Showing posts with label americraft cookware reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label americraft cookware reviews. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Review of Breville BJE820XL Juice Fountain Duo Dual Disc Juicer

Breville BJE820XL Juice Fountain Duo Dual Disc Juicer
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $388.45
Today's Bonus: 22% Off
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Dual disc juicer when compared to 800JEXL is superior in features in many ways. Just to list a few

1) Motor is 1200 watts against 1000 watts in 800JEXL

2) Rotary speed dial with speeds 1 to 5Higher for harder fruits & vegetables compared to flip switch achieving two speeds in 800JEXL

3) Ability to make soft fruit smoothies in dual disc in addition to juicing anything

4) 3.5" dia feeder compared to 3" in 800JEXL.

I use it daily for vegetable juice on week days and fruit smoothies on weekends.

I use those vegetables in juicing which otherwise I generally donot eat.

For example

One large tomato, two stems of celery, one large carrot, half lime or lemon and a small piece of ginger

With lime, I donot need to add salt. With this pure juice, I have stopped taking V8 juice.

For week end, I use smoothies made from banana & seasonal fruits like berries and non fat milk and if needed, I add mango pulp.

Very fast in juicing and very easy to clean even during week day before work.

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My wife and I are "first time juicers"Why didn't I try this years ago? :)

I wanted a well-made, high quality juicer that was easy to clean and did the job well. I didn't want a marginal unit I'd have to trade up from. (Hint from others: Buy a good one the first time.)

This model Breville works VERY well. Thorough clean-up and drying takes five minutes max and assembly and dis-assembly is cake: Pop the big chrome bail arm 90 degrees and the top shroud comes off, revealing the cutter assembly and stainless juicer shroud. All pop loose and wash easily. After rinsing, I wipe the parts down with a dish towel and leave them sitting on a Sham-wow to dry while I enjoy my juice. My wife finds it easy to use and juicing up a huge mound of veggies and fruits takes maybe a minute once the items are ready to go. My wife thinks it's actually fun to use this machine. Me too.

The motor hardly sags under even the hardest fruits (green apple seems to be the tougher of the fruits we have tried) but, when it does, the speed sensing circuitry adds power to the motor to keep it at the set speed. The speed control knob is an infinitely variable type. Most of what we do works very well on low speed. The motor assembly is nicely heavy and this adds considerable stability when juicing harder fruits and veggies. (The last small piece of an item may slide under the juicer shroud and into the basket which momentarily puts the basket out of balance. That is normal.) The weight of the machine never makes the unit "wobbly" or unstable. Yet, the machine is not too heavy for my wife to move around the counter easily. (Comments about the gap between the chute and basket edge are not exactly correct. You have to have a space between the chute and the basket/grinder to allow ground material to exit the grinding process and pass into the basket where the juice is extracted. We have found the number of large pieces in the waste bucket few and far between.)

The plastic parts are extremely well made and heavy duty. The clear lid is thick and strong. The waste bucket fits nicely under the lid, holding it in place so you never get "veggie parts" flying around your kitchen. This model comes with a nice clear juice pitcher (not pictured in the web pic) that nestles under the angled juice spout (tube).

As one rater above recommended, "Just buy this one and you will love it." I did and I sure do. Haven't tried the other cutter head for smoothies yet but it's so easy to change heads.

Again, if you can swing this model, buy in confidence. This thing is heirloom quality and will work for decades. The quality work on the stainless juicing shroud alone is a work of art (for techno geeks).

(I am a tech and tool guy who appreciates the quality of a nicely designed and manufactured tool. I have been a wood worker for 40 years, using all types of power tools and machinery. But, even if you aren't, you'll find this device easy and fun to use. My wife enjoys using it and finds it easy to operate and clean.)

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This is one of the best purchases I've made at Amazon. The Breville BJE820XL Dual Disc Juice Processor is an upgraded Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite which doubles as both a premium quality juicer and juice processor.

I decided to get into juicing again after a multi-year hiatus due to having a baby girl and wanting to wean her off formula. Note that in 2003 I owned the ever-popular Jack Lalanne Power Juicer which ultimately was a disappointment and took me away from juicing for several years. I spent over two weeks researching different brands, makes and models of juicers before deciding on this product. Although it is somewhat more expensive than many of the centrifugal juicers on the market, if you intend to make good use of your juicer, you will not be disappointed.

