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

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Review of IMUSA VICTORIA-85008 Cast Iron Tortilla Press Pre-Cured 8-Inch

IMUSA VICTORIA-85008 Cast Iron Tortilla Press Pre-Cured 8-Inch, Black
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $29.93
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus: 33% Off
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I started making my own corn tortillas, and at first used a glass pie pan (put dough inbetween two pieces of zip lock plastic, and then squash with the pie plate.) I would have to press hard, and rotate the round pie dish to get the dough to squish out to the right size/thickness. It worked well, but I was afraid I would break the glass dish and cut myself I had to use so much pressure. It was sort of a rocking swirling motion to get it to press out right. It worked, but I had to lean on the plate too much. I had used a skillet bottom, but you couldn't see how big/thin the tortilla was, so if you don't buy this, try a pyrex pie pan on two plastic sheets of ziplock material.

My husband purchased this press for me, and it is so easy to use. I use two pieces of ziplock plastic, cut to fit the press, and my flour (Masa Harina) has a recipe on the back for 4, 8 and 12 torillas. These make balls about the size of a ping pong ball or golf ball. They squeeze out perfectly every time, and I use no pressure at all.

I have read that there are two types of presses: cast iron and aluminum. The aluminum is lighter, but requires more force. The cast iron is heavy, and comes with a "shiny paint job" that comes off with time, according to internet reveiws, but my dough does not touch the press with the plastic sheets, so this is simply cosmetic in my opinion. I did notice some grease on it, but I assumed it was to keep the product from rusting, being that it is iron....you put oil on your cast iron pans for this purpose. It was minimal oil.

To protect my granite counters, I put felt stick-on feet onto the bottom since it is heavy and iron. May not be needed, but it makes me feel better. I could not be more impressed with it, and I can whip out fresh tortillas in about 2 minutes. I had at first told my husband not to get me one, I'd continue with the pie plate, but now I am thrilled to have it. It is effortless. I hate to see that some people had theirs break, or not make thin tortillas, but I imagine it is just a problem with their particular unit. If my tortillas were any thinner, you couldn't get them off of the plastic sheet. If they were thicker, they wouldn't be "right." Hope that makes sense! I like the press, and hope that it lasts. I received it in November, and have used it almost daily, and it is now in January...I haven't seen any issues with the product in that amount of time.

6 MONTH UPDATE

Product is still working great after 6 months. I am going to try wax paper as was suggested by a fellow Amazon shopper, in lieu of the zip lock. I have slowed down making tortillas, so it is not getting "as much use" as it was, but this is merely for waist-line purposes! I'd make them all day, everyday if I could, without getting as big as an ox. It has held up well, and makes excellent tortillas with ease.

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This is an excellent tortilla press. We just recieved one and yes, it is a bit greasy out of the box, but this is not a hinderance. It made very flat, thin, and (most importantly) consistently good tortillas.

In order to avoid contact with the grease (which there from the manufacturing process to prevent the cast iron from rusting not necessarily a bad thing), we took a 1 gallon Ziploc bag (food grade plastic) and cut it at the seams to create two pieces of plastic. We then trimmed the plastic sheets to be slightly larger than the press. This works wonderfully, we only need to peel the pressed tortilla from the plastic sheet and lay it in to the griddle.

We would recommend this press to anyone interested in making their own tortillas, sopes, or other dishes requiring use of a press.

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My wife and I are very impressed with this tortilla press. My wife initially got a plastic press from a local store, and it was horrible. It wouldn't flatten out the tortillas at all because it would bend under pressure.

Then we tried the 6.5 inch aluminum press that is also sold here on amazon. It was much better than the plastic one, but we were still disappointed at the size of the tortillas.

This lead us to the 8 inch cast iron press. It's true that it's a little greasy out of the box, but after a quick washing with soap and water, it is good to go. After putting plastic wrap on both pressing surfaces we gave it a try. It presses our tortilla dough as thin as we want it, even too thin if we decide to push it that hard. The size of the tortillas is much better as well. I would recommend this press to anyone that is looking for a quality tortilla press.

