessful attempts at more complicated soups. The best part about this pot is that it can be used for Indian and Thai curries that call for long simmering periods. Scorch oils, onions, spices etc. in a Calphalon or All Clad frying pan on high heat. Then transfer the ingredients to the Le Creuset pot, add the remaining ingredients such as meats, coconut milk, cream, or vegetables and you will preserve delicate, sometimes tempermental flavors that need to be simmered in a precisely controlled environment which the Le Creuset soup pot wonderfully provides. Cream, butter, and milk in soups and curries will also be less prone to separating(breaking) with this fantastic soup pot.Give it a try!

Like all le Creuset pots, this soup pot has awesome heat retention and a heavy lid, making it excellent for cooking rice, slow-braising meats, or gently simmering heavy sauces. Like the other le Creuset wok-shaped pots (the 4.5 qt soup and the 7.5 qt boullibase), this pot is excellent for carmelizing onions and peppers at the beginning of a recipe, reduces liquids quickly, and for thin soups is almost self-stirring.

The first drawback to this pot is its small size. The useful volume is about the same as that half-gallon container in your fridge. (OK to make lunch for two or rice for five, but way too small for a casserole). The second drawback is its enamel coating. I usually rave about the le Creuset enamel, because it soaks clean without scrubbing, and because - unlike stainless - it's totally non-reactive. But with a pot this size and shape it would be nice to be able to wisk a sauce with a wire wisk, without worrying about scratching, or to use the pot for deep-frying, without worrying about destroying the enamel.

I still use (and adore) the pot, but if you're only buying one le Creuset to test out the line, buy the 4.5 quart soup pot, not this smaller version. And if you're looking for a truly all-purpose small soup pot, consider the Kitchenaid 2.5 quart saucier instead.

This is a great pot, and I love the flavor that one gets from mixing the ingredients and spices in a low- to medium-heat cooking session. And this really retains the heat for a while, so it seems that the flavors just get better and better (as is the case with most broths).

It's also a lovely size for a soup pot for a couple or a small family; you don't feel wasteful heating a big stockpot.

Le Creuset is [spendy], but the prices are very good at Amazon and the durability of the enamel-coated cast iron is amazing.

In June of 2003, I wrote a blurb praising this starter set. My opinion from then hasn't changed, except the last part where I wrote that I couldn't justify Wusthof's price for those knive you don't use every day. Well, I lied. Since then I have replaced virtually every knife I had then with a Wusthof. Whether I was dicing veggies, carving a roast, or simply cutting up a chicken, I just got to the point where I could no longer tolerate using an inferior knife for the job; so I upgraded as I went along. All my old knives went into my camping box (you're supposed to be "roughing it" when camping, right?).

The knives in this set are superb. The problem is that after using them, you are liable to do as I did and spend lots of money later. Be warned.

I highly recommend this as a good starter set for Wusthof knifes are a high quality made knife, well balanced, hold a good edge,a lifetime guarantee,& #1 rated by Consumer Reports. I feel the 4 1/2" utility knife is a very good companion to these 2 also.Just make sure to feel the difference of each style for yourself; for some like the Grand Prix but I prefer the Classic. They cut through stuff like butter & make cutting alot less of a chore!

A great pair of knives. I use them daily and wouldn't trade them for any other knife I have ever touched. The balance and weight are perfect. Take care of them, and they will last forever.

great value, although not too comfortable to hold & work with, but it get's the job done. not for delicate jobs either. long, thick peels. hope it stays sharp!

For years I've been looking for a peeler with a comfortable grip. This peeler has that. It also has a very sharp blade and great control while you're peeling. The blade just glides down the vegetable with ease. I'd recommend this peeler especially for people that have arthritis because it's so easy to use.

This new aged vegetable peeler is what every cooker needs. It peels the vegetable in no time at all allowing you to get on with the rest of the cooking you need to do. It doesn't eat the whole vegetable nor do you have to wash it by hand. When your done cooking your gormet dinner and it's time for the pile of dishes to be done, just toss in the peeler along with the rest of the dishes and relax. It is a wonderful product that most people should have in their kitchen!

After waiting a month to get the thing because it was back-ordered, I FINALLY got to try out my skillet. I love this thing! Most of my cookware is garden-variety non-stick and hardly suited to things like searing steaks or fajita meat.

