Review of Scanpan Professional Fry Pan Set, 2-Piece

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List Price: $230.00
Sale Price: $149.95
Today's Bonus: 35% Off

I bought this set of pans 14 months ago. They were great for about a year, then they lost their non-stick nature. They pans were well cared for. Never used metal utensils, never been in the dishwasher, always gently cleaned. It has been my experience that every non-stick pan I have ever purchased will lose it's non-stick properties within a year. Doesn't seem to matter what the pan costs. The inexpensive ones last about the same as the expensive ones. My recommendation: don't pay a hundred dollars for a non-stick pan. You'll be throwing it away in a year.

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We've had these for a few months. No issues so far and they are still slick. My wife only complains that things slide around too easily...

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These pans were recommended by a chef who praised their endurance. All of my research supported his contention that the coating does not come off if the pans are maintained properly. I have had two AllClad non-stick pans, and neither of them maintained the finish over time although I followed the rules. I love my other AllClad pans, and it's not easy for me to be critical of their product, but they just didn't hold up. These are a good weight and have a comfortable handle. So far, I'm pleased.

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These pans are incredible! I make scrambled eggs, sautéed vegetables... All with no oil or butter, and nothing sticks to the pan. Clean up is incredibly simple, just basically wipe and rinse. No more scrubbing like I used to have to do with my old pans.

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Totally worth the money to me! Safe from dangerous chemicals, non-stick and easy wash-up with everything I cook!

Even my husband loves cooking with these.

Reviews of Shabu Shabu Nabe Hot Pot 26cm #0033

Customer Ratings:

This is a quality pot which I have used it for over 10 years. All handles are coated so you can touch them while cooking. So I do not think that they will be rust. I think the previous reviewer bought a different product? I made all kinds of hot pot (Shabu Shabu, Sichoen style chinese hot pot, thai style sukiyaki, vietnamese Pho, etc)in this pot. It has served me very well since I was just a college kid and lived in a small apartment. Keep in mind that this pot is a little small. It can serve 2-4 people only. At my parents' home, we had a non-stick pot that is bigger and can serve the whole family. However, the non-stick chipped only a year of constant uses.

Nevertheless, I rated this for 4 1/2 stars. I used the pot heavily, so one of the small rings/handles on the cover has become lose so it will touch the cover while cooking so you can't touch it without using a kitchen cloth. However, this can be easily fixed. I normally tie the ring with a piece of paper towel so the ring will not touch the surface of the cover.

This is a stainless steel pot so you can use with gas, induction, electric burners. However, because it is stainless steel, so sometimes it can be difficult to clean. But if you know how to take care of stainless steel cookware, you will love the pot.

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well i soaked this in water for several days to see if it would rust. the handles rust. didn't send it back though.

Cheap Hamilton Beach 500-Watt Food Processor

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List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $39.85
Today's Bonus: 34% Off

I have been through four food processors in the last few years. The Hamilton Beach 70610 is my latest. Not only do I like it the best of any I have used, it is far less expensive than my last one. Prior to the Hamilton Beach 70610 I purchased the very highly rated (by Amazon reviews) Braun K650. I think the Braun is well made. And it is said to be a bargain compared to the Cuisinart and KitchenAid models that cost twice as much. I wanted to love the Braun. However, in my experience the Hamilton Beach 70610 tops the Braun in many critical areas. And the HB costs a small fraction as much as the Braun.

Advantages of the Hamilton Beach 70610:

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1. Easier to clean than any other food processor I have seen.

2. Does a much better job chopping the vegetables I frequently use to the size I want them to be. I prepare a lot of leafy greens. Many food processors never get them right. One is left with either large unchopped pieces or, in another instant, a complete mush. This unit gives me a nice uniformly processed result that I can control. I do not tend to end up with a mush. BTW, the Braun was one of the worst food processors for leafy greens.

3. Processes small quantities well. Many food processors have a tendency to splatter the veggies to the sides of the container where they are not chopped. All food processors will do this to some degree. But the Hamilton Beach 70610 is the best of any food processor I have used at minimizing this issue. I was absolutely amazed at how well it chopped up a small bit of ginger, a single clove of garlic and a slice of onion. On this task it not only out-performed every other food processor I have used, it topped my more expensive Wolfgang Puck Variable-Speed Immersion Blender.

4. The slicer disk seems to have an almost magical ability to not suffer from the usual problem of food getting stuck on the top. My unit is still very new and the disk is very sharp, so we'll have to see if this great functioning continues. But even the highly rated Braun with a brand new slicer disk doesn't match the Hamilton Beach 70610 in this area. Today I dropped potatoes down the feed tube while the food processor was running. Even without using the pusher, the potatoes were completely sliced and nothing (absolutely nothing) was left on top of the slicer. I have never seen another food processor do this so well.

5. It has a clean, nicely styled look.

6. The 10-cup-capacity work bowl is effectively larger than competitors's 10-cup bowls because the center tube is taller.

