Showing posts with label korean cookware. Show all posts
Showing posts with label korean cookware. Show all posts

Friday, January 9, 2015

Best Chef'sChoice M679 Cordless Electric Glass Kettle Deals

Chef'sChoice 679 Cordless 1-3/4-Quart Electric Glass Kettle
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $95.00
Sale Price: $61.99
Today's Bonus: 35% Off
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This electric tea kettle boils 1.75 litre of tap water in exactly 8 minutes, then automatically shuts itself off. It is saving us time and cooking fuel, and saves itself from boiling dry and self-destructing. I highly recommend it for those who need a couple pots of boiling water every day. So far(in a month or two), neither the heating plate in the bottom nor the glass pot itself have crusted up with mineral deposits and the water tastes pure and clean.

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[ORIGINAL REVIEW]

I recently started drinking a lot more tea, hot cider and hot chocolate. As such, I was boiling a LOT of water on the stove to pour in my mug. Using a sauce pan. Not very efficient.

I realized I needed a kettle to boil water. I spent probably two hours online looking at kettles -cast iron, copper bottom, aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic coated, etc. Then I realized the real problem was heating up water on my stove top; it uses an enormous amount of power. What I needed was a self contained, energy efficient electric kettle that was made of inert materials so it wouldn't impart any bad taste to the hot water and convenient for pouring/storing the water between heating.

Didn't take me long to hit on the Chef's Choice model. More than I wanted to spend, but otherwise met all my criteria -tempered glass so I can see the water level/heating state at a glance, easy to get on/off the base, enough capacity, black and stainless design, etc.

I've had this unit for 3 days now and I think it's great. On touch to turn on, few minutes later the water is at a RAGING boil, shuts off automatically or one touch to turn it off. No discernable taste imparted to the water. Easy to pour. Doesn't take up much counter space. Looks great.

In short, a well designed device that does what it's supposed to do and does it very well, thus simplifying my life. In other words, what an "Appliance" is supposed to do.

[UPDATE AFTER ONE YEAR]

Still using this on a daily basis. However, the lid on the top of the unit has stopped latching. The spring clips that latch the lid stick inside the lid. without the lid closed it will boil forever (no steam build-up to activate auto-off. May try to fix it myself. Taking off a star for this reason.

[UPDATE AFTER 14 MONTHS]

It died. The lid broke completely. The plastic lid had pretty much disintegrated internally after 14 months of daily exposure to hot steam from boiling water. I removed the lid entirely and tried to continue using it without one. That worked for a week then I lightly bumped it against my stainless steel sink while filling it and the glass broke. Apparently the glass becomes extremely brittle over many tempurature cycles. I think for the price this unit sells for it should last longer than 14 months (at least 3 years). Downgrading my review one star and not purchasing another Chef's Choice product.

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I bought this kettle to replace a Capresso one, which I liked but it did not last long -the handle broke off at the top just when garantee expired. I also hoped that this kettle will solve the problem of bad chemical smell apparently coming from the silicon or plastic seal between glass and metal heating element. Alas, this kettle has the same problem as Capresso! I hope smell will disappear as it did eventually in Capresso. Also, I was a bit disappointed that it took 7-8 min. to boil max. water -longer than Capresso, I thought, but maybe I am forgetting. Another annoying feature -the package said "fast and quiet," but it was neither. It was quite noisy, much noisier than Capresso. And don't even think to fill this kettle with more water than max -even that was too much: the boiling water was splashing so violantly, I was afraid it would spill over, but luckily it did not. But the next time I'll use less water than max. With all this said, the kettle did its job, turned off reasonably fast, and pouring was easy -you don't have to open the lid as in Capresso, and the steam did not come close to my hand. The kettle looks and feels very sturdy if not as elegant as Capresso. So, I hope it will last longer. But the next time I probably will go with a metal kettle, although some of them I saw in stores felt quite heavy even when empty, but at least they probably won't have stinky plastic. So, I would recommend this product, but with caveat, and not to somebody who is concern about plastic and bad smell.