When I unpacked the product from the box, I was immediately impressed. The Breville BJE820XL assembles and disassembles easily in 5 steps that are clearly explained in the owner's manual. The juicer base (which houses its powerful 1200-watt motor) is a heavy, brushed metallic stainless steel construction. The juicer can be assembled to operate as a centrifugal juicer, which will separate the fibers contained in fruits and vegetables from the juice, or as a juice processor, which liquifies soft fruits without separating the fibers. My father has always said that to maintain your health you should "eat your fruit and drink your vegetables." With this appliance, you can stay true to this saying but have the convenience of drinking both!

The Jack Lalanne Power Juicer doesn't hold a candle to the Breville BJE820XL. The Breville's rock solid construction, stainless steel material, powerful motor, ultra-wide feed tube and easy assembly / disassembly make it worth every penny. This juicer has five speed settings -although Breville only recommends using the lowest setting with the puree assembly. It is fairly quiet at the lowest setting, used for soft fruits like grapes and citrus; but at its highest setting, it sounds like an industrial strength power drill. This isn't a problem in my book as I'll take the power over quiet any day. With such a solid product, my only real complaint is that I wish it came with a longer warranty. Unless you buy an extended service plan, you are only covered under Breville's one-year limited warranty.

If there is one thing I'd like to highlight about this product is how easy it is to CLEAN. Each part separates from the base easily and cleanly, and you can clean the entire thing by rinsing, EXCEPT for the juicing disc which requires soap and the included brush to ensure it stays free of lingering fiber. In the mornings, it takes me a grand total of fifteen minutes to prep the fruit, juice it using the Breville BJE820XL, and clean up after myself. With fifteen minutes, my 14-month old daughter has FRESH FRUIT JUICE ALL DAY!

Can't recommend it any higher! Five stars!

Adam

Orlando, FL

UPDATE 3/17/12: After almost a year, this device is still going strong with heavy use. I now also have a 2-month old baby boy who isn't enjoying juice quite yet, but in about six months I will let him try!

Honest reviews on Breville BJE820XL Juice Fountain Duo Dual Disc Juicer

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program In today's world, the term "commercial grade" is tossed around very casually. Often it's just a marketing tool to make you think an item is built to a higher standard than it acutally is. However, in this case, even though Breville does not use the words, I could think of no better term to describe this beast.

You know you have a real product here when you take it out of the box. It's HEAVY. Not ridiculously heavy, not too heavy to move, just sturdy and well made. When you turn it on, you can hear and almost feel the power this device is going to bring to the task at hand.

The juice this makes is great, you can control the pulp that you get, or don't get.

We have owned cheaper juicers in the past, but honestly that is like comparing apple juice and orange juice (pun intended) there is simply no comparison.

You will not regret for one moment making this purchase! I recommend this juicer without hesitation or reservation.

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I had high hopes when I ordered this juicer but I can state here that I am not impressed by the performance once I received it. I bought mine "refurbished" or should I say 'returned'? from geekdeal, one of the Breville authorized dealers, on ebaY. It came with one year manufacturers warranty and frankly does not look like the previous owner used it at all. There was a note pasted under the motor housing that says "tested and Cleaned".

Now I know what you might be thinking: gee if it was refurbished it must have been defective. But no this machine works just like similar Breville machines I have seen.

The Positives:

This machine is thoughtfully designed and everything assembles and fits perfectly. It can win an award in the aesthetic category. The stainless steel finish makes cleaning a snap. It even comes with a brush that also doubles as a spatula but I prefer to clean the screen with OXO Good Grips Soap Squirting Dish Brush. Juice container cover has a built in froth separator. The wide feed chute make juicing less of a hassle as you can juice a whole fruit without cutting it to smaller pieces. It has 1200 watts motor with variable speed which makes it a very fast juicer. The puree disc works as it is supposed to even though I doubt most people would ever use it.