7. It is not burdened by ridiculous, problematic breakage-prone safety devices on the lid. I thoroughly enjoy the simplicity of the lid. It twists easily into position and it provides the needed safety switch -without the hassle of most other modern food processors. Both the bowl and the lid must be locked in position before the motor will operate. But getting them into position is so easy and simple that other food processor designers should be embarrassed to produce the cumbersome designs they ship out. Even the high end KitchenAid and Cuisinart models could learn a lesson from the Hamilton Beach 70610. This unit proves that it is indeed possible to design a safe food processor that is also simple to use and is free from the fiddly little parts that tend to break off.

8. Good built quality. I would not expect it to be on a par with the Cuisinart and KitchenAid models (and I can't speak from experience), but it is a very close runner up to the Braun I owned. Some people feel the Braun is of superior quality to the Cuisinart and KitchenAid models, so maybe this model holds a higher position than I realize. Certainly it is far, far better quality than similarly priced competitors. And I am totally pleased with its build quality so far. It feels solid. It sounds solid. It looks nice. It doesn't give off funny odors or make strange sounds. It doesn't shake or rattle. The pieces all fit together nicely. It looks like it will last (time will tell).

9. The parts do not stain from processing colorful foods such as carrots quite as easily as other food processors. My other food processors, including the Braun, quickly stained. The plastic around the chopping blades and disks on the Braun stained after one use. This one isn't stain-proof, but it is better than average.

10. It is fast! It processes veggies in no time.

11. Fantastic price for what it delivers.

Disadvantages:

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1. Only one slicer disk. It doubles as both a slicer and (by reversing it) a shredder. I would prefer a few more choices. I would not mind paying for the accessories because I saved a bunch of money with this purchase. I read that an optional crinkle cut/fine shredding disk is available separately. Unfortunately, I am not yet able to location any optional accessories for sale. I would like a course shredding blade. Maybe I will find some accessories if I keep looking. However, the high end models such as the Braun, KitchenAid or Cuisinart have a plethora of accessories. I'm sure this unit won't match the high end models in that regard, so if accessories are important to you, consider other options.

2. The feed tube is a bit narrower than competitors. This issue hasn't proven to be a problem for me. I mention it because it may be important to you. From another review, "The feed tube is 1.75x2.75 inches -not quite large enough to fit a whole cucumber, but certainly large enough for a half cucumber, several carrots or even a block of cheddar cheese."

Could go either way:

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1. the suction feet. Some people seem to love them. I could take them or leave them.

The Hamilton Beach ChefPrep 500 Watt Food Processor 70610 simplifies basic food preparation with its super fast, efficient chopping, slicing and shredding capability.

Basic description partly copied from other sources:

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Clean white styling with a single silver dial control with three settings: 1, 2 and P (pulse). The pulse setting keeps the power activated only as long as you hold the dial at the P setting. Very easy to use.

This model comes with a transparent work bowl, lid with feed tube and food pusher, stainless steel chopping/mixing blade, reversible slicing/shredding disc and motor base.

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This is an excellent food processor. It has two speeds, plus pulse control so it allows for better precision when chopping. Some processors turn everything to puree, but with this one you have better control over how finely things are chopped. The grater/slicer disk produces very uniform pieces and is really fast! While running it's not too loud either. I highly recommend this processor, especially considering the reasonable price.

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This is excellent with every processing task, and I compared it to both my KitchenAid and Braun models. The motor is very powerful, the design is simple, and all the parts are very easy to clean. Check your local WalMart if you have one closeby because this sells for only $34.96 there.

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This is a great food processor.

It really gets a workout from me.

I used it this Thanksgiving to mince onions, celery and carrots for my stuffing.

Since I've used it so much and it's still in ''brand new " shape, I definitely give it 5 stars.

Highly recommended.

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I had just gone through about the 4th Cuisinart in my life when I decided it was time to change brands. I bought this one and am very happy with it. It slices and chops like no tomorrow. Faster than the Cuisinart at that and easy clean up. No cumbersome "safety features" to make you stop and try to reassemble the machine just when you want to chop a garlic clove! The switch has all the speeds you could possibly want and there is only one disk which makes for a lot less stuff to take care of. The feet are sucker cups which keep the machine firmly stuck to the counter when it's running.

There is only one thing wrong with this FP, and that is the shredding side of the disk leaves some food unshredded. A lump of whatever will ride around and not be processed at the end of the run. But, other than that, I love this machine. If I had it to decide again, I would still get this one.

Granite Ware 0530-2 Vertical Roaster, 2-Piece Set Review

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List Price: $22.99
Sale Price: $18.20
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My granddaughter loved it and said it cooked a great chicken. Keeps the skin crispy and the interior moist. Yum.

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Beer can chicken in this is the best, it is very convenient and makes a good Sunday evening meal. If you know you have company coming over just throw some extra carrots and taters in !!!