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The one I received had little grease on it, not that it would have bothered me much anyway.

It also presses the tortillas paper thin. In fact, I had to be careful not to get them too thin at first.

Recommend lining each side with plastic when pressing. Then transfer pressed tortilla to a piece of wax paper then onto the grill. That's just the easiest way we found to tranfer them.

Served warm with some queso fresca yum!

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this product is great, i was reading all the reviews before purchasing and wondered about some reviews, because YES it comes with instructions,they are ON THE BOX , yes there is no extra paper, but why , the instruction is on the box in english and spanish! It recommends also to put a plastic bag/ paper between the press, so the dough will not stick. People who don't read the instructions will have a problem working with the tortilla maker. To get the tortilla off the plastic, you first lift it from one side off, put the plastic back on and flip it over , now you take the plasic of this side off, keep it off, turn it over and take the other already loosened up plastic off, now you can bake it in the pan. This whole procedure is important, so you don't ripp the tortilla since it is thin! frying no oil and about 50 sconds each side, heat up the pan first before you start, it frys better. if you take a piece of dough the size of a golf ball or little smaller, you get about a 5-6 inc tortilla, put the ball a little off centerlike somebody else already recommended more toward the back and the tortilla comes out more evenyou may have to try out a bit remember just when you started playing with play dough? trying out different things? :) One thing is trueit is time consuming,but to do it together as a family is the most fun! My whole family loves it! Hope this review is helpful!

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Friday, November 21, 2014

Best Norpro Stainless Universal Double Boiler Deals

Norpro Stainless Universal Double Boiler
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $50.99
Sale Price: $26.55
Today's Bonus: 48% Off
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Purchased this to make yogurt. A regular 2 qt. double boiler is too small, and this fits 2 qts. with an inch to spare from the lid. Fits into a large sauce panI have a Revereware. And a great value...

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I make natural hair and body products from home and I was nervous ordering this double boiler since I had never used one before. Well, I never knew it could be so easy to melt my mango, kokum and cocoa butters. And it is so easy to clean, I love this thing and wish I had another. As a matter of fact, I will buy another really soon. Oh, and I love the pouring spouts on each side so it's easy if you are right or left handed. Did I mention I love this darn thing!

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The Norpro Stainless Universal Double Boiler insert is exactly what I needed. I did need a larger stock pot to set the insert into, but that was no problem as I had one on hand.

The only downside I saw to the item after I recieved it, and I do admit I kind of had a feeling it would be the case when I was ordering it, but I wish that the handle had been rivited into the bowl.

One thing I wish sellers would do is show better close-ups of areas like where to components come together to show how the are attachedrivited, welded, fasteners, etc.

The reason I was buying a new double boiler, was because the set that I had before ALSO had the handle in what appears to be a 'metal press' way of attaching it to the bowl.

This is not real practical in that when a person is cooking in the bowl, its gonna get heavy...and over time and washings, the 'joint' that they have holding the bowl and handle becomes weak and one day when you go to lift the bowl out of the lower stock pot, the handle breaks off.

I may take my Norpro to a friend of mine and have him put a few tacks of weld on it to help re-enforce it. Other than that, I am very pleased with the product and it will serve me well for many years.

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It's only ok because I should have measured my pots before placing the order. The description said it fits 6-8 inch pans, and that's what I have.....BUT mine are not quite deep enough and the double boiler touches the bottom of the pan. So....my fault that it doesn't fit right.

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I use this all the time. it is well made and holds up even in dishwasher. I use it in pasturizing my goat milk and I like the way it has to sides to hold so if its full I can use two hands to move it out of the water

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Sunday, November 16, 2014

Review of Rome's #124 12.5 Inch x 24 Inch Pioneer Grill, Chrome Plated Steel

Rome's #124 12.5 Inch x 24 Inch Pioneer Grill, Chrome Plated Steel
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $30.99
Sale Price: $26.63
Today's Bonus: 14% Off
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This heavy gauge rake, for holding pots and pan over a camp fire, is very well make and should last for years.