Aug. 26, 2009: I am writing an update on my review: about 6 months later the lid is broke and does not operate properly. It does not open with the push of the button and has to be forced to be closed. I will try to return this product. I would like to take some of the stars back, but for some reason could not change them.

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I bought this to replace my Capresso 259.03 H2O Plus Glass Water Kettle, Polished Chrome. I decided to try something new because this one had an idea on how to prevent mineral build up.

Well, while that turned out great, it had 2 problems:

1) IT SMELLS! The water has to pass through a plastic spout and it leaves the poured water with a horrible plastic smell

2) Too complicated for their own good. The lid has a button you push to open it. The capresso you have to (OH NO!!) lift it yourself. The difference: The mechanism for openning the lid on this one broke. I never had a problem with the capresso. And the replacement (I tried another one incase the problems I was having were just a fluke) had a small little filter screen for the water pop out and I couldn't get it back in (I could see this as useful for loose leaf tea).

I really liked no more mineral deposits, but I simply can't live with the smell.

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My parents just bought this from the store today. My mom came home as was pleased as punch to have a new toy and make some tea. I'd had a plastic electric kettle in college and loved it. This one looks so cool but as I watched it heat up, I noticed it got much hotter and boiled much longer than the plastic one I was used to. It shut off as it is supposed to and my mom and I poured a cup of tea each and replaced it on the heating mechanism, button still in off position, did not continue to boil water. About 2 minutes later, the glass cracked and we watched hot water leak from just above the metal bottom. We were stunned! Brand new gadget broken after one careful use.

My parents really like this model and think they just got a defective one. I'll update if number two decides to stay intact and functional or not.

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

Discount Fox Run 278 Stainless Steel Meatballer, 1.5-Inch

Fox Run 278 Stainless Steel Meatballer, 1.5-Inch
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $11.99
Sale Price: $9.67
Today's Bonus: 19% Off
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Well, since getting this Meatballer, I have played with it.

At first with meatballs and then with cake pops.

And even though I have different recipes for meatballs (I tried two varieties, one wetter one dryer) they both did not work. I tried just leaving them in this shape to see if they would magically end up round (I fried one batch, baked one batch) And my conclusion is that if you want OVAL with a definite indented line in the middle (think Macaroon halves put together)...this is for you!

HOWEVER, if you wanted "Round" Balls, without having to reshape them, then these are just a waste of time and money, in my humble opinion. Easier way? Use your cookie scoop, or use a scale to weigh them to get them all uniformly sized.

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This product works well-although I don't use it to make meatballs. It's a great cake pop maker! It really helps to get the size consistent, and it was hard for me to find another 1.5" baller, which is what Bakerella sizes her cakeballs at in her book. Highly recommend if your as bad as I am at getting consistent sized balls!

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The meatballer did not work at all. The meat stuck to the inside of the baller and I was not able to form into balls. If it would have stuck I don't think it would have compacted the meat enough to form a nice meatball. I ended up using my hands, so needless to say the purchase was a waste of money

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Works like a charm and the same size every time is great. Have to tap it a little to get the meatball out, but I think its worth it.

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This baller is great and very well built. It is a bit heavier than I anticipated but it makes the utensil stronger to use.

The reason I gave 4/5 stars is because I was expecting it to be circular shape instead of cylindrical. I was hoping it would be a perfect (or near perfect) circle ball but it is not. The item is longer than it is wide. I anticipated using it for my cake pops, but we'll have to see.

As a meatballer it is perfect!

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Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Cheap Bella Flame 4-piece Cookware Set, 12" and 9.5" Green Ceramic Coated

Bella Flame 4-piece Cookware Set, 12' and 9.5' Green Ceramic Coated Nonstick Fry Pans w/ Glass Lids by Amorè, Floral Pattern Texture, Beautiful & Elegant Design, Nano Ceramic Coating
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $89.95
Sale Price: $59.95
Today's Bonus: 33% Off
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I don't seek 'green' products, but this one works as advertised! You can fry and egg with no butter or oil and it just slides around in the pan after the white is set. My second time purchasing, so if you are looking at these being your only set of non-stick pans, forget about it. They last a couple years. Read the instructions, they last MUCH longer if you don't take them from frying mode to the faucet! The quick 'cool down' of that step shortens their life.