The Negatives:

This juicer is less efficient than my 12 yrs old Juiceman JR which cost considerably less when I purchased it. The Breville leaves much of carrot, celery and greens unprocessed. The main reason for it I believe is that this machine and indeed much of the Breville elite lines (at least the ones I have checked out) has a wide gap clearance between the end of the feed tube and the juice disc. This is a fundamental design flaw. This is excerbated by the high revolution rate of the juice disc which invariably throws much of the fruits and veges into the pulp basket unprocessed (See some of the images I uploaded in the customers image section). There is also a loud slapping sound towards the end of the juicing cycle whenever you push the last fruit all the way through. It produces a lot of foam and hence the need for the froth separator.

Another negative which may be inherent in the power of this machine is that it is very loud when processing at the full speed. I thought my Vitamix Super 5000 is loud but boy this Breville is definitely louder at full speed.

Final Thought:

If I had paid full price for this juicer I would have returned it for full refund. I am sure the reason there is a lot of refurbished Breville juicers for sale is because a lot of buyers are dissatisfied with their performance overall. In my opinion they are not worth the full price but if you can buy them used or refurbished then go for it so long as you are aware of the aforementioned limitations. Better still buy the less expensive Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor

What I have done to improve on the performance is by selecting one speed less than the recommended setting and to not push the pusher all the way through till the last batch of fruits and veges are inserted into the feed tube. This later maneuver greatly reduces and postpones that annoying slapping sound till the end of the juicing cycle.

I will keep this Machine but will eventually upgrade to Super Angel 5500 Stainless Steel Living Juice Extractor Machine Super Heavy Duty Juicer: Juices Fruits, Vegetables, Leafy Greens, Wheatgrass

If I am in the market right now for a new stainless steel centrifugal juicer I would purchase the less expensive 1000 watts Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor instead.

I posted some pictures on the product main page.

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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Discount Le Creuset 3.5 Quart Oval Serving Bowl

Le Creuset Stoneware Large 3-1/2-Quart Oval Serving Bowl, Caribbean
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $60.00
Sale Price: $34.99
Today's Bonus: 42% Off
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Yes, this bowl is oval shaped, but slightly. It's very well made and the cherry color is beautiful. A really great serving bowl. I'm thinking of ordering another one in a different color.

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I have given this bowl to both my niece and my nephew as wedding shower gifts. Made a big hit each time upon opening because it was unexpected, yet practical.

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I know the product itself is good but like other reviews, packaging is so poor that I rceived mine in several pieces. I am afraid to take another chance so I just returned it. Very sad.

Honest reviews on Le Creuset 3.5 Quart Oval Serving Bowl

These small bowls are absolutely perfect for individual sized dishes cooked in the oven and then served directly to the table. Regardless of how soiled they become in use they always clean up beautifully. I would thoroughly recommend this product to anyone

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I ordered two of these bowls, one red and the other white. They are very large, larger than what I had visualized. I baked a chicken tonight and used both, one as a cover. The chicken turned out delicious and succulent . I can see a lot of uses for these bowl, for cooking and serving . Glad I bought the two.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Achla Enamel Steamer Lattice Top Review

Minuteman International T-50-BL 2.2-Quart Enamel Steamer, Lattice Top
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: $74.99
Sale Price: $55.00
Today's Bonus: 27% Off
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This product was very poorly manufactured. The description wasn't accurate, and the price was outrageous for the lack of quality. I returned it immediately.

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Do waste your time ! They dont package it right

and it's chipped all over. Plus the base is not

enamel on the outside.

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I ordered one of these steamers, and when it arrived the enamel on the lid was chipped in five places, the base had three enamel chips. I exchanged it and the second steamer arrived with two enamel chips on the lid and a chip on the base. When I lifted the base out of the packaging box, the base cut my right thumb on the chipped enamel edge. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY ON THIS ITEM. MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEAMER!!!

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The steamer is oval. From the picture, I thought this was going to be round and ordered it along with a round trivet (both ordered directly from amazon, not 3rd party seller so it wasn't someone else's listing mistake).

That being said, the color is nice, works for it's purpose (humidifer on wood stove), and is good quality.

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I recieved the steamer quite quickly but the lid was damaged, i was sent a replacement and would you believe it NO ONE had checked to make sure it was okay, this ones lid was chipped in numerous places, the dish was chipped inside too and when i took it out of the box it hadn't even been glazed on the outside!!