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I've used this open fire grill for several years and I am still very pleased. Price is great, easy to use, ample grilling surface, light weight and easy to store when folded flat. I do place foil over the top when grilling (my preference) but it is also sturdy enough for pots and pans. Well worth the money...what a bargin. Very helpful while camping or just grilling over the firepit out back. I will be buying another one in case something happens to the one I purchased several years ago. Happy grilling to you and yours.

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

Review of Microhearth 1.5-Quart Nonstick 4-piece Everyday Pan Set

Microhearth 1.5-Quart Nonstick 4-piece Everyday Pan Set for Microwave Cooking, Red
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $49.95
Sale Price: $37.82
Today's Bonus: 24% Off
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I have a MicroHearth Grill that I purchased a month ago and I loved it so when I saw this set I decided to try and and I am more than statisfied. I haven't tried the baking pan yet, but I love everything else. The boiled eggs come out great and are so easy to make. The sandwiches are perfect and no messy clean-up. No splatters on the stove. I now use my microwave for more than popcorn and heating water. The price at Amazon was lower than any other place. The recipe book has lots of recipes. My next thing is going to be the pizza.

Shirley

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I do like this product very much--it just isn't quite as versatile as the description indicates. I have a 1300 watt microwave, which means that I burned my first few attempts at using the pan. Not a huge problem, but a bit wasteful. The main "wish it were different" issue is the amount of steam that collects in the pan. One layer of potatoes cooked in oil should crisp, but after I turn them, they are a bit soggy if browned, and not browned if cooked for less time. I can live with that--this pan allows me to have roasted food without overheating my kitchen with a regular oven. After doing without roast veggies last summer, this pan is worth the money for that dish alone.

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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Reviews of Ravenscroft Crystal Vintner's Choice Decanter

Ravenscroft Crystal Vintner's Choice Decanter
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $85.00
Sale Price: $75.43
Today's Bonus: 11% Off
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After searching the internet for a reasonably priced quality wine decanter, I decided to buy this one and have not been disappointed. Having tested it with a few cab's, it does reduce the tannins and mellow the flavors in a good way. I would recommend this decanter to anyone who likes red wine.

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This decanter is just what I was looking for.

It's very heavy and holds a bottle of wine with plenty of room to aerate.

It;s design is beautiful. The ball stopper makes it all the more contemporary looking.

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Bought for my husband as a gift. This decanter is beautiful. Awesome quality. Wide base to allows and entire bottle to breathe. The glass stopper is a nice addition. The width of the neck allows wine to begin to swirl around as you pour bottle in and the entire circumference of the decanter has wine pouring down the sides to bottom. Nice way to aerate the wine. It pours perfectly. If this is the shape of decanter you are looking for, then get it. You won't be disappointed.

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I bought this as a gift for my dad who is very into wine. It was a beautiful piece and seemed to by very high quality. My dad loves it.

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I'm very happy with the Ravenscroft Decanter. I also purchased a drying stand, and diffusing funnel, and screen to catch any unwanted sediment. It works very well, and the glass topper works well and keeps the wine tasty after a day later.

I would certainly recommend that everyone purchase a classy led-free crystal decanter and glass stopper. It does it's job, and looks nice while doing it!

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Discount All-Clad Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Dutch Oven

All-Clad Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Dutch Oven
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $250.00
Sale Price: $240.00
Today's Bonus: 4% Off
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Well it's not that old, but it is my go-to pot for soups, stews and braising large pieces. Stainless steel is the best because I can put it in the dishwasher. It heats well because of the All-Clad technology. High sides make it an excellent pot for frying. I've seen folks use cast iron Dutch ovens. I'm not willing to give up "dishwasher safe" for a pot that weighs a ton.

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Don't let the price tag scare you this pot will become one of the main tools in your kitchen. And you'll be hooked and you'll go back for more.