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These pans are great quality, heavy duty with ceramic coating that won't peel off or emit gases when heated. The sizes are good and the lids have a vent hole which makes them even better. I have used them continuously and love them each time.

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I was pretty skeptical about buying these pans, but I needed some new ones since my old teflon ones had finally died. My kitchen is lime green so I was searching for something to compliment the decor and I also wanted something to last. So I said "screw it!" and I bought these. Not only did they exceed my expectations, but they are cute AND cheap! I love them! Nothing sticks to them not even eggs, chocolate, or cheese, and I cook A LOT! So, if you want a good quality, sturdy, attractive pan that nothing sticks to...then buy this set.

Oh, and I do not work for this company. I just love these pans that much.

Honest reviews on Bella Flame 4-piece Cookware Set, 12" and 9.5" Green Ceramic Coated

Easy to cook with

Super easy to clean ( and I have no patience for slow cooking so even the eggs that I "burn" come off easily)

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The Bella Flame pan is better quality than the other green pans that I have tried . The pan is heavier weight metal and the coating is 10 times better. I like the handles ,they have a better grip and quility

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Friday, October 24, 2014

Discount Nordic Ware Grill Press

Nordic Ware Grill Press
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $18.00
Sale Price: $16.88
Today's Bonus: 6% Off
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Bought this item and am very satisfied. The product is very simply made. It consists of a heavy round platter with a handle held together with two pressed pins---very sturdy construction. Maybe other reviewer may have had bad luck with a bad production batch of defects, by mine should last a lifetime. I like the fact that unlike those made of cast iron, mine will not rust and does not need constant seasoning to prevent rust.

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I wish it were just a bit heavier, but for the price and convenient size it is fine. I made a brick chicken recipe with wonderful results. Also of course used it with bacon with great results. I am going to get another to send to my son, who enjoys cooking as well.

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We are on a low carb high protein diet and eat more bacon now. This helps make it nice and crisp.

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I ordered Nordic Ware Grill Press with hope to receive high guality product. To my dissapointment I got pretty damaged Grill Press.Amazon sent replaicement very fast, but I received damaged item again. I shipped both back and didn't get refund of my money...I will not order this item anymore: press is TOO light and easy to get scratched.

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Best BonJour Bakeware Commercial Nonstick 3-1/2-Inch Brioche Pan 4-Pack Deals

BonJour Bakeware Commercial Nonstick 3-1/2-Inch Brioche Pan 4-Pack
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
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The deliver was prompt, the product was exactly as presented and it works beautifully. I am very pleased with the four that I purchased.

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Purchase a couple sets, washed them and then baked tarts. They turned out great! Completely nonstick, the tarts came right out and cleanup was easy. They're not thin either so they will retain heat well and not get dinged when I drop them in the sink. I would not put them in the dishwasher, but that's my preference. Highly recommended.

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I just had a chance to try out my new Bonjour pans with great results. Considering that this is also my first time preparing brioche, that's saying a lot. They turned out beautifully and released from the pans by simply turning them over without damaging them onto a rack for cooling. Even the little topknot was browned evenly and looked like something out of a professional bakery. Highly recommend this brand and product, and plan to order more in larger sizes at a later date.

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After studying How to make artisan bread I wanted to make a fancy bread. The Chef's cook ware site had the Brioche Pans that I was looking for. These pans can also be used for jello molds. The ones I purchased are just the right size for individual brioches. Bon appetite!

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Light yet sturdy and soundly constructed. Will make my beautiful Brioche even more beautiful..Look forward to trying them out soon.