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I bought one of these and the rack that fits in the center had 3 welds on the 6 spokes (1 on each end) that were bad. 2 welds on one spoke so that spoke was completely off and another weld on a different spoke. The rack is made in China. The box is printed in Taiwan and only the pot is made in the USA.

Review of Breville BEW600XL Hot Wok

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List Price: $159.99
Sale Price: $129.95
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program It comes in the factory box, so if it is a gift, be aware of this as it might ruin the surprise. The quality and sturdiness of this appliance is evident immediately out of the box.

The instruction book has a bit of a recipe book in the front of it, so you might check that out if you don't normally read instruction books.

It is very straightforward and easy to use. It heats up very quickly, and sears to perfection. The directions say to let it heat for 10 minutes before using but I've not waited that long.

I love the way the plug has an "O" in it so you can hook a finger in to unplug it. I wish all appliances were like that! It's a cord of decent length too, and it's well insulated. The top detaches from the base. I had no problem detaching mine. Reattaching, now that was a bit of a problem until I realized you have to PUSH DOWN on the turning handle and then turn, like a childproof capTHEN it was easy.

Clean up is greatit is highly nonstick. The only potential problem that I see is that there is a bit of space between the handles and the wok that food could fall or drip and that could be hard to clean if it dried. Of course, the WHOLE thing detaches from the base and it can be put in a dishwasher.

To store you can put a couple of paper towels in it, and place the cord on those, then put the lid on upside down. It is BIG though, so storage could be a problem.

We plan on using ours outside a lot this summer, as it will be perfect on the picnic table on hot days when we don't want to heat the house up cooking. I'll prep early in the day, then cook and serve from the wok itself for evening meals by the pool.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Generally dinner time at my house is our adult son, our teenage daughter, my husband and myself. This wok is perfectly sized for a nice amount of stir-fry with lots of veggies and leftovers to pack in lunches.

Pros:

It easily fits 2 lbs of cut-up chicken and 3 bags of frozen vegetables.

Good non-stick surface, use wood or bamboo utensils.

The base detaches the pan very easily for cleaning up.

The lid has a vent, turn the knob to open it.

The knob doesn't get too hot to handle while you're cooking which absolutely thrilled me.

The probe fits in easily and securely.

The cord itself is long enough that you don't need to be right on an outlet to use it.

It's a grounded plug

The plug has a hole in it to put your finger through and pull it out. Even better, that design feature is big enough for my husband's fingers.

It heats up fast.

Heats to 425 degrees on the sear setting

Very easy to clean using a soft dishrag, even after cooking something like teriyaki with sugar in the sauce.

Cons:

It's big. That's a plus for a family like mine but could be a storage issue for people with less kitchen storage space.

The lid is a bit heavy, which shouldn't be an issue for most people, but I do wish it had more than just the knob to pick it up with.

The cons aren't enough to make me dislike this. Cooking with it was very easy, and with it's size and temperature range, I was able to cook a meal fairly fast. I know that my family will use it often, especially in the summer when I don't want to heat up the whole house with the stove. It's a good, reliable brand, and it's a great size for family cooking.

EditedAfter 6 months of use, I still love it. Also I'm doing things like frying donuts for my family more often because it's so easy to clean up and doesn't take as much oil as a pan with straight sides. The temperature control and how hot it gets makes frying food in it really easy. I wouldn't have anticipated that, I just thought about stir fries when I got it.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I don't even like to cook, but I love Asian food so much so I was delighted to get a wok. I wanted to try out all the recipes that I go to Thai, Chinese and Japanese restaurants to buy. I'd never heard of Breville's brand name, but the product looked pretty easy to use. In person, it's pretty good quality and lighter than it looks.

Cons: The screw on the top came off way too easily. It swirled around to open and close, but I didn't really see the point of it having the little tip in the top. At one point, the screw came out altogether, and I had to guess my way back to putting the accessories for the top back together. I'm not quite sure if I did it right because the instructions don't guide you through it.

The lock on the bottom of the wok is a pain. Once you cook something, you either have to lift the entire wok in order to pour the food into a dish or tip the wok to the side to unlock the wok. However, the instructions say to turn the wok over completely to unlock, so be careful with banging it if you choose the latter. If the wok is pretty full, this can be a bit of a task. I wish the lock was on the side instead of the bottom so cooks can easily unlatch it.

Pros: The wok bowl is easy to clean and is even easier to cook with. I was very happy with the appearance and texture of the stir fry with soy sausage I made. It was fresh. The soy sausage was slightly crispy like I like it. The latch on the temperature control probe is easy to maneuver, and setting the temperature is just as simple.

Cooking with the appliance is a breeze. It's assembling the product and getting the food to the plate that needs some work.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The manufacturers offer this wok as an alternative to a gas range and a traditional wok. Since I have the latter, I thought it would be fun to do a side by side comparison.