A few years ago I went to a famous kitchen store to purchase Le Creuset, but they were out of the size I wanted and the saleslady suggested this All Clad dutch oven. She said, "I'm waiting for my own Le Creuset to wear out so I can get one of these."

I took her advice, and I use this pot ALL THE TIME. At least once a week I use it to roast a whole chicken in the oven. I use it for spaghetti, casseroles, soup, jambalaya anything. It works equally well in the oven or on the stove top. It's easy to clean even oven-baked-on food comes off with a little soaking and a scrubber sponge.

I don't have a lot of money but I considered this a lifetime investment that was worth every penny. I am so sick of the cheap and flimsy Chinese products that have saturated the market. It is SO refreshing to find cookware that is so well made, so versatile, and so good looking, too. I eventually purchased the 13" braiser which I also use all the time. It's a good complement to the dutch oven.

If you're thinking of getting one of these, just do it!

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I love this Dutch Oven, just the right size, the first thing I cooked was a pot of chicken and dumplings, southern girl yeah! I like the handles because I am up in age and have arthrithis in my fingers, I feel comfortable in picking this pot up and don't feel like I am going to drop it.

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This is a excellent pot for soup & everyday cooking. It is versatile & looks beautiful, too. The size is just right for average small family 3-4 persons. The nicest thing about this pot is very easy to clean & much lighter than other types of cookware. I highly recommend it.

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Family knows something is good inside when this is on the stove. I hear the lid go up then down. Then they ask when is dinner going to be done,. I love everything about it.

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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Paderno World Cuisine Chromed Steel Wall Mounted Glass Rack Review

Paderno World Cuisine Chromed Steel Wall Mounted Glass Rack
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
List Price: $61.25
Sale Price: $35.10
Today's Bonus: 43% Off
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This can _only_ be mounted (attached) to the wall, contrary to what the Features say: "Can be mounted on a ceiling, under a counter or on a wall". It would be very difficult to attach it to a vertical surface and also flush against a fixed upper horizontal surface (e.g. against the ceiling or against the counter bottom) due to the close proximity of the upper mounting hole to the top of the rack. The distance between the top of a drill and the center of the drill bit is larger and will limit how close the rack can be mounted to the horizontal surface.

That may be why the picture shows a non-fixed upper horizontal surface (shelf) that could be added after the rack is mounted to the wall.

With that said, the unit is sturdy and clean looking. I'll be replacing the supplied wall anchors with more robust connectors. Three stars due to the anchors and misleading (to me at least) description.

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Find a stud or deal with a sagging wine glass rack. Installed it per directions but the anchors given with product are not sufficient to hold it on to dry wall only.

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I highly recommend this product. We purchased this item to mount in our pantry and couldn't be happier. It was easy to install and holds 20 white wine glasses without crowding.

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Arrived quickly. Was a little difficult to hang level. It took two of us to do the job. Just the other day, one glass randomly slipped off and shattered. We couldn't figure out what caused that to happen since no one was nearby. Overall though, this was the only wall mounted wine glass rack I could find.

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Very sturdy and looks better than wood racks. Easy to install and bought one for my brother as he like it so well..

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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Cheap Lodge Elements SC90SET 8-Piece Cookware Set, Silver

Lodge Elements SC90SET 8-Piece Cookware Set, Silver
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $339.95
Sale Price: $194.18
Today's Bonus: 43% Off
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This 9-Piece Lodge cookware set consists of two sauce pans, a stock pot, two skillets, three lids and a "silicone hot handle holder."

Even as I was unpacking the box in which the set was shipped, I was impressed by the weight of the various pots. This gave me a hint of the quality construction of the set, an that impression was reinforced by a closer inspection of the three glass lids that are included. The lids are solidily constructed and each of them fits snugly into place, their weight ensuring a solid seal with the pot or pan they are designed to fit.