WHERE IS THE THEIR QUALITY CONTROLLER

They obviously don't have one.

You would have thought that sending a product such a long way and it being a replacement that someone should have made sure it was perfect, would't you??

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Monday, October 20, 2014

Best CAC China RCN-21 Clinton Rolled Edge 12-Inch Super White Porcelain Deals

CAC China RCN-21 Clinton Rolled Edge 12-Inch Super White Porcelain Plate, Box of 12
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
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Fabulous plates. I own a dozen Apilco 12 inch plates. I was seeking to increase my number of plates so that I could host a large Thanksgiving dinner. At $95 EACH the Apilcos are way out of my price range (they weren't so expensive when I bought them years ago). After searching high and low for 12 inch plates, I found these. They are much heavier than the Apilcos but look fine right next to them. One really can't tell the difference as the are the same bright white color, the rims are the same width. These are much thicker but one doesn't notice this once the table is set. Like all 12 inch plates, these won't fit in most dishwashers and maybe not even in the kitchen sinks of most people (mine included). The bottom rim is rough from the kiln, not smooth like my other dishes. When stacked these plates will likely scratch each other. I store them with a thin paper plate or a paper towel between them to prevent this. To close, these are very nice plates at a terrific price. I highly recommend them.

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Our last ones finally had to be replaced. Great for us because nine inch plates are too small. Safe in dishwasher

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Anolon Advanced Nonstick Bakeware Cookie Sheet Review

Anolon Advanced Nonstick Bakeware 11 by 17-Inch Cookie Sheet
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $30.00
Sale Price: $17.84
Today's Bonus: 41% Off
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I bought a number of Food Network non-stick cookies sheets and bread pans at a local store. Twenty bucks each. Everything stuck to them and they easily stain.

I read the reviews here and bought two of these. Using the identical recipes, nothing sticks to the Anolon cookie sheets.

Contrary to what one reviewer wrote here, they don't warp under normal baking conditions. The metal is fairly thick and sturdy.

The silicon grips are cool enough to safely handle without gloves just a few minutes after coming out of the oven. The silicon grips also make it safer by providing friction -the sheets won't easily slip out of your hands. This is a major plus.

After using these cookies sheets, I just bought two of the Anolon bread pans. The dough sticks to the new Food Network pans even when spraying with oil and dusting with flour. That's about thirty dollars thrown away.

Here's what is written on the back of the Anonlon cookie sheet label which you don't get to see until you pry it off.

"Keep small children away from the oven while you are baking. Some pets have extremely sensitive respiratory systems and should be kept away from the kitchen area."

Why keep small children away from the oven? Because children are a safety hazard under any baking situation or because the non-stick surfaces are emitting toxic fumes? Should I keep the doors/windows open when I use this product? If one is concerned about the safety of non-stick coatings, stick to parchment paper and use ordinary non-stick cookie sheets.

"Avoid soaking pans overnight. Dry promptly and thoroughly after washing."

I'd love to know why drying drying promptly and thoroughly is necessary. I've never seen this before. Will the non-stick material peel off or toxic materials leach out?

"Although this bakeware is dishwasher safe, hand washing is recommended."

Gee, the front of the label says "Dishwasher suitable and oven safe to 500 degrees F". I hate it when products boldly state that they're dishwasher safe on the outside and the hidden instructions say you should wash by hand. The Lifetime Limited Warranty doesn't cover damage caused by use of automatic dishwashers. While I never put non-stick cookware into a dishwasher anyway, this duplicity annoys me.

This is not a criticism, but a comment. I didn't realize that they made a 14x16 cookie sheet. The larger size would allow me to complete a batch without having to use an extra sheet. If your oven is large enough, you might want to buy the larger sheets.

[Edit Jun 15, 11. The usable area of the Anolon 14x16 cookie sheet is actually less than the Anolon 11x17 cookie sheet since the 14x16 refers to the outer dimensions. The 11x17 refers to the usable area. Go figure. Don't buy the 14x16. Also, the 14x16 only has one silicon grip which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. I bought two 14x16 cookie sheets and I sent them back the next day.]