The electric wok is far more efficient than the traditional wok (uniform heat), however it does not lend itself to tipping and flipping of cooking food...which is part of the fun. You definitely need the correct cooking utensils to stir food. If you have a laminate countertop, you will need to protect it from radiant heat. The electric wok is more difficult to wash and store, but for the right household, it can make a great culinary addition.

Happy cooking!

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program UPDATE as of 7/19/2011: The rubber bumpers on the bottom of the base that keep it raised off the counter have long past gone. This means that the knob that attaches the base to the wok itself is now in direct contact with the counter. It's really sexy (NOT) to be in the middle of a searing hot cooking session, to have the base pop right off. Meanwhile the size and clunkiness makes attaching the base an exercise in awkwardness. It can only be done when said wok is completely empty, and clean, and cool to the touch. Else, you're in for a world of hurt.

Over time, the base has become more and more onerous a job to attach to the wok, making me seriously have second thoughts every time I need to heave it out of the cabinet. It's come to the point where I do use it when I literally have no other choice, but sincerely wish that I had a better option that didn't cause me so much strife. In fact, the base + wok issues are enough to tell me that buying one is a Very Bad Idea.

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ORIGINAL REVIEW:

Nonstick surface: It is so nonstick that the sticker on the inside of the pot did not stick. Very nonstick. I barely needed a scant few drops of oil.

Speed of heating: Takes about a minute to get up to full, screaming hot heat. I do a lot of South Indian cooking, which requires the same dome shape of the wok, and high heat that Chinese wok cooking requires. When I threw the oil into the pot (to pop my spices in), the oil got up to heat very quickly. My mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds all popped beautifully without burning. Then I threw in the stems of 1 1/2 pounds of collard greens that I bought earlier that evening. Perfectly wilted down in about three minutes. I added the leaves. Perfectly wilted in another two minutes or so. In less time than it took to boil my pasta, the collard greens were done to a turn. Also, I didn't need to put the greens into the pot in stages. The wok would have comfortably accommodated the greens, stems and all, without a problem. All you have to do is cover the lid so the whole thing wilts a bit, an then you're back in business.

THE BASE STAYS COOL. This means that if you have finicky counter tops, you can still use the wok on them, because the base doesn't heat. Too awesome!

There's a reason this piece of equipment costs what it does: because every single penny of the purchase price is worth it.

EDIT: Made popcorn in it. It takes longer than when I do it on the stove, but I didn't have to stop and dump out the popped kernels in the middle of cooking, like I do with my other pots. Also, it kept the kernels from burning. Very nice.

Down sides: The base and pot itself are large and taking charge. This means that if you're used to traditional Asian cooking techniques, which involve you lifting the pot up off the flame to fine tune the heat, you're out of luck. This also means that if you plan on serving the food in a container other than the wok, you're going to need two people: one to hold the wok up over the serving dish, and the other to transfer the food itself. It's way too big to do it on your own. The cap to unscrew the base is directly on the bottom of the wok, making it impossible to do anything while the wok has food in it. Instead, you have to wait for the whole contraption to empty, cool a bit, flip the whole thing upside down, then undo the base. Putting the base on can be a little awkward.

The temperature dial is not written in degrees, but rather in arbitrary numbers. This means that unlike other electric cooking pots (friers, woks, pans), you're not going to get fine tune control of the heat by adjusting the temperature on the dial. On the other hand, my stove also has the same arbitrary numbers on, so it's not like I don't know how to adjust the heat based on said arbitrary numbers.

All that said, I'd still say that the wok is worth the purchase price, because it does such a fantastic job. At home, I have a four burner gas range, but sometimes I have really big pots on the stove, rendering the other two burners useless. This wok is big enough to feed an army, and doesn't take up huge swaths of my stove.

Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker, 34-Ounce Reviews

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List Price: $27.00
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus: 26% Off

This was my first French press. I have always enjoyed this type of coffee, particular after dinner. However, I was attracted to the plastic framework surrounding the carafe, as I can be clumsy at times.

This press has worked just as well as the more expensive, more traditional looking French press pots. I set the coarsest setting on my Braun grinder, and no grounds get through the screen. It is just perfect. I haven't ever run my press through the dishwasher, it isn't necessary with the easy cleaning with this one. I just put hot soapy water in the carafe, up-and-down a few times with the plunger and it's all ready to use again. I have heeded the warning not to stir with a metal implement; I use a wooden spoon.

I would heartily recommend this model of Bodum for someone who would like to experience French press coffee at home, inexpensively.

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Let's face it, dumping coffee grounds into a bucket of hot water is nothing new. The Bodum Press is a refinement of the cowboy coffee brewing method, minus the campfire & straining it thru a sock. In My world, there is no such thing as "too Strong" for coffee. There IS, however, too bitter & too acidy. The press does what perking, dripping and steaming ground coffee cannot do: produce a stout, yet smooth cup of coffee just like the stuff made around decades of my campfires.