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Monday, September 15, 2014

Cheap Chef's Secret 14 Piece Element Cookware with Thermo Control Knobs

Chef's Secret 14 Piece Element Cookware with Thermo Control Knobs
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $1,595.00
Sale Price: $230.45
Today's Bonus: 86% Off
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Chef's Secret 14 Piece Element Cookware with Thermo Control Knobs

I grew up with Waterless Cookware. My parents felt that cookware was an important health investment-they have had their set for more than 20 years and still love them. I wanted a good set of my own but could not afford the "in home show" price tag. After reading many reviews and understanding what pieces I use most while cooking-I invested in this 14 piece set. I didn't think the set would hold to the same kind of standard that my parents and friends have, but thought it was better than my old non-stick set anyway. Wow!!!! Great quality and heavy weight just like the other kinds. I really couldn't have asked for a better set to fit my needs and the health benefits that I can give my family is just unbelievable for the price. I used the pans for a couple of months before I sat down to write this review, just to be sure I would still be as happy as I was when I got them. If you use the "in home show" suggestions for cooking you get the same results, but at the tune of a typical pan set price. I think that this was one of the best investments that I have made in a very long time. It isn't too good to be true this time. Don't hesitate to make this purchase.

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My Cookware set is the Maxam waterless/oil-less cookware. The Chef's Secret cookware and the Maxam cookware is the same type of cookware. Both are called waterless/oil-less cookware. Although the items you cook must have a curtain amount of moisture. That means sometimes you will need to add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. With eggs and fish you need to add a little bit of oil. Remember, little water, little oil, that's if you need any at all! Also, start the pans on high then YOU MUST turn them to medium or low. Items will cook faster and TASTE BETTER, without as many calories or fat grams. I suggest you use very little salt, if any. Salt is largely used to enhance the taste, if you are not cooking the taste out of the food then you don't need the salt.

Chef's Secret vs. Maxam Cookware: Chef's Secret is constructed with 12 elements where Maxam uses 9 elements.

Both sets use High-Grade Stainless Steel which is simply the healthiest, earth friendly, efficient care-free cooking utensil in today's kitchen and it is the only precision crafted utensil designed specifically for waterless cooking. You do need to learn how to cook with it; YouTube can help you with that. Also, there are several websites that can inform you all about High-Grade Stainless Steel Cookware. Choice Cookery is one website.

Once you learn to cook with this type of cookware both cleaning and cooking will become easier. For example, when you burn something in the pan you just take the food out then add water to the pan, take the pan to a boil and the item that is burnt on will come off easily.

Maxam is a 304 surgical stainless steel. Sometimes 304 surgical stainless is referred to as 304T "Titanium". Maxam is a 5 ply with a 9 element construction. Most big name expensive stainless steel cookware sold in department stores is only 3ply. Good stainless steel will have a 5ply or more! There is almost no cooking different between a 5ply and a 7 or 9 Ply.

8 advantages of 304 surgical stainless steel

1 corrosion resistance

2 economy

3 temperature resistance

4 beauty

5 durability

6 design flexibility

7 easy to clean

8 flavor protection

9 ELEMENT CONSTRUCTION 304 stainless steel inside and out surgical stainless encapsulates a thick aluminum disk. This capsule bottom has 9 elements.

1 chrome

2 nickel

3 manganese

4 silicon

5 aluminum

6 iron

7 copper

8 molybedenum

9 vanadium

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My wife bought this set and boy are we pleased. The pots are very thick and the bottoms conduct and distribute heat very well. The fit and finish is beautiful. Everything is very well designed and built. The big pan makes a great wok if you like stir fry like we do. A friend of ours bought this set from a home party and paid WAY more than we did. Our only complaint is that we'd have liked some instructions on how to use the lid thermometers when cooking.

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The product came to me defective. The lids didn't fit quite right, so I didn't even get a chance to try them out. I returned them. I decided to turn around and purchase the Chef's Secret 15 piece set that had the knobs that whistle instead. I was much more pleased with the quality of the lids, and they cook really well. Its a bit tricky to get the temperature just right without burning things, but I think I'll get the hang of this waterless thing eventually. I love the added flavor that waterless, greaseless cooking adds. Before you buy, I'd take a look at something else!

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good heavy duty cookware. does everything it claims.takes a lil extra patience till u get used to using

this style of cookware but no problem once you know how to pre-heat & get the fire set @ the proper cooking

height. would recomend.