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We bought this to replace some aging baking trays in our kitchen and having owned the Anolon professional range of pans for several years we hoped for a good quality product in the same ilk. So far we have been very impressed, the non-stick has performed fabulously and we've cooked everything from pastries to roasted vegetables directly on the tray with nothing sticking and they clean up like new. Have bought a second identical tray and use them for all our baking now

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This is the best cookie sheet I've ever used. Everything slides off it but if you're not careful everthing slides together before placing the cookies in the oven if the pan is slightly warm. You don't need any cooking spray or anything. Great product.

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This cookie sheet is absolutely wonderful! No more scouring or scrubbing because cookies don't stick.

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I go out of my way to find Anolon you can buy all the other name brands out there even the ones that cost three times the amount. I will put Anolon up against any of it at any time. Don't need to pre-spray these sheets, don't need to scrub them because they wash right off. Perfection in the kitchen!

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Friday, October 3, 2014

Review of Circulon Contempo Red Dishwasher Safe Nonstick 12-Inch Stir Fry

Circulon Contempo Red Dishwasher Safe Nonstick 12-Inch Stir Fry with Helper Handle
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $49.95
Today's Bonus: $0.04 Off
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amazing pan with good depth,intermediate weight,can easily manouever but not too heavy to lift ,good nonstick and heat retaining performance good bang for the buck will not disappoint

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This item says it is induction compatible, but not really. Our high-end Bosch induction cook top has worked with EVERY SINGLE PAN we have used on it (that is induction friendly) EXCEPT this one. Even the $10 Walmart generic pans work better. This pan only works on a single "burner", the smallest of those on the stove which is also closest to the wall. That means the over-sized pan has two major problems for us:

1) The pan cannot be easily manipulated because it is too close to the back wall.

2) The pan does not get nearly hot enough. Even on 8-of-10 (which is normally VERY HOT for most pans) this thing barely gets warm other than dead-center in the bottom of the pan, a 6" diameter area. The sides of the pan, which is the whole reason to get a pan of this style, stay cool enough that nothing cooks if it is not touching the middle center of the pan.

Maybe this pan works on other induction tops but definitely not ours. Sadly I cannot find the cardboard logo wrapper that was around the pan, so we dropped $40 on something that is useless to us. Maybe I can send it to my mother's place and it will work better on a standard electric range.

Sadly disappointed. It looks great, but I don't but pans to look at them... in fact they hide in the cabinets under the cook top, so this really serves zero purpose for us.

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We put the 12-Inch Stir Fry pan on our wedding registry and were so thrilled when we received it! It is a great pan! The size is perfect for when we have guests over. We loved this pan so much we bought the entire Circulon Contempo Red Set with our wedding gift cards!

We've washed the pans by hand and in the dishwasher multiple times and have not seen any wear on the pans. We love them! Great price too!

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I bought the 10pc set and added this later to match the set.

High quality, great to cook with, easy clean and dishwasher safe.

Now looking for more contempo red to add to my kitchen.

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Discount Appolia Délices Collection Rectangular Baker, Eggplant, 2.5-Quart

Appolia Délices Collection Rectangular Baker, Eggplant, 2.5-Quart
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
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I had a very old casserole dish that was rectangular like this one and it got broken. Took me a while to find this one as a replacement and I'm happy to say that it was worth every penny I paid for it. It's very pretty and cleans up so nicely. I am buying more of this companies casserole dishes so that I can have a whole set!Appolia French Cuisine 2-1/2-Quart Rectangular Baker, Eggplant

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I ordered an Appolia Gaia 2-piece dessert baker set in orange fusion. Instead, I received a 2-1/2 quart rectangular baker, eggplant. I returned it and they were to send me what I originally ordered. I noticed in my account info they were going to send me the wrong item again and e-mailed them about the mistake. No response whatsoever. Now, I am once again stuck with the wrong item. They are currently showing the actual picture of the original items I ordered with the description of the rectangular baker, eggplant. What's going on Amazon.com?!?

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Friday, September 12, 2014

Best Crepe Stick Wooden Spreader 5" + 7" + 9" ** 3 PIECE SET ** Deals

Crepe Stick Wooden Spreader 5' + 7' + 9' ** 3 PIECE SET **
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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You can not argue with a simple design that uses quality and fast shipping. Product was arrived exactly as described and does exactly what we needed.