Model Brazil, made in Denmark by a Swiss Company & called a French Press. No wonder the confusion over exactly how many cups this actually makes. The Euro-instructions for the press say 4 oz. per cup, but even my fine Bavarian China cups (from when I lived in Munich) are 6 ounces.

Just look at it this way: It holds 32 ounces of water.

The instructions on your roast coffee container usually say to use 1 TBSP per 6 ounces of water (NOT 4 ounces & NOT 8 ounces). Again, in MY world, 32 ozs. makes about 2 cups of coffee.

I toss in 6 or more scoops of ground coffee, pour in hot water & wait the obligatory 4 minutes. The result is a smooth coffee that you can drink by the quart without that nasty heartburn/reflux side effect.

It's ideal for work, where the office sissies are afraid of offending anyone with REAL coffee, so they make it weak. I simply step up to the hot water spigot & take the Press to my desk.

Now, you, too, can have coffee the way you like it at work without having to cover up someone's botched brew with that foo-foo Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Cream or other phoney-flavored faux creamers.

Cleanup? Swirl around some soapy water, & dump the grounds down the sink just be sure to have the water blasting & the garbage disposal running, so as to not plug up the sink trap.

Even if you already have the coffee-brewing apparatus of your dreams, buy the Bodum 32 oz. model. You won't be disappointed.

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I have two Chambord models, and this one. I prefer the features of the Brazil's keyed lid, and secured plastic frame to the Chambord models. I've had this for about 3 years now, use it every day, and it's held up perfectly. Great press.

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This is a very simple, easy-to-use and easy-to-clean French press. I couldn't be happier with it. Brewing with a French press generally results in much more flavorful, rich coffee than using a conventional drip coffeemaker.

Though it makes very good hot coffee, I especially like using it to cold-brew homemade iced coffee. Ever notice how when you try to make iced coffee at home by brewing some with a regular coffeepot and then sticking it in the fridge till it cools, it never tastes right? That's cause most good coffeeshops cold-brew their iced coffee, which results in a smoother flavor. When you cold-brew, you use time rather than heat to brew the coffee.

In case you've never cold-brewed coffee, here's how I do it: I take a grinder-ful of fresh-ground premium beans, toss them in the press's pitcher, fill it up the rest of the way with cool, filtered water, let it brew 12-15 hours at room temperature, then press the beans down, stick in the fridge for a while, and serve in a glass with some ice cubes. Delicious! Add sweetness and cream to taste. I'll save a fortune by brewing my own iced coffee from now on. (By the way, the directions for brewing hot coffee are the same, only you use hot water rather than cool, and the heat makes it brew in about 5 min rather than 12 hours.)

If you're a coffee nut like myself, whether you prefer it hot or cold (or either, depending on the weather), you owe it to yourself to try a French press, and this Bodum can't be beat for the money!

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Had this item about a month now (8-cup size). I use six level scoops for a full 'pot'of strong coffee. Makes about 3-4 "American cups" (8oz +). More than I can drink in a day, so I share with office-mates.

PROS:

1)Coffee tastes better from this than from my drip coffee maker, IMHO. This is of, course, the number one reason for getting any coffee maker -otherwise we'd all drink instant and save the trouble of brewing and cleanup. Reading some reviews here and foodie-type sites, the great taste is because the 'natural oils' from the beans are not filtered out by a paper filter. I don't notice 'oily' coffee or any other change in texture but I do notice the upgrade in taste and that earns four stars right there.

2)(YMMV on this)My office has a hot-water spigot at the water cooler so I get hot coffee slightly faster than the generic drip coffee maker where I have to wait until all dripping's done to get my one cup cleanly. If you don't have a ready source of hot-water, more time will be added waiting for water to heat up.

CONS:

1)You'll still get some 'silt' (micro grounds), even when you coarse grind your coffee. This is mostly due to my grinder, I guess, but a work-around is that I've started to use a small strainer as my scoop. Using this, most of the silt is discarded -but some still gets through.

2)Keep in mind that the round-ball press handle prevents the mesh part from reaching all the way to the bottom of the container. Because of this, if you put 4 or less scoops (i.e. making a only a cup or so), there's still some space leftover and you don't get that extra squeezing out of flavor from the grounds. Also, I think I got a little more 'silt' when trying to get the last drops out than I got from a full load. Perhaps a packed set of grounds traps more silt than a loosely packed mound.

3)Cleanup is pretty messy, and is my biggest CON for me. As AZshooter recommended, I also use a stream of water to get out the grounds. Works WAY better than trying to scrape them out dry into the trash bin. This, of course, requires a drain and water source. Also, a few grounds always get stuck in the metal frame that holds the mesh in place. I have to use a toothpick to get them out.

Lastly, be sure to drink all the coffee quickly OR separate it from the gounds by pouring the coffee into another container (e.g. thermos). The acidity of the coffee grounds begins to taint the flavor of the liquid above if you leave them together for an hour or longer. This and CON #2 should weigh into consideration as to which size French press to buy.