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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Buy Mauviel M'Heritage 1.2 mm 16-by-12-Inch Rectangular Roasting Pan

Mauviel M'Heritage 1.2 mm 16-by-12-Inch Rectangular Roasting Pan with 8-1/2-Quart Capacity and Cast-Iron Handles
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: $620.00
Sale Price: $395.00
Today's Bonus: 36% Off
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There's bad news and (sort of) good news on this item, the "Mauviel M'Heritage 2.5 mm 16-by-12 inch rectangular roasting pan." I purchased this through Amazon, and when the pan arrived, I could immediately tell there was a problem: not NEARLY heavy enough. My wife and I have a lot of older Mauviel professional cookware (2.5 mm), and it was clear that this wasn't the same stuff. I went to the trouble of measuring the pan thickness with a Starrett micrometer, and found it to be 1.15 mm, less than 1/2 the advertised thickness. Looking at the product number supplied with the pan (6509.41), and doing some research on the web , it turns out that this pan is from the Mauviel 150 series instead of the 250 series; that is, it should be more like 1.5 mm than 2.5 mm. Most vendors who sell it do so for about $400, which is reasonable; however the price I paid (thinking I was getting the thicker copper) was an unreasonable $509. I suspect that Amazon was misinformed on this one by their vendor (they can't check every detail).

The good news on this? Amazon was exemplary with respect to the return: they paid the return shipping costs and gave me a full refund. And, they dropped the price of the pan on their site from $509 down to $400 (though the pan is still being erroneously described as 2.5 mm thick). With the new price, this pan would be well worth considering: I'm sure it's very good, and for the copper/stainless steel combination the $400 price is reasonable (it's just that the original $509 wasn't). If the item had been correctly described as the 150 series Mauviel and sold for $400, I likely would have given it a 4-5 star rating. As it is, I'm giving it a 3 star, for inaccurate description, and because even if it were described as the 150 series, the copper would only be 75% what you'd expect (1.15 vs 1.5 mm). Amazon service gets a 5.

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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Best Revere 3514027 2-Quart Covered Saucepan Deals

Revere 3514027 2-Quart Covered Saucepan
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $27.99
Sale Price: $27.97
Today's Bonus: $0.02 Off
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I fondly remember growing up with Revere cookware during the '50s and '60s. It was sturdy and manufactured with care to precise measurements. Unfortunately, this is NOT the same product. Apparently, Revere cookware is now being manufactured in some third-world dumpster. The overall construction is flimsy; it bends and dents easily. None of the lids fit properly. The unreasonably thin "copper-cladding" was unevenly applied and looks like a roller-coaster ride around the sides of the saucepans. Revere needs to clean-up its act, or go out-of-business.

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I ordered 2 of these 2-quart saucepans because I had owned them and liked them in the past. I only threw them out after letting them boil dry and turn into molten lava. The pans that I bought in September 2005 were manufactured in China and did not measure up to the past quality of those made in the USA and Korea. The interiors are oddly rough and the knob on the top of one of the covers has a sharp edge. These pans are worth the $15.33 I paid for each of them and not a penny more.

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I was happy to find this item for sale, but it is of such poor quality that I am returning it. The bottom is so thin that the stamp shows through to the inside, and it is also raised to the touch. You can pop the bottom in and out with very little pressure. It looks much like the one I bought in the 1990s, but the quality is very inferior. I feel that the claim of "even heat distribution" is false. Disappointing for Corning.

All the good reviews seem to be from 2005 and earlier.

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I was so relieved to find my beloved Revere pans online....until I got them in the mail. I have owned Revere pans for 32 years and my youngest pans are 12 years old. I wanted to replace some of the oldest ones, but after seeing the poor quality of these new Revere pans, I am sending them back. When I compared them to the pans in my kitchen, the new ones were lighter weight, thinner handles, and flimsy connections from the handle to the pan. So disappointing. These are a bad buy.

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As a great many other reviewers I grew up with Revere pots and pans in the house, though not the copper clad. Most of the pots and pans we had growing up had been around so long the handles were falling off or the phenolic knobs/handles pitted from much use, and still they were the ones we used. Yes, the new version is made over seas. No, nothing will ever be as good as the memories of childhood; how can anything be as good as our mothers' cooking! That being said, this product was exactly as I was expecting. It came well packaged without any perceivable damage. The bottom as well as the rest of the pan appear to be of acceptable thickness and quality of material. The lit fits uniformly, no it will not be a snug fit, but Revere has never claimed to have a lid that "seals". If I had wanted that I would have bought a pressure cooker. The copper bottom will visibly rainbow as all copper products do. You will have to take special care and use a stainless steel/copper cleaner such as Kleen King to remove the discoloration. I have such a cleaner already that I use for the sink. Use it every-time you wash your pan and you will always have a shiny copper bottom worthy of display!