My wife and I first tried the larger of the sauce pans and the first thing we noticed was that the pan's weight seemed to be focused on its bottom. This means that stirring whatever is inside the sauce pans does not result in the pan spinning or turning on the stovetop's burner (a particular problem with the new "slick surfaced" electric stove tops). In preparation of this same meal, we used the deep skillet to cook several chicken breasts and were pleased to find that there are no "hot spots" on the skillet's base, meaning that all the pieces were cooked evenly and nothing was scorched or burned.

My wife, who is a bit of an expert on the handling and care of cast iron skillets, used the one from this set to make one of her traditional cornbreads and was pleased at the way it cooked again, there did not appear to be any hot spots in the skillet that would cause something to cook unevenly. The cornbread was as near perfectly done as any she has ever produced, in fact.

Clean-up of the pieces was what we expected; nothing remarkable in either direction.

Main plusses noted by my wife, especially, include: the steadying second handle on the deep skillet, the extra weight centered on the sauce pan bottoms, the see through pot lids, the graduated measurement markings on the insides of the pots, and the overall quality construction of the set. This is our first exposure to Lodge cookware, but we are suitably impressed, and would most certainly purchase this brand in the future.

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Received this beautiful cookware set promptly and in pristine condition. These induction-ready cookware are easy to clean rub with a little baking soda to keep them shiny and stainless. Have see-through glass covers, and easy-to-pour, drip-resistant edge. There are measure marks inside each pot and pan sooooo convenient. This set looks and feels like a very expensive set. Truly an excellent value.

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I could not WAIT for this set to arrive! I love cast iron, and I have been researching every cookware set I come across to try to make a decission. Part of me didn't like the prospect of comparing a new cast iron to my generational one that is well loved and well aged. This newcomer exceeded expectations. It came from the manufacturer pre-seasoned, and had instructions to wash and oil it before first use, and to re-oil it after every wash. I followed directions (Im good at that) :) and cooked my first meal in my brand new cast iron. My food came out perfectly done, evenly cooked, and didn't stick at all (I expected the worst)!

Department stores charge too much for too little, and my own indecission didn't help the issue. When I found a set that had a cast iron skillet IN it, I knew I had found the right one!

I did contact Lodge to ask some questions first. All of their cast iron is produced here in the USA, however, the stainless steel is from China. It is also not 18/10, I think they told me it was 18/8? I cannot find the email. That delayed my decission a bit...I feel like in this economy, we should be supporting our own country. However, because the cast iron IS US made which did in the end have enough pull (paired with the other reviews, and a drop in list price on Amazon) to sway my decission.

The set arrived very promptly. I have already begun using it, and I am very pleased with how it performs so far. The pans and lids all fit together well, and unlike many other sets, all of the pans are a convenient, and useable every day sizes. The largest pot lid fits the cast iron skillet well. All of the pieces have a good solid feel to them, and a comforting weight. Total win.

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Great addition to my Loge cast Iron. The sizes are what I need. Not a bunch of small items that I will never use. No junk utensils thrown in just to up the item count. A good all around set. Built solid! I am very happy with the purchase.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This set consists of a 1.9 quart saucepan with lid, a 3.4 quart saucepan with lid, an 8 quart stockpot and a 3.3 quart deep skillet with one lid between them, a 10 1/4 inch pre-seasoned cast iron skillet, and a silicone "handle mitt" (i.e., a sleeve that slides onto the handle) for the cast iron skillet. The saucepans, stockpot, and deep skillet are stainless steel with stainless steel clad bottoms. The stockpot has measurement marks in quarts on the inside, and the other stainless units have both quart and half-quart measurement marks. The lids are clear glass glass that appears and feels thick and sturdy (as tempered glass should) with stainless handles and trim.

Using an electric burner on my stovetop, I tested the 1.9 quart saucepan against a Revere Ware 2 quart saucepan that is stainless steel with a stainless steel lid and a copper clad bottom. I put 1 quart of cold tap water into each pan and timed how long it took for the water to come to a rolling boil. (I tested each saucepan with their respective lids in place on the same burner hours apart. Thus the burner was cool, i.e., at room temperature, at the beginning of each test.) It took about 5 minutes for the water in the Lodge saucepan to come to a rolling boil against about 7 minutes for the water in the Revere saucepan.