You can run this pan as hot as you dare without hurting it - works great for steaks, and makes an awesome cheese steak. The pre-seasoned coating works as advertised, and the cast iron gives good heat transfer and VERY even heat across the entire pan. I think I'm going to be using this skillet A LOT.

A handy suggestion regarding cleaning that I stumbled across on another website... be SURE to use a hot pad while doing this! Immediately after cooking, fill the pan with HOT water (not cold; you could crack it!), put it on high heat, and bring the water to a rolling boil... this will lift debris off the pan bottom. Dump the water and immediately wipe dry with a paper towel, set on the (turned-off) burner briefly to dry completely, and wipe the cooking surfaces with oil.

Another note - want those steaks well-done but juicy? Buy the Lodge Logic 5-qt Dutch oven; the lid fits this skillet! Sear both sides of the steak on medium-high (about 3 min each), then flip, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook as desired, flipping the steak once along the way (about 5 minutes per side for a small, well-done filet mignon). Your cooking times may vary, but the combo of cast-iron skillet for searing and lid to keep things moist while cooking works exquisitely. Brown, not black, outside... and tender inside.

To season a cast iron skillet or any other cast iron utensil: 1. Wash and dry. 2. Heat pan until very hot and add a teaspoon of cooking oil. 3. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle a generous amount of table or kosher salt and spread around utensil. 4. Wipe out with paper towels. This is the correct method for seasoning and cleaning a cast iron utensil.

I grew up using cast iron and as an adult in my own home did not have any cast iron pieces. Once I saw the pre-seasoned items here I decided to try them. I have been very pleased with this skillet, especially with the two handles. Cast iron is heavy and it's great having that other little handle to grab. Cooks like a dream and is easy to clean. Soak with some hot water (remember no soap!) and give it a light coating of oil once dry.

This is a great shaker!! I have been searching around and read reviews on a lot of shakers and I am so glad that I've decided to buy Pedrini's Stainless Steel Shaker!

My biggest concern was that the top and cap would get competely stuck or it would cause leakage when shaken, but like other reviewers, I had none of these problems at all with this particular shaker! It is very well designed and durable. The rim on the lid/strainer makes it easy to pull it off. Just push your thumb and index fingers against the ridge, twist... and voila the top is off! No need to pry the top off with a knife like other shakers!

I think they could make the shaker even more better if the cap was also a 1 oz jigger. An ounce is about 30 ml but the cap holds only 25 ml. This is kind of a hassle since most recipes call for even ounces. This is just a minor gripe though. I guess you could always invest in a separate jigger. Other than this, everything else about the shaker is great!

I would highly recommend it to others who are looking for an affordable and functional shaker.

This, my friends, is simply the perfect cocktail shaker. Works great -- and at a great price. Performs as well as shakers at double the cost. Durable, too. (Dropped a few times on a hard tile floor -- no dings!) Tiki drinks, martinis, swanky cocktails, you name it. Easy to buy, easy to use, easy to clean, easy to love. Simplicity meets function. G'head ... you know you want it.

This has been the ideal shaker. It puts together easily and I have never had it leak once - perfect seal every time. It's weight and thickness are perfect for shaking, and you know when you're done by when it gets too cold to hold - the way it's supposed to. I can't imagine a better shaker out there unless there's a cheaper one that works as well. You'll never need another one if you buy this.

When I first saw this item advertised I laughed. Why would anybody actually want something like this I thought. Then I received it as a gift about 10 years ago and have used it to grate cheese & eggs for egg salad. It's wonderful! It's quick and easy and so is the clean up. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find this product at any of my local stores anymore!

Okay, I use it mainly to grate cheese and eggs for egg salad, but it's quick and easy and clean up and just as fast. I've had mine for years and it's still going strong. My only problem is, I can't find this product in my local stores anymore.

I had one of these Salad Shooters for years and used it so much, one of the graters wore out. Foolishly, I threw the grater and the Salad Shooter in the garbage thinking I could easily find a new one at the store. Needless to say, I went out of my mind looking for a new one till I found one on Amazon. I had gotten so used to using it, that I couldn't live without it. This time, I am going to order extra graters from the company so I don't make the same mistake.