T-fal Simply Delicioso Express Stainless Steel Dishwasher Safe Review

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This is a nice pressure cooker, but it only reaches 12 PSI. If you are new to pressure cooking, all recipes you will find will follow a default PSI of 15 PSI for High Pressure. So if you use a T-FAL Pressure Cooker you will need to increase the time by 20%. This obviously defeats the purpose of saving time and in turn you run the risk of burning meat on the bottom and loosing flavor and energy because of the extra cooking time. Try and go for a cooker that reaches 15 PSI.

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I have always used a pressure cooker as did my Mom before me but I had always had an aluminum one. I have decided to upgrade all my cookware to stainless steel to avoid any issue that cooking with aluminum may cause. I was pleased to find a steel pressure cooker made by Tfal since it is a brand that I knew as a quality brand. I have used it several times since I purchased it and have been very pleased with the way it works. I like that it has two settings, basically a high and low that other pressure cookers don't have. It is quieter than other pressure cookers since it does not have a weight that jiggles while it is cooking. I would definitely recommend it as a quality product.

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This is the first pressure cooker I ever used and I was a bit nervous at first. I read the instructions over and over and when I did the initial water boil, I realized how easy it was going to be and man was it ever. The pot roast and vegetables turned out great too. Great buy and really super easy to use and clean. I will say that it is a bit on the heavy side and I bought the small one. If you are cooking for a family, get a larger size. Perfect for two.

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I was surprised at how heavy and well built this cooker was. Easy to use and does a great job. Clean-up is a snap too. I would recommend this product. The quality and price makes this mid-size pressure cooker a good buy. I'm sure you will like it.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The Package

One of the Product Features for this item is, "Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging." What this means is they take the box containing the pressure cooker off the shelf, slap a mailing label on it, and stick it in the mail. My box came looking like they played football with it, but the contents were fine. If yours comes this way and the pot is dented DO NOT use it. Exchange it. Note: I only mention the packaging because it is listed as a "feature" in the product description.

The Pressure Cooker

There is little to distinguish this pressure cooker from most of the others on the market, and that's not a bad thing. It has heavy stainless steel construction with a thick disc bottom which is induction capable. The handle is comfortable and the helper handle is conveniently placed. As with many other units, a steamer basket and trivet are provided. Though I would never buy cookware on style, I must say the maroon plastic bits on this unit are nice looking.

I compared this cooker with my Fagor UCook which I have had for four years. Like the T-Fal, the Fagor is dual pressure. Unlike the Fagor, which is 8/15 psi, the T-Fal is 7/12 psi. Most pressure cooker recipes are written for 15 psi cookers, so in theory the T-Fal should take a bit longer to cook things. In reality, not so much.

The lid on the Fagor locks automatically when you rotate it into place. The T-Fal lid must be locked manually. I thought this would be a safety concern, allowing the pot to operate with the lid unlocked. I discovered, however, the pot will not pressurize with the lid unlocked. When there is pressure in the pot, a small pin pops up to let you know. On the Fagor, this pin is a contrasting yellow and extends above the surrounding plastic so it is easily seen. On my T-Fal this pin is the same color as all the other plastic bits, and even when the pot is under pressure this pin is below the surface of the surrounding parts. You really have to look for it.

The safety valve comes out for easy cleaning, but requires a bit of fiddling to get it in and out. The Fagor's goes in and out smoothly.

The food I prepared in this pressure cooker came out just fine...the same as with my other ones.

Recipe Booklet

While it comes with over 50 included recipes, only 5 are Ingrid Hoffman's secret recipes.

Celebrity Endorsed

With few exceptions, celebrity endorsed products tend to have a short shelf life, making parts hard to come by in the future. J&R already appears to be closing out the line. Also, part of the price of the unit goes back to the celebrity, so it is not as good a value as a non-endorsed brand.

I don't know who Ingrid Hoffman is. So much for being impressed with her endorsement.

Bottom Line

There isn't anything that really sets this pressure cooker apart from any other one on the market today. It cooks as well as any other and has the same basic features. Overall, though, I would not recommend you or anyone else buy this brand. Why?

Warranty. While the pot is warranted for 10 years, the rest of the parts are only one. Even a Presto for about half the price is fully warranted for five. Others in this price range are 10 or more.

Warranty service. T-fal doesn't list this or any other pressure cooker on its Web site, so I wonder about service and the availability of parts.

Replacement Parts. T-fal recommends replacing the gasket yearly. I was unable to find anyone on line who carries replacement parts for this unit.

Buy Track Wall Pot Rack in Chrome - Taylor & Ng

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List Price: $133.53
Sale Price: $91.78
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

I have had this pot rack since 1985! It is still going strong. I just ordered an additional hook for a new pot. To me, this is one of the advantages of this system: after all these years, the items are still available.