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Saturday, August 16, 2014

Cheap Progressive International Microwavable Fish & Veggie Steamer

Progressive International Microwavable Fish & Veggie Steamer
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $15.99
Sale Price: $11.19
Today's Bonus: 30% Off
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First I tried Salmon and asparagus and it came out nasty and dried out. But that is because I followed the directions. You almost have to experiment with lower power setting on your microwave. That's when this product proves it's greatness. The second time I tried Talapia at 4 and 1/2 minutes on power level 4. The steam cooks it fast, so you can now use this thing at the normal microwave temperature. Once you experiment and get the time and temp right, this thing can be great. The talipia came out moist and tasty, due to seasoning it.

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I used to steam vegetables in a steamer pan on the stove until I burned it dry too many times. When I tried this steamer, I had to get used to how little cooking time each item required. Once I adjusted to that, I started enjoying the best tasting steamed vegetables I've ever eaten! I have tried potatoes, asparagus, brocholi, peas and the small gourmet carrots. All turned out terrific. You just have to be sure to have 2 tablespoons of water in the bottom reservoir and don't cook it too long!

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This steamer has become one of the most-used gadgets in my kitchen. While I have not tried anything too fancy, I use it almost on a daily basis. While packing lunches in the morning for the DD and DH, I fill this baby up with broccoli, carrots, squash, etc and place a couple of tablespoons of water in the bottom. After microwaving on high for 2 minutes, I let it sit and continue to steam a 2-5 more minutes. Voila! The result: A quick and easy addition to a healthy lunch with minimal effort. I give it five stars for making eating good so EASY!

Honest reviews on Progressive International Microwavable Fish & Veggie Steamer

This thing is WONDERFUL for cooking vegetables which is all I've ever used it for.

Original directions --> rubbery and very unappetizing veggies

My directions:

Add a splash of water to the bottom compartment (you can measure out a tablespoon or two if you really want)

Put the vegetables that you wish to cook in the tray with the holes, season with whatever you care for

Cover the veggies and set the microwave for 4-5 minutes on regular power

Stick around while the veggies cook, once you SMELL whatever you're cooking turn off the microwave

Leave the veggies covered for another 2-3 minutes so that they can finish cooking

Ready to serve!

Taste:it has produced some of the best tasting vegetables I've had since I've started college and my housemates and guests are all impressed by the flavor that is left by this form of cooking.

Durability: I've seen no warping of the plastic though there has been staining from certain seasonings and vegetables like yams (1 month of use)

Health: the whole reason I decided to buy a microwave vegetable steamer was because, using my UC online resources, I found that this method of cooking veggies leaves the highest number of nutrients to be consumed. This is because it take less time than traditional steaming and all steaming methods are better than boiling of any sort. So for those of you that don't trust cooking with a microwave since you've heard that it destroys all of the nutrients in the food many tests have proven this to be a modern day wives tale.

Fish? Since I've never used it to cook fish or anything else I cannot comment on that aspect of the product though other people have stated that it works well for that too.

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I try to do things with as little effort as possible, so I got tired of cleaning small food particles from the folding, metal steamers that are made for use in a pan on the stove top. I steam small frozen vegetables (corn, peas, carrot cubes, etc.) quite often. I started looking for a way to steam frozen vegetables with easier clean-up, and came to believe that the available microwave steamers would be a better way to go. (I have found that microwave steaming also leads to better flavors than stove-top steaming.)