I've owned and used Lodge brand cast iron skillets for decades, off and on, and lately mostly off because the skillets I own require re-seasoning (a process described in detail in the Use & Care of Seasoned Cast Iron section of the Lodge Cast Iron site). The skillet that comes with this set has an "assist handle" opposite the long handle, and we are told at the Lodge site that, "The Lodge 10 ¼-inch Skillet was rated as one of the two dozen essential tools in the home and kitchen (Martha Stewart Living February 2008)." (The 10 1/4 is the largest Lodge cast iron skillet I've owned, and I should mention that the stainless deep skillet that comes with this set also has an "assist handle.")

I hadn't used a cast iron skillet for a very long time before putting the 10 1/4 inch Lodge to the test, and it was a real pleasure to stir-fry onions in butter in it and have them quickly brown and crisp which does not tend to happen when I cook with non-stick pans. (I stir-fried onions before preparing an omelet in the skillet, and it was a pleasure to hear the eggs actually, 1 egg and 1/4 cup Egg Beater crackle in the pan.) When using non-stick pans I am extra careful to regulate the burner temperature, having learned that beyond a certain point, the heat may result in damage to the pan. The downside to this is that I typically don't get the sizzle going that I like when stir-frying vegies and cooking eggs, meat, and poultry. I have never had this problem with cast iron, including when using cast iron pans as a short-order cook in the early 70's (how time flies). The "handle mitt" that comes with the skillet (and is how we account for the 9th unit in this set) came in very handy when moving the hot skillet from the hot burner to a cool one; slides on, slides off, the silicone makes for a good grip, and it keeps your hand from getting burned: nice.

Cleaning the cast iron skillet is easy, although, depending on what's been cooked in it, getting it clean may require considerably more elbow grease than when cleaning a non-stick skillet, and you may need to boil water in it for a few minutes to loosen stuck-on food. Lodge recommends against the use of soap and says that harsh detergents should never be used in cleaning their seasoned cast iron cookware. Their cleaning directions are simple: "After cooking, clean utensil with a stiff nylon brush and hot water." And it works. Cleaning the stainless saucepans, etc., is like cleaning any other stainless cookware I've used, not as easy as cleaning non-stick cookware, but easy enough (e.g., I used the Lodge 3.4 quart saucepan to boil macaroni and once it cooled, getting it to a "like new" clean state took seconds).

An impressive basic cookware set.

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Saturday, September 6, 2014

Cheap KitchenAid 5-Speed Blenders with Polycarbonate Jars

KitchenAid KSB560MC 5-Speed Blender with Polycarbonate Jar, Metallic Chrome
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $149.99
Sale Price: $139.99
Today's Bonus: 7% Off
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I have been looking for a blender for a few weeks now. We have started making smoothies at home and burned up our old one. Our girls like the "Chocolate Elvis" recipe from the local smoothie place which contains peanutbutter, bananas, yogurt, ice, and milk. I guess this is really hard on blenders. I bought one at Target 2 weeks ago that had "700 watts peak power" on the box. It died in 2 days. The power spec on the bottom of the blender said 450 watts. I think that is false advertisement. I have seen this on 2 different blenders now.

I have been leery of buying any blender with the little plastic teeth couplers because of all the bad reviews here on Amazon. I also wanted to stay away from anything with only 450 watts.

I was in another store and saw this blender. It has a new design for where the blades couple with the motor. "Commercial quality couplers with 12 interlocking teeth....coated for quiet operation".

We have had it for a few days now and have made some pretty thick smoothies. So far, so good. No burning smell like the one that was immediately apparent with the Target blender. My youngest daughter complanied that her smoothie was "too smooth". I guess she got used to the chunks of ice that our past blenders have left.

Kitchenaid doesn't seem to advertise the actual power specs on their blenders. On the bottom of this one it says that it draws 6 amps. Which is about 720 watts or about 0.9 horsepower.