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

Cheap Garcima 20-Inch All-Purpose Pan Lid, 50cm

Garcima 20-Inch All-Purpose Pan Lid, 50cm
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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Everything is just perfect for its purpose. The quality and durability of this product is awesome. I'm a happy camper.

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The 20" lid is very versatile and can be used with several sized large pots and pans. I purchased it to use with a 16" skillet.

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I purchased this to go along with my camping skillet which I also bought here. Sportsman 20-inch iron skillet. Worked fine with this pan to keep the food in my big pan.

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This lid will not fit the 20" camp skillet at least it will not sit on the top of the skillet. It will rest about an inch below the rim. If you want a lid in the true sense of the word then best buy a 22" which is also twice as much.

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A friend owns a 20 inch pan for his camp and said he has been looking for a lid for months! I checked Amazon and quickly found exactly what he needed. Ordered, it arrive timely and my friend said so appreciative! Very reasonable price, received quickly very satisfied with transaction. Highly recommend this seller. Thank you.

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Pyrex Prepware 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set, Clear Review

Pyrex Prepware 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set, Clear
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $24.95
Sale Price: $11.99
Today's Bonus: 52% Off
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If you need some wide, shallow mixing bowls, these are a nice choice. Their design is attractive and basic, and you know the benefits of Pyrex. Before buying, you should consider stainless steel instead, as it is lighter (these are a bit heavy) and won't explode into sharp bits if you drop it on your tile floor. Also, bear in mind that these bowls are shallow, so if you are a messy mixer (or use an electric mixer or a fast whisk), you may end up slopping ingredients out over the side.

Their wide shape and clear material lets them do double duty as informal serving bowls, which a true (high sided) mixing bowl doesn't do very well.

In short, these are nice to have around for certain uses, but choose high-sided stainless steel bowls as your main set.

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I bought this set about two weeks ago and have been satisfied overall. You are getting exactly what you pay for; three basic glass bowls that are fairly sturdy and seem very durable. My only complaint is that they identify themselves as `mixing bowls' and are really all too small to do any real mixing in. The smallest one is the size of a cereal bowl, and the biggest one can only hold enough salad for 4 people. If you want to actually mix, even a single batch of cookies, you're going to want something bigger.

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I've had these for about 14 years and I'm still using them. I can't use them to serve anymore because they scratch rather easily and look awful, but they're still on the mixing job. I've used them so much that they're needing replaced now but I really like being able to see through the bowl to make sure all the batter has been mixed thoroughly. It's just one of those things everyone should have in their cabinet to make life easier.

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I have become increasingly fond of glass items in the kitchen. I have purchased glass lids for many of my pots, etc. I prefer to see what is happening during mixing and cooking. Current glass, including Pyrex, is very durable; I have never broken a piece.

These bowls work brilliantly for myriad uses. They go into the oven, microwave, and fridge with aplomb.

PS

I like also the set of small Pyrex bowls, often seen on cooking shows, to hold spices, diced veggies, etc during preparation. These are also available on Amazon.

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This is one of those things that you can't miss with . . . you get what you pay for. Three Pyrex mixing bowls, which so far, have been terrific for me. Perfect for making and mixing anything I've thrown at them, pouring hot liquid and then shoving it straight into the refrigerator, or mixing, quick wash, mixing something else.

The lip makes them easy to hold on to, but kind of gets in the way when I'm stacking these bowls with other mixing bowls I own, which are also Pyrex, but going on 25 years old now. Aside from that, so far, so good, and i'm quite happy with the cheap purchase, which is cheaper than nearby stores.

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Friday, September 5, 2014

Reviews of National Presto Ind 02704 5-Cup Black Boil & Brew Tea Kettle

Presto 02704 Heat 'n Steep Electric Tea Kettle
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $38.99
Sale Price: $23.99
Today's Bonus: 38% Off
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The pros:

*I love the timer on top of the kettleI timed how long it took the kettle to heat to each ideal brewing temperature, and now I can just set the timer and leave the room. So convenient!

*It's attractive and goes well with the rest of my black appliances.

*The steeping basket is a good, fine mesh. Very little mess at the bottom with finer-cut leaf teas, and none at all with the larger leaf teas.