Recently I bought both the Nordic Ware microwave steamer (Nordic Ware Microwave Vegetable and Seafood Steamer 11 Inch by 8.6 Inch) and the Progressive International microwave steamer (Progressive International Microwavable Fish & Veggie Steamer). I've used the Progressive steamer maybe 5 times, and I've been quite happy with it: it is easy to steam small vegetables and clean-up is easy. It could be a little sturdier, but it is OK. Tonight, I used the Nordic Ware steamer for the first time, and I found steaming small vegetables to be more difficult, primarily because there is no lip around the edges of the steaming tray, which allows small vegetables to easily spill off of the tray. They spill off of the tray as I'm loading it with vegetables, and spill-off of the tray as I'm transferring the vegetables from the tray to a serving dish. Clean-up is still pretty easy, though not quite as easy as with the Progressive steamer.

The base of the Nordic Ware steamer seems a little sturdier than that of the Progressive Steamer, but the Nordic Ware's lid is somewhat flimsy. I suspect that the Progressive steamer will last longer than the Nordic Ware steamer. (I hand wash my vegetable steamers; both steamers may be OK for use in the top rack of a dishwasher.)

For steaming large vegetables and/or fish, which I don't do, the Nordic Ware steamer might be better because steam might circulate better around the edges of the tray when a bunch of the holes are covered, although I have little certainty about this.

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Saturday, August 2, 2014

Buy Joyce Chen 33-2047 Burnished Bamboo Tongs, 11-Inch

Joyce Chen 33-2047 Burnished Bamboo Tongs, 11-Inch
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
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Bought these tongs because I was tired of using the nylon/silicone tongs we've had for ages and seeing all kinds of food items slip out of them.

These bamboo tongs have been fantastic. The bamboo grain has an interesting ability to grip onto things. Food items from bacon to chicken breasts to hot dogs can be picked up firmly without any concern that they will slip out or be dropped.

The length also means you can use them without fear of getting burned, although unless you have a pretty strong grip (which my wife does not, it seems) you still have to grip them a little more than halfway up. (which means you're not a full 11" away from the hot pan.)

All in all though, in the short couple of months we've had these I've found myself reaching for them more often than our other cooking tongs.

Only think I don't like: the brand sticker used on the top of the tongs left some sticky glue residue when it was removed. Not a big deal it's easily removed with some goo-be-gone or similar.

***UPDATE FOR 2012*** So, it's been a few years now and here's the latest: I had 2 pairs of these tongs. One is still alive and kicking, the other not so much. the glue at the top delaminated and it essentially fell apart. I've actually kept the two pieces and use one for stirring iced tea in a large pitcher. The other piece has been used in the laundry and garage so far it was used for a while to stir white washrags in a bleach bath, but recently it was in the garage used for mixing paint. :-) Still use them both all the time though...

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Pros: 1. Beautiful bamboo wood with a natural polish, a compliment for any home-chef's kitchen! 2. Center hole to hang on hooks i.e. if you had a bar where you hang frequently used kitchen items; 3. Easy to clean

Cons: 1. I realized I had to use my fingers to part it open in order to grab bigger foods, at least foods with more width than the opening of the tongs... 2. Requires good grip for heavier/larger foods or else food will slip 3. Too short, wish i'd gotten something longer

Summary/Final Thoughts:

I would not purchase this product again. It is a great item for any of you looking for a simple tong for small things like bacon strips, veggies, etc this product is A+ However if you're subsituting it for a real spring tong that can open wider for heavier/larger foods, this is not it. Think of this as two chop sticks joined together, that's the best analogy i can offer, let your imagation take it from there ^_^

Best Deals for Joyce Chen 33-2047 Burnished Bamboo Tongs, 11-Inch

A little daunting to master, but once you find the right place to hold it it works well. I think my silicon tipped tongs work just as well, but it's a nice tool for your wok arsenal. Doesn't handle larger chucks of protein, but shellfish and strips of meat and poultry do just fine.

Honest reviews on Joyce Chen 33-2047 Burnished Bamboo Tongs, 11-Inch

This item is nice and cleans well, great for toast, however not too useful for anything much else as the tongs part is so narrow it doesn't grasp too much. Would not purchase again.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Joyce Chen 33-2047 Burnished Bamboo Tongs, 11-Inch

I bought these to go with a new toaster, which, despite being fantastic in every other respect, was not good at allowing me to extract small slices of toast.