My only complaint so far is the soft start feature. The blade starts at a slower speed then quickly increases to the speed you chose. This process still throws everything up into the lid, which is what it should prevent. It works fine though as long as you have the lid on. It also works if you start with the slowest speed and work your way up.

Overall this blender seems to be well made and pretty well thought out. The cord storage on the bottom is a great feature. It has much bigger feet than the previous model. So far, I would highly recommend this blender for the person looking for a good blender in the under $200 range.

Added comments:

It is a year and about 300 smoothies later and we still have this blender. I would highly recommend it!!

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We bought this Kitchenaid blender over a year ago, and after several months the container started to leak. The leak was small, and we put up with it for awhile. We finally got tired of the mess, however, and called the factory. We were told that the container had been redesigned, and they would send us a new one immediately even though our warranty had expired. When we got the new one we could see that it had indeed been redesigned, and have used it for some time now, and NO LEAKS. A leak proof container plus the other great features of this blender now warrant a definite five stars.

3/24/12 update. Our blender is now five years old, is used every day, and has been problem free since they replaced the container in 2008.

Best Deals for KitchenAid 5-Speed Blenders with Polycarbonate Jars

My husband and I make smoothies almost every single night (as in, 6-7 nights/week), so we're really hard on our blenders. We have been through 4 blenders in the last 3 years alone. We started with a cheap Oster blender, but quickly realized that it was pretty much useless for the thick smoothies we like to make. Next, I bought the Back to Basics Smoothie Elite, which was great for as long as it held up, but as it turned out, that was only 6 months. So, we upgraded to the Back to Basics Smoothie Professional, which was great until I dropped the glass jar into the sink and broke it, only to find that you couldn't buy a new one ANYWHERE so my $120 blender was now worthless.

After all this, I decided to stop fooling around and buy a Kitchenaid. This blender has all the power you need (way more power than any of the first 3 blenders I bought; both the smoothie blenders came with a stir stick, but such a thing isn't even necessary when you have the power of this Kitchenaid), and is a steal at $99, since we've had it for a year now and it's still as good as new. The motor is unstoppable, the blade is fantastic, it cleans easily, the jar is polycarbonate (i.e. unbreakable if you drop it), and there is a removable plastic piece in the lid in case you do want to use a stir stick.

I love this blender, and when it dies (which I hope/believe will be years from now, given how reliable my other Kitchenaid appliances are) I will be replacing it with the exact same make and model. It's everything a blender should be!

Honest reviews on KitchenAid 5-Speed Blenders with Polycarbonate Jars

I was loving this blender until a couple weeks into owning it and making smoothies daily, I noticed that it was leaking from the bottom of the carafe below the blade. The longer I used it, the worse the leak got until it was virtually pouring out of the bottom of the blender everytime I used it. So I returned it to Amazon and got a replacement. Thinking it was a fluke, I began to use my replacement blender. It is now a couple weeks old and again it is beginning to leak from under the carafe. The motor and everything below the carafe is wonderful, but it appears that there is a design flaw with how the blade is secured to the bottom of the carafe. The nut slowly begins to loosen and with time begins to leak. I would not recommend taking a risk on this model. Looking at the higher priced professional Kitchen Aid model, it appears to have the same carafe and may have the same problem so you may want to try a different manufacturer or research it further before making a purchase.

UPDATE: My original purchase was in 2007, and I'm surprised that people are still buying them in 2013 and commenting to my original review that the same leaky carafe issue remains. Buyer beware. KitchenAid customer service seems to be telling untruths to customers that the carafe has been redesigned, when it hasn't. I have often wondered if it's their own staff that is writing all of these positive reviews about the blender, because it's clearly poorly designed, and still leaks. Some food for thought before considering this manufacturer.