The version I have has a wooden shelf on top instead of metal. The rack is VERY sturdy and endlessly adjustable. I now have 12 pots and pans on mine. Pots that are similar can be nested close together. Proportional sauce pans 3 shallow, proportional sauce pans 3 deep, two saute pans, 3 Le Creuset saute pans, a Le Creuset pot, and a le Creuset braiser. All you need to add are additional hooks, standard or swivel.

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Buy Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware 1 1/2qt Loaf Pan, Cherry

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List Price: $55.00
Sale Price: $31.62
Today's Bonus: 43% Off

Another great Le Creuset stoneware piece. Only slight complaint is that their stoneware is made in China and Thailand and not France! Oh well!

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This is an expensive pan that isn't quite square. The sides bow in a bit, making for oddly shaped breads. I ended up returning it.

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LOVE LOVE LOVE anything Le Creuset! Great size for a small lasagna, meatloaf or loaf of banana bread! Great quality as usual. I would recommend this purchase.

Honest reviews on Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware 1 1/2qt Loaf Pan, Cherry

The first dish I received came broken in several pieces. Sent it back right away with UPS picking up next day and Amazon shipped out another same day. Because I have prime, I had my new dish within another 2 days. Then they sent an email when they received the broken one back. Very easy to work with. This is a very nice dish. Food scrubs right off making it easy to clean. The only reason gave it a 4 was because I could see the sides are not straight, they are bent in a little. That's probably why amazon has them, but it still is a great dish, I love these styles.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware 1 1/2qt Loaf Pan, Cherry

Love this loaf pan. Turns out a perfect loaf of bread every time. Also wonderful to use as a service vessel. A perfect size to make a very nice pate. I think I need another one in blue!

Reviews of Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 1-Quart Open Sauce Pan

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List Price: $40.00
Sale Price: $29.74
Today's Bonus: 26% Off

Must say I was a bit wary after reading the dimensions and even more so after seeing the size of the pot. Looks teeny but holds the one quart.Great for my morning cooked cereal cleans up in a snap -for oatmeal just soak with warm/hot water and it will clean up in minutes. The bar keepers cleaner restores the "just bought" shiny finish. Also the correct weightno more straining my wrist with the bigger tri-ply without helper handles.Got a great price and speedy ship. Very happy so far...

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this is a great little pan, just wish it had a lid though....

also, quick delivery/great service.

thanks.

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Great little pot -well made -flawless deign -use it to cook hot cereal almost every day. Also good for making sauces, gravy , puddings, et cetera. Highly recommended!

Honest reviews on Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 1-Quart Open Sauce Pan

The reason I purchased the smooth s/s all clad was for even cooking temperature AND shiny smooth interior for ease of cleaning. My Cuisinart 3 qt s/s all clad is a breeze to clean since the inside is a smooth as the outside. Not so with the Calphalon with its tiny little grooves. They are almost imperceptible on first glance but after the residue of my poached eggs required a few minutes of extra scrubbing I could tell they were there. Disappointing for sure. Would not purchase another Calphalon pot now.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 1-Quart Open Sauce Pan

I was looking for a new set of stainless sauce pans and was down to this line or the Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro (MCP). I bought one of each line to test with and used the experience to decide which set I would purchase. Essentially, both sets performed similarly with only two significant differentiators in my mind: ease of cleaning and price. The Calphalon was actually easier to clean than the Cuisinart. I have no idea why but stuff sticks a bit more to the MCP. The other thing, and the one that made my decision, was price. The Calphalon Tri-Ply line (four Tri-Ply pans vs. four Cuisinart MCP pans) was double the cost. Since they performed just about evenly in my kitchen, I bought the less expensive MCP set. As a stand-alone purchase, however, I would buy this Calphalon pan again. It is solidly built, thick, heats evenly, cleans easily, and has a great rolled lip that makes pouring simple. BTW, please note that this sauce pan does not ship with a lid.

WMF Profile 20-Piece Flatware Placesetting, Service for Four Reviews

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List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $69.99
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this silverware set. I live in an area where shopping is limited and had not been able to find a nice set. I was well pleased to have found something that met the standard of quality I was looking for on Amazon, and in a style that I love. If you're in the market for a durable, stylish set of casual silverware, this one will not disappoint.

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This is a very beautiful design and an extremely well made product. Good, polished German design you can't beat it.

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Beautiful flatware I love it. However, I went back to get another set and not available. Please have enough product for customers. Thanx!

Honest reviews on WMF Profile 20-Piece Flatware Placesetting, Service for Four

Love my WMF Profile flatware. They are a polished stainless steel, very shiny, lightweight but still very sturdy. The handles are slender but holds well. They have the look of a elegant every day flatware.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for WMF Profile 20-Piece Flatware Placesetting, Service for Four

This is the first silverware set that I just wanted to stare at rather than use. The finish on it is so shiny and perfect even months later they're just attractive! I will never settle for anything less than 18/10 silverware ever again. The difference is astonishing.