The tongs turned out to be ideal. Inexpensive, attractive, easy to use and a pleasure to have in the kitchen.

If your intention is to use them for wide items, then I don't think that you will be as happy, as you will have to spread the jaws to encompass the item.

However, for me they are great.

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Friday, July 18, 2014

Staub Cherry Enameled Cast Iron Wide Round Oven, 4 Quart Review

Staub Cherry Enameled Cast Iron Wide Round Oven, 4 Quart
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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I love Staub pots. They heat up evenly and retain heat, and the lids are perfectly fitting so not even a wisp of steam escapes. I love them for cooking soups, stews, beans and chili. Really worth the investment!

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This is a must-have addition to your kitchen. Perfect for cooking for 3, this cocotte operates from the stovetop to the oven to the table. This is is a deeply attractive colour too. Note: it is very heavy, so be prepared for heavy lifting when removing from oven. It braises meat excellently and the results are falling-off-the-bone-meaty-goodness. The option I chose on Amazon gave it to me at a cheaper price than it is normally advertised and it is cheaper than a le Creuset too. This is one pot that you will be using for everythingbraises, stews, soups, curriesit works brilliantly for all of the cooking options. Did I forget to mention that it is good for baking and roasting too? Cast iron is the workhouse of the kitchen and this Staub makes all the heavy lifting worth it!

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Sunday, July 13, 2014

Cheap BUNN 33200.0015 VPR-2GD 12-Cup Pourover Commercial Coffee Brewer

BUNN 33200.0015 VPR-2GD 12-Cup Pourover Commercial Coffee Brewer with Upper and Lower Warmers and Two Glass Decanters, Black
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $339.99
Sale Price: $244.79
Today's Bonus: 28% Off
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Tired of waiting for your coffee to brew? this system kicks butt! it will brew a pot in @2 minutes,of HOT delicious coffee. don't think, buy it, it blows all other makers away, no cheap garbage here.

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I ordered this Bunn coffee maker for at home even though it is a commercial grade unit because I got tired of all the other ones I've had breaking within a few months. Everything on this coffee maker is quality, even copper plumbing. You never need another one ever again, every part is able to be repaired or replaced and cleaning it is super easy. I would buy one again even though I will probably never need another one.

Best Deals for BUNN 33200.0015 VPR-2GD 12-Cup Pourover Commercial Coffee Brewer

We purchased this unit for our church, as we needed to quickly make coffee for events and meetings. As is usual for commercial Bunn coffee makers, this makes a pot of coffee in about 3 minutes. This one does not have plumbed water lines, so you must fill the receptacle from the top. CAUTION: Make sure you have a carafe under the drip housing because there is no ON switch. So as soon as you pour in the water, the coffee starts making immediately. The lighted switches you see only control the burners. Also, there is not automatic OFF feature either. You must manually turn off the burners or unplug the unit. I do recommend buying a curved pot cleaning brush to clean the carafes. Someone forgot to turn off one of the burners one day and by that evening we had a burnt mess. If we had not ordered the special brush, cleaning the burned on mess would have been very difficult. You may also want to consider keeping a pitcher nearby for pouring in water, so you don't have to tie up your carafes. Overall, it works great and makes a consistently good cup of coffee.

Honest reviews on BUNN 33200.0015 VPR-2GD 12-Cup Pourover Commercial Coffee Brewer

What a shock, it makes coffee. You pour water in the top, (The water lid will leak over the top) and you get coffee, what a machine.

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This is a great product, and also great service. Arrived before anticipated also! We will definitely do business again if the need arises.

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Friday, June 27, 2014

Best Hawkins Contura Pressure Cooker, 6-1/2-Litre New Shape Deals

Hawkins Contura Pressure Cooker, 6-1/2-Litre New Shape
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $63.00
Sale Price: $53.66
Today's Bonus: 15% Off
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We used to use the Hawkins cookers since I was a little boy. My mom used to say it is much safer than the Prestige cookers. There is not much improvement about this over the years. The whistle is not consistent like my old cookers

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I have bought this pressure cooker many times and really I like this cooker you can cook faster in this cooker.