*Heats the water very quickly.

*The inside is stainless steel, so you don't get that weird plasticky smell/taste in your tea.

*Keeping the kettle clean, I have not had difficulty with staining or scale build-up.

*Takes the guesswork out of green and white tea brewing.

The cons:

*While I understand the cord is short for safety reasons, I do wish it was a bit longer. I also wish it was retractable.

*No whistle. It isn't really necessary with the timer, but somehow I'm just accustomed to my kettle whistling. Wouldn't affect my decision to buy it in the future.

*The timer only measures in whole minutes, when sometimes half-minute increments would be nice.

*The kettle won't maintain lower temperatures; you just have to unplug it when you get the temperature you want, and either steep a whole pot of the same kind of tea, or keep re-heating the water if you want to make different teas.

I'd been considering a few different, more expensive multi-temperature models of electric kettles/water dispensers, and I'm very glad I decided to go with this inexpensive (not cheap!) alternative.

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A nice tea pot actually holds 40 oz, so you can't really call it a little tea pot. It does what it says it does, you put water in the pot and watch the temperature and when it gets to the right one, you put the tea in the infuser and put it in the pot. It is all pretty straight forward and a pretty good deal for the money. So the complaints I have read, it beeps when it gets to the last minute, well my stove does that too, because it doesn't time less than a minute, but will count down the last minute so you can stop it... important if you are brewing your tea for 2 and a half minute. The infuser is easy to put on. The thermometer is easy to read even with my bad eyes, same for the timer. So do I wish it had a longer cord, yes the cord on this is really short, do I wish it had an off button so when it got to the right temperature you can turn it off, yes, but I plugged into a surge protector and when it gets to the right temperature, I just flip the switch. Do I wish it was on a detachable base, you bet... but honestly for the price it does a great job and I am thinking of getting another, just so I have a back up. You want a system to brew tea and do everything for you well there is a $250 machine out there, for the rest of us, this works really well. And then we can spend money on the tea not the machine.

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I purchased this as a tea maker because the last one that I had finally died on me. It wasn't nearly as great as this, with all these features, however it did the job. This however has made my tea taste even better. I hadn't realized how much I was missing out on! LOL This is a great product and comes with options for oulong, herbal, and green tea's. Awesome product! Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves tea!

Honest reviews on National Presto Ind 02704 5-Cup Black Boil & Brew Tea Kettle

Pros:

+ Useful color-coded thermometer

+ Boils water fast

+ Stainless steel interior

Cons:

Lacks an on/off switch

Timer not connected to anything, just battery powered.

Short cord

It's useful enough to do what I need it to do: boil water for tea. If I want a green/oolong, I can just look at the thermometer and unplug it when I want to. I invested in a $2 switch for it, so I don't have to keep unplugging it and creating a big spark each time.

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I ordered this because the description said it was stainless steel inside. Only the bottom warmer is stainless, the entire housing is plastic. Plastic releases toxins on a molecular level when heated. It is damaging to your health to drink from hot plastic containers. Does anyone know of an electric tea pot, that only uses stainless steel or glass where water contact is an issue?

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Sunday, August 31, 2014

Rachael Ray Bubble and Brown Stoneware Baker Set Review

Rachael Ray Stoneware 1-1/4-Quart and 2-1/4-Quart Oval Bubble & Brown Baker Set, Orange
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $100.00
Sale Price: $38.99
Today's Bonus: 61% Off
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I received these as a gift from my sister and LOVED them for about a year and a half. Then, the glaze on the small one (which I use most) began cracking. I do often use them for fish at high temps, but come on, they're BAKING dishes, they should hold up. It is now to the point where the whole dish is covered in a spider web of cracks. Last night, I made tilapia and when I pulled it out of the oven, all of the cracks were oozing this mysterious black/brown gunk!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am hoping to get a replacement and that this is a fluke because I really do love the color, shape, and easy cleanup. BUT, I also agree with previous poster's issue with the unglazed bottoms sweating. They WILL MOLD if you nest them and don't put a paper towel in there, even if you hand washed and especially if you used the dishwasher.