I would buy these again. I'd like to note that if you're doing anything "hardcore" like trying to dig ice cream out of a bucket, the square edges on the stem, while not sharp, will probably cause a degree of discomfort. In my opinion, the effect is minor compared to the positive aspects of this set.

Review of Scanpan Classic Deep Oval Grill, 15-3/4-Inch by 8-3/4-Inch

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List Price: $145.00
Sale Price: $79.95
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Quality built pan which worked great on my grill especially when cooking fish. Even heat, cooked quickly and clean up was very easy. Everyone really like the pan but $$$ cost may have scared most off. Definitely recommended for not direct touch of food on aluminum.

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Discount KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials 10-Pc. Cookware Set

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This set is not only sleek and beautiful for any modern day kitchen, but it cooks wonderfully! At first I thought the non-stick would deterrent me from any type of `roasting', but I was surprised. This set gives you amazing `even' heat distribution. It will cook an egg delicately if need be, yet, you can actually roast vegetables over high heat. It works better than my wok!

It does all this and cleans in an easy manner! No fuss! I love it! I defiantly recommend this set to any moderate cooker.

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very nice, practical set. cooks evenly, cleans easily and they are beautiful. the sizes of the pots are sensible. Not just a bunch of little pots like the 10 piece gourmet essentials set. They are a pleasure to cook with, just make sure that if you make a mess on the exterior of the pots you clean them asap to avoid staining.

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We got this set for Christmas and love them. Looked at the high price stuff, which we own some of, but thought why not try this one. It cooks better than my expensive pans!! In the oven and stove top have been great. The handles stay cool on the stove top as promised, a really good deal for the amount and size of pans you get. We would buy them again in a second-

Honest reviews on KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials 10-Pc. Cookware Set

I have looked at reviews over reviews before I purchased this cookware set. I am happy with the purchase for $109. It is attractive and is truly non stick. However, from where I stand, it is not really designed for rough handling and very frequent, prolong cooking at very high temperatures. This will erode the nonstick coating inside and strip the outer color. For instance, I do not use it to fry chicken, I use a calphalon pot but will steam fish or vegetables with it. One must be mindful of different times of cookware for different functions. I opined, it is more suited for young professionals, students etc, not for very very regular use. I do not place it in the dishwahser, as it is easily washable. After a while, I have noticed little black buildup on the bottom and sides which is proving a little challenging to remove without damaging the color.

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Good,but handles and lids get really hot when cooking. Use towels or hand mits. Starting to see scratches here and there but we use them every day. We do not put them in the dishwasher at all only a little soap and hot water. Should last another few years...I hope

Buy Paula Deen 12512 15-Piece Porcelain Cookware Set

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List Price: $119.99
Sale Price: $102.64
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

This set of cookware was great when I first started using it. It was non-stick as described, heated evenly on an electric stove and overall I was pretty satisfied with it. After using it for a year, my opinion is beginning to change. The handles on the pots keep coming loose and have to be tightened every couple of uses. The non-stick bottom, although I have been very careful to avoid scratching or damaging it has started to peel off in little bubbles. The bottoms tend to get burn marks that you can't scrub off even with some serious elbow grease. I think when you buy these, you are buying the name. You could probably get a similar item for much less money at your local superstore. Not thrilled.

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Overall we've been pleased with the Paula Deen cookware, but be aware that as per the manufacturer's instructions included inside the box they can not be used on high heat settings. This hasn't been so much of an issue with the pans, but whenever we need to boil something in a pot (eggs, pasta, soups, water, etc) we have to use a different set of cookware altogether.

That's a pretty big design flaw in my opinion when cookware can only be used on low and medium heat settings.

My second complaint with the set is that the smallest pieces are too small to be useful. The smallest pot, for example, is absolutely tiny. It fits inside of the smallest pot from our old set and is smaller in diameter than the burners on the stove.

It's a good basic set for the $100 price range, just know that you're gonna have to invest in additional pieces for a full range of cooking.

* Wanted to add, too, that advertising this as a "15-Piece Cookware Set" is a bit misleading. The measuring spoons are utensils, not cookware, so you're really only getting a 10 piece cookware set here.

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I spent a month researching different kinds of cookware and finally made this set my choice. I have had this set now, for a month and I am very pleased with it. The color is amazing and it has brought back the joy of cooking. They are light and easy to maneuver, they cook very evenly... and with the ability to cook faster on lower temps means my food is done faster and better. The Teflon coating has cut my clean up time down to half as they are so easy to clean. The price was reasonable and I am very happy with this purchase.

Honest reviews on Paula Deen 12512 15-Piece Porcelain Cookware Set

After reading the instructions in the package-it stated not to be used on glass top stoves. This should of been stated in the information section.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Paula Deen 12512 15-Piece Porcelain Cookware Set

I used this set less than 18 months and the finish is dull and almost worn off. Exterior red finish rubs off on dish cloths and dish towels. Handles on the lids are discolored. The Teflon finish is also peeling off. Complete waste of money.