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Love how the blender looks, but it's got a major, major design flaw. The problem is that after a few weeks of daily use making my smoothies, a leak developted at the base of the jar where the blade attaches. This leak got progressively worse to the point that within a month, my smoothie was completely dripping out the bottom and covering the motor housing. There is a cheap plastic nut that holds the blade to the jar, and this nut will not stay tight. Tried retihgtening it multiple times by hand, but kept coming loose. Finally, I tried tightening it down with a socket and the rubber gasket that creates the seal got twisted from the added pressure and brokethus making the jar completely useless. There are other posts stating this problem-Strongly recommend you search for another blender. REALLY wanted this one to be a blender I would have for years, but, didn't last two monthsVERY DISSAPOINTED. Shame on KitchenAid for not using a stainless steel nut with a fine thread that could be permanently tightend. Advice to KitenAid-get design engineers with some experience, and dont cut corners! I really wonder if KitchenAid even tested this blender before they brought it to market.

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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.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Discount Kinetic Kitchen Basics Series Stainless Steel Open NonStick Frypan

Kinetic Kitchen Basics Series  Stainless Steel Open NonStick Frypan 12015, 10-Inch
Customer Ratings: 3.5 stars
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This pan is not quite as heavy as I like, but it works very well in the kitchen. It distributes heat well, the non-stick surface is sturdy (for such coatings--it still wears out), and the rounded inner surface (with no rivets) makes it very convenient to move the food. While many good pans have very sturdy handle attachments using rivets, the rivets make the food catch or stick--this pan avoids this problem.

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This frying pan replaced my old, chipped, rusting out(embarassed to say that, but you don't know me, anyway)and it even frys food but mostly it looks great. What can you say about a frying pan? I wouldn't have even given this reponse if I hadn't had a few glasses of wine. Seriously, it is a quality pan without paying a fortune. I have purchased Innova before and am STICKING (in this case NON)with it. There's the wine making bad jokes again.

Best Deals for Kinetic Kitchen Basics Series Stainless Steel Open NonStick Frypan

My wife has been very happy with this pan since we purchased it about a month ago. The pan is well made and has a nice steel bottom that is heavy duty (unlike some other pans that are the same thickness at the top and bottom). My wife has been making some great omelets and it is the perfect size for that. I would recommend this pan, but can't comment on the longevity of it yet.

Honest reviews on Kinetic Kitchen Basics Series Stainless Steel Open NonStick Frypan

The surface was not smooth. It had pitted spots on it. Had to return it. Not good quality 18/10. Could have done better at Bed Bath and Beyond or and Estate sale. Sorry.

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I just now found out Ultrex cookware was recalled years ago because it is dangerous.The coating can separate from the pan and be forcefully propelled from the pan. I had no idea until now. I bought two sets from HSN and they never notified the customers that the product was dangerous. The Ultrex company went out of business as soon as they realized the product was unsafe so that they would not have to cover the lifetime warranty. As usual, HSN claims no responsibility for endangering lives. Furthermore, it is illegal to resell a recalled product. Please do not buy or use this product.

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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Pillivuyt Porcelain 9 Inch Square Chop Dish, Review

Pillivuyt Porcelain 9 Inch Square Chop Dish,
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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This product lives up to its Pillivuyt reputation. Beautiful in its simplicity, strong, but not heavy, and cleans up easily with just a little soaking. I have a fair number of Pillivuyt porcelain products and love them all.

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This is a well made dish that I have used for several months. It easily fits into my toaster oven, which is why I purchased it, and I am able to cook several different types of food in it. It is larger than the pyrex 8" square dish, so I can fit larger pieces of meat like the picnic chicken pieces (thigh and leg attached). Inside measurement is 7 1/2", side with handles measures about 10 1/4". It is approx. 2" deep. Great purchase for me.

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Review of 17-3/4" Stainless Steel Pot and Pan Cover - Browne-Halco 57 24145

17-3/4' Stainless Steel Pot and Pan Cover - Browne-Halco 57 24145
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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Definitely a must have if you own the Thermalloy 40 qt. stockpot or 25 qt. brazier. It's nice and heavy duty 14-guage 18/10 stainless steel to match the quality of the pots it covers. Forms a solid seal to lock in moisture and ensure even cooking from bottom to top.

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