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I didn't think I would use these so often, but I do. I find myself looking for recipes to try, just to use these. They hold heat like you wouldn't believe, they actually cook everything evenly, and they are great to put under the broiler to get nice crisp crusts on casseroles.

The small size is absolutely perfect for a household of two people. It has allowed me to scale down my recipes to work for just two people, and still get the same quality that I would in the full scale version. The rounded sides are great and make it easy to scoop things out. They don't look very deep, but they can hold A LOT.

And, as cliche as it might be, they ARE great from going from the oven to table, and people really are impressed (plus, that makes less dishes to clean up, BONUS!!). Buy these, you will not be disappointed.

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These are great looking, colorful, and very useful bakers. I have several Rachael Ray sets and enjoy using them a lot. Now for the issue: I have bought two Bubble and Brown sets and in both sets, the 1 quart dish has cracked in a big way. The first one cracked then broke completely in half. The new one now has the beginnings of the same sort of crack. I have been careful to keep them away from abrupt temperature changes, water when hot, etc., so the fact that this has happened twice to the same dish makes me concerned that there is a production problem. I just cannot depend on these to deliver food to the table if they might break in half coming out of the oven. Not safe either. Has anyone else had this experience?

Honest reviews on Rachael Ray Bubble and Brown Stoneware Baker Set

Handle broke off in my hand when removing from the oven. Spilled boiling contents and ceramic everywhere. This design is very dangerous. Do not use. E-mailed company and received no response.

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I was baking chicken pieces at 400 and halfway through, the baker cracked in half. The smoke and mess in the oven was horrible and of course it also ruined dinner. Not happy.

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Saturday, July 19, 2014

Review of Regency Cooking Butcher's Twine for Meat Prep and Trussing Turkey

Regency Cooking Butcher's Twine for Meat Prep and Trussing Turkey 100% cotton 1 LB cone
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $13.49
Sale Price: $13.09
Today's Bonus: 3% Off
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Saw a review of "cooking string" types on America's Test Kitchen. Some too thin and other issues, etc. The proper size and type is 16 ply cotton and that's what this is. I've used it now and it's just perfect.

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Cooking twine is something it never occurs to me I need until I'm in the kitchen, holding the legs of a chicken together and thinking, "Oh, right. This happened last time too." The problem I'd had was that cooking twine can be surprisingly hard to find at an affordable price for a reasonable amount of quality product. Of course, Amazon to the rescue.

This Regency Cooking Twine is practically perfect. It's a bottom heavy cone with 1200 feet of 16 ply cotton twine. Another review noted that it had been mislabeled on the specs before, but they've corrected that now. The weight of the string is lovely, thick enough to let you really tug on it without breaking, but not so thick that it gets in the way or becomes challenging to use for small projects. I'm not sure whether the cotton is unbleached, but it definitely does not have the bright white color or off-putting odor that some bleached twines have. The spool on which the twine is wound is hollow, so crafty/handy types can easily make a holder for the cone as well.

I never find shipping info to be terribly useful in reviews, and I had no problem with my delivery regardless, but I would encourage prospective buyers to order before you think you'll need it. From trussing poultry and roasts to tying up rolled stuffed meats, bundles of herbs for soups, or spice bags for mulled ciders, the uses for kitchen twine aren't hard to find; if you have it, you'll use it. Highly recommended.

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I can't believe how hard it is to find anything more than a small amount of twine in the various types of stores I visited. I was VERY glad I thought to check with Amazon, where I found exactly what I wanted. It's great for tying up newspapers for the recycle bin, tying up different types of meats in preparation for cooking, dye some and use to wrap gifts, etc. Thanks, Amazon.

Honest reviews on Regency Cooking Butcher's Twine for Meat Prep and Trussing Turkey

My husband is an amazing cook. It's surprisingly difficult to find reasonably priced cooking twine. We were using my white embroidery string for a while there. :D The gourmet cooking stores seem to change a $20 premium for the privilege of shopping in their store. This cooking twine was excellently priced, and it holds up well to all types of cooking uses including broiling, baking, stews, etc.

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Rated as the best on Americas Test Kitchen, this is perfect for all jobs in the kitchen and the best used with a trussing needle on all poultry. Super convenient and there is a lot on the cone so you do not have to worry about running out! go for it and cook like a pro.

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