After hours of research and trying out vacuums I trusted the reviews on this site and purchased this vacuum. I was pleasantly surprised. The power of this vacuum is amazing. I steamed cleaned my carpet the day before this machine arrived. I still got a container full of dirt. Don't waste money on Hoover or Dyson. This vacuum is the best by far. Goodbye Hoover, hello Eureka!

In the past 3 years I have been through many vacuums that have broke down. I have 5 kids and they help clean house. We live out in the country where there is a lot of dirt. It is hard to find a good vacuum that can live up to our "standards". This is a really good vacuum. It picks up a lot of dirt and debris and that is the most important thing. My daughter even vacuumed our long haired cat. He was shedding and dirty. He looks quite handsome now with a shiny coat! (I don't recommend doing this unless you have a very mellow cat) Even after the dirt cup was full of cat hair it still picked up with the same great performance as the first time. Eureka is the only brand name I will choose from here on out!

I thought everyone was total dorks writing in about a vacuum; however, I now understand the excitement. This vacuum works great! It is pretty quiet, easy to use and not too bad to clean. The first use is the worst because it picks up ALL the crap that has been deep in your carpet.

We needed a new set of cookware and had considered another brand but it was hard to pass up the low price of the Maitre Chef, about half of similar products. My wife likes the glass tops and stick-free surface and they clean up easily. We have had an unexpected problem with the 1 qt. pan in that it became slightly out of round so the top no longer fits. It has been used on the surface burners but on one occasion placed in a warm (200F) oven to keep the contents warm while cooking something else. The directions say that it is warranted up to 350F but it has never been placed in an oven that hot. We are disappointed and would like to find the manufacturers e-mail or telephone for a replacement.

Answer: You can't!

I needed to get some new cookware when a handle from one of my West Bend factory outlet pots finally broke off. I was at first tempted to buy a set from one of the major name brands (Circulon) when I stumbled upon this. I figured why not give them a try, and for the price, what is the worst that can happen, you use them for several years and then throw them away.

Well, when I received the set, in it's plain brown package, I was very pleasantly surprised at what I found inside. They look VERY much like the name brands you pay much more for, they are made in China, just like most of the major brands are, and I suspect they are simply the Chinese manufacturer's OEM of a major brand. Stamp a different name on the bottom and charge less for the same thing. The quality seems to very good, weight & thickness of the aluminum, good finish with the anodization & non-stick surface, and nice polished cast handles.

When in use the non-stick surface performs as well as any I have used, good even heating, and the handles stay cool to the touch.

Overall a very good deal for someone looking for an inexpensive, yet good value/quality set.

I plan to purchase a set of this cookware in the future based on the great reviews.

Regarding the reviewers whose cookware sustained heat damage here is the Master Cookware/Maitre Chef contact information:

Master Cookware
2045 South Arlington Heights #115
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Phone: 847-439-4360
Fax: 847-439-4530

Hope this helps the other Maitre Chef reviewers whose cookware has been heat damaged to obtain replacement parts!

Thank you, Amazon!

Regards.

Jim

I love love LOVE these dishes! They are so pretty and I love that they're a little bit bigger than most dishes. I redecorated my whole kitchen around them -- I have a couple of them displayed on the wall because they're too pretty to keep in the cupboard!

I love this dinnerware set. I also have the rooster theme going strongly in my kitchen. Its colours arent too violent and they are a sturdy set. However i wanted to get a second set as i think these plates will be in my home for a long time. Couldnt find them! Theres a new set of rooster plates in store now but they are very dark. Now my dinnerware has become more precious unless i can find another set! On the whole it is the nicest dinnerware set i have had..and i never tire of looking at them!

I actually bought this dinnerware in the local store in 2002 and have "LOVED" it. I would say I am a southern cook and use my dinnerware daily. I love to keep the table set, so I know this dinnerware is sturdy and durable. This Rooster dinnerware has all the colors that will set your table dancing with "splash and splender" as I like to say. I have the salad plates in Blue, Red and green. Try different colors with the soup bowls that come with the set, I see advertised here. When I purchased the dinnerware it was not in a boxed set, by thethis is a fabulous price. Buy it while you can. Like I always say If your thinking about buying it just do it I love rooster stuff this is one of the best you will see I love, love, love it....